UMASS/AMHERST 312066 0333 2692 7 jijiJiJJJHfiiiiiiiilliJ^^ I IIlllllllilliniI!l!l!Eltll gl lipililllHill Y5anS!:ritiflft5feamtt^5m^S!&Bin5fei^S5^^g&- " "*? *'!: ^^^"^m ■xir,LEMINGSI» IN XIBEE CULTURE>o VOL 4. 1876. I I'lii'ii □GnDDaDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD S B D D D D D D D R D LJ □ „ r^i7x*AC<:ArHlISF.TTS S D D D D D D D D UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS g D LIBRARY D § § ° R ° R ° R D R ° R ° R ° R ° R ° R D R ■ D R ° R ° R ° R ° R ° R ° R D R D H D 9 ° R D g D - □ B LIBRARY UNIVERSITY ijf MASSACHUSETTS AIVIHERST, MASS. T G|-4-7 V, 4 Or how to Realize the Most Money with the Smallest Expenditure of Capital and Labor in the Care of Bees, Rationally Considered. r»XJBI^IHIII3T> MOIVTHLyT Xt MEDIIVA, OHIO, B^" ^, I. IROOT. W^H^ MW ■^mmmnrnw^^ WM'B® Wi^m I In the Preparatmi of this Journal the folloicing are tJie Principal Periodiails Conmuted : ASl©^I©^Mi M'e-® S'Qtt^'M.^l® Clarke, and Mrs. Tnpper. M ©'■© 5- K© © p © w'^ m »©© W®l^Ic1:# A. F. Moon & Co. g'.gt.^im©® King. [Also Bound Vcdimcs of (h? former aincp 18(i0, and Files of all other Bee Journals that have been Publislied in America.'] A^©^i©,aBfc A^i* f ©mltn wlm if ^^a^l^l© ^ii,^ni©^|) Hn^^l lf©'^w' W@ift]te©i*|) ©©urnte^ I3©a.il©nianj) ^ ©mill© 1^11 l^iii^m©!*^ COIVTEIVTH pnpc AA'interiiiir in cellars. e(c 8 Division hoards :i Tlio discovery of tho Extractor .'5 lfcti(in hoxcs t Hitter honey from dog f jimel !• (i;ilhi|)"s hoes "i Katie (Trimm not u Jone r> ("allforni.i 11. (; House Ajiiaries i\. 7 Hinnhuu's and Swindles 7 (,'aiid.v for hee>i S How to make comb foundations s, es fly 12 Toads ilo eit liees 12, l.'J Box hnne.y ml swarn:i \^ li Bees in a pit 13 PI lin slieets for (miles n, 1? 'isin^- ptirtly lill ■<.oO to S^ilO.OO. CircnlE&rs 'I'x-jlii directions for use on upplication. IN ORDERING, be particular to give ns outside dimen- sions of frame or frames to lx> used. As we have pi-o- cunxl the machinei\v for niikins every part on our own jii-emises, we cm sup],?y (leirini. Honey Gates, Wire ('lotli. etc., etc. Be.iriu'.'s, Stnlw' Steel —Boxes, self-oiling. A. I. ROOT, Mcdin I, Ohio. P. S. — Be suvo and give width, itnder top bar of frame. Containing the photographs of over 150 of the Bee-Keepers of America, Hl^li:, 11x11 l^VCHES^. K SUWDRY MATTERSf. We were very sorry to send out onr index to onr lisf V(jli!nya in the wiy vfc did, fxit really wo liad rio choic( • escapl to tlo it as we did or have our Dec. No. very mucl;; dchiyal. If wo don't do better in future we shan proba- bly sirffei' the CDiisequences, and it vril? servo izs right too, Wc only mention tte matter to L't yoi^ know tint we are- fully cotsscions of our short com jngs. ■» I J I 9m We arc lOKier obngalioiw to Editors of A. B. J., an T 2f. /r. J/.,. for advanc? shoet-s of report of Michigan Be.^- Keepors' Convention ; also for oflcrs of spfica to reply to- I friend llcddon. We have only to say that wc- tlrink ton- j much space Ins boen occupied already \vitb the matter,^ I ami tljai vfa liave no fears that friend H. will not fot bick j into tire "harjjoss"' vtTi riglrt, in dii^> timir, evewif he is not I replied to. j The American AgricitUurist ins b'cn pnblishod ;5t years, and if it kejps np to its present sJandird — it h i* boon Rteidfly improving ever since we were so fortinntc- as to make its acqtiaintance hi oirr boyhood days — it cer- tainly win rontii7uc to be welcomed with joy by the most intelligent of om- people for years to come. We shall bi? very glad io sind it to any of our si-'jsrri'bers for -SI, 35, ac- cordhig to om* cJubbing nit«, ^ h., $2,10 for it and GiEAXINCS. AVill be ii»;itlcil. scdirely packed for SI. 00. Wc iitciitioM below a few of the most prominent pictures contained. ].. I,. hi;i-'stni;h; Mrs. Lanrstrotli ; M. Qnuiby ; Capt. .). E. Hetlieriiiglon -, Dr. H iiuliu ; Ad nn Gnnim ; Sauniel Wa-.ciier; Jauies Bolin : Frank Benton; H. A. Burcli ; I'rof. A. J. Cook ; C. P. Drlint ; G. M. DoolittL> ; E. fJ-al- luj) ; Mrs. (f'-iseli-r iirc Kili' (Jrinmi; .1. P. Moore; Chis. F. Muth : Mrs. K. S. Tupper : R. Wilkin ; W. M. Kellorg ; Vj. .1 O.uui lu ; Prof. .1. P. Kirll uid ; A. .1. .Murray ; "Sci- eiitilic" ; L. C. Root ; S. B. P.irsous ; W. \V. Cary, etc., etc. It will be scut as a i)r.5uiium for G n imes for Gleas- INOS. at 7r, cents each, or for 4 names to Gle.vnisgs and ()ui{ HoM i;s at Sl.o:> each. A. I. ROOT, Medina, Ohio. -''INM* UIvVMKU, if you arc in any wnv interested iii TitE qneslion of small type for a Joimial Ins been fr>'- qnently commented on by our ivMd^re. and we woidd bi'v veryglnl indead to n.se IiiTgcr type, and more pares, did it not demand an increa.^e in the price. While a few of oiu" i-eaders would peiliaps cheerftdly pay this fncr^'as;,-, we feel sure that by far the areattr ixirtion would prefer the ^rell filled pages, e\'eH if they be obliged to read a little sloww. If we ])rint your kind lettei's at length, as we- know yon arc glad to ha^'c us do, it must occupy consid- CKible spar?, and the smaller the type, the more of y ivddvess- es. C(mie prejjared to i-eport accurately the s.-ison's op- erations. Wo wish to know the nuinlier of stocks 'ko,\i\, spring and fall, condition, kind of hives, amount of hon;^y produc.Ml, box and extracted, M-ax made, remarks o'l Ih^ vain:' of til' honey seison, etc. C.M'!. J. E. llETnEKISGTON. .T. Tt. NjILUS, President. .Seciv'.u'v. 3DE-V"OTEID E3S:CX.TJSI"V^EX.-5r TO BEES jf^lSTlD HOISTE^ST Vol. IV. JANUARY 1, 1876. No. I. WIIVTERIIVO IN CEJLLAKS, ETC. ^^IRIENL) NOVICE:— Cclhir winteriiiK of bees is :?ri^ ronnrl in this locality, to he far tlie most ecoiicm- ^j ical method. Those that liave hefii wintered upon their summer stand Iiave been sailly decimated during the past tlirec winters. We Icnow of one in- stance in which one Jiundred and forty were lost out of one hunihx'd and fifty. Quarts of bees would boil out of the hive and onto the snow, when the ther- mometer was down to zero. Tliesc hives liad littJe or no upward ventilation, and the combs were invaria- bly damp and mouldy ne.xt the honey board. i have visited several apiarians within a radius of a dozen miles, and lind several metliods of culture in vogue. I found bees in hives in which woodpeckers had made great holes, and squirrels had actually made a nest in a vacant super. As a contrast, I visited an ;il)iary where the Langstroth hives and frames are made with tlie utmost nicety, every nail countersunk and the hole tilled with wax; and contrary to all theo- ries of practical apiarians, every hive is neatly painted on the inside, and bees seem to And no objection to the plan. Tliis apiarian winters in the (cellar; and in the spring, carries his bees out and into the cellar raanj' times, as the weather changes from warm to , flouble walleii lathed and plastered, and immcdiateh- in the rear of the kitchen, the pipe from the kitchen stove passing directly through it. The stove is used every day for cooking for the family and other household work. If they show signs of uneasiness, he shuts them in their hives. He uses the common box hive with place for supers on the top. His bees, during the past season, liave made a great amount of honey; one hive making over 100 lbs. of box honey. Having Mr. Heddon in mind. I asked him if bee-keeping paid witli him. "I'ay I " said he, "I guess it does." "Honey got that l)ile of wood, and part of my coal, paid a share on a piano, and many other things." His bee room is ventilated bv raising a window, wliich is ]>rovided with blinds "and a thick curtain. No thermometer was kept in the room, so I can give DO record of temperature. Now, friend Novice, that you have given vour Mich- igan friends a visit, please give your New York friends a call. There is not one of them but will give you a warm reception. Honey is rather dull on sale at present. But little market devclopes for extracted honey, though box honey does not. go begging long in our niarkcts; J. H. Makti.v, Hartford, N. Y. 5>SVISIOIV BOAKBS. •^rflJjDITOR GLKANINC;S:-jrr. W. F. Patterson "Pi! having urged me to give my method of using the >-=?^J division board, I comply witli liis request ^^•ith pleasure ; arid premise by saying that I consiiler it one of the most valuable contrivances useil about the hive. In the soring, after I place my hives out of doors. I I move all the combs to the back part of tlic hive, ex- j cei)t what the bees can cover )jiMfcciIy down to the I i'otlom. This gives the t>ces a chance to go to tlic ! back part of the hive on warm days for the purpose of carrying the lioney over. When the weather gets warm enough to open the iiives, I examine the com lis, and if they are strong enough I move the sealed biood outside, and place those outside partlv tilled, in tlie middle. Ami when the bees get strong enough I jjlace emiity comb in the middle. 1 am always careful how- ever not to add more comb until there are bees enough to cover the whole well. One card is enough to pnt'in at a time. 1 never feed bees in spring to make them raise brood faster if there is plentv of honey in the combs at the back part of the hive. I think this method far superior to tlu.t of feeding liquid sweets. They need, however, to be watchetl closely to see that they do not get out of honev. If the weather is very colil the division board should be moved back and a card of honey put next the brood. I use the Gallup hive with twelve frames. I also re- duce the combs to live and from that down to one ac- cording to the strength of the colonj'. When the weather is warm, I look after them often to ascertain if the combs can be placed so as to give the queen a better chance to lay. If they ai-e strong enough to cover two cards when setting them out in the spring, I can build tlipni up into a good colony by the time white clover comes into bloom. I liave wintered many nucleus swar.r.s with only four combs, by using the division board. My hives are IS inches long. 12 inches wiiie, and 12!.j inches deep from the rabbeting down to the bottom boarii, counting inside measure. I have mentioned that 1 use the Gallup hive, but the division board can be used in any other as well. I consi e;itc:i by peoiile. The above is (juite pi'obai)le, and any one who doubts its verity should make the exneriracnt. GLEANINGS m BEE CULTURE. Xm M'#.m«)y ©olTOSiiiHis) '>^^-^E have have been fortunate indeed this yi^l month, in receiving a most pleasant vis- it from our friends, Muth, of Cincinnati, and J. S. Hill, of Jlouut Healthy, O. The very best argument we can give in favor of liquid honey and the extractor is that Mr. Muth will pay 15 cts. for a really nice article of clover honey ; if any of our readers have any such on hand that tliey are unable to dispose of to better ad- vantage, they had better send friend Muth a sample by mail. Our own is now going off so briskly, at 18 cts. in its candied state, that we shall probably have none to dispose of by the barrel. We simply take the head out of the barrel and scoop it out in chunks like butter; if you take a flour scoop and work it back and forth patiently while 3'ou bear on witii a steady pressure, you can with little trouble put it up for customers in quantities to suit, and wheth- er they take it by the plate or pailful, we find it less trouble all round than going to the ex- pense and bother of jarring. When it is de- sired in its liquid state in jars, of course we furnish it at tlje old rate. 20 cents. Mr. Muth informs us that he only puts the very linest in jars, and that is doubtless the secret of his hav- ing built up such a large trade on extracted lioney. He strongly urges the importance of keeping each kind of honey by itself; and to do this the apiarist must keep careful watch, and extract all the honey just before the bees commence to forage on some new blossom ; for instance, when the linden first commences to yield, it may in 24 hours be so mixed with the clover honey in the hives, as to render what would have been a ton of pure clover honey, (mly a mixed article that will have to be sold from one to live cen^.s lower solely on that ac- count .Have your clover a pure article, that it may be sold to those preferring that, and the same with linden, etc. As an illustration of this i)oint, we will mention that we have also had a most pleasant call from C. R. Carlin, who hails alternately from (California, Louisi- ana, Florida, and we hardly know where next. Well, friend C. has, this ])ast season, secured in Jja., between two and three; tons of beautiful honey in section frames, but sad to relate, when the main part of the crop was in fair condition to remove from the hives, he was so busily occupied in making more of lliose cun- ning sections, with a foot-power buzz-saw, that he really could not take time to remove the filled ones just then. Alas for procrastination ! all at once, the bees l)egan bringing in honey from a species of dog fennel, and aside from spoiling the looks of his white lioncy, the new crop had an intensely bitter taste, so bad in- deed that much of the honey was given away to any one who would take it. Mr. Carlin also gave us some excellent hints on the section l)oxes ; these with the hints we gleaned while in Mich., together with some ideas borrowed from friend Moore of Biug- hampton, N. Y., have resulted in the following section boxes that we have designed especially for the Simplic-ity and Standard hives. Let A, and B, represent the front and back of a Simplicity L. hive, or rather the upper story of such a hive without the frames. C, is JM fL _/[ It— d' G H 1» J the cover, and G, H, L, and J, are folded tins that support the section boxes E, and F, that they n>ay all l>e lifted oflfwitb the upper story^ when an examination is to l>e made, to see that the ({ueen has room to lay, or to attend to the queens in case of swarming, etc. The tins^ nailed to the ends of the hive are simply strip.s 1 inch by 14, folded lengthwise at a right an- gle. H, and L, are similar pieces, except that, they are made double and are 1 inch longer ;. they are soldered together at the back, and ^i inch of each end is bent at right angles, that they may l>e nailed securely. These tins are nailed so low that the sections come within }-4i of an inch of top bars of the frames in the low- er hives. The frames are to have their toj> bars scraped off clean that thei-e may be no "attachments" formed between them and the sections. The sections are made of pieces 5}^^ x. 1^4x8-16 for the sides, 5^4x1^4 xj^ for the top and bottom. The former are nailed into the ends of the latter making a frame SJ^xGig out- side dimensions. Before the tops and lx>ttoms- are finished, they are dropped on the saw in^ such a manner as to saw a slit in the middle of each to within about one inch of either end ; this is to allow us to furnish the Italians with a broad ladder of comb foundation exactly ii* the centre of each frame. If a saw that makes a sufficiently broad cut be used, the comb foun- dations can be i)ut in very rapidly, for after a. strip is pushed through, we have only to run a hot iron ovei' the tops of the sections to make these guides a fixture. When the bees are working in the lower tier only, we will use the quilt to cover the upper openings, and when these are raised tip, the quilt is placed over all, there being just room enough left under the cover for it. A single story will hold 48 of these sections, holding from one to two lbs. each. If desired, we can furnish these sections for one cent each, ready to nail, or if furnished with the comb foundations, two cents. A com- plete sample will be sent by mail for 10 cents. A one story Simplicity hive arranged with the 48 sections and comb foundations, $2,00 ; a two story hive comjjletc, frames below and section.'^ above, ail ready for the bees, $3,50; Standard hive, same price, i. e., the price will be the same Avhether arranged for comb honey, or for the extractoi'. We only offer these as samples, for every bee-keejwr should be able to make his own at a much less expense, aside from the sa- ving in freight or express charges. From the manner in which these guide combs are fasten- ed, these hives can be sliipped as freight without injury. Bee. 20(h — The finest samples of honey it has ever I)een our lot to behold now graces our honey table ; they were sent us as a Christmas present tjy Mr. John Long, ofjS". Y. If our readers would like a sample of pretty jars witli glass covers, and an idea of the way tliey make good.'-: attractive in t!ie large cities, they should :87G aLEANINUS IN BEE CULTURE. $ ixct a jar or two by express of Mr. Long. The lioney is tlie mountaiu sage of California, and if every one can not agree with us in regard to the flavor, they certainly must in regard to appearance. The comb honey is of a delicate whiteness iind regularity, that makes one wonder wheth- er the California bees are not a notch ahead of •our own in mechanical skill. Mr. Long also isends us some beautiful cakes of bleached wax for ladies work boxes. We are also indebted to friend Muth, for ta- king the lead in using honey in cookery; in fact he has made Blue Eyes a present of a whole box of "honey cakes." They are made •ciuite rich with linden honey, and prove quite Acceptable as confectionery. We have also had a pleasant talk with Mr. Lindley, who reported in regard to Mi. Gallup's bees, and his»8500 lbs. of honey, on page 181, Vol. III. The beauty of the whole matter is that friend L., has sold all but about 1500 lbs. of the crop right at home, of at least in the vi- cinity of Mitchell, Iowa. The secret of it is that friend L., has been in the market garden business, and has been putting his honey before the people where he is known, just as v,'e have no long advised. He has nothing to do with selling honey on time to irresponsible parties, .lud has not sold a pound iess than lo cents — HI fact has had 20 cents for all sold in less e of very nearly the capacitj' of our ^Standard, or our two story Simplicity. Out- door wintering Mr. L., thinks to be quite un- wise, even with the large hives, and states that Gallup had losses enough during his last win- ter with them, to satisfy him that tlicy had better be housed in that locality. The double walled hives that Gallup recommended, Mr. L., also pronounces no better than those with sin- gle walls, and in regard to the long hives being non-swarmers, he states that they have been the very first to to swarm. If we remember correctly, the whole 18 large hives that he purchased of Gallup, swarmed before any of his smaller or 10 frame hives. Wiien we state that the large hives almost invariably built drone comb, we believe we have gone over the whole ground ; unless it be to state that the labor of nncapping was much greater in the small hives, for the large ones ripened their honey equally well and left it unsealed, while the others would have the combs sealed clear to the bottom. Of course it is a task to put the heavy hives in the cellar, requiring two fitrong men to lift them ; but when we bear in mind the prodigious yields of honey they give, it is not so hard after all. In regard to ma- king use of artificial heat in the spring, Mr. L. thinks the very cheapest way to keep up the proper terapei-ature is by these same powerful colonies, for no frost can by any possibility penetrate to the center of their brood nest. As an illustration, he narrated how he had put a good colony near the kitchen stove, allowing them to fly through the wall, but although they worked well all through the spring months, they were beaten in swarming by one of those irrepressible, long Gallup hives. When wc bear in mind how much easier it is to let the bees do the work themselves, we confess there is not very much to encourage this fuss- ing with artiliial heat, even if it does succeed occasionally. It is true we must have extra queens to keep up such a population, and we must also have a supply of food in proportion, for them to winter on. Our visitors all have expressed themselves much pleased with the house apiary, and Mr. L. thinks it u ould be a grand place for the "big" colonies. These large hives are in striking contrast with tlosmer's "quarts and pints," and perhaps it were well to mention that visitors report Hosmer's apia- ry to consist of more hives containing moth- eaten empty combs, than tho.se containing bees. As both Hosmer and Gallup refuse to be classed with bee men at present, we shall have to content ourselves by drawing such in- ferences as seem warrantable. KATIi: GKIMitI NOT OUXDOIVE. ^ff^ EAR XOVICE :— We are surprised to find that you JB|J jaj) and some of your kind readers think 12000 ll)s. of *— ^ honey an extraordinary day's work with one ex- tractor. Mrs. Lareh did only the extracting, while I worked only in the apiary, the hired man carried the fram&s back and fortli, the hired girl did the uncappins? and deserves credit for the rapidity with which she did her work. Our method of ojierating may be described thus : we had two buckets and two wire strainers made for the pur- pose, one tine one to lit the buckets, the other a little coai-ser to tit the top of this, the honey toeing perfectly strained as it ran from tlie extractor. The barrels were provided witli a, fiumel of the largest size so tliat very lit- tle time was consumed handlins the honey. We com- menced operati rmi out. We used the Winder extractor last year and got only TfiS lbs. in one day, it did good work but rmis heavily. Mi's. Larch will not use it at all. It might be well to inform you that our location is a poor one, according to Amateur, only a short distance from one abandoned liy him in Jlissouri, and that our ai)iary was built up while his was being sadly depopulated. And should he obtain the largest average of anyone in the United States in 1876, we will promise to beat anything he ever did in Missouri by ZO per cent, and yet we know but little about bees and their management, but according to our experience wc had rather be at a little trouble to win- ter and spring our bees without loss, than to abandon our cheerful home with schools and churches, with the best of society and all the comforts one could wish, for that des- olate region in California adapted only to bee-keeping. E. C. L. Larch, Ashland, Mo. As our friend "Katie" not only did all the un- capping, but removed all the combs from the hives, and in short, took entire charge of the whole apiarv meanwhile, we shall have to think her yet ahead. Skq page 111, Vol. III. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Jas CAI-JFOKNIA. YfjIJlRIEXI) XOVICE ■.~:Sly friends iirsod nie' to desist M ' from shipijin.j; beos fi'om Iowa to California ; even you 4=4 suECjested th;it 1 hail best Iniy of H:irl)ison, here. 1 do not ol)jo('t to his stock. jn(l'j;in,tc from what I have seen, but I haveastroiik of coiiti'ariness in my make up tliat .seems to relish ruMnini;: eouiUer to tlie most positive con- vietions of othei's, when I feel sure they will conclude in the end, "he tuiderstood what he was about better than we liad thou'.'ht." So far 1 have accomplished about all I anticipated in shipping. The whole cost of brimrin^ my bees the 2100 mileis, -was only about $2,25 jier colony, and it woidd have cost me nearly that to have fed thcni to a condition for winterin!? in Iowa, and then no one would there have risked more than SiiftO per colony m the fall, on colonie.s I .suppose »uS good as Harbison's .■Sl.'i.Oi) ones. I h:id ifoiie to mx'ieh pains to get me upaa'ood stock of Itnliin l)ecs in the kind of hives 1 jjreferred to use, having some imjjorted queens among them. many hai e spent more money in shipjiing a few hun- dred miles alonir the coast here. It i.s true that owing to Jiot weather after .starting, ray bees worried themselves until there wei-e only a few left in each colony. I had ]3ut a division board in many of my hives so as to take two queens to the hive, only three or four of these .apartments had failed on arrival, but scarcity of honey (I left only honey enough in the hives to last the journey) and the confusion on first setting out here caused the loss of many queens. However, [ had enough left to keep u]) my number of colonies. Oidy three or four had any brood in their hives, and 1 liml that strong- stocks hero have generally ceased brcediug ; tint thanks to California weath- er and my out-door general feedin.g of :'M) pounds five cent honey, dduted with four parts water, my stocks have in the last IS da.vs ])roduced me from 1.5 to 80 square inches of brood i)er hive, and are getting plenty of i)ollen ; but you may be sure the bees have to s])read themselves to cover their brood. The first rain that had fallen here for several months came on the 2nd, and now the whole country, mountains and valleys, is a mat of verdiu-e of Altilaree, which we hope M'iil commence to yield bloom for bees in the fore part of Jiuiuary. And now, with feelings of l)Oj)e and sus- jienso, I shall aim to adapt myself to the peculiarities and possibilities of California. K. Wilkix. San Buena Ventura, C.il., Xov. 28th, '75. OrR 0\¥I\ APIARY. '^J into our house apiaiy and we were so foolish as to wonder liow they c-o-u-l-d get in, before we thought of tlie 18 two inch auger holes close to the ground. Of course we at once proceeded to make some "mouse guards." As an entrance large enough for a single bee to pass comfortably is all that is needed in Avinter — at least for bees in a house apiary — we simply cut pieces of galvanized sheet iron — this never rusts by exposure — 2i-^ inches square, and then punched two o-lG holes so that they cut each other enough to make a iiice passage for one bee. A single galvanized tack will hold these in place when the lower edge is driven slightly between the door step and the building. No mouse will ever attempt to gnaw metal, and they can be quickly removed when the bees need a larger entrance in the working season. Our reason for disliking any kind of a permanent slide or fixture to contract the entrance, is that we wish the entrance free from any kind of trap to be covered with propolis or spider webs, for the latter are a great trouble to us. As we have them now, we can take our broom and sweep the entran- ces clean and tidy clear around the buildinijin a very few minutes. We should state that'be- fore putting on these metal mouse guards a thin slip of i)lue 4xl3v,' inches was slipped into each entrance ; when the space ai)ovc this was filled with wool, we had an entrance Ixmeath it just light to allow a bee to drag out a dead one, or any other rubbish ; and of course the hole in the metal was so made as to come op- posite this o])ening. Now for the working of the house apiary during a severe freeze ; the entrances were tilled with the woo! yesterdtiy, and last night we had a heavy frost. Large bunches of frost were found collected before each entrance, the most in front of the heaviest colonies, showing plainly that their breath passed out from these holes ; but no frost was to be be seen collected on the interior of the entrances. The inside of the liouse was just about at the freezing point, and everything is dry and healthy, not a dead bee to be seen any where, yet in our old l)ee- house the dead bees cover the floor so that one cannot !iud a spot to step about even on tip- toe, and it is scarcely two weeks since they vfere put in. This is not unusual, for when there comes a warm day many ^ill crawl out and get lost in the darkness, whereas in the house apiary as they are in their usual home, they can look out-doors and go back satisfied as often during the winter as tliey feel inclined ; and yet we hope to keep the temperature as warm as, say some of the Southern States — certainly much warmer than any form of out- door wintering. J^ec. od — It has been a fine day and the bees have flown nicely ; those in the open air first, and the occupants of the house apiary after- ward. Those on the south side flew but little before those on the north, as it takes some time for the temperature to change inside of such thick walls. There Avere a few dead bees bro't out of the house apiary after all — perhaps a dozen per colony on an average, the most from the heavy colonies of course ; these undoubt- edly would die of old age, but in our old bee house we swept from the floor a two-quart pan heaped full of dead bees, and yet they have been housed scarcely two weeks. This would amount to more than half a tea-cupful of bees per stock. We don't know why it is, but our bees always have been in the habit of getting out of tlieir hives in the bee house when we have a verj- warm day, yet those in the open air seem perfectly contented so far as we can see, and the very strong colonies lose no more than those in the house apiary ; the weaker ones lose by bees freezing that are left between combs that are outside the main cluster. The colony with nothing over them is as bright as one could wish, and they have lost very few bees indeed from the freeze. Tiie only one that had the burnt candy has nearly perished, the few bees that arc alive looking tlamp, and hav- ing the same appearance as with the spring mal- ady ; it may not be the candy after all, for we had a strong colony die in a similar manner in the fall and winter of '73. To test the matter we have taken the candy away and given them good combs and stores. Dec. GlJi — We are still having such warm weather that we can but feel imeasy about the bees in the bee Itouse, tho' those in the house apiary are all the better for it and seem as hap- py as can be, cleaning out their hives, bringing stores nearer the cluster and getting all ready for the next freeze. While the latter presents an orderly and pleasing appearance with all the implements in their places ready for use, the bee-house looks anything but inviting with 187B. GLEANINGS IN BEE crLTURE. HviMi the floor covered with dead bees, espe- ■chiUy when more are escaping from their hives •every time a ray of light is admitted. HOISL: APlARIEiS. "^^iS^OU want to know if my kouses had been successful \l before they eanie into my hands. The Keitleman I ■Ml bought of,'cleared nearly JillWO. in one season, and •did not get the bees until the middle of May. If 1 do as AVell next year, 1 will make more than 100 percent on my -'.mestmeiJt. 1 don't see why there need be so muoh jirej- udice against house culture ; it is undoubtedly the most ■eouvenient, :ukI umch the easiest way to keej) them secure in winter. In extremely cciJd weather, hot irons can lie ni- troducedin such a manner as to )n<'rease thi' lemijerature •of the houses, and their peculiar eonstruclion causes them to retain the heat for a long time. As fur f.'rdjiig, it caji hd done by the house system with one-half tlie ii-ouble ta- ken in any other way and be entirely .swure from robber,s, 1 know'but little about bees yet, but am inclined to ibelieve the opposition to the house system is flavored somewhat with old fogyisni — a little on the principle of going to mill with the grist in one end of the bag and a ''dornick" in theother, i shall be glad to hear cf any ronUy serious objection to the liou.se system, that is not counter- balanced by the benefits. i have an idea that the wanner I can keep my bees— so ;is not lo heat them — the less they will eat and the more jtrobable 1 will bo to get them siifely through the winter ; therefore I am going to put some protci-tion under the dids of the hives ^ the straw mats used b.v some are hard to get, and 1 am going to use a kind of my own — the lining iised imder carpets, is composed of two thicknesses of lieavy paper with a hiyer of cotton batting between. I ha])pened to have enough of this left from fiu-nishing my house, to make one mat for each hive, which 1 will put tuider the hd or top, on the frames. Do you think this will be enough protection 'i ISAAC A. Smith, Hartwell, O., Nov, 3d, "75. Your paper and batting will answer very well, but do you not think it would be much cheaper to have your whole house })rotected A'om the frost rather than go to so raucli time and expense with each individual hive? If we are correctly informed your patented liouse apiary — Faulkner's — leaves the building t-ntirely unprotected underneath. If we are ^oing to try to keep out frost, it is a very im- portant matter to have a good warm cellar underneath our building. ventilation at all, the cold air working in slowly through the wool in the lower ones, and working out at tlie same ratelhr'ough the upper ones. The direction of the wind also having something to do with it. Dec. 20th — We liave had weather o« below zero, and are delighted to report that the house apiary has been all througli it Just as dry as a chip. Not a particle of frost was to be seen on the walls, and only a little on the inner glass doors, and although we haven't a sign of a "ventilator" the air inside is as pure and sweet as it is out-doors; in fact it is simply quiet natural uut-door wintering— entrances always open — aiKl yet the interior of the house never goes much below the freezing point. On what part or parts of Faulkner's house api'.iry does he claim a patent right ? I see nothing in the clesciipliou of it in A. li. J., tliat has not been used by others. R. MALLALitu, Wiightsxille, Pa. We are not able to discover any thing either in Faulkner's, or Coe's house apiary that has not been in use. In the A. B. J., for Nov., M. J. Stibbs, makes quite an error where she states that we re- ceived the necessary instructions for l)uilding our house apiary of Mr. Coe — her brother. Mr. Coe gave us no instructions but on the contra- ry ridiculed our idea of two inch auger holes and dispensing with ventilators ; our building was made for another purpose, years ago, as our readers are aware, and there can be no possible need of buying a patent to build such a one as ours. DEAE NOVICE :~Don't you think those oti e/i trances to your house apiary will all "draw like stores' when the we.ither gets cold ':' see Gleanings page 1, Vol. 111. 1 am not making fun for 1 am greatly interested in all i .jour experiments, and we all have been benehtted by .some of them. Last spring when my bees began to die (or at least to disappear mysieriotisly tor the hives became de;i()pidated, and none were left to tell the tale) old wise heads began to say "that's what you get l)y following ■\ovice,' " but the next thing every body s hers were go- ing the same way rail-road speed, box hives and ail. \ few weeks ago we were al>out going to work to convert our wintering house into a "house apiary" a la Novice, but then came Gi.eaninrs for Nov. and Novice said "can you not wait until we have given it a test for a whole year:^" And as we had prepared our bees for winter, by extracting stores, where there wiis much ttnsealed, and cutting holes through all the combs, (use Standard lii\es with good straw mats of our own make, thanks to Oj-eanings) and as the bees had a good lly on the 12th jnst, and gathered pollen to some exteiit, the next morning early, before it began to snow, we i,:iil of swarming out. TW(J UrNMiEli I'll! Mis I I ];ix noNET from one swarm aiuuitilly in h raliiics \\\wrQfort>i pounds l)y other methods is e(;iisi(leri'd ;i ///va^ yield. No losses in winter. Bees wintered safely on their siniimer stands in tlie hives they oecu[)y through the summer Feeding lirolitable and safe. Cotnplete and comprehensive in- structions given in this book on every iioint connected with the stu'cessfvl and profitable ntan;sgemcnt of bees. The book will be sent pest paid on receipt cf one dollar. Addre.'^s, Mits. L. E. Cotton, West Gorham, Cumberland Co., Me. 8 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Jan All fur |1,00! to bo sure we sent the money the iiiiuute we trot the circular; and we are {^oiny to look tlie book thronjjh carefully and ■whatever is valuable shall be placed i)eroreour readers in next month's Glkamnos. As this same person sokl common queens fur $5,00, and a receipt for "bee food," for |10,00, two years ago, we perhaps had Ix'tter not place too much faith in so many promises for $1,00. If there is anything new in "bce-dom" we want it for Glea.mnus of course, and we will fur- nish the money for all the receipts atloat, if they look at all plausil)le. C,\SI)Y. Miav> it youi'self and stiv<' h;ilf your money, or make it for sal,' and havi- a icoc.il inc-oiia-. Reftipls for makiiig lwenty-ti\euf till' l)i-.st and most poijnlir kinds of candy Mjnt to any a lihess lor 2.) eonts. You can save the price of the recc'iois in ni ikiii',,' two pounds of candy. Address T. O. Osljonu^ & Co., West View, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio. This one may not belong in this department ; we have sent the money, and when the book comes — it should be a book for 25 cents— if worth the price, we will give Mr. O. & Co., a free advertisement. At any rate our readers shall have the full benelit of it. Gleanings in Bee Culture, Published Monthly, .A^. X. lEiOOT- EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR MEDINA, OHIO. Terms : ySc. Pei* Atimim. [Including Postaf)e.^ For Club Rates see Last Page. 3VrB3Di:iSr.A., J.A.HST. l, 18'76. And lie shad be like a tree planteil by the livers of water, that bringelh I'orlh his Iruit in his season; his leaf also sliall not wither; and whatsoever he do- cih shall iirorper.— l'sa;ms : 1, 8. Bt mistake, in our i-.otc last month, wc put the price of llie "Maiui-al of Bee-Keeping" $l,i;0, instead of .<1,25, whieli it .'■liould have been. We feel sure that oiu' I'cadere Mill rejoice witli us, in a piece of good news lliii cuuies all the way from CTi'een Bay, Wis. it is a mess lire to "'Blue Eyes," not from "Ka- tie Grhnm" but from a "wee little K.;ilie" who we trust may in due time win as warm a place in the licarts of American bee-keepers as his her mamma. CANDY roK Bees. After spoilin.;; 20 lbs. of sugar in tryiiiir to make our own crwidy, we decided to pay our coufectioiun- 2 cents jier lb. to make it for lis. But as such a course would not help our re.-ideis, we muslered up coura;A'i'Bor«s. ^JVERYBODY knows that the cell of the •• L-jj honey comb is six sided, but very few, even among our readers we fear, are aware that the bottom of each cell is composed of three beautiful lo/.enge shai)ed plates. As we shall have much to do witn these womlerfnl lozenges, we will remark that each one is Ijouuded by four equal lines as .seen in the tig- A ure. Now the width, A, C, bears a most sin- gular i)roportion to the lengtii, I), IJ, and if yon will be attentive we will try and tell you just what the relation is. If we assume A, C, as one side of a sfjuare, D, B, will be exactly the diagonal of this square, and the shaped cup that is formed by uniting tiiree of these loz- enges, is the solution of that wonderful prob- lem in mathematics, that we have all read so much about, but want of space here compe's us to direct our readers to page 15U, Vol. Ii, u^ the Americ(ui Bee Journal. As we want to be exact in our tool.s for cop- ying the work of the honey bee, we had l)etter make a large model of the bottom of the cell ; and by the way, it will be interesting fur every bee-keeper to have such a dodecaheilron — hgure with twelve ecjual sides — as a curiosity. Get a wooden ball of some kind, those to be bougiit at the toy stores for a few cents will do, axwX tit into a lathe so that you can draw a perfect equator on it with a pencil. Now space off this equator accu!a cly into six equal parts, and draw lines from one pole to the other pass- ing through each one of the six points laid out in the equator. Measure oil" the distance at which your divi- ders are set, and add 1-5 to it, then draw lines parallel to the equator — one on each siile — ;uul such a distance Irom it that they are distant froi^n each other the space you have set your dividers. Now yoii ai'e to make six fiat laces on the equator by cutting out the wood be- tween the parallels and the .six meridians from pole to iiole. With knife and lile face down until just the crossing of these lines venuiins ot the surface of the sphere. We now have a six sided cylinder with rounded ends ; these ends are to l)e faced tlown to three of the loz- enges mentioned, iind our guide lor doing it, will be taking the jiole as one point, and each alienate point useil in dressing down the other faces ; the idea being to give the figure twelve equal I'lces. Now ye bright mcchanic<\l geniuses here is work for you. If you are not in the habit of doing line, close work, you need not make the attempt, for we are to march boldly into the very work shop of nature herself. Get a piece of kStubs' steel rod, just ,^4 inch in diameter and about 4 inches long, and set it so as to run ac- curately in a lathe, then witii a fine, sharp turning tool turn the end of it as in the an- nexed (liagram. The angle at the point of this punch, for punch it is to be, i-;- to be the same as that at 1S76 GLEANINGS IN BEE OULTURE, itlie poles of our dodecahedron. When it is ailcely turned up and sinoolhod with a very Bine liie, it is to be hiid out iuto six equal parts hy lines drawn leiiiijthwisc of the punch, and 1i> spaoe tliesc lines equally will iw one of your Siardest tasks. With your dividers space the Jarjrest part of the wht^el on your kvtlie huid, 'or tlie chuck, as is most convenient ; ;is tiiis !.s Sarge, you can do it with comparative accuracy, and thcH it will be an easy matter by means of llicse points, to revolve your lathe iicad 1-6 of a revokitiou, marking the lines on the punch at each position. Wow, with a very fine flat Sile cut away the steel close up to tiie lines, but fie careful that you do not file the lines away ; in fact }-ou had better let them be just visible ivitli a maj;nifi- the exact centre in the end just visible Mhei! finished. This tiling is a very diflicult siiatter, and you want some of tiie very finest Jeweler's tlks and a fine oil stone to remove the (tile marks, in finishing. File tirst in one direc- tion and then across, and by watching the lines left, you see where your lile is cutting. You can at any stage of tlie work test it by driving your punch iuto a block of lead and pouring in type metal — in fact the types thus made would be all that is wanted, could we only cut thtm ofi" squarely and of an ey a frame arfiund the top, so { that tyfis may be broken olf by pusliing them ' through a iiole in a st<'el plate aid Innding I sideways. That they may hnak ofl'ea.'-ily. (lie the hole to aduiit the melted metal should be as small as will give a clear iy];c. Tiie jilate F, is quite important, for by pressing G, hard into it, we insure a true flat base tor the tyjjc to stand on, anel they must ad stand upright on "their own feet" like all good ciiizens. This plate is loosely tastened to G, but must i)e free to adjust itsell fiat t)n tiie malrix. We neeel hardly say that tiuse little bits of shining metal are to t)e s!e>od v.jiright on a lev- el table — marble is tlie best tldng — and' that tlieir faces are ail to be turned in one direction. Someof ihem will very likely lefuse to stand up plumb, unless you are a l>etler workman than we are; buttlitse aie just as geiod only they are to be sorted out ane! kept ior the up- per tier. The bottom die is to be made of only the best and when you have made enough for your frame, carefully cover them wiih plaster of Paris, having first put supporting strips across the frame that he»his them together, anel when it is set firmly it is a simple matter to turn it all over anel solder it in one solid piece with a common soldering cop|ier. \\ hen this plate is washed off clean Me are ready to set the upper tier directly on these, that we may have a perfect fit; soider as before. Now for the "wax works!" As our dies arc all tapering we need have no fears of the wax stickiuiT, providing we keep ihe plates well covereel with soap suds made thick, such as burnishers use. To get the sheets of wax ready for making the impressions, simply dip a board in cold water, and then in melted wax floating on a vessel of water. If you want very thin sheets, make the wax hot, if thick, have it colder, or elip it in one or more times. With dies made as we have described we have made cells eleep enough for the queen to depos- it eggs. We iiave as yet only made a small pair of plates, but we are now at; work making a l^air lor sheets for a full Langstroth frame. We can not tell as yet, the expense of these plates; they are advertiseel in the Britiiih Be« Journul for 2iod. per square inch, I)ut from what we can gather they are no larger than those usee! by JVIr. Long. We hope to be able to furnish tliem for about .$25,00 for almost any sized frame. We have made a multitude of ex- periments, anel l\;now of no cliea{x?r method of making good dies, than that given ; nor do we know whether the same ground has ever been passed over before. ^Xa learned from Mr. VVaguer that he used types for making his sheets, but nothing further, nor did we learn why he failed in <;ettiug the types to work salis-^actorily. Use a common copying press. 10 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Jan VARlOl S ITEMS. "ikX'iTf^' ''• -^^ ^^ -^LKER. quotes prices for honey in A. JJWM| D.J. I'rice lor wliih' clover in boxes ■M^-lii. **/■—•• Strained S((' 1(>. Quot.uions in N. Y. Times, same for box honey, hiit for straineil VKq IP. Quotations hi N. Y. Wi/ness, white clover, box, 25i«i2« ; extracted (calls it by its ii.;ht name) l.'ifelS. 1 should like to know what is the c.iuse of this great variety in prices, especially of extracted honey. J. H. Mautin, Hartford. N. Y., Dec. 21st, 75. Huniauity, as %ve all know, has a queer way of tftkhiL' sides on almost every question that arises, and queerest of all, they many times, in an argument, strenuously adhere to a course that does themselves injury, and no one else !400d. We fear our friends are, some of tlieiu, doin.i; this in roi;ard to honey ; honey Ijuyers certainly know the diflerence between strained and extracted, and they must know that the transactions in the hitler are assuming a mag- nitude the former has never known. Friend Carlin took the troul)le, w'hile in N. Y., to vis- it tlie markets, and from his statement we gather that nice honey brings by the barrel, jnst about what the Witness quotes it, and that it is retailed at o~) to 50 cents ; oftener near the latter. Ths old bees, like old men. can't stand much cold, and are kept on the. outside of the cluster, the young ones are in it crowding the old oid. 1 have known young bees, those that look their lirst lli,!;iit in March, to be frozen solid for a week, aiid when carried in and warmed, tliey all c.im-.; to life and Hew about the room lively as ever. Old bees chilleil over night will never come to life again. 'I'hiside.iwill give vou a cine to s])rinn' dwindlinsr. J. L. Davis, Holi, iUich., Dec. 20lh, I'u Now friend D., you certainly have made one mi.stakc if you mean to say that any bee can ever come to life alter having been really fro- zen. A single bee will live from 24 to 48 hours in a dormant state, to all appearance dead, if the temperature does not go lower than some- where l)Ctween iJO and 4(J«. If they are not Avarmcd up and fed at the expiration ot about tills time, or should remain out dnring a freeze, they are dead past all human power of resuscitation. Now when bees are massed to- gether in a cluster they keep up an animal heat that keeps the wliole cluster above free- zing, and this Iieat is kept up some iiours, even after they have exhausted all their food and tire to all appearance dead ; and they wdl even stand a ztro freeze in this condition and many .of them revive. But life is not entirely extinct as is proven ])y the fact that if they are left too long in this condition, say as much as three or four (.lays, they arc hopelessly dead. This is our opinion after making some experiments to test tlie matter ; if we are wrong, our readers will doubtless correct us. Htiv?! you ever in your experience had queens that laid woikcr eggs and halched worker l>ees in drone cells. 1 liad one tliis year that laid in top story and lUk'd it with brood, and two-thirds of iho brood in the drone cinub was wor.ier. I liad, several years ago, two (pieens Unit did the .sani ■ Lhiug on a .smaller .scale, in the lower story or brood aijartiTient, as tlh'i'o was not much drone coinli in either liive ; bin ihis smnmer tliree-fourlhs of the upper story was drone conil) and nearly all, as well as tlie lower story, tilled with brood. R. R. MUKPUY, Fulton. Ills.. iJtc. -Jlst. 75. We have never had such a queen, l)ut tliey have l)een reported; we would like some of that kind amazingly. Tliey would be equal to the breeds of poiiitry that never sit. My lii-es worked on itijie on Ih.- seventh instant. Rape stands frost best iit them in on 15th of Jsov., entirel}' below frost with fi-" lower ventilation. Visited them to-day (2Cth) and all .still^not a hum «rom them. Am 1 right in not giving lower ventilation ? Will some one who has had ex{)erien<:e in wintering in caves please answer? Inten-d to Italianize them next summer if I can pro- cure pure queens in Juno, at a reasonable price. V. II. Gould, Madrid, N. Y., Nov. '26th, 1875. We think it will make very little difference what the ventilation is if they are absolutely i:)eyond the reach of frost. Why do you chauge it from what it was during the summer''' It will be rather a hard matter for j-ou to get queens in June unless you are willing to pay for having them taken froin full colonies, •or send South, or to California. We can fur- nish queens for ^^1.00 in July, easier than we could for ^3.00 by the 1st of .June. If we ever succeed in getting over the modern "springing troubles" we may hope to do better. liable to pack down hard, than cotton, we think we shall use wool for the quilts we otter 'i for sale in future. A, I. R(X)T;— I am almost a novi«e in bee-lceeping, this being my 4ifth year in the business. I am now interested with Mr. Harbison, in the \'iejas apiary, consisting of about 50O hives. Uees have not done very well in San Diego Co., this year, on account of droutJi and late frosts. I hear a great many iwjuiries from the East about San Diego Co., and would advi.se all, who think of coming to San Diego Co., to make the bee business a specialty, to cast the idea at once from their mind, and seek otlier quarters. I r of years, llxlS feet ^^^th G feet between floors, with a sj>ace of 13 inches on all .sides, boarded outside and in, and this sjjace filled with dirt, t's^'-wdust will not do), also 12 iuehcs 12 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Jxs of (livt ovL'rlie:i'l with a ?ood roof, doors at eicli end. filled with dirt, ventilated liy tuhos ; tliis is palled a success, the objsci is to k.^ep them warm and to keep them tiuiet in warm d.i.vs in winter. A fi-iend of mine has a sure cure for V)ee stings, it will Ktop tha pain in from one to ten minutes and will pre- vent swelliiiiC, on anv person. y. MoBkide. Chardon, O., Dec. 1875. The principal objectiou to clamps and cel- lars, we believe is dampness ; if tliej- are made in a well drained sand}' soil and entirely frost proof, they usually answer as well as any place can ttiat u'lves them no opportunity of flyinjj: unless they are carried out. We should be very glad indeed to hear of some plau that would winter bees invariably, in all localities, as should we also of some remedj- for bee- stiui^s, that is better than letting them alone. As the pain usually subsides in the time you mention, it will need some carefid experiments to show that your remedy '-does good." DEARGLE.VN^INGS:— Mr. Doolittle in Doc. Xo., page 152, says "bees sro from choice at least four miles." I have notieod bees closely, and hunted wild ones suceessfidly, fol- more thin twenty years, in the valley and mountains of Virjiaia ; and whit' I have kno^vn them to go miles of necessity, I do not think they ever do so of choice. A hun- ter, to be successful must be a close and thinking observer of everythin ; in connection Math, or having any relation to bejs and blossoms ; and my long experience his taught mo that the yield of honey from trees and plants is very different on different soils and in different localities at the sime time, and that bees only ^o far from, becatise honey is not abundant near home. I knew an Italian swarm (and there was no other withiii three miles) to work for days on a field within a half mile of their home ; while there were other fields cquilly heivily covered witli bloom oi exactly the same kind on which the black bees of the neighborhood were at work freely, (as they were also on the field on which the Italians were at work), and al- though I looked carefully not an Italian was to be seen there. And I have known bees to go for miles, passing over an abund.-nce of fresh bloom, to work on tliose of ex- aotlji the same kind, but on di/fcrent soil, on a dift"erent side of hill or mountain, wliile bees comimi from an oppo- site direction would not pass over these good places which were not over a h ilf mile from their liome. 3Iost of the bees in this country are l)lack ; Italians, only a few here a,nl there, and yet I have seldom seen the Italians fir from home, not over a mile and a half, and very few that fir. Bees winter well on their summer stands here, and we know nothing of foul brood or winter disease. Italians are far superior to the black. P. Heekixk, Bridgewater, Ya., Dec. 6th, '75. \\'m. B. Payne, enquires, "Do toads eat bees ?" In sum- mer of '73, I had a colony of bees \vhich increased but lit- tle for four weeks. Everything seemed all right in the hive, and I wondered what could be the cause. One day, n few minutes after sundown, I saw a very large toad sit- ting in front of said hive, grabbing the bees as fast as he wished them. He had a nice bed under the hive. I think he was the sole cause of the trouble. I have good success in introducing: queens by taking tlie queen away, routing them out of house and home, then fesdini: well with honey. Soon they will be all in commo- tion becaitse they have no queen. Put the queen you wish to give them, near by in a, cage ; as soon as the bees begin to cluster on the cage, let her run up the side of a 1)0X. that in case the bees "figlit her she may drop do\m in si-ht. I have introduced many, even in fall, in from a half hour to a half day. [ leave them in a cluster a half (lay, then put queen and all on the combs. If t'ne weather is cool, care should be taken that the l)rood does not chill. Tor years T have made it a point to sell only r/ood hon- ey. As people learned this fact, the call forit' increased and 1 have sold most of this year's crop, witli scarcely an effort, at 15 cts. i;er lb. H:>ve liad orders from three cities 40 or more miles away. .1. L. Lewis, W. AVindsor, Mich. Should the winter continue through as mild as it has commenced, we anticipate but little loss of 1)ees, no mat- ter how they are wintered, whether housed or otherwise ; or whether Hvy are wintered on clover, basswood, buck- wheat, golden rod honey, honj.v dew. or C, A, sugar. "VVe think even our lit;ht colored lazy Italians icill stand it v-ithout fccdin-j. sotwithsiandiiv,' the fact that we have ' flei led out the combs, brcwd combs and all, twice with the extractor since basswood closed. J. 11. Tuw.M.EY, Tomnkins, Mich., Doc. 0th, 1875. MR. A. I. ROOT : -I was sorry to hear that jou were not satislied with niy method of wintering bees on their summer stands. I therefore at once enclose your dollar. You may give notice in your next issue, that if any of your readers lune been wronged and are not satisfied witli the Stautfcr plan of wintering bees, they shall at once apply for their mone.v, without gi\ ini? the plan a test. Does a pail of cold water thiiiw otf as nnich animal heat, in a zero freeze, as a swarm of bees do 'i B. G. Staupfeb, Bachmansville, Pa., Dec. 3d, '75. We shall have to give Mr. Stauffer the credit of having returned the money prompth', but he is the first one to whom we have sent money for receipts who has ever done so. If he re- turns the money to all who are dissatisfied, he certainly does all he can do. The two inches of straw would certainly afford some protec- tion, but nothing like that of a good cellar. Is our friend doing as he would be done by when he charges his fellows enough for the simple directions, to buy a whole book on bee- culture V If it is really valuable, he should be glad to do so much good, for we have given it in plain print to several hundred readers. EEPOET FOE 1875. Commenced in tlie spring with 25 colonies. Sold five of them in March, four in July, and five in Nov. Received from sale of bees and honey .3195,00. Yalue of increase at ■So. per colony, .S105,00. Total .5300,00. Cost of hives (for increase), and hone.v boxes — 550,00. Two month's time at §25,00 per month, .550,00. Balance §200,00. The cash value of 25 colonies in the spring was .?200,00. Total profit, 6200,00, giving 100 per cent upon capital in- vested. The yield of surplus honey, liere, for the past season (1S75) was about CO per cent of tliat of the jjrevious season. Otis Fcxlee, Mason, Mich., Dec. 7th, '75. In lS7i, from 22 hives I took 2.3^10 lbs. of honey : 400 lbs. extracted, the rest box, and increased forty-five. The sea- son of 1875 has been a poor one for honey, but good for increase, when made before 15th of Ausriist, D. M. Ketchcm, Arcadia, N. Y. Season, ratlier poor. Basswood (our main stay) almost a failure. We had 130 colonies .lune 1st, '75, increased to 175, and took about 3.500 lbs. extracted, and 2100 l!)s. comb honey in frames, I am much interested in the "house apiary." Keei) us posted. Geo. 31. Dale, Border Plains, Iowa, Dec. Itli, '75. DEAR NOVICE :— Some assert that the Marl- buck- wheat is far superior to the f/rn;/, as a lioney i>roducing plant. I have sown the gi-a.v buckwheat for two or three .years, and the bees have worked in it nicely, but I have not had an onportiuiity of comparing the two kinds, as there is no black buckwheat in this section. Please give ns the facts as to which is best for hone.v, as I wish to sow the most of my fann (20 acres) to bvickwheat next season. 31. E. JIcMastee, Shelbyville, Mo., Dec. 11th, '75. The honey season in this locality has not been a Aery ffood one. "\Ve had 22 colonies in spring and a few of these were queenless and some of them qiutc weak. We increased these 22 to 32 colonies, then sold tliree, and late in fall made three again out of double hives, so that we will winter 32 colonies. Our honey crop readied only 530 lbs., of which 300 lbs. were extracted and 230 lbs. box honey. Mrs. C. Kusteemaxx, ncc 3Iaggie Geimm. Green Bay, Wis., Dec. 11th, '75. * * * "Notice's" Extractor was tlic last on the list, and was the neatest and liveliest machine at the Show, its gearing bein'jr pecnliarl.v nice. It is a cylinder machine ])rincipall.v composed of tin, with .square revolver, capable of takinc almost any frames in use, and when set in mo- tion did not know when to stop ; it was, however, consid- ered to be too li'jht for English wear, and the judges, after consiilerable deliberation, awarded the prize to 3Ir. Cowan for his "R;ipid" Extractor. * * * We ma.v here mention that a ver.y large num- ber of articles some of considerable value-^wcrc taken from the .tails by the sam(> kind of "jokers," notably, the hi':r!ily-iMiri"iious multiplying gearing and handle of'Nov- iei-'s E\tr:e,'tor Ihi^ only i)attein in Eii'.'land ; and unless the thief will kindly forward a copy of it when he has made his castings, it will bo necossar.v to ,*end to America for a duplicate.— Briiish liec Journa.'. for Oct. 187G. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 13 AVe csiii. readily excuse onr English friends for thinlvins our Extractor lifiht, witlioiit hav- inc: made a practical test of it. Many in our own country liave thought the same, but when the metal is put just where wanted and no- where else, but little comparatively is really needed. Their f fficiency has been pretty thor- oughly tested during the past season, and it is found that but little power is needed when we have no cumbrous machinery to manipulate. T.m. A. I. ROOT :— I thought I would quit tnl-iiig Gleanings, but find I can not do without it as it just saved ine one dollar by its expose of B. G. Stauffer's method of wintering bees, as I was about remitting one dollar for it. Elias HEBSnEY, Leaman Plaee, Pn., Dee. 16th, 75. Although yours is rather a doubtful compli- ment, friend H., we are glad that we were able to help you save your money. I have had rather poor sureeps Iti the bee business, com- pared with what others report this season. I took 24 col- onies fi-om the pit. Maivh 31st, in prime order, and kept them so until tlie honey season began : then if yon remem- ber, thin honey knocked my calculations "higher than a kite." I MRS obliged to let the hives till with honey and remain two weeks or more to ripen, and of course the bees took the swnrminsr fever, and when once they ?et it, let me tell you, the only M-ay is to let 'em swanii. The fever lasted fi-fm June l.'ith'to July loth, and I had 31 prime colonies, having sold six swanns. 1 tried all the plans I ever heard of or could think cf to suijjjress swarming, and none of them paid except that r( commended by you in last Gleanings, viz.. carrying the old hive to a new loca- tion and returning tl:e swarm. This I supposed was a discovery of my own, and I did not know but I might get Bro. Mitchell' or StaufTer, to sell receipts for me "on lialves," but you have made the matter public, and I add my testimony in its favor. I reduced my stocks to the original 2i this fall, and now they are "sleeping the sleep of the quiet" in my pit. I have to show for the season's work, l-!50 lbs. honey ex- tracted, which I have sold at 1.'; cts. per lb., save what we used in the family ; 60 gallons of sjilendid vinegar, as good as anybody's cider vinegar, at •Jr> els. : six swanns sold at ^3 each, and a 20 lb. box of honey at 2.5 cts. Frost made its appeai-ance the 23d of Aug. and cut short a honey harvest that equalled any I ever saw. just as we had begun to extract. In fact, my brother-hi-law, J. T. MoiTis, extracted his the day before the frost and I fear will lose all his bees in consequence. I went o^er and put them in a pit for him Xov. l-ith, and laid candy under the ouilts which will jierhajis keeji them alive >nitil we can get them cut in the sja-iiig and ^rive tlicni litjuid food. I get a great many sjihkI ideas from you and your corres- pondents, but it would require at least five year's contin- \ied success to convert me to the house apiary business ; though I hope you will succeed. I am content to be one of those who plod in the bee business, and shall be satisfied with a yield of .^^O lbs. per colony and 12* cts. per lb. for honey. My honey has con- tiuered all objections to extracted honey here, and I have no fears that 1 will ever be unable to sell. One man was told by a pretended chemist, that my honey was adultera- ted, "All right," said my friend, "Joiner can adulterate me a keg or two every fall if he wants to." R. L. JoiNEE, Wyoming, Wis. In v.inter of '70 and '71. I had a good swarm of black bees in a 10 frame Langstroth hive, out all winter with nothing but the cover over them, and that had a two inch hole ni the end, with wire gauze over it. They could see the stars, without stirring about, I think. Siill they came thi"ough finely and threw a swaim very early. Last wn- ter, '7t and '75, I put two of my lightest swarms in the ground. I dug a pit IS inches deep and large enough to set the tMO side by side, ])ut a little straw in the bottom, and a scantling 2x4 to set them on, put them in, covers ()(T, quilts on ; put boards across top of pit, then 3 feet of dirt. The dirt was fro7en as hard as a stone all winter. On the first day of April I O.wfs Ihem out. They were all riyht and among my very best. They had not" a pari icle of vfntilation, I wish I had left them in till May. I do not think it woidd pay en a large scale, as it is quite a job. and then we might get warm^ wet winters. Too large swarms mipht not do as well. My gi'ound is sandy loam. 1 have no df uV>t that a swarm cf bees with plenty of good ;o(,d. iilr.ntcd on tlie i:orth side of a hill, in griund where '.he v.atcr would not irathcr round them, ec \ei-ed with corn stalks before the dirt, (as they are the best non-con- ductor of heat or cold in the world) could be left until May without injury. Believe 1 11 try .scime yet. Too many in one pit might accumulate heat. Does anybody know whether bees will make more drone comb in long frames, thaii short ones "r When we want comb honey, give us the hybrids : they are worth twice as much as the pure Ital- iajis, but not for extracted honey. E. Stanuope, Pentwatcr, Mich,, Dec. 7th, "75. DEAR SIR:— On paire l.5ti. Dec. ^'o. Gleanings, the queslion is asked. "Will toads eat bees'?" I wish to say, for one. they certainly ilo when they get a chance. A ge^(l sized toad will go to a hive from two to three times picrday, and will eat from forty to one hundred bees per meal. ) have known good swarms to be totally destroyed by load? , in the spring. D. J. Bakdwell, Omro, Wis., Dec. "Jth, '7.''. Will buckwheat honey create dysentery m bees if al- lowed to make up their winter stores from that alone? Are not natural swarms more industrious, and will they not store more honey in proportion to the number of bees, than artificial swarms "r Why will bees work in large boxes more readily than small ones "r It has been a very good time for bees in this viciiiity this season. But few bees kept here, and they are now keprt mostlv for box honev. "i'cuis in bees. Alamo, Mich,, Dec, tith, 1875, K, M. Baeboue. Bees winter well on buckwheat honey gen- erally, although we have some reports to the contrary. We should consider it as whole- some as any vainnil stores. There is a difl'erence of opinion in regard to natural and artiticial swarms ; even if it should be shown that the former are on an average the most industrious, there are advantages in favor of artiticial swtirniing which place it far ahead, when a rapid increase is desired. Ill a large box they can cluster together as a natural swarm, and thus there is a much bet- ter economy of animal heat for comb building, than if they are divided up into several small clusters. The section box we described secures the advantages of both. FRIEND NOVICE :-I think you are getting on the right track when you advocate strong swarms. I have had rmly a lew years' experience, but with me small swarms have been a source of loss and vexation. By the way what has become of Hos-ner witli his new theory "of small swarms for wintering ? There may be circumstances under which such swarms if kept in a warm cellar would do well but I think the majority of bee-keepers will be slow to adopt it. Perhaps I might add a word in tavor of sugar s^rup for wintering, I started last winter with 17 swarms, one of which had sugar syrup, the rest had natural stores and all had dysentery more or less except this one. In fact, during winter and spring I lost them all except this. Perhaps I ought to state also thai this was in a hive of double width with division boards, and the sides stufl'ed with hay. Most of ihem were covered with straw mats, the caps veniilated at each end, ventilation also below. They were wintered un- der snow « 7rt Doolittle and Cook. To show what a fearful spring we had here— this swaim »vhen the mat was raised on the first of April, on a cold day, occu- ]3ied eight tjuinby fi'ames and by the first of June they were redu<'ed to a cluster about the size of a (juarr bowl. This was the one Irom which I took last year "83 lbs. of honey. I start again this winter with 17 swarms ; all are in the cellar except three which are packed in hives of straw. Two old men, who live a few miles from me and use box hives, winter bees very successfully on their sum- mer stands. OjiO has box hives without chambers and has wintered six old .swarms (he keejis only a few and sells his young swarms mostly) without swarms, for the last tfiree or four winters. He bores throe or lour 'a inch holes in as many difl'eient sides, about half way up, and without aiiy ]notection whatever from wind and storms leaves them on their sum- mer stands. The other has hives with chambers, but stops all upward ventilation in winter. The body of the hive has an inch hole on the Iront side at the top of the broo(i chamber, besides (he usual fly-holc at the bottom, both of which arc ke])t open in \\ inter. liAMia. llAi.i,, V\';irtaw. N. y .., Dec. Oth, "75. u gleanijStgs in bee cultuke. Jaw An (!x tract or not p3i.ve;l is a liiimhus, now! and the man who olT'ers tlieni for sile ousrht to he sued for claraaje. Thcv will cxtr;wt thhi hoiioy, nat lit for iis'. tint is nil. To do the cxtrnrtinu: up rifrht, the extractor slKJuid ))c Reared 3 or i tfy one, airJ the- TOinte 7 or S inches frv)u; cjn- ter of shaft. . , Plain uncTTrlrossod slieets of was are not pood. I tried thein, tlic bees build very rrre-xular r-elTs upon thera, and •lon't seem to build more than half as f;ist as on the comb foundations. 11. S. Becktell, N'ew BulIaJo, Mich. Can I pnt a frame of Italian brood in a hive and placo it where I hai'e a stand of irfack bees ? \v\\i tliev raise an Itnlinn queen from it ? After having removed tlie sl-itid of lilMck Ixvs would it not be the best time to ti-;msf.T tlicii;. as I uish to ItahanizeaH three ? 1 have .3 Italian a!td (i stands of lyliek boss. Bees have done oTdv mcclimn well in this vicinity; some have ■■made r> to 20 lbs. cii' extracted honey, others not any; those that did not swanii. did l)est. G. DiiKW, Brinker Hill. Ills., N'ov. 20th, 75, The I'ylan yon mention will work nicely, and we have many times nsecT it as the only one by which we could ,!?et an artificial swarm quickly from a box hive, or rather a nucleus, for enough bees can seldom be obtained thus from a hive of Ivlacks to build up safely to a good colony. If tlicy liave a whole com!) of sealed Italian brood given them, they may do very well. jSTow althouuh this can be done every time, perhaps, you must bear in mind that it i.s rather an expensive way, for you rob the old stock of all of its working force and give such a severe check to brood rearing, that if it be done in May, you will very lilcely injure the product of honey one-half; again, the new col- ony will be made of ijees loaded up witli pollen and honey that they have no use for Ix^cause they have no laying cjueen. You will gain in the end by transferring first, and then as soon as they get fully prosperous again, shaking a few bees from eacli of several hives, on your comb of Italian brood ; the young Ijees will re- main, and as soon as they have a laying queen they may l>c made strong by combs, or combs and bees from others. In this way we have at all times a proper proportion of bees of all ages in each hive, much as we do in natural swarming. We are told to put oin- bees in the house or cellar as the case may bo, to put -^d here liv sli-nners, which, with lumlxa- sold in lliis city bv otlii>r piirties. 1k;- sid(! the one above mentioned will add rniother million ffiot. pivinsasratid total of two million feet used in this sniirle interest within ',\vo years. And vet the business is hill in its ir:!'i:'.i'\-. If the honey mentioned did not net the pro- ducer more than 10 cents, as we have T»eeiJ toldr the amount paid for Iwmher for iiives is equal to that received for honey. At this rate it seems they have to wctrk for 3 living in Cal- ifornia a» well as other folks. EDITOR GLEANINGS :— We notice in your Nov. No.,, that Mr. John Dawson, Pontiae, Mich., says "the reaJ honey bee" never works on tire sun flower, I Imre a num- ber of sun-ffow^ers in nrv yard and I say thrit they do work on them for I hare repeatedly noticed tlreni at work,. sometimes as urairy as a half dozen, Ixith bl:K-k and Ital- ian, in a Ifower, They are usually- at work earl>' in the- morniinir. I obsoi'ved them at work on irriijs for some three wei-ks aifd th"y carry jiollcn from them more exten- sively than from any other pt-nit I kix>w of. A\'m. J. ANDirEWS, (>)hnribia, T'emr., Nor. iJtth, "th. Would , von make a hive for the extractor to hold more than nine fr lines 12x12, and if so ho\r many more V For the es:clusive use of the extractor we would not have less than 20 frames 12x12. I>) you think it any better to raise boxe.s whoTi full and place enrpty ones imdei' thera with ooeiiiniirs throui:;!! Xoxr antl bottom, than to take them off at one? and plae3- otlicrs in their plac.;? Does not the facti that they ari less crowded for room and the bejs se.xttered more, coun- teract ;n>y boir:'lit otherwise gained ? A strong colony will be able to fill a second tier of boxes without detriment when the first set are nearly filled, and raising them up wil& do much toward preventing swarming. In using- small frames in plwre of boxes for the American hive, can I do lietter than to let the sides of frame come f of an inch below tlie lottom' [licce to prevent their elosinsc tli' ^/orti^es throu'di the to^) Icn's of hive, the tops ancT si((cs (]f the inimes close I'lttin'i-, and the lx)ttoms f of am ineli irarrovi'. What would you ask me for the srcarin^r to an extractor with ar);<^r to run throuirh the comb frnme ? O. K. COE, Jewett, N. J., Nov. l.'ith. 7."). The i^lau for supporting the section fraines given in another column, we think preferable. If the shaft is included with the gearing, the price will be 25 cents extra. 1 InA-i,' constructed some hives with frames similar to' Quinljy's, and think of todn? an extractor and coml> foinidatJon.n nest season. Are not yellow wn.x foundations as sfood as white for brood eomljs V Can yoii not sell yel- low ones cheaper ? Just as good certainlj^ ; and they of course can be sold cheaper, as it is quite a task to bleach the wax. i I am so far from yon, I think I will make an extractor I and snc cxpri'ss charfrt*. I Searned froir; ( (T.i;.\\ixg& th:it the iiicslics (if the wire cloth shouldbe .alx'iit one-tifth of n.n ii;ch, but Inve not ,vet learned how lar.tfc liic wirex should lie. AVould tn-niirular wooden bars — say an inch apart— do lis well as the wire cloth V In tlu' fall of ISTt we Ind four swnrnis of iToes within 40 rods of our ci-cnr the bees did not visit-the ciiler mill. We left one hive out-doors last year, and are loaviu'.? four out this venr. H. A, SrEAGT-E, Charlotte, Maine, Nor. 20th, 75, The wire to be stiff, should be al>out the size of a common bra«s pin. Triangular wooden bars are not nearly as good, because the honey sticks to them, it requires additional labor to throw it ott* and they bruise the combs; wood is also a vcr3- untidy substance when soaked with honej', besides being heavy. We thinlc you will not like it about an extractor. If cider is realh^ (jood for your bees, and it i.-^ also good for them to be shut in the hives, we shall conclude you liave a hardier race than ours ; do you mean that they stand out-door wintcring'al'io, awav down in Maine "/ OUR 1I0:\IES. 10 ova. HOMKS. i;y a. I. HOOT. ^^ERILVPS I ought to s:i3^ "Chapter VI," fc£r and i^o ahead, but I do dearly love to stop occasionally amid iny duties and have a ■'•^alk." jMy sister once remarked to my -svife durinjj; a visit after an absence of several years, "Does he still persist iu having 'long talks' iu the morning, with one stocking part- ly on, before he puts on the other?" Chapter V, lias brought mit so many good ideas from our readers tliat v»e really are not ready for Ciiaptei VI, just yet. Am! now I won't talk any more, but will give place for somethin^j to the point, from one of our much esteemed wri- ters on bee culture. FRIEND NOVICE :— Your first chiiiiters, I thought M iTi' .sproiifl a little loo far tor the i!ifovui:itiou ;i:ive;i, but Viiieu the Dec. No. caiue to h:Mi(t, 1 couiil not help but oll'er you my best wi.shos. Auil uiiiy (ioil bless your etiorts in tlio direction of refonii — esju'ci^illy ujion tlie food ques- tiou. Two years a'jro yoiu' Imnible serva'.it wns a m-i-s-e-r- a-h-t-(! dysporitic. disa'-:n't';iblc to iumself and to his wlioJe fainih. cross as fury, and Oli ! }io\v bhie — not a sj^ark of Ohrisiiiuity for auythiu-.c. ^iivini;: everything and every- body a ray. Even Novice got it through the A. B. J. AVell, frisnd N., to make a long story .sliort, as the old Irish women say, I got hold of "Oin- Digestion" by Dio Lewis, and found out 1 iiad been eating loo much.' Vv'hal a big fool 1 was of course not to know such a siuijilc thing be- fore. I cut short my rations and set sail for the distant old age harbor, by a hyi-'icnic course of living. But Oh ! what a time of self d(!ni-il ; though I have conquered, not only that, l)ut the well uieaniiig ])rotests of pu-rent.s, wife and friends. For nearly two years my course has been onward and upward. Health and spirits lui\c returned and, do you believe it V avoirdujiois is gaining on me. Though still far from lieiiig a Christian, my mind is in a bettor frame for such iulluiMicos than ever before. Oatmeal is my main stay, and two meals per day du- ling the winter, two meals and a light sujiiier in summer. _ We need a great deal of ))re:icliiug to reform our aiipe- tites. To deny ourselves the deUi-lit of putting everything into our stomnchs that tastes g(x>d. is a great trial, and but few can withstand the temi)tation. There is more intemperance around our tables "than in the dram shojx Just think of the intemperance on thanksgiving day. I sat at the same ^abl^ with a Rev. gentleman wlio is a leading temperance reformer, and has tins very evening been aidi'essing an audience njion the e\^ils of King Alco- hol; slill this gentlemin got through a plate of "oyster soup, a course of turkey, a course of chicken, dressings with both, bread and butter, sauce, cakes, two kinds of pie, and tvio cups of tea. There are thousands like him .sinning in ignor.aiice. Millions of dollars arc thrown away upon oin- stomaclis. The poor man has the power to become rich liy simply denyimr self in this matter ; rich, not only in this' world's goods, but in Iiealth and happiness. But'fricnd N., if vou don't want long letters you should luA get ycau'self in sympathy with your leaders. 1 have just received your "House Apiary," th-mks for it. I remain fraternally yours on bread and butter as well ashecs. Self Deniaj,. We would most earnestly advise the afflict- ed, to read Dio Lewis' book, which we have added to our book list, and we fear there are A-ery few indeed who would not be profited by his jovial and heavy blows toward the intem- perance that exists in our own homes. Up to this date — Dec. 3Sth— I am still making baked apples and brown bread and milk, the principal part of my diet, and I am more hap- py than I can teil, to say that my healtJi was nevier better. For the 'past four years, I had been obliged, every few months, to take up a diet of lean meat — "beef steak diet" as it is! called — and of course I soon became so weary I of it that I ate only enough to keep from starv- ing, thus giving outraged nature ample oppor- | tiinity to dispose of all "rubbish," and to get i her machinery into nice working ti'iiii, v.liich she always did sooner or later; and I would have "got mad" in a minute, had any one in- timated that /was in the habit ot eating to') much; "why, I often ate so littic that I be- came iuingry and faint long befure diiinei- time." I may be wrong, but it seems b; nu- we can eat almost what we plea.se, if we only take it in moderation, and avoiii too great a variety at one time. It is astonishing huv,' small a quantity of food will kee]) una in uui; I health, after nature has once every tiiii..:^ working nicely, audit is equally astonishihv; how great a buautitj'^ inay be put down 11.. throat of one who has clogged liis machinery until it is all out of order, and even then the poor soul goes hungry stiil. To i)e sure if you are doing hard labor in the cool, open air, you will need more food ; but it is those who an- mostly indoors that are to be pitied, because the}' have access lo all the dainties of our land and then are "not happy." CHAPTER VI. "Take care of the pennies, cU\^^~Frpy onesV Is it Ijccause they have rich friends that they are thus fortunate? On the contrary, wc think yon will find they have been through life unusually inde- pendent, that they have made their way solely thi'ough their own exertions, that they have learned the lesson, perhaps thro' dire necessity, and have passed through struggles that the world would never suspect, in trying to make exuenses come inside of scanty incomes. It is quite common for young men to com- mence life by getting into debt, but it seems to me, they would be better off with a crip- pled hand or foot, and an independent, free, whole name. Did you ever have some one ask you for money due them that you could nor j)ay, and experience the feeling of being obliged to liang your heatl, or look up street ordovv^nV Do you know how unmanly such a f'-eling is, how it takes away all one's indc- pen.deuce, and makes him feel like an abject slave, which he really is'? llow is it boys'? Are we, in this land of freedom, goinir to put up with any such humiliations'? Would'nt we i-ather raise potatoes at 25 cents per bush- el, and dress and live accordingly, tlian wear fine clothes. and have the tailor dunning us"? "When I was 18, I was in debt for the cfothes I wore, and they were nearly worn out, and the worst of it was, I had no occupation in particular, and was just then doing nothing. Under the influence of a sudden resolution 1 paid \v■^ all I owed before sundown ; but to do it, was obliged to scra])e up all my little effects, and sell them at somewhat of a sacri- fice. A short time after, in consequence of the failure of a neighbor I was obliged to try to borrow money, and the feeling I then "^ had when told, by one after another, that they luu! no money to spare, was such that I made great resolves that never again would I ask ;i siinihir favor of friend or foe ; and when in my own linmble little place of business again, tiie cop- ]xrs were hoarded up as fast as honestly earn- ed, with a Achcmence that soon ])laced me f-quarc!y on my feet; and from that dav to this, the fear of having a i)ill i)resented for payment without the means at hand of liiiui- dacing it has never lost its terrors. CHAPTER VII. It has been suggested that I should use for a heading to this chapter, the word tim TiiKuii- XESS ; but the word does not convey just tlie ideal wish, nor does any word that occur.-? to me just at present; perhaps I had better re- mark as did the stump speaker, that the sub- ject of his discourse would become apparent as he proceeded- If it were my class of little boys in tlie Sabbath school, I should know just where and how to commence, for they \\A\i\ voluntarily chosen me as th.eir teacher, and therefore never think of (juestioiiing my right to dictate, reprove, or whatever else I may think proper. On tlie whole I think I will start out w'itli the follQwing proposition : IF ALL WEKE TIIUTJIFUL, NONE WOrLD BE DISArrOlNTED. It may be urged that there is a class of peo- ple who are never satisfied with anything, wlio would grumble were even truth itself present- ed them, but I am inclined to think such per- sons are of themselves untruthful and to urg:' that, as a reason why they have so little confi- dence in others. One that is remarkably truth- ful, is usually remarkably humble, and inclined to be satislied with the world as he finds it; to take a cheerful pleasant view of things as they turn up, and to be pleased with the weath- er, with Ills friends, with his wife and children, with his schoolteacher, minister, grocer, all those for whom he works, or who work for him, and even with the editors of liis papers, Bee Journals and all — I really dare not carry it any farthei*. Well, you all agree I am sure, that the disposition to always take a happy and cheerful view of things is a most excellent one, especiallii if they at the same time are faith- ful earnest workers, always striving to make the world a little pleasanter and to remedy the evils that are always to be found all about us. Chceruilness of the jiroper kind, never prevents one from doing good in this world but on the contrary, gives him a far greater pou'er. He who can reprove and do it in a kind and pleas- ant way, an 1 yet be lirm and decided, has a tenfold greater ]iower over humanity than one who gets cross and abuses iieople. If we were all perfectly truthful, we would be content that the world should know us just as we are ; and if we were content to lie known just as we are, we would be relieved of a world of care and trouble in trying con- stantly to keep the "best side out." When we had visitors, there would be no disposition to makc_theni think our houses were c(^(rrt?/s neat and tidy, our children always well behaved, that they always had their hair neatly comb- ed, tliat we always used proper language and courtesy, and that we were always a pleasant and happy family, etc., etc. It is not in our homes alone, b^- any means, that we t ry to make the world think we are more intelligent, more wealthy, ]iav(! more intluence, a larger circle of customers, that we are keener in buying and selling, have brighter talents, better ed- ucation, are more liberal, liave more subscrib- ers— this last point hits so near liome that I shall have to digress a little. f87(5 Dim IIOIMES. It has bi'cn remarked that editors of newspa- pers arc the "biggest liars in tlic worhl," and that "it has iKjcome suoli a rofogiiiKcd fact, that no one ever expects truth I'roiu tlicni." es- peciallj' ill the uiatter of subscriptions. Now at lirst gh\nco, there aiiipears to be no very good reason why an cnlitor is obliged to say anything at ail in the matter, yet it is well known ti^at a subscriber isatnrally would like to know in subscribing whether the paper is of large circuls.tion, or whether it is only a very •small affair, and kencc the temptation for the <'ditor to indirectly say that it is larger than it is ; when an adv'crtiser asks to know the cir- fulatiou, it seems ver3' plain that he is entitled to real facts, yet we are compelled to say that our experience of the last few years has shown that in many cases the printed statements arc so largely exaggerated that the amount is some- times nearer so many hundreds, than the thous- ands that are given. When such statements are called in (luestion, we are told that all do Vlie same thing to such an extent, that there is really uo other way to good naturedly ? I well know this to be a try- ing ordeal for some, and the hot blood may rush to one's face, as he finds himself the centre of a circle of surprised and perhaps pitying fa- ces, but oh I assure you a frank and truthful ground is a safe one on which to stand. It is a simple matter to be awkward, but it is a 13 ova rfo^ms". fcurfitl one to be — well, even lo be in lh(> liabit of kieu|)in,ii still when it will convoy tltc in?- prossion th-.it you (cre what you arc not. I have sail! nothini; alrout jewolry, or jcwol- fr.s, but wliL-n lookin;.c ovi-r the hio;id field wliere most of my life has been spent I feel much as did the i)r;>fane tcam'-:tcr, when the boys tooi-c tlie back cutl-board out of his was,ou load of i)otatoes just before asceudinc^ ;i loa:j; hill, the potatoes meanwhile scattering aIoni>' the i^round. Tl)e boys climbed over the fence in anticipation of the explosion that would follow his lookiui? round. To their .iCreat surprise he said nothing, and they final- ly ventured nearer. lie very quietly remark- ed, "Hoys, the Knglish language haint equal to the occasion no-ways, and so I guess I wont riay anything." Our 'remarks in regard to nursing Ijottlcs, in chapter I., brought the following- from an intelligent mother, in regard to the rubber tu- bing. The i)aper from which the item was taken is i\ot at hand, but the writer says the .statement comes from good authority. (Jan not some (;!ienjist tell us whether the evil t)c really as great as stated V A WcniD TO MOTHKI'.S. All over thu land women are loeding their Imbies from "nnr.sing bottles" with white rubber tops. Trav- eling in boiits or stafjcs, one sees doy.ens of those little ••reatnres, i)!ile ami inisera'Dle, tugging away al tliosc horrible things, while tlieir anxious niothera "won- der" what is the matter with them, :ind would (io any- thing, siifTer anytliing, to have them h.'jppy, snii'ing, healthy baljics on(;e more. And all (he while tlie n 'or souls ilo not know that there is deatii in those wliite rubber bottle-top.s. The inoparation in bleaching rubber is a horrible and dcaily i>oison. and tlic constant mumbling and chewing oi' rubber so prepared places a ehibl's life in danger. I'aralysis had been caused b'' it, ami many a babe iied ten days, and t'l sell one in Krani^e is a grave inistlemeanor. But it is the babe of to-ilay that we must think of, and any mother who can not procure a nu'-ying aottle with no rubb(u' about it, would certainly rather I'ccii her child .slosvly with a spoon tlian watch its agonies wlien it lias been thorouglily poisoned with ivkUe o.v- >(lc (if iinrmrn and kindred drugs. On: Hiinibcr (.f Kuhscnbars is to-day — ]),;•. :5f>'.l)— 7.",(i. hesidcK a heap cf Ictlcrs that came .yestcrdiiy and lo-day tliat are nuanswei-ed. » <>•■♦- ■ OiK articl; on fomulalions has crowded scvi;ra? item.s into this di'f)artmcnt, a< .yoii .-cecjasoiir Home friends ar;' all b.v'-krepcvs we j/n'smiii' Micy will j)ardoii jl. _ — .^Q^ a^c- -«»— As il K.ives time, and wo are a little behind mIiIi w\y Jonrii'd. we send OvR Ho.mE.S to you all (his montli. Will (h<'s(- who did not order, plisue exeu.se it'r Wi; Miv about making m:i iniijnjvemont in the corub dii's •>vhcn'l)y T tyf)es arf cast at onc,i. all in one y.\:'c:\ I'arlic- lars u:-xi month. Xotliir.- is patented desc'ibed bv us. Tl\!C best f (Kit jiower buzz s.aw.s that we know ol'are made by llic ("ombined Power Co., 23 De.v st.. N. Y. We sliall liav<' one of tl)2 maehi:us < n trial in a few days, and will report in our next. The IUi -Keeper's Magazitie, for Doc, is certainly a line mnnber. The line paper and dnir type are fpiite eoni- niri;d:d 1-. Iml if we may lake tlie liberty, v.'c wiuld surT's'. a little Ijroader colunms; the British Bee Journal aeta v- I tiix; example lor us all, ii: tk.vs respeet. ! I:* tlie Mov. number ol *jhd 3Iayaz.ine, 3: Ji. Ljippinv.jit I &. C >. advertise "LanKstrotb on the Honey Bee^' fourth I edki-on, nyvised, with 77 ejigraviags, etc. AMer several in- I' quiiias as to whether there was reaUy a, fourth edition- rcniseci, without satisfactory answer, we llnalLy re!nitte. f'<>it'rt% instead of third in the titlo pivre ^ yet Li^jpincotl & Co. ijisJst that it is a revwcd edllijjiv IVkc. ;i(V/i. — It isauvost beautiful day; tlve bees that , are out of doors, and those in the house apiaiy aye tilliiiir^ I tlxi air, while- the inmates of the okl liec-hou-sc ai-e getting j out on tlie Uoor more and more. Mrs. R. thinks we hid', tetter set tlicres out, but shoukl we do sw the weather I might €lia!%ge to zei'O atoost as seon as tVuoy were fairl.y I on their sta,iids. We shall have to depend on opening tlie^ 1 door nights to cool the r«Qni, until this linii weather,. I whivh Ivis now lasted almost two weeks, cl-iauges. ' — *a^^*0«— ^ I TnK clulw that are iQ-iidjig their appeai-anco iwwal- I ttiost daily are quite encouraging, friend Doolittlo and I souwi others, luivc a, cpieer way of sendui.g tlie names- I along with the full amouixt, saying nothu\g about any j premium. While we feci deeply grateful fjr suc-'i favors. we know it must be quite a task, besides uivoLving tlie outlay o£ some moiiey, to rex-eive and send in sub«<'rip- tions;. ami we really prefer to pa.y evcj'y one who works torus, for Ills services. If we have sncecoded in. making Glkamsgs meet your approval, we areverj-gLid hide -.l. Is making oar candy tor l)ees. wc tested it Ivy pouring some into a scalloped tin, such as used for the little eakew of maple sugar. To cool it quickly ii was allowed to float on a pail of cold water. Now, strange to tell, tliis cake remains as clear as a block of pure ice, whils tliat in (jiii- lirge this that ecoled slowly, partially gramed. Altho' the partial graining does no harm tliat we c:in discover for feedhig the bees, it does not look so pretty ; Ivenco wt- said cool quickly. The i-andy for fiiiding loolis bexutifnl, and the bees that liave e indy stores and little else, an; in as tine health as one could wish. The little cake we men- tioned was given to Blue Eyes, at her earnest petition. ;ukI as we remarked' that it had a clear, sh;u-p uuprint of the dish it was poured in, the idea, presented itself of a. dodecahedron made cf candy. We will send such a one by mail, ))aeked in a r.'^a.t wooden box, as a premium f.)r one subscribei' — after yia; have yourself sulvicribed. Tliis will gi\e you a sample of the candy, besides the geoms'try of the honey comb, and a nice, big lun\p of caixdy. Wk are prepared to pay lor articles, but in regar:V to the value, whether there be any worth at all, we must V>e allowed to decide. As a general thing wv can not consider articles on this subject, of value, un- less the writer has had a successful experience in rais- ing honey largely for the market, or in something pertaining to the honey business. It is quite out of the (luestion for us to think of piiblishiag all articles sent us, yet wc would by no means discoaragc the friendly reports that are sent in daily. It has been lately intimated that we are in the habit of writing lio.'itively o\\ many jioints in wliieh we have not had exiierience ; very true, but there is scarce a point thai comes up on which wo have not at baud, letters 'le- tailing the results of exi)eriment& in the matter. In- stead of giving these letters entire, i^ it not much better to read lliein i arefnlly, and give a brief suai- niing 11]) of the facts brcaglit to liglit ? A D VEll TISERS ' DEPAR TMENT. 15 We -will send Gi-ean'im;s— ■NVith The Am;;ricaii Uee Journal (Si.OO) $2. 50 '• The Bee Kee|)er's Magazine (1.50) 2.00 " The Hee AVorld (2.00) 2.2:) " All three. The Bee Jonrniils of America, . . .5.00 " British Bee Journal ($2,00) 2..';0 *' American Attriculturisc (Sl.OO)..'. S2.10 " Prairie Farmer C^i.lT)) 2.()5 " Rural New Yorker (ifi.oO) :).00 " Scientilic American ($'5.15) .'{.(io " Fruit Recorder and ColtaRC Gardener (SI. 00). . I 50 AVhen OiiK ni)Vif:s is to lie s"nt with Gi.K.vxiSGS, it will be 25 cents additional to above prices. [Above rales invlnde aU I'ostwje.] Names of responsible parties will be inserted in either of the following departments, at a uniform price of lOc. each insertion, or Si. 00 per year. Na7nes inssrled in Oils department the without charge. Jirst time Books for Bee-Keepers. SENT i>ostv>aid on receiiit of price. Lansstroth on the Hive and Honey Bee $2.00 Qninl)v's Mvsteries of Bee Iveepiiiy 1.50 Bee Keeper's Text Book, mnslin, 75 " " " " paper, 40 The^e .are the best, but are all far behind the times. A Manual of Bee-Iveepinar. by .John Hunter §1,25 This latter is fnllv nil to the times, being as late as Sept.. 1875, but l)einfr English, a considerable portion of it is hardly adapted to the condition of bee culture, at present, iii our owvi country. On several accounts we should advise it in preference to any of our own books, while on others— hives for instance, we could not follow it at all. The expensive and complicated ones used in England, would be entirely out of the question, using them by the hundred as we do. Good Books. These, tliougli not spL-cially desiijned for Bee- keepers, have a tendency to inculcate princi- ples that ensure success in bee-keeping as well as almost all other rural pursuits. The tirst on tlie list slioukl be in the hands of every one who has planted ffrajje vines to shade the hiA^es, as we have advised. -Vny of th'3se books will be forwarded by mail, post- paid, on receipt of price. Fuller's Grape Oulturist Si. 50 Fuller's Small Fruit Oulturist 1.50 Fuller's Stra wlx'rrs Culturist 1.20 Fuller's Forest Tree CuUurist 1.50 Henderson's <; irdening for I'rolit 1.50 H^iuderson's I'racticarFloriculture 1.50 Tim Bunker Papers 1..50 Ten Acres Enough 1.25 Roosevelt's FiveAcres too Much l.,50 Art of Saw Filing (Holly) 75 AVindow Gai'dening 1.50 Tjcui'har's How to build Hot-Houses 1..50 Play and Profit in my Garden. Rev. E. P. Roe.. 1.50 '.Variiig's Draining for Profit and Health 1.50 Onion Culture 20 Purdv's Small Fruit Instructor...! .25 er gT.^'S.'f 1.'20 I<;il)uls. " " 75 [ A thoiis.'in'! lal»c;irt .TMnws priiite'l to order 5.00 ( One (jS. IVuU jars, Mason's putont, i»;r t,'i-09s ;7.00 | J^!il>el9 for same, " " f>5 [ .\ thoiisiUKl labels .111 Irc'fs printed to order 1.25 ! Tj'ncappiiij; Knives, as trwwi iw any, each 50 " " ])er doz 4..50 Alsikc Clover Seed, per bushel 15.00 " peck 4.00 " " " " ponnd ;i5 iL.A.ivc^is^^r'KOTii «iDi^: III vi'i.'s, .straw Mats. iJee Veils etc, fit reasonable rates. For Im-ther particulars, Address. llf CIIAS. F. MUf il. Cinelnnatf, Ohio. "We are wttitcfitu 80 InJixirtcd Qsi(X-;is v.i owr apiirv and war will offer alxjut b;ilf of tlio'.ii, to te deMvcred v.n spritix. In i\ill colonies as xTSiial, Th3 rexder must bsar in mind th it wo ara the only Successful Importers of bees in America. We ■vrill sell at thj followiug: reduced iJi-icas : Colony with Imtwrted Qiif?en .$18.o> Home bi-ed tested Queen HsO.K Qneeus aJi niised in 1875. Th \ hives are all new, weli made and >ycll piinted, ant! comlw stri5s;ht. S;v$e arrival giwranteed. CH. DADAN'T & SOX. Hvanlton, H uicock Co., IHs-. THE BEE-KKEPEKS' IW AGAZJ^E, an illus- trated monthly journal of Wl orrtavo pajres, devoted evchisively to 15ee-C-nl- twre; edited by Alukkt J. i Kino, con tain in jr coutri- { Ibiitious from 3Irs. Ellen S. Tupper ami experiencefl \ l?ee-Kcepers in Amkkica | and Ki;k<)!'K. a large space is devoted to hearJn- ncrs, jrivin? useful infor- malion just wtion it is most needed thronghotit the rear, f eruis S'1.50 jjer vear. The Uee-Keepers' Text- Book in German or JSngliah^ and the I5ee-K»!e](ers" j SJlagazine 1 year 81.70. A 64 i»ajre pamphlet (price .lOc) »«intaining a beautiful life-like Cltromo of lloncy- I*la.iitsand ftaHan Kees in their natural colors. Av^ith prize essay of Mrs. Tupi>er. l^ueen Hearing by M. (iiiinby. instruction for beginners, etc.. sent free with the Magazine, on trial, 4 months for .50 cents. Agents wanteil— Cash commission and permanent emplovment. Address, KIXG & SLOOUM, 61 Hudson St., X. Y. ITALIAN IJUEENS bred from imported mothers— a month earlier than in the North. Purity and safe arrival guaranteed. Also full colonics ol Italians in I^angstroth hives for sale at J15.00 per colony. Address Dit. J. P. II. BROWN, Augnsta, Ua. Every Rce-Keepcr should 1 8ubsoi!bc for this Moiithiv. u is the Oldest and toei.i fficnfilic and practiced •Toni-nal of Apiculture in the World. The most suc- cessful iind experienced _ Api-.irians in this couiitrv "nd l'.uroj-M> oofifriNutc to its pages. Terms, ij2 (ii :i yenr in ad vaiici;. Si-ml a «tn»i|> for n f>>:iLnipi(> <'ol»y. Aildrcs THffMA^ CMW.MA y lo;; and 198 South Clark .Street, Chicago, Ills. .Tiiwl tls*." lli.ing' -fov l^fto>c Honey. .S.^id for circu! U-. C. R. ISIIAM, IVori i, Ir) "VVyomin,' Co., N. Y. "VmEYARD APIARY.'' Onc Queen &5.00^ Two (Queens.. . 9.00 [ Reared ia full colonies. Three " ...Vi.Oo) Or sent in full colonics at flS.OO each. Address JOSEPH M. JJROOKS, l?ox 130, Cohimbus, Ind. i)-S Bees, Hives, Smokers, Books, Etc. Tliose desirin;; supjdies. as heretofore fumishod bv th 1 de 51. QL'INKY. may addre>«s itp L. C. ROOT, Mohawk, N. Y. n^m/^n 25 with your name printed on them for OarCLS. 15 cents. K. W. CLARK, Medina, Ohio. Colnnibia ^^piax-y. Queens from IniiHjrJcd ITIothers for ISTO. We will scud Queens the tvmiu^: .season as follows : One tcstetl qe,^en fn)m imijorte.l Mother. S4.0'> " 7.00 Two Three Sis Untested qneens '" S;ife an-iva! of all queen ]tfin(i STAl'LES " 10.0(> 18.0(> " each 1,00 9 qnaraniced. .t"AXDREWS, CoIund)ii. Teuu. OUR Bee .Journal of the Southern States. Issued monthlv at $2.00 per vear. Sample coiiies free. Address A. "F. 5IOOX & Co. Rome, Georgia. One A A (.'l.K N bai V o« 1 rlie Copy ( hie Year 75 Cents, or with Lithograiii. of Apiarv. si/,e liMt;, M.ajleil Free, Posti)aSd, f LOO, or Lith.v- graph will be sent as a I'remiuiu for Two Subscj-iliers at 75 events each. ny i>erson obtaining Three Sub-^cribcrs at 75 Cents earli, may retain i'l Cents for tlicSr trouble. " Five " " " " 7.15 " " *' Ten " " '- " 2.50 " " ny niunlier above Ten will be sent at the rale of Fiftv Cents each. AMNcis and Orii Homes, $1.00; Throe copies. .S-2..-0; live, .i^i.7.1 ;' ten, SO.o;). awies may be sent at any time durinsr tin; ve.ar. and whenever a club is reached, we will credit c tlie amount previouslv sent us in excess of the Club Wales. In this wav anv of (he Articles Mentioned on our PRICE LIST may be Secured as "PREMIUMS. ease meulion when names ave intended for Club-. An arknowlcd-nneut will be sent in all cases ec('i)>t ol nKUiey— lor .-my l»in-|>ose AAiiatever -by reluru mail. Volumes 1, ."fc H. may be counted '>n same terms, as wc hav<^ a Large Supply of BACK HUMBERS Provided for new teginners ! As we c.-.nnot take the space in future uiiuiber- to -,> over trie iMiiitain^ till' entire l-"iiivlain"!ii:il I'rinciple.- and roiii) I .-j'-'ain. and V(rhime One A.i>iiii'j^« Or how to Realize tlie Most Money with the Smallest Expenditure of Capital and Labor in the Care of Bees, Rationally Considered. Wm!1bwmn.wTs> ISf®® M'®* 1 In the Preparation of tJiis Journal the following are the Principal Periodicals Consulted : Affla^'^i-aB^m M®© «f ©TO^'Mml® Clarke, and Mrs. Tupper. E'©©s^©®p©^f|g ^(^-^'.^^Ilrfll©'* King. Mm® W®!?!'^® A. F. Moon Hu7,/. Saws • •2!i Cuml) Foundations "-!» A :'/) Humbugs and Swindles ■ 0 California .':() Heads of Grain .'U Intniduciii^' Queens 31 Uniting;: Colonies 31 Foundations of Plain Wax Sheets 31 Stints 31 Honey Candy Transferrinir Silver Hull i5uckwheat House Apiaries Ants and Mclli Millars Li-ht-Colorc.l Bees Wabbliiiir Saws Our Homes Tijaf SuKav 32 32 .33 ^ 37 33 33 .... 3f. "5 %0^^r' ifeiitev*" V,'V*i' GLEANIJsGS IN BEE CULTURE. BOOKS for BEE-KEEPERS and OTHERS. [Any oi llicM- books will bo forw.irdeel by UKiil, post- paid,\>n recfipl of price] Alloii's (L. r.) Aniei-iran Cattle ?2 50 AlU'ii's (L. !•'.) Hural Arcliitectuvc ] ^" Allan's (R. L.) Anierioaii Fjirm Book 1 -^y Allotr.s I U. ]>. 11 111 L. F.) New Auiorican Fnvm Book 'i M Allen's (U. 1..^ Diseases of Domestic Animals 1 f^^ Anieiic-m !ii'(l I'aucier ;^. Ainciicin (icntli'mnn's Stable Guide 1 -•' Amoiieiin Ri sr Ciiltiivist '^^ AmerieaM \\ ;ids ami Useful I'hiiits | 7S Atwdoil's ( ' . :iirvaii(l Suburban Houses t M Art of Siw • ih'ix. (Holly) 7u liriiL;y's Our ()«n Birds of the United States 1 ^i[ Barry's I'rr.il Guden Bell's ("ariiiu'iy Made Easy Benient's RiHbit Fancier Bu^'ardus' li-M. Cover, and Trap Shooting Bomnier's etliosiof Jlakiniy: Jlaiuucs Bou>^siti'rnd:'s Rural Ewnomy 50 5 00 oO •2 00 Breck's Neu ISt.ok of Flower 1 GO 1 75 Bivi-ch-Loiulcr ~ ^^ Brill's I'nn ■ ■' : i rdeniiifj and Seed-Growing t ou Buist "s Fl(>\ve>- Gnrdeii Directory 1 ol* i Buist's F niih Kitchen Gardener ] c!i,\ Hunis's A clii c ural Drawin'^- Book 1 ^JJ i Burns's Uhis! r,i ; ed Drawing Book 1 ^0 Burns's Ornamental Drawing Book }. ,}! Burr's Vewtal iles of America '•' 'f^ Cildwell's ,\',-ricultural Chemical Analysis 2 00 Canary F.irds. Paper, EO cts. Cloth '^ (■■irpciiteis'and Builders' Guide 1 J.'|^ Cliiirltnns Grape-Grower's Guide 7o Cider-Malirs Manual 1 50 Cleveluid's Lmtlscape Architecture l &o Cobbcit's American Gardener 75 Cole's (S. W.' American Fruit Book 7o Cole's Veterinirian 75 Copley's Plain and Ornamental Alphabets ^ 00 Crooked and Cooking Food for Animals 20 Crack Shot (Barber) 1 /f CrolT's Progressive American Architecture to oo Cuinmin'-rs" Architectural Details l** ^y Didds (Geo. H.) Modern Horse Doctor, 12 mo... 1 50 D.idd's Ameiienn Cattle Doctor, 12 nio 1 50 Dadd's American Cattle Doctor, Octavo, cloth, ■A\t bich 2 50 Dadd's Am. lie m Reformed Horse Book, Octavo, dolh. -il. back 2 50 Dana's :\lii 00 Rvoleth's Schorl House Archite(;ture 6 00 Every Horse Owner's Cyclopicdia •> 75 Fu'iik-rs' Barn Hook 1 50 Fi>;ld's {Thomas W.) Pear Culture 1 25 F 1 a X ( ; I d t u re _, '^0 Flint (Ch rl's L.) on Grasses 2 50 Flint's Milch Cows and Dairy Farminsr 2 50 l''rank For.-ester's AmericaTi Ganu^ in its Season 3 00 F'rank lA rresler's Field Sport s. svo, i Vol's 6 00 Frat;k Fori esSer's Pish ami Fishing. Svo, lOOeng's. 3 50 Fran ■< Foirester's Manual for Youug Sportsmen. Svo 3 00 Frank Forr^'Ster's Horse of America. Svo, 2 vols 10 00 French s I'arm Drainage 1 50 FullCi 's Pi rest Tree Culturist 1 50 Ful'ci's (irate Culturist 1 50 rulloi 's Snia'l Fruit Culturist 1 *50 Puller's Strawberry Culturist 20 Fulton's Peach Culture 1 50 G irdn.'r's How to Paint 1 00 (ievclin's Pojdtry Breeding 1 '-5 Gregory on Cabbages pajier. . ; 0 Gre.-orv on Onions paper. . .'io Gregory on S(|uashes paper. . 80 < .'ueiion on Milch Cows 75 G'un. Rod, and Saddle 1 00 II iriicv's Barns. Out-buildings, and Fences 6 00 Harris' Insects Injurious to Vegetation. . .Plain $i; Colored Engravings C> ^'0 Harris on the Pig 1 50 Henderson's Gardening for Pleasure HeiKlerson's Gardening for Profit Henderson's I'raetieal Floriculture Hemsley's Hardy Trees, Shrubs, etc Herbert's Hints to Horsekecping How to .Make Candy Hooper's JX)g and Giui paper, oOc .... cloth . . Hoopes' Book of Evergreens Hop Culture HuiUer and Trapper John Andro>s. (Rebecca Hardin Davis) Johnson's How Crops Feed '■ " " Grow Johnson's Peat and Its Uses Jolniston's Agricultural Chemisi ry Johnston's Elements of Agricultural Chemistry Leuehar's How to Hnild Hot-Houses Lyman's Cotton Culture . Miles on the Horse's Foot . Mohr on tlio Grape Vine My Vineyarfl at Lakeview Is'ichols's Chemistry of the F'avm aud Sea Norton's Scientific Agricultuie Onion Culture Our Farm of Four Acres paper, SOc cloth . . . Our Digestion. By Dio Lewis Pardee on Strawberry Culture Parsons on the Rose. By Samuel B. Parsons Pedder's Land iMcasurer Percheron Horse Play and Protit in my (iarden. Rev. E. P. Roe Quuiey (Hon. Josiah) on Soiling Cattle .. Quinn's Money in the Garden Quinn's Pear Culture for Profit Randall's Sheei i 1 1 usl landry .' Randall's F'ine Wool Sheep Husbandry Rand's Flowers for Parlor and Garden Rivers Miniature Fruit Garden Roe's Play and Prolit in my Garden Saunders Domestic Poultry pajier, ^tOc cloth . . Schencks Gardeners Text Book Skillful Hous(^wifery Stewart's (.lohn) Stable Book Thomas Farm Implements and Jiachinery Thompson's Food of Animals Tim Bunker Papers Tobacco Culture Turners Cotton Planters Manual Warder's American Pomology Warders Hedges and Evergreens Warings Draining lor Profit and Health "VVariugs F^lemeuts of Agriculture "VVeidenmanns Beam ifying Country Homes. A su- perb quarto volume. 21 lithograph plates, in colors Whites Cranberry Culture Whites Gardening for the South Youatt and Spooner on the Horse Youatt and Martin on Cattle Youatt on the Hog Y'ouatt on Sheep 1 50 1 50 1 50 7 50 1 75 50 60 3 00 30 1 00 1 50 2 00 2 00 1 25 1 75 1 50 1 50 1 50 75 1 00 1 25 1 25 75 20 fiO :; 00 75 1 50 60 1 00 1 50 1 25 1 50 1 00 1 50 1 O 3 00 1 CO 75 75 75 1 50 1 50 1 00 1 50 25 1 50 3 00 1 .'■,0 I a) 1 00 15 00 1 25 i 00 1 50 1 50 1 00 1 00 Names of rcsi)onsible parties -will be inserted in either of the following departments, at a uniform price of lOc. each insertion, or Si. 00 per year. Names inserlccl in this department the first time without c?iari/e. Those whose names appear below, .agree to furnish Italian Queens the coming season for sl.OO each, un- der the following conditions; No guarantee is to be assumed of (lurify, sale delivery or any thing of the kind, only that the Queen be reared from a choice, pure mother, and had commenced to lay when they were shipi)ed. They also agree to return the money at any time when customers become impatient of such delay as may be unavoidable. Bear in niind that he who sends the best Queens, put up neatest and most securely, Avill probably re- ceive the most- orders. Siiecinl r.ates for warranted and tested Queens. I'urnislied on ajjplication to any ol the p.arties. Names with *, use an Imported Queen mother. 11 wanted by mail, send lOc. extra. •' G. W. Dean, River Stvx. Medina Co., Ohio. *J. Oatman A: Co.. Dundee, Ills. 3te *Dr. . P. H. P.rowu. Augusta, Georgia. 9tl' ♦E. W. Hale, Wirt V. H., West Va. 6-ti *J.M.O. Taylor. Lewiston, Fred. Co., Md. ItO IIi\'C 3I«iiiifaetiii-ei\s. Who agree to make such hiv. s. and at the prices named, as those described on our circular H. Palmer. Hart. Oceana Co., Mich. 11- 187C. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 19 NE W AD T :ER TISE3IKNTS. HONEY PLANTS AND TREES. Chinese Mustard, 1 lb., §1.50 ; 1 oz., l.'jc. ; per pkt., 5c. BInrJi Must(n-<1. ALsilco Clover, Common Swijlotvci; «"!ich, 1 lb., -JOc'. ; i lb., 250. Vetches, Rape, each, 1 lb., 20c. Califo7'nia, White, Luceriie, YeUotr Trefoil Clover, cwli, 1 lb., 5r,c. ; 1; lb., 20c. Italian Cloi'er, I lb., 3£c. White, Yellow Bokhara Clover, cacii. 1 lb., »JOc. ; i lb., 350. Esparcette, (or Sainfoin) 1 lb., 12c. ; L lb., 25o. Silver Hull Buckwheat, 1 lb., 15c. ; per packaare. 75c. ; j.cr bushel, i;2.00. Mignonetle, (CDminoii) 1 lb., $1.25 ; i lb., Inc. ; 1 oz., lOc. < I'Hj-son.s' New While), 1 lb., §10.00 ; i lb., ?<5.00 : 1 oz., 80c. ; jaeket, 10c. Catnip, 1 lb., $12.00 ; 1 oz., ?1.20 ; por pkt., 25c. Borage, 1 lb., $1.25 ; \ lb., 75o. ^ per pkt., 10c. Motlierwort, 1 oz., §1.00 ; per pkt.. 10c. Mammoth Russian Sunfloiver, 1 lb., (JOc. ; I lb.. "5c. Bassivood Seed, 1 lb., COe. ; i lb., 35c. ; per pkt., 5f. Tulip Tre^, 1 lb., §1.50 ; h, lb., 8.5c. ; 1 oz., 15c. Ounces and Pack.4.ge8 Postpaid. Half pound or over, if to be ^ent by mail, add one cent per ounce for jjostage. Remit at tmr risk, by P. O. Oixier. on Milton, Wis., or bv Ren-istercil Letter, or Express, to Koshkonong, Wis. Addivss iiiainly, < ". I^. ILaiio's TV. "SV. Y\.i>iai'y & Seed. "Wa I'eho ii »e. ^i-'^^ KoshkononK, Rock C<.*., Wis. HOlVElif JBEES. SEND for E. W. Hale's price list of Queens for the year , _ 1870. All Queens raised in full colonics and from Im- ported mothers. No Bee disease in niv localitv. --7d Addret-s, E. W. HALE, Wirt C. H., W. Va. TWILL sell material for Standaixl Lanprstroth Hives, of iiood pine, cut ready to nail, every thing complete ex- <-i>pt nails and glass for S1.50 each. F. M: DICKINSON, Whitney's Point, 2-;{d Broome Co., N. Y. J will ,?ell THIRTY BEK-HIVES with fraates lull of Comb in good condition. Address, HILBKRT HARRISON, 2d Hopedale, Ohio. GLASS EOFEY B0XE"S^ .Jvis?ee8 and stoi"es. By purchasing' these small colonies, all dans^er of losinir the queen in introduction is avoided ; Ijesitles they can s(X)n be built up into strong stocks. "Tills is to certify tint Dr. J. P. H. Brown, receives Italian Queen Bees' through this office, iinportetl direct from Italy." C. H. Bfcklky. .Vgcnt Southern Express Co. Aiijrnsla, Ga.. Oct. 11th, 1875. Durin.5 the season I shall receive invoices of imported queens, every few weeks, from a district in Italy that is s;iitl to contain the finest type of the Ligurian or Italian Bee. Send for circular to DR. J. P. H. BROWN, Augusta, Georiria. HOITEY EXTRACTORS! Made Entirely of Metal. IVo TV'ood ^^boiit Thein. T»l?IC'XO^, Si-i.-"><> to SIO.OO. Circulars 'n'ilU directions lor »isc on application. IX ORDERING, bo j)artieular to give us oii/xiJe dimen sio/ix of frame or fi-ames to be used. As we have pro cured the machinery foi- making ever.v part on our own i premises, we can supply Gearins, Honey Gales, Wire Cloth, etc., etc. Bearings, Stubs' .Steol— Boxes, self-oiHug. A. 1. ROOT, Medina, Ohio. P. 8. — Be sure and give width, under top bar of frame. .A-verill OKemical Plaint. THE OXLY RKIAABJ.K. THE MOST BEAITIFLI.. THE MOST ECONOMICAL. THE MOST IHUABLE. Requires no oil thinner or rtrjer. Require:! no wastt? of time in mixiiig. Has stood ckjM peitrs' criticisnvi With jiearlj) increased popularity And iiCMrly increased ijales. Is sold by the gallon only, in packages of fron\ 1 to K) gallons each, in Purest White ;>iid auy Color or Tint desired. Address, for sample card of colors and price list, A-^eFill C'Uonnioal Faint Co., Office and Factory 132 & i:U East River Street. CLEVELAND. OniO. (i-t>-'7(r 1 lb. Round Jars per gross $.').5() •2' " 7..'>U Corks •• •* 75c. and l.oo 'j Pt. Honey Tumblers, plain or I'ibbcd, per doz. . 4o (i doz. in a box. Packages 4t) J2 Pt. Honey Tumblers, plair. or ribbed, per doz.. M (5 doz. in a box. Packages i^> ,'3 Pt. Honey Tumblers,"Tia Top, per doz f'.") f> doz. in a l)o.x. Packages 40 ,'■> Pt. Honey Tnml)lers. Tin Top, per doz 7') 1; doz. in a (x>x. Packages 4r> Also Window Glnss, Lamp Chtmnevs. and tllass- ware of all kinds. For sale bv 1>. L. FAHENSTOCK, late B. L. Fahenstock. Fortune & Co., Glass Manufac- turers, 76 Wood St.. Pittsbwrgh, Pa. 11 tf Fur.!. STOCKS of as good yellow bees as are produced in anv country at fiS.OO each. 2p " J. M. MARVIN, St. Charles, Illf. Containing the photographs of over 150 of the Bee-Keepers of America, ^Vill be mailed securely i>ackcd ior^il.OO. AVe nicntioi) bclott' a fciv of tlic most prominent pictures contained. I.. L. Langstroth ; Mrs. Langstroth ; M. Quinby ; Capt. .1. K. llcthorington ; Dr. Hamlin ; ,\dam Grimm -, Samuel Wasncr : .James Botin ; Frank Benton: H. A. Burch ; Prof. A. J. Cook : ('.P. Didant; G. .M. Doolittle ; E.Gal- lup; .Mrs. GfisL'li'r lue Kilie (trimiii -. .1. P. Jloore ; Chas. Y. Mutli ; 3Irs. E. S. Tupper ; R. Wilkin : W. .M. Kellogg ; E. .1 <)almau; I'rof. .1. I'. Kirtlaud; A. .1. .Murray; "Sci- cMtilic"; L. C. Root ; S. B. Parsons ; W. W. t'ar.v, etc., etc. It will be sent as a premium for \ names to fii.EisiNGS i at .?1,00 each. A. 1. ROOT, Medina, Ohio, i T7"IND READER, if you .aro in .iny way interested in ! Oli » - ^ - « -„ „ J we will v.illi ijU-'isurc senil vou a sinipU^ (v>iiv of oiu' Monthly "GliEANINGS IN BKl': CULTIRE."' Simply write your address plainly ou a p-istal cu-d and address A. I. ROitT, Medina, Ohio. rat; binder m^ERlODlCM^ You cannot look over the back No's of Gleaxivgs or any other I'eriodical with satisfaction, unless they are in some kind of a Binder. Who has not said— "Dear nie what a bother — I must have Inst month's Journal and it's no where to be found." Put each No. in the Emerson Binder us soou as it comes and you can sit down happy, any time you wish to liii'l any thing you may have previously seen even tliough it were months ago. Binders for Glkaxixgs (will hold them for four years) gilt lettereil, free by mail for .00, GO, and Ihe. ac- cording to quality. For table of prices of Binders for anv Periodifial, "see Oct. No., Vol. 2. Send in vour orders. A. L ROOT^Medina. < >. We will send Gi.e.\nin-gs— With The American Bee Journal (S2.001 S2.7r) ■• The Bee Keeper's Masazine (1.50) 2.-.'.') •• The Bee World ^ ( 2.00) 2 . .V> " All three. The Bee Journals of America,. . ..").2"> " British Bee Journal {?2,f>i)) 2.7.". " .Vmerican Agriculturi^-t ;?1.60) Si.rS.'i " Prairie Farmer ;52.15) 2.H11 " Rural New Yorker (S2..'50) ."l.i.'i •' Scientific American (S-'l.lS) :!.;ni " Fruit Recorder and Cott.age Gardener (Si. OO) ].7."> [Above rates include all Postage.] Books for Bee-Keepers. SENT i>ostpaiil ou receiijt of price. Langstroth on the Hive and Honey Bee ?2.0!> Quinbv's Mysteries of Bee Keeping 1 .-"i') Bee Keeper's Text Book, muslin, "> " " " " i)apcr, 40 These are the best, but are ail far behind the times. A Manual of Bee-Kecpinsr. by .John Hunter .Sl.2.''> Tliis latter is fully ui> to the limes, being as late ;is Sept.. 1S7.'), but being Kncrlish. ;>. considerable ])ortion of it is h.arilly adapted to the C'vadilion of bee culture, at present, in o\ir own country. n^vK^rt '25 with vour name printed on them for WarCLS. 1.9 cents." R. W. CL.VRK,:Mcdina, Ohio. A. I. ROOT, ) PublisUcd Montlilj . ( TERMS : «1.00 Per Annum in Ad- Publisher a»d Proprietor, ■■ - vance; 3 Cop^ts/or S2.50; o /«/• S3.75 ; Medina, O. } i:aitaT>ll.sliccl in 1 S7'3. ClO ur more, GUc. each. Single Sumb-jr lOc. Vol. IV. FEBRUARY 1, 1876. No. 2. HOW TO MAKE COMB FOUNDATIOIVS AIN'I> PrT THEM BN THE FRAMES AT 0]\E OPERATION', AT 'J'HE RATE OF 8 IN S MlTVl'TES. ^W^/l'-^ have been accustomed to thinking the yiyj Yankees were a little ahead of the rest of mankind in originality and ingennity, but the following seems to leave ns rather behind. "We believe onr countrymen will all join in a vote of thanks to Mr. Cheshire, and also to Mr. Hunter, who took the trouble to mail ns a copy of the magazine containing the following: It now remains for me to redeem my promise, liy pxtilniniiifc my iiiethort ot raakini; wax fruiiies. The first requisite is a plaster of Paris model or mould, which may be either made t'rom natural comb or the metallic embossed plates to which I have previouslj- referred. If we possess the latter, we shall be enabled to obtain casts of greater regularity, but not greater utility, than those maite from the work of the bees. Proceed thus : Dab the metal ])late with a piece of .-iponge or rag whicli has been spariuglv moistened with some thin oil— parallin answers adnurably; then place over the plate, a slightly nailed wooden frame, jireviously oiled to]>reveut the sticking of tli3 plaster, and one and a half inches deep and wide, but the whole length of this plate. Xow mix a very thin paste of super jdaster of Paris— the kind used by employed has been used for I breeding, the chrysalis cases will interfere with the j neatness of our work, but even then any in-egular fragments may be got rid of l)y singeing. The sides of | the moulds should be rubbed flat upon a wet smooth i st)ne, such as the Ijottom of a kitchen sink, when they ! will be ready for use. In order to make the guide it is only neccssar}" to ! well soak the idaster cast with water, and [jfacc j against its side tlie to)) bar of the frame, so that the centre of it lies along the edge of the cast. Pure wax having been melted, as I have often explained, in an I ordinary glue-pot, it is applieil by a ])ainter's common brush to" the top of the cast and tlie exposed pari of the bai-. The wet jdaster receives a coating-, wliich ininu- diately sets, but doe< not adhere; while llie wax ir.- forporates itself with the wood, which, when raircd, ••arries a guide most firmly attached and straight a^ an arrow. The little ai)paratns-explained by tlie accom- j iTiUying diagram, and whiidi I used at "the Crvstal i I'alace sliow. and to whicli a ;ilver medal was award- ! I'd— will enable us to work more agreeablv anong',s. Some time in March, 1874, we procured some foundations of Mr. Fred Weiss -■see page 54, vol. HI— and these foundations were precisely of the width and appearance, even when examined with a glass, as those af- terward sent us by Mr. I^ong, with the exceji- tion of the small samples sent out by Mr. liong, which had very thin bottoms to the cells^. Of course these are what we want for sur- })lus boxes, ami they are in all probability what the B. 7>. J. alludes to. But on sending to Mr. Long for a quantity of these veiy thin sheets, we received only the usual thickness, and nearly the same after sending the second time. It is quite likely that it is going to be rather a difficult matter to furnish these very thin sheets by the quantity. Our own experi- ments up to this date, have resulted in making such as would do lor brood combs without trouble, but we are determined that we will have as perfect as any in the market, Ijefore we ott'er any for sale. That Mr. Long's is nothing particularh' new, we have proof, for as perfect a specimen as those of Mr. Long or Weiss — whether they are both made with one set of plates or not does not matter — were sent us by Mv. Wagner in 1870; and so far as we can rec- ollect now, he then stated that there was a pair of plates for making them in the possession of a German, and thtxt they originally came from England. The samples received from the three sources mentioned look precisely alike. We are pleased to receive a specimen of type from one of onr readers (Mr. Palmer, of Hart, Mich.) that is much ahead of any of our own work. Three are cast in one piece ; this gives a clear sharp impression in each, and they stand upright without trouble. We are very glad that we now know why our English friends have not had the same success with their comb foundations that we have, and think it may be said to be a settled fact, that W'C need jiled frames, and that we then have nothing to fear from the bees build- ing drone comb ; also, that there is a veri/ great saving of expense in giving them large sheets of foundation. For brood combs we don't want any patching, as they will be sure to put in a row of drones alongevery joint. J. V. Moore, lUnghamptou, N. Y., .Jan. 17th. '70. DEPOSITORY OF Or Metiers frsssji T5ios«? "Wiso Mave Made Boe Cwltmre ii Ftiilijire. k I. ROOT — Dea?' Sir: — I am sorry to' inform you that 1 will have no more use for Glean- _9 INGS, fearing to lose all my bees this winter, as they are badly diseased already, although 1 gave them sugar syrup for winter. I have, therefore, con- cluded to spend no more money for bees until I see whether I will have any left. Please discontinue GtKANiNGS until you hear from me again. Samuel L. Mohlee. Covington, O.. Dec. 'iSth, 1875. We sincerely hope our friend's apprehensions somewhat exaggerate the condition of things, yet we fear it is really a fact that bees will,"c/;: timeii, die in spite of all the care we at present know how to give, whether North or South. We may be mistaken in this, and of course hope we are. No one ever need take the troub- le to order Gle.\nings discontinued after the time paid for has expired. I met with very poor success in my lirst attempt to keeji lici.'s ; haviivj; bou'jrbt a sw.arm in the summer of '71; but tlii'y (lid not gather honey enoiigb for winter , coiis'e- qucnlly 1 lost them, but I have the hive and cumb yet. Is 1876. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 23 lliere any way to fret a swarm if I buy onr" of tli?, advorlis- ed queens; that is, if I jnit her in the, liive and feed her, would she fill it 'r 1'. C. Staxsuugy. Elizabeth, N. J., Doc.i;;, "75. If yoit uiulert.ike to buikl u]) a swarm from a queen alone, we fear you will always remain in "blasted hopes" fneud S. Get. another colo- ny, and make yourself so well acquainted with them that you would no more let them starve than you would your pony, before you think of handling queens. »*0*4 [F'or Gleaning^.] H03iEY ©fiiW. EY A. W. LUECK. MAYVILLH, WIS. '■'■ Scribe ncli rectc saperc est ct privcipiuin et fans." AVe were forcibly reminded of this nia,\ium, that "tlie jji-inciple and souiee of (good) writins is to think ri,;;ht," when readinic in Dcc<'mlier Gleanings an article vnidcr Iho above hertdinsr. and si;;iie'l D. N. Smitli, Sec.'y of the Arrowhead Bee ('o. Tliis article illustrates very aptly the negative of the above old adafre, and on tliat account we hojje it will be to the improvement of the reastaiice to be of the same origin as com- mon dew ; /(/ c.sf : ciiiidcnsed vapors. However, the mere words do not always indicate the existence of the fact, ac- cordiiii,- to their literal meaning; thus we .sa.y : the suu is risiti;/, though at tlie same time wo kuov/ that this is not tlii> case. Just so it is with "honey dew." The fact that this substance is called '"ilew," does not infer that it is condensed "saccharine matter." However, usage and lirevity jiisiiiy the employment of these e.xpressions. Mr. JSmith must have felt something of this kind, per- haps unconsciously, for he lays no stress on the literal meaning of "honey dew" in his couuTiunicatioii, be.t liases his argument on si'jiijositions. wliich only exist in liis im- .i^ination. Thus, he tells us, that "saccharine matter is v'!"idually passing olT into the atmosphere in a gaseous state- and gradually l;ccomes attracted towards certain plants and ' lucaliiii's — that have negative attraciion." I lore he supposes two or three conditions to exist, ujion v,!u(h he bases his cxpbnalion of the i.lienomeiion under consideration. First, lie supposes lliat "saccharine matter" does exist in a gaseous state. f-'.r<'ondly, that it becomes "attracted to certain plants." l{ccau.>-o, thirdly, these plants have "negative attrac- tion." The fii-st assertion does not rest upon fr.cts. Racchai ine n;attcr does not exist in a volatile state. If it did, wc coidd never olitain one pound of sugar by the present pio cess of j)reparaiiou. l"or in making sugar the juice cf plaids contaitiing saccharine matter is boiled down to a >!ifljcivut point for c;'yst-ili:iat!cn. I^'ovr, if sacclnr;:ie Wo have read Gleanings for the jiast .^ear, and can sa.v that we like it Victter 1 ban any book or paper on liee culture, we ha^e seen. We have kept bees for the jiast four years, but with very ]K)or success ; has cost us much time' and money, with very little prolit. In the com- mencement we liought a township right of H. A. King & (,'o., whicli cost us ,*"2-J,.'',0 and has been no real advantage to us whate\er. We also bouglit a swarm Italian bees for which we paid 520,00, increased them to three, and in the spring lost them all. So we have been losing in one way and another until wo liave become well nigh discouraged. But we still have a love for the bees, therefore we have at the present time seven swa.nus stored away in the cellar. We trust our past experience will be of some advantage to us. We like Gleanings because it does not countenance swindling and hunibugcry. Alonzo Wyetii. Townsend, Mass., Dec. 18th, 187.1. After once getting a start, make your bees self-sustaining instead of being a bill of ex- pense. Multitudes of people arc still buying rights to make hives in spite of the tact that no one ever makes any use of them afterward. Look about you tincl see how many of the rights purchased have ever possessed any in- trinsic value matter could pass off in a g iscous state, it would certainly not remain in the boiler, but would vanish with the watei'j That it never does, :dl of us know from practical expcri- enco, who ever made maiil,> sugar. Kven Mr. Smith iiim- self bears witness to the truth of this statement. I'or he tells us, tliat they V. ashed oil (dilidcd) the "honey dew" from surrounding C)bjei;ts, and boiled it down to a* proper consi.nency. Now what do you think, reader, would the Sec'y of the Arrowhead Hop. Co., by this process ever have obtained "two gallons of thick syrup," if saccharine mat- ter could exist in a "gaseous state ?" So we have just seen, that saccharine S'Ubstanccs cannot exist in a, volatile condition; hence tliey cannot be found in the atmosphere, and therefore can never be drawn down from this body by certain plants. And this answers the second assertion. But how about llie third, the "negative attraction of certain plants V" The word negative means ttiat something is denied. Thus, in our debating: societies we often have aquestion decided in the negative ; meaning that we deny that which the (|ucslion allirms. Or, it may ;dso mean an opposite quality from positive. Thus we have positive and negative magnetism ; iiKMning thereby, that one magnetic force is recognized liy an o])posite man- ifestation of the other. But how c:in we apply this term to plants V Or, wliere is the Avork on botany' that sanc- tions such employment? Will the Sec'y (,f the Arrow- head Bee Co. please explain ":' "We shall pause for a re- I'l.v ! We see, therefore, that "honey dew" is not, like common dew, con/lensed moisture of the atmosphere. Nc\'erthe- less, we find it often ; its existence is not denied. But hov.' is it produced '? Let us first see wliat good authorities say in answer of this question. 'Honey dew," says Webster, "is a sweet, saceharinc substance, found on leaves of trees and other plants in small drops like dew. Two sul)stances have been called -by this name ; one secreted from the plants, and the other deposited by a small insect, called the aphis, or vino fret- tcr." From the Deutsch-American Conversation's Lexicon we learn still more : "Honey dew," (meUigoJ we read, "is a. sweet, yellowish-white, pasty and bad smelling sulistance, which is found on leaves and twigs of trees and plants. Sometimes it is the jiroihict of the wood-louse, which sucks the sap from ilie .■^oung twigs jind leaves, elaborates it in its boily, and af cerwa-rds ejects it through two tuber- cles near the anus, and also through this latter opening. At other times honey-dew is the product of a diseased condition of the plant, prevailing during dry seasons, and originating in a disturbance of the balance lictween the production of the nitrogenous and non-nitrogciious sidi- stanccsinthe vegetable tissue. It consists, chemically, mostly of manite and grape-sugar. It forms an important nourishment for bees and other insects, but kills veget- ables by sealing up their pores and favoririg the growth of parasitic fungi." Now let US look at the insect itself, that produces this honey-dew. It belongs to a very numerous species — over 12.001) are known. Rebou, in his ^'a^jcr/ycvsc/f/c/i^e, arranges it in his 7th class, the Ilemipterii, and among these in the 2nd order, the i/oiHO/ii^cri-f, and here we find it in the family of Apliidi.i, or as Webster gives it, aphides. Tliis f.amily is subdivided into the lc::f louse, the spring louse, and the ground louse (Blattlaus, f^pringlaus, ni Enl- lans.) The leaf lice have antentKe longer than their chest and made up of seven joints. Their proboscis is bent un- der their abdomen. At the end of their inidy are found two tahcrclcs (honey tubes) secreting a sweet substance of the consistency of honey, which is eagerly sought by the ants." This is the so-called "honey-dew," which was formerly belie\cd to descend from the clouds during a thunder-storm. Now our own observation about honey-dew fully coin- cides with the foregoing citations. Wc keeji in our win- dow-garden evergreen plants the year 'round. These arc muc'n infested with a species of wood-lice, and ver.v nat- urally, honey-dew can bo found upon and around the ))lants. We' have often observed these insects in the very act of ejecting this substance. In summer our plants are not so liuich (Mxeicd wiih it as in winter. This is owinif to the fact that duiing tlu> former si-ison the ants are al- ways ready to sip every drop as soon as excreted. Nay, they often may be seen to squeeze and coax the atihis with their bare feet in order to indi.ce it to give off this sweci morsel. We may therefore expect to find more of this substance in places whore ants ha\'e no access, or where they are scarce ; provided ;!ic conditions forilsiu-tjductioii exist. Thu.s, during the last summor wc visited our Insane Asylum at Madison, and in this liuilding v.-e also found a great variety fif exotic ]ila!ifs. and around them the floor varnished with "honey-dew." luspet'tioa of these plints levealed Aaiious kinds of aphii'li as b.i.ig the cause thereof. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Feb Ol R 0\V> APIARY. "AN. Is! — The new year was ushered in dii- _ rinff a beautiful star-light night, and what is very queer for the first day of Jan.. the air is almost as warm as a day in 3Iay or June. We had planned some electrical experiments lor the Sabbath School children last evening j^roviding the weather was frosty, and as it Avas qniic warm about Christmas, we had ev- ery reason to think it would be cold before New Year's, but it was not, and the experi- ments had to be postponed. You may remem- ber that we have been rather vehemently rec- ommending submission to the weather lately, and in fact to all events beyond our control, and here was an excellent chance to .see whether we could follow our own teachings. This morning as the sun arose on a cloudless .>iky with air^as balmy as summer, we must coiifiss that we were inclined to be a little in- dignant at such weather in the midst of winter, especially as we had decided not. to set our bees out. AVell, about 9 o'clock we got a little uneasy, and when we saw bees coming out of the ventilator to the bee house, we were consid- crnhhi uueas}'. There was no help for it ; they must be set out. We rather hui-riedly went into the honse and called for some old clothes, although the temptation was great to "hustle them out" Avithout taking the trouble to "dress for the occasion." After hastily divesting and waiting iu some impatience, we wei'e told that no old ones were to be found ; so we patiently imt on "our things"" again, and just then the *>M clothes turned up and were intruded on our solitary meditations. Patience is a manly vir- tue, and we finalh^ Mere rigged out in clothes that could not well be spoiled. The bee house door Avas swung Avide open and fastened, while Ave mentally discoursed : "Now loek here old fellow I you know you alAvays used to 'get mad" Avhen you carried out yonr bees, but after all the talking you have done lately, guess you had better consider it one of the luxuries not to be thought of, so prepare to "keep cool" and 'go slow." " No Avonder they were getting out the venti- lator ; the air was hot and close inside, and the minute the door was opened a fair swarm rushed out, and commenced taking their points around the door Avay. Things Avent very well for a while, and the number of stings was no greater than usual. But the hives Avere awful heavy, and iu spite of the number of dead that strewed the floor, they seemed to be pretty Avell tilled. The bees that flew out. we judged would be mostly saved, for they had been housed scarcely 40 days, and soon gave evidence that they knew very well where their hive should be, for they formed in considerable clusters on their old locations. We must go back here a little, to explain ; during the honey harvest, as we Avrote last July, on account of the rain, Ave Avere obliged to give an unusual number of hives an upper story: and to do this without bringing a lot of ucaa' hiAes into the apiary — Avc have learned to get along with just as few hives and fixtures as wc can, by some lessons in sad experience with a multitude of traps — Ave changed places with quite a number of ' '■ - during the season. Well, wlieu the bees were housed Ave cither forgot to number them anew, or were too busy to attend to it, in fact Ave made no calculation at all about taking them out in only six Aveeks, and as soon as wc saAV that it Avas really important that each should have its own location, we began to get "sv.amped" in regard to the order in Avhich they were put in. "Let me see, where did I carr,v No. 18 to Avhen I made that division? and AAhat is the number on that next hive "/"' While Ave Avere pulling one hive out on the shelf, and dodging a bee that had a fondness for one's eyes, and then twisting a second hive a little to see it' we could not recognize some familiar "knot hole"" to indicate its locality, all of a sudden the upper shelf tipped and two hives turned a somersault, and on their way iu their downward fall, knocked down a third. '•Steady my boy ! as you have laiely taught, any body can be cheerful Avhen things go smoothly, but it takes a hero to be mild Avhen the time of trial comes : yon can now show your skill and self control all at once." But the old tempter seemed to think perhaps now wa-j a time for him to put in a word, and as one AA'icked sting struck us on the no.se, and another on the temple, then on the ear, wicked thoughts irould Avell up and Satan whispered "I would stamp them all to atoms, if I pleased : and I Avouldn"t be obliged to keep my mouth shut either, and bear it all Avithout any respite What pay do you get for all this any way? / would let the bees all go and take the world easy as others do. What is the use working all the time T 'You will go right ahead and do the best yoii can,'" says another A'oice. "all this trouble is the result of your besetting sin of negligence and carelessness.'" "Its no use trying." says the other, "you have always had jusl such Avork all your life, and you always will. No body cares how much you sweat and sutfer. Just hear them laughing and joking in the house now. I Avould teach them." "Mortal you are sinning to CAen listen to the voice of the tempter I You know full well that your friends give you far moie credit than you deserve. You muxt rise above this, nay. cA^en if far greater trials be still iu store for you. Answer pleasantly the individual who is now asking you if your bees are 'sAvarming." Pos- sibly you would show no more 'sense" in regard to his business than he docs in regard to yours. Look cheerful! You can and must. Keep at Avork, if you see where you have failed, remedy it. 'There is no excellence A\-ithout great la- bor.' Are the bees robbing 'i All the more ' reason AA"hy you should push along. Is even the broom handle sticky Avith houe\- like every thing else? And the floor a sticky mass of ; bees, honey and candy '? Does j'our back ache [ and do stings and stickiness meet your hands at every touch ? Push ahead and don't get yourself into another such a muss. All this ruin and loss of property comes from your just i neglecting to change the marks on your hives when you moved ihem." More trials did come dear reader. Three colonies were found dead because they had been given the candy that was slightl.v burnt, but the rest were iu fine condition. On taking 1876. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 25 ;i look at the house npiary to cheer up our feei- t Ill's, we found that there was even trouble there ; for th-ey had drawn the wool out of the <'utrances, aud were getting- tangled in it, and it really t?id seem for awhile that our work was all a bundle ef failures. The worst of it nil was that we didn't succeed in looking pleasant either, until the hives were all set to rights, robbing stopped, aud all flying merrily from their own stands. Jan. ISth — It is warm and like summer again, and right glad are we that our bees are all in conditiou to fly freely. It is odd to get letters ees in houses have been conijxilled to take thenj out we believe ; but we have heard from several having good cellars, who have been iiblc to keep them quiet ({uriug the whole of the winter, thus far. It seems peculiarly try- ing for those who have laboriously put them indoore again, thinking the warm spell over, to be obliged to take tkem out a second time. We fear friend Boliu is one of these ; he writes as follows ; IJees on summer staiuis again. Theriuoinetcr in the bee house ran up to G5' Jaji. 1st, and the little scamps would keep stiil no longer. 1 would like to see any one keejj my bees quiet at a steady tenii>enitiirc of 50'^ as some :id\ise. Jaiies BOLIN. 1*. S. — Jan. 4th. Bees nil in the house again, a.s nice as Hiicc. West Lodi, ()., Jauuar.v3d, 1871). CANDY. Since taking all the burnt candy away from the bees that were dying, the,y have recovered, and a little research in our chemistries reveals the fact that sugar on being heated beyond a certain point, is converted into a substance called caramel. This is the substance that gives common molasses and our syrups their dark color and taste ; and all the brown stigars contain more or less of it. It attracts moisture from the air aud Ijecomes wet and sticky, es- pecially in damp aud cool weather; in this condition it produces a malady much like that occasioned by thin watery honey, among the bees wlieu confined to such a diet in cold weather. It may be wholesome in very warm weather, we have as yet not been able to deter- mine. In the process of rehning, the sugar is entirely freed from caramel, aud hence the safe- ty of white sugar, or what is still ahead of it, rock candy; for nothing but the chemically pure sugar will so crystalize. This rock candy may be left anywhere, even iu a damp cellar, and it never feels sticky to one's lingers, while all other forms of candy or sugar are veiy apt to absorb dampness from the atmosphere. The brown sugar fed last fall has so far proved per- fectly wholesome. Many are the conjectures as to what the ef- fect will be of having tlie bees rear brood all through the winter; and if it is really going to l)e deleterious as many imagine. Tho.se who have the spacious cellars with an even temperature, will probably be the most fortu- tunate. Should the frequent flying be produc- tive of good rather than evil, it will result somewhat in favor of the house apiary. Will all our friends trj^ and give us facts in the case without falling into tlie error of defending some particular pet thtory of their own. Re- member we want truth, and it makes little dif- ference as to who comes nearest it. "wnO AVII.L CAKE FOE MoTUKE NOW?" L?^OE.SN''T the Dec. Xo. road a little as it' Novice ' °'' was not defending extracted honey as valiantly as I'oruiciiy ? I uelieve there is less danger o"f overstocking the market with choice e.xtracted than with couib honey. Honey is a luxury, and many who are now compelled to give up the use of box honey will buy extracted. Also, the market for comb honey lasts but a short time while extracted properly jiut up. is a standard shelf article during the whole "year. It does not iiijiif' hij keepinr/. I kiwic that with us the demand for li,00(), and consider myself in easy circumstances, having in- come enough to support myself and family without any more work. Have sold all my comb honey, little over 7,00 lbs, for prices ranging from 'Joe per Iti, gross weight, down to 20c net weight, for honey in largo boxes. I liave nearlj* 10,000 lbs of extracted'honey on hand yet, and would sell it, if all ordered by a respon- sible party, for 12c. per lb, delivered at our depot. What was sold went for from 13 to Itic. Bees seem to winter very well so far. All mine are housed in V.\ different cellars. Adam Giumm. Jefferson, Wis., Jan. 10th, 1876. Our bees stored a siu'plus the 9th day of August and so on till the Dtli of Sejit., when the great honey harvest was over. Our greatest yiekl in one day from one hive VX\ lbs— :;0 Aug.; 5,500 lbs. from 57 hives, all extracted honey. Jj.OOO in bbls which we offer delivered at the railroad for 13 cts. per lb. T, E. Hawkins & Bko. New Frankfort, Mo., Dec. 10, '75. Some body scolded about our sailing our hats when we bee folks had found out any thing jxtrticularly clever, and we have many times been admonished to -'drive slow and go steady," but when one has fussed and worried and bothered to get good old "Dame Nature" to go in some channel contrary to her inclina- tions, and was obliged to give it up in despair ; and then to see her in her unswerving and un- l)ending way create forms of wondrous beauty, who could help expressing his admiration and thanks in some manner most congenial to his feelings. Now friends Heddon aud Burch wc know you will show that you have a true zeal 2C, GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Feb antl interest in all improvemcuts in our spec- ] ialty, by granting that the Tollovfing is a great stride in favor of extracted honey What credit there is belongs more to accicJent than to lis. You see we had some basswood honey, two barrels of it, in 1874, and to keep io from going into that troublesome candying process we had it taken to our store and deposited near the furnace ; in spite of this it soon began to roll up and ooze out of the bung-holes, and we scraped it off. and dipped it out panful after panful, until we began to think it really never would stop, and to seriously meditate selling it for 10 cents, just because it, like the old lady of the fable, could never be (luiet. But by and by it stopped, and some huge piles of paper for Gleanings and other rubbish were put around the barrels until we almost forgot we had them, but when the honey table was started, basswood honey was suggested as a variety, and one of the barrels was opened. A few doxen jars were filled — after it was melted — and as the most liquid portion was easiest to get out the candied honey was left clear to the top of the barrel on one side. One day the remarkable whiteness of this attracted our at- tention and a plateful was put in a glass show case Now it was that Dame Nature began to sh(jvv us what s7ie was trying to do, for the honey was getting whiter and whiter, and as we take (mother admiring look at the pearly blocks as they sparkle in the lamplight, we pronounce it more beautiful than the plates of comb honey by its side. It melts in one's mouth like delicious confectionery; and even old bee-keepers do not recognize it as honey. Mrs. R., who never can bear "basswood" honey is eathusiastic over it; in fact we en- trusted to her and Blue-Eyes the task of mak- ing the experiment of melting some of it and when it softened so that it would pull like snowy cream candy, they ate it every bit and we never saw it at all, giving us an excuse that any one would have done the same if they had just got one taste of it. Now we haven't told all 5'et, for this same beautiful honey can be done up in paper pack- ages, or put up in paper boxes and it actually isn't "sticky" a particle. Just think of it ! ye sons of toil — and stickiness — all that is to be done in the future is to run your honey into barrels, put it out of doors and get it candied the fust cool night, roll it over and let the liq- uid portion with its rank odor and coloring matter all drain out, a la loaf sugar ; then lay it on shelves to dry and put it in boxes lined with pink tissue paper and get your own prices. We have only succeeded partially in doing liie same thing with clover honey, that is, it has not yet (;ome out so white and drj^, but we think it can be done, and right here comes in something I'unu}'. This honey when melted is so thick that it will no^ even run, and is more effectually ripened in every sense of the word, than the bees ever do it in the hive. If yo'.ir honey is thick enough to cand.y, you need have no foars about it. Does it not lose in weight Ijy such concentration? It must, we think, certainly, and we have advanced the dry wliite honey to 25 cents, while we sell the other at 18. If you do not succeed in making it we 'vill send you ^^ lb. in a wooden box, by mail, for loc, or % lb. for 35c. As it is light and porous, you will have enough to trj^ ihc cream candy, by warming slightly in au oven. There is something about it that we do not quite understand yet, for we have tried drain- ing it in a dish with a bottom of perforated tin, and wc have at present a lot of it hung up in a wire-cloth basket, but it does not come out as white as l>y simply standing a barrel on end that had been on its side while the honey was candying. It is doubtless a slow process of crystalization, and it is this that causes tho honey to run over and ooze out of the buui;- holes. Dear, kind, old Dame Nature, and you did know best after all; hereafter we shall take as much pleasure in seeing the honey caudy and expantl, as we do in seeing the fruit blos- soms unfold; and by the way do you know how we extolled the clover honey belonging to our neighbor Payne ? Well, this clover honey had stood in stone crocks a whole year and had ripened to a standard of excellence and purity that we I'eally believe is be\'ond the ix>vver of the bees, the coloring matter and rank fllivvor having probably drained to the bottom of the crocks. If you have any poor honey put it out in the cold and let it candy, then turn it out on a sheet of wire-cloth where it will 'oe out of the dust, and drain off all the liquid portion ; now it may astonish you to hear that it may be dried in an oven, to expel all the water, but such is the case, if you do not make the heafe so great as to melt it. And in this shape it may be kept for j'ears, and even done up in a paper like sugar. Paper boxes to hold 1 lb. will not cost over 2c., and wooden boxes suit- able for mailing sami)les, but little more than twice as much ; of course we can use our usual labels nicely. HIVES. W'E have strong liopes that during this cen- tennial year, not only our own country, but The whole world, of bee-keepers, may pretty nearly agree on what is really needed for a bee-hive. And to see how much progress wc have really made in that direction is a part of the purpose of this present article. Our neighbor Dean said a few days ago that if he were going to raise comb honey, he would unhesitatingly adopt the shallow Langstroth frame, although he has been one of the sti'ong- est advocates of the Gallup frame. Just what effect the artificial bleached wax comb is going to have on the shape of hives, we are unable to tell, but there can be little doubt but that it will turn many others, like friend D. toward the L. frame and two-story hive. This la.-t season has been a little peculiar. More than one of our readers have extracted their honey in the summer and fed it back in the fall to prevent starvation. This is certainly not good policy ; for we lose tlio labor and wax in tin- caps when wc uncaj) ihe honey, and then ai'e obliged to feed enough more in the fall for them to build new caj)S. To \'iti.'K\' sugar mif/Zd pay, but to feed tlr,; Jioiicy Ijack. never. The 1 principal objection to the t\v'i-~.tury hive for 1S7G GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 27 the extractor, has been the trouble of gettiui^ at the frames in the lower story. But suppose we don't extract the lower story at all y The bees may swarm "like the very mischief it is true, but no worse than they do when comb houey is raised. We last season, made some experiments in the matter and quite agree with friend Doolittle who writes as follows. When the bees are nicely at work in the upper story, very little honey will be found below among the brood. EXTRACTING HONEY FROM THE BROOD COMBS. FRIEND NOVICE :— 5I:iny seem to suppose that soine- thiutc rau.st be done in time of box honey, to dear the brood combs of honey to fpvc the queoiiroom to lay ; and I see by your remarks on pase 4. second cohimn and lifth line from the top, tiiat you are liilile to fall into the same error. Now we have been a careful observer and find that when bees are at work best in boxes there will be scarce- ly an ounce of honey in the body of the hive, if the hive is no larger than size given on \):vxo <'.s, \'ol. .3. If any one expects to get a large yield of box honey atid use the ex- tractor on the brood combs at tlie same time, they cer- tainly will not realize their expectations. After the bees get thoroughly at work in boxes, let the brood combs alone and you need have no fear of | the queen's being crowded. If honey accumulates in the combs before tliey get fairly into the boxes liave no fears for as soon as they get to work in the boxes the.y will carr.v it all up into the box and make abundant room for tlie queen. For in- stance, take 9 Gallup frames well filled with capped hon- ey, and have a good strong swarm of bees in them, put- ting on the boxes at once, and in from 14 to IS days (if honey is to be had in the fields,) every bit of it will be pat in the boxes. Once more: If you let a first swarm issue from a hive and keep them from swarming again, by the time the .young queen gets fertilized, ever.y available cell in the brood chamber will be tilled with honey, and still no st;irt be made in the boxes ; but just as soon as she commences to lay, the bees will commence in every box (if the box room is of about 50 lbs capacity,) at once, and 1 have known every box to be completeil in just S days from time of comraoncin;;:, under such circumstancL's. Examine that hive in 20 days and .you will And scarcely a cell of honey in the brood comb, and as nice a lot of brood as you ever witnessed, B.v the way, when you see the bees commence in earnest in boxes where they have (as they should have) a queen just fertilized, you may know the queen is there and has commenced to lay, just as well as if you saw the eggs in the combs. Now, we will suppose that just as this queen was fertilized you had extracted all that honey from brood combs, you would not have got a single box of honey unless from buckwheat. Again I repeat it, if you want a large yield of box honey keep prolilic queens, and let the brood comb alone. Tell Mr. Pa,pi3 that toads do eat bees, and that by the thousand, if the stands are so they can get on them and hide under tliem, G. M. Doolittle. Borodino, Onondaga Co., N. Y., Jan. It, 'TO. We shall have to come 'round to IVIrs. Tap- per's position somewhat, in regard to leaving the brood combs it is true, but not for the rea- son that the brood is injured by being put into the extractor by any means, for hundreds of those who keep bees largely have testified that the brood is never harmed unless thrown out of the cells, and even then the bees sometimes put it back without injiiry. We need hardly say that if we only remove the frames from the upper story for extract- ing, a two-story hive is much handier than even the Standard or any of the long hives; for there need be no stooping, either in extracting or using section boxes Well, suppo.sc we should go back to a two-story hive; can we afford to liave the unper and lower story un- like? After racking our brains on this ])rob]em of hi-v-cs, until we feared it woukl make us sick — or crazy— after liuuling over heaps of letters aud b.ick volumes of lice jouru;il-j and being conslaiUly appealed lo meanwhile witli letters and postals, after having wasted heaps of lum- ber in experiments — to say nothing of tin and galvanized iron — besides telMng hands tha;, have to be paid in hard money every Saturday night, that they may use the stntl" they have cut up for kindling-wood, perhaps several times over; after having done all this, and more in thc^ elfort to answer wisely the oft re- peated question "What hive would i/ou recom- mend':'" we for the first time in many days, feel that we can tell the hands what to make, and can pretty nearly tell all who enquire, what we would advise to buy. If you are just commencing, or if you have but few hives, and those of various sizes, use Langstroth frame, and we are going to try hard never to be led away from this decision Aiiiim, unleas veri/ gtrat inducements come up. If you think you must have a deeper frame us«j the Standard, but we prefer the L., just be- cause it is shallow. Have every hive so made that it can be used either one or two-story, and have both upper aud lower story alike by
i only one among a gi eat number of similar ones in our possession : My bees are this winter taking the weather as it comes on ilieir summer stands. I ha\e for three winters i)a-it, packed tliem with straw, chaff, paper, etc, as protection agai^l^;.|^ frost, with but mod<'rate success. Nei^h'oor A. entered last winter wiih one bc^x hive split from to;) to liottom — cleft seijarate I aboid: \ inch and comb ■visible through the apei-tiu-e— another box hive in the same fence corner was so badly decayed at its base th.at it le:'.n- od tovi-ards "Riley's barn," and was propi^ed with a fciic.' rail to keep it frinii tuinl)liiig down. Both these stands were abnud.inthi supplied with bees. Last spring I found two of m.^• hives negative quantities and balance more or less reduced. On a line day 1 went over to see neiglibor A.'s tumble-down hives, expecting to see them minus bees, but tom.v sau'prise tliey wore stronger in nmnbors thin any of nuiie, thou'-'h I thoutiht the.v had no advaida^i! that way in the fall. The only loss Mr. A. sustnined was in a "Murned patent hive that he never h:ul any fdtli in." The only [protection his bees have is .a wind-break in the shipc (f a r.i:l fen!'(! on the north, and a pig st.y on the e:isl. <;friursel don't favor hiie.s as above dc^crib 'd, 28 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Feb l)iit it scjins to iirove tint iti (),it-doi>r wiiiteiiii r, beus do not (loin uid i)rotec'tioii Ironi tlu' cdli/ so much ns they de- mand thorough vcitilatiun. 1 am trying the vontilatins plan tliis winier .). X. AVHiTii:, Wolf Ci-e.-k, Pa,, D.X'. It. '75. The straw mtits used by friend Mixth and his neighbors, tmd the invariable success they have given when the hive was properly venti- lated ^ibyve, only corroborate tlie same thing, as does t!ie universal testimony from hives made all of straw. On oar price list are six different frames; can you imagine the diffictilty of trying to keep on hand ready to ship, the materials for all these ditfjrent frames ami hives to match, covers to match, quilts to match, etc.? and now comes the task of providing honey boxes and crates to ship them, for all these ifiv different hives. Do you v/onder we have occasionally made blunders when orders came in the height of the honey season V We advised the Stand- ard hive and extractor just to 'ry and get things into some regular channel, but we have had to till orders for ail the different kinds of fraiues and hives each season about the same, •^nd boxes jant rigid for all these began to frighten us. Listen a minute, and see if we cati not show you that light is breaking before us. Get a pine boartl any width, and ;} feet long, dressed to '^3 exactly ; now fix a smooth, level board in front of your buzz saw at an exact angle of 45«, or so that when you rip oil" ^4 inch strips from your 3-foot board, they will have a sharp mitre bevel on each, as shown in the diagram, which is supposed to be a cross section of one of these strips. Noiv we will cut them up as we do frame stuff, on a mitre, and of such lengths — a side and an end from each strip — that we have a frame 10/4 b,y 15}^, inside measure, after the frame is put togetlier with metal corners of galvanized iron. To use the corners on stuff of this shape, we saw into the ends of these pieces as shown in the dotted lines, and to do it quickly we have two very small fine saws arranged on the arbor just Tg of au inch apart. These square hoops as they might be termad, ai'e VQr^ strong aud light, and the bevels are such that they fit on each other very securely. Pile 8 of them one on the other aud j'ou have a hive that will hold 11 L. frames; put on two more and it is just right for 13 Standard frames the otlier way, or 10 Quinby frames, either closed end or suspended. Both the L. aud S. frames recpiire a ;'3 piece of board to support the rabbets, and to close the space at the ends of the frames down to 3 8 of an inch ; by put- ting a small screw in these boards at each coiner. i)ut not so long as to go through the hoops, the whole is held in one solid piece. We secure by this means a very strong light hive that is just right for four of the principal frames in use, and thus are enabled to use the same quilt, bottom and cover, and more than all, can arrange a nice case of boxes to be put over the frames cither one, two, or more tiers high. With tiie folded tin supports mentioned last month fastened to a single hoop, we can remove the set of boxes very easily, and to see when they are lilled or ready to raise up, we have only to elevate one of these hoops a lit- tle ; if the3' are ready to raise, lift them up case and all and put another case of boxes just under tliem. Four hoops answer for a set of boxes, and each set can be sent to market just as they came from the hive; the ordinary cov- er answering for top aud bottom. Each hive, no matter wiiat the frame, is furnished with a division board, and this with the end boards makes a thickness of 5^ on all sides except the south, where the sun strikes and where we will have the entrance. This is only I4, and in the spring we will keep the brood close up to it. It may be best to keep the bees well up j to the north side in winter— when wintered : out — with the division board raised that they I may go under it. j Now there only remains the American and ! Gallup frames, and if these could be used in I this hive also, we might all use one style of I honej' box aud case for them and still retain the frame we prefer. By using a division board aud taking off a ht)op or two we can do it, and the space left back of this division board can be filled with boxes for side storing on the principal of the Quinby, Alley aud Ha- zen hives. And thus for the first time we have a uuiversal hive that holds all the six princi- pal frames. We forgot to say that in this hive the closed end Q. frames can be used side bj' side in the same hive with the suspended ones; thus, we can use the former for brood combs shipping etc., aud the latter for the extractor, and we haven't told it all yet either ; the hoops of this hive shed water like the shiugles on a house, so there is no need of painting it. The covers are made 3-8 with a frame of gal- vanized iron around them to prevent warping, etc. Judging from past experience that it will save a considerable expense in postals to both you and us, we give prices here. Two- story Langstroth, witii upper one arranged for frames or boxes as you choose, all complete, $3.50. One and one-half story — 11 frame hive and one case of 24 section boxes — $2.75. Hive for 11 frames, no boxes, §1.75. One Ctise of 24 boxes, -$1.00. All the boxes will have guides of comb foundation, and a case of boxes can be fitted to any hive with but little trouble; also, they of course fit so that any number can be piled up, one over the other. As we shall have to make the hive 2 hoops deeper for American, Standard and Quinby hives, the price will be 25c. per story more than for L. hive. 1*. S.— -V bod}' and cover for a one-story L. hive will 1)0 81.00; lor any of the others, $1.10. The same iiichid- hig frames and'qnilt, .si. 75 and S-'.OO. it will lie re- membered that ihe Standard, American and Gallup liave Vii frames each, as well as being w hoops higher iu this Univkusal Hive. Ba.EACII!IiV« WAX. 'E purchased tins receipt of Mr. Hibbard, and afterward found the same in two different places iu the back volumes of the A. B. J., but for the life of us v>'e can not get it to produce any v.'ax nearly as nice as that used by Mr. Long. If our readers do Ijetter, will they please report. Melt the wax, and for every pound, add 2 oz. of i)ul- verized nitrate of soda, and 1 oz. of oil of vitriol, di- luted previously -fciih 8 oz. of Wi.ter, while the latter is 1876. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 20 jiradiially poured in, heat is applied to the already tncUeil wax, and the whole mixture swells up, neces- ^ifalinJ^the employment of a cai)acio«s vessel. On <'Ooling, the wax fjiithors o«i Ihe .'urlace, asid bcitig: re- peatedly treated with li(\t water to wash away iiiipmi- iiL'8 and chemirals.ii^lisiallv allowed to soliditv in acake Aiiliurn, N. ¥. Jan. "JO, '■7<;. ('. L>. Hi'fws.vr.o. THE DODECAHEDRON. WE beg- leave to show you somctliing,- iu- terestiug iu rcgurd to this curious "co- tnetrica.1 solid, that we had not discovered wheu we spoke about it last month. Wo told you the length of tiie lozenge in proportion to its breadth, was as the diagonal of a square to the side of the same square. E B F Now we will suppose that some of our read- ers who have those nice little buzz saws make a cube, A, B, C, D, for instance, and tiiat they tlieii make six pyramids, each having a base equal to one side of the cube, and of sucli alti- tude tliat the size when their points are put together, will just make another cube precisely like A, B, C, I). Now if you place these pyra- mids on the cube with their bases on its sides, you have a perfect dodecahedron, and it re- quires no knowleda^ of geometry to see that the distance between their apexes, as F, G, is Uist equal to tlie diagonal of one side of the eube, B, D; and also, that the width of the lozenges is just equal to one side X. It may be of service to you as you ajjpear to be disposed to recommend only what is of real merit. C. Weeks. Clifton. Tenn.. Jan. 11, ISTfi. After receiving the above we sent directly to the party named and made an arrangement INCE our last No. was issued we have had a perfect stream of inquiries like the fol- lowing, indicating the deep interest felt in the artificial combs. I wish to puit?hase some nrtiflcial comb foundations, some of the thin and white for suri)!us boxes. Do you keep it for sale V If so, what is the price per lb. V Wh.it sized packages is it put up in ? How much siuface is there in a pound V How large a jjiece do you jtut in a box, say •2 lb. l)ox V or how many caps will a pound supply P Please rejtly liy return mail ; if you can not supply roe please in- form me who Ciui. Henet K. Lathuop. Royal Oak, Mich., Jan. 26th, '76. Will yoii please to inform rac whether you can get up the artiticial corab foundations, such as Long sends out ? and for what price ? What would the dies to make foim- dations about OxS inches cost ? If you should get up a set for me, how soon could jou do so ? How long does it take to vidrk up say. l(t lbs. ? I hav(\ about 75 Ibsl of nice wax on IkiikI and might prefer to have you work it up for me. At what ijrice can you do it for me? Freight would Itc but \(M-y little. Adam Geimm. Jefferson. Wis., Jan. 21tli. 187i!. We have at present none for sale except some that we purchased of Mr. Long, and can ofier only at the prices he mentions in his adver- tisement. We can put it up in any sized pack- age, but the sheets do not exceed GxlO in size. As it is liable to be injured by the mails unless put between boards or in boxes, it is necessary to charge extra to cover postage on small amounts. The thinnest Mr. Long has sent us measures 5^ 3 square-feet to the lb., and the thickest about ;] square feet to the lb. We at present, put a piece 1x6 inches in the boxes we sell at 2 cents each. In answer to the many calls for small dies, we would say that making the comb with plates, is a slow and laborious operation, and after finding we could make good ones in that way, we set tlie l)est meelumic we could find, at work to make us a machine for doing the work with metal rollers. lie is now at work and will without doubt succeed, although there are many difliculties in the way. These rolls are to make it one foot in width, and as long as any may wish. Until this machine is finished we shall procure what we sell of Mr. Long, and we feel sure it will not pay any one to work witli small plates to make a large quantity. Please be patient awhile kind friends, and we will try and furnish all you want at reasonable prices long before they are needed this season. We have wasted some money in exjieriments on it already, but rest assured we shall by no means give it up. 30 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE, Feu 'M^.tMlni.^^^ m>'m^ iM'"W'iii^l DPci'taiiiiiig: to Hoc Ciiltxivo CAMFOKIVIA. Wr'T has been a long time since wo f^cnt onr /lli dollar autl we haven't got the vvonderfnl book yet that was to tell as how to get 300 lbs. of box honey, but Ave did get a letter from the lady saying the twok was not yet printed ; and by the way is nut that rather a queer fashion of advertising a book that tells how to do such great things so many months before it is print- ed. As our candy men gave us "nary a word" in reply to repeated postals, we finally wrote the P. M. at West View, O., that we should have to call T. O. Osborne & Co., humbugs in our paper if they did not respond ia some shape, and this brought our 3oc. back with an abusive letter saying Ike?/ too were waiting for the printers to get them out a new edition, but that they wouldn't send us one at any price 7WW. It is a very small matter indeed that we have got our 35 cents back ; what we wanted was to know whether they sent the "books" to anybody. We sent the mone}- again and shall send some more from a different point, and when we do get the candy book we will tell you all about it. Oar friend Annie Saunders sends us a note that seems to indicate Mrs. Lizzie Cotton's cir- culars have gone down among our south- ern friends. See : Mr. Charles McDcrmot, Baxter, Chicot Co., Arkansas, has a lar^e niimber of bees and keeps them in tho real olii fi)?y style, but i« hepinvinri to want to do better, and is about to send ^-iO.OO to ;i lady in Maine for a secret, /. c, how to ijei .''jOO lbs. jier hive. He is a good old gentleman. I think, and it is tinfortunate that he knows nothin!? about scientilic boe-koepinir. He used to live here and t know liim very well by reputation. His daughter told me to- (in V about the secret. ^ The questions I asked you about A. Gray, & Co., were not intended for publication, but it did them jrood. I re- ceived a letter from one of the parties stating lis had ship- ped it and olTering to help me look it up. 1 then sent to the express office and found it. I doubted their good in- tentions beciuse they were so highly I'ecomniended by N. G. Mitchell. D. L. BULEE, South Fairfield, Mich. rWe are very glad indeed to hear that A. Ciray & Co., have made good their delinquencies. When a tlr.n advertise 600 extractors, '2000 (jneens, cte., one would naturally suppose they might auswer a registercd.\e.i- ter containing monev— see page liS, vol. II— in less than 8 months. And by the way, this plan of adver- tising honey extractors, Imported queens and supplies in general, that the advertiser hasn't got and never had, is rather a bad way. and one that will be very likely to bring trouble. We arc getting pretty well ac- quaiiited with most of the advertisers ot bee-keeper's supplies and hope we may be understood as having a friendly interest in the afi'airs of all concerned. As a general thing, responsiule parties are at all times will- ing to have their business thoroughly ventilated when circumstances seem to demand it. An honest man has nothing to fear. Complaints are at hand from G. O. Penine, and his own letters are in our hands, giving a very l>ad im- pression indeed of his manner of doing business. The letter from him in the A. B. ./..—page '34.5, vol. XT- would, in our opinion, of itself condemn him, for a good business man does not quarrel with, or speak harshly of his customers. Mr. Muth, although he is quite largely in the honey trade, speaks in the kindest terms of all wlio have seiit him honey, and they, when writing us, speak almost i)roudly of the prompt way in which he pays them up. The people have been abused, our own customers have been abused, and we wonder many times that they overlook blunders and delays as pleasantly and patiently as thev do. Our verdict would be that it is not a hard matter at all. to please the average mass of hnmanity. Header, what do you think of the idea ? Be carefiil what reply you make, for it may tell the tale, as to whether you arc above or below tlie caverage.] p|iJP« liberties, and I guess it should Ije their privileire ; ^~^ but I reajlly did not intcsifl yon ."hoiild iiublish my last letter' to you whicli appeirea in the N'ov. No. of GiEANisos. or there would surely not have lieeii so many "big I's." You may put this one in ho\rever, and count on me in the future to give yoxi — and the many read- ers oi Gleanings— a good share of inform itioii in regard" to bee business in Southern California. I have often wishetl that you — and raanv othera like you — could l>e liere, where you could carry out any pian with bees that might enter your fertile brains. Here where no feeding for winter — winter quarters — hot-Ijeds — ^glass hou- ses, etc., etc., are ever neeroducing. We have ;» great many "bee men" here, but few of them know much of the business, and consequently they do not develop tho industry at all. Some few however, are tr\ie to the work and are doing wonders. Tiiere was a great deal of bragging in that letter of m'v.w you published in Nov., but I am very sanguine that I wilS do every thing therein claimed. The country and seasons here warrant m" in it. Here, the bees commence to work on new bloom iii .Jan., and arc in swarming condition \'.\ March. In April tjie black or button svre blooms and lasts until the white s'lge comes out which is the last of May. This lasts until the first of .Inly, and is the greatcsi of all honey producing jjlants. The sumac blooms before white sage i.s gon^. and 1 is-t.s ui7ti! the last of Aug. gener- ally. So from swarming season vmtil sumac is gone, wi; have fully three months of line work for bees. Now, how much honey cfluld you take wiih the extr.actor, if whilf clover was abundant for three months — to say nothuig of your bf^es being t>?r;/ strong at commencement. Well, in the valleys there are many willows on river beds, whic'i produce a great deal of honey and pollen the year round. Besides there is land which could be kept in buekwho 1 1 by irrigitioii, and thereby have an abundance of bloom until the liret of Jan., about tho, time we have the first frost ; and even then I don't thmk frost will hurt buck • wheat much. Bees can be moved very easily you know. ;t distance of '20or '25 miles. Now, dear Gleanings. I won't tell you how I expect to make more honey from iOO colo- nies next year, than any other m>in in the U. S., but wilt leave you to guess. I will toll you however how to move bees without any risk. We use tho simplest form of Langstroth hive au^ longer, \vith clamps \\ inch wide on under side. No«' Novice, this is jiisl as good as your Simplicity — and a great deal more simi)ie. So you see this is simplicity — simpli- fied. As to size of frame— in cold countries a deep frame is needed, while here and in all warm climates, we only need .about 8 inches in depth. I prefer a frame Sxl,5 inch- es— hive two stories — 10 frames in bottom hive and 1) in tO)). But I started to tell how to move bees. Well, make frames of board 1 inch thick by S inches broad, just the size of your hives. Hah i> th" boards togetlier at comers of frame, nail with wmu-'lit nails and cover frames with wire gauze. Fasten one of tliese frames on top and one on bottom of each hi^e to be moved. One screw in each end of frame is sufficient. The frames should be emptied of honey before moving and well secured, either with nails in each end of every frame — or by a strip of tin or wood with pieces of wood fastened to it the proper distanct; apart and right thickness to slip between the frames at each side. Those ventilators will afford plenty of circulation to pre- vent bees melting their combs, even in mid-ilay when the weathei' is (|uito warm. I have a two-horse wagon, ar- ranged with half springs which will hold a ton, and a bed whi<^ii holds 40 swarms, making it but a small job to mo\'e an apiary from one place to another. I liave a new, and I think rern valuable method of in- creasing stocks, which I will give in nest. L'ntil tlien I am Amateuh. Tliauks friend A., we are glad to hear you prefer the L. frame. Your hive is a Simplicity hive according to our ideas. i>3:voTx::i> TO beejs ysLiNi> itoivi^y, AJSjy TioiMja i]vtj:ri:;sth. A.I. ROOT, ) Published Montltly. (TERRIS: $1.00 Per AniiHiii in Ad- Piiblishcr and Proprietor, > -^ vancc; 3 Copies /"or $2. 50? 5/y)' S>3. 75? Medina, O. ) Esta.l>lislied. In lSy3. (,10 ar more, 60c. each. Hinyle JS'umbcr 10c. Supplement to February No. 1876; and Ninth Edition Circular and Price List. OUK PRICE IvISr FOR 1S7G. IffT is ih'j Till (lay of January, and wc are so full of all !S[I kinds of business tliat we really liavc no time for any preface.. Bee-keepers who are ready and willing to work for their honey, wc believe are all busy, and arc all so far as we know, roalizini; as f.iir a reward for the time and capital invested, as in other kinds of business. A few of the most keen and enterj)rising, are, as in all kinds of business, far outstripping the rest, and it rests with yon alone, my friend, to determine what place in the ranks you will occujjy. Just one piece of advice ; however at- tra<;tive the wares may seem that v.'e are about to describe, wo would say, don't get in debt for them ; if j-oii haven't (he mo7iey to purchase, don't buy until you got it. Be humble and satisfled with little, and let your apiary grow (if itself, and be self sustaining. I say this because I really do not wish you to b3 disappointed. If you study the subject and become thoroughly familiar with the bses by actual work among them, both capital and boos will come as fast as you are able to handle either. I want to see you all prosjicr, and to do so, you must be cheerful, courageous and indeijendent ; above all, don't get crazy and extrava- gant if you should happen to get S25 or §50, as the proceeds of one colony in a season ; i)rosperity is sometimes harder to b?ar than adversity. Iiiipleiiit'iits foi' llie Apiai'y. The very lirst thing to bo I'.nisidored in talking about implements, is the frame to \y used; and 1 really do not know that 1 can advis ■ you all v.liat one to use, there are so many cinauustniK'i's to he (Musidci-ed. If you have a dozen or more hives in use, Ilia; contiiin frames all alike, perhaps you hsul better koei> on witli lliem : if yon are a new beginner, or have several kinds of hives all alike and wish to come down to one kind. I would advise th^^ Stand- ard frame, if you are goiu>j to \is;- the extractor exclusively. If you want both conili tuul li((uiil honey, the twu-h- s/ipporlin;/ anti.-t, or an, equal prohoKjatlou Iff tap bar. l^!^ Qi;i.m;v. Closed esd Qdiney. The following table is for the convenience of those or- dering machines, and is intended to enable any on:; to dcciih^ lor himself exactly what he can use to the best advantnge. l?i'ioe Ijist of "Kxtraclov.-ii. I The figures in parentheses, just before the prices, give the exact inside width of the revolving frame of the extractor, in inches,'] GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. No. 1. l"or the f!;illuii fr:niio, or nii.v fnniie ]l,'i' inches wide and not more tliaii 12.'- dci'i) (12) 5S..M No. 2. For Ihe Aiiiericr.n fnniio. or any one 12 incli- c.s wide and not more than 12'i deep (li}i} S.T'j No. 3. For anv frame 12,'-' inche.s wide and not more than 12,'j deep (13) lUK) No. 4. Standard Extractor, for any frames 13 ?4 wide and not more than 12>2 deep (UU) 9.00 The above are all in shallow cans, 17, '2 inches high, and nre very convenient for placing at such a height as to al- low of miming the honey directly into the liarrel or any other recejjiacle, and still not >)e too high for any one to work con\eniently. The following nnmliers can also be used in the same way, uidess the operator is short in stat- lu'o ; in that case, a shallow box may be inverted to stand on, but is s()n}ewhat incon\eiiient. No. rj. This is made expressly for the Langstrotli f ntmc, which is to be used standing on end ; it will take anv frame whose toj) bar does not exceed 20 inches, and depth OJi inches (10) f 9.00 No. ('.. The same except that it will take a frame of 10;;.' inches in depth (11) 9.50 No. 7. This is made expressly for the Quinliy xiis- pciided frame, and will take also the other kind when the end bars have a depth not greater than 11 ,'s inches (12) 10.00 No. 8. This is for all Qninby frames, and all Amer- ican frames having a depth greater than 12 /^ inches, and can be used for all the frames in our diagram, but is much more inconvenient than the smaller ones where they can be used (1230 10.00 No. 9. This niacliine is like No. 8, except that it takes a frame K inch wider, and is suitable for American frames that are 12^2 wide and more than 12,!2 inches deep (13) 10.00 No. 10. This is, the largest machine that we keep in stock, and will take a frame as wide as the Stand- ard, and as long as the Quinby (14>4 ) 10.00 As many of our reiders have our honey knives already, we do not" include a knife at these prices. All of the last six— tall cans— have a supjrort at the bot- tom for the frames to rest ui)on, and also to hold broken pieces of comb, should it be desired. The four lirst liave nothing of this kind, for it is not needed, and would in re- ality only make them heavier, and be in the way ; we ad- vi.se purchasers always to take the smaller machines when tliey will take their frames. For instance, we would much prefer the No. 4, to the No. 10, even if ofl'ered at the same price, proN ided we had notlang but the Standard frame in our apiary. Although our machines are now made much lighter and .stronger, the gearing \ery much imiJi'oved in looks as well J1.S in strength, an improvement added vvhereb.v once oil- ing will last for years, a cover and strainer added, and the prices reduced, yet we si ill make the proposal that we will, to any one, who has i)urcliased one machine, give 10 per cent oil' on all ho may sell after that ; and this is all M-e cati do in the way of fiu'nishing them at whole- ■salc. This otl'er refers only lo extractors and honey knives. INSTKCCTIOXS FOR USIXG AN EXTEACTOK. Many of our new friends have asked for directions for using these machines, but really they are so simple, that it .seems that little advice need be required. They nre all ready for use when received, and most that is re- cpiireil is to screw them fast to some box or bencli just high enough to allow the gate to run the honey into the bung-hole of a barrel. Do not undertake to work unless the bees arc gathering honey, or you will be very likely to have trouble. The best time is when they are busy in the lields, and if the yield is good, you will liardly neeil any ,smoke. Carefidly remove a frame from the hive, and tlieii with a .scries of .sudden ji'rks .shako the bees in front of the hive or on top of the frames, as you may lind most conve- nient. When you lia\ c shaken oil' as many as you can, lake a bunch of asjjnrauus lops, and gently brush off every bee in front of the hive. Now with the honey knife care- fully cut the cappiugs from all capped cells ; to do this (juickly yell will sli(le the knife under the caps in such a way as to have them come oil in one entire sheet. In re- g'W'd to stniiuini;- the honey we know of no way that an- swers so wi^ll, all tilings considered, as to hang the little bag sent wiih the machiin". in the bung of the barrel ; this keeps it all close and tight from flies and dust, and when you stop work for a little while, it is all safe, with- out the necessity of cohering anything up. Two such bags are really needed, so Uiat one can be kept clean and ready to take the place of the other when it becomes filled with impurities. As the sediment always settles to the bottom of the bag, the sides work well as a slrainer for a loni;: lime. Cloth strains honey more perfectly than the finest wire doth can. When the comb is uncapped it is to be placed in the extractor; although you can extract one com!) at a time if you choose, it is much better to lune two, as they IIkmi lialance each other, and the fritv- tion is less on tlie bi'arings, thi.ugh our machines will stand the strain ('f the the heaviest combs, one at a time, if need be. Turn just fast enough, and no faster, to throw out the honey, and there will be no danger of throwing out the lirood ; you will soon learn this by practice. Combs so full of brood that there is but little room for honey had Ijetter 1)C left in the hive ; there is little to be gained Yiy woi'king very close, and should the honey sea- son suddenly close, there is danger of the bees starving, as we have know them to do, even in July. If your hives are kept close to the ground, and no weeds allowed to grow around the entrances, there is very little danger of losing queens while extracting : yet it is a very good plan to kee]) them carefully in mind, and if you should not see them, we think it a little safer to shake the combs that contain much brood, so that the bees fall di- rectjy into the hive. ' Losing queens while extracting, is rather exiieiisive business. After the hone.\ is taken from one side of the comb, it is of course to be turned and the honey taken from the other side. Where the combs are very lieavy and the honey very thick, it may be best to throw it out only jjartially the" lirst time, and then reverse, to avoid crushing the comb into the wire cloth by the great centrifugal force resulting from such a weight at a rajjid speed. THE BlIiTAI. CORNEKS. HOW TO M.A.KE THE FEA5IE3. M S metal cornered frames are now coming quite ex- /SiV tensively into use, it may not be amiss to consider g-ja-^i how best they are to be made. Our frames were tirst made of strips of straight grained i)ine, only -J- of an inch in thickness, and it is surjirising to see how well such combs have stood. On one occasion a number of these heavily tilled with honey fell from the top of a barrel, yet not a corner was injm-ed, and not a comb liroken ; these were Gallup frames, however, only lljxlli. For tlw Langstroth frames we now make the top bar about 10-32. and all the rest of the frame 7-S2, the ends of the top l)ars are also tapered down to 7-32 where the top corners go on. as this is about the thickness of stulf that the corners are intended for. Standard, American, and Gallup frames arc all made of 7-32 stutt' throughout. The Quinby size may have a f top bar, but the bottom bars might all be not more than s, were it not that the frames may be sometimes used for transferring, and that the weight of the combs would sag the bottom bar, whicli is a very bad feature, if we wish to work closely and avoid killing bees. The toi> bars would not require so much wood were it not that honey boxes nre sometimes placed on them, and it is advi- sal)le" to be f n the safe side. When we depend entirely on the use of the extractor, we would i)refer a space of half an inch between the ends of the frames ; but for liox honey, small bits of comb will be built in this space, more than will be the case if | only is allowed. It requires a very careful operator to work fast, and avoid pinching bees, when only J or f inch is allowed. The two following cuts may assist some in jjutting on the metal corners : Q.. Fig. 1. Fia:. : u t Figure 1, represents the points ready to be closed down and clinched into the wood, which is' represented by the dotted lines A, A. Fig. 2, shows a ])oini badly clinched at B, and one jierfectly driven down at C. The line ]). shows the direction in which the finishing blow of the hammer is to be given ; in fact this blow should sink the metal .slightly into the corner of the wood, drawing it up tight at the side C, and on no account letting it bulge out at K. nor allowing the point to curl up. A light, ijrojicrly mado hammer and a little practice will enable any one to makt- every point like C. Should you get one doiie badly, yon can with a pair of jilyers straighten it out and »in/:c it go right. The objection has frequently been made that this takes more time than to nail them ; even if this were .so. wi! are eiiableil lo emiiloy girls or other cheap help (we beg iiurdoii Indies, liut mc ni-\eryi'l saw a community thai, did nol furnish nioiv or le.-^s females, wlio would be g'lad to get some .such light work), who could not iiossil)ly nail good frames; then after they are dene, theii- siiijerioi- strength and lightness compared with nailed fnniies, fully makes up the difference in price. We will send you a samjjle frame by mail, just as ve would have it for 15c. (12c. Standard size) including samijlo of r.abbct and trans- ferring clasp and yon can test it by the side of your own fi'ame in your hives. If the nailed ones do not seem awk- GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. ward after using; it. yon, of course, need not invoftl any father. See our price list foi- further particulars. The metal comers were patwited .June ISlh, lS7i. This was done oii?y to ijrotccl («ir inisiiiess ol' in:iiiuf:ictm-JU!; them. No rights have e\or been oilVred for sale, and pi-ob- ably never wi?l he. Evcrylxxly is most weiconio to make fuid use (for their hid if id "a! benelit) everything- we offer for sale, *« Car as we arc concerned. BITS OF f.K>SSIP, Our queen cages are .spwialJy adaptechines in extracting from new CI ml lis jiartly built; even if they are attached only to the top bar ; and we think a new swarm does all the better for having itscomlw emptied every other day, when the honey is <'oming in fast. So far as we can see, St does not interfere with comb building at all, and very nuich facilitates brood rearing. If there are any an»3ng our ad^ertisei-s who arc not jjromjjt ajid trustworthy, let us know alwutit by ail moans, liut rest assured that no n-ames shall appear in print on such charges, until they have had every opiX)rtunity of showing their innocence. While we e.xpect to make n''s Binder for Gleanings. ] ivill hold, 1 Volumes .50l C 6— " " better quality 60 7 7 — Pocket 3[agn ifying Glass 60 7 S — First or sccuml Fo/eowe o/ Gleanings.. 75 8 9 — Best quality Emerson^s Binder for Gleanings 7.5 8 10 — Double Lens 3Iagnifier. on :i brass feet 1,00 9 11 — Photo 3fedley, Bee-Keepers qf America\,00 9 12 — First and second T'o/. r/ Gleanings.. 1,50' 10 IS — A real CompoiDid Mirroscope. beaufi- j fully finished, and packed -ivith Imple- ' ments in a 3Iahoijauy Box ....3,50i 20 Implement.s for tho A,i>ia-i*y. In presenting this list, we would remark that we have carefully thrown out or remodeled every thing foiuid in any way defective, and we offer nothing that we not aijprove of and use in oiu- own ajiiary. We can ship jn-oraptly. by Freight, Express or Mail, (none mailable except those designated) goods men- tioned in the following list. Hives, K.xtractors, etc., can be sent much cheajicr by freight, but in this case they should be ordered three or four weeks before needed, if" the distance is considerable. During the montiis of April, May and June, orders may some- times be delayed several days, but our customers may rely upon receiving notice at once on receipt of ail remittances. At the piices given below, cash must accompany c'cry order ; as the sending of goods O. O. D., entails an additional expense, and goods sometimes fail to be taken, we really dislike to send goods thus, but if you are content to pay from 25 cents to §1,00 to the ex- press company, for bringing us the money (which could be sent by 1\ O. order for 10 cents) we will send them C. O. D. when .'^1.00 is advanced. When hives or frames are ordered in quantities, the additional ex- )jense of boxing is such that we can make no better rates on large orders. Orders for frames or hives of dimensions differing from those named, will also be liable to some additional delay, especially during the "Honey months." As much diversity of opinion still exists regarding hives, so far as size and shape arc concerned, we shall still furnish the five difl'erent shai)es of "Dollar Hives," as described in our circular for 1871, which will still be mailed on application. In addition to these, we this season offer the (,)uinby hive. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mit. QuirrBY said in the Am. Ar/ricultuvist, iHyont one year ai^o, that he vroiild prefor a half inch bive to one of aii.v Ki'eafcer thii'kness ; iiral \vc have so much reason to think liiin ri'^lit th-it xro shill oftVr hfvcs nr.uJo of Iwlf inch -^or l.;ss — piny this simsihi. Tlicyiiro mule on ;iiifjwprin- cipl'! ihit offers inuiy a/h inta'^os in ininipiilation and no niils of any kind ara used in t h'»ir (.-unstnictiun. Any one {h:it rin jjut on tlu Metal Uorirers can' put a. hive t03;ethi',r complete, and they are so 3i'j;lit that a biVij to hold 10 L. frames, does irot weigh to exceed 5 Il)s., or abont 8 lbs. with fivmies and (niilt com- plete. PiicQS will be the saine as for our nsiial hiies made of J lumhjr, viz.. two story hive conipletc. S^>,C)0. The up- per story will !);■ avruij:.' 1 with frames the samy as the lower, or will br lillHi w illi section Iwxos containin'j: comb- foundation y^nides, as uriy be desired. When arianscd with fr.uiies either Jialf (^f the hive makes a complete one story hive, if a broad l»ird be provided for a bottom for Thr;m to stand on. We will furnish hives at the same prices for any of the frames mentioned, but shall OTily keep the L. s\/.e re:erfect- ly plain even to the nninititxted. We will send a hive composed of .'5 closed end Quinb> frames, snificient to il- lustrate the manner of working the hive for the same price. Either by Express, .§1,00. Sixteen frame Q. Hive, or 8 frames and 48 .section bo.xes §3,50 Section Honey Boxes with comb foundation guides, cap icity from 1 to 2 lbs., each 02 The expense of shipping will be very much less when these hives are sent in pieces, but as they are easily put tj.i^cther, the price will be the same in either case. Frames of any desired dimensii)ns, with Metal (-'oriicrs OG Sample frame with section of metal rat)bet, in- chidin-? .sample of transferrins^ clasps, (by mail) . . .1.3 To s)avc the expense of shippiuf? so jrreat a bulk, frames will be packed ready to be imt together, unless iiivos to i;ontain them arc to be sent made up, hut the jiric.e will be the same in either case. Metal Corners put up in packaires of 100, /. ^., enough for 2,") frames, (by mail 20 c.ts. extra) -SI.OO ! 'er 1000 !).00 Per 10,000 HO.OO I bottom Corners alone, per 100 vHc : 1000. •■Sti.OO I'er 10,000 .«C0,00 Cast Iron JJlocks t'or putting Metal Cornered frames together, (by mail 10 cts. extra) l."> A\'ith every order for KK) frames or more, one of the above will be included without ch.irge. Pabbets for J'rames to rest on. '^lade of Ibldeil ■Strips Oi metal, per running loot, (by mail 2c extra) t)2 Koliling the strips adds greatly to the strength, be- sides furnishing a smooth, hard surf.ice for the end of the frame to strike when replacing it, and preventing the bees gumming the projecting ends of the frames, as well as the supporting tMlge. Jii ordering, name h:n//tlt desired. <^tuilt6lbr any of the hive.s jr.entioTied, (Ijy mail () cents extra ) ". 2.') 'J'hc same double width 40 " •• triple width m Jletal (Masps for transferring, package of luo, (by mail 10 cents extra) — '. 2"> Tliesc are made to fit our frames or any otlier just ?i of an inch. Novice's Honey Knife by mail SI. 00 1 1 alf dozoi , Ijy express ."i.fK) We will add that our Honey Knives are suHicicntly l:(!en and sharp to uncaji honey with facility, withoiit resorting to water, either hot or cold. The handle is of Kbony, and the whole is very strong and linelv finished. I'.eautifid Honey Ijabcls, in blue and gold, dark liron/.c and gold, or in white t)rint"ed in two c.iilors, li'.rnisheil with your own address, and source I'rom which tlie honey was gathered, already gummed, post-paid by mail, (no order rec'cl lor less than 2j0), 1000, ,S;{".25 ; .'HW, .'52.40 ; 2.">!i, ^^l.sa -M these unusually low rates, the full number mcn- tioucd III lis/, be ordered Avithoul the chac.ge of one Mingle letter of the tyjie; if you order lOOO and want them to mention four diflerent sources of honcN-, ilie ))rice will have to be ^7.20 instead of ,'r.J.2.j. Samplcr^ oi" all three on ap))Ucation. Quinby Bmoker, (tudil wo cm nvikeab?tlc") bv m iil,.'?I.(;;i Tinned iron hoops made exijressly to go around top of can for Extractor, two "sizes, 17 and 20 inch, each bO cents, per dozen s.'i.o*' Gearing for lixtractor, including all castings to fas :cn it to the can (by mail lOCrts. extra) U")i' In ordering Extractors, castings, or inside work, give ontsiile dimensioiia of frame or franies to be uied. in them. With irrsrde revolviryg- frarae and steel ph'Ots, bearings, wire cloth, ami all except the Can X)M' Galvanized iroir wire cloth, m-ade expressly for Extractors, per square foot, (by mail 5 cts. extra). .l.'> Fine tinned wire clotb for fjuecti cages, sarrj>e price. Honey Gates for Extractors (by n>ail 20o. extra) IJO Superior White Oak barrels for honey, hold 375 lbs.2..")(^ Tlie same waxed ami pairrted... -l.oo SprJng BalaDces, a nice article S.oo These scales are /oade weather proof and when ar- ranged to suspend a moderate sizelain ftnd large, we can see at a distance the averit^<; yield of honey iX!r stock, each day or hmtr even ; wheik weighing stocks for winter, they shorten the work very nsaterially. Scissors ior clipping cjxiecn's whigs. Ihese .ire sm,^ll, line steel and very fine pointed, by niail 40 lithograph of Apiary, Iniplements, etc., by mail Mi Alsike Clover seed, ths best, less than 10 lbs. i>er \b..'-Vf "■ '■" " '• *■■ over •' '• ."JOi- " " " " '•'■ by mail, postpaid '• ."!<► Summer Rape seed, i>er lb., by mail, in cloth bag 3", '• '* " *' byexpress V* Chinese Mustard seed, our own importation. Per oz., 'iJy Queen Itegister Cards, (for descrintion and illus- tration see cover of June Xo., Vol. II), per doz l(i> Lamp Nursery for hatching (jueen c-«lls S.'i-Oi^ This is a double bive made of tin, with a space be- neath the walls to hold water. A lamp keeps tlie water at any desired tcmneratuye at an expense of alx)ut one (vnt per day. Without a doubt, the machine would hatch eggs, (perhnpa \X would also scratch foott for the chickens) we haven't yet tried it, biit it hatches, every thing in the "bee line'' ijuite satisfactorily. Sec description in Vol. I, i>age 74. In ordering, givo accurately length of top bar to frame. Queen Cages, (see cover to June No.) each by mail . . VZ Galvanized ta(;k9, just the thing for the Apiary, (by mail 2 cts. e.xtra) 1(> Thermometers (by mail II cts. extra) +<> ^Medley of Photo's of Bee-Keepers, size 11x14 . IJee Veils, see cover to May No., Vol. II, and page 2, Vol. I), by mail 7."> Wax Extractor, for . arti- cle of can. ly at all times and in either large or small iluantUies at l.'i cents per lb. As rock candy is ip'oteil at Ki (!ts. wholesale, it luay be dillicult for us to ati'.u'd it !it l."> cents, but we shall try hard. It is always dry to handle we believe, and never sticky like theothei- candy; in ca.-^e we can not inake it at 15 cents, \vc shall send a nifc article of the other. We (thoaifs consider it an especial favor to Imce cHstoincrs inform us by postal card tchetlier f/oodn are .laiisfactorj/ ; toTicther our mode of j^ctc^ing i-< efficient ; time taken in transit ; whetJier Expras or Frci'/h' '■h'trr/es mere reasonable, etc., etc. Jtcspedfully, A. I. Hoot, Medina., (). GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. ' 31 Osalm^ FROM DIFFERENT FIELDS. m\ I put up the fall before. Tiio loss, [ attribute ^^ mostly to defective queens. I increaaeri to 82 swarms and obtained 8.200 lbs of box honey and :J0() lbs extracted; the box honey was mostly in Quinby glass boxes. Isold it at '20c per Hi, . ross weight. I have been trying eleven Quinby hives the past sea- son, and think, with projier management, they would be a good hive for box honey, but think them large and clumsy to handle for indoor wintering. In two of them, the bees filled their hive with comb and honey, an-. Enclosed find a cake of candy which I find my l)ees like i 11). honey. 2 I'os. white A suwir and a little water — boil slowly. 1 inu'iid to increase my stock of bees next season. I am advaiie.d ia a.'i:e and can give my attention to them witliout (bmiuient to other matters. 1 have kept bees :it three dillerent times in my life in boxes but slijjped off into •■Jjlastcd Hopes" every lime. I think 1 can succeed, although mv neighbors cry hinnbug. N. A. Pituj)DKN, Ann Arbor, Mich. The camly is very nice, and has the well reineiuberetl flavor of the hreweecl honey that we tasted in Mich, last fall. Confectionery might be flavored with honey in this manner so as to give quite an interesting variety, and it would be a novelty to bee-keepers at least. AVhieh would be best and cheapest, to Italianize an ajjiary in the sjaing V to buy a colony of Italians iind raise my own ((ueeiis ( i have never done anything of the kind) '' or buy (lUocnsV I have 08 colonies nl blacks. H. C. GiLSON, Burr Oak, .Alich. If you are without practice, by far the better way will be to get one or two $1.00 queens, and work with them this season ; next season you might try an imported mother. This will be slow it is true, but it may be the ([uickcst way after all, for if you buy 08 queens at once, or even an imported one, you will stand a very fair chance of being a candidate for "Blasted Hopes" next season. The cmdy tliat you sent me came to hand in due tune, ;uul in good condition. It was somewhat broken up, but that did not injure it for the bees. 1 have given it a trial, :!xd lind that it works to a cliarm. I consider it just the thins to feed at this season of the year. The manner in which the bees eat it is novel indeed; instead of working on the outside of the stick, tliey gnaw holes into it, anil cat (jut the inside first, leaving nothing but a very thin shell. 1 Ivivs: my l)ees snu','ly packed away in a dry cel- lar, the a^■eraire tempei-alure of which is about 4'i° l''t. They are (Ujiiu- finely at present, 'the only fear I have about them is that they will run short of provisions be- fore spring opens. A. C. PH.VVET, Epworth, Iowa, Jan. 17, '70. I need information in i-egard to transferring bees, and thought to wriie you for King's Bee-Keepers' Text Book, as my bees thougli thrifty, are all in Iwx hives. B. Pii.vMi iNGisoN, A^est Jlonroe, N. Y. The text book is old, and we must regard it, ;is well as other books that recommend the awkward and laborious process of drumming the bees out, in place of the modern plan de- scribed in our May No. of last year, as much behind the times.' The bees should keep right on with their work, and the whole- operation may be performed in the time usually occupied in drumming them out. Just two hours after posting your letter, uj) conies the mail from .Saii Pranci.-co, and liy tlie way the mcillcv and 1 he (luecn cage Mere about the first articles delivcivd ; of course (iI.E.VNi.NOS was not I0 lie had luitil the dav fol- lowing. I am UHich pleasi'cl wiili ihe nicdlcv; ))ul I'think It wi.uld have leokccd much better had my photo l)eon in it. (il.K.VNlNGS arrived in s[)lcnilid order, not a simple leaf soiled. You don't kiunv liow proud I am when I re- ceive goods in sucli good nmdition. for I have sulfered a great deal through the bungling manner in wliieh some folks send out llK'ir goods. Our Commissioner will not leave here before the middle of Nov. He will sail in one of the new line of steamers, and will arrive in San Fran- cisco about the middle of Ijec; so if Mr. iJadant would like (o try his hand at sending out a couple of queens, he had better |)re!.aro them and advise the Coniniissinner at the Prairie P.aimcrotlice. He Mill carrv dollars enoie.;li le do all 1 wiint. J. CAitKoi.L, (,iueensl:nid, Auslr:ilii.. Do yon know anything about the Silver Hull buckMheat, whether it is any better for honev than the common sort ': J. B. Rekve. We have had few reports in regard to the buckwheat, but have the impression that to get honey we must have a good strong growth ; and in our locality and some others it is only occasionallj' that we have a yield of honey even then. The bees may be very busy on it apparently, and yet a suspended hive show no increase in weight. See the following : I .see on page 12, that 3Ir. M. E. MeMaster would like to know if the black buckwheat is better for honey than the gr.ay kind. There is very little dilfereiice in the two kinds, but if he will try the (Silver Hull 1 think he Mill l)e as- tonished, 1 had the black and the gray, but the yield of honey was small. Two years ago 1 procured the Silvt r Hidl and when in fidl bloom it M'as so full of Vjees that some of my neighbors Mere afraid to go near the field. Last fall my bees did rush out of their hives in the morn- ing, to go after the Silver Hull buckwheiit like a large eroM'd of ])eople rushing out of a burning theater. 1). N. Kern, Shimersville, Pa. Most Mriters on Bees sa/y that Mhen a young queen is hatched slie Mill destroy all uidiatehed qui^ens in the hive. Now M'e (1 mean my wife and 1,1 had a glass observator.v hive last summer M'lth cjue comli. ^^■e eould see all oper- ations of the hive, and had it so arranged that the bees eould go out under the window^the hive setting in the house on the window sill. A uiuuber of queens were hatched in it. We several times saw young queens come out and crawl from one end to the dther of <'oml)s contain- ing a iLumlier of unhatched queeiieells, yet iia.\ing no at- tentioTi to them, Miiiie at the same time Morker bees were busy tearing them doM n. Nom', has any one c\er seen :i queen tearing down cells!' or, is it only a supposition y J. B. Ueeve". Shelliyville, ills. Queens sometimes destroy the cells we know, for we have seen them do it in the lamp nurse- ry when not one worker bee was present; but it looks very much as if the bees at times de- stroy them before the queen has seen them at all, just as they demolish cells they have pre- viously started when a fertile queen is given them. We have seen the same tiling you men- tion, but the cells were Anally destroyed af'.tr the queen became two or thi'ee days old. This work, like the swarming impulse, we liiink sometimes originates with the queen and sometimes with the workers, and perhaps at times with both conjointly, for they are gener- ally actuated by the same impulses. What advantage has the Standard h'we over the Langs- troth':' What would the right to make for my om'u use cost y J. M. WiCKOFF, Freestone, O. The principal advantage is, that it will hold 20 frames and yet allow any one at any time to be removed independently of the others. Adair and some others claimed the bees would store more honey in such a hive; we believe it is now generally agreed that frames spreaii out horizontally, on the average, give just as much honey as the two-story hives, and no more. We Certainly would not charge you for Gleanings, and then use its pages to de- scribe hives on which we wanted money for rights. Everything described on these pages is free, of course. I have a house apiary also, Mhieh I am u.'ing with good sucetss. Inclosed 1 send you an outside view of one of my houses, containing "jO colonies of bees. This hou.se is not patented. 1 liave hom' seven in use ; some me.ch larg- er than this. I have always been very successful iti queen raism.'?- N. W. W.^lton, Cairo, W, Va. The picture shows a very neat strncture, and if our friend has sei-oi of them in use, he certainly has li;td experience with them, and that tco, we would infer, of a favorable nature. isrc. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUUK (tLEanings came by return mail, aiui there is some sati.staction in having things come as iiromptly as they c a failure at times, we believe, with all plants. 1 want to know throng li Gleanings if your popislotis stocks arc the result of a chanjie of queens V 1 am most liajjpy to state that I sold out all my honey [Linden] to Uarber & Stout, Cincinnati, O., at 13 cents, and was again paid to a cent. J. DiTFFELEK, Wequiock, Wis., Jan. 18th, '75. The queens have very much to do with it, for colonies that are strong one season arc pretty sure to live and be strong as long as the • [ueen live.«. We, in '78, raised queens in June for 4 hives all in a row ; all have been quite ahead of the general average V^jth seasons since. They were from the Nunn importation. Other causes of course have their influence, but the queen we regard as the principal. Mr. W^inkle tells mc that a lew days ago he took from the cellar a stand of his bees to let them have a lly, and took a look insi(l<>, lindinjr brood in all stapes. I was sur- ])rised. This will make the same as 12 sub«CTil>eri<, sent \ou. 1 wonder at my success, don't you? Jan. llnh, '70. J>. Pattersox, Alwna, N. Y. With the weather we have had, it is rather probable that brood is to be found in all hives, and we have little idea what the eftect will be ; probably the bees know what is proper to be done. We sometimes wonder at the suc- cess of both our patrons aud ourselves, espec- ially after each fresh blunder that irc make. I.itho?i-a))h of ai)iiry rcc'd. We are well pleised with it. We fancy the little tiaby to be seen there is Blue Eyes. Our little !.)aby twenty nionihs old will point her out "ev- ery time asked. We had left last sprinsr after scndisig Mr. fjinssti'Oth a stock, 14 stocks of Ijees. We increased to 3.5 and secm-ed OlO lbs. extracted honey and fiO lbs. box hon- ey. Total 700 lbs. AvPi-a.w^ .'0 lbs. per stock. Bees put into cellar Oct. iUth : doiuK well so f:ir. We arc jrlid to see different ones testins; the hon.se a) iaries, the Ciuestion in.iy then he better settleil. "We supplied 13 stocks with colTee A sugar syrup one autumn and they died as badly as any. Fed in Sept. Wo can't see that it will pay to ex- tract honey and feed syrup at present price of each, and of lalior. Hut 1 am convinced timt it will pa.v to set bees in doors in st)rii'.;r, when v.-e have a cold spell. Two cts. per stock will be tli(! cost o! nioxinir into a cellar and out a.pain. What bee-keeper but v, >uld have made .52,(K) per stock list spring by putlin.i.? his bees in a cellar durin.sr the April fi-eeze. F. A. Sneli,. Milledgeville, Ills., Jan. 17!li, ^C Tt is quite probable that even coffee sugar will liot alv/ays w(n'k, and we are very much inclined to think, friend S., that carrying them in-doors will not citiier ; in fact, we are very much tempted of late to doubt that it is any advantai2e if your hives arc full of bees as they should be. lieautiful thick syrup can be made for 8 cents jxr lb, while yonr honey will certainly sell for from bJ to 15 by tiie barrel. Besides, we don't make syrup to feed bees nowadays, just give them sticks of candy, which will be scared}' more labor than to give your i)oultry t-onie ears of corn, and you have to shell it ft)r the chickens and don't for the bees. However, we hope no one AviU under- stand that we favor robbing the bees so far that there is any danger of their starving. From some sixty stofks last sin-in^ I Twve taken neaily 301)*>I1>9. of box honey, and more than doubled lay stocks. 1 use a movable frame bivc with single card bo.\ts weiirh- ing 2X to 3 lbs. Wintered m.v l)ees on their summei- stands last winter without )osin.g a swann. S^AMUKL Sxow, Fayetteville, N. \., Jan. 20th, '71'.. Many Ixies da winter safely thii.s, even during our severest winters, and an the reports come in, wc cannot help wondering whether the old straw hive with no protection, would not aver- age almoM, as well as those that have so imtch earc. Will the thin strip in ytiur saaiple fraane work as well m securing straight combs as the triangular pieee heretoforf usedV If so 1 «lr,iH adopt il ifi new frames. 1 found dur- ing the season that I eoiild not nsothoQuinby frames with the closed ends and foot resting upon bottom board, with- out killing more or less bees every lime the hive was open- etl. W'as it be<'ause I \yas not an expert, or, was it uiia- \ oidaVjle'r if the latter, is it peculiar to Quinby frames V E. W. Gi:isw()L5), Center Brook. Conn. The thin strips for comb guides ave really much l>etter than the triangular pieces, inas- much as the bees build cells and store honey right over them clear up to the top bar. Thr trouble mentioned is peculiar to the Quinby hive, but we presume practice does much to- ward remedying it. There are some among our readers who s;iy they can handle them witli little more trouble than the suspended frames. Honey harvest was vcr.v poor. In the early part of tin- season, we had nothing but white clover, anil in fall onl.v the corn lields ; no red clover. 1 fed oni; colony i;4,(m> worth of sugar to see \vh;it they woidd do, and from thai hive f have three cuhmii-s and have sold .^.CJ.OO worth of box honey. 1 think .Mr. Staidlers plan for wintering rathev "thin' for cold winds, but his idea in regard to ventilti- tion is very good. If he will furiush the tin horns with whistles, when too much air gets in the hives, the whis- tles will begin to toot, toot, toot, which will give him warning. 1 think this woidd be (luite an improvement. We have another friend in the bnslies somewhere in Ind.. [Mitchell] who is selling a i)a,tent hive and right for Sb'.. and all he claims a patent on is adivisioii board that i-; movable. U. M. Ogdex, Wooster, < ). Can I make it j ay to keep a few bees on the shore of 1-ikf; Huron, about one hundred miles north of Saginaw 'r 1 have some and .'■hould like to keep them lv.it will have to ship them in the spring, by boat, about one day's voyage. Have all kinds of limber, basswood, hard and soft maple, etc., with wild (lowers and white and red clover. 'I'liey never had any bees in this section ; an oUl hunter said h<- never saw any in the woods. Will you or some of yonr readers answer 'r lours, lles))ecifully, U.WID BEMili. Alcona, Mich.. Dec. 13, IS?.^. Some of the very best results we have liatl reported have come from the vicinity you men- tion; the ibrests in the northern part of Midi. can scarcely fail of giving prodigious returns to those who are well posted and will act ac- cordingly. See Oct. No. of last year. Can you furnish me with Harbison's book on the honey bee. What is the cost of it V Will Wii.sox, Bardstown, Ky. Will Mr." Harbison please tell us where tin- edition of ]87L is CO be found, if at all"; We have had several similar inquiries. Could you tell us of some simple and cfiicient macliine, to use on the saw miuidrill, for cutthig the gains to r<- ceive the connecting snip in the Harbison scciiona! honey bo.\. Your.s, Tridy, T. P. Andhews, Farina, Ills. Turn up a block of wood accurately and then saw it in two diagonallj'; screw up the saw between these and .vou can saw a gain of any width you choose, depeoiiing on the way the ring of wood was sawed, or the amount of M'abbling motion thus given the sn^v. JS7(5. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 35 •HP' jl 0,115 <*•;«'« [lit this dep;\rtment I V)eg to be uilowod to fay aside the (litoiiai"we,"and have a Meisdiy chat aitd feet "at home,"] |^q^]!HERE is 110 help for it, dear friends, and Sj the trouble is something like that of the clothier. You see a cou[yle of good people were in want of a coat for their boy. and they by chance entered one of those stores to be found in cities vvhere oue can ne%'cr get away peace- ably without making a purchase. Well, the K'oats were not of the proper size for their son, so the parents judged, and Ikey wished to try 'Isewhere. Our friend vehemeiitly declaimed : "The coat isli all right, Isut the poy ish too r'Chniall." Now tliat is just our trouble at present, lui- niaiuty is all right, at least wc are trying to think they are, and it must be our own self that is "too small." Yes, we haven't a doubt of it, come to think of it deliberately ; and the only thing v/e can do is to grov>' so that wccan wear "big coats" like other people. In commencing to write Gi.e.vnikgs, we dis- covered that our '•Home Matters" wotdcl get mixed in wilh it, and tlicn when we got to work at "Our Homes," it scented just as difttcult to keep "Bees and Honey" out of mind entirely. Besides, v/hcther our work amounts to much or not, we liave been so fortunate (or unfortu- nate,) as to have enlisted the interest of very many of our fellows. You know how well we like to do things promptly, and that wepartic- •iilarly like to have everything well done; and perliaps some of you know how difficult It is to do tills always, and not have tlie ex- penses exceed the income. Well, we seem to liave an unusual number of new friends tliis centennial year, and as usual, and in fact just as they should do, tlicy have commenced by asking a perfect torrent of (luestions. This is ;tll right, for it shows a disposition to improve, and to try and ansv/er all these numerous in- quiries we have printed most voluminous price lists. But the "centennial g-eneration" do not take kindly to price lists, it is too much trouble to read them over, and postals are so handy they prefer to just ask and have a reply on a card that contains nothing else. Wlao is to blame, ihe coat or the boy V If the question happens to come up wlien we have a mail con- taining an unusual amount of money, I have noticed that tlie temptation is much stronger to say : "They have got the price list right before them, if they can't take the trouijle to read it over it is their own loss. How many price lists do they think one should print and mail them all at one's own expense?" A quieter voice sometimes says, — oftener when money is rather scarce — "You have no right to think rudely of your mstoiners, much less to treat them so, and if they prefer to have persoiial answers to their iiKiuirics 3'ou should give them. You sent them the price lists hoping you would get orders tliereby." "But it is impossible for me to do so much writing." "Employ some one to do it." "They v^ould want more pay than I could give, and besides they would make more bluii— " "Take care, you are getting back on the old track again and abusing the boy because he is too small, when the rial trouble is with the coat 3^ou have to «cll. If your customer seems unreasonable, and your employes inefiicient, it is more than probable that you do not use system about your business and that you do not make things plain and easy to be under- stood, as every business man should do. Every one may not be as Ibnd of poring over catalogues as you a ^e, and it is not unlikely that you would ask just as many thoughtless questions in regard to some business that was new to you as others do. Bear in mind that as it is 'a bad workman that quarrels with his tools', it is invariably a bad business man that even so much as allows himself to feel the lieast bit unpleasantly toward a single one of his patrons, or toward any oue that pays him the compliment of even so much as making any kind of an inquiry in regard to his especial business." Now, dear patrons, since we have got into the proper frame of mind, we have made a res- olution that every inijuiry of whatever nature shall have the best reply that we can give it under the circumstances ; and that this reply shall be given at once, whether you are a sub- scriber or not, if you will only excuse brevity and postals. When we fail to do this it will probably be because prosperity has spoiled us ; a %'ery unlikely result, considering the number of "irons in the tire" at present. CHAPTER Yin. Starting a Home. 1% LMOST all through the animal kingdom ^^, wc sec traces of the powerful instinct that prompts the choosing of some regular place of abode, and since I was old enough to watch the chickens in their sometimes perverse determination to roost on the same spot occu- pied on the previous night, I have felt a pow- erful sympathy witli all animated creation in their craving for some little spot on earth that they might feel was all their own home ; some place to retire to when persecuted and to feel secure from intrusion, especially when tlie shades of night draw near. But a few Aveeks ago in moving a hive of bees — just as I said it woidd be, "I told you so"— about a pint of the poor fellows came back to their old home, and the dismal note they gave forth, and the de- jected air of utter misery that seemed to pos- sess them as they wandered sorrowfully about the familiar points of their old abode, fairly haunts me still, and strengthens the determin- ation that I feel, to have them henceforth oc- cupj^ their stand permanently the year 'round, and never to bring sorrow and grief to a single one of the little insects if I can help it l\y giv- ing them a new location against their will. Who has not remarked the independence and pride with which old "Dog Tray" gives an in- truder to understand that too much familiarity around his home is not to be tolerated, and then to contrast the changed demeanor if he perchance should lose his master in some strange town and feel that lie had a home no longer. Even puss will travel a long way to sit complacently on her own doorstep, and pigs ! why if they are carried miles away in a 36 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Fkb tight box they will as soou as released go squealing home by the shortest cut possible, setting at dell-mcc all rules of reason and comraon sense. Were you ever homesick ? JTid you ever at the close ot the day feel, ns you looked about you, that everything vvas very pleasant and comforLal>le, possibly more so than some other spot you were thinking of, to those who had never known any other home, but oh! it was not your home. Try as hard as you might the feeling would well up and the great sobs would come. "Oil ! what would I give ! What icould I give to lie back at the old place once more. I want to see ray mother and I want to see the rest, and I could fairly hug the old cat and dog, the cows and the horses, if I could only be there once more. I don't care what happens hereafter nor ho\T hard I have to work I will be good and obedient. Only give me back my home, my dear old home." Perhaps more than one youth has, under the inlluence of this feeling, turned back to the old homestead and ceased to be allured by the frivolities of a life away from home; and if all our homes were nearer what they should be, who knows l>ut that the feeling might be a still stronger appeal to their better nature. Perhaps, my friend, it n)ight give you a more vivid seuse of tlie happy home you are enjoy- ing if you were taken away a few weeks and then allowed to go back. Since the days of childhood, it has been with me a fond pastime to watch the growth of homes, shops, stores and all places of business. If a new family came into our town, 1 was at tjnce anxious that they should get to work and tis up their home ; even though they made but very little i)rogress, I at least watched for something to assure me that they were grow- ing just a little. I was anxious to sec every body assist in making two blades of grass grow where only one grew before. Particu- larly do I remember an English family who seemed to have brought not only their quaint brogue from the father-land, but also their habits of economy and thrift to such an ex- tent that they made gardens in every nook and cranny, from every feuce corner clear up to the neatly scrubbed door step. Not a weed was ever allowed to intrude on a single inch of the precions ground embraced in the boun- daries of their new home. Here a hill of encumbers, there one of corn, or a tomato or cabb.ige plant; and so perfectly captivated was my boyish fancy witli their novel ways and intense industry, tliat their home soon be came almost my home ; and despite the rude jests of some of my old associates who were better dressed and who've accents did not tempt one to laugh outright at their queer- ne.ss, I soon not only learned to be an enthusi- ast in their gardening, but also to share in their humble repast of dishes such as they used in the dear old country. Very soon I became "chief gardener" in our own home, and with th.e aid of my two English boy friends, I soon astonished not only our own household, but the neighbors all arounri. In fact the naughty boys that laugheil at my English friends were finally so astonished at the sight of our melon ));iteh on a south side-hill, that they came one night and — I niight almost cry aboi^t it again, even if it was 25 yeai-s ago. Perhaps the purest and happiest days of boy- hood were those sijent in twautifying our two homes with those humble friencfs ; and the great secret of it was perhaps that they were so poor that they v/ere really compelled to la • bor thus for their daily bread. D-ear, kind, generous Mrs. AVills! under th;»t queer Eng- lish garb and despite the broad dialect, there was a true, genuine love for all humanity. Perhaps one great secret of that pleasant home was the scrupulous neatness, that she not only practiced, but taught her lx)ys also; and the success in their gardens and the satisfactiois they invariably gave their en-^ployers were much owing to this very trait. I should be vei'y glad to state that they grew up to b:- good and useful men, but alas, ?. little pi'osper- ity, love of their English ale, and well dressed conipauions were too great teuiptations, and one of theni, 1 think, was soon keeper of a sa- loon. Oh, why could they not have l>een con- tent with tlieir jx;aceful work ansid the straw- berries, flowers and — weeds V Don't you think it is all the l>etter for you and me that welutvcn't very much money 'i Very likely we would not take half tho pleasure we do now with our bees, gardens and homes, if we had lots of money, is it not taking good care of what we have, rather than having so much, that makes life pleasant to oui'selves and those around us? A year or so ago, I felt some of my old boy- ish enthusiasm to have my home free from weeds, — you know I mean "out doors" of course — well, to hire a gardener at $2.00 ])eL" day seemed the easiest way, and in the cours-; of time, not a v/eed was to l>j seen ; bat it was awfully expensive, and the pleasure was noth- ing compared to that experienced when it was the work of our own- hands. Last season we tried another plan; the garden was plowed, and when nice warm weather came, a family council was helil and it was decided that all hands. Blue Eyes includetl, were to meet for lessons in gardening ever}' evening a little be- fore sundown ; Papa to not only give instruc. tions, but to make the work pleasant for all. For a while it was uphill work to get them all on hand, and in a cheerful, pleasant mood ; and many times did tho temptation pr-^^cat it- self to think the "poy was too schmiU" rather than that he did not make his "coats" right. But victory came at last and all hands were more than willing to repair to our clean and tidy rows of corn, beans, melons, etc., for it was the work of our own hands. Many times did it seem as if urgent duties would deuiaml that the teacher sliould be excused ; but I tell you there is no dut}' on this wide earth so im- perative as the one you owe your own family. I shall have to commence another chapter iu order to have plenty of elbow room to tell you just what I mean by this remark. Kememlx-r the-^e two leaves don't cost you anything so it is n)y privilege to waste just as much paper as I please. CHAPTER IX. "Twelve, is ronr-thirds of what tiuinbor?" "T'T was probably about the time when I had .2i. the "gardening fever," but it wasn't the 1?70 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 37 time for £?arJens or something or other, and 1 was at school. "We boys'' were a class in mental aritiimetic, and we certainly were not a very satisfactory class; our teacher was not proud of us, and we were not proud of our- selves ; in fact, as our mother's were not proud of us so far as our mathematical attainments were concerned, we doubt if we were any par- ticular source of joy or pleasure to any one. Not one of us could answer such (juestions as the one at the head of this chapter, and so we wei'e reprimanded Ix'causc we had not studied our lessons, and ordered to "take the lesson over asain." The next day it was no better and we were kept after school to "study." Didn't do any 2;o()d for we didn't study, but only looked stuljborn. The "master" talked with our parents, and it was i)roposed to [nin- ish us all four to take the stubbornness out of us. It is true we all plead we "didn't know how" but as we had been told how, over and over again, it must be tliat it was only "pure ugliness." Some one ventured to ask if we were not good boys in other respects, and the teacher admitted we were; that our other les- sons were very fair, and that we had simply got conti'ary on mental arithmetic and nothing else. At this crisis, one of the four whisperetl to me one day in school, that lie had learned how to "cipher," and as a proof he produced a broken piece of slate from his pocket, perform- ed an example in addition, and then exhibited to our admiring gaze the fact that he had "got the answer" just as it was in the book. This was certainly "business," and very soon the whole of us were equipped with broken slates and pencils, and the way we "ciphered" at home was a caution. As we were busy and out of mischiei, no one took the trouble to in- (juire what we were at, and rinally our cipher- ing was carried into school, to the neglect of our thumbed and "dogs' eared" mental arith- metics. Finally, the "Master" approaches, and our slates are hastily put out of sight. "Now look here boys, you cannot deceive I me ; I have been watching you for some time j with your heads down on your desks all four j of you, and now this mischief must come to light. Show me what you have been doing! Out with it!" " ! Four dirty ioroken slates and pencils with as < many old copies of Ray's Arithmetic, Part ' Third, were sheepishly produced, while we I waited in fear and trembling for our sen- 1 tence. ■• "Is this all?" We nodded. i "But you can do nothing with these." "We get the right answers." "But you don't even know the multiplication I table." j "We keep our lingers on the jilace and look," ' said we, taking a little more courage. "But you certainly will never amount to ! anything in this way, and (musingly) I fear ! you never will any way. Here, put your slates : all on top of the desk and have your own way. You will soon get tired enough of it." Did we? Not at all; it for the lirst time ' gave us a clear idea of what tigures were for ; and very soon we had no occasion to look at ! the multiplication talilc for it had "learned ; itself." Wc were doubtless somewhat at fault, but by farihc gr.-atci- part of the trouble was ! with the "coats" that had been prepared for us ; and not with the 'ijoys." Only a day or two ago our boy had trouble with his lessons, and his mother asked if papa could not take just a little time to help him. Papa was awful busy but he would just look at the example, when lo and behold ! 'it was the very "12, is 4-o of what number?" in sub- stance. I repeated it over and over in a varie- ty of ways, but all in vain; he could not see any sense or use in such contortions of num- bers. I am really afraid I should have accused the boy of being "too schmall," had not the whole scene of years ago come back vividly to mind. T finally took him kindly by the hand —mentally I mean— told him my early troubles in the same place and when I set really about it made him perfectly comprehend the whole matter, as any father can do If he has a mind to. The drills I put him throuirh on it, took nearly a whole hour, but it did me as mucli good as him, and we both got much better ac- quainted thereby. The encl is not yet. Yes- terday a lady in passing me on the 'street re- marked : "Mr. Root your boy is doing finely in school of late ; a boy that tries so hard to do right, and is so willing to learn, is really a treasure." Aud this was his teacher's verdict, after I had been almost tempted to think him heedless or stubborn. His teacher is an excellent one but as she has a large school it is impossible for her to take each individual pupil and lift them by main strength over their troubles as almost any parent can if he is not "too busy." Besides by helping in this way you are most surely helping yourself. Do you know how much such a boy could aid you in a fev/ years? There is a text in the Bible somewhere, to the effect that the more you give the richer you will become, aud I suspect that this applies particularly to giving aid to our fellows who are in trouble, at the expense of a partial neg- lect of our own duties. Had I not taken the time to help him in his ciphering, you would never have had this chapter. Don't you think it would be just as well for me to let some one else talk a part of the time ? Well that is just what 1 have been thinking for some time, and as some quite interesting- letters touching the "Home" i^apers are at hand, we will look them over before we take up chapter X. It seems the friend who writes the following had been in the habit of wearing a veil that was visible, thus avoiding the mis- hap liable with the very thin ones. I think the Homo Dopartmciit well worth the a/Milioii- al 23 cents. I don't talk nearly as craljlied in mv fauiilv as i did, and don't lind any more f inlt about my'ljej-veil —cheap enouili for silk \n\t wasn't 1 spunky aiicv trviu';- three times to put lionev in my moutli and the "veil woiddn't let mey Ami 11i:mi Imw mv Ij.-tfc;- half lau-^hj.l at me. G. P., Peru, Ills. On page 15 of Oiit IIomks yon puldish A Word/o Mothrrx. In regard to white rnljlier being colored with white oxide of iiiercury ; I would say thi-; i.< an er- ror, as there is no oxide of mercury that is wliite — Prof. A. !. lioot onght to have thought of that— hut J am sorry to say that \ can not correct any more of the article. White riibl)er is llie invention of Henry (j. Tyer, of .\ndover. Mass.. and is colored with wliite oxide of zinc. White oxide of zinc is claimed bv Dr. Tver to be non-)>oisonf>us, but it is foreign to the iiodv, and moreover has been found by experiment to be GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Feb poisonous. I lliink any candid i)erson wlio reads (he reports of all tiic cases of poisoning by galvanized water pipes wliicli liavo occurred iu Massaciiuselts alone, since the introdiu-lion of said piijes. \vill con- clude that oxide of zinc is truly ''a h.^rrible an» "VEI^TISE3Nw(rE3SrTS. of ten in advance; and we require that every Advertiser satisfies us of his responsibilitv and intention to do all that he agrees, and that his'goods are really woi-th the price asked for them. MISS S. E. FULLER, DESIGNINO AND ENGRAVING ON WOOD, 25 Bond Street, Koom 3. N. Y. Awarded Medal of Merit at Vienna Kxposition, lt73. Orders by mail promptly executed, at reasonable rates, from sketches or photographs. Electrotypes supplied. THE Br-itish Bee Journal Is A LARGE, Beautifidly Printed, and Profusely Illus- trated MONTHLY; Clear Type and Fine Heavy Paper. It is conducted by CHARLES NASH ABBOTT, Han- well, W., London, England. Animal Subscription, Haif- a-Guinea. Wc will send it with Gleanings and i)iiy all postage for $3.00. 40 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Feb. MUTH'S ADVERTISEMENT. H O N E Y_ JARS, One pound {square) Jars, per gross SC.50 Two •• " " " 8.50 One " " " Flint glass per gross i).00 Two " " " " " " " 11.00 Corks for 1 and 2 lb. jars 75 Tin Foil Caps, per gross 1--0 Labels. " " 75 A tiiousand labels address printed to order 5.00 One qt. fruit jars. Mason's patent, per gross ]7.00 Labels for same, " " (i^ A thousand labels address printed to order 1.25 Uncap))ing Knives, as good as any, eacli 50 " " i^er doz 4.50 Alsike Clover Seed, per bushel 15.00 '• " peck 4.00 " " " " pound 35 IL..\]VGlSTriOTII BEli: III VJBW, Sti-aw Mats, Bee Veils etc., at reasonable rates. For further particulars. Address, Itf CHAS. F. MUTH, Cincinnati, Ohio. THE BEE-KEEPERS' MAOAXINE, an illus- trated montlil.v journal of 32 octavo pages, devoted exclusively to Bee-Cul- ture : edited by Albekt J! IviNG, containing contri- Initions from Mrs. Ellen S. Tup))er and experienced Bee-Keejiers in America and EuiioPE. A large space is devoted to begin- ners, giving useful infor- mation just when it is most needed throughout the vcar. Terms $1.50 per year. The Bee-Keepers' Text- Book in German or English, and the Bee-Keepers' Magazine 1 year $1.70. A 64 jiage pamphlet (price 50c) containing a beautiful life-like Chroino of Honey- plants and Italian Bees in tlieir natui'al colors, with prize essay of Mrs. Tapper, Queen Rearing by M. Quinby, instruction for beginners, etc., sent /rec with the Magazine, on trial, 4 months for 50 cents. Agents wanted— Cash commission and permanent employment. Address, KING & SLOCUM, 61 Hudson St., N. Y. ITALIAN QUEENS bred from imported mothers— a month earlier than in the North. Purity and safe arrival guaranteed. Also full colonies of Italians in Langstroth hives for sale at $15.00 per colonj'. • Address Dr. J. P. H. BROWN, Augusta, Ga. BEEJCUEIALl Every Boe-Keeper should subscribe for this Jloiithlr. It is the Oiliest aiitl Iscsl Ipcientilic and practical .Journal of Apiculture in the World. Tlie most suc- cessful imd experienced __ Apiarians in this couiitrv and j'Airopo contribute to its pages. I'einis, !f2.0i' :' year in advance. Sctj'! nStaajBjjrfJS*;; ''■r. ■.-'•Jj 196 and 198 South Clark Street, Chicago, Ills. V^ COLONIES. We arc winterini; SO Imported Queens in our apiar.v and wo \vi\\ offer about half of them, to be delivered i* sprincT, In fVill colonies as nsixal, Tiie render must bi^ar in mind that wo arc the onl.v Successful Importers of bees in America. We will sell at the fuUowinir reduced prices : Colony with Im[X)rted Queen S18,l># Home bred tested Queen 14,e» Queens all raised in 1875. The hives are all new, well nsade and well painted, aTul combs straight. Safe arrivafl guaranteed. CH. DADANT & SON, Hamilton, Hancock Co., Ills. BOX HIVES. Coiitaiiiliifi" f lire Italian liees. BOX HIVES of 2,000 cubic inches capacity eontiininjr strai^iht combs (built on guides) and Tested Queens not over 1 year old, delivered ;it the iieurest Express offlc*- in Nov. at S8.00 ; or the follow iiiu' \\w'\\ at SlO.OO. Four Dollars must accompiny e:uh order. CaHfornia, Mo., is mv nearest Money Order ollice. E. DIEI'ENDORF, 2t$4 Clarksi)ury:, Maniteau Co. Mn. "VINEYARD APIARY." T3i:»T33I> QXJ3i:3i:iVS — A. Sr»DE:CIAT,,TY. One Queen.... 8,5.00 \ 9.00 ) Two Queens.. Three Reared in full colonies. .12".00 ) Or sent in full colonies at $15.06 each. Addres JOSEPH M. BROOKS, Box 1.30, Columbus, Ind. 9-K Bees, Hives, Smokers, Books, Etc. Those desiriiiJ: sujjplics. as heretofore furnished by the late M. QUINBY, may address Itj) L. C. ROOT, Mohawk, N. Y. Coltimbia A.piary. C^neens from lunported ITIotliers for 187IJ. We will send Queens the comiu'j: season as follows : On? tested qoeen from Imirorted Mother. $4,Q# Two •• " " " " 7,6» Three " " 10,(» Six •• " " " " 18.0» Untested queens " " " each !,(!• Safe arrival of all (luoens guaranteed. Itfinq STAPLES & ANDREWS, Columbia, Temu OUR Bee Journal of the Southei-n States. Issueil monthlv at S2.00 per vear. Sample copies free. Aildress A. F. MOON & Co. Rome. Georgia. One Copy One Year Sl.OO, or with Litliograi)i. of Apiarv, size 12xl(i, Mailed Free, Postpaid, §1.25 or Litho- grajdi will be sent as a Premium for Two Sul)scribers at §1.00 each. Any person obtaining Three Suliscribers at .Jl.ou each, may retain 50 Cents for their trouble. '• " Five •• " " " 1.25 " " " " Ten " " " " 4.00 " " Any number above Ten will be sent at the rate ot Sixty Cents each. Ob, Gleanings , §1,00 ; Three copies, S2..50 ; tive, S.3,75 ; ten, ?G.00." Names may be sent at any time during the year, and whenever a club is reached, we will credit oack the amount previously sent us in excess of the Club Rates. In this wav any of the Articles Mentioned on our PRICE LIST may be Secured as "PREMIUMS. Please mention when names are Intendeil for Clubs. An acknowledgment will be sent in all cases on receipt of money— for any i)uri)ose whatever— bv return mail. Volumes I, & II, at 75c. each, may be counted on the sume terms, as we have a Large Supply of BACK NUMBERS Provided for new beginners ! .Vs we cannot take the s])ac(> in future ninnl)ers to go over the same ground again, and Volume One -eiitains the entire Fumhimental Prn]ci])les and •" - Grroxxnd ^^"orls: for {Starting' arv -^piarj". Or how to Realize the Most Money with the Smallest Expenditure of Capital and Labor in the Care of Bees, Rationally Considered. B^^r J^. I. R^OOT. ▼©1® 1^ Sa^celt.^ l®f(§® I'®® In tJie Preparation of tin's Journal tlie folloicing are the Principal Periodicals Consulted : ^_,Ba,'!evl'i'CSlJi ilSt'Ci) aif®!!:^!!,^!!® T. G. Neroman. Wwm^'WLmmw®'^''^^ Mca^^^a^^im®® King. B©'©) W^l^-Ili* A. F. Moon & Co. ©Miieit ;©©©« J^®Mi?matl« c. N. Abbott. [Also Bound Volumes of the former since 1S50, and Files of all other Bee Journals tliat have been Published in America.1 COIVTElVTSs par/e Fool-Fower Bnz/.-S;nvs 40 Comb FnniKlation MiiL-hine 40 Section Honey Boxes 40 Notes & (Queries 4'2 Calii'ornia 45 Whv do ISecs desert their Hives V 4(i Why ilo (Queens lay eggs? etc 40 I^ight colored Bees 40 i-.am)i Nnrseries 47 Grafting (^ueen Cells 48 Honey Column 40 Coml) Honey, Hives, etc 4!) Extracting and Straining the Honey "lO How soon Shall wc Feed ? 50 Our Own Apiarv •'il Humbugs and Swindles J" parjr if^ 6;^ P ,1) Hnw to do All that JTeed be I>one, etc Meal Feeding 5:! When to take the Bees out 54 Heads of Grain 55 Swarm Catcher 55 I uiversal Hive 11, 55 Heavy Extractors 50 Comb's Melting down 50 Two Queen? in a Hive 50 j. u rjioii Carving for Bees 50 S:'\' '-)' Poisoned Hone.v 57 r^- ■ /p Our Home? " •. 5S 'fi}-' -^^ ?v o vice's JJarn O'l V-v -j ' Sidewalks (,i m'-'Ti.., Underdi-ainiuir '..J,l {''■■/,,■' -5? How to Make Quiiiby Fi anies dj ',' ^ jAr \5r).(ii) ou!". especi illy when wo consider tlie dilTer- fno(^ ill price. Tlii> iii:i(lii"c is one of the l)ri'4itest ilhis- ! tnitions of iienuine Yaiikci' iii^eniiit.v it h"s ever been our forlnne to meet; ami llic simplicity, and fewness of its [ parts, fre reilly siiriivisinir. With Ilie new and novel : foot jwwer, the only wheel there is about the machine ex- | cept the saw C'ln be iiistniifli/sethnnnmn's hke a top, and | one of th.> prettiest little saws can be attached to it in lit- > tlemore than a seconil of lime, yet the whole is so ex- i tremel.y simiilc that even a child can do nice true work at onc.^ ' At our lirst attemjit, we sawed cne foot of 7-8 inch pin > in six seconds. The fcniiies are models of (li'iipliciiy and a^cau-aey, and only cost Sl,.50 each. With this mach Uf onr friend C.nila could do as line and accii- tate work at frune making as an expert mechanic, (even ' of she had to saw them out of barrel heads) and if she ] were to let brother Richard just make one hive on it— it will make a whole hive easily— it seems to us he must • take a fancy to beekeepinjr. | We are so well pleased with it, tVat wo shall keep them i on hand for sale. We can fnrnish a beautiftd saw mand- rel and bsarin.rs, for 58.00 ; and w th one extra, one, the 1 ' .<»aws can be chmged without tuinina: a sinde screw, and | about as rea lily ane would lay a tool in his tool chest and j take out anoher. The facilities thi^ machine offers for] rapid work, and the way in which labor is s ived in its con- struction, are to us. simply nrirvoloup. AVe thoujjht we did a very Vriorht thin r when we oviscil our new extract- or gearinz, but we will vii'ld thr pihii In'lio B.a-nes' saws. We should add that for .yj.OO more- SiO.OO-they inch do I «, beautiful seroU saw. They c m be used independently, or both at once, and one can be detached or attached by a I snnple "twist of the thumb." Should you choose to send your order to us, we will include the book, "Art of Saw Filins?."' We can furnish any of the i)arts mentioned, and can send you the saws, G inch, either cross or rip, by mail, {}Ost paid,' at 6l..^0 each. AVc can send an illustrated price list on application. _ '' THE €3MB-Fffl3WB>A'a'IOIV MACHINE. i*V>. 2C^/i— Wo are happy to s.ate that the metal rollers are a coni|)lote succsss, ; iid we can roll out one continuous sheet a foot wide and a mile long- if wo wish. The ma- Gliine has cost much money and still more will be r^^quired to icet the wax in the proper shape for it rapidly. The im- [)ressio. s in the rolls were made by strikinjr them one at n time with dilferent shaped punches, yet ihey are made with such astonishiu-T accuracy that we can make cells with the l>ottoms ill- H-ly a-i thin as a soap-bubble. The thinnest we had of :\Ii-. Long was 5 Is sq- feet to the lb., V)ul at our lirst trial— to-day- we made 8 .sq. feet of a lb. of wax, and these with sharp clear walls. The artist who i4id the work. r.Ir. Washburne of whom we have before spc- ken.plaini.'d it alihou'zh we employed him by the hour and took a'l the risk of its liBinJ,- a failure. At jn-esent we can offer iia b 'ttcr rates than 7.ac. per lb., or 15c. ijer sq. foot, mado ol nice yellow wax; we h.ave not worked out the bleachiim; proc 'ss yet, but hope to before next month; wo are much iiclined'to think the yellow when made so ver.y thill, will never be noticed from the bleached. If .you think we are making; too much money at above prices, you cm Invj the machine for •^l.'iO.O'', and do it yourself. We will try and give a "real pieuire'' of it ne.\t month. If you wish wax worI;ed up, the price will be 50c perlb. SECTIOJlf Hi>ri!lEV BOXES. Feh. -28111 . — I is 5'oclock this Jlonday morrin?;; and v/c, my wife and I, have just "f;ot np,"she to do her washiui? as nsunl, and (, — not as usual— to try and tell you on this «over. by pickins out the types with ni.\ inexperienced fni- ;?ers. aViout my new invention in section boxes for holi'inir the comb foiin lations. From a 's hoard cut off pieces 5 inches Irnrv nnd irroove both ends of these jneces by push- in K over 4 sa-- s so phuvd on an arbor that they produce 4 erronves and t tomrui's of e(|iial thickness, and 3-l(! deep. Now if we rii) off :5-l(i striiis from th so pices, of course i\-K'li sli") will contain these ton.;aies -ind 'j:rooves, and l of tlicni will ii.aki- a frame wi'hout nails, but is too narrow mid his ro i)'a 'o in which tn fisl(>ii the foiinda'inns. Use tw ■ of tlie iiieces for both top and lioltoin, si'le bv side and if you pi ico them ri'.dil yon will h;ne left betwe;'n them just the spac- fur a;i inch strip, or a whole sheet of the fouiidatinns as ymi choose. I have jus! been and timed myself by a witch, and after till' arrooviivi- is done T can with till! U)OX- ower saw make a spctitm box in ,'-' minute. I'm the wax shoot betwei'ii the two top 7 iecees and press them up, llion put in the sides, and the wax will never iret xiit, even in shipping- In placing th' sections in t'uMiive, turn each alternate one so the usual top bars will be on one side, this will allow one section to bo pressed into the next, as it were, sufficiently to allow them to be handled, I)ut .yet allow them to to be broken apart raatlily when the.v are to be retailed. They are so liirht that we can send a du/en of them by mail jiost paid for 25 cents, or a sample with our new comb foundations for 5 cents. 1 >9»^^ For Book List see Feb. No.— Crowded out this month. Our .'500 hive covers are painted with two coats of paint, and have full directions on their under side, for the care of the bees, besides a queen re'j;ister card, all complete. Advertisements will be received at the rate often cents per line. Nonpareil space, each insertion, cash in advance; and we require that every Advertiser satisfies us of his rcs))onsibilit}' and intention to do all that he agi-ees. and that his goods are really worth the price asked for them. THE BOSS POTATa AVe lia vo it lii Conn^ton's Siii— I>rlse. After havin? tried nearly all the leading; new varieties, we Kive it the preference as a Standard Potatoe. on m-- count of its productiveness ; its good size for table use ; its earliness — ripening here the last of August ; its free- dom from rot ; its superior keepina and table qualities; preservinir well its whiteness ; its dry, flue grained meali- nfss, and its excellent flavor until .Inly and August. Price per bushel, Com pton's Snriirise $ .75 " " Brownell's B.'Hity 75 Three bushels or more to one address, jitr l)ushel 5(t Snowfl ike per ))eek 75c.; per Imshel -i.OO They will be .shipped in new Stark Mills grain sacks, price of sacks, each '16 JAS. H. TOWNLEY. Tompkins, Jackson Co., Mich. '.i-i WANTED. A GOOD brisk hand to take care of bees and garden: JTA, will give an interest or hire by the month. 3 ELI KETNER, Oskaloosa, Iowa. WJTI. W. CARY, Colerain, Franklin Co. Mass. Sixteen years exiierience in prointratina' Queens, direct from imjiorted mothers from the liest district in Italy. Persons purchasiirx (pu'i'iis or swarms from me will get what they bargain for. Send for cii(ailar. ."Jtfq «.» i«>iirN. Ciixiiliir C.C. VA.IT I>E1T.«*E:v, Ht'iit f !■«>(■! $ipi'Out Bi'uok, .Tluur. Co., JV.1'. Names of responsible parties will be inserted in either of the following departments, at a uniform price of lOc. each insertion, or $1.00 per year. JVmnes insertKcl in this department the first ti7ne witjioui charge. Those whose names appear below, agree to fnrnish Italian Queens the coming season for Si. 00 each, am- der the following conditions ; No guarantee is to be assumed of )nirity, safe delivery or anv thing of the kind, only that the Queen be reared from a choice, pure mother, and had commenced to lay when they Avere sjiippoil. They also agree to return the money at anytime when customers become impatient of such delay as may be unavoidable. Bear in liiind that he who sends the best Queens, put u)) neatest and most securely, will iirobably re- ceive the most orders. Siiecial rates for warranted and tested Queens, furnished on atqilication to any ot the parties. Names with*, use an lin|)orted Queen mother. II wantetl by mail, send lOc. extra. G. W. Dean, River Stvx. jMedina Co., Ohio. *J. Oatmnn & Co., Dundee, Ills. 3t2 *l)r. . I". II. Brown. Augusta, Georgia. i)tf *K. W. Hale, Wirt C. 11.'. West Va. ^ ti-(l *J.M.C. Taylor, Lewiston, Fred. Co., Md. lt(; Hive ]>IaiiiifaotTii'ci'!s. Who agree to make such hivi s, and at the prices named, as those described on onr circular. H. Palmer, Hart, Oceana Co., Mich. 11-4 1876. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 41 miCK I.IST OF THK OIFriOftENT PAKTS H1V13. Wc will setiii •■my of tliesi! pieces ))V unil, ii the posta.^e is inc'lutied with the remittance. We will pack them as well as we can, but should Ihey be broken in the mails, we em not be responsible. 1 f sent by express, we ituaran- tee site (leli\"ery. Express char.res are so variable, that it seems difficult to establish a uniform, and sitisf ictury rate ; yet if you choose to leave the mitter to us. we can prep ly eharices at .'vlwut the rates triven in the followim? table. If you cvn make a hotter arranireaieiit with your ii.^ent, do so by all means ; if not, send the money to us and we will prepay express when iroods are shipped. If your express olUce is not on a main line, from 25 to .50 ctsr mure must be added. This is rath''r indefinite, \ve are aware, but it is the best we can ilo. If ijoods ari> not want- ed at once, they cm be sent by frei!i;ht at one-h^.lf. or still less rates ; but it is very unwise U) wait until they are wanted, and then order by freiirht. As an illustration, we have taken a <'Over, a whole hive, and an extractor; they wei-th res|)ectively, about "2, 10, and 25 lbs. 1:A7E at which we CAX PRErAY EXPRESS CnAE."ES. Cooei: Hive. li-cfvactar New York .? .50 .$ .fio §1. 10 Ohie-iTO 25 .(!(> 1.00 San Francisco 3.00 1.00 (i.25 New Orleans 1.75 2.75 3.25 (talveston 2.00 3.00 3.50 Covers for hives, si/e 10x20, (by mail 30j. extra) S .30 These are made of irood jiine .5 16 in. tliick. framed M'ith metal and painted. They are so liitht they can be easily handled with one hatid, and yet the heavy rim prevents them being blown oil by the wind. Hoojis for forming the body of the hive (bv mail OSc. extra) '. Oi5 Division biirds for aay frime, self-adjuslin'.', metal ends ( b\ mail 1 2c. extr i ) 10 End hoards, used in all susiiended frame hives to hold the metal rabbets (by mail lOo. extra) 05 ^letal rabbets per pair (by mail 5c. extra) 05 Hoop with metal bars to liold section boxes (by mail 12c. extra) SO These bars hold the boxes just J inch above the fr.anics, iind are strong enouijh to hold over 100 lbs without in- jury. Frames with metal corners, any dimension (by mail te. extra! 0;J Closed end frames, nailed corners (bv mail lOe. ex- tra) 05 Section boxes each (by mail 4c. extra ) 01 Section boxes with irui les of bleached wax comb- foundation (bv mail 4c. extra) 02 Case with slass sides, just riirht to hold one sectimi, liox ornamented with fancy colored paper, lin- ished complete (by mail 12c. extra) 15 Tlv same without the srlass (by mail Gc. extra) 0 i Quilts 1 Jixlt)| (by mail Oe. extra) 25 Now, as wo know what everythin? costs, W(; can very soon srdt ourselves both in price and simplicity; in fact, we can do as th.ey do at the restain-ants kept on the Euro- ])ean plan; call for what you want, and pay for what you imU for, and nothina; more. CLOSED END QVINDT HIVE. Vs ihe ends of the closed-end Qninby frame, form the (■nils of the hive, this hive is the cheapest and simplest; thouirh not the easiest to handle. If you .are building up an apiary, you c in '.ret up a hive that answers .all purposes until the new colony is ready for surplus, by taking' it hoops, G frames and a cover; total expense 61-14, and the space that the other 4 frames would occupy, will hoM just 24 section boxes — do you see how we have made everylhin'j ^'o everywhere ? — .and then .you have a hive with surjjlns boxes and all, for SI. 3'^. It is true it is noi a very 1 irtre hivi^. liut it has a larirer brood apartment than is recommended by Doolittle and Jloore, and other srrcat comb honey men. The 21 boxes will hold about :'0 lbs; but if you want more, you c ui raise the cover, and put on a case of 27 more, or still hizhor, and put on two c ises ; each case ad- din '.; 7.5c (.¥1.00 with foundations) to the cost of the hive. If you M'ish to use the <'xlrictor. you c ui have 10 frames instead of G, and this will make your hive cost only i^l.'M. If yo\i want still more room, setanother just like it, over it, and you lixve a 20 frame hive for only .¥2.(;8. You can put on as many stories as you wish, and the hoops will al- ways mike a perfect weather-proof joint, and the i incli above and below the frames makes only 4 inch when they are put one above the other. Ill the .above estimates wc have said nothing of a divis- ion board or <(uilt. and some never use then; at all ; but unless st^mcthiuir be used over the frames, the bees are siire to attach tlieir combs to the cover. We prefer a quilt for this, but a ))iecc of thick, strong cloth will do. j thou!iii not as etiicient nor as tidy. If this frame is so cheap, and answers so well, it may bi- asked why wc do not stop here. Just because the frames must be ju'ied apart at their ends every time a hive is opened, because the fr.imes are of a necessity heavy h) handle, and because iv is almost impossible to avoid kill- iu'j; bees unless we work very slowly indeed, and keep a smoker const:intly by us to drive the bees out of the way. that the frames may be brought up together wilhon- crushing them. An expert can get along very well it is true, but even then have recentl.v iulmitted that many of their statements in regard to the matter have been too strouiT. It is one of the great points of disagreement ; and per- haps you who are in doubt, shoidd give both hives a trial. It were well to remark that this frame offers ci'eat advan- taws in the house apiary; for the frame may compose al- most the whole liive. Bore a hole in the ^^ ill just abov-,- tiie flour, or just above a shelf for the upper tier of hives: stand your frames aijainst the wall so as to cover tliis en- trance, and your hive is done ; to be sure you need a di- vision board to close the last fr.ime. and .a'clotli or quilt over the frame, when no boxes are on. Hives with suspended frames are built v.\) in the s unc way, and at about the sime expense, except that the metal corner frames cost one cent more each, and each hive must have two end-boards and a pair of rabbets, which adds just 25 cents for a 10 frame Langstroth hive. If we ii.se the Standard frame, we must add to the siee ci the hive by putting on two hoops — a hoop raises the walls of the, hive just \\ inches— and then we can hang the frames the other Avay, and put in 13. If we wish to use the American frame, we simply maku the end boards | of an inch thick and this brings it jusi right, for the Standard frame has a vvidtli Vl inches greater. When the G.allup fr imes are used, wc move one of the end boards nut until there is space behind it for a course of section boxes, and we then have 13 frames as with th<3 American and Standard. With any of these frames we can puf the brood in the centre, and use section boxes on one (jr both sides, and by this means we can, at any time, remove any frame without any disturbance to the boxes. This is a matter h.owever of no great importance, for it is seldom that there is any occasion for overhauling a hive when the bees are busily at worlv in the boxes. Now among all the combinations possible with thesm various frames and section boxes, does any one wish to know just what we would use V We will tell you with pleasure. We have used all these frames, and think it makes very little difference to the bees which one Iheii have, other thnurs being equal. But it sometimes makes quite a difference to the one who mast care for them. In making our esti\nate of what is needed, we shall keep vividly in mind what is slid in regard to Novice's barn, on another pau:e : and sliall try to avoirl gathering up a lot of traps that may after a time, not be needed. ALL THAT IS WANTED FOR ONE COLOSfT OP BEES. Sawdust I Ijushel 05 Two C(jvers at 30 cents each (M> Nino hoops at G cents each 51- Two end boards at 5 cents each 1" One piir of rabbets and screws 0<; < )ne division board 10 Ten Lanrstroth frames with inetal corners.. O't Ouill 25 .?2.30 We miglit have saved 25 cents in the above, liy nsiii'^r a broad board for the hive to set on, in place of the cxrnt cover; but the cover makes a much li',rhter bottom if the. hive is ever to be moved, and is so made that it stays nice- l.v in place. In fact the covers !lt into, or over the hoops so nicely, that this lower one has nearly all thoadvantn ires of a peimanent bottom board, yet the hive can be raised at any tiim; to brush out deul bels, etc., or for using any hive for an iqipor story when required. To use thi.* hive, pour the sawdust in a heap on the ground, then lay one of the covers on it, spreiwliiij: the sawdust out so tli it the cover will rest linn and level. If you caiuiol m iko it level by your e.ve, kce;) a spirit level to straighten thou up as often as they get to loaniui.-. Al- so, we v.(ndd ad\ ise ,vou to commence by having cich one set squarely east and west, the entrance to the south. Tho bottom board is to Iv th" same side up as v/he:i it is usr-d as a cover. When it is all right, place eight hoops ou it and stand th(; .J 4'2 GLEAXINGS IX BEE CUETURE. Mak. yii"r-']jHE loUowing- jetter was receivecl tuKl read JJLj clear throiii>;li, then dropped in tlic waste paper basket. After a while wc felt .guilty, lislied it. out, read it jjartly through asiaiii, and dropjjcd it in the basket once more after tellinp the writer there was xio other way ihaa for liini to Ktndy his subject. After tlie letter liad lain there two days, conscience beinf; at work ineanwliile, it was bronijht outaaain and care- fully coulcniplated ; the result being that wo decided to open this department. And this letter shall be the corner stone. When our friend comes "on the stage," you will bear in mind that he has been telling that he has one swarm of bees, and several new patent hives that have never been used, which he has ex- plained by diagrams, at length : A. I. KOOT, Eec].— i>ear Sir:— I am vu-tually a be- Sinncr. 1 have one st'Ck black bees. * * * * * Now do not tire. 1 want to utilize these hives ii I can by altering or otherwise. 1 want al&o to use only one hive. I intend to enlarjje to, sav 30,40 or iiO hives— may piirc'hasc some more l)lack bees in the spring— and . want to Italianize them all. Now let me here say that I am taking bee magazines and have bee journals, hut I like your Gleanings very much, jiariicularlj (he Fell. No. Now 1 am going to ask a great manv ques- tions, and ))lease keep temper, and do not weavy, and take your time. I hope my ou have a i-paec aLo\e lor suiplus honey bi xes, w i!h a caji to co\ er ih( m ? A. We woulil have !he ci'sis of boxes d(Miil(d in ibis nunibtr, and «eul( use Ihe cover (o ihe liive, over ihem. l.'i. Are ;im el he live 41.(0 hi\ts ycu eilcr lor sale anMhing bke Die Modest. S)iii)>licilv or l)esMoin(s Bee Co."s line, iill iil.H.tO I b(lie\e. A. The M.( 0 hives are the ."■.mj.iicilK.^, ;ind those Mis. Tu)ijier dVend were ■ ■(•)i]es ol ihdii. Many ff liie eo).Jc> were ml hahed )i) at, Ihe comers ; we dont know hew it is with the Alodest. )(;. ^V hal is nuant by side honev boxes, and how hxed. A. Boxes j.liicVd fit the Vidi s ol the inimcs nislead of on lop. 17. 1 c.innot umCibtiind the ucommt n(, alien lo UK'. juillsiujd (h;;lVler a Quinbv hive toketp it warm iinii ilien onlv lake ihe irames nidfiovs. A. If Ihe bees are kit 'rut, the-^ mav be )'a.-lied Willi ehair, il )utiii the cellar, can'v in 'onh ilie bcesard coinbs. J8. I do not understand closed^- eiidiranies. A. Knds m. ^^5de Ihat ihev close all tht M-ace. Mz: nearly H inelies. ]•). How" do jou keev Ihciu ittady, aiul od from ihe Lollom board? A. They I stand on ihe ends that jirriiect \ iiuli ; see diagrams of franus. 'JO. Do ihese Jl.t o hivt .■- and oihers open cii I oi;e si(k^ so \oii can easily exi.iiiiiie Ihe Irames? or ; must yon Hit all of them oiv liom alove, and tlien I ha\ e io M move ca)!, honey-bciard, suriihis boxes and j all? A. We belie\ e it i» the gt ner;.l lueision that the I latter is easiest, all things considered. i\. If so ther \ are no iiandier Ihaii Iheliise 1 have my be( s in. Yoii \ say druinuiiiig lues out is laboriotis. What other plan liave von.' 1 liavf no No. ol (ii.KAMM.s to reler to i except those > ou have sent me. A. The iSlay No. bc- ! fnie referred to. cenlains aU we know en the" subject. I \Ve will mail it to )( ii lor 10 cents, 1 ut we could hurd- Iv ! Il'ord IO write il all ov< r again lor as niiiny dollars. t'!( ase do not ll.ink iis imkiiul or disobliging. 'J2. You say ti (! advantage of llie Manitaid over the Baugs- trotli is. that it w ill liold -.'(i irames. Is it ik i a duratile hive? and will not tlie Baniasliolh hold its many dniibl',' also? .\. Slandaid hive is ilouble width, I.angslrolli doul/le in liiight. The flames ol the latter are too long to be s|,rea)i("ii otherw ise than iroin ihe top, but I might tliink dillerenlly were I to st e llam. A. Hives liave been ut-ed wiih'lraiius made to take out at the side, but alter you have riiiuivou must not onijL miniitia-, thinking because it is pilain and old, every- body knows it; lor here is where most of the unini- tiated fail or lack knowledge. Now with your expe- rience as a beo-keeper, and your knowletlge as to hives, you should be able at once to say what kind of a hive will combine the most essential qualities; anil if any one does not, why not alter or change it so it will ? 1 see that King & Slocnm say they have en- deavored to make such a hive, and ca'U it the Eclectic hive. It seems to have a recess similar to the Flan- ders hive I have described. In advising me. be not jirejudiced against any, but name the best on its mer- its alone, for convenience of manipulation, and sur- plus honey. Give me your opinion of the Electic hive. A liive should not cost as much money as they charge. It should be simple, not intricate. If the Irames could be examined and taken out without moving honey boxes, it would be an advantage, but 1 do not see how it can be done. A. There are many hives that allow of this, but the disadvantages are usu- ally greater than the advantages. 25. Some say, the closer the boxes to the brood, or frame, the better; then how will you get closer than when pulling the boxes right on the Irames. A. By using a shallow frame you get the boxes closer to the brooil than you possibly could with a deep one. iij. AVhat is your opinion of my using, or utilizing in any way these new Flander's hives. A. "Utilize" as kinuling wood any hive or thing that such men as Mitchell, llandcrs and the rest of that crew ever reconniicndcil. '27. 1 have () of them which never have been used tor bees. Say I purchase a lew swarms of black liees tliis spring and say I do not. Would you recommend nie to divide the swarm I have, and in so doing put it into another hive, and then divide again so as to have two new .swarms or colonies— or would you let them swaim themselves? Perhaps thev may'not swarm; and per- haps if I am not at home they may go off. In either event say what you wemld do? If you wou.n (.vide say when, at what time, and give me yonr i r< c A. We certainl) would not recommend you to purchase more bees at present, unless the one you have dies. '28. I have never divided a sw ai m. but I have gloves and bee-veil, and 1 Ihink I can do it with iiroper instruc- tions, OK. I shall try any how. 1 suffer very nuich from a bee sting, but by using saleratus after"pu!ling cut the sting, moisten it, put on the spot and rub il in, I nev( r have it swell anv more. It used to lay me up lor nearly a week, if slimg about ihe face or neck. A. To Ic traiik liiend F. we would advise you lo de- Inj consideiing the matter of division enlirelv. until about next June; if you will excuse the llbeftv, von iietd piaclice more thiin vou do gloves. '2'.). ''.V"ha"i is meant by section honey boxes? A. Boxe^^ composed of sectioiifc, and each section made to centain a single cemb. :;0. King & Slocim say thi j have been asked '.o f;ive a ccmplete and n.innie dtscriiition of the I^c- 1 ctic hive, and rejily that the better way is to send lor iS76. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 4:J NE W AD VEIi TI SEME NTS. HONEY PLANTS AND TREES. (liinese 3histard, 1 ib., f 1.50 : t oy... I5c. : per pkt., Tif. lilack Mustard, Alsike Clovtr, Cotumou Suvjlower, '•;Kdi, I lb., 40f.; ^ lb.. 2f)C. Vetches, Rape, ench, 1 lb., 2. Half pound or over, if to be ^ent V)y mail, add one cent fier ounce for postage. Remit !it our risk, by 1'. O. Order, on Milton, Wis., or uy Registered Letter, or Exi)ress, to Koshkonong, Wis. Address plainly, < '. i^. Lane'.** iV. ^V. A.i>iary «fc &^eocl "Wax'clioiiisc. t-'i Koshkonong, Rock Co., Wis. 125 Colonies Italian Bees For Sale at $7.50 Per Colony --10 for $70.00. Bred from Imported Mothers ; are in good movable frame hives, well painted; arc in good condlliou. 3tfd M. PAR.se, Pine Bluff, Ark. I have a lot of Strictly Choice seed, collected from cultivated ijlants by M. Nevins. of Cheviot, O., which 1 will sell at 5oc, per oz., or at Stl.OO per lb. CHAS. F. MUTIl, 3 Sd Cincinnati, O. IMatorial tox* Laiigstrotli Hives, Including 10 frames and 7 inch cap, cut ready to nail for 80c., in lots of 30 or more. Kiln drinl pi'ne lumber used. AddreB.s J. OATMAN & CO., 3-4p Dundee, Kane Co.. 111. <^xieeiis. lW7'(i. 15©es. Bee-keepers in want of First Class Queens, (Import- ed or home bred,) Nuclei or Full Swarms, should get Jhem at the Keystone Apiarv. I'rice list, tree. Ad- dress KEYSTONE APIARY,' Corry, Pa. 3-.'> HOIVEY JBEES. SEND for E. W. Hale's price list of Queens for the year . _ 187(5. All Queens raised in full colonies and from Im- ported mothere. No Bee disease in mj- localitv. ■i-7d Address, E. W. HALE, Wirt C. fl., W. Va. Foil HAT^i:. TWILL sell material for Standard Laiigstroth Hives, of good pine, cut ready to nail, e\ery thing complete ex- cc))t nails and glass for .$1.50 each. F. M. DICKINSON, Wlutney's Point, 2-;*il Broome Co., N. Y. Glass HOUEY BOXES. .Txist the tiling,' foi* IJox: Ilortej'. rrRST PREMIU31 AT N. Y. S. FAIR, 1874 AND 1875. Circulars free. C. R. ISHAM, Peoria, N. Y. 2-3p SEEHDS- "OOCKY MOUNT.MN Bi^e Plant ,sceO3!:i> WXJCCIilSH. Orders for 1 Pound Samples, .^L.iO, Postage Paid. Orders for 10 Pounds, per lb. .^^1.20, " •' Address, JOIi:^" T^OI^"«, BOX G, STATION C, 2p-tf JVcw Tork. Italian Queen Bees & FxillColonlcs AND Pure Bred Fancy Poultry for 18T6. For Circular, Address Postal Card to Lowell. Garrard Co., Ky, 2p-5 R. M. ARGO. Italian Queens For 1876. Having disposed of all the black bees in our vicinity we are prcijared to furnish Choice Queens, bred from Imported and iSeleeted Mothers. Careful attention be- ing given to the selection oi Iirone Mothers ; allowing none but those selected, to produce them. At the following low prices we will furnish 1 Un wan-anted Queen $ 1.00 Safe arrival warranted on orders for six or moi'e. 1 Warran ted Queen 1.50 1 doz. Warranted Queens 1.5.00 1 Tested Queen in May or earlv June :i.b(> 1 " " after June 25th 2.50 1 doz Tested Queens after June 23th 25.00 NUCLEUS STOCKS. Small Nucleus Hive and Tested Queen $ S.-W 2 Full Sized Frames U-12 and Warranted Queen.. 4.00 4 •' " " " " " .. 6.00 1 Colony Pure Italians 10.00 Satisfaction guaranteea. Address, J. OATMAN & CO., 2-4p7d Dundee, Kane Co., Hie. ^O Colonies OF Pure ITALIAN BEES. Full Colonies in hives with 10 Langstroth frames, S14.00. Queens all reared in 1875 from Imported Moth- ers. Puritv and safe arrival guaranteed. Address, E. C. L. LARCH, M. D., 2t5 Ashland, Boone Co., M«. Colonies of Italian Bees for Sale. On account of my failing health, I will sell and ship, between May 1st, .and May 20th, 500 Colonies of Italian Bees, in S-frame Langstroth movable-comb hives in good condition in every respect, and guarantee safe arrival if ordered in lots from 1 to 20, shipped by Ex- jiress, for the following prices : Single Colonies, ?11.0() ; 2 to 0, $10.50 ; 7 to 20, §10.00 ; 21 to 500, ^9.00. Hybrids, f>0 cents less. Orders must include cash, or will not be noticed. If large lots are ordered the inirchaser must run his own risk of safe arrival. Having winteied 1,400 colonies I will doubtless be able to make a satisfactory selection. ADAM GRIMM, Jan. 10, '76.' 2-ees smd stores. By purchasing these smill colonies, all danger of losimr the queen in introduction is avoided ; besides they can soon be Iniilt up into stronsr stocks. "This is to certify that Dr. J. P. IT. Brown, receives Italiiu Queen Bees throii.rh this oliice, imported direct from Italy." R. J. V. H. BROWN, Augusta, Georgia. HOUEY EXTHACTORS! Made Entirely of Metal. IVo "W^oocl .^l>oxit Tlieiia. i*«j<:i5:«, ssis-.'so to sio.oo. Circulars ivitli directions for use on application. IN ORDERING, be particular to give us outside dimen- .svo;/,'; of frame or frames to be used. As we have pro- cureil tlie machinery for making every part on our own premises, we can supply Gearing, Honey Gates, Wire Clolh, etc., etc. Bearings, Stubs' Steel— Boxes, self-oiling. A. I. ROOT, Medina, Ohio. P. S. — Bo sure and give width, under top bar of frame. Averill Chemical P*aiiit» TilK OXil' RELIABLE. Tin: MOHT BEAUTIFUL. THE MOST EOOXOMICAL. THE MOST DURABLE. Requires no oil thinner or drier, Require-^ no waste oftinx! in mi.xing, Has .stood eiijhi ycam' critieitDiis Witli i/enrli/ iricraiscd pupiiinrity Anil yeatii/ increased sales. Is sold by the gallon only, in packages of from 1 to 40 gallons each, in Purest White and any Color or Tint desired. Addiiiss, for sample card of colors and price list. A-v'erill dieniical Paint Co., Office and Factory i;52 & 134 East Kiver Street, CLEVELAND. OHIO. ^I'jl^ mMMAmm mmmmw ^^Mmmm 1 lb. Round Jars per gross f^S-iO 3" • " 7..'>H Corks " '• 7.5c. and Loo is Pt. Honey Tumblers, plain or ribbed, per doz. . -ft) () do^. in a box. Packages 40 )< Pt. Honey Tumhlers, plair. or ribljed, ])er doz. . .Mt <; doz. in a box. Packagt^s 4.') !i Pt. Honey Tumblers," Tin Top, i)er doz Co (i doz. in a liox. Packages 4o M Pt. Honey Tumblets, Tin Top, per doz "i^t G doz. in a box. Packages 4r> Also Window Glass, Lamp Chimneys, and Glass- ware of all kinds. For sale by B. L. FAHENr^TOCK. late B. L. Fahenstock, Fortune & Co., Ghass Manufac- turers, 71) Wood St., Pittsburgh, Pa. Hit FUtil, STOCKS of as good yellow bees as are produced in anv country at tl5.00 each. 2p " J. M. MARVIN, St. Charles, 111?. EDLEY OF BEE-KEEPERS, Containing the photographs of over 150 of the Bee-Keepers of America, HIZE, 11x14 i:VCHE^. "Will Ibc mailed securely packed. for%1.00. Wc mention beloiv a fcAv of tl»e most prominent pictures contained. L. L. Langstroth ; Mrs. Langstroth ; M. Quinby : Capt. J. E. Hetherington ; Dr. Hamlin ; Adam Grimm ; Samuel W^agner ; James Bolin ; Frank l^entoii ; H. A. Burch ; Prof. A. J. Cook ; C. P. Dadant ; G. M. Doohttlc ; E. Gal- lup ; JMrs. Geiseler nee Kalie Grimm ; J. P. Moore ; Chas. F. Muth : Mrs. E. S. Tupper ; R. Wilkin ; W. M. Kellogg ; E. .1 Oilman : Prof. J. P. Kirtland ; A. J. Murray; "Sci- entilic" ; L. C. Root ; S. B. Parsons ; Vv'. W. Cary, etc., etc. It will be sent as a premium for 4 names to Gleanings at S1,00 each. A. I. ROOT, Medina, Ohio. XT'IND RE.\DER, if you are in any way interested in we will with pleasure send von a sample copy of our Monthly "GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE." Simply write your address plaiulv on a i)ostal caixl and address A. I. ROOT, Medina, Ohio. You cannot look over the back No's of Glkanixgh or any other Periodical with satisfaction, unless they are in some kind of a Binder. AVho has not said— ''Dear nie what .a bother — 1 viust have la>t month's Journal and it's no where to be foiind." Put each No. in the Emerson Binder as soon as it comes and you can sit down happy, any time you wish to find any thing you may have prbvioiisly seen even though it wei'e months ago. Binders tor Gleanixgs (will hold them for four years) gilt lettered, free by mail fo)' ,iO, 60, and 75c, ac- cording to quality. For table of prices of Binders for anv Periodical, see Oct. No., Vol. i. Send in your orders. \. I. ROOT. Medina. O. AVe will send Gleanings— With The American Bee Journal (S'2.00) $2.7.'^ " The Bee Keeper's Magazine (1.50) 2.'25 " The Bee World ( 2.00) 2.5o " All three, The Bee Journals of America, . ..5.2.'^) " British Bee Journal (S2,00) 2,75 " American Agriculturist (Sl.OO) $2.35 " Prairie Farmer (|-2. 15) 2.ilO " Rural New Yorker ( J2..'j0) 3.25 " Scientilic American ($115) 3.90 " Fruit Recorder and Cottage Gardener (Sl.OO) 1.75 lAhovc rates include all Postage.] Books for Bee-Keepers. SE;NT postii;uEVOTEr> TO BEJESS AIM> IIOIVEY. A^Siy IIO]>J[X£: HVTERGESTS. A. I. ROOT, ~) Published Monthly. rTERMS: Sl.OO Per Annum in Ad- Piiblishci- and Proprietor, \ - vance; 3 Copies /or »2.50; 3/or »3.T5: Medina, O. ) JEstaTjllshed in 1873. ClO or more, 60c. each. Single Number 10c. Vol. IV. MARCH 1, 1876. No. 3. CAlilFORNIA. BEAR NOVICE: If I wait mitil 1 receive the January number of Gleanings before I write you, my (■omniunication \vill not rcaeli you in time for Feb. No. Does not this remind you tliat wc need a Bee-Journal on this coast ? How would it suit yovi to come to Los Augelos, or somewhere else on the coast, and publish Gleanings here? You can lind plenty of nice places to put up your windmill, and will have nice breezes to run it. There is no doubt in my mind that Southern Califor- nia is the best place in the T'nion to make the bee- business pay. Our resources are only very imijer- fectly developed as yet, in that direction. Wc want more thorouqh bee-Ueepers; men who understand the l>usines8 and n-ill irork. We want a lirst-class Journal too, to help us in dev^'loinng- this pleasant and profit- able pursuit. We want a better market. How would it do for us to open a trade with Europe ? I think we could ship honey to Great Britain at a very moderate cost. V'essels are sailing almost continually from San Francisco and Aspinwall, and even if we could not get them to touch liere, we could send our honey to San Francisco and from there to Eiverpo il or Edin- burgh, at a cost probably not exceeding '2 cents per lb.— that is by a sailing vessel. Now if we had a re- liable house to send our honey to we certainly would realize a better price than at present, or even better than we could anywhere in the United States. The great trouble in America is that retailers always charge too much for their services ; while in England or Scotl.and a retailer works for much less profit. ,It seems to me that wo could realize much more for our honey. In Scotbmd I understand that strained or ex- tracted honey retails at SOcts. ]ier lb.; of this the re- tailer will not want more than 5cts., while in America he would want I'ii or l.octs. Please give us your idea on this subject, and also the name of some rcliaMc house in Liveriiool, Edinburgh and other imijortant cities of the old world. It would be a source of great satisfaction to us if we could have a sm-e and reliable market for our honej'. There are many men coming to this and adjoining counties to go into the "bee business." There is one great fault with them all. They expect to find a l)leasant place in some beautilul canyon, well provid- ed with plenty of i)ure watef and a small field of nice cultivating land— a good place for a few cows, a num- ber of chickens, etc., etc. Now these places have all been taken up long ago ; but still there are i)laces equally as good for bees, yet troublesome to get to, .and probably no water except by digging some '20 or :'.0 feet. There is an immense amount of honey wasted every year for want of gathering, and there "is room for many more bee-keepers here, if they will consent to work hard for a week or two to make a road to their location, as well as go a little farther from the railroad. Iledwooil lumi)er which makes excellent hives is $i,5 per M, dressed on one side. The season is fast coming on for transferring bees, with us at least. I will therelore give a tew hints ou TKANSFIUIRING. My assistant drums the bees out of the old hives in- to an empty box (I suppose it is unnecessary to de- scribe minutely this and other sim])le operations so often described in books and journals,) and brings the hive into the honey-house. I then cut the combs loose from the sides of hive with a long piece of iron sharnenetl like a chisel : then nry open the box and cut the combs out carefull)'. More skill is needed in ' cutting out combs than in i^nv other operation ol transferring. In cutting out combs separate them, laying all straight nice worker comb not filled with honey on a board by itself. Reject all drone comb and put honey into strainer. For f istening comb into frames I have provided an extra number of side bars of frames, and remove the triangular guide from top bar of frame. I then i)lace the frame over a comb and trim the comb to fit, using all the economy with combs that I can. It does not make a particle of dilVerence whether the comb goes into the frame with the same edge up as it was in the old hive, the books to the con- trary notwithstanding. Of course if a comb will fit into a frame with its top edge daivn, it will also fit witli the to]) edge up, ami we alwavs put such combs into the frame in their natural position. But should a comb fit better by putting its top edge to the side of frame, we never hesitate one second. I have trans- ferred thonsands this way and never saw anv dilfer- ference. It is seldom that we find a conib large enough to fill the whole frame, hence we fit it into one side of the frame and place an extra side bar in the frame, pressing it up closely against the c inb, ami nailing both at toj) and bottom. This holds the com!» steady. If you prefer to remove this extra side bar you can do so, but it will be but little in the wav. If a comb is not large enough to roach from top to bot- tom of frame, I trim the edge against which 1 press the extra side bar, a little beveled, making the bottom edge narrower, thus : This will hold the comb firmly to the side and top of frame, and bees will soon fill the empty spic ; beloiv. I sometimes i)ut in two extra bars to "hold as many pieces of comb in the same frame. I have done a arcat deal of transferring, tn-obablv as much or more than any other man in the U. S., and I find this the easiest, quickest and most secure way of fastening combs in frames. If a trame is only i artly filled it is well to put a guide on under side of" top bar, iu the eni|)ty space. After combs arc all fastened in frames, if the weather is warm and bees are doing well and will build comb immediately, it is well to al- ternate frames filled thus, with empty frames in the new hive. After all are arranged, hive the bees in the new hive and ])lace on the old stand. The whole operation does not take me over 20 minutes. A M ATE UU. You have had far more experieuce frieud A., yet we can but think that our readers prener- ally would succeed much better by omitting the drumming out part entirely. We heartily sympathize with you iu regard to exporting honey, and hope our readers in the countries named will lend you their co- operation. "We think our Journal will be of more value to the mass of our readers, if we stay in a lo- cality where we hnce constant dillicultics to contend with. 46 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mai{ WHY »0 BEES DESEKT TUEIR HIVES 1 ^^IDITOR GLEANINGS :— This moruiirr wasl'beauti- mm ful but sDiTiewliat windy ana the byes wero on the i^^r-^ wina:froni all our hives, and carr>nu|i in pollen iToelv. The Jai)anf'se quinces, which are in full bloom, wer." tlnoii'-'ed with bees. It was from this they were :^ath('rin'.c pollen. Well, we had a very, very stninare freak occur with our l)ees to-dav. We had been around to every hive and dis- covered nothinu wrons. We then went to the house and had been seated but a short time, when a nei.Lrhbor came in. and infonned us that a swarm of bees had ah','hted on .and entered one of his hives. We visited the spot and found that a c>msiderab!e warfare iiad been s^oinsr on. He informad us that the swarm came from tlie direction of our apiary, so we returned and found one of our hives hesiej^- ed by robbers. We opencil and examined it— found f re.sh- ly la'id eggs in abundance— showin'i- that they were not quoenless. also larv£e, sealed brood and an aliundanee of .stores, iK)llcn, capped and uncapped hone.\ . Now, for the life of mo I can not conceive what made them desert their hive. Can yon give us any light ? I never lieard'of anvtliing of the kind l>efore ; on the cxmtrary, my understandiu'; has been that they would not desert Ijroo'd, but here they desert hone.v, pollen, eggs, larva; and brood. Wm. J. Andrews. Columbia. Tenn., Jan. -23. 187G. Since the wlutering maladies, such case.s have been quite frequent in. some localities, al- though as a general thin;:, we believe it is mostly confined to weak colonies. In our own apiary, it seems most lilcely to occur on some very warm pleasant day, say the first one after a long cold spell ; and it seems to happen es- pecially, in hives where they have just com- menced to hatch out their first lot of brood. One of our neighbors, a few years ago, had something like 40 colonies swarm out thus in one day, but they were all properly nuclei. As a general thing, strong, full colonies will not do this, although there may be exceptions. The want of pollen has been ascribed as a cause, but such seems not to have been the trouble in your case ; we think diflerent causes may have produced the discontent, for discon- tent it undoubtedly is; but that feebleness in numbers is the great main one. At one time it was suggested that indoor wintering had something to do with it, and that a poor queen might be the cause of the stampede ; but many reports, and introducing such queens to other strong colonies, have dispelled all such theo- I'ies. That they evidently are dissatisfied with something, and wish to shake it off, or that they, like some "humanity" cannot let well enough alone, is about as far as we can go. We believe we liave had no case reported wliere a -very strong colony with plenty of everything tlius deserted. Since writing the above we see by the Maga- zine, that "Walks and Talks" had even a more serious time than did we on that pleasant New Year's day ; his, in the shape of this same swarming out mania. The reason suggested by tlie Editors, will hardly apply to the cases that have come under our ovrn observation, for we have seen the bees go through all the swarming movements at such times — page 53, Vol. Ill — and our neighbor Shaw mentioned above, tried caging the queens witli a great number, but it made no difference at all;"they swarmed out all the same. We trust friend Burch will suffer no serious loss by the strange freak ; as we gather by hi;^ remarks that liis colonies were quite strong,Mt mystifies tliis trouble more than ever, and we would advise a careful watch when the bees arc first put out. WHY DOES THE QUEEIV EAY ERGS THAT A«E TVEVER USEO ? ETC. fF the weather coiiti:)ue.s wann ought rye meal to be given the lx«s a.s early as they will carr.y it in V 1 , notice that they destnjy the eggs — or rciiiove them from tlie combs. Is it because they have no bread of» which to rear brood ? The weather for twent.v days has been warm enough to matui-o brood. And the \vant of bread is the only reason I can assisii for their not re-arimc brood plentifully. Is it because the pix»per time has not arrived, and tlieir instinct teaches that it wilt not do to attempt to rear brood, when a cold snap is liable to come at any time and chill it V Then why don't the same in- stinct teach the queen not to la.v egss ? I will have 32 colonies to begin with this sca.son, is of them with pure Italian queens. Seventeen >n Langstroth, and the re- maining hfteen in the American hive. I intend to trans- fer them all into the Langstroth, as that is my choice. I am only an amateur apiarian, and the veriest novicf^ at that. I only began it to employ my time when uoj profcssionallv en^a.'.-ed — liut am very fond of it. .Tso. E. Fky 31. I).. Lynnvdle. Tenn.. Jan. 0th. ■;';. We don't know, but are inclined to fear that feeding them too early sometimes is a detri- ment. We have often noticed that the queen lays many eggs in the spring that are never used, especially if the colony is small. Some- times it is on account of a want of pollen, again it may be paucity of numbers ; and most, of us have seen the qu«en clear outside of the cluster when an occasional v/arm day inter vcnes ; but these eggs disappear daily and others talie their place, showing that the queen at least is dispo.sed to do her part. Just how far a nicely fitting division board and con- i tracted brood nest may help matters, we arc at i present unable to say ; but we hope our read- ers will help us to experiment in tlie matter. ! That the proper season has little or nothing to ' do with it, we demonstrated perfectly in our ! experiments with the glass house, for we rear- I ed brood and perfectly formed Vices every I month in the year, by giving them an artificial warm temperature. With a very populous colony tlie eggs will be cared for, and hatch ! health}' bees even when we have a zero temper- 1 ature. And we are much inclined to thiuk the ! queen is perfectly in the right, and that it is • an unnatural state of affairs when there are I not bees enough to care for the eggs she lays. ! After the honey season has closed and the I great time of brood rearing is over for the sea- i son, the queens are much disposed to take a } sort of a rest, hut projier temperature, and I fresh daily accession to their stores will very ; soon start them up again, as we have rei:)eated- ly proved, both out doors and in the glass ! house. i The L., or some other shallow form of frame, I we think is to be the one most generally used ! in the future. One of the very best essays on j hives and frames that we have ever seen, is given by the Rev. J. W. Shearer, in the Feb. j No. of the Bee-Keener's Magazine. EIGHT COEOKEO BEES. ^ HAVE to record the past season as the most unfavor- j![| able for hone.v in this locality v/e have had for man.v ~i] .years. No snrjjlus honijy, not even etiough to spread one "piece." Only an average of seven lbs. to the hive lirst of Oct. Bees iti abundance all summer. H.ave led most of them and stored in cellar, where my bees have always wintered to m.y entire satisfaction for man.v ye?irs. Some colonics that were entirely destitute of honey Oct. 1st, were allowed to perish outrij:ht— althou?rh they were fine lookiuiT Italiuis, wc did not deem it economy to keep such iioor honey gaiherer.s. I was among the lirst if not the first to introflucc th'; Italian bee in the state of Tirjiuia ; and have always 1876. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 47 inken Rreat pniiifl and pride in brcedinar these bees up to 1 lie greatest degree of docility niul briKhtness. but now I :iiii compelled to say that tluy have disappointed mo most iiitterly as honey gatherers, and I have been superseding 1 hem l)y the dark •eoiorevl Jiaji:»js. The poor hylirids 1 tised to liii;ht sii vigorously are now permitted (as lon^ as Ihe drones :ir(^ jmre) to rest in peace with their blunt smoky n|ji»t>araiK"e and weJl filled honey combs. Now I -^lo not like to "tto back" on these hriuht bees, but it is my honest conviction that they are inferior as workers in Kiimparison to the dark colored Italians or hybrids. I know many breeders wiJl feel a Utile sore and indijmant :U these statements, but I am willing to stake ail my <':(rthly possessions on the assertion that every breeder of clear observation has, to his great disapiwintnient been <'onipeiled 1o acknowledge what I here do, relative to this inferiority of the bright colored bees as honey galhereis find comb buiSders. I have some queens from imiwrted mothers, that pro- vince very dark bees ; some producing what I take to be hybrids, and in ail of these colonies there arc enough stores to carry them through, while my liuest looking bees were entirely destitute at lirst of Oct. In Italianizing bees for a neighbor living three miles from my ai>iary, I took from one of his hives a native <(Uoen that had mated, with, an Italian drone, and to test 1 he matter I introduced her into a hive in my yard, (being <'areful to not let ar.y of her drone progeny mature), and. 1 h:ive never yet had a queen of any kind or cross that {iroduced workers that would bear a favorable coinjjarison !o the bees from this queen, as comb builders ane imuse, and wish to canstruet a lamp water heater. !K)t mily for (he iiurjiose asily from one to the other. My house is only partiy I'niished, hut when my plans are carried out, I shall give yuxx full diagrams of the yard rmd house. Bees are all right thus far, in the cellar. I have ob- served one thing friend Novice, in relation to wintering out doors, I don't care how cold the weather from Dec. until Feb., bees will .generally live ; but from Feb. out, cold weather tells upon them fearfidly. Did you ever hear of r/ood stock's dying during the (irst half of winter ':' J. H. Maetin, Hartford, N. Y., Dec. loth, 187U. We think your better halfi.s probably quite excusable for calling you the names meutioned, judging from some similar experience we have had ; and this reminds us that the bee-keeper's golden rule should be to leave no untidiness — not to mention stickiness — about his wife'.s do- main, that he would object to having her leave about in his place of business. Even farmers sometime scold like—like — "mea folks" when the "women folks" happen to come into the barn and scatter things about, or carry oft' the ax, hammer, or some other tool; and now while keeping bees, be careful that you use your wife's room and implements precisely as you would have her use yours. A very safe wa}' is to provide large newspapers — heavy sheets of brown paper will be better if you are going to do much daubing, and we know from experi- ence that when a man starts out you never know how 7mtch of a muss he will make before he gets through— and spread them out in such a way that you can clear all up in a twinkling when you are done. This is a simple matter but you may get disgusted with yourself un- less you do take some pains to keep things neat and tidy. Go about your work as if you were expecting visitors every miuute ; keep things so clean and orderly that you can pre.'ierve a pleasant smile during all your work, just as you would if you were running a new locomo- tive that you had built all yourself. Please don't ever get down so low as to ncold either your wife or children, whatever absurd thing they may do or say. A father should at all times bring sunshiue into the household ; and by the way we will end this subject now, if you will permit us to advise the women folks in future to call us men folks to our senses by the appellation "old sunshine" instead of "old beeswax," and if we don't look good natured and submissive at once you can set us down as "poor cre'ters." Wg can find no fault with the plan of the lamp nursery, but would suggest that it be so arranged that the lamp stands at least one foot below the nursery, as this gives a much better effect than if the chimney of the lamp is closer. A nursery made of tin, does not last very long, unless taken better care of than our own has been, but as it was for an experiment, we made it of the lightest tin, and then left the wtitcr standing in it not only all summer, but actual- ly left it so late that it lYoze up, and it is hard- ly strange that it now troubles by leaking. After you are through with it for the time, it should be carefully drained and dried; your wife knows how. We have thought of making them of copper or galvanized iron, but both of these would be objectionable if u.sed for melt- ing candied honey. If made of heavy tin and carefully u,scd, they will doubtless last 8 or 10 years. One inch space between the walls is ample, and perhaps to inch would answer; 48 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mak but the larger the body of water, the longer will it hold an even temperature, even if the lamp should burn out. The outer and inner walls should be united by short strips of tin, to prevent the walls bulging when tilled ; about one such piece in the centre of each side, and two between the bottoms, will answer. Colonies with thin watery stores, frequently die in Jan., and sometimes in Dec. Two cases have occurred in our vicinity where bees died of the t)ee disease — apparently — in early win- ter; one was fed on very poor maple syrup, and the other on sweet apples boiled up to save buying sugar. P. S. — Instead of the sheet iron box, we have always used a stove that we l^ought for a very small price, from a heap of old iron. Before we moved it into the house apiary we borrowed some advice and stove ])lacking of Mrs. B., and it soon was in very fair trim to show to visitors. Of course the lamp is perfectly safe when shut up in the stove, and as the top lifts off, the nursery is just at the proper height above the lamp, without any fixing. GKAFTINti QUEKN CELI^S. 'Jr SHALL describe the operation l)y this name for i"l] want of a better. This is no lani'ilul theory, but >r^ a matter of fact which is easily accompliblied in llie following manner : Select queen cells with larva; not more than 3(5 hours old ; with steady hand gently insert a sharp-pointed instrument under ihe larva and lift it out without dis- turbing the roi^al jelly. Carelully replace it with an- other larva about the same age, "taken Irom the brood >>( a ciioice (luecn. If skilltuUy done the bees will nurse it into a (jueen just as readily as il it were of their own brood. That such (jueens arc as good as any, when reared at tlie pioi)er time, wuh the necessary (;onditions for rearing good queens, has been abund- antly proven the past season. 1 liave II sucli queens all of wliich were very prolific and became the motli- ers of powerful colonics, all of wliicli were crowdeil, iu two-story and double-wi. Ashland, Boone Co., Mo. We can add our testimony to the above, hav- ing reared a number of fine (lueens by this method last fall. In one case we found it the only way we could get the start of a hive of vicious hybrids ; but justice demands that the credit of the discovery be given our friend J. L. Davis, of Holt, Mich. He first gave the particulars on page 107, Vol. 2 ; naming it Davis' Transposition Process. AVhen we visit- ed him last fall, w'e saw some beautiful queens, reared from larvic which we sent him by mail the year before. ■■l^ H.VVK now on hnnrt only about 1.100 lbs. of my last !»|| .voar's "ci-op" of iwtr.icicd honey. I have shipped 1 1=4 barri'l at 1.") cents delivered, and have sold at retail nearly -J, too lbs.; mostly in pulls \aryinir in size from 1 quart to .j gallons, at from l.'j to 20c. per Ih., acconlin'j; (o kind arid quality. My retail trade in extracted honey is .■mmr.iUy increasing, while 1 have not changed the price ill three yevrs, which is certainly not veri/ discouraujinL', consideriui;- the fact that I am in the backwoods, ci^ht miles or niuro from cvcrywlterc. 1 have no desire to dissuade any one from taking just .such course m the management of his bees as he iliinks will result to him in the greatest profit ; yet, 1 think thei-e is one fact which those who contemplate a return to the production of bo.x lioney should not overlook, viz: That while tlu-re has lieeu a material decline in tlie price of nearly all articles nv|uired for family use, there has been no corresponding change in the pri(;e of box honey. It must come sooner or later, and a general return to the production of comb honey would only hasten that result. Since writing the above I have received Gle.inisos for Feb., and can not resist the temptation to add tliat it af- fords me the greatest pleaMire to see in it "right smart'" symptoms of returning reason on this subject. Others may do as they [dease, but as long as 1 can obtain three limes as much extracted as box lioney, and can sell the former at more than half the price oi the latter per lb., me and my bees wiii pile it in Parrels. J. H. Tow>ley. Tomkins, Mich., i'eb. 4, 1876. In 1874 I solil a barrel of candied l)as8wood honey to a grocer, and calling on him last fall, founil about one- third of it still on hand ; and upon testing it founil that it liad undergone a decided change for tlie better, and was the most delicious sweet that I ever jnit into my mouth. Tlie barrel had set near the stove all the previous winter, was umlisturbed iluring the summer and hail thus ripened and greatly improved. It had not harilened any more, being near the bottom of the barrel without any ilrainage. Last fall 1 had a barrel half full of basswood honey which candied while the oarrel lay on its side. lu turning it up to take the head out, the honey stood up as lirni as a cheese, and in a good condition to drain, one-half the barrel being emptj. The upper part of the honej- became quite liard and w bite, and I cut out chunks and wrapped it up in paper for customers. Having seen some account of sugar being made drj- by throwing out the molasses by centrifugal force in a perforated revolving cyliniler, the idea struck nic of sending a barrel of candied honey to some sugar reli- nery to have it operated u|)on to see what could be mai'te of it ; but I have not been in a situation to do so, and I now make the suggestion to those who may have a better opportunity of doing it tlian f have. Could it not be tried in your impioved extractor on a SMiall scale to see it the "liquid portion could be thrown out? Thaduei's Smith, Midway, Ky., Feb. 4th, ■70. We confess to have at first, been much ela- ted at the idea of making dry honey at once, by the use of the extractor; but a careful ex- periment, seems to indicate that thick lioney is too tenacious to come out of the candied blocks. The plainest, and perhaps easiest way, is to fill your barrels half or two-thirds full, and as soon as candietl solid, stand them on end and take out the head ; in a few days the upper portion will have become hard untl white. Basswood is the only honey that we have succeeded thus far, in converting into blocks that are perfectly white. As sure as you live, some city honey has made its way into our town after all ; and what is more it seems to sell quite briskly. It is comb honey in section boxes similar to those we make, except that the sides are covered with glass, and over the joint is pasted pink tissue paper. A careful examination shows that the lioney was stored in a frame made of I4 pine strii)s about ?4 incli in width. These frames when removed from the hive, are put into another one about l^o inches in width; the latter being just large enough to slip over the former, and tasteued with brads, tlius ena- bling us to have the outer one of clean new pine. The glass is held in place by the paper, and by two of the pieces of the outer frame be- ing 1-10 wider than the rest. This looks very pretty, but the two frames and the two lights of glass, weigh one-half as much as the honey; as it is retailed at 2 cts. per oz., frames and all, it is rather expensive to tlie consumer. We 1876. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 4T) paid 67 cents for one of the sections — over GO ■>;ents per lb. — and as others were domg the same, we really don't know but it is all right to put it up in that way and let people waste their money if thoy will. But stay! suppose the grocer had offered them the same for 3 cts. j)er oz. with the extra frame and glass omitted. It may be that even then, many would prefer the glass and fancy i>aper. No one buys hon- ey at this rate regularly; it is only because it is neat and something nice to show to one's friends. On the whole we think we will have to make some glass cases for fancy box honey, if people will be so foolish — ^just as we arc, and have always been — and we will make them just right to hold our Universal section boxes. P. S. — To be exact we have cut out and weighed the honey, and there was iy'.> ounces — 57 cents per lb. The honey mentioned was from California. On taking it home we all as usual ])rouounced it beautiful, but before we had used just that 18)2 ounces we all agreed that it was a tiavor one would much sooner tire of than our own clover honey ; and we do not know but that we shall have to agree with the rest in regard to the mountain sage honey. Fifty-Ki'ven cents per lb. has a tendency to spoil the flavor of any thing, at our table. — * .M^^*^*^ For Gleanings. COMB HONEY, HIVES, ETC. 4pv^UR friend, G. M. Doolittle, in former No. of Glean- w|JB) ixGtS, gives some very i^oad ideas reijardin^ bo.x %^ honey, which have helped me in mj arrangements, for the same purpose. My hives were made 191x27 inches inside measnro, whicli makes an admirable one-storv liive for extiactin'^. I use two entrances in front side. Holds IS frames when used for extractina; honey- I also had constructed an in- ner case that would hold (i frames 10x18, this cas3 is tlien SL't into the main hive witli its lon-^jest side parallel with the longest side of hive and bick from tlie front of the outer case just far enough to admit one tier of (! of Wheeler's improved boxes. sin;?le comb. I can then put two tiers at back side, and by moving it a little to riii;ht i»r left can put one tier (i) at one end and two tiers (8) at the other end In using two tiers it is quite necessary to use tin separators, to fiivo the bees access to the boxes I'ut two slots scant i inch wide for every box, one at top snd one at bottom of box. The entrance is under th? two outside boxes wliich are raised | in. Now to make lliis ornamental as well as con- venient, the outer part should be made so as to lift off, leaving the boxes on all sides in full view. Of course you want a cover for the brood chamber, as well as for the outer part, which should be 1 inch wider, or liigher, than the inner one wliich is Hi inches. One advantaije gained is you can remove any of the boxes you choose without disturbing the rest, or you can remove one or all tlie combs in the breeding apartment, witliout disturbing the lioxes. Now, when all is arranged you can let friend D. crowd lis much as he likes, and right here let me add, if you have more honey in the brood chamber than sliould be, take the outside frames and after uncapping exchange them with those in the middle. If tliis is done during a mod- erate yield of honey, and your 1)J3S are strong, you will tind the honey going into tlie boxes ; and that 'tlie un- capped honey in the center of the hive is also stimulating brood rearing. If more boxes are required you can put as many on top as you wish. For top boxes I use those mailo by G. T. Wheeler, Mexico, N. Y., including cases to hold boxes and tin separators, all to be use 1 as our; box. Mr. W. glasses only the outside boxes b^'fnre being flUod. [f prepai-ed after lilUng, the glass co;ii^s rl;xp to the hon- ey, and is clean, besides obviating tlv 11 ■r,";-^iiy of pa,sting over holes to keep Hies out. &c. H;' intouils id make tliem of strawberry box material this season, luiiking tlie light- est and cheapest box in market. As we are through with the boxes, the next feature is the advantage in winterins. t set the inner jjart with the bees and honey, in the middle of the outer case ; then '•unnect the entrances by laying two strips j inch thick. aiul lou'-T enough to connect the entrance of the inner to to that of tli'^ outiM' part and cover over with a thin piece of boird us wide as thi' ;; strips are long. Tliese should l)e braided togotlier. and will keep anything that may be packed between the two pirts. from clogging the en- trance. Now we are reJidy to fill the space all around the bees with straw or chaff, whicti can be packed with 410 lbs. if you choose; I use 220 only. [See page i:5.'>. Vol. 11.] The chamber can also be lilled but I think it unnecessary -. 1 make it as close as jjossilile at to)). The slots cut for the hiney boxes give ainpli^ clvmce for the moisture to cscaf>e. Thus yon have all the ailvantage of a straw hive protected for winter. I am so well pleased with the above, that I wish to leave it for criticism, through your valuable paper. Now about swarming: As I have plenty of room at th^ side, I use but few boxes on top ; consequently I can ex- amine them every week, change the honey in center and cut out all the queen cells. Of course the queens' wings are clipped, and it is done in this way : The first season after ;i young queen begins to lay, I cut two wings on one side, the second year cut one wing on the other side, and the third year cut the last wing. Now can you say I cui not tell the ago of my queens by th? looks of them 'i Let me tell right here how I pick the queen off the comii. Last fall it occurred to me to fix !i swab from a feather or rag, on the end of a sticK, dip this in honey then on the old (lueen's back ; if you have iibout the right consistency of honey, you will remove her with it. At all events, you will tix her so she can't fly. Once more. My experience is that a young queen after she is fertilized, seldom, if ever, leads out a swarm the first year. I therefore use such where I wish to abstain from swarming. And now Mr. Editor, let me say a few words about in- troducing queens. My method is this : Remove the old queen, usin'j smoke pretty freely, and replace the frames as they belong, smoking the bees down at the same time : now take the queen you wish to introduce and drop her in at the top, cover uj) the hive and give them a few puffs from the entrance and all is done. I have never lost one introduced in this way. The i)rinciple is this : All admit that bees detect a. stranger by smell ; and by the time the smoke is over, the (pieen is theirs beyond a doubt. There seems to be miicli questioning in regard to intro- ducing queens, and as I am very successful with the smoke, I consider it the easiest and most economical way yet described. And by the wav, did you receive th.t smoker I sent you last season V If so, how do you like it ''. F. II. CVRENIUS. Scriba, N. Y., Feb. id, 1870. The hive mentioned does not differ very ma- terially from the well known hive furnished by jVIr. Quinby, although he reversed the frames only to give the space for packing material in winter. We have often thonuht of using the veneer made for fruit boxes, for honey, but the difficulty of holding this material ftrmly in place, even if supported by metal, has been tlie objection. So frail a commodity as honey in the comb, is very liable to break down unless the frame that supports it is stift' and strong ; this quality can be secured in no way that we know of so well as with sawed straight-grain- ed pine. The smoker was received but was laid one side, with several others like it without even a trial ; because they are all made on the old and well known plan of blowing them with the month. These can be made by any tinsmith, and among all that have been sent us, we dis- cover nothing ditterent from the plans describ- ed in both L. and Q.'s books. After one has used one of the bellows smokers, such as Quin- by's, we think they would never wish to use one to be blown by the month. The objection to nearly all smokers at pi'esent, seems to be the frequency witli which they need cleaning of the soot that accumulates in the tin tubes. UsiufT rags instead of rotten wood seems to be a partial preventive, but the latter are more expensive. Something more durable than the Q. smoker is needed; they come to pieces badly, with ordinary usage. 50 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mak. EXTRACTING AND STRAINING THE HONEV. ''^^y> y^ur Feb. Xo. of Glkanings, you arc ailvising |[| ouv IVicntU to place the extractor above the bar- '^ ro!, and have the straining ba>j, in the biiniBr-hole, etc.. In order to facilitate labor. Allow me to give my idea in regard to that matter. Wc are ennitying a good many bajTcls of honev, and whenever I sec a barrel opened and part of the honey solid, while a qnantitj' of thin watery stuff is collect- ing at the places from which hone.v is taken, I feel ijnite sure that the man who sent me that honey is oc- casionally troubled with sour honey; and also that he runs his honey Into the barrel direct from the extract- or. He belongs to that number of our brethren who talk about '-ripening honey before extracting.*' I tried, some time ago, to show why honey would sour in my cellar, when it would not in the store. I tried to show that honey in a tight, covered bee hive, would get sour for the "same reason. I had this win- ter a number of super boxes with comb honey sent me from other parties. The honey in the unca|)pped cells, and even that in many of the capjic-d cells, was sour. Here I claim again that it was not the thin fall honey that caused the souring, liut the cellar-like enclosure in which the honey was kept, and the moisture arising from the bees anfi sattling on the honey. Had this thl-j thin fall honey been pumjjed olT and kept in open vessels for ;i short time only, it would not have soured. On the contrarv I am sure it would have— ripened ? Look around among your friends, brother Novice, and satisfy yourself if there is one that gives his ma- chine cxtracteil honey a few day's evaporation in an open vessel, before barreling it, who speaks about his honey souring, or liis honey being ripened. Honey ripens (if so we may call it) in an open ves- sel much better than in a bee hive; and while I con- sider a strainer unnecessary, I consider it damaging to the (iu.a!ity to run the honey direct from the pumji into a barrel It is not very expensive to ha\ie, during the honey season, a barrel or two, standing upright, the head out, and an iron guage or a wooden stopper in below. In these barrels the honey should Ix; al- lowed to stand for a day or two; then "skimmed thor- oughlj' and barreled or jarred. If treated in ihis manner, I feel safe in saying that there will bo no more unripened honey. Besides, this mode of treatment gives us the chance of not only in- creasing our honey crop Ijut also of keeping separate each kind of honey. This can not always be accom- plished, if wc allow our honey to be capped before we extract it, but i> of great importance to both dealer and i)rodncer. It is ol the utmost importance to all of us th'i* the consumer should know what kind of honey to ask for. The honey trade has been very satisfactory with me thi^ winter, at least as far as quantity is concerned ; and judging from the increased retail demand, I have reason to believe that my next year's business will be better, f have therefore made contracts for next year's crop wiih several parties, and am negotiating with othei's for machine extracted and comb honey. Comb honey, in the sale of which I hacl no confideiicc, sells too, and I shall have a good supply next season. However, comb honey will remain a fancy article on- ly, and if an overstocking of the market takes place, it will be with comb honey, and not with machine ex- tracled. Some of our brethren complain bitterly that bee- keei)iug does not ))ay. This is very natural. Farming does not pav, and the same can be said of any other business. .Sometimes wc an; to blame if our business don't pay, and sometimes we are not: but it appears that others got along if w-- don't. Would it not be somethinL' extraordinary if bee-keeping were a busi- ne«-< in which none of us failed !-' My bees are wintering lirst rate; so far. With the exception of :i queens only, 1 have lost none. My stands are all strong except one, and this one has bees in only three spaces between th(! comb, but brood in all stages. A few only of the balance have egirs. CiiAS. F. Ml;tii. Were; not the above from such excellent au- thority wo might hesitate to give it; what is stranger still. Prof. Cook seems to be of the same opinion, at '.east so far as extracte i? rather of the discouraging or- der. I ))ut out 4S hives in good condition as to Dec-', but rather short of stores ; I bought a barrel of sugar and commenced feeding early in April. Everything went all right for a few days! and then came a colil spell. On examining the hives afterward, I found much unsealed brood killed bv cold. Bees began to get weak from dying and getting lost, .and by the lirst of Mav 1 had but .S.'J weak swarms. Now I am very sure if I had let the I'eeding alone until the last vif April or first of Ma}-, I would have come out in very much better shape. I conclude from this that the ex- periment of early feeiling cost me about 18 swarms of bees and a barrel of sugar. Cheap enough ! Hereafter I shall not commence stimulative feeding until tht^ first of May, or nearly|that. l''inaUy I increased my bees to 53 very good swarms, and took about 1500 lbs. honey. The season, with us, was a very cold and wet one. ' Jas. Scott. Epworth, Iowa, Dec, Slth. 1S75. We confess we do not know what to advise in this matter, and would be glad of facts on both sides of the question. The number nf reports in favor of stimulative feeding in the- spring, (aside from the modern dwindling,) is so great that it would be folly to question it ; but if it causes them to die more rapidly, st> that we have wasted our feed and are no better off, we certainly had belter look to it. Feb. 14z(h — It maj' make mischief, but ire do so love to see bees work, that we are going to ours ; and wc give the preference to outdoor feeding. We shall give, them all the sugar 1870. GLEANINGS i:^ BEE CULTURE. 51 they can carry away, from now — they are at it like good fellows to-day, and the queen in the Universal hive has a large circle of eggs and Iji-ood ir. all stages — until the llowers call tlieni away. After fruit blosooms, if they will take it, they shall have the loaf sugar again, and so on whenever they can do no better. OUR OWN APIAKV. '^ifjl^B. Sth — It is warm again now, but we -]*[: have just Inid a zero spell, and our colony tTiat we purposely left with neither sides nor cover to their defenceless lieads, except the cover to the upper story to keep otf the rain, for the first time this winter seemed to be the worse for sucli treatment; in fact, about one- half were cold in death, nurtyrs to tlie cause of science. "So Lk-cs do really free/.e" thought we ; l)ut an examination showed that they did not Ireeze, they (jnly starved alter all; for on one side of the comb where there was no hon- ey every one was dead, but on the other where there was an abundance of stores, they were all alive. There was plenty of honey in all the combs except where the dead bees were found ; in this there was none for several inch- es, and to get what there was they were obliged to go out in the cold or over the top of the comb, neither of whioh they could do du- ring zero weather. Now it may be said that winter passages in the coml)s would have saved them: but even if it would, it will be cheaper to liavc plenty of bees, a good gener- ous sized quilt tucked np nice and warm over their heads, and a division i)oard to reduce the size of the hive as small as we can get it for wintering, consistent with an ample supply of food. All the rest of our colonies are in fair trim, and those in the house apiary, scarcely seem to have as .yet passed any winter. Feb. 1th — We have just put a colony into one of our Universal Hives; and their extreme lightness in liandling, would of itself be a sullicient argument in their favor. As to their cai)ability of standing the weather, keeping the contents dry, and drying otf quickly after a storm, actual test will determine. We have an opinion that they will accomplish the latter more perfectly, if uupaiuted ; in this stale they ai)proach nearer to the old straw hive than anything we have ever before seen. Feb. 12th — Bees working on meal ; we believe it is the first time we ever fed. meal in Feb. We have just had some drenching rains, and today tlie sun has been very hot on the cover of the Universal hive. Although the metal holds the ends true, the middle does bulge in a little in its desire to warp, so that v;e think it best to have the covers painted. Otherwise the hive is as simple and ellicient as one could wish ; the sun and rain have no effect on the hoops wliatcver. One colony is dead in the house apiary; they died of starvation while there were combs containing several lbs. each on the other side of the hive. We left a few witliout contracting the hive by means of the division board, and this was one of the num ber. It was quite a good colony, but tliey were clustered on new cambs, and were next the door ; the door was left by the carpenter, with "^ome rather bad joints, and we intended to tack on soraj listiu", but didn't. Had the I heavy combs been placed next the cluster, or had the hive been squeezed up until it would just hold llie Ijees, or had we even fixed that door. We might have now been rejoicing in posses^ion of the wliolc t]0. l^erliiining," to Bee Oiiltxiro. [We rcsiii'cl fully solicit the aid of our friends in coiiducl.iiii;' Ihis ileiiavtiiiciit, anil would consiiler it a tavor to liavc lliuiu send u.s all circulais lliat liavc a (leccptivo ai^pearance. The greatest caro will bo al all times maintained to i)ix'vent injustice being tlonv any one.] The 25 receipts lor making candy did oomo to hand after all ; but the eniire sheet does not contain as inutrh matter as does tills pairs. Tlvi entire 25 are but repjliuori.s with slight variation, of the I'ollo wiii'j selected fiom among them : Common Twist Cr/itJ/y.— Boil 3 pounds of c^nmon su- sar and one pint of water over a slow lire for h ilf an hour, without skimmiii!?. Wlien boded enough take it oil' ; ruh the hauQs over with butter; take thit which is a little cooled, and i)ull it as you would mol isses candy, until it is white; then twist or braid it, and cut it up in strips. Mrs. Cotton seems to be quite fortunate in getting hei' adroit arlicles published in many of the a-;ricultural pa- pers; and one of her "reiwrts" has even found its way in- to the )''eb. Macjazinc. Please send for her circular if you think us too severe. We are patiently waiting for tint "wonderful book" yet. Mitcliel' seems to be prosperiag for he is flooding: our readers with "speci-d ciirils" with yellow slips attached. It is ])orfe('lly s;ifc to read tliem, if jou are smart enough to kei.'ji troiii haviuj: your n;ime added to the already large list that he is going to send hives and queens to'"aficr awhile." SOLD I'Oll TEN nOLLAES. EDITOR GLEANINGS— i>c«r Sir:— I would lik3 to say a few words through your vahiable journal, in rogird to a woHilerf ill hivg tlviit is made \>y thi^ sune Mrs. Cot- ton you spa ik of, as having that wouilerful book wliich is not printed yet. About one ye.ir [\m 1 saw an article in the Poi'i land 7'/'«»sc'r i/j^ written by her, in which she told ot the wonderful results obtained by the use of jier Confriit'i'jlc Hire. 1 at once wrote her, making some in- quiries about the hive, and received in answer to my let- ter, that sh;i would sail me one of those wonderful Jjives for iirelcc dollars; or would let me have one for a good stock of bees, to be delivered a^ her order. In reply 1 made her this oiler : If she would send me one of thos); hives I would put a good strong swarm into it, try it until fall, and if it proved as good as she ivcommended 1 would pay her the twelve dollars; and if I thought it would not do for me, 1 would return it to her with the stock of bees in it, at my own cost, in reply, sli.^ said she would not do that, but that she had coucliuled to let me have one f jr ten dollars; and 1 was foolish en(jugh to send the money. After waiting two or three months, it came. I was at the station when ic arrived. 1 did not at lirst know whit il was, but seeing may name on the top I examiaod it close- ly, and found ail entr.-ince at the bottom. I made up my mind it was no' hiii-- il i.iii;eroiis. I got a man to take hold of one side, I takinn' the other, and we started for my house which was on the other side of the village, iiut t*> tell the truth i was ashamed to have any one see it. I got ii into my stable out of si,dit, and got the other man otT out of the way. Now 1 could inspect the wonderful thing. But 1 will not go into dvjtails. I was confounded, for such a hutched \\{i i)icce of work I never saw foi" toi dollars. It had (! frames IDiXS'i inside measure, only one 1)0 .V (ami that a .second hind one with the glass out,) when there should have been thirty to make out ten dollars worth — at least i thought .so. But, Dear Novice, I wish you could see those frames. 1 have been tomiited to send you one by mail; and 1 would if it were possible to get ii, to you whole. But, it would fail to pieces before I could get it done np. Soeiug I could not use the hiv(! I gave it to my boy to keep a pair of owls in. It made a. vi;ry good owl cage, but rather expensive. It was made of f stiiif mosilv, with one light coat of wddtt! paint, pie on 1 should think with a broom, and a green h md at that. I have ten stocks of bees; all have had a sjilcndid fly to-ilay. It his been the mildest winter 1 ever saw in Mtiine. S. H. Hutcui:sson. Mechanic's Falls, JIc., Feb. Sth, 187G. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mak. SIOXV 'VO iHi KVKKV 'i'HlNs to kk oonk with a colo,\v of bees. \VITI1 THE HOPE THAT IT MAY ANSWEK A GIIEAT NVMIJElt OF QUESTIONS. WE will suppose it is the lirst of March, Mud that you liave purchased a colony of common bees either in a box hive or in any l)atent hive — it amounts to about the same thinii — which you arc inteiidina; to transfer. The first tliiuij; is to get the half bushel of saw- dust, mentioned on page 41, and when your hive is brought home, put the bees on it and do not undertake to transfer them until they have been at wo;.k and feel perfectly at home. TRANSEEIiraNG is simply cutting the old hive in pieces and fitting the combs carefully into the frames of the new hive. It is best done while the bees are busy at Avork, and if performed skilfully, they should continue working during the whole operation. Briefly ; the work is usually to be done wliile ffr.it trees are in bloom — it should be done about 10 A. ii., while the bees are busily at work. Smoke them and move the hive two feet backward, turn it over — put the new hive in its place and fi.\ the entrance so nearly in place and like the old one, that the bees will go right in After they go in you must make them feel at liomc by giving them a comb of l)rood cut from the old hive — cut the old hive in pieces and cut out the combs neatly, care- fully and quietly, keeping them in perfect sub- ection in the old hive by the smoke, as often as they show the least disposition to dispute about who is "bossing the job." Lay the combs on something soft to avoid crushing the homy and injuring the brood, vrhilc you are lltthig the combs into frames — if you daub no honey about you will have no robbing — keep a towel, wash-bowl and water near you, and spre.ad down newspapers where the honey is likely to drip— wear a veil if you choose, but please do believe us, when we say again that gloves of any kind are icorse than useless. Cover both hives with a cloth, while you are litting t!ie comljs, and k(ep the brood in your new frames in a compact cluster, as it was in the old hive — i;" you carefully fl.xed things be- fore commencing, so there was no crack or crevice into which a bee could crawl, except into the entrance of the new hive, and if you have been careful — as you always should be — to avoid setting your (clumsy V) feet on a bee, you certainly have not killed the queen, and she is in one hive or the other. To be sure she is in the new hive, shake all before the en- trance u'heu you are done, and see that ev&n/ bee goes into the hive. For a more lengthy -discourse" see May No. of 1S75. DIVISION EOAKDS. During this month, a very fair colony will not need more tJian six combs ; and they are much Inciter ofl'whcn confined to these six, than when spread over a greater number. The purpose of the division board, is to contract the hive until the bees fill it, even should it be only two combs, and to make them fnliy cover these before they have more. When they have ' all the cells occupied with brood, honey or ', pollen, they should have. another comb, and f)e made to fill that. When the division board is used for this purpose, the bees are allowed to I get back of it during jileasant weather, and in fact it makes an excellent place for feed when it is not too cold. If combs containing some honey be left back of this division board, Ihey will soon carry it over, and it seems to have much the effect in stimulating, that natural stores do. The small channel along the rab- liet usually attbrds them a passage way, or the division board may be raised about V4 inch. FEEDING. We prefer loaf sugar, or that sold at the gro- cer's as "crushed sugar," for all purposes for feeding, and the process is so simple that we hardly know how to give directions. If you wisli to feed for stimulating, the least trouble is to put the lumps of sugar in the open air — protected from rain — but if you do not wish 'o feed your neighbor's bees, put the sugar on top of the frames under the quilt. In cold weath- er, you must be careful to i)Ut the sugar di- rectly over the cluster of bees, or they can not get it ; if the space under the cover is not large enough to admit of the supply yon wish to give at once, put on an extra hoop. We prefer this Avay of feeding to any other, because it avoids all trouble from robbers, the sugar can be given any day in winter, and there is noth- ing sticky al)out it, as there is with all kinds of syrups and liquid food. More than all, this loaf sugar is the purest sugar that can be liad, and never has lu'odnced any of the diseases consequent upon cheap sugars or anj' kind of watery food. I'.ni.DING THEM L'P. Whenever you find they have every cell oc- cupied with brood, pollen or honey, and all the combs covered with bees, move back the di- vision board, and put an empty worker comb in the centre of the brood; should they be short of honey, it will be better to give th^'Ui a comb containing some scaled honey, uncapping it at the time. Be very sure you do not spread them thus, too fast, during the cool spring- months; and also be sure they do not suffer for want of room later in the season. AVhen the hive is full of bees, or when honey begins to come in plentifully, you are ready to consider SURPLUS nONEY. Quinby s.iys with much truth, that it is of great importance that the boxes be put on just at the right time; and the only way to know v.'hen, is to keep a careful watch of their i)ro- ceedings. When they begin to build little bits of comb at the tops and ends of the frames, it is pretty certain they will make a start in box- es, provided they have easy access to them, from near th(> centre of the brood nest. The boxes and sections we offer are made so that a strip of the bleached comb fonndalion can be fastened very securely, so as to make a ladder for them to the top of the section. -A very lit- tle piece of comb will manj^ times make a great diflVrencc ; and if you can cut out a piece of new white drone com!) from some of j'our frames, and put good large i/ieces of these in the sections, you can make a very sure thing of box honey, when "hey are getting any honey at all. This is some trouble, but it is only by 187G. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE, tuithfiil, hard work, that we can attain success in bce-keepniji-. If your colony is not large, it is a very good plan to allow them to go into urp'us above, making thcin build thick combs above, liy using only i) or 10 in the space that iiolds 11 ordinarily. If they start a lot of brood above, sw^ap it for some comb below that con- tains n(nie. If the upper story is left on until iate, they are very apt to move "up stairs,'" (jueen and all. A beginner cau get a good yield of extracted honey, where he would not get a pound in the boxes, and at present wc rtgard it as the easier of the two ways. (il'EF.X IIE.4.UIKG AND AUTTFICI.\L SWAKMIXO. Do not commence any such work lieforeyour hives are are ail full of bees, and are getting honey, and we really feel like atlvising you tiot to do it then. It will be much the more iirotitable way for you to build them all up strong, and then, if they will "pitch right in" and gather honey let them do it by all means ; and don't ruiu both yourself and bees, by un- timely "tinkering:," even if the books do say it can be done without injury. If j'ou tind a col- ony that is determined to swarm, it may do to divide them. During tiie lioney season we want all hands at work ; after it is passed and our hives are full of bees with nothing partic- ular to do, we can set them to rearing queens. One "rousing big" colony, will then furnish bees enough for a dozen nuclei, if you really ini(.-it fuss V, ith little swarms of bees; but if you will be guided by us, j'ou will if possi!>'e, have only strong stocks, and you can always ■iiuike it possible in warm weather. In tlie spring we are obliged to use division boards, and to nurse up weak stocks, but if wc always had strong ones in the fall, there might be less of this. Dooiittle says in regard to comb hontw, "if •A colony swrice of SI .50. postpaid. Whatever may 1)0 said of implements the price of this JournaJ is very low indeed. — — ■ «■ ♦■ » We hai'G received a sample of friend Lane's Basswood seed, and shcnld judge by the appearance of the germs that every seed would grow. It is quite difficult to collect and prcFcne such seeds in such excellent order. Our next No. will have to be about half "Notes and Quei-ies,' judging from the jiile of unanswered questions now on the table; but be patient, we will give them all, even if we have to put in stUl another leaf or two. Wk fear we shall have to stale in cvci-y No. that no one need buy a right to make any hive or anything else that we ofl'er for sale. If jou can make them cheaper than we do, do so by all means ; and it is the business of Glean- ings, to give you all the instxnction that lies in our power for so doing. It ?■« a shame to make blunders in adverlisements; yet that is just what we have been doing. We quoted friend Lane's buckwheat at 73c. ]icr packet instead of peck, last month; and still v.orse. Dr. Larchs' Italian bees at $t.00 instead of Sl4.«0, just because we didn't see that a very little figure one had by some means dropped out. Geo. NjciGnnoK* Soxs, of London, send a neat cata- logue of bee-hives and fixtures, a copy of which is just at hand. They too have offered covers for hives generally, but while they charge :ibout 1(2.2.'), ours i«st only the mod- est .sum of 30 cents and the prices of the English imple- ments ail through, arc nearly in the same i-a(io. The only extractor (l)cy give, is (he Peabody, at a price of 7)early $20.00. If you drop a. nailed frame on ono of its corners, it in cornci-s, it is either spoiled or injured ; the metal cornoi - cd frames in the bivc-i at the time we tumbled them off the shelf, were not hnrt at all, although .some of the combs needed (luitc aTmmber of transferring clasps to enable the bees to n)iTit be w.^rned in time ? TiiKitK, '. we can see through it all now, as plainly as can be- as the woman said when the bottom dropjied out or her tub- the whole trouble with the thin wat- ery lioney, was caused by not having our hives ma^le of straw or like the— our compositors will set it up, "University Hive.'' There can be no doubt about it, for Mv. Miith., and Mr. Quinby, and Mr. L. C. Root, say — we can't remember just what they do say alter all, but whatever it was, we I'col qv.ite sure they are right- P3:i:srM]X<; you are all interested in anything pertaiii- taining to our kind friend Mr. L.angstroth, we give the fol- lowing just received from his son-m-law, Mr. Cowan : OsroHD, O., Feb. 22d, 187t;. Mn. A. 1. nOOT—Dcar .S'-r ;— Mr. Lanirstroth requests mc to iicknowli'dge t\io receipt of money from Mr. Hast- ings sent liiiu liy you, and to thank you and Mr. Hastings- for your kindiicss. Mr. L. has been very poorly this win- ter, being confined to his bed much of the time, and very gloomy aivd depressed. Yours, very truly, H. C. Cow.\s. This is the month for meal fv<'ding with most of our reader.^ : the Itcst is rye and oats groinid finely together without si'tiiig or bolting. To get the bees started, give them some pieces of comb honey, and when thoy gel quite busy on it. take it away and put some meal in it.s stead. They will learn it in a day or two, to your full satisfaction. If ,vou have no rye and oats, common Hour or c\en corn meal will answer. We do not think it jiossi- ble for them to take too much. Mk. Ql'INBY I'ecoiamendetl as a remedy for the .spring dwindling, that the bees be kept in the cellar until natural pollen was to be found, as many of you are wtll aware ; the following from L. C. Boot in regard to the matter is of interest. At ijresent we hardly dare advise eiiher way, but would be glad if those having good cellars would try keeping o part of them in until quite late and then report : The following is the result of my last season's wintering. I put 121 stocks in the cellar the 11th of Nov., lH7t. April 27th, 187r,. 1 took out 120 swarms. One lia.d haen disturb- ed and swarmed out during fii-st flighi . I had reared sev- eral queens in OcA. and had several" di- 'tie laying queens. I reduced the ajjiary by doubling, (o II t slocks. From the fact that the loss was so general, the n^sult wasgiivtifyinu'. No loss that could not be accounted for. L. G. Konr. Mohawk Valli;y, N. Y., Feb. 22d, 1870. 1876. GLEA.NINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 55 FROM DIFFERENT FIELDS. ail fi HAVP] been keaping bees only a few years, but am delighted with it. As my axe and heilth render me — I imfit for the active duties of the farm, bee-lceepin^ now comes in as a bexutiful employment around the house. It is l)rim full of real substanti il pleasure, and no farniiT should think of farming without having bees. They hcloiiij to tho farm, and I would now no more think of b^'iii','- without bo?s than without cattle, sheep, ho'j^a or unyof till' products of (he firm. A few years aaro when mv attention wns cilled to it as a science, (throu.;h Mr. Kiu'Jr's littlo book.) I ent'M'i'd into it with so much entliu- siisui that my n;'iihl)ovs were disposed to put fun at me, and often s'lid HersperA'r's wild on the bee (piestion. If I had failed, it would have been "as they expected" and a strange bit of folly in me. But 1 succeeded. Last year from VI stocks I took 1,000 lbs. of beautiful box honey — sold it at 25c. per lb. — and doubled my stocks. This year (a poor season,) I have sold .§200.00 worth of honey, and in- creased to 35 stocks, (ind now I am a hero! They all wonder at my success, and talk of it on all occasions. In this climate, I think we need have little care about win- tering. Some protection around the hives, .and the work is I lone. If they have plent.v of stores they will e;o throutrh all rij:lit. True, I h ive blankets on mine, or most of theni. ))ut I believe they will do well without tliem. I have yet to lose the tirst from out door wintering. I tried a few in my cellar. It was too damp. They did not do well. H. C. HEESPKKGEIi. Keenc, Ky., Dec. 15, 1875. I have about 50 colonies of bees, s^me fme as one could wish for. The past seison was one to be remembered in this part of Iowa. Most of what few bees were left here c inie throiiiih in poor condition, and to help matters on we had a cold, wet, 1iackwu-fl sprint,-, and when it did set in warm anil llowers l)l(ionii'!l, we h id continued niin for days and even weeks at a time, until 1 Kave up in despair. 1 continued to feed my best hives for they were pure, al- thoush weak in numbers and stores. There came a change in July, and then came thi^ swarmins? fever ; and such a time! Just think; 1 men and Iti boys could not hive them fast cnouii-h. Oliver S. Claek. Albia, Iowa, Feb. 4th, 187(5. Very likely we shall have some lively times with this same swarming mania, if we attempt to raise comb honey ; and our safeijuarcl to pre- vent the loss of bees and queens when they are of the most value, would be to clip the ((ueens' winijs. As even with this precaution we are liable to have youns: (jueens ffet out with a swarm, it tnay be well to provide appliances for rapid work. In addition to the various swarmins: poles that have been given, our friend, llev. J. Van Eaton, of York, N. Y., sends the following-. The idea seems t* be to take advantage of the ditiposition bees have to cluster where several limbs join together, or to get into any obscure angle or cavity : A ! B J have commenced to cluster— first bumping them oil' with the end W — and push the pole up until the limb is secure l)etvveen B and C ; now push A up until it rests on the ground in such a way as to hold it all secure, where it may be left until the bees are all safely clus- tered. Any timid person can now take it down and lay it in front of the hive that has been previously put in readiness for them. If it is kept lixed up in a conspicuous place during the proper season, they nviij light directly on it. "Don't say nothiu' " if they don't. This month's Gleaxixgs received. You say your bees wouldn't work on meal -Ian. 18th, while mine worked on it in Dec, and li'ul you seen them, you would have thought all the liees in the apiary were in that one box of meal. It was really amusins to have passers-by stop and look, then ask, "Bees swarmin.? ? What makes them so white V New kind ain't they ?" 1 explain to them that they an; workiii'j; on rye Hour, when of course they ask to know all about it. If 'they make honey of it 'r If 1 mix it with honey V and a thousand and one questions of about the sanie'kind. Bees all in the cellar now, with everythinir drv and comfortable. J. 51. B. Columbus, Ind., Feb. 3d, 1876. Let A B represent a strip from a straiglit- grained pine board, long enough to reach as high as your swarms usually cluster, and strong enough to take down one of the heavi- est. C, G, D, are'.i inch boards something in the shape of II and about 10 inches wide; G, Avhich is to be nailed to the pole, is about 3 feet long ; the rest, a foot or a little more. At F. a bundle of hay enclosed in a black cloth bag, or something else resembling a cluster of bees, is fastened, by tacking it on the boards. To use it, push B over the limb on which they I left my home on Pt. Pelee Island, Lake Erie, in De- cember last, coniintc here with my familv to spend the winter with old friends and relatives, leaving my bees (3S colonies) on the island upon their summer stands, with- out any one to look after or take care of them, and will l)robably not see them until next April. As they canit- throusili the severe weather of last winter with but com- parativclv small loss, though exposed to the west winds dii\'<'tlv olT the lake, without even the protection of ti fence to l)i-eak the winds. I am hoping they may get throuidi this mild winter weather. A number of my friends here in Ky. kept bees in mov- able comb hives some years ago, but I find that most of them have died olf. anil the few remaining ones are very much ni'xlected. But very little interest is taken in tht^ subject liv any one. I think' (i(,HANiNGS well worth a dollar, though we may never add))! all your new fantiled notions— at least not until you have thorou'--hly 'tested them for more than on<- season - for instanc. that new hive made of \ inch strips. I read last iiiKlit a Ion; account of i\Ir.s. Ellen S. Tap- per's great troubles, and could scarcely believe my eyes when reading the head-lines of the article. As it is, 1 i can not believe but that she is more to be pitied than Vdamed. Althou-h I never saw her, 1 felt almost as if sin- were a ))ersiin;d friend — as I do of most of our bee friends - -and was made ipiite sad. THAPDEid S.uitii. Jlidway, Kv., Feb. 1th, 1876. When we first advised an extractor weighing only 14 lbs., it was thought too light to do the woi'k ; but actual use soon showed that it was far more elticient than those revolving such a weight of met"-l. We think those who have stu(ilied the effect Of the sun and storms on wood- work, will auree that i^ inch will outlast thicker stuff, especially when it is "ironed oft"' as completely as are the exposed portions of the Universal Hive. They cost us considerably luore than the Simplicty hives of the '^^ lum- ber, but we shall benefit ourselves by having only one hive to make and keep in stock, in- stead of six; and shall benefit our customers by giving them a much easier hive to handle, besides supplying a whole neighborhood with hives precisely alike, no matter what the fratne used. Are there any among our lady readers whose artns have ached from lifting covers that weigh from 10 to 25 lbs.':" Well, take courage, for the cover to the U. hive weighs barely two lbs., and is framed in galvanized iron at that. A case for 27 section boxes weighs the same. These cases and covers are an exact fit for the Simplicity hive, or iu fact for any Langs troth hive. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mae, ^Iiich li:is h.'eii s:iul in Gleaxinos about section boxes. 1 iiseil them list season, and \v IS ()l)li-'eil to put in thin pieces of b.);u-il to prevent tlieir nuiiiin'^ the combs to- irethor. Pie, is j ijive me your preventive. J. I. Johnson, Pahn\ ra, N^. Y. To tell the truth we have never used the sec- tion boxes ; but from what we have seen of comb buildiuii", and from the way in which the i)ees built them in the small frames in Mich, last fall, We hardly think they will leave the top bars when they are made to start in the iniddle on the foundation guides. We would bo very much pleased to hear from our Midi, friends in the matter; do the bees trouble you by connecting the frames? and what guides do you use? if bits of comb, how large ? and do you ever lind it necessary to give them very large guides to Hi^iA'c them put just one comb in each frame V You see we are going to turn about, and ask as many questions of you as you do of us. We can make a sure thing of it by giving them a sheet of foundation that tiUs the whole section box, if they wont go straight otherwise. Opened two hives this week, found cicfcs, larva? and scaled brood. Bees carry in flour nearly every day. J. 15. IlAi'P, Owensville, <).,'Jan. 6th, 187C. I am a little boy of 15. I have bees and don't quite un- derstand how to treat them to keep them from moths. List sprin'j; I hid 17 hives in April, and before the 12th of July I had only 3 left. When the moths came to the hives the'bees left honey and all. Alonzo Walker. Enterprise, Ontario, Cxnada, Jan. 18, 187G. Now you certainly must have made some mistake, young friend, in laying the blame to the luoth-miller, for they hardly commence work before June or July. We think your liees had only the usual "spring dwindling" that seems to have made so much trouble for the past few years, which even yet, remains unaccounted for. the season. The two queens staid in that hive until some time in AuKust when I divided the bees, givlnjr each a iiueen. I have them both yet, one as good as the other, apparently. Now that hive was as good as any two others in the yar i!i Jaiiunry, I received a card from Charles Muth, Cincinnati, askiu:;- a saiiipf> of my honey, which he pronounced good clover, olt'ering me 15c. per lb., delivered. Now, would you not think me a little insane to ship my honey to Cincinnati, pay freight on same, throw in one of your good oak barrels — one 1 bousht of you — .and take it ten miles (nnid only one foot deep,) to the station : Thai w.as too much work for me. I am retailing what candy 1 have left, in my store at 2.5c., and have opened a barrel of hone.y whii'h is the nicest I ever saw. and solid as a cheese. I take my lonir cirviiij; kiiifi' and give a good slice to each one that 'needs it. I think it better than c;indy. The last hea\y rains we had, made my cellar too damp for bees. I took them out. They have had a good fly. and arc in a much better condition than I expected to find them. Wm. Payne. Spencer, O. Peb. Sth, 1875. Have kojit bees three seasons. Last winter all came through safely — 31 colonies. Have received over S^lOO for bees, and .S200 for honey, and have now in winter ciuar- ters, (in cellar) in line condition, 37 colonies. Polo, Ills., Feb. 5, 1870. J. C. Allaben. IS76. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. fjG Mil. EDITOR :— I have 1.". liives, and a neighbor has ;ibout as many. These are all Ihe bees 1 know of in this locality. During the winter of '73—74 nine-tenths ol bee-keeijing neighbors lost all they had from dys- entery. One man lost il hives out of 50, another all but 6 out of nearly a hundred. 1 winter in cellar. Re- Auove the old hone3' boai'l and give a clean one, with little ui)wajfl ventilation. IJces so quiet 1 sometimes J lit the honey boaid to i-ee wlielher they are dead or ;»live. 1 have never niatle bee-keeping I'a}-, and never t'xi)ect to in this cold anppe ir.s they did not all suffer alike but all liivi^ thinned down more or less. William Xoland. Siunder.sville, Tenii., Jan. 2i;, ixic. It seems quite probable that in your case, it was tlie houey and cobalt that killeil the l»ecs; but it Hi'f// be nothini:; more than a feature of the modern bee disease. If they died shortly iifter 2;at!u'riu;? the polleu you mention, we should incline to the latter idea; but if it was dnrinq; warai weather we should tliink it the poison. If it is while rearing brood during coid weather that tliis bee disease makes its appearance — in the early spring for instance — we shall have ample opportunity to test it this season, and we know of no better I'emedy if such is the case, than to keep them in dry cel- lars as recommended by L. (J. lioot in the Am. Af/r/cuUnrist, until weliave settled line weather. 1 started last sjirin'j; with 15 weak swarms, two of them in box hives, which 1 transferred to movable comb frame hives, increased tham to -25, Italiani/.ed them, and took lO.'iO lbs. extracted honey. This honey was all taken du- rin;: the two last weeks of Au>^. The balance of the sea- son produced very little houey. Am wintering my bees in cellar ; duiu'i; well so far. W. P. Irish, Norton, O., Jan. 2(jth, 187(;. I be^an the season with two fair co'onles ; increased ao as to Ko into winter quarters with nine, though I fear some are rather weak. Ilacl made ig, Xaperville, III., Jan. 7, 1876. The past season was here the poorest we have had for many years. Took about 1 ton of extracted honey from 40 stbeks in June, after which I increaseii the same to about 85. I had to feed about three barrels of sugar to get my 100 stocks prepared for winter. It af- fords me pleasure to be able to add my humble testi- mony to the srrovving worth of Gleaning?. J. S. WooDUUKN, Dickinson, Pa., Dec. 22, "75. My bees will be in condition to divide in 10 days. They arc gathering, storing, evapo.ating and capping lioncy at this time. "How is that for high ?" Have from ;> to 7 frames of brood, jilenty pollen, &c. I will have to extract next week to give queen room. All this is ahead of my most sanguine expectations. "The willows in winter and the sage in summer," this is my watchword. And now I sav : Ho ! for 500 lbs. per hive in '76, or 100,000 lbs. Iroin my 203 colonics. This may seem to you like "air castles," but I will show you. Amateuk. Anaheim, Cal., Jan. 24, 1876. Can I get the recipe for making those honey cakes Mr. Muth scut you ? What is the )irice per jar, of Mr. Long's Cal. iioiie.v ? Wh-it is the price and dimensions of the foot power buzz saw you are getting ? '(iEO. PEitiiY, Peru, Ills. The honey cakes, we think are made by the bakers or confectioners ; if Mr. Muth will be so obliging, will he tell us something about how they are made V We think Mr. Long sells the Californhi hon- ey, at $12.00 per dox. for 3 lb. jars. You had better send for the circulars published by all the parties mentioned. Please send me one pound more of alsike clover. Miles E. Loehh, Palestine, Ills., Feb. 3d, 1876. We cheerfully send the seed friend L., and trust all mistakes or misunderstandings be- tween ourselves and readers, may be as pleas- antly and easily arranged. Had one colony last spring — now five in L. hives in cellar. 1). G. Weusteu, Parks Corners, Ills., Dec. 22d, '75. Very wel! done, if all wei'c the increase from the one. 187G GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 5S «OllP' mpHlO W» [In this department I beg to be :ilk>\ved to lay aside the editorial "we,"and havea friendly chatand feel "at home."] CHAPTER XI. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.— James, 3: lU. ET may be that some of you who have known me long, and in fact I do not know but that those who have only known me for a short time, have observed a strong ambition to — 1 really do not know how better to express the exact idea, than to adopt the language used in spelling schools, and say, to "get uj) to the head," or to "spell the school down." Now this is a very commendable trait to be sure, and what parent is there who would not be pleased to see in his child the development of a disposition to stand at the head of his de- partment V I am talking of myself again, and I do not know how I can tell what I wish, without borrowing illustrations from real life somewhere. As I wish to severely censure some of the motives that actuate humanity, and as I do not feel at liberty to take my fel- lows for such illustrations, will you not excuse the frequent repetition of that little pronoun "I." Since the time I earned the silver quarter as capital with which to connnence the poul- try business — see page 45, Vol. II — by getting to the head the most times in the spelling class, I cau look back and sec that, mingled with my ambition there has always been more or less of a feeling of rejoicing at the failures of others, if they happened in the least to stand in my way ; to express it fairly, a sort of in- ward "chuckling." Yes, I do feel ashamed to own that such an element exists in my nature, and perhaps the very best way to get it out, is to conftss. I do not mean to say that I would at any time have done anything to bring their failures, but that when they had not studied as hard as I, perhaps because they had not the same desire to "beat," I looked anxiously for the failures that I felt sure would come ; and when they did happen to have a good les- son, I did not rejoice in their progress as an unselfish person wotxld. If I had no personal interest in the matter, I of course was always glad and even anxious to see progress, for among my other fe.tilts, there seems to have been little of the "dog in the manger" spirit ; the only unpardonable sin — inwardly, for I was ashamed to have it known- — was to have some fellow-being attempt to compete for the prize that I had determined should be all my own. Where competition was open to all, of course others had the same right as I, and if anjr could in a fair and honorable way outstrip me, I certainly ought pleasantly to have given waj', for I i)ushed ahead of others, if I could, without scruple. As I became older 1 saw the inconsistency of this, but I am afraid that my labors were directed more to keeping the de- formity out of sight, than toward cultivating a real love toward my fellows, — by the way, this chapter docs begin to look a little at variance with the last one; if that one was not inirenu- ous I will try to be so in this. During the past week, it has, for almost the first time begun to dawn on my mind just liow far that same feeling still hangs about my life, and I verily believe it hurts me more than it doe^ any body else. There are three other Bee Journals in our country, and if any one should ask me if I were anxious that all these should prosper, of course I would not do else than say yes, for 1 should be ashamed to answer otherwise, but a voice keeps saying "Is this radly the truth 'i If it is, why do you, when each new Journal comes out, clearly showing that its owners have spent much care, pains and anxious solic- itude in its getting up, why do you read it with such a critical eye y Why do you, instead of feeling genuine sorrow at something you hap- pen to have had an opportunity of knowing to be an error, come pretty near feeling that old wicked disposition to "chuckle" over it? Why not take a much more manly way, and if you, without doitbt, know the editor to have made a mistake, write and tell him in the same friendly way that you would an own brotli- er if he were making a mistake in building a house, or in any other business tliat did not concern youV" Of late this voice lias been say- ing : "These other Journals are all very kind and pleasant to you, but even suppose they were not, have you not been discoursing on the beauties of returning good for evilV Have you no faith in the promise given those who 'cas-t their bread upon the waters V If you should speak well of your cotemporaries, and lend a helping hand at every opportunity, and from the bottom of your heart rejoice at their pros- perity, would it injure your own paper in the least i Na}% further ; if after you have strain- ed every faculty to its utmost, you should tiud that one or all of them were more in public fa- vor than your own, should you not bow in humble and pleasant acquiescence to the voice of the people, and be content to do all the good you cau in your own way and thankful that you have even such a place in this busy mass of liuman brotherhood T Now my friends have any one of you such feelings toward those who are in the same line of business as your ownV If you keep a store and the children get a habit of feeling a little jealousy toward your neighbor's children whose fatlieris a little more — or it may be a lit- tle less — prosperous in the same line of business do you always take pains to discourage such a feeling at once? And do we aZ««i/.s, all of us, discourage every word that comes up that would foster a spirit of rivalry or jealousj^? A few days ago a lady directly after she had got home from church, began to say that she thought jNIr. A. far ahead of Mr. B., as a min- ister. Not long after a similar remark was made by one of our children, and to impress on their minds the injustice of such a way of speaking, I asked how they would feel should they overhear papa or mamma, making a re- mark to the efiect that they liked one of their children much better than the other 'i "lint we are both your children, ' said they. And are we not to feel that our iellow-beings are all brothers and sisters, and should not l)e compared with each other in a critical way ';* How would you feel should tlie person you Have been speaking slightiugl}^ of, happen around a corner unexpectedly? Plow pained they must feel to think they had been so un- 59 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mak. fortunate as to have earned your poor opinion. Would it not be so mncli better, if we could all avoid sayinji; anything of a i)erson that we would hesitate to say in his presence "i A c-ustoaier handed me a watch a few days a sending her more money ; but as she earnestly promised to pay all up, and as she seemed to be struggling alone and in trouble, we, I cai>- but think unwisely, kept the matter quiet. Had she been treated with the same severity that one of the other sex would have been un- der the same circumstances, it might have saved the money of unsuspecting persons, and have stopped her before she came to her pres- ent awful situation. Even if she had been in sane as has been intimated, there was no rea- son why she should not have been truthfully shown up before the people. Be'ore closing this chapter I would revert to another way in which envy and the like pas- sions sometimes show themselves. Has a mer- chant any right to sell his goods at a price that will not pay expenses, if he chooses ? That is, can he do this honestly if the actuating motive is to draw custom from his neighbors':' before you reply be sure that no selfish motive influ- ences you. Put yourself Sfjuarely in the place of one who has but an humble stock, and is struggling hard to get out of debt; nay, sup- pose you are that one, and that you have been forced to acknowledge yourself not as sharp and keen in traffic as your more prosperous op- ponent; that he with his surplus capital could weather a storm that would wreck your hum ble craft — and thousands have been in just such a place — now what do you think of tin- one who has enough and to spare, and would purposely crush a fellow being':' May God forbid that we, any of us, should ever by pros- perity or any other means, become so hardened as to forget that true happiness in this world, is found not in the money we make, but in tin- good use we make of the talents He has given us; and in rejoicing at the prosperity of oth- ers as well as oui'selves. CHAPTER XII. Order is Ueavcn's first law. "Papa I will you please come and look at the barn ':*" What in the world can the boy wish me to come and look at the barn for, was my mental ejaculation as I walked toward it ; and by the way 1 think I will mention to you conflden- tiaily that that i>arn was getting to be a spot to be avoided rather than one about, which fond associations might hover. You see Mrs. R., petitioned for a barn some year or two ago, principally because she would then have some place to put the various traps tha*; lumbered up the woodshed, and which I always objected to having burned up or destroyed. Well, the barn was a luxury Indeed, and it not only an swered as a place for the children to drag in all their treasures, but was also very conveni- ent for storing away discarded beehives that cost too much money to be thrown away. And when we moved the bees to the swamp, thi.' squares of wire cloth were rather hurriedly piled into the barn, and the Quinby honey boxes were also pttt into the barn. And those great big "upper stories" were put into the barn, as also were discarded quilts, part of a bundle of lath that had a fashion of always getting one's feet tangled up, part of a bundle of shingles, some tin division boards, honey 1876. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. ()0 barrels tliat always rolled onto your toes, glass sash that belonged in the forcing house ■'upon a time," ouc-horsc wagon, sleigh, some heavy iron wire tiiat seemed to take a perverse delight in eouspiring with aforesaid lath wlien one tried to think, and cultivate patience; also a 1)0X of nice frames of worker comb, from which the cover had tumbled leaving the mice at liberty to occupy it at pleasure. Spiders had built webs all over the windows, and un- lucky bees had become entangled therein ; an old horse blanket, an overcoat, besides other unmentionable rubbish that encumbered the floor, conse(iuent upon a hospitable invitation to a neighbor to use the barn as if it were his own, and — there ! I really forgot to say that to make more room the thills of the wagon had been propped up at an angle that made them always bump one's head, that a blacksmith's anvil always stood in the middle of the floor for one to bump his toes against in the gloom that of late was tlaiiy growing thiciver in that barn of ours. Yet it was a very nice barn, and we paid two carpenters liberally forlixing the stalls, mangers and everything just right. / did tell master Ernest to slick it up only a few days before, it is true ; but as I was unable to see that any change had been made, when I went into it the next time, I had become rath- er discouraged. When (]uestioned, he replied that "the things must all be somewhere ;" and ]n-obably got over it all, much as the boy did in hoeing the corn, who reasoned that the first hill would never amount to anything if he did hoe it, and that the second was good enough as it was, etc. Well, it was several days after this when my attention was called in the manner indicated, and I walked sorrowfully toward that barn. "Aladin's lamp certainly must have been here !" was my thought, as I glanced in. A bright cheerful, dean room met my gaze, and as sure as you live the floor was carpeted ; some of the obnoxious hives were doing duty as easy chairs, the wagon and sleigh had crept into corners so close that one hardly remarked their presence ; some of the "calamities" were stowed away in the lolt, and some were snugly packed in large boxes that hatl been used for bringing sawdust ; but none were destroyed. Blue-Eyes sat in her rocking chair well know- ing with the rest, the huge joke they had play- ed on "papa," and ready to see him open his eyes. "And is it possible that you did all this V" "Why, mama, she helped a little." Do you know dear reader, that if I had been presented with a bran new barn entire, I should not have felt as happy as I did with this old one V For I should have feared that the new one ■would very soon have shared the same fate. And now, I knew that we could if we would, keep things tidy and — and pleasant to look upon. It seemed to me that I never before realized what it was to feel that "a thing of beauty is a joy forever." For at least several weeks afterward, the barn was a place to which I was proud to lead strangers. But alas! At this moment it is pretty bad again, and I have just been contem- plate a fresh Sl^ege Do any of ray readers want any farther hints as to hov/ they may make those of their own family happier than they possilily could by giving them sums of money untold V And do you wonder that I have reasons for going vehemently against having a multitude oi traps about your apiary, and having them clumsy, awkward and heavy at thatV If you have any spai-e moments, or an idle, rainy day, just see what transformations you can make about your own home, and reap the rich re- ward that always comes from such pleasant surprises and from the consciousness of hav- ing done one's duty. I dou't believe that any one likes dust or cobwebs ; but how many are there who are always ready and willing to do their part— or more — in brushing them away ? and in trying to make even inanimate objects look smiling and cheerful V It soon will be spring time ; and by the way, it seems like spring time in good earnest, al- ready; the doors are wide open and the sun is J shining as warm and bright on this 11th day [ of Feb., a.-- if it v/ere April or May. The grass IS growing green, and one feels as if it really were time to be slicking up the door yard. How does your door yard look dear reader y You certainly can appreciate a neat tidy i)lace, for I never saw a man or woman who could not. But I fear by far too many of you imagine one must necessarily be rich to have a pretty home. Is this the case'? I feel sure it is not. Did yo-.i ever observe how a rich man goes to work to fix up a poor, neglected, run down place V I believe he usually has all the rubbish cleared up to commence with, and njany times we are astonished to see what an improvement is made by attending to this simple matter alone. A homestead often looks unattractive, simp- ly because there is no visible evidence ihat some loving hand has been at work about it ; it looks as though no one lived there, to use a common expression, and it almost seems as though nothing could compensate lor this lack, not even money applied unsparingly, in the shape of hired labor. Do you say you have no time to bestow on such work yourself';' Sup- pose you get up just one hour earlier in the morning, and employ this hour in seeing how much of a change you can make in the appear- ance of your front yard. I presume there are some who say this will take their time and at- tention from other duties ; but what is the reid end Awd aim oi ovut's lifeV You may And that these hours or half hours before breakfast are about the happiest of your life, if you work with energy and enthusiasm, and furthermore you may make the very pleasant discovery that you are really improving the value of your possessions in dollars and cents, to such a de- gree that you are also doing your most profit- able work. If you are unaccustomed to such work, just try it; if for nothing else, to see what a glorious smile will beam from the coun- tenance of your wife, and jiossibly from the la- ces of your grown up daughters also. Do you know how fondly the.y, in after years may turn back to the recollection of that dear old home- stead '? and do you know how much it is with- in a father's power to make home a pleasant place to them '? Do you know how^ easily that love of home is fostered and encouraged '^ What a pure and holy feeling it is y and how powerfully it may influence them in after life, when temptations of a more worldly nature (U GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mar. may surround Ihcm ? "Well do I remember the time when I thoui^ht disreiiardiny the opinions of the whole world, easier than to bear the thoujiht of ha V in, •; those in that deai old home- stead, hear that l was on the road to ruin. When I started out with the»e papers, it was with an idea of trying to suggest some means of lightening the labors pertaining to kitchen and pantry, and perhaps you think I get along rather slowly; but I really do think we had l)etter get the feminine portion of the house- iiold into as pleasant a mood as possible, lest they resent any interference with their partic- ular domain, and the very best way to ingrati- ate our.>elves, I think will be to get out doors and commence our work of reformation. Just wait a mmule until I say, CHAPTER XIII. Our Homes externally. S^lHERE, now I am with you. Yoti see the * IS ' i|j idea is that we arc going to have just the tallest kind of fun at this work, and the whole secret of it is to get to work before we have time to back'out and get discouraged. V^ery likely the first trouble we shall find will be mud, or at least an absence of really good sidewalks all round the house ; and as we are to be saving of the coppers we shall have to make use of some very humble materials be- fore we get all around. And by the waj', we are not trying to see who will have the nicest home, but who will make the best vac of what he has already about him, without getting into debt. "We can make a walk that is better thau none at all, by simply laying old boards along in a string. But this is rather an awkward, and in some respects an expensive waj'; for very soon the sun and wet warp them into an ungainly shape, and one that is quite prolific of mischief; for the boards will roll up at each end, and soon show an aptness in swinging one's feet to one side with a suddenness that is anything but productive of good nature, if yon are in a hurry. Nailing a heavy block at the place where the ends join is some better, es- |)ecially if the block is well bedded in the ground, and if we have plank and can "break the joints' by making a double row, it may do very well, but I rather prefer to get some cheap scantling, cut the boards up short and nail them crosswise. Our walk from the house io the barn is niade in this way; the boards used are pieces of American hives, and they give much better satisfaction now than they did as bee hives. The latter plan too, has its objections, (or if a nail gets loose or broken, you are liable to make a friend stumble in a wa}^ that may be even more productive of "get- ting mud" than the curled up boards. When I was in Mich. — don't you begin to think 1 learned an "awful lot" in Mich.'"— I saw some wooden walks that pleased me very much; they were made by simply nailing- strips of any cheap lumber together, iu such a way that it made a continuous stick as long as desired ; the boards being sawed into strips say 4 inches wide, paying no attention to length, were placed with their edges u])ward and nailed so as to break joints until the walk was of the desired width. For running them round the house inside the vard, even one foot might do very well ; and this long plank is sufficiently pliable to admit of being brought round the house in very pretty curves. You can buy lumber for this for 1 cent per foot; and you ftiight even use almost any kind of old rubbish, providing it had one straight edge to be placed uppermost. You who have a wind- mill buzz-saw can work such lumber into side- walk stuft" quite independently. One other ad- vantage of this kind of a walk is, that no water ever stands on it in little puddles, as is the case with most walks of stone or lumber. To be sure the prettiest, as well as most durable walk, is made of broad flagging stones; but they are quite expensive unless you are so for- tunate as to have the stone on your own prem- ises. Now I wish you to do this work nicely ; for when I take a notion to call on every family- that takes Gleakings, I shall, the very first thing when I come in sight of your homes, look about for the evidences of its having been read. Before we leave the subject of walks, wo must not omit to speak of sawdust. If there is a wet place anywhere about your house or about your hives iu the apiary, a very little sawdust will prevent soiling your feet ; and if you spread a thin coat of it all over the apiary where you are obliged to walk, it will add much to your comfort, to the looks of things, and aid in keeping the floor neat indoors. When it gets tramped down into the ground, which will not be the case for a long time, you can spread on a little more ; and many times you can cover up untidy places with sawdust, while it would be difticult to fix them quickly otherwise. Keep a large box full with a dust- pan iu it, somewhere out of the rain where it will be handy, and jou ha^e no idea how much you can do with it. In the summer it is excel- lent to keep down grass and weeds, when placed around the entrances to the hives; if you want it to look pretty, get fresh pine saw- dust, and with a piece of very coarse wire cloth, sift out the coanser particles. If the sawdust is carefully saved from your hive- nuiking, it does very nicely, and does not de- cay for a long time. We not only want a dry place to walk on, but want the ground all dry and productive inside the charmed circle that encloses "Our Home." And to do this we will get on some of those clothes that "can't be spoiled" and "at it we go" to thoroughly underdrain it all. Haven't you any tile V Well, suppose you have not; neither had I two years ago, and yet our whole ''4 acre was well underdrained, and so it is yet. One might not be'ieve it, but our home was in such wet clay soil that tlie bees came near being all drowned when the}' first flew in the spring. I do not know that I ever enjoyed any work more, even though a great part of it was done during freezing weather in JNIarch, and we worked covered with mud. We jirocured some nice sharp spades, and commencing at tlie lowest spot in our lot, cut narrow trenches twice the depth of the spade ; we then, with a spade made on pur- pose for the work, cut a narrow trench in the bottom, about 4 inches wide and <> inches deep. This narrow trench was covered with pine boards cut in pieces and laid crosswise, the i^TG. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 6tJ cuds rcstini^ jjoeiirdy on the shoulder loft of ilie bottom ot tho lirst trench. Instead of buy- suii' boards, I cut up dry goods boxes, after we had gathered up everything in the shape of boards or refuse r;il)bish that could be found :il)out the i)reiiiises ; anil the amount of old tin ware, crockery, clc., that was thus put forever out of sinltt was a decided relief to our home- stead. To get the narrow channel clear and vlean itefore it was covered, a narrow hoe was made, Aud the drain was ntade and lilled up to protect it from the damaging influences of the iVost, nearly as fast as made. To see how the <',raiiis worked, a barrel was sunk in 1 he ground wiiere several of them united, and lo-day the water may be seen merrily running along on its way, as it has done for the last 10 year.-, wiieuever the soil contained a suri)lus (if w;iter. I n digging for our glass house, some of these pine boards were taken up, and they seemed almost as good as when first l.mried. The drains were about ;?0 inches in dei)t!5, and per- iiaps ;J0 feet apart ; our g.trden is now in con- dcpartweut. Il is < f no use to enclose stamp lor reply, ^^y a postal will contain all the letter we can pan.i^fiii/ write. If you send us a stamped en- velope, we sha.! \ery liUel'v write on a ))0stal. The ahove lo' ks ralhfi unfriendly, we arc aware, but will you notexcuK' it when we tt'll )ou that our light hand lias been in( ai;able of writing a t.age for months? All • orrespcndi-r.ce is ilone by dict.iiion, and it is all our bit hand can accumylish to do the \<, ritirg for Glean- ings with the aid of the lyiic-writcr. The risht hand was disabled mainly, Ijy continual writing: in l>and- ling bee-hives, using buzz-saws, or any kind of out- door work, it is as good as ever unless sonic visitor comes along who prefers to leisrn hec-keeping l)y ask- ing questions rather than by hard study; in such a case self-preservation demands that we refer them to Gleanings as containing all we know on the subject. We beg to mention here that this same self-preserva- tion demands, aside from the teachings of the IJiblc, that the Sabbath be a day of rest, and that bees and all week-day duties be then laid aside. HOW TO MAKE QUINBY FRAITiaiS. ''^piROM a J^ board cut off pieces exactly 11 Si inches long ; don't be satisfied with saying "that is near enough," but cut tliem as exactly 11 inches as they possibly can be, and do the same with every thing about the hive. When you have your board cut up, rabbet out on both sides of both ends of the pieces, 'S-Wx%, so that the strips when ripped off, will show like the accompanying diagram. A ,• -1 0 B J D A, B, and C, D, being the rabbets. These pieces are to be ripped off exactly 1 15-83 wide, for this is the distance from centre to centre of the frames, if we consent to have them affixed distances. When all are cut up, set your saw gauge and saw them exactly through the mid- dle, as shown by the dotted line; this gives you the most ditncult part of the frame, the "two end bars, and with a buzz saw they are very rapidly made. For top and bottom bars, simply cut your boards off exactly IS^g, *°^ rip oft* strips ;?«^ thick. Before you nail them up, sort out the soundest ami straightest-grain- ed pieces for the top bars, using the others for the bottoms. For a comb liuide, run your saw along the centre of tiie under side of the top bars, sawing in about -5-16. To make the comb- guide, cut off some pieces exactly like those used for the top btir<, but l^efore cutting the guides off, saw off" on a mitre each corner of each cud of the boards, in such a way that the slips will be of the shape of diagram. c. They are to be sawed so thin, that they pnsli into the grooves in the top bars nicely ; when all sawed out, pile them up and run the saw through the whole bundle on tht; dotted line. Now put a strip into each top bar, the side that was on the dotted line into the groove, and nail your frame with very slender Ijg fin- ishing nails, three nails at each corner, two through the end bars, and one between them through the top and bottom bars. This gives you a fnme that is cross-nuiled at the corners, and is as light as a nailed frame well can be. The shoulders formed by the rabbets hold it square and strong, and enable yon to get the pieces quickly and exactly in place. Two or three of the Universal hoops, will hold these frames from falling over, and when working with the hive you can lift off all, a part, or none of the hoops as you tlnd convenient ; re- moving the division board will ordinarily en- able you to handle tliem easily, without taking any part of the hive away. If it is too slow work, we can furnish you metal cornered frames in place of them for the same hive. S3 GLE:iNIXGSIN BEE CULTURE. Mar. li >les in the lower odss of the end boards, mid screw Ihom j fist to the lower hoop; then hook the rabbets over the u:jperh(X)p !ind screw them to the top edge of the end III ird; tnra thf^ sr-rews down just enoiieh to hold tlie Ii ops firm, and this compbtesthe iKid.v of tlicliive. When ! h? frames are in pla«a, put on the remiiniiis hoop and yoiilvive a nice pltcfl to luck the quilt down ; put on the cover and your hive is complete. When the se vson for surplus hcMisy arrives, you h.ivc on- ly to riise the eover, quilt, :>nd lop hoop, and put anoth- I'rstorv on, composed of S hoops and 10 frames. These will cost with the end boirds a-il r.ibbets, just §l.'2l more, CI- 8).tS in all, for a eomi)latR tvro-9tory hive arranirod for I he extractor; and could w 3 hcdp ourselves without ex- ))jns3 to all thvt has ever be in for-ommended in or about lieehivos, W5 woidd take nothing more. For box honey, the expense will depend on the amount (if bos room required; and this depends almost entirely on the locUitv and season. If you are where honey comes only for two or three weeks, as with us, one case of Iwxes will probiblv be all you need, but if you have a lo- fition where Jioney comes continuously for throe months or more, so that vou may need box room for 2.50 lbs. i>er hive, -see pa^e 129, Vol. Ill,— .vou will need throe or four c uses to e!K-h' hive. In view of this, we rcilly do not see liow we are to de(;ide just how much should constitute a hive for Iwx honov. A'^ain, many place the boxes directlv on the frames : and it may be that as this is so much sim- pler, it will be the best way, even if we do have to t ikc. them off U) f,'et at the frames. In this way we shall II led four hoo()s and twenty seven section boxes, at an ex- in»iise of only ."il (Muts, to convert our one story L. hive in- i!i one n.rr:in?od for box honey. If we put tlio fouTidation .-■uides in all these, 27 cents mors ; and if the lower hoop is made with metal bars to hold tiie sections from touch- iua; the frames, and to enable us to handle the whole as one box, the price reache.s $1.00, to be abided to the S2.25 lor the two-story L. liive. -V .N*-"-«/^/,. ^,- ^^ '^S'mz-'f'^ ^ 4" *^ ^ (~! «r| f4 < 'M 0 ^ * < ^ H 0 t(2 W '^ 0 t ^ >^^ U^ tD\: t^i e K Id ^ Q O O EH Ci3 >— < CO CO Q > o < EH o > o 5 2 S^ S r< S '^ ?' u '^^ S " u. " S « > »-^ S -' •- i ^ '- (/J o £ "" . ^ O Oi _ G j. S " ;i 0 " ic'-" Thi.s vM'ice l!?t to b3 taken in place of those of for- mer d.ttc. Mailable articles ,are de-;ij.rnated in the left hand col- umn of ri-.;ures ; the Ji.;;irc3 giving the amount o-f posi,r,7.:' required. 0 I IJiw.-lcr, Kmerson's .50, 00, 75 .} I Boxes, section with comb sH'des i}2 j " ^^•^^h arlass sides and fancy paper trim- 12 I vninvr fVir .above 1"> 20 " four srlass sides, .">x.">x(5; 12;^ 4 " without };la=5s ort 10 I Blocks. Iron, for frame makin>r l."* U irrels for Honey ■5"-J.50 to $+.«i« Bilances, Spring, for suspende.l hive )>,0f> (Jarners, Metal, oer hundred 1,0') '• Top only l,2rj 20 '' '• BottoiTj.gal. iron, i>er lUO. T.^i 10 Clasps, for translerrincr, package of 100. 2.-) Canls, Queen Kegistcrtng, per doz 10 f^ages. '• 10 20 (/Vmib Foundations, Artifieial bloacihed i>erlb l,Ot> 2 Cbeose Cloth, for strainers, per yard li> Extractors $8,50 to 10,00 Wax S,.")!) 4 Frame.s with Metal Corners (i'» ,5 ; '• Sample Rabbet nnd Clasps b> 0 I GLKAxiNGa, back Volumes, each 1'' i " present •' I,oi> 4-;> I (ieaving for Extractor l,.')i> 20 1 (iato-i, iToiiey, for Extractors so HIVES AND PAKTS OF HIVKS, ' One story Liangs'h without frames or bottom Sl.(» ' The same with bottom, 10 frames, division board and quilt, crated so as to be sent I sal'oiy by freight or express 2,:2'> Tlie al)OVt at the suridus season. If you decide to use the extractor you want an extra body and 10 frames -Sl,25— making complcttv , two story bi'.e — §.",.'0— or, you can have .">{ section box- i es (withouc guide combs) "in place of the 10 frames, jic i the same price. IT you i)refcr the old style of ghiss boxes, we can ilfc the i!]>pcr story with 1*^ having glass on four sides at )2V cents each; this will make the hive and all cost .^;,'j,(M). The glass ii so easily taken out of these boxes that we shall remove and pack them separately in shipiiing. The same hive without the glass, will bo SI.Mj less." By using lialf of an upper story we fdiall have only 27 section boxes, or 9 gl.ass boxes: making a storv and a half hive complete for S:>,00, nnd K.}.il respectively. 84 i One story Q. hive without bottom or frames S4 i The same with bottom, 10 frames, division I boav I The same with two storv, 20 frames ."J.Oo Or you can have instead of the frames above, Jiny of the arransremeuts for surplus, mentioned for the Eang- stroth hive. A one story rompietc for i:? frames of either tho Strindard, American, or Gallu|i hivc^, will cost $2,50. and they can also be n>i'd with anv of the surplus ar- raogcments mentionoii: also, as they are all deeper than the Langstroth frame, a single story can be used with fev/cr frames, and sections or boxes at the side of tho frames. As an illustration ; we cm take four frame.; out of the one story Quinby hive, and put in , their place 24 secti >n boxes, or we" can riMuove tlirce frames only, and ))ul in .six gl.'iss boxes, for (i sections occupy precisely the spac-e uf I frame. A one story (>. hive, with G frames and 2f sections, only costs .$2,00 ; with 7 frames and 0 glass box(is, i-2,(;0. 0 I Knives. Honev l.oo t»U.\lSK']rE€AL,ff..T AKS£..-lN<;;a^fi>. For descriptions of the various .'irticles, sec oTir ninth edition circular fonnd in Feb. No., or mailed on up- jilicalion. Latwls, Honey per 1000 Lithogiaph ol Apiary Lani]! Xurserj- Larv;K, for queen rearing Microscope, (J)om pouncl Medley of Bep-lveepers' I'lioto Magnifying (jlass, I'ockct *• Double lens rhoto of House Apiarv Quilts ; U;ibbe!s, Metal per foot Scissors, fur clipping queen's wings.. Seed, Alsike Clover, per lb " S\immer Rat>c " " Chinese Mustard, per os; Smoker Tacks, Galvanized Thermometers Vails, Bee AVirc Cloth, for Extractors. ]>cr foot.. " •» t >u'jca Cagci . . 5,00 2r> ES76. CLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 64 COLONIES. Wc are wiiiteiinsr SO linixirted Queens in i{ we will offer ulwut hslf of them, to be delivered in r»|irin'i:. In full colonies as nsnal- Tlic rc'Kler must ))ear in mind that we :ire the only Successful Importers of bees in America. We will sell st the followinir reduced i)ri<'es : Colony with Imixirted Qjieen .?18,00 Home bred tested Queen 14,00 Queens n'A raised in 187.'>. Tlte hives are ail new, weli uiiude iuul well jiaiuted, and ; or the follnwiii;,' April at tlO.OO. Four Deli lis must aecciinpniy each order. California, »(<>.. is inv nearest Money Order oflioe, E.' UlEFEXDORF, -.it?^!' Clarksbiu'ir, Maniteau Co. Mo. PURE ITALIAN gUEMS" rOT^ ISTS- I have on band 1<10 Italian av express charsres and pruarantce sale arrival. r? iar;>^- »taiiipfnra.Saniiiile «"«I>y. Address. THOMAS (;. NEWMAN, liJii and 11)8 South Ciurt. Mitti, Clueago, Ills. hone;^ jars. One pound (square) Jars, per gross, SC«.5(i Two " " " " 8..^ Uncapping Knivea, as good as any, each 50 " " perdoz 4.5(t Alsike Clover Seed, per bushel 15.00 "• " " peck 4.00 " " *' " pound 45 i^A-jVostroth njHi: riiv3E», Straw Mats, Bee Veils etc., at reasonable rates. For further particulars. Address, Itf CHAS. F. MUTH, Cincinnati, Ohio. THE BEF-KEEPERS' inAOAZINE, an illus- trated monthly journal of 32 octavo pages, devoted exclusively to Bee-Cul- ture; edite of Ear in. ■i' l',U, nt FOOT-POWER MACHINERY, SCROLL-SAWS, LATHES, ETC., ETC, The only foot-jjower machinery witliout crank or dead centers. 3l,oO0 to §:!,00<) jier yetir nuade usinit these machines. Send for illustrated Catalogue. ROCKFORI», ^VINNEBAtJO CO., BI>L. !« 1 1 . 5 <> A. V 13 K A O X: 1> 1» 33 K 33 A Y . Fulton, Mo., DecemlxM- 1 ith. is7f. Messks. W. V. Si, John Bar\es. Rockford, 11}.— Gentlemen : I sawed 110 frets for bihistra.de for }3ortsco. and \',>. brackets, in first two days ntnnins;. Every one who has witnessed the working; of the Saw litis [ironounced it the most u'taful mncliiiie ever in\ont(il. i have bsen workinsj from 12 to 10 men. and have done ail my sIidj) work (scroll sawhiii) oil your machhie, runniiiir it daily since I purchased it, and have paid nothinur for repairs, cxreirt for saws, which amount was comparatively sniitll. Three weeks since I purchased some imported woods and some nice designs, and turned my attention to fret work. I have averaijed per day, since that time, $11.50. I know of no occupition us pleas- ant Jind profitable tor a mechanic to spend his winter d-iy.s at as the above. Your machine runs . Club Kales. In tliis way aii\- of the Articles Mentioned on our PRICE LIST may be Secured as PREMIUMS. Please mention when names are intended for Clubs. An acknowledgment will be sent in all castas on receipt of money— for any purjiose whatever— by return mail. Volumes 1, & II, at 75c. each, may be counted on the same terms, as we have a Large Supply of BACK NUMBERS Provided for new "beginners \ As wo cannot lake the sjiacc in futtn-o numbers to go over the same ground agitin, aud Volume One contains tlie entire Fundamental Principles aud Gri:*oTind. TV^orli: for* Stai'tiiig- an -A.piai'y. Or how to Realize the Most Money with the Smallest Expenditure of Capital and Labor in the Care of Bees, Rationally Considered. I?XJ15IL.I.*?*HET> 3i:0]VTII3L,Y, AT 3IEDITVA, OHIO, J3Y^ A^. I. I^OOT. Wm>%® I Apl'ilf tSfUs; 'm® # In the Preparation of this Journal the following are the Principal Periodicals Consulted : MMM:^.'W%<&MWL ]B'©'©j (Ji'®1tt.P'^,,al® T. G. Neicman. IB'©'^'-M©'ie'P©l*^S M^^l*I'Cl. A. F. Moon & Co. C. N. Abbot/. [Also Bound Vohancs of (he former since 18fi0. and Files of all other Bee Journals that have teen Published in America.] COIVTEIVTS pafje Coml) Foundation JIarliine 68 l-'oul r.rood 71 Fouiiditioiis of Drone (Jonil). etc 72 J. P. Moore's Rick for Honey Boxes 72 Tin Separators for Honi:v Hoxes 73.75 .Thellivewall-Hall. orBee-Avnll Hall.. 73 \Vh\ do Queens lay 'r etc 71' \'arious :\Iitte s from Mr. Hoolittle 74. H( .7^ "Wlial makes tin- raf^'-'tMl Wings 74 Li'-'ht colored l>ee< and Red Clover 75 Smokers and Section IJoxes.. 75 Entrances, Win re: 75 Section rranies :md Honey Boxes... 70 Umvkksal Si'ction Frame 77 ("asefo.'3 Section Frames 77 pafre When to Stimulate 7S Ext lacted vs. Comb Honey 7s Notes and (Queries 7ii ( ' isli for 15ees-\vax 7!i (inide (.'oml) for Section Boxes 7!(,so How to fasten (luide Combs Hi) Comb Foundations and Wasner's Patent sn Loaf Susrar and Feedin;; S2 Worker vs. Drone Condi 83 Yellow Wax for (xuides. s;i Do dead Bees "come to Life ? " S3 Who will make the nicest Guides, as given on Pa!.n> 21 ? • • • ■ • S3 Dron's from Drone la\ in;? Queens 8 1 Petrified Hone" Co-tib (r) .- sf Our Homes and ever som my other thin is sr. 68 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Apr. IMPLEMENTS FOR BEE CUI/niUE, AL- PHABETICAL.EY ARRANGED. For (lescriptious of the various arliclcs, see our ninth edition circular found in Feb. No., or mailed^on ap- plication. This price list to bo talien in place of those of for- mer date. Mailable articles arc designated in the left hand col- umn of flijures ; the figures giving the amount of postage required. 0 1 Binder, Emerson's 50, 60, 75 TJoxcs, section with comb guides 02 " «ith glass sides an< having glass on four sides at 12^ cents each; this will make the hive and all cost §5,00. I One story Q. hive without bottom or frames 84 I The same with bottom. 10 nailed frames, t division board and quilt, complete except 1 surplus receptacles .^.00 i The same with two story, 20 frames 3,(i0 Or you can have instead of the frames above, any ol the arrangements for surplus, mentioned for the Lang- atroth hive. A one story complete for 13 frames of either the standard, Aiiierican, or Gallup hives, will cost $2,50, and they can also be u«ed with any of the surplus ar- rangements mentioned; also, as they are all deei>er tlian the Langstroth frame, a single story can be used with fewer frames, and sections or boxes at the side of the frames. As an illustration; we can take four frames out of the one story Quinby hive, and jnit in their place 20 secti )n boxes. 0 I Knives, Honey . . 1,00 Labels, Honey i)er 1000 3.25 Lithog JMih of Apiary 25 L;i m ]) N ursery 5,00 Larv;e, lor queen rearing 25 iMicrosciqie, Compound 3,50 Medley of Bee-Keepers' I'lioto 's 1,00 Magnifying Glass, Pocket GO " Double lens 1.00 Photo of House Apiary 25 Quilts 2f. Rabbets, Metal jier foot 02 Scissors, for clipping queen's wings 4( Seeii, Alsike Clover, raised near us,\)(i\ lb 35 Summer Rape " 15 '* Chinese Mustard, pei oz 2;. Smokci l,5t Tacks, Galvanized 1(' Thermometers 4< I i;niversol Section Boxes in the flat, each 01 Vails, Bee 7f Wire Cloth, for Extractors, per foot 1.' " " " Queen Cages If 0 I COMB-FOl NDATION MACHINE. NO^V IN rOSSESSION OF C. O. rKUUINf:. March 'I'Mh. — We have 1450 subscribers, and have lost 15 colonics of bees out of the 'M. Such is "Novice." Mr. ROOT:— Sir, the Comb Foundation came to hand, and sravc me the irreatest satisfnction. They measured nearly six square feet to one jKnuid, and I find it easy work to set strips o\ by 12 inches into the frames for the American hives. March 23d '70. Covrau Dippki,. P. S.— Publish this if you wish to Watertown, Wis. SECTIONAL HONEY BOXES All who wish to gel the most honey in th"^ most conve- nient salpThle form should use our Improved Sectional Bos 's. Combs built true in the sections every time. Boxes sell for nore Ihan livst cost. t-fi Aildress BARKER A DTCKR. Marshall. Mieh. (ETlass honey boxes. .Tiis^t llie tiling: foi- Hox: Hoiioy. FIRST PREJIIUM AT y. 1'. S. FAIR. \s~i AND 1873. Circulars fn-p. C. R. ISHAM. Peoria. N. Y. 2-3p Names inserted in this department the first timi with- out charqe. After, 10c. each iiisrtiou, or $1.00 per year. Those whose names appear below, agree to furnish Italian Queens the coming season for $1.00 each, un- der the following conditions ; No guarantee is to be assumeil of purity, safe rlelivery oranv thing of the kind, only that the Queen be reared from a choice, pure mother, and had commenced to lay when they were sliipjied. They also agree to return the money at anytime when customers become impatient of such delay as may be unavoidable. Bear in mind that he who sends the best Queens, put up neatest and most securely, will probably re- ceive the most orders. S))ecial rates for warranted and tested Qiieens, furnished on ap})lication to any ol the parties. Names with*, use an Imported Queen mother. It wanted by mail, send 10c. extra. G. W. Dean, River Styx. Medina Co., Ohio. »J. Oatnuin & Co., Dundee, Ills. .%2 *Dr. . P. II. Brown. Augusta. Georgia. 9tf *E. W. Hale. Wirt C. H., West Va. 6-6 *J.M.C Taylor. liCwiston, Fred. Co.. Md. ItC *T. G. McGaw, Monmouth, warren Co., Ills. Does it snovv at your house ? Read 112 sheets of tin lor^8.t0on page 77. •ime. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 69 NE W AD VER TISEMENTS. 1876. 1876. PRICE LIST. Farmer's Friend IJee llivcH ami Improveil one comb •■Jloney IJoxes. The>^e boxes arc .so arranged that ev- <;r.y comb is built true as a board and not glassed till •Jliied. Over Hti,oOO used last year by some of our best .'ttix honey apiarians. One sample No. u IlJve, 9 frames and 12 boxes.. .83,50 1 " 13 •> " l(i "... 4,00 " " " 'i " 9 '* IG top and 1<; side 7,00 " '■ case of 13 boxes with tin separators.. . 1,00 -Material for two samjile boxes bv mail, post paid 10 '• "• Hives I..|l,50 to .<.'i,oo each. •' lio.vte per 100 S2,oo ' 1000 15,00 4 GEO. T. WIIKKLEIi, Mexico, X. Y. -r^Avt/^o 25 with your name printed on them for wdrUo. 15 cents. K. VV. CLAKK, Medina, Ohio. Tllia ITALIAIV ISEJi: CO. DISSOLUTION.— Mrs. Ellen .S. Tupper's connection with the Italian Bee Company terminated February :i!j, 1«70. The business of the Company has been as- :iigned to the nianaf^ement of the undersigned. Mrs. Tupper leaves no accounts, and full particulars upon all incomplete business sent to her or the (Jouipany is desired imniediatelj'. Price lists of Colonies, Nuclei and Querns, Extractors, Hives, Seeds, etc., will be sent on appiicatiou to The italiiin IJee Company, lUd J. E. lioCKWOOl), Manager, Logan,' lowo. do do 20 to 100 lbs.. do l.O.I do do over 100 lbs., do 1,00 If (Hi ., to any size ordered, add lOc per lb. to ab )ve prices. If iiiaite ol white beeswax, add to above prices 30c per lb. If oidm-d by mail, adil 20c per lb. to above price.-. No charge for packing cases or cartage. Full weight, and quality warrantea as represented. The money must in all ca^es accompany the order, ex- cept b.\ (-1 e id aniHiicement. .Sam, k- .1 while ;iiid vellow, in box, by mail 10c. f. O. P13Klsil'«£, 7 Market St.. Ciiicago, III. B'yWiii pay COc per lb. for chcico yellow Beeswax do- liverc'l i;tro. 4fciS0cp PURE ITALIAN QUEENS I have on hand 100 Italian queens, raised in May antl June last. They were propagated ir. populous colo- nies, are pure and prolific. Price ^.00 each. I will pay express charges and guarantee safe arrival. 3-qd W. P. HENDERSON, Murfreesboro, Tenn. I have a lot of .Strictly Choice seed, collected from cultivated plants by M. Nevins. of Cheviot, O., which I will sell at .'5oc. per oz., or at fO.-'iO per lb. CIIAS. F. MUTII, 3 8d Cincinnati, O. 125 Colonies Italian Bees For sale at $7.50 Per Colony-10 for $70.00. Bred from Imported Mothersl; are in good movable frame hives, well painted: are in good condition. 3tfd M. P.UiSE, Pine Blull, Ark. Ita.lia.li Queen Uees & X«"'xillC'oloiiie(i! ANI> Pur«5 Bred Faiscy Poultry f«r 18T6. For Circular, Address Postal Card to Lowell. CarrarO Co., Ky. 3p-5 R. M. AR«0. Italian Queens For 1876. Having disposed of all the black bees in our vicinity we are prepared to furnish Choice Queens, bred from Imported and tielecied Mothers. Careful attention be- ing given to the selection of Drone Motherg ; allowing notio but those selected, to produce them. At the following low prices we will furnish I Unwarranted Queen ■$ LOucens all reared in 1S75 from Imjjorted Moth- ers. Purity and safe arrival guaranteed. Address, E. C. L. LARCH, M. 1)., 2t5 Ashland, Boone Co., Mo. Colonies of Italian Bees for Sale. On account of mv faiUng health, I will s*M! and ship, between May Ist, and May 20th, 500 Colonies of Italian Bees, in 8- frame Langslroth movable-comb hives in good condition in every respect, and guarantee safe arrival if onlered in lots from 1 to 20, shipjied by Ex- jirese, for the following prices : Single Colonies. 611.0(1; 2 to 6, .«10..^0 ; 7 to 20, ?10.00 ; 21 to 500, §9.00. Hybrids, .^iO cents less. Orders must include cash, or will not be noticed. If large lots are ordered the purchaser niui-t run his own risk of safe arrival. Having winteied l,4(iO colonies I will doiibtles.s be able to make asatistactorv seltclioo. ADAM G"RIMM, Jan. 10, 'TO. 2-td Jefl'erson, Wis. 70 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUllE. Apr. EARLY ITALIAN 1 am send iatoA quw^ris in the spriiic; as early iis the wo;ither will .-uirait. Also tested queens in strong nuclei of three full sized frames (17x0 inches) <>i comb, bees and stores. By purehiisins these small colonies, all danger of losing the queen in introduction is avoided ; besides they can soon be built up into strong stocks. '•This is to certify tlvit Dr. J.P. H. Brown, receives Italian (iueen Bees through thi i otlice, imported direct from Italy." C. H. BucKi-KY, Agent Southern Express Co. Augusta, Ga., Oct. lltb, 1875. During the se;«on I shall receive invoices of impovteil queens, every few weeks, from a district in Italy that is said to contain the finest type of the liigurian or Italian Bee. Send for circular to DR. J. P. n. BROWN, Augusta, Georgia. SEED POTATOES. ALPHA. The earliest. White, dry, excellent. One pound by mail Si. DO SMOWFLAKE. The best iwiatoo ever grown, great yielder, smooth and handsome— cooks flowery. Three jwunds by mail §1.00 One biLshel by express 2.00 Brownell's Be:iuty, one barrel --50 * Address, W. ;?. LUNT, Fostoria, Ohio. WM. W. CARY, Colerain, Frmklin Co. Mass. Sixteen years experience in propiiriting Ciueens, direct from imported mothers from the Ixjst district in Italy. Persons purchasing queens or swarms from me will got what they bargain for. Send for circulai*. 3ttq Oolniiit>ia A.piar.Y- (lueen»> iroiii Iiuportod Motlacrs for 187C>. We will send Queens the coming season as follows : One tested qeeen from Imported Mother. ?;;,00 Untested queens " " " c,:ich 1.00 Nucleus, with tested queen " " " 0,0f> Colonies ' • " " 10,00 Safe arrival of all queens (/uarantced. Itfinq STAPLE.S & ANDREWS, Columbia, Tenn. -A^verill Chiemiical I*aiiit» TilE O.V/vFKELIADLE. THE MOIST BEAUTIFUE. THK MOST KCONOMICAI.. THE MOST DURABLE. liequires no oil thinner or drier. Requires no waste of time in mixing. Has stood eirfht pears' criticisms With ycarJji increased popularHy And yearly increased sales. Is sold by the Ration only, in packages of from 1 l!> 10 gallons each, in Purest "White and any Color or Tint desired. Address, for sample card of colors antl price list, OfBcc and Factory V.Vl & 1:>1 East River Street, CEEVEEAND. OHIO. fi-(;--7^. IT^LI!A.:^T BEES. FULL STOCKS §1-2.0J to S15.0O. Tested queens each ?;100. Warranteil queens each S2.00. Bred from im- ported and selected stock. Sent by mail. Addre.ss, T. G. McGAW, 4-6 liock Box O't. Monmouth, Warren Co., lil. lE^I^A^e MC^^ME'^ #ASit.. 1 lb. Round Jars per gross $5.S(> 2 7,.'»0 Corks " " 75c. and l.tX) )i Ft. Honey Tumblers, plain or ribbed, per doz.. 4*> 0 doz,. in a box. Packages 4(> ^ Pt. Honey Tumblers, plair. or ribbed, per doz. . .W t; doz. in a box. Packages 45 'a Pt. Honey Tumblers, Tin Top, per doz (>'> (j doz. in a box. Packages 4(i i<; Pt. Honey Tumblers, Tin Top, per doz 7"» (> doz. in a box. Packages 4.^ Also AVindow Glass, Lamp Chimneys, and Glass- ware of all kinds. For sale bv B. L. FAHEN STOCK, late B. L. Fahenstock, Fortune & Co., Glass Manufac- turers, 70 AVood St., Pittsburgh, Pa. Htf Kvcry Bee-keeper sluoicld subscribe for it. The American Bee Journal, Is the best scientiftc and practical Journal of APICUL- TURE in the world. The most successful and experienced Ajiinrians in Europe, as well as Ameri;'i, cotdribute to its paw-. In fact, it is tha oldest and liuv/est Bee Papee in the Euirlish lauc-uage. %2. I'er Annum. SendaSt'imp for a Sample Copy. Address THOMAS G. NEWMAN, If 181 Clark st., Chicago, 111. AGAIN WINTERED SUCCESSFULLY. Tested queens or full colonies furnished again this sea- .son in my Non-I'a.tent Ilivos. No useless traps or fixings about them. Send for Prices. 4tS JOSEPH M. BROOKS, Columbus, Ind. Box 130. Qxiecns. inyo. Bees. Bee-keepers in want of First Class Queens, (Import- ed or homi' bred,) Nuclei or Full Swarms, should get them at the Keystone Apiary. Price list, free. Ad- dress KEYSTONE APIARY, Corry, Pa. ■S-.'i SEND for E. W. Hale's price list of Queens for the year 1870. All Queens raised in full colonics and from Im- ported mothers. No Bee disen.se in my locality. 2-7d Address, E. W. HALE, Wirt C. H., W. Va. SEEI5S- "OOCKY MOUNTAIN \>c Plant seed and Chinese X\; Mustard seed, at 20c. pi-.r oz., .Vlb. 40c. or .§1.25 per lb. 1" will warrant seed good, as we have tested it. -Ji"-f 50cp-2-l, A. A. RICE, Seville, Ohio. Ir II 'pat. BINDER ljt\gP£RlDDlCMs\ w You cannot look over the back No's of Gr.EANiN(:>i ov any other Periodical with satisfaction, iniless they are in some kind of a Binder. Who has not saiil - "Dear me what a , bother — I must have lasi month's Journal ,and it's no where to be found." Put (!ach No. in the Emerson Binder as soon as it comes and you can sit down happj-, any time you wish to find any thing you may have previously seen even though it were rnonths ago. Binders tor Gleanings (will hold them for four yeai's) gilt lettered, free bj' mail for r)0, 00, and 75c, ac- cording to quality. For table of prices of Binders for any Periodical, see Oct. No., Vol. 2. Send in voiir orders^ A.J^ROOT. Medina. <) CLUBBITSrO I^iliST. We ^vill send Gi.kanings— With The American Bee Journal (§2.00) $2.75 " The Bee Keeper's Magazine (1.50) 2.25 " The Bee World ^ (2.00) 2.50 " All three. The Bee .Journals of Atnerica, . . .5.25 " British Dee .Journal (S2,00) 2,75 " American Agriculturist (Sl.OOi $2.35 •• Prairie Farmer (S2.15) 2.Di) " Rural New Yorker (82..50) ;t.25 " Scientific American (S3.15) 3.i>0 " Fruit Recorder and Cottage Gardener ($1.00) 1.75 [.'l&oi'c 7\Ucs include all I'ostage.] Books for Bee-Keepers. SENT postpaid on il'ceipt of piice. Langstroth on the Hive and Honey Bee S2.00 Quinby's Mysteries of Boo Keeping 1.50 Bee Keeper's Text Book, muslin, 75 " " " " paper, 4ti These .are the best, but arc all far bahiuil the times. A Manual of Bce-Keeping, by John Hunter §1,25 This latter is fully up to the t^nle^, bci'-ig a.^ late as Sept., 1875, but being English, a considerable portion of it is hardly adapted to "the condition of bee culture, at present, in our own conatrj-. l>JaVOTJ3» TO Bli:ii:!S ATSI> lIO?«fIi:Y, A:NI> H03ri3 IT*^T33It3ElSTS?i. A. I. ROOT, -) Published Monthly. r 'TISKMS: $1.00 Per Annum iu Ad- FtiMisheT and Proprietor, !- ■] vancc; 3 Cop/es/or $2.50; o^Wr S3.75; ITIedina, O. ^ Ji!sta,l>llshecl in 1S73. (.10 o?- »io/e, (K'c. mc/i. iSiuf/le JS umber tOc. Vol. IV. APRIL 1, 1876. No. 4. FOUL, BROOD. WHAT IS IT? WilENCK IS IT? ANlJ WHAT SHAM. \VK DO run IT? MIDITOR OF <:;LEAN1NG.s : The above (luestions I have ;i painful interest to bee-keepers in this visinity, and I desire •space in your journal to state the "situation," ai]lr. Kruschke brought with him some fifteen stands of bees from JUin is, — obtaine some plaster casts from drone comb, to use in small frames, as I very much i)refer drone comb in the surplus and boxes. I visited one ajiiary last season, where worker comb had been used quite extensively for starters in the frames ; white clover yielded very slowly in that location, but pollen was abundant, and the uprights of the small frames used were If inches. ji;st the same spaces as in the brood chamber, and directly over it. The bees were breeedinir some in the supers, and they lllled a good many frames with bee bread. I saw many nice frames of new worker comb, almost entirely filled with brood. Of course nil such had to bo cut out and fastened into brood frames. Now if drone comb had been used for starters in frames, (with upriirhts !§ to IJ wide) and but little drone comb left in the brood chamber, the bees would have built all drone comb in the small frames, and of course there would have been no bee bread in the supers ; and I think they woidd not have brooded in them as much as they did, where the spaces were a continuation of those between the brood combs. My conclusion is, that I want all drone size for starters in boxes, and frames ; have used such al- most exclusively for the past five years with good success. Haven't got my wax bleached yet, but made a few guides from yellow wax, to try the casts. Those made are too thick to suit, but the weather is Tcry cold, and I ha\-e had little jjractice. The next point is, how will the bees take to them ? the smart stocks, those that secrete wax readily, will see the advantage at the first glance ])robabl.v, but those lisht colored lazy fellows, I suspect will have an excuse, that they did not know what those guides were meant for. !My plan is to make the casts 5 inches or more long by 2 inches wide, so as to have the guides fastened at top and bottom, 2 inches wide, but don't know bvit the.v will sag when the bees cluster on them, and warm them up. Shall Ir.v and put one or two strips of real drone comb in the middle boxes ; a few for a start in each hive. ' If they could be made with a cell foundation, like Long's, with the bottoms of the cells thin enough, I think they would be decidedly preferable, as the difficulty generally is, to get them to add or join on, the first wax as soon as they ou,.-lit, and if the cells are deejj enough, so they can IKit in a droj) of honey, they will readily see the necessity of lengthening the cells. AV'ell, 1 see yon don't want any advice about hives, so I suppose this will be paper thrown away ; but if you will read it and consider, I am satisfied ! for if you don't have the best rack in America, the responsibility won't rest with me. I know you won't adopt it, bec:iuse you iu-e like me, and a great matiy other bee-keejjers, you can't be told anything till you have the experience and see thee beneficial inHuences of tiKNKHAL, humane bee- keeping for the welfare ot our planet and Her Majes- ty's subjects and inhabitants. The adornment of mother Earth by ha))py country people "■■ifiih bees on xmiU fiiriiis" and by their Industry, Temperance, Economy, Health, Wealth, Happiness, Moiudity, Wis- dom and Peace! -THE r.Eic hive a holy liiuLH. Realization here and practical examples, I hope, I ^hall be able to show, as soon as I, professor in the wiliierncss, carving out a home,— now a poor Pegasus in Yoke, and the very Bee-Tantalus in Purgatory (for big i-ins against "/(M;H(7He'' bec-ing)— can get jiardon and redemiition and be '■'icitliV bees again !— Then I shall have my (now bound) time, hands and small means free for doing best repentance by ostablising in a good location my Bee Mission or Academy for Api. eidf.ufe, with model apiaries, honey house and (may be) llygeian liomes. Help Heaven ! "What work and holy task! God grant me some years more ! Trulv your Bee-Templa? : Apiphibus, M. VOGKI,. Boyne P. O., Charlevoix Co., Mich. By vvay of explanation we will add that friend Vojel is an enthusiast; and that his es- pecial hobby is hives piled on top of each other in such a way as to make i house apiary. Two walls are thus made of hives, and the hall formed between them, is the place where the bees are handled. Of course the frames and honey boxes arc to be all drawn out from one side. While such a plan seems to be little in favor with the bee- keepers of our country, it has been used quite successfully in the Old World, in some cases. Hives can be built quite eco- nomically in this way, and if one can be in- duced to forego the pleasure of being able to remove the top of the hive, it might be made to do very well. We suggest that where frames are to be pried loose whf^n one is reach- ingback to the farthest frame ol a 10 frame hive, it mtist at times be somewhat aggrava- ting. [P'or Gleanings.] "U'HY ©O Qlj'EEr^'S LAY i ETC. 3'N July last, while holding a frame containing brood, bees, and a (pieen, in my hands for inspect- -^^ ion ; (taken from a hive containing '2000 square inches of eggs and maturing brood, as ascertained by actual measurement). I distinctly noticed eggs drip- ping from the queen at the rate of several each min- ute, as she slowly crawled over the comb in search of cmjitv cells. 1 therefore, very naturally concluded, Ihattliat queen, at least, laid eggs because she could •lot help if. I have repeatedly noticed eggs dripping from young- queens in small colonies, wliere brood combs were scarce. In Novemlicr, 1874, I had a young queen with a pint of btes on a single comb, in a glas-i observation hive, situated in a sitting room, with a passage fur the bees communicating with the open air. I daily fed them, a-.id carefully noted the cfl'cct. Each morning the small bottom board was strewn with eggs that had dripped from the queen. During the day, the bees carrieti many of them out; perhaps all of them ; perhaps not. It may be that they ate some of them .as has been suggested ; I could not de- termine. But that they carried most of them out of the hive and lel't tliem in the passage way, I know. In the midst of my observations I des-ired to insert a thermometer in the cluster. To do this I attempted to keep the bees down with a puff of smoke, which set them all in commotion. Mrs. C. was looking at the queen at the time, ami reported that the bees instantly attacked her. With no obstruction whatever, we watched the re- sult, and saw her own daughters worry and sting her to death. Why was this ? I invariably make use of smoke when extracting, and handling bees for other purposes, and am sure I have never lost many, if any other queens, in conse- quence. In the course of a few days I int'^oduccd a second thermometer, and placed the bulb of one ni/ot-e, and the bulb of the other heloto the cluster. In such a con- dition I subjected them to various degrees of temper- ature, and carefully note|[ \yf time, oxijecting to hear from some one besides P. Herring, on the subject, "How far do b.;es fly "r" but as no one seems desirous of sajing anything, wc have a word or two more wo would like to say. Novice says (page Itti) "a radius of 1^2 miles would cov- er an area of nearly 5090 acres," and seems to think we are derauiod by intimating that 20 colonies might over- stock such an area. If he will refer to what we wrote on said page he will see wc said n poor locality. I have been in many jjlaces where 5000 acres would not produce 10 basswood trees, .and no while clover except a little by the road side, a few aci-es of buckwheat, and here and there a few stunted apple treis. How much honey do you think 20 swarms of bees would produce if confined to .'jOtO acres of such pasture as the above ? No\ ici; also says "y.ou have all observed how they (the wings) get worn down to jigged stubs during the linden bloom.'' Beg i)ardon, we have observed no such thing ; Ihit is, to iir.y such extent as they do when clover is iti bloom. ^Vhilo clover with us grjws nioslly in mead- ows, and in order to get it the bee must fly downi in the herds grass, and so liy coi-.staii ;ly hi:ting the wings against said grass they bjcorae worn as he s.iys. By the time b.iss- wood is nearly over wo see but very few such bees, as the ones that worked on clover have mostly died. We are positive on this for wo have noticed our bees (after bass- wood was all gone with us) going and coniLiig in one di- 1876. GLEA.NINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 75 TcctioJi and follov.cd them iielwoen four niul five miles ti».a high hill wlicre basswood was in full bloom, and at that time Ikeiv were not half as many with worn wiuarsas there were in clover biooni. Our boxes also were being as rapidiy iHled as they had been at any time when basswood was plenty near hoiae. Wo wouJd very much like to know how Mr. Herring gets bees to work on his bait when clover or basswood is yielding plentifully. We have trkd it sisvera! times but could not sueceeil. Bees have Ijoen k anted in the fall and startwl three miles from .Sk;ineat- ul two weeks after tho last black beo has hatchep, or in other words be the same as one large box. Guides used should be comb, (white) or comb foundations, and the more you use the better. If you can till each box ftill, tho bees will lill them in one-half the time ; but a piece one inch sqsarc answers every purpose for getting just one comb in each Iwx or frame. If you do not want to glass it, they will build true enough for all purposes without separators. Bees wintering well so far. Have lost none yet. Con- trary to egpectatitm for such a \rann winter I do not (ind nearly the brood there usually is this time of year, and strange to say those in the cellar have far the most. G. M. DoOLITl\LE. Borodino, N. T., March 10th, 187t>. If you don't .stop abusing us friend D., we will get down from our stool and let you be "school master" awhile. Perhaps we may as well own up that it never occurred to us that we might hold a smoker in tho mouth and work with both hands ; and we really don't know but you are right about it. The fact is we have never worked with the boxes— shall this season though, at least until we get tired of so much fussing and go back to the easy and simple extractor, as we have always before — • and we have been in the habit of so construct- ing our hives that they could be I'eadilj' ma- nipulated with one hand, while we used the smoker (when one was needed), with the other. It was rather rough to assume that we had never used them, for we made a very nice mouth smoker years ago, and it is carefully kept in a drawer yet. Wc never used it very much, for when dizzy by frantic blowing, aside from other trials of patience, we soon coh- tracted a chronic dislike to it. Besides wheu one ht'iS lady visitors, h®w undignified it does look to poke a great knob of wood in cue's mouth. We didn't say entrances at the top of the hive, but part way up. Did you nerer have the entrance closed by dead bees in the spring? If it were two incites above tho bottom board, this could not well happen. As Isees seem much disposed to prefer such an entrance, is it not well to let them have it ? Many thanks 70 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Apk to you, and others, for the information f'lir- ni.sh(d in regard to the section boxes. With such an opportunity of comparing notes, and overlooking each others failures and successes, we ought to improve some. SECTION FRAMES AND HOIVEV BOXES. ^rj^HIEND ROOT:— I see by Glbanings for March, Bpl that J. I. Johnson, Palmyra, N. Y., asks a pre- ventive of bees running the combs together in section boxes. I will tell yon what I did last smiimcr, and it worked to a charm. I had 8 stands i>f bt-cs in 'lonble hives, my own make, Qninby suspended frame, 20 frames in hive. I made 100 Ibsv. box, 150 in sections, and 50 extracted honey. I live on a public road, and I)eople constantly passing wanted a few pounds of honey ; of course they had nothing to hold it. Well, I thonght abont a section box ; I conld get nothing to make them of easily, so I got some peach box covers and some strawberry bi>x stufl", and ripped them up in one inch strips (I snppose yon know how a strawberry box is, ciU half thro' .it each corner and nailed at one side, bnt the veneer must bo wet over night before bending ; it then works nicely). I then put a piece of eomb in the top, 1 inch square, (would prefer drone comb if white) in some 1 stuck little bits of vvax along Ihe under side of top. When filled they weighed from one to two lbs. each. Only two sections out of the 150 lbs. were connected. 1 sold all my honey at the house, for cash, comb honey 25c., extracted SOti. I had more demand for the little sections than any other. I put the sections in the frames both front and back of the liive. I think the comb Joundations for the sections, a grand hit. One hive made 90 lbs. comb honey. Be- sides the 300 lbs. honey, I had 0 swarms from the 8 hives, making 24 all in good order, to start with this spring. Alkx. Fiddes. P. S.— I may say that I put sections on top, but frost came abont the middle of Sept. and there was no more honey. Ceiitralia, HI., March 8th, 1870. In answer to J. I. Johnson's query on page oO of Gleanings, I will say that I have used D. L. Adair's section boxes for six years. Sections 5x6xlX inches. 0 sections in a clamp. To ensure straight comb the guide should be at least 4 inches long, or whole length of section is better. Depth of cells does not matter, as they will work straight if there are only two cells and those crushed flat, if the center ridge is left straight- If a short piece is used they will often run cornerwise and sometimes in half circles. C T. Smith. Trenton, 111., March 11th, '76. I could liiive shown you Mr. Isham's arrangement in the year l!*(i7. I did not like it then because of the pi-ojecting top and bottom. The top and bottom of wine had a channel all round. ,5-1(5 in. from edge, to receive the ends of the glass sides, and I should now think this a'Tangement preferable to Mr. Isham's lit- tle n.ailB "to keep the glass from falling in." I then Blade another— which I still possess— by catling a square piece so as to form an angle like this ^ ; 4 such posts arc nailed, one on each corner of bottom. The frlass is then slipped in place and the top nailed on. This makes a verv neat box. but the foUowinir I like much better, of which I would send you a sample, but the description will enable you to make one in a few minutcfa. Cvitllie glass to the size required : set the 4 pieces up on end to form a box ; have top and bot- tom ready, these should have a rabbet around the edge to receive the ends of glass, say G-32 — thiek- ■eee of glas-s. The top will fit into and on the glass box; now have a square hoop of light tin .''>-8 wldv thut will fit tightly, binding all snugly together; preg^-' the hoop down half way. now flit the corners and fol'J the apper half of hoop over on to the top and rub ii down with a stick. Now turn bottom up and servv the same way, and you will have a box equ il to any. The hoop is easily pressed down just half way by hav- ing a board .'.j in. less than top, and just !y-\S thick. By having this on when pressing on the hoop, you' will have half the width of hooj) to fold over. But P should, if convenient, go a step lurther :ind get squari glass bodies u>ade all ready for top antl bottom. I sup- pose 3-ou can get them from some of your glass man- ufacturing advertisers, or. you might cut the top and bottom otVatquare'2 11). honey jar and try it. I be- lieve there are several ways of doing this, and nu (!oubt you know of some of them. I have seen this in some paper : "To cut a glass bottle in two. Put tlu- bottle in any suitable vessel and pour into the vessel water until it rises to the line where you wish the bot- tl(; cut, now pour oil on the water and set it on lire ; this will expand tlie cxi)osed part ofthel)ottle am"; sei»arate it from the j)art under water." I have never seen or known of this being done iiut it seems reason- able, and I give it for what it is worth. In putting on tlie tin hoops above mentioned, if they should be u little large, a bit of pai)er between them and the glass will do the business; if small, hammer a little. Thi- little rabbets .are rapidly cut with a s to starve, even in the strongest colonics; and by so doing waUe their numbers without any corresponding increase. You will pleaee excuse me, for perhaps L don't know anything about the spring dwindling, not having lost any bees by that disease yet. I may perhaps enumer- ate other causes at some future time. Bees winter well without any pollen, if the colonies are strong, but they require flour early in the spring, tliough not too much until the proper time. I would rather winter them without pollen, if I could get them In good condition, (as they keep more quiet) but whu« in good condition they always have pollen, which is not hurtful if the hives have the right quantity of veu- tilation. E. C. L.LAitCH. Ashland, Mo. EXTRACTEK VEKSUS COITIB HONEY. ^P|6))EGINNEI{S are almost sure to fail ■1±3) with box honey, whereas they are almost equally sure to make a success with the ex- tractor ; that is, they get a crop of honey, all they can use and generally some for their neighbors. It /.s true they frequently take away so much they have to feed it back, but this only gives them a more intimate acquaint- ance with the bees, and prepares them to get a knowledge of their habits they could scarcely acquire in the same time were they not obliged to invade the domain of the queen to secure the crop. i-s:6 GLEAJSflNGS IN BEE CULTURE. ra I see (hat some one ir. Michlg'sn advises the di&iise . asks if what is called India iiuckrtheat with a yellowish bloom is as gooil for bees a>i the iher. Who can tell ?— L. C. A. asks which is ihe better place to keep candied honey; in cellar, in .(« out house, or in a cool chamber. So we avoid €C busines?, had followed it more or less for eight years. Ho was with Mr. Wilkin some Svo SBmmers, and shipped hU b«ee to lown. Correct and upright in all his habits and dealings, ho leaves us only to rC- gret his e;ir!y death. HiLBEUT Habkisom, Ilopodale. Ohio. Gleanings in Bee Culture, Published jllontlily. EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR MEDINA, OHIO [InchtiUng I'osiaffe.] For Club Sates tsse Last Page. 2S^EI3I3Sr-A., .AJS»:£<.. 1, 1876. ,\nd now ahideth fiiith, hope, chnrity, tho-io three-; the greatest of these is charity. — 1 Cor., xiii, IS. Every dav we have a snow storm. But if the weather w boisterous, it is tio rca-jnii why our readers should be so. BCKEEMASS A Will, wai-b!s.i«lioi-», offer 95(\ p«r V». for yellow bees-wax, in lots of from 'Ai ti 50TO lbs., df liv- erod at S.yiactise. N. T. » ^ ♦ Wh ean furnish eomb foifndations Rt the prices quotell by Mr. Perrine. Shfdl we do this, or retara the money that is being sent us daily ? Wh hope we shall not be obliged to aii Iti only plfin comTuon work, Ju.-it iueh as we use, and send out to our ciwlomei*. Wk forgot t> say that the bees will probably work straii?ht in our boxes without the guides, for thoy can ;it- tach the combs to nothing else than tha O'ln-ow top tair, very well, and the tin seps^tai's will thsu compel them to carry them down exact. The ordinary quilt covers the openings above * — «—- • It will be out of the question for us to think of reariug queens for sale this season, with the amount cl business now on h'uul. We must nfer you all to our advertisei*s ; if you send lo us wo sliall have to hand your order over to some one as near you as practieabli'. The price of GLEAmsGS is $1.00. If wo should send it .•» yesr to th(>.so who after this dale send only the old i>rice, 7.5 cents, wo should be viTonginf; those who have paid a dollar; therefore, 7.ie only p^.^s for 9 months hereafter. You wish us to be impartial, do you not? It is our oi)inion at prescTit, thai; our criticism of Mr. Perrine in our Feb. K"o., was rather a harsh one; and fd- t bough we cannot promise to satisfactorily arr»n.2;Q mat- ters with all parties, we would be happy to rwvive a briof statement of nil complaints osrainst him. In scTeml ejises in our own vie inily, he has paid up old accounts not oni.y fairly, but.]ibei'a)!,y, forlicncj k st:rturin5 ibo Chlengo fire. «0 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. AfK- Jjvuny fevf days wc iiiid Bome individual laboring wi- (\cr -.i m-ptake thnt vost^ him moro than the prise of all I the Joninain, ,v»'t hr rrnmrks that h« wijnnol .ifTord to J ■iubsertbc. ThfT siiiKl their money to unlni>t\Yorth.r i.vvr- j lies, )!>y TnoR! than the market prico tor thinjrs, kcej) Iheir honey 011 h:ind un-^uld, ar sell it iti hM i)r5oe, and MOinetimt K pnj' travelini; fthsrpers for patents that Ivivc Vieen pubiie pi-operty for o year or two. Po yon rt»meinber what we said last season about the )i«'es hiiildinj? e(imb so x*i>istcntly between the frames in | the upper and lower stories J Well, this season we ran ! .•wooniodiite ibem by by p\Utine » case of scrlion boxes be- tween the two stories. 'I'hiii is ou« of the beauties of the hoop hive ; if dcsiied, we ean eslrai-t from the upper set | while they arc at work in the boxes. If it slops work in j the boxes as Mr. Dotilittle says, we will stop doing it, l that's fill. _ _ _ I A MOKE lengthy trial of the two buzz saws meiitsoned | hist month, shows that the one made by the Combined | I'ower Co. h is, aS'ter all, some very decided atlvaj>tn;r«;s over the ISarnes saw ; partjcnlaily in sawing very thick | fttulV, of short lejisth. By treading the machine up to | speed, the balance whf-cls aecuinu!at« power enough to do i considerable heavy work, even jificr wc stop treading en- I tirely, but it takes tiiBi'. of eourse, to arcumuiate this power. Each machine will have its favorites, and as the I little one requires almost no practice to work it success- | ftdl.>', it will probably [jlesse best on a short trial. ; So much complaint has been made of i^nr small i>pr,: and the way in whic.fe we have orowdod so many words into a line, and so many lines into a pfiire, — trying to give you the worth of jour money, — that we have commented \ this naonlh to have all the smal' tyf>e leaded, that is, have | the lines pl.ictd a little distancs apart. We dislike this i because it prevents us fi-om hearing from a,s many of you fiach month, and iicrhaps also because oar eyes are good doiir^ (juite. rapidly with melted wax, or \yith w;ix dissolved in ben/.ine. With tke latter you are (ibli'^ed to lei them stand for the benz ine to evaporate, be- fore handling them. There is another way we like very well, and it answers for bits of comb or aay kind of sruides, if they are hf Id in such a way that the bees canned roll them over, it is gimply to invori the whole case of Iwxes or scciions, a?id ihen lay the guides where you wish them j>ut ilicin (in the hive thug and the bees will (juiekl.v stick rliem fist. Yon c^n let tliem got fairly at work, willi them in this posi ion if you choose, and then when turned over, t lift lx!es wdl be nicely started on all the top birs. The Itali'ii.s seem i):^rticul:irly to I'ancy this way of work- in;. With one of i!»e methods you are obliged to fuss with W3X; witk the other with bee»; take your choice. THE CUliB I'OUXDATIONS AXD THH WAUNKK TATEXT. When inclined to censure any of the parties connect- ed with lhi:i bu:ii«c8:-, we thulit a very good idea to read tlie ch-ipter on cUnritv from which wc take our text this moBtk. Briefly ; Mr. Weiss sent us some sanjples over a yeai« ago as we have nacntioned. but w« then paid little Ht- teulion to the matter more than to admire and test- them, Hnd afterward wlicn Mr. Long wrote i*s in re- gard to them we rather threw cold water on hisevi- thusJasra of building-up a "ar^e trade on them. AinV it is due Mr. Long to say here that tbo credit of nni- kiiis the i)ublic take notice of them ie to placed to Bis account, even if we can not approve bis using an as- .sunied aamc for the purpose. Wo snpposed he xxfTUt^ platea lor making ihcm, aor can wc nnderstaiid yet. why he refused to make them more th;iu 1(> incht'^ "long'" — unless hirt name bas something to do with ii —if he and Weiss had rollers, ;4S it has recently co'ijc to light they Jsad. Wo certainly kncA' all about tile Wagner patent, bnt as It was nearly run out, we, lite every one else, supposed the owners of it would make their wishes known it the experimrnts of last seasfin ever amounted to anj thing. Just cm our machine Mfu'' fairly in shape to fill orller.^, we received a visii frOJtj Mr. Perrine, and a right pleasant vs^it wo hivl, even iV it did result iin stepping a work that wo had fondly hoped woidd be of .great benefit to bee-keepers. Ir was a privilege to have a good long talk with a mun who has had such an experience with the honey tra»I>? of our country, oven if we did not quite agree on 8om»: points. The resnlt was, that ho paid us our advertis^iS price for our rollers and the white wax we had pur- cha'^ed to work up. As he paid Mrs. Wagner her price for the patent— we believe ttie money came t<> her at a very .«icceptable time— ol course wo sould not, do other than respect his pretVrence to supply the en- tire demand for the article himseli. There are sevei'Ul morals to be gathered from the result of all th€^t- changes, and I beg in making your deductions you not only exercise charity towards your fellows, but re- member also the golden rule. Wc subjoin the ttvn following notes : 1 have bought from the widow of Samitol Wagn^i-. his patent, covering the manufacture of all ArtijieHr' llorieii (Jntifb FaifT/c'.tf'oii, />;/ iv ha iever prices s inaile, ilti \ have given notice to those who have been iulringing tbe said ])atent. and do now hereliy give geuerai' ii(>uce,thftt 1 shall enjoin its further ih:iinifacliire by any and all i)arlies in the United .States, and its n^e, except that which is m;ide and sold by myself. Mr. Weiss, the original inventor (invention and ma- king of lirst machines dating back nearly two yeaiv> of the Rolls for making said Fomnlaiion — the only practical mode of manufacture — is in my employ .iiKl 1 have in my possession and am using the machiiK;- that he forrnerly used in New York, on .vliich he mtMU; the Foundation sold by John Long and E. C. Hazari & Co., also the machine gotten up by Mr. A. I. Root, which I have purchased of him, and which has be the patent taken out by ray husbami. the late Samuel Wagner, for ihe manufacture of Ariiticial Honey Comb Foundations, that ftlr. V. O. Perrine, of Chicago, wrote to me asking for an individual riirht to make and use the same, and 1 answered t).\ saying that 1 did not wi,-h to HcU imlividiial rights, but would msike him -.1 complete as-^igniuon;, of the whole |)ati.'nt for so much money, cash. .Mr. I'errine came here and paid me the price asked without tryisig to get it lor any less. Others have in(>ingcd the patent for sotne titue, bnt have never oiVered to buy it, probal)ly knowing my ago and clrciimstancj.'j woiild not pciinii me to pros- ecute thera. I write this to give a moral weight to a reason why all persons who wish to buy the ('omb Foundations should get thera of Mr. Perrine. ,ts I hi re may He those who will still infrinse. Hmzai;i;th R, Wag.vki:. York, Pa., March 2;J t, IS7, took from them 550 lbs. ext'd. an. We d() heur dilTerent patent hives in this country, Langstroth, American, Eu- reka and J. R. AUen'^. I have how discarded them all but the Langstroth. I cm set more honey from L. shal- low frames, and tliey will winter as well as deep frames--, on summer stands. I have S stocks in L. hive 12 niches deep. Would you advise me to cut them down this spriuE;? for I wi.-h to have them all in ihe shallow frames. Wm. Roberts, Vaugh iisville, O., Marcti 21st, '70. We would cert.ainly cut them down so as to have all alike, and while you are about it get them into the standard L. size if you can. For comb honey this frame is destined to su- percede all others in our opinion, and it is very desirable that they are all made of oue exact size. You did not sesm to get the right "ilavor" of my re- marks, in Oct. No. I hold that honey should stand in the hi.o about two weeks to got .good llavor, if it s tiiicA when gathered. Wm. II. S. (Jnorr. Po! ind Contro, N. Y. I am quite gratified to know that you have near 1.500 subscribers to Gleasinos. One half of it is .f no use to us here, but it is the best wo can do ; we need )i depart- ment for Californi.i, or else a whole papar oursolvi;s. Our Oounty Bee Keeper's Convention agreed unaiiiuiou.sly to adoi)t the Langstroth frame, and the Harbis in section honey box, although most of the honey here is taken witli the extractor. I furnish all the new extractors. R. AViLKi.v, S. B. Ventura, Cal., March 15th, '7(;. You have already quite a bee department in the Weekli/, given this month on our coven Very glad indeed to hear you have decided on the L. frame. Long may it endure. I tell you it was fun by the bushel for me, to think that you, A. I Root, editor of Gleanings, should make . I have been keeping bees for years. I found a swarm in the woods, and from them I have .about 120 hives. I wish to Ittilianize them. I have the box hive, open at the top. with slats across oven with the top of the hive, a honey brard on in the absence of honey boxes, and a cover over that. With such hives, can I be successful with Itnli-in ([ueens? 1 also want to know something about shipping bees. I want to send a few statids to Denver, Colorado. When is the b^^st time? .and how would you p-ick them V I had thou'jht of sending just the bdy of the hive ; taking off the honey board, tacking wire cloth on top and bottom and sendinsr by express. J. M. Davis. Milford, Del.. Feb. 17th, 187(1. You can Italianize vour bees in such hivrs but there will probably be much loss and vex ation. You will have to drum out thf' bees to get your black queens, and then if they should take a notion to kill the queen introduced, and rear another black one, you can not well helo yourself. We think it will pay you to get them into some kind of a frarse hive, even ♦^ho' it be a cheap one. Ship the bees at any season when it is not very cold or very warm. The plan you have mentioned for such hives as vours, is probably as good a oue as you can have; for everv one could sec and hear that they were "bees," and they would be handled accordingly. Thev would also be sure to have abundant ventilation. My 4000 lbs. of honey advert i-ied in Gleinixgs. was all sold lotrg aso. Thanks to GLUxyisas for it. T ask no premitmi for tin name I sMit you, ami hope fo -rot a (rood ma y names for ,vou on the same terms. I s^ill f.^d mu^h indebted to Gi.evxincjs. M. E. McMister. P. S.— Mv ,"(i sw.vrms have ill cime throuih goid and strong. Bees goner:illy begin rearing bro xl in this see'ion by the first of Jan. Commenced carrying in pollcTi Fel). nth, this year. M. E. MoM. Shclbyville, Mo., March Slli, ^.l. 82 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Ape. I lune .sold my croi) of cxtraoled honey, wliich was ;ibout ;^00l) lbs. Could sell much moro if 1 had it. O. H. TowxsEMJ, HubtardstoM'n, Jlich., Mar. U, "70. I have M'intcivd most of my bees out doors this season. Every colony, (of o^cr \-20) is alive yet. Some 40 in cellar, seem to l)e in good condition. J. K. Ceane. Bridgeport, Vt., March 7th, l.s'O. MR. A. I. ROOT : -In Februai-y, about th. 10th I think, I put rye flour into woo. C4aednee. P. S.— The temperature in cellar has ranged from 40^ to 42°, is that right ? Car.son City, Mich., March 7th, 1870. If you can keep them quiet in their cellar, don't put them out at all, even if they Jiavc no pollen. If the weather is such that you can keep them in until April, or later, we are in- clined to think it all the better. "What is your charge for 50 feet of lumber cut into lengths {■> inches) and grooved, ready for rii)i)ing into honey section stuff ? I can have the same .shipped, at but small cost with my regular spring order. The ripping I want to do myself, on one of the foot-power saws. I win- tered 108 out of 111 hives this season, a number being four frame luiclei. For prudential rea.sons, doubled up (or down rather) to about 100, aljout 90 of which I have now breeding nicely. Jud ing by my own case, your last C4leanixgs has turned the heads of your subscribers on "saws," while at the same time it has dissipated the fond dreamings of many of them at least, as to their ever becoming possess- ors of tlie comb foundation machine. I know of no altern- ative but letting you run off miles of it at 75 cts. J. S. WooDBUEX, Dickinson, Pa., March 10th, '70. I have two swarms of black bees in box hives ; ono ditto in Quinby suspended ; and had one more that I Italianized last fall ; though a nice healthy one, it actually starved out since the middle of February, at which time, they with the others were out for a fly. Of course I am sorry now that I did not better look after them. I notice by your February No. that you now vote for loaf sugar as a bee feed. Do you mean that they will .' tore this in their cells in case we feed it in the fall for a win- ter's supply? S. R. Leonard. Wallingford. Ct., :March 10th, "70. To be sure they will store the sugar in the cells; and permit us to remark right here that tliis question, like a hundred others could be answered quicker tind easier by putting some lumps of sugar over the cluster of your starv- ing colonies, than by writing to your editor. We have dozens who discuss and theorize over a matter, whei'e we have one who will go right to work and make practical experiments. You probably had seen what we put in the Feb. No. about sugar before your only Italian colony starved, and yet friend L., you ask us to -'tel' through Gf.K.VMNGs," etc. We are very sorry to hear of such losses, and if it will afford auy relief to tlie suffering ones, on the ground that "misery loves compauy," we will say that the past winter has been such that an unusual amount of stores has been consumed, and tliose wlio never lose by starvation, have been obliged to admit that tlieir bees starved and nothing else. Even bees that were put in the cellar seem to have fared much the same. If we can only learn a good lesson from it. it may not prove a loss in the end ; one very important fact to be learned is that because one hive will winter safely on 10 lbs. of stores, it is really no proof that others will. Colonies that seem about the same in strength frequently consume 15 lbs. and then starve. There is danger, even when this reaches you, and if you do not go over them all, at once, tind see that each one has an abundant surplus of lumps of sugar or sealed stores of some kind, you do not deserve to succeed If you arc going to choose us for your teacher, ijct about feeding this minute. If you use smoke, you can feed them sugar even after dark ; just tumble the lumps right down among them. Maple sugar does tip top if the loaf lumps are not handy. There is very little danger of their liaving too much when they ate rearing brood rapidly. Now please don't let any of your bees starve in April; if you are ever so busy, you can attend to it iu the way we have indicated. inn. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 83 t''RlEND NOVICE ; -Am imrliiiod to think if .von had iit't your bees cut regardless of numbers, .you would not lirtve had that bad luuss in .your bee housf, nor would the bees that rlustered on their old stands li;vvc been lost. Tlicy will enter any hive without molestation after being confined in tlie same roosn. At least that is my experi- mvf. I one spring set my bees all on new stands foui- ivds from the place occupied the ijrevious season, and tm.'t with no loss. [f you had taoked rausquito net ling over th'^ nor above ts ' ; and the bees are as quiet as you could wish. l>on't you believe a cellar is just as good a place for win- tering bees as has yet been found ? J. L. WOLFEXDEN. Adams, Wis., Jan. 7th. 187ii. It is true that the bees will usually be well received in almo-st any hive under such cir- i cuiustances, but as ours had just about the right uumlKT in each, we did not care to have them mixed up. We have seen good stocks 5ose so many bees in this way, as to injure ^ them seriously. Besides, we can not feel that .' it is pleasant for the little fellows to be turned out of their own home and made to take up with some other. \Ve used wire cloth on the :i'ont of the hives one season, but thought there were about the usual quantity of dead bees, only they were all kept in the hives. If you take good sized pieces of comb for guides in ttie boxes, especially new comb just built in the body of the hive, as Doolittlc docs, we think yon can make them work in the boxes. Brimstone will not answer for bleach- ing wax, as it makes it brittle, and we are in- clined to thiuk that even sun bleaching has a Tendency that way. We are vers' Sliid indeed to hear your experience with drone comb In the boxes, for the question now before tis, is whether a pair of rollers to make drone comb i.s also needed. See friend Moore's remarks on another page. This past winter has shown pretty conclusively, that a dr>/ cellar, is the best place to winter bees unless they arc in a hou^e apiary. A WOliU ABOtT COMB FOUNDATIONS. Last September, I did send Mr. Long ten cents lor a sample comb foundation, and by return mail received a sample 3x6 inches, uiade of yellow wax. I cut the piece through the middle, fixed ono piece in a small box and put the box on top of a hive. The bees rushed into the box as if they were astonished to see such ar- tificial comb. I left the box on the hive about one week, then took it ofT and found it in the following condition : The cells raised out a little and the wax as white as snow. I think you need not trouble yourself to bleach the wax, for the bees can do it themselves. I will keep the two pieces lor a siimplc. D. N. Kekn. Shimersvillc, l*a. We were prepared to expect something of the kind but not that the wax would be perfectly white. In our experiments of last fall, we found the yellow wax to be yellow still, even when the walls were raised into full depth cells. We shall very soon give the matter a careful test. DEAR SIR:— Feb. Glkaninqs came to hand yesterday. With n^gard to comb foundations, these until very lately, have been sui)plied here solely by Messrs. Neighbour & Sons. For the thickness of them see my Manu.xl. pase 100. Tlio bea-keepers of Scotland have for some tune made their own sheets, and formerly used to fill (or near- ly) the frames; but found the bees elongated the sheets so that they had more material tlnn they know what to do with, consequently the sheets became baggy. Now, I believe no one gives more than a few inches of sheet. Mr. Cheshire now makes his plaster block by a cast from nat- ural comb. I have used a bloi'k now before me, the cells are much deeper than a cast from the pl*te, but I am not yet a believer in their superiority. I will make some ex- periments in this direction soon. Seeing your note that bees frozen for 24 or 48 hours were dead, I doubted it ; so froze 6 for IS hours — none revived — froze 10 for 36 hours, all revived— froze them again imme- diately for VI houi-s— -9 revived. I mean .to try 48 hou»!< again as my unlucky (5 were scarcely a fair sample, having been frozen before, as were also the 10. I give bees credit for more vitality than you do— but we shall see ! I have some observations maturing on frozen or torpid bees. Pollen or larva- food I have an observatory hivo thai since Nov. (early) has had no brood, but bees have con- sumed all (a fair quantity) cf its pollen. Query : for what i I have another stock, Dalmatian bees, that has had no pollen, yet has bred all the winter. On Christmas day had brood of all sizes ; if pollen is so necessary as generally believed how can we account for this ? The queen of the liist hive laid three eggs yesterday; my intention was to see if they would rear without pollen, but found this morn- ing the eggs gone although some more were laid ; so I yef> hope to decide the point. Yours, John Hcntek. Eaton Rise, England, Mar. 6th. 1876. We think it very likely that an inch or two at the bottom of the comb mai/ be advisable, btit as we have beautiful combs now in our apiary that were built on sheets that tilled the frames, we know they are not always bag- gy. Having the walls of pretty good depth, and pretty thick, we think will have something to do wiiii it. The plan of freezing bees up in the fall, and thawing them out in the spring, we predict a failure. The queen will lay, and the eggs will produce minute larvai without pollen, but in our experiments we have never been able to get the larva' old enough to seal up without pollen. 84 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Apr. We have been asked to express an opinion in regard to the following : (THrsnrxo ghapes for bees. A coi-rcspondont of the Solano Weekly ItepuMicau rcf- onimemls the feeding of jrrapes lo Iiogs and hens, both of which ])roved very successful, fatteniivj: the hoss and ma- kiuK the hens lay. He say.s : "My experience in feeding the juice of the grape to befis his l)een more limited, as I liad but nine stands, and of less il(;finitc conclusions, but of this I am fully convinced by the great quantity trans- ferred to their hives, that in freshly expressed grape juice the trouble of the apiarian is solveil as regards forage for his bees. 3Iy wife's unde crushed from twenty to thirty IX)unds of grapes daily during the grape season for our Iwes,' and they stored it all in the shape of honey, except the hulls and seeds, and that made excellent food for hogs. The honey made was of a purple tint, but of most excellent Ilavoi', comparing favorablj' with the much esteemed white clover of tlie Atlantic States. Here again is anoth- er source of profit Ijy the cultivatioTi of the grape. Wc have no reason to doubt tlie statement, but would suggest ;that it may be a safer ex- jierimeut, so far as the health of the bees is concerned, in the climate of California, than in our own. Even if it is a success, would it not ]iay better to sell the grapes, than to go to so much trouble ? EDITOR GLEANINGS :-()ne question, please, in re- heard to di-ones from unfertilo or drone laying queens. Arc such drones capable of fei'tilizin? virgin queens ? This to me is an impovtant question, since I have a (me virgin queen that I reared last October from one of Mr. Datlant's imported queens, and have brought through the winter thus far, for the jmrpose of raising early drones, (of which several nro flying to-d:iy). but to my chagrin here eomes one 5Ir. .1. M. Hicks, publisher of the "North American Bee-Keeper's Guide,'' and says— in speaking of •Irenes produced by a virgin queen, "I hold it as a fact that all drones that are thus produced are wholly worthless ; and are .a perfect set of neuters, neither male or female." (Page .58 of his work). But if he reasons from nature alone, may he not be in error in this as in the following which he assimies to be true V chapter G, page 46 of the same work, he says, "It is essential from the creation up to the present time, that nil created beings in all nature have two parents, a mother, and a father," which crtw vot be true of my drones, they being the offspring of a virgin queen. A. B. Keeper. Ou page 140, Vol. T, A. B. .7., a record is giv- en ofavej'y careful experiment made by the Baron of Berlepsch, showing that such drones (tre as good as any. Since then there has been much arguing over the matter, but very^few practical experiments. We suggest that you give us the result of your experiment. The work, or pamphlet rather, that you mention savors too much of the Mitchell style to be considered authority on any subject. I have not sold all my past season's crop of extracted honey as yet, but have sold one grocer in our cmnity town five Jind one-half barrels. That is pretty well I think for ii home market. J. F. Lote. Cornersville, Tcim., Eel). 23d, 187<1. A neighbor has found a .stone weighing about one pound, which looks as if it had once been a i)icce of comb honey broken and doubled over. It ijresents the cells in diller- cnt shapes. R. S. Eecktell, New Buffalo, Mich. The Stone is without doubt the work of a species of the coral insect. We think geologists agree that honey comb has never as yet been found in a state of petrification ; yet many specimens like the one you mention, so much resemble it, as to be usually tenned petrified honey comb. I see from your January number, j-on thirjk bees separ- ated from the cluster won't stand a hai-d freeze. Now 1 want to tell you that a young healthy bee, full of hone.^'. will lay in the snow fifteen hours with tbo thermometer at zero, and then if taken into a warm room, \vi\\ come to life and fly about the room. This 1 hare known by actual experiment. If our friend had stopped there, we migl^t have thought it possible his b§es would sur- vive a zero freeze, even if ours do not ; but he "puts his foot in it" so badly in his next, that we fear he has made some big mistake all round. On another point I disagree with the big bee men. It is said that queens fly ont, or rnate with drones but once in their lives. I have seen the same queen fly oiit three times in one week. Whenever yon sec your bees agitated and flying ont and in the the hi\'c, you may know that the queen is on the wing. And it is surjirismg how soon they will quiet down when the queen passes in. Also, I think I saw a queen that mated with a drone the second time. A neighbor had a stand of black bees ; he fed and watched them very closely, and in the spring noticed they had no brood; he feels sure it was the same queen that he got with the swarm, yet after the early drones began to Ily. his quecTi commenced laying and the yonng bees were hy- brids. IMd she meet an Italian drone ? .1. R. Lee. Oxford, ( ). It may be difficult to tell just how the latter state of aflfairs came about, but we can rest as- sured, that a queen reared in the fall is never fertilized at so late a date as the spring follow- ing. Young queens often get into the wrong hive, and sometimes are accepted, and the reigning queen killed ; this might account for the case mentioned, or their (jtieen might not have commenced to lay until quite iate, as sometimes happens. Thousands of careful bee- keepers agree that laying qut^ens never leave the hive unless it is to lead out a swarm ; while once in a great while some one, who we fear isnot a careful observer, claims that he has seen them flying out as you mention. Of course we do not doubt your word, friend Lee, we only think you have made a mistake somewhere, just such ones as we often make. The worst part of it is, we are all very apt to be so posi- tive we are right that we fail to examine into the matter closely. How much alsike clover seed is rcqnired per acre ? How much seed per acre is a lair crop ? Is it difHculi to clean ? yVbout what can be obtained for it at whole- sale? L. Bkckwith, Berlin, Wis. About four lbs. per acre is required for seed. The yield is quite variable, but usually about the same as red clover. It is very much like red clover in its habits, and the operation of cleaning is aljout the same. A good clean ar- ticle of seed sells readily at from §12.00 to $15.00 jier bushel, and the demand seems to in- crease faster than the supply of seed. Black bees work on it as readily as the Italians anft the honey seems as accessible as that in the common white clover. I had 10 colonies last spring. I built up to '2"2. \\\- tractcd about 100 lbs. honey. Sold .«omc tiuecns an'i Italianized all mv colonies. T. M. MclvmiAX. New nioomficld. Pa. 1876. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 8c dm^ n®iaEi©s® [In this departmeat I beg to be aJlowed to lay aside the editorial "we," and have a friendly chat and feel "at home."] CHAPTER XIV. ^||^)EFORE dropping the subject of sidevvalk.s 1^) and underdraining, I beg to consider a matter that has something to do with both, and besides its bearing on the health of all members of the family, has more to do with the comfort, especially of the little ones, than almost any other one item. I refer to the little structures that usually are given a place in some obs<>ure part of the back yard, or garden, ami which I verily believe no one ever men- tions, looks at, or even thinks about, if it pos- sibly can be avoided; unless it be some juve- nile or childish prattler who has not yet learned there are forbidden topics, and who, despite mammas repeated gestures of caution, will talk, and then open its innocent eyes in won- dering inquiry, as to why such an afiair of ev- ery day life should be so studiously avoided. I can not think it should be avoided, when if all members of the family would give it a faith- ful and honest consideration, so much real good might be brought about. Are these structures well enough as they areV Look tibout you and see. Not only when you are visiting your friends, but take careful notice of their condition at our hotels, at the R. R. sta- tions, «)u the cars, on board our steamers, and go almost where you will. Money has been <.*xpendcd on them it is true, and the proprie- tors many times have evidently gone to work with a determination to have them models of neatness and— sweetness ; but alas, if you have visited the place after a lapse of only a year or two, you may be obliged to think that it /« im- })ossible for a public place of the kind, to be kept entirely free trom bad odors, etc. Carlyle is said to have made the remark that if every man would reform himself, there would be one less rogue in the world, and I am very much inclined to think that in this matter, if we would all commence a reform at home, our traveling public would sooner or later feel the effects of such reformation, and the number who can ruthlessly consent to bring careless habits where they do so much mischief, we think would certainly decrease. Our people do not mean to be unkind or to make trouble, it is only because they are thou»htiess ; and at home is the very place to teach them to be thoughtful of the rights of their fellows. As I have often said before, we do not want money to commence these reforms, we only want to set to work at once and make a good use of what is in our own door yard. I would like to give a description of the two extremes, as I met them within a few days of each other; but an account of the first, I should not dare to even jnit on paper. I would not by any means advise a false modesty that would deter one from taking right hold, with- out gloves, of any kind of work that needs to be done, but I do declare it to be an act of ab- solute cruelty, that forces a child or one of the weaker sex to enter such a place. It hardens children to scenes of tilth and uucleanliness, in a way that may explain why grown up people sometimes seem to be almost destitute of a sense of delicacy in such matters. Ye fathers and brothers, think of your daughters, wives, sisters and mothers, and think how much you could add to to their comfort by removing all unsightliness, and fixing up these too often, rickety structures. The model I have referred to, was liuilt in connection with the wood-house, and the floor was i)erhaps 6 feet feet from the ground. Ou entering the closet one found themselves in a very pretty little room ; I think, but am not sure, that the window was curtained, but I nra sure that a very pretty picture neatly hung, added very much to the home-like appearance of the place. Near the floor was a little sli- ding door, and when this was opened, a little recess was seen containing a little wooden shovel, and a small heap of dry dust, just such as we see in the roads in summer. AVhen a shovel full of dust was used another came down from a hopi)er firll, placed in the wood- shed. As we were curious to knovr just how well this dry dust answered the purpose, we pried inquisitively into every suspicious place to see if there really did lurk no odor to indi- cate the nature and purpose of the building. Nothing of the kind ; the dust did its work so eflectually that I do not know how moie could be desired. As the room was really a part of the building, there was none of the usual ne- cessity of going out through wet, damp grass during rainy weather, etc., to say nothing ol its convenience during the winter season. Now then, if your garden house or by what other name you may choose to call it, is loca- ted and must be kept at a distant part of the premises, please do make a good walk to it, and if the door is hanging loosely or the boards are coming off, or there are huge cracks that allow the snow to drift in, by all means fix them. At about the time we did our under- draining we found on our new premises one of the ordinary tumble down affairs with no roof but some broad boards that had almost suc- ceeded in rolling themselves up into a scroll, and boards for the sides had pulled most of the nails out in their attempts to follow suit. At first it was thought advisable to have it burned up as useless rubbish, and to build a better one ; it was decided that unfortunately, we had no money to invest in such a structure as seemed desirable, and much against our incli- nations we set about making the best we could of the old one. It was rolled over until somewhat nearer the house, and then set up square and level over a capacious vault pre- pared for it, we then took off the roof boards, turned them over, and made a respectable look- ing roof of a bunch of cheap shingles. A bun- dle of lath served to batten all the cracks, and to make it all of one color, v,e gave it a good painting with a whitewash l)rush, and a paint made of milk and water lime; this makes a very pretty stone color, and has stood the storms of 10 years very well indeed. Some scantling and bits of board, made a narrow but comfortable walk to the wood-shed door, and as it is raised slightly above the ground it is but a slight task to brush away the snow the first thing in the morning before the juveniles have made their appearance. Again, by hav- ing it located near the door to the wash room, it is but the work of a few minutes to take broom and soap suds and make the whole iu- S6 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Ap». tcrior sweet and cloan. Is there no danjjcr of foul odors during our dry hot weather? Cer- tainly not if you use the dry dust, and if too much trouble to collect this, use the ashes from the kitchen stove. If your soil is a dry one and the vault deep, there will be little dan- ger of any thinsjj of the kind in any case, espec- ially if the earth is well banked up around the outside. The part of the subject relating to the disposition, and value of the compost formed by using the dry dust, we shall turn over to our agricultural papers ; but there is one item that vividly concerns «very one of us. Any one who has worked at underdrainiug will have seen that water finds its way through the soil to drains, even though they be only 2 or 3 feet in depth, and as much as 20 or 30 feet distant. If a drain, or even an open ditch be examined in the vicinity of a privy vault, it will be seen that the water has become taint- ed; and even its having leiclied through sev- eral feet of earth has not made it free from this taint. Now the viial (juestion is, are our weils and cisterns, so far away that no con- taminating intluence can possibly gel into ihem in this way? Thej' are many times the to blame tor having a rotten clothes line. Now, although tliis rotten clothes line is to be the thread of our discourse lor this chapter, I by no means would teach that a good ck>thes line was all the man needed. I am glad to bo able to add that shortly afterward his heart was made new, and the fountain hi ad from whence came all these muddy waters was cleansed in such a way that lie could look on calmly and sometimes smilingly, doubtless, even when events, or his fellows were aggravating to the iitmost. His better nature was aroused and the man had risen by contemplation of, and communion with the Be- ing who made him, so much above the passions that had formerly held sway, that there really was no room or temptation to indulge in weak- nes.ses of the old life that he now looked back to with feelings of pain and sorrow. Before picking up our clothes and line I would remark that among the kind criticisms of these home papers, one comes from a friend in a distant state, reminding me, that perhaps lam lorgetting that there may be among my readers those who have very tine houses and door yards; and who would hardly approve my familiar way of telling them how to make cheap sidewalks, etc. I most heartily beg par- don if I have been thounhtless, and would sug- gest that 1 am obliged to write for the average humanity; those who have all the comforts of life, lued no help, and I must confess that my heartiest sympathies are with those dear broth- ers and sisters who are working hard every day for nil the comforts they possess. May my lot always be with theirs, and may the time never come when any human being in my em- ploy, in whatever capacity, w(>ul(l h^ unwel- come to sit at the table with our usual family circle. I would not have a clotbi s line stretched clear across the yard "no how." Furthermore I would not have any clothes line at all, if I could possibly purchase one made of galvan- ized iron. If it were stretched across the yard, my wife would have to lug her basket the whole length of it, in putting her clothes up and ta- king them down, to say nothing of the deep snow that we didn't have last winter, but have now this 24th of March. If the line or wire is stretched on a revolving- frame, the basket can be set down on a perma- nent bench made on purpose for it, and the lino made to pass its whole length over it by simply turning the frame. You can procure castings of the hardwares to hold the arms to this frame, or the whole apparatus can be home made something after this fashion. Get a good stout oak or cedar post about Q feet long, and set it in the ground ;> feet. Bore a hole in the top and put in lirraly a pin of ^:^ round iron so that it will project about a foot. Get two pieces of 2 inch plank a foot square and bore a f-^ hole in the centrt- of each. Slip them both over the iron pin, then raise the up- per one up level with the top of the pin, and fasten it there by nailing strips from one to the other on each of the four sides. Get out four arms of straight grained pine 12 feet long, and 2x3. Halve the ends on to the lower plank in such a way that the outer ends will stand at about the height your women folks would like their clothes line. By the way it will be a line idea to have a sidewalk made from the kitchen or wash room door to this clothes dry- er, and on account of snow we would have it 6 inches above the ground; when the grass is long and wet it will be very convenient also. If you have this walk, let them stand on the end of the walk when they tell you how high to have the line. Now when you are building it, don't have any opinions of your own, but put it at just the height they want it, and if they afterward want it changed, change it as often as they wish. It is the very best way. After this part is decided, get some strips 3 inches by 1 and 16 feet long. These are to be nailed on the upper plank at their middles, and at their ends to the arms that hold the line. All the work should be planed, and if you are careful you can make good joints, even if you are not a carpenter. Now get a small can of tlie Avcrill Chemical paint, and you can fix something that you will always be proud of; if you have any paint left, paint the bench to hold the clothes basket, and if your walk is a nice one paint that also. If you make your walk on the plan I gave in the Mar. No., it will be an easy matter to get your scythe close up to it in mowing the grass away near it. Now this ap- paratus is to be located as near the wash room as it can well be, and get a nire airy and sunny place for the clothes to dry. But Mrs. 11. says if all bees are like ours it should be at a pretty good distance from the apiary. Ours stands close to the house apiary, and she insists that even during the summer months the bees sjiot tile clothes more or less. By the way, the great- est complaint that has evi r bei n made against having bees in town, is the spotting of cloiho in sjirin^^: our way of getting along with it, is to send ov( r ajar of honey when we hear of a neighbors having had to lake iheit clollies all in and rinse them over again. Please don't ever forget that "a soft answer turneth away wraih." iLaT« GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 80 uA.D"SrEI?,TISEIs.a^E3SrTS. Advertisements will be received at the i-ate often •<'i9its per line, Noniiareil space, each insertion, cash m advance ; and we require that every Advertisei sat islics us of his responsibility a«d intention to do nh that he agrees, and that his'goods are really worth fhi! jirii'c asked for them. COLONIES. We !ire winterin;< 80 Iiii|X)rtod Qtieens in our apiary -,HUl we will offer about half of Iheui, to be delivered in >firinir. In full colonies as usnal- Tlie render must bear in mind that we are the only SttCGessM Importers of bees in America. We vi-iU sell at the followiriK reduced, prices : Oolony with InifKirted Queen 518.00 Home bred tested Queen 14,00 Queens ail raised in 1875. The hives are all new, well made and well painted, and oiMbs straight. Safe ariival (guaranteed. CH. DADANT & SOX, Hamilton, Hancock Co., Ills. Iot«jrial foi' T^angsti'otli Hives, Secluding 10 frames and 7 inch cap, cut ready to nail for 80c., in lots of 30 or more. Kiln dried pine lumber "sr(f. Address J. OATMAN & CO.. :?-4i> Dundee, Kane Co., 111. 7o» con(». Circular C. C. VAJV DEVfifinr, !teut free! «i|»rout Brook, Mont. Co., itf.Y. MUTH'S ADVERTISEMENT. 46 Der Bienenvater, 99 hone;^ jars. One poun HAVE OXE ! Work and EASY 10 LEARN. 4080 Por Minute asjiiiiK^t ^W the Best evei-d.iiieby the (>M Mptft% iiid Spevti Ix Power. With theai the EMERY "WHEEL ran be used iw trdl a.s wiffe Stc;iiii, with Oiv.it Saviiiir over (iriiMlstoiio.s. AImo, Baiiil, Ji^ Ac Beiicli Sa^Ts, Barin^r Machines* A Emery C*rinfler»i, all for Man. Horse or (Kher Powers. Address, sayiiisf where yo>i saw this, GOMBINEID POWER CO., W. F. & JOHN BARNES, Manufac/urers nf Barnes' Patent POOT-POWER MACHINERY, SCROLL-SAWS, LATHES, ETC.. ETC. Vlie only f(M)t-power machinery without crank or dead center irajle \ksiiia: these machines. Send for ilhistrated Catalosnie. SL.WJ to .?L',OCK> pei" .year ROCKFORD, WINNEBAGO CO., ILL,. J» 1 1 . 5 O AVERAGEr* PER nAY. Fulton, Mo., December 14th, 1874. Messrs. W. V. cSt .Toiix Babses, Bockford, 111.— Gentlemen : I sawed 110 frets for bvlustnide for ix)rtico. .and >.'» trmckcts, in first two days runnins;. Every one who has witnessed the working of the Saw has pronounced it tlie mosr useful machine ever invented. I have been workina: from 1-2 to IG men, and have done all my shop work (scroll s-iwina;) oa .your machine, runnin.; it daily since I purchased it, and have paid nothin<^ for repairs, except for saws, whicli amount was comparatively small. Three weeks since I pun^hised some imnorted woods and some nice desists, anil T upiied my attention to fn>t work. I have rtverasfed per day, since that time, SIL-jO 1 know of no occupation as plens- ant and profitable for a mechanic to spend Iiis winter days at as the above. Your machine runs so lishtly and easily that it will not tire the most delicate man after a little practice; in fact, I consider .vour machine indispensable to any cirpenter, however small his business is, ;vs he can introduce the little machine to his scrap pile, and make enougi\ brackets in one week to pay for his ijuachine. I consider my machine just as essential in my slioj) as a set of Ijencli Iilanes. Very truly, M. FRED BELL, Architect and Builder. KP" Address, for full iiifnvmntion, W. F. k .TOH?^ BARNES. Box -2,014, Rockford, Illinois. One Copy One Year Si. 00, or with Lithogra))ii of Ajnary, size 12x16, Mailed Free, Postpaid, Sl.'25 or LitUo- graph Ayill be sent as a Premium for Two Subscribers at Sl.(K) each. Any person obtaining Three Subscribers at Sl.09 eacli, may retain .V) Cents for their troub'e. " " Five •' *• " •' l.ii " " " Ten " " " " 4.00 " " .\ny number above Ten will be sent at the rate of Sixty Cents e.ich. Ob, itLEANlNOS , .'51,00 ; Three copies, .S2..'50 ; five, i^i,^ ; ten, .«(!.O0." Names may be sent at any time during the year, and whenever a club is ""reached, wo will credit back the amount previously sent us in excess of (he ('lub Rates. In this wav any of the Articles Mentioned on our PRICE LIST may be Secured as PREMIUMS. Please mention when names are intended for Clubs. An acknowledgment will be sent in all cast's oa receipt of money— for jiny jJUrpose whatever— by return mail. Volumes 1, & II, at 75c. each, may lie counted on 'he same terms, as we have a Large Supply of BACK ITUMBEES Providei for new TDeginners ! As we cannot take the space in future numbers to go over the same ground again, and Volume One •nntains the entire Fundamental Principles and §e^de(l h %>jn ami iime^, PXJUIuISHEI> M:0]VTHLY, at IMEDIPifA, OHIO, B"^ J^. I. I^OOT. ▼®1® IV Mmwm 18f€® 'Mm S In the Preparation of this Journal the following are the Principal Periodicals Consulted : ABai©'3Pl'0:SjIl ^■©© r^<©ll,l?ll.ial® T. G. Neicman. Mmmi'^Xmm^m^^m S^^a^ia©® King. Mmm W®^1#® A. F. Moon & Co. WW'^ikxm'M, 'M®^^W^&:mwwL^%'s c. n. Abbott. [Also Bound Volumes of the former since I860, and Files of all other Bee Journals that have been Published in America.'] WmwmM if ©^ WmWMmm^ iP©I©aitiii® Am©^i®am® COlVTElVTSt paoe Smokers, etc 99,97 How to get the Bees out of the Boxes, etc 98 Catching robber Bees 98 Itilioning extracted llonej' 98 (alilornla Notes 99 Calil'Drniii way ol Kxtracting Wax and Honey.99 S(;ak'8 lor Weighing Bees 99 Section Boxes 99 Entrance, Contracting not a Preventive etc.. .100 l^entinir Bees 100 Taxing Bees 100 N'incgar from Honey iOl si ^ os. can be fed at any season. Per lb 15 '20 i Corners, Metal, ner hundred'. 1,00 '25 I " " To)) only 1,25 "20 I " " Bottom, gal. iron, per i()()...!^ 75 t)n 1000 or more a divcount of 10 jier cent will be made anb on 100,000, 25 per cent. The latter will be given to those who advertise metal cornered frames. 10 Clasps, for transferring, package of 100. 25 0 Cards, Queen Registering, per doz 10 Cages, " 10 C tse with Separator to hold .3 Section frames. CO C ise of 1(1 of the above, 30 Section frames in all, 1,25 Cheese Cloth, for strainers, per yard lo Extractors 18,50 to 10,00 VVax 3.50 Frames with Metal Corners ( (i Sample Kabbet and Ciasps !!..'!' 10 jt Closed end Qui; by, nailed 05 Gleaning.s, back Volum'es, each 75 jiresent •' 1,00 Gearing for Extractor " l,ijo Gates, Honev. for Extractors .50 XOVICE'S UiSlVERSAL HIVE. One story Langs'h without frames or bottom 51,00 The same with bottom, 10 frames, division board and quilt, crated so as to be sent safely by freight or exjjress 2.25 The above is the hive we use and recommend in preference to everything else, and it contains every thing needed for all i)urposes excejjt at the surplus season, if you decide to use the extractor vou want an extra body and 10 frames-Sl, 25- making "complete two story hive— 83,50— or, ^ou can have .30 section box- es (with their 10 cases ) in place of the 10 frames, at the same price. If you prefer the old style of glass boxes, wo can fit the u))per story with 18 having glass on four sides at 12^ cents each; this will make the hive and all cost .$5,00. One story Q. hive without bottom or frames 84 The same with bottom, 10 nailed frames, division board and (luilt, complete except surplus receptacles $-2.00 The same with two story, 20 frames 3,00 Or you can have instead of the frames above, any of the arrangements for surplus, mentioned for the La'ng- stroth hive. A one story complete for 13 frames of either the Standard, American, or Oallu)) hives, will cost 12,50, and they can also be used with any of the surplus ar- rangements mentioned; also, as they are all deeper than the Langstroth frame, a single story can be used with fewer frames, and sections or bo.x'es at the side of the frames. As an illustration; vve can take four frames out of the one story hives above, and put in their place is section boxes. 2.> I Honey, Clover, per lb, ISc, Basswood, 17c. By the bar- ic, less.and waxed and painted ban-el included. 0 I Knives, Honey l,no I) Eabels, Honey i)er 1000 \ 3,'25 0 Lithograph o"f Apiary....; ...^... '25 . I Lamp Nursery 5,00 0 j Larvas, for queen rearing, from June to Septi '25 0 i Microscope. Compound 3,60 « I Prepared ubj !cts for above, such as bee's winsr, slin'j, eye, foot etc., each ' o.^ 0 I Medley of Bee-Keeper-s' Photo 's. (l.^O Photo's) Loit 0 • Magnifying Glass, Pocket BO 0 " " Double lens l.dO 0 I'hoto of House Apiary ■>,i ! 0(5 Quilts .J.T I Rabbets, Metal iier loot 02 Scissors, for clipping queen's wings 40 15 Seed, A Isike Clover, m ised Dear us,per lb 35 ■20 " Summer Rape. Sow in .lune and July ... 15 0 " Chinese Mnstard, pei oz .' 25 10 Smoker 1,50 2 Tacks. Galvanized ']0 3 Thermometers 40 Ik i Universal Section Boxes in the flat, each 01 i Unit ersal case of 30 boxes, just; riKht for U. hives or any L. hive, and c;in be fittfd, to any hive 1,25 0 I Vails, Bee, vith fnce of Brussels net, (.silk) 7.'> 0 i Th-^same. Mil of tnvletau (almost as sood) 50 5 I Wire Cloth, for f^xtractors. per foot ].^ 3| " " " Queen Cages .5 All goods deli\'ered on board the cars at prices named. We are pleased to note that the B, B. J. has copied the I diagram cf the frames in use in America, and has also made a collection of those used ni England. Our British I cousins have no frames that .are as deep as their width, I but mn mainly between the Langstroth and Standard. Wk must remind our friends again that ; where goods are ordered to be sent C. O. 1). so.n'3 one 1 has to pay the express Co. for the return of the money and that this cliarge is never less tlian 25c, and often more than a dollar. We can none of us afl'ord to I throw away our money needlessly. j As a rule we must object to advertising Ir. the read- 1 ing columns, but as wedeslre iriendVogel to get his "Hive- wall-hall going, we make him an exception. He oilers 40 acres of land for 100 colonies, 01 S^O. cash JorlOgood stocks; black l>ees in box hives same lig- ures. who will help the jnofessor build his "Biie-tem- ples?" ! We have had no problems for a lon;2: time, j and the one now before us comes so near being I Problem 1, tliat perhaps we had better discuss it under tliit name. It is in regard to feeding ; ; in feeding only a few colonies, we can get along almost any way. but if one has to feed a I barrel of sugar and has neither time nor mon- ey to waste, it becomes an important problem as to how it shall be done. Candy solves it ! completely, if it could only he made as cheaply j as we can make syrup, and as safely, but we ! fear this will never be done, and if it is not j made very carefully it will be burned, and this is death to the bees in cold weather, as we proved by killing three of our best colonies. ; Again if it is not boiled enough, it gets stickj- and granulates and the bees waste it. On one occasion we fed a barrel of sugar in less than j three hours, and had it all done with, — see Vol. L, page 80— but to do it we used 20 tea- kettle feeders worth $20. What we want is some plan by which we can feed as rapidly, and without the bother and expense of feeders of any kind, or even being obliged to tinker with the hives more than to open them once, and put the feed inside. We want some plan by which we can get the sugar into the hives, without a particle of waste for, say not more than I4 of a cent per lb. ; this would allow 75c. for feeding out a barrel of 300 lbs. We would add thatlhis should al- so include cleaning up all stickiness, and put- ting away all utensils. The method should al- so be within the reach of every one, and so sim- ple that we could feed a needy colony of bees in two minutes, say while we were waiting lor dinner to be ready. And as we are usually tired and hungry about such a time, the ma- chinery should all be very simple. Candy does all this beautifully, if we only co'iUl attbid to sell it at the price of A. sugar, how happy we would be. We will tell you more about it next month. t^ve. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. EOOES for BEE-KEEPEES and OTHERS. |.Aiiy of lliose books will be forwaiiled by mail, 2ws/- jxiid, on rwi ipt of price. J .Vllen's (L. F.) Ajiiencim CatUe- J2 50 ..\ liens (L. F.) EunU Ai-diiteclure 1 50 Allen's (11. L.) Aniervcan Faiin Book 1 50 Allen's (R. L. and L. F.) New American Farm Book :J W Allen's (E. L.) Disetises of ItomesUe AniiiRiis ^ ^i American Biitl Famnor- ^0 Ameri<'an Gwitlemaii's Stable Guide. 1 '-5 .\merk'an llo.'-e Oiiltui ist <>0 . Vmerii-an Weeds and U.seful I'laiils •. . 1 75 \twood's Country juid Suburban Houses 1 50 Art of Saw Filing. (Holly) 75 Bailey's Our Own Birds of the United States 1 -^ Barry's Fruit Ganlon - 50 Bell's OarpwiUy .AladeEasy 5 'X) Bement's iliiWlat t';uK'ier oO Bogardiis' Field, C')\er, and Trap Shooting 2 00 Bommer's Method 00 Dead Shot 4 or Sportman's Complete Guide 1 75 DeVoe's Market Asi-istant 2 50 Dinks, Mayhew, and Hutchinson on the Dog -^ 00 Downing's Lazid-'cape Gardening ". •"> ?0 Dwyer's Horse Book 2 00 Eastwood on Cranberry 75 Eggleston's Circuit Eider 1 75 Eggleston's Hoosier School-Master • 1 25 Eggleston's End of the World 1 50 Eggleston's Mystery of Metropolisville 1 50 Eggleston's ( Geo. Gary) A Man of Honor 1 25 Elliott's Lawn and Sliade Trees 1 50 Elliott's Western Fruit Glower's Guide 1 50 Emerson's Farmers' and Planters' Encyclopiidia. .. i'> 00 Eveleth's School House Architecture. .". (> 00 Every Hoi-se Owner's Cyclopa;dia 3 75 Farmers' Barn Book 1 50 Field's ( Thomas W.) Pear Culture 1 25 Flax Cidture ;-,0 Flint (Charles L.) on Grasses 2 50 Flint's Milch Cows and Dairy Farming 2 50 Frank FoiTCster's Auie'.ican Game in its Season :i 00 Frank Forrester's Fielil Sports. 8vo, 2 Vol's (i 00 Frank Forrester's Fish and Fishing. 8vo, 100 eiig's. o 50 Frank Forrester's jManual for Youug Sportsmen. 8\ o :i 00 Frank Forrester's Horse of America. 8vo, 2 vols 10 00 French ".s Farm Drainage 1 50 Fuller's Forest Tree Culturist 1 50 Fuller's Grape Cnlturist 1 TA) Fuller's Small Fruit Culturist 1 50 Fuller's Strawberry Culturist -jn Fulton's Peach Culture 1 .'JO GardTier's How to Paint 1 00 Geyelin's Poidtry Breeding 1 25 Gregory on Caliljagos paper. . :iO .'iicultural Chenjisiry Johnston's Elements of Agricultural Chemistry Lwichar's How to Build Hot-Houses '. Lyman's Cotton Culture . Miles on the Horse's Foot .. Mohron tlx) Grape Vine M;,' Vineyard at Lakeview Nichols's Chemistry of the Faim and Sea Norton's Scientific Agricultui e Onion Culture Our Farm of Fcur Acres pajier, bOc cloth . . . Oar Digestion. By Dio Lewis Pardee on Sti awberry Culture Parsons on the Rose." By Samuel iJ. Paisons Pedder's Land iVieasurer Percheroji Horse Play and Piolit in my Garden. > Rev. E. P. Roe Quincy (Hon. Josiah) on Soiling Cattle Quinn's iloney in the Garden...^ Quinn's Pear Culture for Prolit Randall's Sheep Husbandry RwidaJls Fine Wool Sheep' Husbandry Rand's Dowers for Parlor and Garden .' Rivei-s Miniature Fruit Garden Roes Play and Pi-oiit in my Gaiden Saunders Domestic Poultry paper, -iOc cloth.. Sclirncks tiardeneis Text Book Skillful Housewifery Stewart's (John) Stable Book Thomas Farm Implements and Machinery — Thomp.-^on's Food of Animals Tim Bunker Papers Tobapcco Culture. Tiu-iiers Cotton Planters Maimai Warder's American Pomology Warders Hedges and Lveigreens Waiings Draining for Protil and Health Warings li'lenii-nts cf Agiicuhure Weidenuianns Beauiifying Country Homes. A su- perb quarto volume. rJl lilhograijh plates, in colors Whites Ci-anberry Cultui e Whit&s Gardening for ilie Siaith Vouatt aud Spooner on the Horse Yojiatt and l\iartinon Cattle Youatt on the Hog Youatt onSheei) 1 50 1 .■iO 1 50 1 50 7 .50 1 75 CO 3 00 :'o 1 00 1 50 2 00 •> 00 T 25 1 /.) 1 50 1 .50 1 50 75 1 0I» 1 '25 1 25 20 CO 2 00 75 1 50 CO 1 CO 1 .50 1 25 1 50 1 00 1 50 1 (10 :<, 00 1 ► t» 1 50 75 7"i 75 I :,0 1 no 1 00 1 50 I .50 .'i 00 1 m 1 50 1 m 15 m 1 25 2 00 1 5(» 1 5(» 1 0(t 1 0.» SELECTliD BOOKS. An Egg Farm. New, novel and useful Cloth Ten Acies Enough Five Acies too Much Window Gardening Purdy's Small Fruit Instiuctor Carpenters'' and Joiners' Hand Book How Plants GJrow Every Woman Her Oun Flower Ciardener Cloth lilarth Closets, and Earth Sewerage Trout Culture Potatcc Culture How to use the Microscope .Jenny June's Cook Book Scroll Sawing with Pal terns How to Make Candy ■ Paper. Paper 1 25 1 50 1 50 1 25 50 1 00 .50 1 50 25 1 50 1 00 ,50 We would refer those interested in jioul'ry to the new poultry book entitled . -fit JSriy Farm, somclhin;j; difl'erent from anjthing you liavc ever seen on the subject, and ice think worth nifiny timea its cost to those who may never keep poultry, for its excellent Ideas in regar<) to economizing labor in almost any rural industrj-. From the first chapters published in Am. Ag. in 71, we gathered the idea of the Hexagonal Apiar}-. It is a book that wc like to read over and over r.gain. Price, 50c. paiier. cloth 75. 94 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Matt ABOUT SKNDINO ITIONKY, ETC. jirevont any more of his bee :> from dwitnliuif starvins;. While we think it unwise to senJ eiima of money, !inlv is not fairly taken into co^nsideratk)!!. The point is of course to get onr money to its destina- tion as safelv and witli as little expense as possiole. The editor of ^. Ji. J. used to say that not one letter \n 10.000 was lost in the nwils if i)ro|)erly direcieti; but for the purpose of making a sin>ple business cal- i rnlation, we will *ay that not more lliau 100 fail from all caiHes; leaving ort" a part of the address, omitting vour name or residence, losing the letters wliile on the way to the P. <>.. or after being delivered, roobery ot the mails, and even if you please, including eare- iessnesj of the recipients ; siminYing it all up, not niore than one in a liundred i-i lost trom all these causcj. This is a |)oint we have watched carefully, and have rJeduced as follows, for our own bu.-iness. If we had SIOO. to be sent to 100 different individuals, St would cost as $iO. to get P. O. O.. or to register them all ; whereas, if our ride above is good, it would only cost ST. and would save a vast deal of trouble, to send without, and have the -SI- lodt. li we sent 8-2. to each, it W'>uld still be eheaper to )»ave it lost, and so on until we reach the amount of SKI. Above that it would be a saving to use the mon.'y oniers. Ifihis were all, we should sav register only when the amount oxceeideration that I he loss of a letter may cause delay or disappointment that will be vrorth or cost as mi'.eh as the sun» inclos- e. ()., forall amounts over 5f.j. (3ne ex- ception to this rule; it the party to whom you are sending is tricky, or even not known to be careful and trustworthy, it may be best to have ))roof that the money was jmt intohis hands ; and either the P. O. O. or the re^■istry gives this prooi. Now if you feel per- fectly sure you Can trust us, it is expensive business for you to pay 10 cjnts every time yoii wish to send u* 75 cents or§l. ; but it you adopt our plan, you shoubi do so expecting to take your chance once in a hund- red times, and when the lois comes pay it over again without Didng auspicious of your friends. If you can't ilo this, lake the more expensive and troublesome way of paving 10 cents every lime, to make it safe. Wlivy W ft docs aecm to n>e, after lookkig the Vni- "ftl versal hive over very wirel'iT'ly, that it would bi- just as well to have the lirst story or brood, chamber solid. I see no real ailvanfiige ii^ tbo sect- ions, and I must say I am deciiledly opposed to a mov- able boctom board. Hy having tlie lower part solifb yoi> would save the metal (rorners as well as the extr;i. trouble of n>aking, and 1 think we woisld have by it"-- being solid, a hive that would stand the weight of all: the honey boxes yori might choose to )mt ivi>on it. i can very readily see the advantage gained In hav- ing the upper sections. l>ut ag.iin, 'to you think one ol those hives, being as light as it is, w" ill stami onr March winds!' why thetirst thing I thought of on picking one of the.n up» was that ihe lirst strong gust ol wind that struck it would fairly tear it i» pieces- In regard to entrances, do you think the one you have In those hives sufllclent tfurlng the honev gathering season ? I, A. Cami'BBLi^ Warsaw, Mo.. Your tii'st impres&ious are very natural, frit-nil C. but it may astonish youi to find that pour frail loKjiiin;^;; hive will hold a weig^ht of over :J0() lbs safely ; and it is e.'specLt'd whcii tiiey are out duriui^ a March wind thftt tliey will have enoutjh honey inside to "hold 'ciia down." If we made the body of wide lx>ards, we should have to l^rinsf another piece of fur niture into our apiary ; and besides, extra hives- that are Hi>occupied could not be used to hold i a set of boxes as the e.^tii^ency of the case inigltt I demand, (as it now can, )nor could we on the other hand make complete hives of any extra half upper stories, as we now can. Aijain, if the bodies are all made solid, we should requirv- a hoop to raike the quilt fit nicely, and still al low one hive to l)e set on ihe other and give n-^ the exact distance between the frames. Yotn must have a hjose bottom board if y>»u have^ your upper and lower stories one and llie sann thinc^, but you can very quickly fasten tlielxd- tom to tlie end boards with acouple of small screws. The thin lumber which suits adiuir.-i bly so far as dampness is concerned, could not well 1)2 nailed, and we think one who ha- handled them would be (fuite loth to go back to the heavy hives. Finally, although there i- inore work on the hooi)s, they are cheaper in the end, for we have only one thing to make, and if we make that exactly right, oitr whoU hive will come riglvt. It is au easy matter tn learn to ilo one thing well, and it does not re- (juire a linished meciianic ;vvhile to m ike all th. ilirtl'reut pieces that are needed in hives as usu- ally made, and make them just right, issoditti- cult that vei'y few ever suc;;eed in doing it. It will take a very gooil colony indeed to fill the cntranc as we make it, but with a loose bottom board you can easily give them any amount of entranc3 or ventilation. With a iievv swanti it may t)e well to raise the hive and let theiiv pour in till at once ; csi)ecially if tiiere is dau- ber of others mixing with them. It is true thi- hoops cannot well be made without a buz/ saw, but for that matter neither can the hive- well and profitably. I am erectin'.? a Hou.<. 0 )\ Montcl \\r, S. J. April s;h ':•'>■ 1^76. OLEAJN'INGS IN BEE CULTURE. WJ^JW AD VEETISHJMENr^. HONEY COMB^OUNDATIOIS. Having jiurcliascd (he ijatent for the manufacture ol tliis article, it can be haev/'ral feel long or in one contin- j uous piece, lollt d and packefl carefidly, o to 10 lbs., ) hy express or freight $1,20 j do do lltoi5lbs., di) 1,15 1 do do 2t; to l.dil ii'e per 11). to above prise.-. i 2s'o charge for packin;:: cases or cartage. ! l''ull weia;ht, and qiiality warrautea a« vepresenlod. \ The money must in all ca.-es accompany the order, ex- i ct'pt by special arrangement. j Samples of white and yeilow. in box, bv mail. 10c. j C. O. PKKKINE, 7 Market St.. Chicairo. Ill, j B^iTWill pay oOc per lb. for choice yellow Beeswax de- li\eredhere. ^lUtOcp We have rai.scd and sola Italian (jucen bce.s lor the i past 14 years. We Ineeil Ircni stlected Imported | another?. Ninety per cent ol all vve send out prove to i l)e purely l«rti!ized. All queens warranted jjure, and | •sale arrival guauiniecd. by mail. One queen .!52,(jO. ■> 11. ALLEY, Weuham, Mass. ] .^OR fSAI^E : My larm, I'20 acres with brook and A ' best of timber, on the Boyne (trout river), head of I'ine Lake (finest harbor ol the Great Lake Naviga- tion) and near a coming Sav/-mil!, liail lioad, and i'ocks ol rising villages— lor $1500. cash. Address, M. VOGEL. Boyne 1'. O., Charlevoix Co., Mnjh. .5-0 THJ^ ITA3L.IA.1V JB13X£: < 'O. DISSOLUTION.— Mrs. Ellen S. Tujjper's connection with the Italian Bee Company terminated February 'iO, 1«7(3. The business of the Company has been as- signtjd to ihe management of the undersigned. Mrs. Tupper leaves no accounts, and full particubu's upon ail incomplete business sent to her or the t-'oin|>any is desireo immediately. Trice lists of Colonies, Nuclei ,'ind Queens, Extractors, Hives, Seeds, etc,., will be «ent on apjtiication to The Italian Bee Companv, Itfd J. E. EOCIvWOOI), Manager, Logau," lowo. C^ueenss;. 1876. <^iieens. 1 shall ha\e for sale lo Bee-keepers the present season. Choice Tested bi-oeding queens. Raised in full .slocks, from selected linixirted Mothers. Price, One queen H.W Two " 7,00 Three " 10,00 None sent by mail. 4-10 Address JAMES LA BARE, Cincinnati, O. CANADA HONEY EXTilACTOllS. Made entirely of metal, §8.50 to IJIO.OO each. The !i.!rbt- list, strongest, handiest and best. You can save about ^5.00 ii4 express charges, jiassing ihe customs and duty, by or- dering from me. 1 niamifacturo for Canatlians lo sJi\o litem the enormous exj/eiiso and trouble of importing. In ordering, give outside uinieii.'-ions of frame or frames to be u.sed. Sample Hives complete, the best for Canada, |1.50 "iK'h. Italian queens and bees for sale in their season. I'arties in the United Slates should order extractors from A. I. Root, Editor of Gleanings, who makes the chi;apest and best. D. A. JONES, ■♦t.?l.s;o Beetou P. O., Ontario, Canada. ~SECTI0M.4L HOMEY^OXEST .\11 wlio wish to get the most honey in t!ie most convo- niont saleable form .should u.sc our liiiprottd ,Src(ional Hoxes. Combs built true in tb.e sa;ii,i:s every liirie. iioxes .sell for n-.ore than llr.st cost. ^.■. Address BABKKH .^ IJICEP.. TTarshar;, r.Iiih. PURE ITALIAIT QUEEHS i^OIt 187'6. 1 have on hand 100 Italian queens, raised in May and .June L***!. They were propagitted in populous colo- nies, are jiurc and proliiic. A-'rice .«5.t'<) each. 1 will paj' CKjiresa charges anfl sruarantce safe arrival, o-qd W. P. HENDEK.SON, Murfreesboro, TeJiU. 125 Colonies Italian Bees For sale at $7.50 per Colony-10 for $70.00. Bred from Imported Mothers ; are in good tiiovable frame hivo.'-.s well painted; are in good condtiJon. ,'Jtfd . M. PAIISIO, Pine Bluil', Ark. liefer, by permission, to Trulock Bros., Bankets, Smart, Hudson & Co., Bankers, Pine BlulV, Aik. Italian C^\itveii l$t"es&X'^»illCV>Ioiii<.'f5 ANI> Pure ItSrc'd I'aucy Poultry for I87tj. For Circular. Address Postal Card to 1/owcll, Garrani Co., Ky. 2p-5 B. M. AKGO. Italian Queens For 1876. Having disposed of all the black bees in our vicinity we are prepared lo furnish Choiee Queens, bred froin Imported and /Selected Mothers, (-'areful attentioji be- iitg giveji to the selection of />ro«i' Mothers ■ allowing none but those selectetl, to procitK'C them. At the following /oM) prices we will furnish 1 Unwarranted Queen ....^ 1.00 Safe arrival warran ted on orders for six or more. 1 Warranted Queen 1.50 1 doz. AVarranted Queens 16.00 1 Tested Queen iu jMay or early June o^O 1 " '• after June i-Oth 2.50 1 doz Tested Queens after June -IMi i'5.00 NUCLEirs STOCK.S. Small Nucleus Hive and Tested Queen % .'1.50 2 Eull Sized Frames 11-12 and Warranted Queen.. 4.<>o 4 " '■ " " " " .. 0.00 1 Colony Pure Italians UUO Satistaclion guaranteed. Address, J. O ATM AN & CO., 2-4p7d l>uudee, Kane Co., His. fc>0 Colonies Pure ITALIAN^ BEES. Full Colonies in hives -Rith 10 Langstroth frames, S14.00. tiueens all reared in 1S7.T from Imported Moth- ers. Purity and safe arrival guaranteed. Address, E. C. L. LAKCH, M. D., 2t5 Ashland, Boone Co., Wo. SEND for E. W. Hale's price list of Queens for the year 187G. All Queetis raised in full colonies and from Im- ported mothers. No Bee disease in my locality. 2-7d Address, E. W. HALE. Witt C. H., W. Va. C'oiitaiiiiiigi»iir«> Italian Heo.s. BOX HIVES of 2,000 cubic inches capacity containing straight combs (built on guides) and Tested Queens not over 1 vear old, delivered at the nearest Exjiress office in Nov. at S8.00 ; or the following April at SlO.OO.^ Foitr Hollars must accompany ciich ortler. California, Mo., is my nearest Money Orfler ofiicc. E. HIEFENDORP, 2151 Clarksburg, Maniteau Co. Mo. i6 DER eSEr^EWVATER." A Monthly of Bohemia, organ of Its Majesty, the high- est sanctioned S< cicty for the improvement of Bee culture m Bohemia. Suli.'-ciipi'.on pt icf. 75 cents i;er year. Address: Editorfliip and Adm mistral iou cf the Bl.Ti- NENVATER, Prjgi;e, (Austria) Brcitc Gabse. No. Ti7. ;»(> GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mat CHANCE IN PRICE. UmOTFCSSmMBEEirgmL! On acconnt. of the vcix suflflen death of my huslwnil, Adam Grinitn. I will pell and sliip, boUvcen May 1st, ;iiid May 'iotli, 1'200 Colonies of pure Italian Bees, in 8- i'ramc Laiigstroth movahle-oomb hives, in p;ood condi- f.ion in every respect : and I will guarantee safe nrri- val if oi'derod in lots of fi-om 1 to 2a colonies. 5hippeil per exprcsf, for the foliowin;;^ prices : Single Colony $9,00 Two or more, ])er Colonv 8,00 \ Hybrids fflM less. ! tly as follows: Chinese Mustard. po.ff-paid,lor; per lb., Linden, post-paid, 50c per lb. Warranted strictly pure, freah and clean. Prices for less quantity than .I'bove, and f-^r aJl other seed remain as given in March No. (current Vol.) (ir.KANiNGS. Address carefully, C. F. I^ANE'.S N. W. Apiary & Seed Warehouse, Ko?hkonong, Rock Co., Wi?. ".')-(; ColxTnibia -A.piai:*y» tiiicens i'roiBi IiMportesi I»I«»ifl«erN for 187G. Wo will send Queens the coniiiig S(:-:is;:n a»s follows : Oni? t-e.'stcd cieeen from Imix)rted Mother. SS.OO Unt-csted queens '" " " each 1,00 Nucleus, with tested queen ■■ " " (i.OO Colonies " " - ■• - ■• , jooo Safe arrival of alt queens {juaraiitrcd. Itfinq STAPLES &" ANDREWS, (.X)lumbia, Teuii. " V I IV E ^ .^4. I^ 13 AdAlX WINTERED SUCCF..SSPVLLY. Tested queens or full colonics furnished ai?aiu this sea- son in my Non-Patent Hives. No Ui-eless traps or lixiags about them. Send for I'rices. . 4tS JOSEPH M. BROOKS, Columbus, Ind. Box 1.30. WM. "W. CARV, Colerain, Franklin Co. Mass. Sixteen years experience in propagating Queens, direct from imiiorted mothers from the best district in Italy. Persons purchiising queens or swarms from me will get what they bargain for. Send for circular. .Stfq QueeTiB. IS-ro. Bees. Bee-keepers in want of First Class (Jueens, (Import- ed or home bred,) Nuclei or Full Swarms, should get liiem at the Keystone Apiary. Price list, free. Ad- dress KEYSTONE APIARY, Oorry, Pa. 3-5 choice: catmip SEiiir*. I have a lot of Strictly Choice seed, collected from cultivated plants by M. Ncvins. of Cheviot, O., which I will sell at r>oc. per oz., or at .JCi.riO per lb. OH AS. P. MUTH, •0-3d Cincinnati, O. Kvery Oee»keeiter should subscribe for it. The American Bee Journal, Is tht^ best scicntifK' and practical .Journil of APICUL- TURE in the world. The most successful and experienced Apiai'ians in Europe, as well as America, contribute to its pages. In fact, it is the oldest and largest Bke Papee in The Enirlisli langua^re. %2, Per Annum. Send a Stamp for a Sample Copy. Address THOMAS G. NEWMAN. tf 181. Clark St., Chicago, JIl. A-vei-ill Oliemical I^aint. THE O.Vil" RKLIABLE. THE MOST BEAUTIFUL. THE ^/(^J.S'r ECONOMICAL. THE MOST DURABLE. Uecijiires no oil tl>iiiricr or drier, Rcipiircs no waste of tin>ft in n>l.ving. Has stood ciffkt pears'" criticisms With jjearl)/ increased popularity And yearly increased sales. Is ftold by the gallon only, in packasges of from 1 U> 10 gallons each, in Purest VVhite and arsy Color uy Tint desired. Address, for sample cr^rd of colors and priec lis!'. A.-v-orill Clieittical I*aliit Co., Office and Factory i;52 A 134 East Kiver Street, _ CLEVELAND. OHIO. 6-f;-'7« IT.A.X.I-A.lSr BEES. TTULL STOCKS S12.03 to 8l5.tH>. Tested (pieens c'\<-h _P f.S.Oa. Wan-anted queens each S2.0<>. Bred from iiti- jiorted and selected stock. Sent by mail. Address, T. G. McfJAW. 4-f> LockBoiCl. Monmouth, Warren Co., IH c^':t.^AsS MowEiir ^jki^M'* 1 lb. Round Jars per gross ^i.'it' 2 ' '• 7..W Corks " " T.'Jc. and l.irt> ■i Pt. Honey Tumblers, plain or ribbed, per doz. . 4(> ti doz. in a box. Packages 40 ';i Pt. Honcv Tumblers, plain or ribbed, per doz. . .V f> doz. in a box. Packages <.'> ]i Pt. Honey Tumblers, Tin Top, per doz •■,:> () doz. in a box. Packages 40 ,K Pt. Honey Tumblers, Tin Top, per doz lr> (> doz. in a box. Packages Ah Also Window Clnss, Lamp Chlmnevs. ami (il;i5~- warc of all kinds. For sale bv B. L. FAHENSTOCK, late B. L. Faheiistock. Fortune & Co., Glass Manufac- turers, 76 Wood St., I'ittsburgh, Pa. lit? You cannot look over the back No's of Gle.vmn*;'* or any other Periodical with satisfaction, unless tbey .are iii some kind of a Binder. Who has not said— "Dear nic what a bother — I must have last month's Journal and it's no where to be found." Piil each No. in the Emerson Binder as soon as it comes and you can sit down happy, any time you wish to Hud any thing you may have previously seen even though t were months ago. Binders tor Gleanings (will hold them for four years) gilt lettered, free b}- mail for 50, (10, and 7.5c, ac- cording to quality. For table of prices of Binders for anv Ueriodical, sec Oct. No., Vol. 2. Send in your orders^ A. I. ROOT. Medina. <>. C1L.XJBBIIV« I^IST. Wo will send Gleanings— WithTlie American ]?ee Journal (S2.n0) S2.7."> '• nic Bee Keeper's Magazine (1..50) 'l.-if> " The Bee World (3.00) -i.W " All three. The Bee Journals of America,. . S^.i'^ " British Bee Journal (S2.00) -l.lr, " American Agriculturist (SI. HO) $2.;^') '• Prairie Farmer ($2.!.'>) 2.no " Rural New Yorker (S2..'^.0) o.2:) '• Scicntilic American ($5.15) J!.!"' " Fruit Recorder and Cottage Gardener ($1.00) 1.7.'> \_Above rates include alt Postage.} Books for Bee-Eeepers. SENT postpaid on receipt of price. Langstroth on the Hive and Honey Bee $2.iH) (^uinbv's Mysteries of Bee Keeping l-.'iO Bee Keeper's Text Book, musliv. 7.'> " " " '■ paper 40 These are the best, but arc all far behind the times. A Manual of Bee-Keeping, by Jouii Hunter f^l.ir, This latter is fullv u)) to the time-, being a^ late as Sept., 1875. but being English, a cor.siderable portion of it is hardly adapted to the condiLion of bee cuUur(\ at ju-csent, iii our own country. OEiVOTi:!) TO BEEH ATSI> 1I0]VI::Y, AiVX> IIOIVTE I]VTi:il3i:STS. A. I. ROOT, Pi'.hlishpr and Proprietor, Medina, O. Published Monthly. rTERMS: «1.00 Per Annuni in -] vance; 3 Copies for $2.dO; 5 for^S IZ]sta.l>lisliecl ill ISy:?. ClO r<;' »(ore, 60c. eac/t, ' Ad- ,7 5; Single Nuinber 10c. Vol. IV. MAY 1, 1876. No. 5. SMOKERS, ETC. fT is said that, "In a miiltitiule of counsellors there is safety." Just where the safety comes in, for the nov- — ice in apiculture who attempts to follow teachings that differ toto ccelo, it is difficult to conceive. Thus, friend Doolittle on page 75, takes Novice to task for his sa,yings about smokers. Your humble servant, too, has h:id to make a business of taking off boxes, and he has had to employ an assistant, to blow the mouth smoker; and then just as the hive' is nicely ojjon, the smoker is likely to go out and it must be relighted, bees in the mean- time having pretty much their own way. And by the lime he f:etshalf through, assistant has blown till she is just about sick, and she must retire. Not so with the Quinby. No assistant is necessary. No chronic fjo out about it. It stands by 5-ou, faithfully smoking away, ready for use at any moment. In short, after a fair trial, I have I'ejected the mouth smoker, and chosen the Quiiiliy, for precisely the same rea.'ons that have led friend Doolittle to a diametrically opposite conclusion ! And to me the Quinby is njewe'. D. P. Lane. KoslikoTiong, Wis., April 4th, 1S76. If it were smokers only on which bee-keepers disagree, friend L., we might feel thanlifnl, but it is hives, honey, bees, feeders, and lately they bid fair to wage a fierce war on patents, to say nothing of the diverse opinions in regard to how a Bee jourual should be conducted. As au illustration, one friend wishes his journal stopped because we do not answer questions more at length, that a novice may understand, while several of the veterans actually "get mad" in reading "Heads of Grain," because we fill it with so many repetitions, and things that every body knows already. Again, our regu- lar subscnbers do not wish us to repeat r,he whole of what we wrote last year or the year before, yet we get abuse — most of it stated very pleasantly — because we often refer inqui- ries to the back numbers. One party insists that we make every number complete without any reference to previous ones ; while others wish us to collect all the facts we can on a subject, give an exhaustive article, and then refer future querists to said number. It is the .same in regard to small or large type ; as the votes are just about equally divided, and about equal in vehemence, we are really obliged to decide according to our best judgment, as be- fore. In regard to smokers, and other imple- ments, we can give our opinion, but that like the opinion of the rest, is liable to be a mista- ken one ; many times the best we can do is to give opinions on both sides and let each decide for himself. Bee-culture is a new and rapidly growing science, and as a consequence, much error will creep in now and then, which must be thrown out as soon as discovered. New developments, bring demand for different implements, and if the hive we advise this season differs from the one we sent out a year ago, is not the sudden and unexpected demand for comb foundations a sufficient reason for it? Now dear friends, can not all this be talked over in a friendly and charitable way V Can we not bear in mind that it is but human to err, and take it all good-naturedly, even though we are suffer- ers. The implements we send out now, are so much superior to those sent out two years ago, that we feel ashamed of the old ones, yet we then made them the best we knew how. To bring them to their present state we have wasted much money on experiments, and have never hesitated to throw away any implement, as soon as really assured we had a better one. I have 18 swarms and think if the Quinby smoker is a good thing. I would like one. Please give me a descrip- tion of it. It makes me sick to blow smoke from rotten wood, or through a pipe. T. P. Morton, Augusta. Mich. The Quinby smoker is a very light and neat little bellows with a tin tube attached to one side for holding the burning wood or rags ; and the valves are so arranged that when standing on end it has a draft, and burns like a minature cook stove. When laid on its side, the valves close, and it soon goes out for want of air. When in nice order, a stream of smoke two feet in length may be produced, and with it we can send this jet of smoke beneath the quilt as soon as it is raised a little, or to any part or corner of the hive, driving almost any kind of bees with as much ease as you would drive flies with a brush. That is one side of the story; another is — especially if j'our smo- ker is allowed to become filled up with soot, or if your fuel is not carefully selected and dried — that it takes three-fourths of your time to fuss with the machine to keep it going, and even then it will go out at the wrong time, the bees will take the stream of cold air as au in- sult and will cravvl up your sleeves and per- haps into the tul^e of the smoker, and finally instead of bein^ driven, will drive you clear out of the yard. 08 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. May IlOU- TO EV BOXE^i, ETC. *■ rX tJikiiin- ofl lior.ey lio.ve*. nian.v cf vuiir rciuieiN have a|i IVlt IhtMiceil of sonic fixture tliat would iicnnit the — ' bees to pass out freely fioiii the boxes, and at the same time effectually iirevcnt them from coming back and briiiginjj all their friends with them. Last Sept., when honey was scarce and robbers plent.'f, I made and used the lixture descriljcd below, and found it to r.iiswer the pur- |)ose exactly. Make one tube of wiw cloth 8 inches loni; and 1?4 in diameter; make another of the same mateiial, S inches lon.s, 1?4 in diameter at one end and •+ inch at tiie other. Put the last tube inside llie lirst, and yon have the lixture. To use it, bore a 1 k inch hole in tlie side of a box, fasten the large end of the inner tube over the hole, l)ul your honey boxes inside the box and cover c'osely, so as to exclude robbers and the light. This lixtuie can be used at any time when the weather is warm enough for bees to voluntarily leave the boxes. To make the thing more complete, take a i)lece of '2 inch pine ixl inches, and f.-vsten the tube over a hole in the centre by driving tacks through loo))s ill the end of the wire cloth. It can then be fastened anywhere by pushing a large tack through holes in the wood. The inner tube should be about '-4 or ."j-16 inches diameter at small end. Six inches in length would probably do as well as eight. The robbers clustered around the base of the tube ; saw :t few go inside of the outer tube but they soon became disgusted with the ari-angement. I didn't sec any that c-nme near getting in. E. M. Reynoxds. East Springticld, O., March J)th, 70. One great advantage of the section boxeS, is that the bees can be driven out with smoke at once, or they can be brushed off as we do in extracting, it tlie boxes hold but a single comb. With boxes liolding two or more coiiibs, espec- ially those with four glass sides, there is al- ways more or less trouble, in getting the bees out. Quinby advises putting a lot of the box- es in a large box, and covering it with a white cloth which is to be turned over as often as the bees get clustered in considerable numbers on the under side. This requirts care and time, and if you are careless, the wind maj- blow the cloih off in your absence and away go the robbers and the honey. The plan given above is less trouble, and makes a pretty sure thing of it ; but what is to become of the young bees that have not yet learned to fly home? To save all these, it has been suggest- ed that we pile our boxes all up close to each other and then put one box among them con- taining a queen ; or if more convenient, even a piece of unsealed brood would do. The bees will in time all flock to it, and may then be treated as a swarm or nucleus. The wire cloth tube may also be used for trapping robber bees. On one occasion we were troubled with a quantity of black rob- bers that would by some hook or crook get at our surplus combs in spite of us. They would even burrow in the savf dust with which some hives were closed, until they got in, and then away went the contents of the well filled combs. One morning after we had become perfectly tired of their pilfering at every hive we opened, we bored a hole in a hive they knew the contents of, and allowed them to go out and in until they were really doing a "land otBce" business. We then pushed into the hole a wire cloth tube with the inner end rav- eled out, and the loose ends brought near each other. Of course as soon as the machine was ready, they crowded in until every last robber bee had disappeared, and peace and tranquilli- ty reigned in the apiary. During the day a few more would now and then come round, but the "squealing" of their comrades who wanted to '-get out" would very soon draw them to the spot ; in a trice they too were sale- ly '"bagged," for as the tube reached nearly in to the centre of the hive, the cluster of bees trying to get out, were not near the end that was raveled. We gave them a comb of import- ed brood, just after dark, and left them nearly a week to get to be "honest bees." By tlie way, black bee? are much more disposed to go home after such confinement than Italians. Well, we finally decided to let them out, and they poured out in such a stream that we 'eared they were onl}' robbers still ; but after, may-be 15 minutes, we were more astonished than ev- er to see a crowd of bees before the entrance struggling to see who should get in first, and everj' one was laden with huge pellets of a beautiful snow white pollen that contrasted so ludicrously with their jet black and shining- bodies that we could only shout with laugh- ter. We would like to add that they built up to a fine colony; but they did nothing of the sort, for in less than two weeks nearly every bee was gone; probably died of old age. Do you wonder why we never told of this before V Well the fact is, the trap was made on the Sabbath day, and they were let out on the Sab- bath ; besides we never quite succeeded in per- suading ourselves that these black bees came from the woods instead of from some of our neighbor's bee hives. It happened two years ago. Before closing, we wish to mention that the Br itisli Bee Journal, ahont a year ago, gave a drawing of a "five pin bee trap" so ingenious, that we will try and procure the cut for our June number. RIPEIVIjVG EXTRACTEB IIOXEV. f' REORET having to take issue with so excellent an authority as friend Muth, but while I agree with him in the main, I think Le is certainly in error in regard to honey ripening better in open vessels than in the hive. I hope that apiarians will test the matter thoroughly, and rejiort the coming season. It is a good ])lan to allow the honey to ripen, as Muth advises, but not so much to allow the honey to ripen as to allow all the particles of all- mixed with the honey to escape. Extracted hone.\ being thrown in small particles from the comb, contains many particles of air which ought to be allowed every facility to escape. In regard to keeping each kind of honc.v soijaratc, 1 fully agree with him, but will not extract tliin watery honey on any account unless it is of such a flavor as to se- riously injure the choice honey. My experience with thin honey is that it remains thin, unless more than ordi- nary care is taken to evaporate it. "\Mien the hives are filled with thin watery honey, there is but little to be gained by extracting. As the yield in such cases is usual- ly not very great 1 prefer to keep my bees building comb in the centre of the hive, giving them all the room neces- sary. We should aim at quality instead of quantity. There is nothing to be gained by Hooding the market with inferior hoiie.v. If the fruit blossom honey is very inferior, it should be extracted at the commencement of the clover season and 1873. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 99 kept for feeding in times of .scarcity ; we .should be very i-arefiil not to extract the clover honey utitil just before the basswood blooms, unless we are very certniii thiit we will h;iYe lime for the honey to ripen well each time. The Vwsswood honey .--hould 1)0 removed before there is any honey brought in of an inferior quality. I lind it frcn- erally tnmecessary to make more than three jrrades of licjncy in our locality ; all that is not fit for the third ^rade, should be reserved for feedin;;. Honey should be mostly sealed up before extracting; that which is not sealed will become candied much sooner than the sealed. In order t« induce the honey to become candied solid and regular, the barrel should not be lillcd quite full, and a piece of wire gauze tacked over the bung so as to admit the air. To keep it frcm candying, as long as possible, 111! the barrel full after allowing a sutlicient time for the air to escape, and bung tightly. li!. C. L. Lakch, JL D. Ashland, Uoone Co., Mo. CALIFORNIA NOTES. yf!'- KEPI Italian bees in northern Iowa two years ''\\ and it, gave mc the bee lever. Owing to poor — ' health had to leave ; went to Colorado—no place for bees and Irnit— brought \\]> in California, adjoining llie city of Los Angeles. My health is improving, and to tell the truth I should hate to die and leave this "garden of Eden." Orange trees almobt breaking down with the golden fruit— a short distance ofl", the mountains, covered with snow, with the sun shining brightly, as it docs most of the time here. M'hat could be more beautiful here below y I bought, last spring, iti stands ot black bees in old box hives ; increased to over- ,"550 and made 2(00 pounds honey. I Italianized most of them. My mode of in- troducing a valuable queen, is to take two jjieecs of wire cloth the size of fram", tack strips of wood i inch ihiek to the edges letting them ])rojest at the corners enough to hold a small string. Take a frame of brood just hatching, put on your cloth, ])ut (jueen inside, tie the corners, and put your frame in among the bees. In a few days she will have commenced to lay, the the eggs can be seen through the cloth, just cut the strings, and spread the arrangement, just enough for the bees to pass, for a day or two before removing the frames. Los Angeles, Cal., Jan. r2th, 1876. My bees are doing nicely. Out of the 3,i0 stands, have as yet lost but two. They are bringing in pollen finely now, the wintering does nol. trouble us here. I am calculating to make this season, from 200 stands •20,000 lbs. of honey and 80O stands of bees. My friend Amateur tells me he is c;dculatiiig to make from 200 stands 100,000 lbs. of honey. I tell you, friend Novice, just bring out some of your best bee men here, and we will wake up the natives. E. E. f^H.*.TTiTCK. Los Angeles, Cal., Jan., 28th, 1876. T/ic riiiKle I'fc.vfr acting lioney and melting wax previ- ous to the introduction of the extractor here, and even yet. Work the broken combs so as to cut or break the combs from the hive and melt them in the sun, which they do by making a triangular box like a corner cu])- bcard four to eight feet long, and two to three broad on the face ; cupboard is laid face upward so that the glass covered door will let the full rays of the sun througli on the honey. Placing the extractor on the south side of a building to get the additional reflected heat, the inside of the box is lined with tin to make it honey proof and to reflect heat. It is supported on legs, and a faucet at the lower corner draws off the honey. A shelf of perforated tin or strong wire cloth is laid in loosely, covering all the surface beneath the glass, and eight to twelve inches from it. As the wax and honey melt they run througli this screen, when the honey is drawn oif and the wax lifted out. Oin- good bee-keeping friend .1. (J. Corey, here, claims this heating is of great service in preventing the candying of good sage honey, consecjuently he heats all his extracted honey in this wax melter. U. Wilms, san Buena Ventura, Cal. P. S.— The wax must be i-emelted and moulded into cakes ; this makes very pretty wax. OW if this department is a mixed up mess, please excuse it. Our table had become covered with a mass of letters that we found it impossible to classify, which nevertheless contained many items of importance. We have therefore endeavored to put it all into the smallest amount of space possible, and yet em- body the important ideas. For an index to the points touched upon, see contents. I wish to know if you would care to sell some bel- lows smokers ; imin-oved Quinbys. I got one from him, which wore out in a short time. I can make a better article for $1.00, perhaps less. They would be heavier, not quite so neat, and have a contrivance to keep the lire in if desired. Do you think it would i)ay to get up a pair of plat- form scales for bee men, to weigh from ].")0 to 200 lbs., to sell at 10,00? I was at your place the day yon left fdr Michigan ; was sorry yon were not at home, but I looked around and do not regret my visit. I like glass division Ijoards you have in the house apiary and have made some on the same plan, only with wood frames. It will often save taking the (juilt ott" to examine. I do not think candy will be as good as syru]) in spring; I make my feeders out of shot bag?. J. Winfield. Hubbard, O., Feb., 11th, 187<;. A smoker must be Ii_2"ht, and neatly finished. As we are perhaps a little fastidious, it may be sometime before we are suited ; at present, we have not succeeded in making anything that we like as well as Quinby's. Something to suspend a single hive, even if it did not weigh very accurately, would be quite desirable, but it ought not to co?t more than $1.00. Perhaps some simple coiled spring, that would indicate when the bees were gaining or losing, might answer every purpose. Who will get up some- thing neat and cheap? The same instrument should have a caviacitf sufficient to tell when the hive was heavy enough for winter. Our out-door hives were all weighed ; those in the house apiary, we could not wei^h very well, and nearly half of them starved. The glass di- vision boards are very convenient in the house apiary, but we would hardly advise them for out-door hives. 1 used the Barker & Ulcer sectional box the past season, but the bees failed to follow the guides — build- ing the combs in every direction, so that the sections could not be cut apart without the honey running out. Otis Fulleij, Mason, Mich. Please take pen in hand and as you read answer by yes, no, oi- figures as required, and return this sheet answers and all. Are the tin corners and top bars of Langstroth frames suflicicnt for the section frame for surplus to rest on ? [Yes.] Will bees winter weU in 100 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mat Langstroth frames: [Yes.] Will they winter belter iu deejier oues ? [No.] How many frames stioukl broorl chamber hold? [ti to 12.] How wide inside should liive be for tliis number of iramcs.' [S.'i to 17 inches.] Have you small frames for tjueen rearing and size of? [Discarded.] I would like to keep a surplus of queens till fall. Had I better make some small Irames for this purpose ? [Xo.] Will you cut stuiT for any size Irame? [Yes.] But before I say any more, is there any better frame to begin ivith ? [No.] Docs tin answer well for roof of hive? [If painted.] .Should a hive liave a portico ? [No.] How much room above the frames should we have for tuck- ing the quilt in ? [1 inch.] Can we feed too much rye flour to bees? [No.] I am anxious to begin with a good frame and hive, and am studying hard. One thing bothers me. You say Langstroth frames are 17 /a inches long, but (Langstroth' j book page 372), the bill of stufl" cut for frame will not make it more than 17|; did Langstroth ever alter these dimensions? [No.] If not why do you difler from the book for a standard size ? Hakry S. Mekiuck. Brownsburg, Pa. [Our measurements were taken from a frame sent us by Mr. Langstroth, by particular request, and we have the frame now in our possession. The L. frames in use, or in use at the time we tried to establish uni- form dimensions, were found to vary from 1-16 to sev- eral inches, both in width and depth. We have now a set of guages made in such a way that any frame we send out sliall not vary the 32d of an inch — we hope- even should several years elapse between the orders.] there have been many patents on the idea since, all wc lielieve arc now dropped. There are usually so few bees out when a colony swarms, that the returnini; bees, if thej do not he.xr the call of their comrades and join with thorn are of but little account. The hive need not be moved more than 10 or 20 feet, to salisfy them, and then all will find it. The nan-swanner mentioned, has with all the rest, we beliavo, gone into oblivion. 1 have 20 Quinby closed end hives, and never used imolcer hut once or twice last ycar,cinc[ have some cross hybrids too. W. G. Smith, St. Louis, Mo. I got 100 lbs. of best sugar candy made at the confec- tioners at li cts. per lb. It is much nicer than liquid feed. Geo. L. Gast, Le Clair, Iowa. I have 25 swarms which I wish to Italianize. Will Ital- ians work on red clover ? and will they keep the moths entirely out of the hive ? Will the workers raised from queens reared from your advertised larvae do aU this ? K. Baeboue, Alamo, Mich. [Most assuredly. Both points have been fully proven in thousands of instances. The matter can be decided in a few minutes in any locality where Italians are kept, by simply opening a hive, or going to a clover field.] I see Mr. Doolitlle seems to have good success using frames 10?4XlO?j, eight in number ; do you think it would be safe for me to use hives with that number and size of frames in this state, or would they be in danger of starv- ing through the winter ? D. WooDBCRT, Huntington, Mass. * [If the eight frames were well filled with stores, and the colony not unusually large, they would be in no dan- ger of starving if looked to in April. Mr. Doolittle is a very skilful and careful man, and succeeds with such a small hive, when careless people would not.] Is Langstroth's method of contracting the entrance to prevent swarming, recommended? Your method is to carry the parent hive to a new place and return the swarm. Immediately? or after "three days?" How about the bees returning from the field and finding their hive gone? Canyon recommend Mrs. Parnham's non- swarrming attachment ? J. 11. Parson, Pranklin, N. Y. [In a later edition of his work Mr. L. himself j)ronounces the plan of contracting the entrance a failure, so far as proven tiou of swarming is concerned. And although I have three stocks of bees which I notice have dysen- tery badly. Is there a remedy ? or will I have to let them make the best of it. I am a young hand at bees. S. M. Peachey, Allensville, Pa. [We really know of no sure remedy except warm weath- er. If that don't come, i^er/frtp.s artificial heat may an- swer, if they can be allowed to lly inside a cage made of gauze or wire cloth. Removing the toj) ar.d allowing the sun to shine directly on the cluster has a very beneficial effect when the weather is warm enough. As a prevent- ive, be careful to guard against unsealed and watery food for cold weather.] I am just going into t'ne bee business and want to start light. I will therefore follow the teachings of Glean- ings, knowing many who have been rewarded by so doing. H. P. GiMisoN, Adams, jS^. Y. [We have had many encouraging words, friend G., but none more acceptable than the above.] Will the comb foundations answer as good a purpose as the natural comb for starters in section boxes ? Would you run them (a strip say an inch wide) from top to bot- tom, or till the box with sheets ? P. H. Gates, Chittenango, N. Y. [Notwithstanding the quantity that Mr. "Long" sent out last ^eason, it seems we have had very few experi- ments with the foundations, for comb honey. We can not answer questions from our own experience, but advise all, especially our Southern friends to test the matter and re- port as soon as possible. We have noted that where the combs are fastened at the bottom, there is almost sure to be bagging or bulsing, when the cells are raised ; and where they are left hana;ing, there is a tendency to twist about, unless the bees commence all over the sheet at once.] Y''ou say, (commenting on my letter in March number) cotton rags saturated in saltpetre are "exi)ensi\'e.'' Not very. I usually take an old book and saturate the leaves in a solution of nitre, and dry. One or two leaves thrust into a bellows smoker are sufficient for a single hive. A book is convenient to carry in the pocket. What is the customary way of renting bees ? Please give details. S. W. Hall, La Moille, Iowa. [We believe the old way was for one party to furnish the bees and and another the care, skill, and hives, both sharing equally in the honey and increase. Since the time of Italians, and hives that are a trifle more expensive than the old boxes, things are somewhat dilTerent and we know of no better advice than to agree about the minor points as best you can. Be careful to have it all plainly understood, or you will have "onpleasantness ;" and in view of the complaints that have been made in such cases, we woidd advise the one who has the skill, to buy the bees if he can. We think you will find it the better way.] I want to know if bees are taxable property, as our as- sessor says he is going to assess our bees in the spring. G. M. Doolittle, Borodino, N. Y'. [We consider bees as much taxable property as auj' oth- er kind of stock ; and although one of our assessors some years agj thought, as they were not specified they might be left out, we desired him to assess them as he would GLEA.N1NGS IN BEE CULTURE. 'iOS .;>ther property-, and siieh has Iwon the •c«sto«n hero over ^iiice. K an assessor does not kjww his duty, it secais to -lis every l-ojal; inch stuff, but it is nvlher close work.; remember bees will lill up with propolis any place they can not .!*rawl through .freely, and the channel in the rabbet must he large enough to allow tJieiu to promenade through it. If the rabbet is fastenetl on the end of the Live it will bo :fUways killing bees unless great caro is u.scd when the i'rames are lifted out, or you will have bits of comb built Jv'tween the ends of the hive and ends of frames. We have had hives in use .'overal years, that have onbodied .-til these points. The instructions we have already given Ml legard to candy making will usually .suflice; but it is ijutte asatisfaetdon to knjvr the reasons and full details, iJtat are gi^en so pleasantly in the book mentioned.] •Just a word to those who are doubtful as to the success >i bee-keeping for the future. To me the prospects were /loyer brighter. The fact that unwarranted extremes have ■been advoc:Ued, was proof positive that some, as we now ■»ee, would fall back to the other extreme and under-csti- jinate the real position. All this will tend to place bee- keeping upon the lirm and sure basis wo have abundant roerSOE to expect it will occupy. L. C. Root, Mohawk, N. Y. 1 now have 24: bee-less hives, and the 25th contains the remains of four stocks all doubled into one, and placed in the cellar, more from feelings of humanity, than from any liojie of profit from such dilapidated stocks. So my apiary ihat now makes the air voctil, presents this equation : No. !if stocks=fl5 — 26=70. Bees carrying in natural pollen. D. P. Lane, Koshkonong, Wis., April 12ih, '7(>. A queen which wo had hatched Feb. 27th, has sealed brood and plenty of egg.s ; showitig conclusively that she !.•> fertilized. Staflks & A^■D^KWS, Columbia, Tenn. [Queens have been occasionally riiuse' fastening a two quari pail into a six quart pail dud tilling the spa-e with water, answer the purix>so, cutting out the queen ce?ls and hang- ing them in i L. Z. JoyKS, G;iJva, llLs. [Wo most certainly will avoid .any risk of .sending out Canada thistle, or other dangerous seeds ; and to that end. we puirhase se>ed raised in our neighborhood. The twc pails will answer very well ; but one great aim of the lamp nursery, is to avoid cutting the combs as we .sre ohl/.go Uni • versal hive, we can put 20 section boxes at the fides, Iw sides the 30 on top ; and it we are to accept Doolittle, the 7 frames are better than a greater number for the bnxKl apartment, when the bees ai'e at work in the boxes. ; Will it make any difference about the foundations (liong's) being put into frame.'! so that two sides of the Hexagon shall be horizontal instead of perpendicular a< the bees build it ? [No ] Ik) you con.sider the candy de- .scribed in Gleanings equal lo a«y other feed in thr spring, to stimulate breeding ? [Tes.] Will it pay to (ill the boxes entirely with Iho foundatio:u ? [Not been ful- Ij tested.] J. F. Spau/jjens, Charles City, Iowa. I have successfully wintered some two comb nuclei, and think it pays; as I found one of my best stocks qucenlcss. I can give my plan for wintering them if you desire it ; it might not work so well in a cold win- ter or in a colder climate. AiJ.NKK Ai>LKN, St. veather that can be expected), they would not require, to exceed 10 lbs. more. With sucb provision, wo hardly think starvation possible; and if hair your candy should bo left unconsumed in the si)ring, it will be all right for the next season.] f02 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mav. EIiivc shippeil some qiveeus already, which reached their dcsUnation sal'ely. Shippinjr a lot to-day. Wm. J. ASDitEWS, Cohiinbia, Tenn., Apr. 17, "'(i. Bees wintered well in cellar, but not well in bee hoiisc. Five oxTt oi' 20 dead in latter. IT. II. RoSEBKOCK, Owatonna, Minn., Apr. 11, '70. What 19 the best way to get comb honey ? Which are the best and cheapest boxes? T. Bn'KEKTOv, West Elizabctb, Pa. [Section boxes described in this number.] I roceivoil kouts sample comb foundation from yon a short time sir.ce, very perfect and nice. Kaceived some from C. O. I'enine, which wan (ptfte imperfect, and very inferior to sninples sent by yot;. U R. BwAUDMAN, East Townsend, (>., April 'iOtb, '76. .fust heard from some of my honey that; was shipped fvoni Shrevcport. Lrt., to St. Louis, aftei" 1 s;iw you at Me- dina. 'I'he gentleman wrote it was called superior to any Xortliern Iioni^y ever shipped to tha.t place. {;. K. Caklix, Quirre,!.-, Fla., Apr. 17tli, TC. <)nr .jS colonies came through in fmo coudilion on sum- mer stands. Wc have four barrels of honey in S't. Louis, for whicli we w;inl Wc per lb. Send a buyer to our agent W. )I. frjco & Co., St Loui-i. Mo. T. E. Hawkins X IJho., Ke.w Frfiuklort, Mo. FOOT-POAVKK SA^'S. iM T.,iTTLI'^ over a year agro, 1 obtained a foot-pow- jM^ or mill from Combined Power Co., N'ew York, ^^"^^ the same as cut on cover ol" (Jleamngs. Per- haps a little of my experience may be of some advan- tage to you. or some of yova- readers. Now I don't propose to lind any fault -with the mill; it is a perfect success foi" shiort light sawins;. and the compiny have dealt with nio so far, like gentlemen. But 1 soon found that for cutting; and rippins pip.e boards 's inch thick and V2 inches wide, if, was anythinir but easi; for a man of my woi'/ht— I'lO lbs. When I v/orked that mill fifteen min- utes sawins? or rippini; toj) brirs for frames 1!T inches long, from boards % inch thick, 1 wtis wi'.Iins; to stop fust a few minutes for a rest. A'l kinds of power came into my mind, Fiorsc, wind, stcum, etc., but 1 was forcibly reminded of m;!n-powor especially, while ti'eiidin'i; and trying to keep up motion. Last fill I attrichtHl ;i crank power to work in connection with the tread : it a little more than doubles the jiow'.'r and cai)acity of the mill. You would be sur- prised with what facility and how i-apidly you could rip a board live or sixfeet in len^'th,;iiidcontinnr' to do vmlil the hand at the cr.ank jreis tired. With ordinary lizht sawing, the man at the saw has perfect control of the speed or motion of the same. Two men, each capable of feeding the saw, could change from saw to crank aiid do as much work in a half day, and easier, as one man coi'.ld do in two flays. I have als3 made a sliding frame or carriage about -iX feet long, that slides upon the table so that I can place a 1)03 rd live or six feet long upon the table, hold it with per- fect case and cut it into any desired lengths ; this carriage nuis on guides and can be taken off or put on at will. If for very light sawing, I want to use the tread independ- ently of the crank, the latter can be thrown out of gear in a minute. I will cheerfully give an explanation of my plans if desired. The two attachments will not cost over ^7. or SX.OO. John >'oble, Eni'eka, Wis. 1 am very much interested in your trial of the i)oot- powcr saws mentioned. One of my neighbors was at 23 Djy St., N. Y., a few weeks ago, and reported that he thought it would do all tliat was claimed for it. He said he couldn't see but that it run as easily when sawing a-* when not. As to the price, he thought it pretty high f,) r so small and simple a rflachine, and , vet he thought per- haps no highor iiccorditisgly, than wc pay for our sewinu"- machirscs. 1 had about concluded to- get one, but didn't get round to it till I saw you were n.bout to give it a trial., and also a much cheaper machine. I hope we nviy get a favorable rejwrt from the cheap machine. E. KiJiPTON', Cedar Creek, ^i. .1. For rtiiwing short work, such as our corres- pondent meutionsi, the high-priced machint- htts some advantages ; but the sii>all o-ne is sii- much easier managed,aud is so much supcrior in siiHplicitj, that we think it will Ix' much the most advisaliSe for l)ee-hive work. So well are we satisfied of this, that we offer the large oni- for ^103,00 while the iwiinnfacttjrer's price for the same i.s fta?,."^). Either saw will make tlit- Universal hive without trouble ; and we are happy to add lliat <5>ur neighbor Bh>keslee i»^ making the universal section boxes with rapid- ity and ease, with a foot-pf>wer saw. To d> tliis, you will cut yom' J^ boards into piece> just 5 inches long, and each piece is to have four gr(X)ves sawed in tlie end, of such widtli that we have left, live tenants of the same widt!:; as the grooves. It* yonr saw is a thin one it can be given a wabbling motion by washers.-, so as to have it make a cut 1-10 of an inch. In regard to making tl>ese washers-, the saw manufacturers write as follows: We can make the washers of iron, but it is an unneces- sary expen.se, as jrarties using can take a wedge vriili- enough (a shingle for instance) for two. split it, turn lli'- thin ends together, make holes where necess:'vry, am! trim around the washers, 'Iliose made of wood will an- swer e\ery lau'pose, and tlvj expense is nothing ; besides a pair can be made for each desired rat. W. F. & .Jonx B.tirsES, Rockford, Ills.. Apr. 15, '7('>. We liave devised a way of getting the gsug- set for these cuts, by simply setting it twice, thus; fct your gauge to cut A, accurately, and A C J> B by turning the board end for end, it will cut B. just right. Now, after you have done all your pieces thus, set the gauge to cut C, and it wili lj« just right to cut D, when the piece is revers- ed as before. The pieces are to be ripped oti' about 3-i() in thickness, and of course your saw is to be arranged to cut to the saine depth. A.> every one of you who have the foot-power saws can make your own sections, we sec liothinir to prevent their coming iiito general use;n'> nails, ;ii!d the pieces can be put together by ;t chikl after a little practice. Should your saw cut the grooves too wide, the sections will not hold together, and if too narrow thoy will go in too liard. Set your saw so they v/ill be rath- er loose, holding an oilstone at the side while- it is run slowly, until it makes a cut of just tlie right thickness. When cutting the strip- ofl', if you wish to have them as smooth as il planed, sharpen your saw nicely, and use the oilstone as mentioned, ou the sides of the teeth ; if used too mucl! in this way, it will destrov the set of the saw for sawing long stuff. It may not be out of j)lace to state that tin- scroll saw attachment to the Barnes saw, wi- at fir.st thought we did not want, but our l^J year old young liopefa! got his eye ou it, aiul GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE, 10^ 'WO many dajs he and his cousin a year older, •were (loiiiir a smasliin^ trade ill everythinij in iJie uMiy HiCbrarkt'ts. Some of the \voi-l< they "!<), would pass very creditably iu any of I he luniiliirt slorc«. If yon have boys tliat you wish kept b«sy, add the scroll saw attach- ment^ there is no eu put iu our list of hive makers for one year. Frames without the metal corners, l)c. each. Mr. Langstrotli ob- jected to the plan of having hives and frames made all over the country, because tliey would not make them exact, but with our new way you have only to saw your boards off the pre- ri.se length you wii-h the sides and ends of the rames. and they are sure to be right. For in- -^tance, for L. frames you are to cut the boards ip into pit ces just 11% long for tops, and i)^„ ibrends; if you cannot do that with a buzz saw you are certainly to be pitied. Perhaps we shoul^ We have said iwthjng in regard to the Cyprian bees, be- cause we think it best tor one or two to nwke a test of them before many are induced to invest, or before much! space is oecupied with thenff in our journals. Fancy stock and fancj' prices, are getting to be alnrost a sj>ecies of gambling: shall we riot mov-e slowly, aiwl take good caro of what we bave already tint we lr,i&w is good? We wiU give $25. for a genuine Cyprian qr2een, as soon as one is to be had for tlie m'oney, arjd wilJ test and rep&rt as careful- ly as we know how. Cax nothing be done for our friends in order- ing Extractors to induce then^ to give the size of frame or frames they use ? It is true we rrsi^ht send you the largest size, bnt how wonld yen like it if your frames should drop clear down to the bottom instedd of hang- ing nicely in it as they do in the hive ? An order yes- ter-day by telegram for 5, compelled us to bunt over old letters ?or an hour before wc could tell what to send, and another to-dav took a longer tinie and then obliged ns to give it up and make liina wait until wc- coidd write and ask him. Xow friend Mood yon shouldn't speak so of El. A- i?. J^, even ifhe f/irf say the Am. was the only bee- Journal in America. He certainly did not mean to in- sinuate there was not a World, a Mag. and a Gleanings. To be si^re not. Besides, ice, have got a permit from the "Patent Olllce" to do all the quarrell- ing during this centennial year, that is to be done among '-bee-folks;'' if any body infringes, wont W€' just "prosecute 'em ?" May we just whisper that it may not be best for amj of us to adTerlise the 6cs^ jour- nal in America ; if we have it, these young Centenni- als will soon find it out, and they never keep anything^ to themselves. There is one troubli- Avith the house apiary that mv have never seen mentioned, and that is the fashion th(" young I'alians have for pouring out at the top of the lii^'c- when it is opened for an examination. This does no hurt only that when you get throngh, yon have a shower of bee.s that are determined to return to their hive at th(^ very spot they came out, and after you have driven them out with a bnish, they will sometimes hang about the door for an hour or two, and it is doubtful if they all regain their hive at all, if the entrance happens to be at a distanct- from the door-way. With outdoor hives it matters not where they get out, they always find the entrance. We have answered a good many questions this month, is it not now our turn to ask a few? We would like Mr. Palmer to tell us how his nice wintering house tnat kc was buildins: last fall, has answered. And will James Bolin tell us if he has succeeded as well in wintering, this warm winter? Also, w'ill L. C. Root tell as if he has again been as suc- cessful in wintering? We plead guilty to the charge of Capt. Hetherington. and now ask what his honey crop was last year, and if he will be so kind as to also state the number of colonies he had j\Iay 1st ? Will Mrs. Stihbs and all others who have the hoiLsc apiaries please tell us hoiv their bees have wintered? Will Prof. Cook tell us something about the dormant state of insects in winter? Will all the rest of you when convenient, mention how you like a Journal made up of a gi'cat number of s'.Dit 1 ;t- ters from many different localities as is this one ': 187C. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 105 Deatli of Adam (xrinini. A. I. ROOT, Dear Sir : — From the enclosed advertise- ment, you will see that my brother Adam is dead ! He died at the village of Jefferson, April 10th, of congestion of the brain, his age was 52 years. He was born in Germany, and emigrated to this coun- try in 1819. He devoted hslfof his time to bee-keeping. When he was a boy and attended school in Germany, he spent all his leisure hours with his bees. After emigrating to this country he was more extensively engaged in this business, and pursued it with great energy and love, until his death. He was confined to his bed for only five days, but his health has not been good during the last year, and on thai account he intended to sell some of his bees. Last fall my brother put into the cellar over 1400 colo- nies of bees, and they came out in good condition, with very small loss. I think you can without hesitation mark him as one of the pioneers in bee-culture in this country, and as one of the most successful in the world. Adam Grimm, ray brother, has been a contributor for many years to the American Bee Journal, but had to (luit on account of failing health and the Banking business in which he was engaged. Yours Respectfully, C. Grimm. .Tefterson, Wis., April 14th, 187(5. [Another of our most valued veterans is gone ; and we fear, one whom it will be hard to replace. Per- haps no bee-keeper in our country or any other, has for so many years made the business a steady practi- cal success with so large a number of stocks, as has our departed friend ; and what is of still more mo- ment, perhaps none among our number have held more faithfully the respect and esteem of all. His personal importation of the real Italians, might be mentioned among his many other energetic and suc- cessful ways of doing things. As we bow our heads submissively to the blow tliat has fallen on ns all, can we not resolve to emulate that life of rjuiet industry?] VARIOUS BTEinS. I tried making thin sheets of wax according to your directions in March No. but succeeded much better by (lipping the glass first in strong soap suds, then in melted wax ; try it. I fastened some of these thin pieces about 2,'< inches wide, in a Lang^troth frame and put into a hive and fed the bees ; in a tew days I had a frame full of nice comlj, Init they made some drone comb at each end of the frame; more than 1 wanted, and the queen has laid it full of eggs. My bees have gathered consider- able honey the past week from frnir, blossoms and wild llowers, principally the ColUnsia Vernia. I wintered fifty colonies, lost one— let it starve. My neighbors gave me ten starving colonies last fall that 1 transfer- red and wintered successfully Ity giving frames of seal- ed honey. Some of my colonies have drones sealed over, and plenty of them too. The prosjiect is very rtattering lor a srood honey harvest. White clover very abundant and vigorous. J. B. Rapp ,Owensville,0. April 2t '7G. Plain sheets of wax can be made very rapid- ly with a little practice, by either of the meth- ods, but we made the most beautiful ones with the soaped cloth. If yon wish them of an even thickness, dip them twice and turn the top edije of the p,iass downward the second time. If you w"ish thicker sheets, dip several times. A sheet of pretty thick glass gives the best re- sults. They may be made almost as smooth as the glass itself. In spite of the excitement about box honey we are having a better demand than ever for extractors. We have just shipped the r)th ma- _ chine this season to W. W. Oliver, Cormn'sviile, ^ Tenn, and he has been a customer every season since we commenced to make them. With the force now at work, we expect to be able to ship them generally, the day the order is received. The following is just at hand on a postal. I received the extr. April Cth, in good condition ; and in one hour after its arrival I extracted 10 lbs of honey to the satisfaction of all !-eeinir it. It is all I coidd wish. I ex- pect to take :-;000 lbs of honey. Have 30 colonies. Got 900 lbs from ten colonies last year. Express ch irges on machine t2,00. H. Stevenson, l)ardenne Mo. Apr. 22, 'H\. Your type is large enough for me— would not lilce to do with less matter. But will clieeriully submit to the de cision of the majority. W. Girdwood, Allegheny, Pa. [Thanks friend G., you are the first one among many in the matter, that has shown the spirit upon which our na- tion is budded. Cannot others follow the example?] Case of Section boxes at hand; they do loo'c as if Ihey were at last, alviost, perfect ,J. .1. Whitson, Valley Mills, Marion Co., Ind. April 21., '76. ^ TRANS POSING E««S, AIVD THE DRONE THEORY. ^Spljheye have been several apiaries started in this n.-jigh- J\ borhood. Messrs Ratcliff and King have one of 200 hives, and bid fair to do well in the bus inei-s; also Mr Samuel Irvin has about has about GO hives. I commenced later and have as yet only 22 hives to work on, which I am hoping to double the present summer. Dr. Hunter, my nearest neighbor, has about 20. We all use movable comb hives and are setting our bees Italianized as fast as possible, believing the Italians to be the best moth destroy- ers ; they being the most destructive enemy which bees have here. In the M:trch No. I see "Grafting queen cells" the honor of which discovery you give to J. L. Davis. I consider it a very valuable discovery which may be the means of many other developments, Leading apiarists disagree in regard to the drone egg ; some contend that it is an imfertilized egg, while others conclude that all eggs laid bv the queen are alike; the only difference being in th3 foil given th3 young larvaj. Some contend that the reason that bees from a fertile worker's eggs are all drones, is that the bees are anxious for their fertilization. Now Mr. Editor this cm all be fully tested by the grafting procsss; if drone eggs in drone comb, be grafted into worker comb, and placed in a hive where thej' are not over anxious for drones, and these hatch out wor- ker bees, it will be conclusive evidence that the bi^os make ttie difference by the quantity of food given the young larv;f . On the other hand, should they come out drones, it will be conclusive evidence that a drone egg and a work- er e^g %re ditTerently fertilized. Now Mr. Root, you use a lamp queen nursery, and I call on you to tost this mat- ter, or to have it done by some progressive apiiriin. This can easily be done ; after the grafting process is over, place them in a hive with no other eggs, and when nearly hatched, place the comb in the lamp nursery and it will be very plain what kind of bees are hatched. I venture to predict they will be drones. Then my the- ory will be, Tirigin queens and fertile workers are alike fertilized by eating in the worm state, of the royal jelly deposited in the queen cells ; which jelly is fertilized by the drone sperm only, consequently they are only fertil- ized with the power of laying drone eggs, which eggs can not produce worker bees ; this will also develop another idea in queen raising, if my idea is correct. You may place a comb of pare Italian eggs in a hive of black bees leaving none but black drones, the royal jelly used will be fertilized by the blaclc drone, and although the queen may mate, on coming to maturity, with a pure Italian drone, her posterity so to speak, will be affected by the royal jelly which was eaten by her ; especially her drone proge- 10G GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE May uy. I know these are novel ideas, which will be objeeteil to. espeeiilly by some Italian ciucen breeders; but facts, and well au'.henticated experiments of wise and honest .■tfiiiriins. shoi;ld alone govern us in these matters. 1 liave an Itali in hive of bees called pure, from which I in- tend raising queens this season; but I know it will be several years before I will b( able to gret all the black blood from thein. even if I get an imported queen every .\en'. W. P. Nej,sok. Mt. Pleasant. Tenn. i The experiment yoti mention tViencl N., ba? j been m.ade repeatedly ; and Me believe that! I'Sils htiil in drone cells always produce drones, | no matter wiiere they may be grafted, unless ' we put them into u queen cell ; in whicli case ' the poor drone flourishes flnely for a while,] and then dies, perhaps from loo much rich j food, lil-ce some other folks. Your theory does ! very well until you jump at the conclusion! that the roya! jelly is in some way compound- \ id by the aid of tlie drones in the hive ; which \ is an old and exploded idea given by one Kir- : by many years ago in the A. B. J. The details >>f all the experiments made, arc too long to go ' over, but they indicate plainly we think,' that i the royal jelly has no more eftect on the young | (jueen, than has the milk that is given an in-: fant, on /tn development. You certainly i would not hold that the human race was in i danger of partaking of the nature of cattle, by bringing our infants up on cow's milk in place \ of that of their own mother? Well, the testi- 1 mony i> very strong, that royal jelly is to the young larviv. just what milk is to young ani- mals, and nothing more. Wc rear queens sole- ly for honey producing bees, and not for sale, and yet we have never been able to see anj' ditterence between those reared by black bees, atid those having Italian nurses. VO«EI.^S HOBISV FllvI^Y EXPtAlTVED. '•KEMr.MJSEK WK WANT TKL-ni.''~Nf)Vice. fr |;|pjHE bce-wall-halls can be built, cither by piling or by compaitmeuting— and this latter is the best— so I ■wrote. Now, "compartmcnting"' means dividing large ca- ses by hori.'.ontal and vertical partitions into as many rooms or cells, as hives or colonies are wanted , these comj)artments being so produced and arrang- ed with "walls in common'" ior each adjoining hive- room (like the cells in the comb or the pigeon holes for the letters in the post-ofl'ice) which economy of ^'pacc, material and work renders this class of bee- homes the easiest, cheapest to build, the most concen- trated and the best one in every respect— the most recommendable— iby long and large experience with several, and one of 103 colonies,! and therefore this. not the piled one, is my real hobby. So wc have the choice of .3 classes of bee-houses or liee-halls. I. The bee-shops like Coc's, Faulknr r's and many others, a mere receptacle, or dejiositoiy, or extra liouse, built tor hives put upon shelves— costins doub- le and ti-cble expense, 1. first lor the house, '2. for the hives, and 3. the shelves— therefore most expensive in space, work, material and money— but best for those who have already, or prefer their Universal or other lop-opening hives. A long known, old, common fash- ion or style of house-apiaries, it is in much danger irom moth-millers and other inconveniences, and so by and by given up lor*ijettcr Xo".* II. and III. If. The hive-wall-hall— ahall with from 1 tot! walls, Iniilt l.iy hives, {single or compound ones} piled i;i J lo C I'ows uiion one anotlier so as to form a closed room (standing free or combined with some other building) so the piled hives bui:d the walte and the hall— no extra liouse needed, and so much cheaper and belter than No. I., and very reconnnendablo. mostly for moving often— celling out! an I lor tr.ivelin? apiaries. 111. The comb (or cell) or very l>ee wall-hall— a hall with from 1 to 0 or more walls tilled with bse colonies in compartments, separated only bv partitions in com- mon, dividing large cases iUtO hive-rooms, as al)Ove explained, a house, with its front-boards outside and with its shelves iiisiile building all the hives, ami not. like No. II., built ^// hives, nor. like No. I., built/.)r hives. So III. needs no single hives at all. The front 01 outside, is closed with boards (and these in winter sheltered by a hai ly c irtiin) bii:; th3 iiisila or rear is covered with glass doors (besides glass slides) one for each cell, compartment or liiTC-room. con- taining a colony, or one of all these U. S.- a Union Aidary, truly '. So the Bee-IIalls I., II.. II [. can be made Sweet lIoraes--inside looking like Glass Palaces— 'he beo-s all at onoeiusightl and the Becwall-IIalls II., Ifl. may become even Bee-Wallhalls, yea, a very Elysi- um for tlie bees and keei)ers, dwelling in the midst of nectar, ambrosia and happiness, like the heroes in the Everglades,or in the O'd Saxon Wallhall ! llemember: III. makes the cheapest, best and fair- est of all the 7?ec-Tt',i?p^<',<(. wliich name may t)e given to every bee-house (classes I., II., Ill,) if well shai^ed. well attended, and piously devoted to no other but true '.humane) bee-ruUure, carefully keeping these lovcl}' companions from Eilen as one of Heaven's best gifts to mankind, learning wisilom (so .admirably taught) from this wondertul book, obeying His laws, fullilling His intciitions— and worshippings© our pets" Guardian and Creator! Now call it my hobby or even "folly,"' I don't care, lor— since now published -f am sure it will soon run like Fisk's and Fulton"s! See! my prophetical ti- dings: in A. B. J\s waste-basket, since Mareh 1875. (before Coe's ! ) N. P..— The general introduction and imitation of the top-opening hives for only "supposed easiest"" moving the combs (frames), till now considered lobe the best improvement and a great progress of real val- ue, was a real bad luck botch and blunder, and the greatest drawback for general progress and success of Apiculture in this country. Top-opening fashion is for many reasons the worst kind for the safety and welfare ot bees and beekeeping,— as truly as I told you the real cause of the foul brood — and is amain cause of tiie general failure of "modern" bee-culture in this country, losses and disgust being the rule, and hard- ly 10 per cent success the exception. Top-ojiening orthodoxy prevented till now, in this country, my proposed progress to perfection. Re.ar-opening hives are the easiest to handle, if well built, and with tuw/s [not tongues!] it is a pleasure to take out and in all the frames. Rear-opening is the best manner in every regard, for the bees and keepers. Do.vn with the prejudices and that bugbear difflcult operating! Try it well and you will find It so! I could convince you witii lots of good reasons, but Oleanixgs and maybe others don't like my "lengthy writings— of no real vrlue ! " Oh. I"ll show you— as soon as 1 can sell O'.i; here, in order to begin my Bee-Mission in a more sunay home, like Califoriiia. To this end, dear friends, please to read my iilverliseraenl in thi^ No., and help me to find a buyer. Truly your IJ. T. [Prophet, Priest and Knlghll Apiphiius IVI. '\'ogp:l, Boyne, Mich. 1870. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. lo: PROM DIFFERENT FIELDS f' FOR one am not willing to forego the pleasure ot seeing my bees at work in the boxes. I want to — sec when they commence work, to note the prog- ress they make, and know when the boxes are full enough to raise up and take off. 1 don't believe a hive can be made to Jus' suit, for box honey, and yet be jutl the thing for the extractor. You say you are about to do away with feeders. Do you mean to say that candy, or loaf sugar, is just as good as li(|uid food to stimulate breeding in the spring? or don't you re- sort to feeding for that purjiose ? E. KniPTON, Cedar Creek, N'. J. By simply rai<-ing the quilt, you can see the bees at work in all tlie section boxes at once, and as it can be instantly closed witliout dan- ger of killing a bee, we don't see what more can be desired, or why gliss need be used un- til the boxes are removed from the hive. We regard the universal hive as perfectly adapted for both comb honey and the extractor. We do regard candy as jastasgood for stimulative feeding, as and li(iuid food; but the loaf sugar does not seem to work quite as well in warm weather, on account of getting down on the bottom of the hive. During cold weather the moisture from the cluster softens the sugar so that it is taken before anjMS wasted; but for summer feeding we fear we shall have to use the candy. Cakes of maple sugar work beau- tifully, uud we suppose all that is needed is to get our sugar of commerce — either white or brown — in the form of cakes like maple sugar. This seems an easy matter, yet after all it is some bother. To feed the candy or sugar to advantage, a close fitting quilt should always be tucked over it. This can be done with per- fect satisfaction by means of an extra hoop, such as we famish to hold the quilt ; but the quilt needs to be extra large, or it will leave openings at the sides. The first time such a large ({uilt is put on, it seems diflicalt to get it tucked into place, but after that, it will go back without trouble. In opening the hive, leave the quilt haitging by one corner if possi- ble, and then it will be easy to get it back as before. One who has once used candy or cakes of sngar in this way, will never more wish to bother with tin, wood, or cloth feeders, and their attendant stickiness. The arrangement of the covers to the hives, in the house apiary, will admit of several lbs. of food on top of the frames, and }ret the cloth will close over it, witli- out permitting a bee to get out. highly pleased with them. Yes, and the lithograph of apiay is ever so ni^e, and I now have in my minds eye-- an apiary iu the form of a hexawn. witii grape \ iiios, etc.. saw dust and all. You m ly think I'm "building castles in the air " as I now have only four stands of bliok hecs, bui never mind, "when ther j is a Will there is a wan." Inst spriiia:, I got two stands of bees in box hives, trans- ferred them into movable comb hi\'es. I could get no one to make the hives foi- mo, so with saw. squai-c, hammer, nails and roujrii boards, I made (with some help from hus- band) four now hives, with loose top and bottom boii-dt^. Bees did well— we, and our fri9nds had '"lots" of housy ti> eat. None of our neighbors 'lave bees, so we will hive no trouble from want of pasturage. Jex.vie .Iewktt. White S.ilmon, Wast. Ter., Feb. 187(3. A woman who has the i^erseveranc*; and en- ergy to make, or direct the making of her own hives, can certainly become a successful bee- keeper if she wishes .to. And we shall be very glad indeed, to hear how the hexagonal apiary flourishes in the "far west." White clover is beginning to blossom. Many cole nies of bees have died here during tlie past winter, yet neglect was the sole cause. I positively assert that in this lati- tude, hoes winter successfully every time, if but three conditiotis are observed, namely : The hive must be strong in nurabjrs, there mu^t be an abundance of honey, and it mast have a young queen. Fr.vnk Benton, Knoxville, Tenn. P. S. — I have lost no colonies in wintering — even win- tered on their summer stands, two queen rearing nuclei, with frames 8x10— all that 1 attempted to winter.. The three volumes Gleanings came to head :i few diys ago. Prom iiiv examination thus far, I ean onlv sny I am Transferred my single stand from a common to a "Sim- plicity" hive on Saturday. They seem to bs working rirhl on. It was a very strong c ilonj' with about one-half bush- el of bees, with ]>lenty of brood comb and but very little honey. Have given about four table-spoonfuls of syrup d,aily to encourage them. Would it be askiuj; too much, to reijuest you to tell me where to sairch for tli i queen r I am a beginner, and have yet to behold her majesty. M. W. CnAPAiAN, Mayhew Station, Mi.ss. Get your smoker all in good trim, or your pan of smoking bits of rotten wood, as the case may be, and place it near the hive. Now turn up one corner of their ([uilt gently. If they show tight, drive them bi,ck with smoke, but don't smoke them at all, if they seem inclln ed to be 'treasonable." After the (juilt is clear ofT.let them remain quiet, perhaps a minute, just long enough for them to get a fall view of what is going on, and meanwhile fix your eye on the comb that seems to contain most bees ; now push the combs at the sides of this one back a little, that you may be able to raise it without any jar or disturbance. After yon have it in your hands, step away a little, that they may not feel ([uite so much at home as when in sight of their hive; hold the frame ut> to the liarht and look over both sides of it care- fally. Yoa will probably find her among the brood, and the center of an admiring circle of bees. If not on this comb, she will be pretty "ure to be on one of the other brood combs. If you have never seen a (lueen, you are to look for a long bee, not ((uite so long as a lead pen- cil, but considerably longer than a common bee ; and when you "find her, take a good look that you may know her next time. If you arc careful, you can put them back without smoke and if they are busy :!t work, we can usually get along without any smoke, or vail either — our friend has the metal cornered frames. If you have frames that have to be pried loose with a snap, you will perhaps need smoke, and a vail too. I have the hive, etc., by mail. Honey arrangement nice —can not decide on merits of hive yet— fe-ar it will be too easily broken. I am charmed with the comb foundations. But it costs us only half to build comb here that it does East. I am soriy you could not manage to sell us combs or m:ichiues cheaply. R. WxiKlN. San Buena Ventur;i, C:il.. Ainil i:5'.h, '7(1. 108 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. May My bees have wintered liiiel.v, none lest, :ill liculthy. I liave arranged my hive for out-dcor wintering'; I e;dl it ihc Cejitcniiial hive. The sticecss t have Ir.id with U, war- rants me in i<;i,\iii(r that any one can winter liees in it .suc- cessfully in our liardest winters. I fed one all winter, iiico in five day.s. Kept away the pollen mostly, and they bred none ti'l A))ril 7th. Several things broufrht al)out the l)cst result that I have ever seen in wintering ; that knot- ly question, wintering, is solved with me. The Centenni- al does it most surely ; those who visit me can see it. j JoHK L. Davis, Delhi, Mich., Api il lOtli, '70. But friend D., if we are correct, you have | never had any trouble in wintering. If the i Ceuteiinial hive will enable us novices to win- ! ter as well, it will truly be a boon. j How would it do to form an artilicial swarm by taking 'wo frames of brood hum a strong stork and j.utling them in an empty hive, with a fertile t|ueen, and two frames of comb foundation, one at each side ; i>lacing the hive where the old one stood '; Would this be drawing too hard • •n the old swarm? We might push the brood together, and put two frames with artilicial comb at the side to fill the old hive again ; or is it better to ]iut them iir the cen- t re of the brood nest ? 15. G. Stauffee, IJachmansville, I'a. We made just such an experiment last fall, and the bees bulged the foundations badly, be- cause they commenced work on one side only. We are inclined to think they should be placed in the centre of a strong stock. This plan ol dividing is perhaps as good as any, if you can give both stocks a fertile queen at once. Has any one tried giving a natural swarm a hive furnished with foundations 'i If so, tell us how it answered. What is the matter with my bees? Xo. 1!), a good >\vaim with honey, bee bread, clean combs, clean hive, a fertile queen, eggs and breed, wintered on summer stand, (ame out March 30th, and went back. April 1th, came out again twice, and went back. April (iih, came out again, and No. ."2 came out and went in with them. Pound queen of 32 hi front ol old hive ; caught her and put her in ly, and next morning she was dead. April 7ih, 111 swarmed out again ; also 3(5, both went into It) ; 32 and .'iO both left clean hivcj, honey, bee bn ad, larvic and eggs. April iUh. Xo. l(i has honey, clean combs, bee breatl, larvae and eggs, but no bees ; expect they have gone into 111 too, for it is a very strong swarm. Now can you assign any cause for such freaks V I never have had such luck bifore. Has any of your readers ever been so unfortunate? and what is the remedy ? Last spring, after tossing 33 per cent, April 1st, 1875, I had 20 colonies left, worth §280,00. E.\tracted 1500 lbs. Iioney, sold at 20 cents, ?300,00. Increased 25 colonies April 1st, lS7(i, worth without counting cost of hives, $7.00 (.'acli, 5175,00. Total receipts from ajiiary, $ t75,00. Our honey harvest lasted only a few days. Aug. 2Uli, I used the extractor first, and Sept. 8th, the last time. My best hive gave mo 122 lbs. in that time. John V. Laffeety, Martinsville, Ills. We are sorry to say w^e can offer no reason for such conduct ; and worse than all, we know of no remedy for a case like the one you have stated. We have been inclining to "the idea that in-door wintering was one cause of it, but we fear we shall have to give even that up. Two of our own colonies that were in ex- cellent trim, were found absent a few days ago, and as the robbers were carrying off their un- sealed stores, we can only "suppose them to have swarmed out and gone in with others, or worse still, to parts unknown. Glail to know you are doing so well in spite o:' ditHculties. P. S. — For .some strange cause, bees seem in- clined in swarming to cluster in some spot where other swarms have clustered, and hence the fatality atccudiug "No. ID." I have wintered 28 stocks out of doors, and all camo through all light. Well Novice, you seem to have most everything necessary to successful bee culture advertised for sale, except cellars for wintei ing. I think if you could get up a good cheap dry cellar for wintering, it wcndd be a good thing, as cellars are a scarce article out West. I say, go on with your experiments. Ei). Wellington-, llivort(.n, Iowa. April 11th, '"(<. Very true, and we fear the most difficult part, is to have them dry. As we have now, pretty well satisfied ourselves that lots of bees is not always a jireventive of the dwindling, we are going to have the subject of dampness for our ne.xt liobby. The bees that could see the stars aU winter, "dwindled ;" and some that had a piece of stout thick canvas over the ((uilt, got so damj) and mouldy that tlicy died in heaps. Those in the Universal hive, are .so far, the most to our liking of any, for the animal heat of the bees seems to dry off' the dampness from the thin unpainted wood, under all circum- stances. We are so much pleased with friend Cary's circular, that we give it entire. By the way, can not something be done about a uniform scale of prices '? If all use imported mothers, there can not be a very great difference. We think these prices just about right. IGTU annual CIKCULAE of ITALIAN iJlTEEN ItEES. To my ptitrons, and others, interested in Bee Culture. I commenced propagating Italian bees in .Ma.v, 1800, and have pui'Mied the business each year since. .Viy hrst im- pulse was 10 breed queens with abdomens perfectly yel- low. I attained that point in three seasons. I alto lounil that my bees were rrot so strong and vigorous as they were at commencement. I then commenced to import, and to mj joy found their former activity restored. 1 now breed from selected imjiorted mothers froni the best districis in Italy. Some of them cost mo over tweniy dollars each. Persons jnnchasing queens or bees of mo will get just what they bargain for. My hives are all numbered, and duplicate numbers put on each j>ackage, and a record ktpt of evei-y queen shipped from my apiary. If an.v prove impure I shall know it be- fore the purchaser, and give notice at once. All (|ueens sold by mo are warranted pure and fertile. Safe arrival by mail, or express guaranteed. In order that per- sons may avail thcmsehes of this guarantee in case of ac- cident, they must in all cases notify me by return mail. PEICE LIST. One queen, whose worker progeny has hatched and shows aU ihe desirable markings, when well filled ^vith honey, $3,00. One queen, kirown to be fertile, which has filled several combs with eggs. $2,00. Ten, to one address, 10 per cent discount. 1 can furnish dollar queens. If you order such, rememlier there is no guarantee, except that they are from pure mothers. Orders, widi the cash accompanying, arc recorded as soon as recci\ed, and filled in rotation. No preferred cus- tomers. Money can be sent at my risk by Draft on New York or lioslon Hanks, Post Ollice Money Orders, payable to me at Shelburno Palls, Mass., or Registered Letter. There are so many methods for intrcjducing queens, 1 feel \ery delicate on that subject. The first and most usual wa.v is to first deprive the colony of their queen. Place the one to be introduced in a small wire cage ; sus- pend the cage with queen between two combs in the most liojiulous part of the hive b.v using a small wire. In -18 hours liberate her by opening one end of the ca.ge. Use a little smoke to keep the bees quiet. If a colony have no mciins of .supjj),\ing themselves with a queen, almost any method is succi'ssful. W,M. W. Caet, Coleraine, Franklhi Co., Ma.ss, I can raise comb as cheap as Perrine's price.s. G. M. DooLiTTLE, Borodino, N. Y. IHZQ GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. im Can a yoTing queen be fertilized in a cage, made iight and airy, attached to a nucleus ? It will be safe to say now, that probably such ;'. thing has never yet been done. Some of the parties were doubtless honest in ihinking they had succeeded. 1 saw u droae, in Febnip.ry. Is not tbeir pvoductio:! .:tt that time <5f year a strange IVeak of nature ;' J. M. McKJKUEAD, Guilford, Mo. Nothing very strange, and prol>ai)iy uothiug very encouraging. You had better look to the ■colony, for the indications are that the queen is a droaic layer, and that you will lose the col- ■ ny. if not s-oou supplied with a better queeu. 1 think it would be a benefit to 30ui- readers, to veu- '. ilate the matter cf chilled bees as presented by Davis in Gleanings. 1 believe that the "spring dwindling'' i* many times from that cause, though not as lie puts it. My experience is, that if the wliole cluster is to all appearance dead, tlie queen will ever after be bar- ren. If there Js a small bail of bees in tiie centre of the cluster with the queen, with just life enough to keep up a continual squirming, though not enough to rawl, the rood combs to begin with. The ten are all in good health and have stores enough o£ their own gathering, to carry them through. Italiaa queen from River Styx, all right. O. W. Parkek, 'S'(iw London, Min., Mar. Sth, ,7'>. Such is certainly not always the case, friend .1'., for we have repeatedly rescued bees, even ■.iter they were, queen and all apparently stone Uad, and the queen has almost always, proven iust as good as evei\ We have purposely kept them a year or more, to test the matter. I have again lost lots of bees, the past winter— just how many I am not able to say. A part of my bees are on their summer stands, and yesterday had a •light, and some of them v/orked on flour (middlings). Bees in cellar suspiciously quiet. Shall give a severe letting alone for awhile yet. I have a supply of new hives well under way— can not alford to wait till June to see how many I shall want, this season. D. P. Lane, Koshkonong, "Wis., April Sth, '76. Have you any knowledge on what points C. R. Isham claims a patent for his honey box? or do you knovv' nothing of them? I liave used similar boxes for many years past. Sam'l T. Ramsey, 1515 Vine St., Philadelphia, Pa. We presume Mr. Isham will be happy to fur- nish us with a copy of his claim, that we may know just what will be an infringement, and what will not. Inquiries are also at hand as to what parts of the house apiary are patented, also the same in regard to the comb founda- tion. When the owner of a patent manifests a disclination to show his claims, the matter at least looks suspicious. Several of our neigh- bors recently paid an agent for a patent wire fence, over ilOOO.OO for rights, and after he had gone we showed them that the patent was granted for an ornamental cap to the ^ws^5 to the fence, (something they never thought of asing) and that the fence they were building h.ad been free property for years. If it is realbj "orih ■icJdle we can supplj' ourselves with a •ompleto file of the patent office reports. I would say in reply to Mr. Johnson's questions, that the division looards are not essential to make the bees build the combs in the sections. My father has used the sectionai boxes for four years, I have been using them the last two years, and it has been our experience that the divisions are a detriment ; as it requires two spaces, one on each side of the divisions, besivles the space the divis- ions take, making two spa^ees and the board between each piece of comb. M'o find that the bees will build the comb just as straight, and will store from two to three pounds more of honey to the box, than they v/ouid with divisions. We find that the sections must be exactly the proper width to get them filled. If they are too narrow, the proper number of combs will not be built ; if too wide, the bees will fill in with extra pieces of comb. We find the Barker & Dicer section honey box (made at Mai-shall, Mich.) has just the requisites. We used pieces of comb, last season, abo«t three inches long and 1| wide. In 3000 lbs. of honey there were but few imperfect sections. The honey in sectional boxes sold incur markets last year, for three and fcur cents more per lb. than that put up in other ways. Retailers are getting so they will buy no other. We expect to use the comb foundation this season. Think the middle section should have a piece put in near- ly fuil size. The others would do with less. Gur bees have wintered excellently ; have plenty of brood, and if they \vwe no back-sets we may look for early increase. W. L. Poetee, Northville, Mich. So far as using wood for the division boards, or separators, is concerned, we rhink you are perhaps right ; but if the sections are to be glassed after being lilled, and only sheets of tin are used, we think the objection mentioned will liardly apply. We purchased some comb honey for our retail trade last fall, (in 8 or 10 lb. boxes of all shapes and sizes), which we cut out and retail on plates. And by the wa\', we wish to say it is probably the last experiment of the kind we shall ever make ; for this honey cost us net 25c., and all that run out of the combs in cutting, v/as at once reduced to 18c — price of extracted honey — besides the cost of a hand to cut it out, and to clear u'p and wash up things afterward. As it candied very soon after being cut out of the boxes, we only opened a box as fast as used, and even though we sold it at 35 cts., we fear the lot has never paid expenses. Now the point we are coming at, is this; the bees themselves, when they go alDout their work in a disorderly way — running their combs diagonally, etc., — do not get as much honey in a box as they would if obliged to put it in uniform combs of equal length and thickness. In building it in these large boxes, they leave large spaces and awkw^ard angles unfilled. With the section boxes and tin separators, this we think will be mostly avoided. AVas very much disappointed on finding the small type leadetl. I would rather pay §1.50 a year printed as for- merly. Was also much disappointed on learning C. O. Perrine had obtained sole right to manufacture the coinb foundations and at such jn-ices too (?) as he offers them. K an Italian queen mates wiih black drone will her drones be pure, or are they affected ? F. Saegent, Hubbardstown, Mass. We believe the best authorities consider such drones pure, although there are a few who think to the contrary. Our own observation corroborates the general testimony, viz., that they are pure. lla GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mat MR.A. I. ROOT.Tte.r/- .Sir: -The only kind of white] C'ldver we haTe, is the whilo Dutch ; the native American j u-i-owsso >(hcrt it Ls exceed iu^Jv hard to harvest, it conse- ! cviienth>- rauld not Iw^ saved for the price it wonld brin^. The white Put oil is iiierely a larger jn'owing; kind, of (%iual value for lioney a.nd much Ix'tter for other jxisture. Our i)«ce is 40 fts. per lb.. Sov pi»r 100 lbs. K. n. St.uh & Co., Clevelaiul, O., March 3I.st, 1976. We win furnish the white Dutch clover, at above prices ; if wanted bj- mail, send 30 cents extra for bag and postage. 1 .startoil !:ist spring with '.'O swai'iu,*, mostly weak ; in- creased tn ;5S and e.ttra<'ted a little over -iOOl) lbs. of hone.y, sold three sw^arms and inn winteriiix o.") ia cellar. Took tliem out on the 9th of March ; found them all ri^ht with the exception of perhaps two or tliree fiueons pone. Most of them breeding and sti'on;;; with bees : Vuit the weather i turnin),' cold, I put them back and they h.ive beim snug .■(ud quiet throu'.?h the March stonns. V. EnwARRS. Rrapona. Kan., IMarch 'iSth, 1876. I have ha-d four swanns this week. R. Wilkix. San Buena Ventura, Cal., ^March •.••2u, '"C A. T. ROOT, Dear fi!r: — 1 commenced keepin;; bees a 1 few years api by accident. Finding a couple of swarms in ] bos hive.s, on iny hands, it became a question what I i should do with them. I knew nothing of bee-keepinsr, the I old, new or any other way. It oceuired to me that I had j .seen passinic through the office, journals in the interest of \ Bee-culture. I commenced a M-atch, and after a long | time found where one was and secured it. I'^rom it, T found where I could obtain books on the subject. These ! I obtained and became interested in the science at once. \ Before, I had looked upon the possession of ]>ees as a I bother, now no mone.v could bw.v them of me. (I mean | when I had but the two stands). All my leisure time li devoted to the study of my bees, became fearless of them, | and handled them with impunity, to the astonishment of i all the old Iwe men, I hav ciiiily in glass. And would not. these holes detract much from tho beauty of the bo.i, or rr ceptacJe, even if paperecf over r 31. C. Griek. Lam:?;-. JIo., Mart?h -iOlIi, 187U. It (I'.x a nuisance to be obliged to paste paper over the Ijoles in a great number of boxes, and it is a bother to be obliged to make them iu the boxes in the first ])la';e. For side entran- ces, one of the side glasses is usually mad'- narrow ;iud is f listened only at its top Slxx<.1 bottom, like the Quinbybox; but such boxis are ditticult to clo«e when filled, and are not neat and finished in appearance. The opera- tion of putting in the glasses, clo.ses the open- ings to such section boxes as those made liy friend Wheeler, but thev hardly present as nice an appearance as the Isham lx>x. What wi> want now, is as neat a box as the Isham, and one that will allow of glassing after it is re- moved from the hive, and of all openings belnic closed by the operation. Our section box case does all this, but it has glass only on two sides, is not as large a l)ox as may Ix; wanted by some, and is rather more expensive, being all made of tin and glass, than if the top and bot- tom Avere wood, like the Ishim box. I will vote for small type and lots of it. Bees have com'; through the winter with plenty of sugar fed last fill, but there is no brood more than 3 or 1 days old. I am goiu-- to place ii. glass frame (such as arc used for hot beds) over the meal feeding table so as to run the rain off, and boar(i up all but one side; and then when the sun shines thei'i- will be "music in the"— feeder. My frames are lljxl - but I will reduce to Standard size. I (h)n't think I slnll make section boxes when extracted honey sells for 25 cts.. (as it did list season) :is fast as the bees can gather it. Now No\ice, you have forgotten to tell us how to hitch the wind-mill on to th? buzz-saw, or rather how to raakr it run the first wheel or belt. I have cut a circular saw out of a hand saw, made a frame and a 3S inch pulley to turn a '1\ inch one attached to the savr. It will cut liki; anything, but I want our wind-mill to do the turning. 1 wanted some comb foundations but as I am an is years old, anti-monopolist, and tlic bees always have buili their own comb, I think they will this year. By the way, I bought m.v tirst bees when I was 13 years old, have h.nl bees every se;i.son since, and with the aid of Gle.^jtiMt^j can divide a swarm, introdtiee a queen, or anytking elsi'. In fact, I have always had be3 on the bnin, and sDuii'- times over my eye or in my hair. (jI.ka>'Ings is just the thing for beginners, yoimg or old. Llotd Z. Jones, Galva, 111., April 3d, 1876. Bravo, friend Jones, and may the youths whi> have the skill and pailence tocut clrcuhir saws out of a hand saw, receive the reward that comes to the irood mechanics of our land soon- er or later. There are so ['e\y good ones, that you may depend upon being hunted up and "fairly remunerated just as soon as you have learned to do anything xcdl. In applying power to the saws, we need a counter-.shaft under the buzz saw table. To enable us to handle long boards readily, the belt to the counter-shaft should come through the floor from the room below, or the counter-.-haft should reach i-ome distance away frbm the table. The Barnes' foot-power saw that we offer for sale, is fur- nished with counter-sliaft for steam, wind or horse power for $10.00 extra. ih;6 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Ill mmimM® [In this department I beg to be allowed to lay aside the ■editorial "we," and have a f lieiull.v chat and feel "at home."] OlIAPTEK XVIII. Ke then - heids.— Proverbs xxvii, 23. (Cl'EVEN colonics arc dead in the house apia- ^P ry ; five on the north, and two on the south side. None of them were strong in bees I xcept those that starved, btaired! yes, that is the name of the "disease"' that has affected now all in such neat trim that it is a pleasure to work in it, either by lamp or day light; all the dead bees are removed, combs brushed up and nicely put away, brood nicely under way, and all prosperous under the influence of plen- ty of food, and an even warm temperature: and that is the "little victory" we have achieved over a disposition to shirk important duties after their novelty has ceased to render them interesting. Two colonies have been united with others, because they were quetn- less, and so we have only 16 now in the house apiary. As we have managed, this present winter, the house apiary has wintered just about as well as those left out-doors, and no better. They perhaps reared more brood, as there were great heaps of dead bees, where there was but a small colony last fall, and that was why they starved; those out-doors did not starve, because they did not rear brood and exhaust their stores. With the experience we have had, we certainly ought to be able to do better next time. CAAPTER XX. PATENTS. fT would be sad, if we should not get out in- I to the door-yard at all this month, but some of our friends say they don't care a cent for clothes lines, and iront door steps — 1 should have had them all flxed up in apple pie ordei^ if they hadn't interrupted — but want to know about the comb tbundations, and several other "family troubles'" that I fear I shall only make worse by stirring up. I have for many years, been vehemently de- nouncing the plan of selling rights to make any thing in the shape of implements for bee- ciilture, and I suppose the great mass of you 114 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. May will »&y I did just right ; but I have been feel- ing of iatc, that perhaps I have not done just right. The cause may have been a just one, l)ut have 1 really any right to dictate as to what my neigbors shall or shall not do? If my advice is asked, to be sure I should give it, and even it it is not. if I feel that money is being paid lor something that is valueless, and will prove so, perhaps it is my duty to protest a- gaiust such waste, but it can and should be all done pleasantly ; the kind feeling should ex- tend to the party who is wronging, as well as to the one heing wronged. It may be said that I am taking a greatT responsibility, in pre- suming myself capable of deciding what is right, and what wrong. The only reply I can inake, is that my opinion is asked either direct- l}"^ or indirectly in almost half the letters I open. A few years ago, large sums of money were paid out in our county for a receipt for making soap; anil as the ingredients could all be found at any druggist's, the question arose as to how the owners of the pat- ent, could tell who infringed and who did not, for every one soou knew what the ingredients were. AVho is going down cellar poking into our soap barrels to see if we are infringing on their patents V You all agree with us do you not, that the idea is simply ridiculousV Yet our patent office has granted hundreds of pat- ents for soap, and although as the years pass by, and one after another decides that these great discoveries that were going to "revolu- tionize" are of no value at all, still it goes on granting patents. Every few years it grants a patetit to some Ijright genius tor ihe combined hen-roost and bee-hive, and this is a signal for the newspapers to take up the idea and laud "Yankee ingenuity". Perhaps we should not l)lame them, and may be we tlo equally foolish things where we know no Ijetter. Ours is a-. great, country, and it is a hard matter to know all that has ever lieen invented. We are all law-abiding and peacelul citizens are we notV We also wish to do as we would be done by. Well now, what .^hall we do about paying for rights to make hives as we may happen to choose V As an illustration, we will take the tin separators — friend Wheeler is every inch a gentleman, and I know he will excuse me — for keeping the combs straight in the section box- es. Must we pay you friend W. for a right to put these strips between our honey boxes i' We can do it without saying a word, and it would never pay you to go all rouud and look into our hives to nee if we were using them. If they really prove valuable, would you wish to do this? or is it really necessary that we go over the past and see how nearly just like it something has been usedV I know that Mr. L. years ago, tried tin division boards for getting straight combs in the brood-chamber, and he gave an account of it in the A. B. J., Vol. 1. I leei as if it Would be almost small business to go and hunt it up, and yet if I am asked if I would advise buying a right of you to use it, I catniot honestly say 1 would. It is the same with friends Isham, and Barker and Dicer, in regard to their honey boxes. Wlieu I received their advertisements, I felt that perhaps their circulars v/ould advise my readers to buy a right of them, instead of nice boxes at a fair price. Is it not as honorable to sell rights as to sell boxes V I cannot feel that it is, and yet I may be mistaken. Heal inventions come about so slowly, and so many have a hand in their developement, that I cannot feel that it is ((Uite right for one to .sW? such a privilege. Is it not much like selling rtceipts to do some great thing? If one mnn starts a factory, it would certaiulj' be wrong for his neighbor to build one across the way, and copy all his ma- chinery that he might have labored yiar.s to perfect ; and here is where llie good of the pat- ent laws comes in, but I cannot feel that we should sell rights for doing simple tilings that we can easily do with our tools at home. The question now comes home to us with force ; shall we respect the right of our beloved Mr. Wagner, or shall we take all the liberty the law allows? IMr. Perrine frankly stated that he could not prevent home manufacture for in- dividual use, and that he did not care about it, but that he dnl not think it right after all he he had paid Mrs. W., for anyone to make and advertise the foundations, and that he should protect himself accordingly. While I am sure I could furnish the foundations at the price I had put upon them, T know that there are many difficulties to be surmounted before good foundations can be made "by the mile." If it should transpire that every patent 1 have mentioned could be picked in pieces, (and I really do not believe any of the parties will nrake as much mouey clear of all expenses, as they would to Sell their goods right out at a fair price, and tell their neighbors if they could do as good work at a less figure, to do so), and that even the Wagner patent was a mistake, and should never have lieen granted, had we better not agree among ourselves in a friendly way, and decide to call patents unfashionable in bee-culture? ■ Do you wish to hear some- i tiling about the metal corners? Well, I should ' never have olfered them one cent cheaper if they had never been patented ; and as the ma- chinery for making them is quite expensive 1 very much doubt if any one would have at- tempted it, had it never been patented. There- fore I cannot claim any great magnanimity should I join with the others in telling our friends if* they can make our wares cheaper than we do, to do so by all means. I had for- gotton our friend Van Deusen, but I think it is the same with his feeder. If after getting a sample you should decide you could get them made at home more cheaply, nothing would prevent your so doing. Almost every one can make his own goods cheaper than anybody else, and your protection Irom ruinous compe- tition would be your ability to do nice work at a moderate price. Does one really feel as pleasantly over the sale of a patent right, as he does over a nice crop of honey, or some neatly and well made bee-hives? It is not to get much money that we live, but rather to be deservedly held as good neighbors and citizens by all around us; and when we buy or sell, to have our transactions such that we are pleased to meet our custom- ers afterward. Shall we sell rights friends, or shall we invent all the good things we can, and feel glad that they may help our fellows? If any of my advertisers feel that I have injured the efl'ect of their advertisements, I will refund the money they have paid me for this No. 1876 GLEA.NINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 115 I sold Mr. Perrine our machine for just the price advertised, selling him the wax at cost, and turnina: the whole business into his hands ; yet have been a good deal blamed for the course then taken. Should I pay no respect to the Wagner patent that I then "con- sidered valid V I am now having another ma- chine made as Mr. P. makes no progress as yet towards tilling orders even at his prices ; ours will be 75c. and .$1.00 as before, but I beg no one will send in money until we announce be- ing ready to fill orders. If after tlie macliiue is done, our laws will sustain Mr. Perrine, you and I will have to submit until his patent runs out ; we can do it pleasantly if obliged to can we not? Now while I shall receive the appro- val of most of you in this I shall be severely censured by others having dift'erent interests at stake, as it is with the type; you dont all "see" alike. Let your postals talk out plainly but not unkindly. OUK OWN APIARY. ^IpjlIIS 28th day of May tiads us with (!0 live i|j colonies of the 90 we had in the fall. What made them die? We don't know, unless it was, as Jiingliam says, a dispensation of providence, perhaps to keep us Irom getting proud and arrogant as we might if we could winter them all; as our neighbor Shane does. Isn't it aggravating ? Why just think of it, he has wintered 131 colonies and never lost one. How did he do it ? Says he did nothing except to have plenty of bees, and a great pFenty of stores. If we are correct, he fed many of them on the honey he had extracted ; so we can't claim that it was even sugar syrup. Reports are also favorable from almost all points of the compass ; and we are trying to rejoice in the prosperity of others, even if we are a little be- hind. Just listen to the following: I housed in my cellar laso October, the -iSth, 1S75, 150 stocks of bees, where they remained until April lOih, 1876, when I jfot them out on summer stands. All were alive and I never saw bees in better condition. Found 7 queens missing but the stocks arc too slron,;; to unite, other hives are full of Ijees wiihout them. The tcmperauu-e of cellar ranirod from IG'^ to 52"^ ; never belaw during the winter . Did you ever have stocks of bees that tilled every space between th^ cjmbs from top to bottom of hive in cool wcftther at this time of year, or ten days after placing them on summer stands ? Nearly 100 of my stock.'? are in that condition. What does it mean ? They are surely crowded and will swarm on the Ih-st appearance of fruit bloom, if there is any honey to be gathered. HiK.'iu Roor, Carson City, Mich., April 20th, "70. We think it means they had honey and poll- en enough in ihtir combs to ivar brood in your warm cellar without starving. Perhaps the best coluny we have, is the one in the Quinby hive that was packed on all sides and over head with chatt', a In Townly. Tliey were so srrong they would most probably have winteretl well any v.'here, for we tried to get them to work in the boxes and failed ; con- sequently they had every thing full of nice seal- ed clover honey. Now we never s-aw a hive having too much stores, notwithstanding all that has been said about it ; we have trifd the effect of too little and know ju^^t what it does. noAv we propose trying what the effect of t(jo mucli will be. Our next best colony, is the one in the hoop hive ; and they have been steadily increasing in numbers since Feb. Tiiird best, colony with imported ((uetn in house apiary on north side. Cannot see that it makes any diflerence whether stocks are on north or south side. I should be glad to add that the several dollar's worth of oil that has been used keep- ing the house apiary wanned for the past month, has been of some sort of benefit to the j brood, but really the bees outside that have I taken their chances, are just about as well off. t To test the matter still more thoroughly we I made .some candy containing aijuantity of rye I flour, but although the bees ate it slowly meal i and alJ, we cannot see that it has hastened I brood very much after all. Small c!ustir> out-door -i kept on three frames with a division board, have done equally well, and a shar]) j frost .seems to have no etiect on them. Some I very fair colonies were lost by the dwindling, I and in some cases it has sadly depopulated j some of our heaviest; the only remedy we can I see, is bees enough to stand this; but how this may always be secured, is more than we can tell. Mr. Blakeslee, who has never before lost in this way, has this spring lost a considerable number; and although want of care has very much to do with the whole matter, we are in- clined to think it a malady that is found in some apiaries and not in others, and even in .some hives in the same apiary. As the reports of its ravages are much less this year than for several seasons, we may hope it has passed it.- worse stage. The disposition of good stocks to swarm out, we think may be attributed tj the same cause. JUST BEFORE OOINC; TO PRE.SS. ON N the Sihof this month. 1 went to feed my bees, (foui- j) stands) with rye meat, as usual w-ilh me every mornina-, and to my sm'prise, found one of the tin cans, in which I put the meal, nearly half full of water, which had frozen solid, and in it were several beef-, frozen in the solid cike of ice. [ took the ice out and laid it in the sun, where I left it for about an hour, at the end of which time I went to the spot and found one of the bees that were frozen, just moving its legs in the water that had thawad from the ice, (I know it was one of the same bees), and hr a' out anotlier hour it was strong enough to fly away, and I saw no more of it. Will bees live oa rye meal or othur flour if they can get no honey? CiiAS. Desxey, Salt Lake City, Utah. Verv true, but had you left them thus more than 4S hoars they would have been dead, or il thay hi I '^i^\\ exp)-< right wliere / can place my hand up- on ihem. 1 wouid like to know why iivu should tail to "look pleasant" or why yon should iiodge a bt e, or tlo anything but smile deligriilully when your pets sting }oii on tiic nose, temple, hands etc. Vou should go right on, as bee slings are such exceedingly Hitting things you know [?j Tue tact is, it you had acted sensibly and put on your bee vail and gauntlet gloves, jou could have set Uiose bees out without a scowl on your face. The vail is a little inconvenient but we must retrain from the luxury of eating honey, or expectorating while wear- ing it. J. Doyle, Elmore, Ills. Gently, friend D., we shall have to confess to being one of those stubborn individuals, who are so averse to taking the trouble to cnange our clothing, that it may be a year, before w^e are so consiLlerate as to ask for "old clothes"' — •such as can't be spoiled — and therefore, altho' we pride ourselves on having a 'place for ev- ery thing' in our home, it took a little time to decide whether they had gone into the rag car- pet or not. We know very well we should smile pleasantl)', amid troubles, and hope we are growing a little better daily ; but there looms up before us a great mountain of rubbish that sliouldhave nopl/tce iu a well formed ch;vr- acter. If we knew we were going to tumble liives from a shelf as high as one's head, we don't know but we should put on a veil, but as- suredly not gloves. Is there one among our readers who has used gloves a whole year, and advi.scs them? XIO'IV 'ro MAKE AN EXTISACTOK. p;r| HE first thing to be considered is the in- thjli side work, and w'e think j^ou will get a cle:ir idea of what is wanted by imagining a square bird cage without top or bottom, and with wire-cloth only on two sides. We make this frame or cage of strips of folded tin, and it is to be made just large enougii for your frame to hang in it as it does in the hive — unless your frames are more than 14 inches in width under the top bar, in which case we would turn the top bar in a vertical position — and it will be all the lighter and just as good; we will allow the combs to hang ^^ in. below the wire-cloth. The distance btit~weeu the two sheets of wire-cloth, should be 10 inches for all kinds of frames, -iud the width of our cage the other way to allow of '^ inch play in set- ting the comb.-i in place. For the sides that hold the wire-cloth, we take pieces of tin 1 in. wide, and fold them o times, making quite stifi' metal rods, and we stt one of these with its edge against the wire-cloth every 2'^ inches. A strip of the same is also made to cross the whole of them in the middle, and this latter is braced by still another, crossing it, having the ends securely soldered to the outside edges of the wire-cloth. This precaution is to prevent the wire-cloth 'rora bulging, with very heavy combs of thick honey. The upright corner pieces are simpl}' strips 2 inches wide, folded thus: The right angle at A, holding the rods that support the wire-cloth. Our cage is now com- plete when we put it together with 4 strips 1 1-2 wide, and 11 inches lOBg. These are stiflen- ed by folding a seam on both edges like B, anil then folding }.l inch at each end like A. All the corners and joints should be well soldered by an experienced smith, and then we are read- y for the shaft, which is simply a double tin tube. It is made with such a machine as is used in turning the edge of eave spouting. To attach tills shalt to our frame we make three pairs of arms thai resemble a letter x, a hole being made through the center to hold the shaft. One of them is soideied to the shaft just a little above where the bottom steel pivot is soldered in ; the other as near the upper pivot as may be, and the third, toward the lowTr end of the shalt, so as to brace a:>aiust the bottom pair. They are all bent at an angle after being soldered to the shaft, and their outer ends are attached to our cage, by being soldered to the horizontal bars across the top and bottom of the sides that have no wire-loth. The point of attachment is about two inches from each corner, to allow the comb to drop in without touching them. As these x pieces re(iuire stitl"- ness ana strength they are made of strips about an inch iu width folded thus: a break being- left in C, where the shaft goes through. With the tall frames that rest on one end, we put a piece of wire-cloth across the bottoms to hold the Irame ; this may also be used for extracting bits of comb. We really know of no better way than to ad- I vise you to purchase the gearing of us; if you j are going to manufacture largely, you can use ! ours for a pattern and have some cast. To at- tach the gearing to the can, you need a stiff met- 1 al hoop on top, and as we have ours made ex- pressly for the purpose, perhaps you had better ; get them of us. The pivots in the ends of the ; shaft, are of the finest steel now known, viz.. \ Stub's steel, and as the bottom runs on apiece of saw plate, they will be likely to last a life I time. The can is to be made either 17 or 20 ir. ; in diameter, to suit the ditt'jrent sized frames mentioned in our price list. The bottom we make sloping to a point, and from this point a sloping channel leads to the gate, which we al- j so make for extractors. If you are going to make them to sell, it will save you much time and exi)ense to get one of our latest !br a pat- tern. E^.76 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 11 -A.ID ATEI^TISEaSJIElSrTS . Advcrtascmeflts vdU be rec6iveoiit Iia5f of Iheiu, to 'he delivered in spring. In fVill colonies as usual- The reader uuist be-.ir in mind that we are the only Sa«3essful Importers of bees in America, We will sell at the following reduced prices : Coioray "VTOth In5ix>rted Quoen., , , $58,00 " " " Home bred tested Queen 14,00 Queens all raised in 1875. The haves are all new, well made and well pamted, and cromte straight. Siife ari&val guaraiitoed. CH. DADANT & SOIf , Hamilton, Hancock Oo.. Mis. OUR Bee Journal of the Southern State*. Issued iflionthly at $2.00 per year- Sawiple copies free. Address A. F. MOON & Co. Kome, Georgia. as crntM. Circular C. C VAUT UEUSiKIV, Meut free! Hi^itront Brook, Mout. Co., IV.Y, with neat busi- Messcard printed on corner sent A. H. PliAKE, Medina, Ohio, MUTH'S ADVERTISEMENT. SO White or Colorei Envelopes jjost-paid for'jO cents. -, 25 with your name printe^l on them for ^ 15 cents. R. W. CLAUK, Medina, Ohio Card f*n *^^3 « 25 cards with name in neat type for 10 cts. varCLS. A. H. PEAKE. Medina. Ohio, Names of responsible parties will be inserted in either of the following departments, at a uniform jirice of 10c. eac;h insertion, or Si. 00 per year. If 1 . 'O 0 Qn ■&> e n m «. Names insert t(l in fhfs dfpartmcwt the firxi timi tvith- "lui charge- After, Wc^ea'Ch insrtion, or$lM) per year. Those whose names api>ear below, agree to furnish Italian Queens the ooiiyiiig season for f 1.00 eacli, un- els, " *• .75 A thousJind labels address printed to order 5.00 One qi. fruit jars. Mason's p.atent, per giHjss. i7.00 Labels for sasne, " " 65 A thousiind labels atklress irrinted to order 4.00 Uncapping Knives, as goo©i- bushel., , . .13..5() " *' " " peck 3..50 " " ■"■ " pound 40 iL.ATVGJsrrco'X'ii TsujEz invars. Straw Mats. Bee Veils etc., at reasonable nitcs. For turther parti<'.ulars, Address. lU €HAS. F. MUTH, Cincinnati, Ohio. THE BEEVKEEPERS? MAOAZIIVE, an illus- trate0 jier year. The Bee-Keepers' Tex l- llook in (JernKtn vr English, and the Bee-Keepers'" Magazine 1 year 11.70. A 64 page pamphlet (price .5Cc) containing a beautiUil lite-like Cliroino of Honey- Plants and Italian Becis in tlieir natural colors, with /)r«2^ essay of Mrs. Tui)per, Queen Hearing by M. Quinby, instruction for beginnefs, etc., sent Jree with the Magakink. on trial, 4 months for 50 cents. Agents wanted— Cash oommisbion and permanent eiuplovnient. A(Wress, KING & SLOCUM, 61 Hwlson St., N. Y. ITALIAN QUEENS bred from imr>orted mothers- a month earlier Uian in the North. Purity and safe aiTival gxiarantecvl. Also full -colonies ot Italians in Langstroth hives for sale at S^IS.OO per colony. Address D«. J. P. H. BROWN, Augusta, Ga. MIS.S S. E. FIJEEEB, DESIGNINO ASD ENi^RA VINU ON WOOD, 25 Bond Street, Room 3. N. Y. Awarded Medal of Merit at Vienna Exjiosition, lh7.3. Orders by mail i^romptly executed, at reasonable rates, from sketches or photogi-aplis. Electrotypes suppUeii. I5i'itisli Bee Journal TS A large; Beautifully Printed, and Profusely HKus- X trated MONTHLY ; Clear Type and Fine Heavy. Paper. It is <'ond«eted by CHARLES NASH ABBOTT, Han- weil, "W'., London, JEiiglaud. Annual Subscription, Half- a-G uinea. We will send it with Gleanings and pay all postage forS2.50. IVIaterlal foi' T^aiigisf i-otli ITiAosi. Including 10 frames and 7 inch ca)). cut ready to nail for 80c., in lots of 30 or more. Kiln dried pint lumber usBd. Address J. OATMAN & CO., 3-4p Dundee, Kane Co.. 111. Glass HONEY BOXES. .Tiist 111*? tiling foi- liox Iloiiey. FIKtiT PI:E3IIUMATN. r. S. FAIR. LS7i AND 187.5. Circulai"s free. C. R. ISHAM, Peoria, N. Y. 2-3p April 29fA— "W'e have now, 1531 subscribers. Thanks, GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. U. S. WIND ENGINE & PUMP CO., MANUFACTUIiEIiS OF HALLADAY'S STANDARD WIND MILL. Double and Single-Acting Force Pumps, Iron Grist Mills, Bail-roa(5 Tanks, Outlet Valves, etc. [Wind Mills require rkoitber eaorineer, fireman, nor fuel, anil when honestly made, very IHtle aStentioe; out own has been almost constantly at work lor the past five years, and is still faHhl'uUv driving saiws. lathes, eni- ery wheels, etc., used in the manufacture of our bee hives and honey extractors.— Ed. Gleanings.] IVIAN-POWERSAWS. EVERY BEE-HIVE MAKER SHOULD HAVE O.VJS / TVill Tlli>, Oross-C\it. ^litre. Ttal>l>ett. Every eui is n Glue Joint, iinsy to Work ai^d EASY '1 O LEARJSr. 4080 Per Mmute against 480 the Best ever (loue by tlie OW Mode, and Speed is Power. Witli them the EMERY WHEEL ran be nsecl as tvdl as wJtJ} Stiam, with Gretit Sa\ ins over Grindstone.^. Also, Band, Ji^ & Bciicli Sa^vs, Boring Macbincs A: Emery Grinders, all for Man, Horse or Other Powers. Address, sa.ving where you saw this, / COMBINED POWER CO., 33 I>oy Street, ?>i^. Y- X W. F. & JOHN BARNES, ^ yiayiufdctuvers of Barnes' Patent Foot-Power Machinery, Scroll Saws, Lathes, Circular Saws. Etc. The only foot-power machinery without crank or dead reiiters. Sl,.500 to ?-J,Ci()0 jier year made using these machines. Send for illustrated Catalc^ue. ROCKFORB, ^VINIVEBAGO CO., IL,L. Ei'LTON, Mo., Decemt>er 14th, lS7f. Messks. AV, p. & .ToHV Baknes, Rockford, ITl. — Goiitlemen : I sawed 110 frets for bdiistraife for portico, and l.'x brackets, in first two days runnini?. Every one who his witnessad the working of the .Siw his proiiouiiced it the most useful machine ever invented. I h ive bseu working from 12 to Ifi men. and hive done all tii.\ sliojj work (scrolT sawinu:) on your machine, running it diily since I purchased it, and have paid nothinsf for repairs, except for saws, which amount was comparatively small, Tliree we3ks since I purchissd .some imnorted woods and some nice diisigns, and turned ra.v attention to fret work. I hive averaged per day, sine? that tims, $'11..50. I know of no occupxtion as pleis- ant and profitable for a mechinic to spend his winter days at as the above. Your m'lchine runs .so li'jhtJy and easily that it \rW\ not tire the most dehcate wi\n after a little practice ; in fact, I consider your machine indisi)ensible to any ciri>eiiter, however small his business is, as lie can introduce the little machine to bis scrap pile, and make enoueli brackets in one vreek to pay for his machine. I consider my maeliine just as essentia! in my shop as a set of l>enc;Ii planes. Very tmly, M. FRED BELL, Architect and Builder. 1^- Address, for full information, W. P. & JOHN BARNES, Box -i.OU, Rockford, Illinois. One Copy One Year Sl.OO, or with Lithograpii of Apiary, size lixKj, Mailed Free, Postpaid, §1.25 or Lith.v graph will be sent as a Premium for Two Subscribers at Sl.OO each. Any person obtaining Three Subscribers at Sl.OO each, may retain .^U Cents for his trouble. Five " " " " 1.'25 " " Ten " " " " 4.00 " " Any number above Ten will be sent at the rate ol Sixty Cents each. Or, Gleanings , .§1,00 ; Three copies, S2,50 ; five. §,3,75 ; ten, .S6.00. Names may be sent at any time during the year, and Avhenever a clnb i-s reached, we will credit back the amount previously sent us in excess of the Club Rates. In this wav anv of the Articles Mentioned on our PRICE LIST may be Secured as PREMIUMS. Please mention when names are intended for Clubs. An acknowledgment will be sent in all cases on receipt of money — for any purpose whatever— by return mail. Volumes 1, & II, at 75c, each, may be counted on the same terms, as we have a Large Supply of BACK ITUMBERS Provided for new beginners \s we cannot take the space in future numbers to go over the same ground again, and Volume One •ontains the entire Fundamental Principles and Grronnd A^^ork for Starting" an A.piary. §eM(td U %M (ind f f)«^(/. pxji5L,i«iiEr> ]>j:o]vth:ly, at m:edj]va, oriio. ir<©i® IV -J'mM©!) iSfilSj® If©® # In the Preparation of this Journal the following are the Principal Periodicals (Jomidied : AEa©'!?!©^)!! M©© (sT®!!.!*!!®:!® ■ T. G. Neicnum. MmmsMmmwrn^-^ Ma-^^^ia©® King. Mmm ^mWiM® a. F. Moon & Co. Si*tilM& S©©s jf-o-nmixMl® c. N. Abbott. [Also Bound Volumes of the former since 1860, and Files of all other Bee Journals that have been Btiblished in America.'} MmwrnM M©^ WO'S'.te©^!) I^'O'S Ait,^©l©s Mmwm^'^^ , l^®i©li1liii® A^©^t®ait® COIVTEIVTSs page Our Italian Queens, Poem 123 l^ees on Shares 1'23 Winter Itcpositories 121 Siirni^ Feedin;;, and Spring Dwindling 12 1 Fiml Brood and Pure Water 121 f nwh Foundations 125, 143, 144. JIuvinsBees 125 Ripe7ini:i: Ilonev 125 Verv Karlv Queens 125 Pu7.7. Saw's 12(> Dejinrtmcnt for Eox Hive Bee-Keepers 12(1 How to :\Iakea Box Hive 127 1 low to Find a Queen 128, 1.S2 How to f^ret Comb Honey 12S Thick Combs and Section Boxes 12!) ChrilT i:^0 Coml) Foundulions larirer than Drone Cells 132 page Tin Separators 133, 144 HumhuLcs & Swindles 133 Two Stories Patented (r) 133 That "Awful Dwindling" 134 Diin't ^lix your Honey 131 ISniod nnil I'ollen in Section Boxes 131 Pn ililein Xo. 1 135 Food of Worker Larva' 135 ItMliani/.ina: 137 Points in Hive Making 13S Patents 120, !;>,(;, i:i,s Prevention of Swarming V.K Limp Nurseries i;>i Introducing Queens W.'J Honey Vinegar 1 ,0 Ripe for Bees no Changing Localily wlien Transferring i;0 130. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. June. 18 IITIPL,E]TIEN'rS FOR BEE CUETfIKE, AE- PHABETICAEEY ARRANOED. For count of 10 per cent will be made, anb on 100,000, 25 per cent. The latter will be given to those who advertise metal cornered frames. Combs, empty worker in metal cornered L. frames 50 10 Clasps, for transferring, package of 100. 25 0 Cards, Queen Registering, ]3er doz 10 Cages, " 10 Case with Separator to hold ,3 Section frames. 06 i Case of 10 of the above, £0 Section frames in all, 1,25 Cheese Cloth, for strainers, per yard 10 Extractors ?8,50 to 10,00 " Inside and Gearing 5 00 Wax 3,.50 Frames with Metal Corners (6 Sample Kabbet and Clasps 10 n Closed end Quir. by, nailed 0.5 Gleanings, back Volumes, each 75 " l^resent •' 1,00 Gearing for Extractor 1,.50 Gates, Honej', for Extractors 50 Tin: iioor mvK. One story Langs'h without frames or bottom §1,00 The same with bottom, 10 frames, division board and quilt, crated so as to be sent safely by freight or ex])ress 2,25 The above is the hive we use and recommend in preference to everything else, and it contains every tiling needed for all iiurposes excc])! at the surplus season. If yon decide to use the extractor you want an extra body and 10 frames— Sl,25-making "complete two story hive— $:j..50— or, you can have .'id section box- es (with their 10 cases ) in jjlace of the 10 frames, at the same price. If you preler the old style of glass box2s, we can fit the upper story with 18 having glass on four sides at 124 cents each; this will make the hive and all cost §.5,00. One story (.). hive without bottom or frames 84 The same with bottom, 10 nailed frames, division hoard and quilt, complete except surplus receptacles .«2,00 The same with two story, 20 frames 3,00 Or you can liave instead of the frames above, any of the arrangements for surplus, mentioued-f'or the Lang- stroth hive. A one story complete for 13 frames of either the Standard, American, or Gallup hives, will cost t2,50, and they can also be used with any of the surplus ar- rangements mentioned; also, as they are all deejier than the Langstroth frame, a single story can be used with fewer Inimes, and sections or boxes at tlie side of the frames. As an illustration; we can take four frames out of the one story hives above, and jiut in their place IS section boxes. 25 I Honey, Clover, per lb, ISc, Basswood, 17c. By thebar- 2c. less.and waxed and painted barrel included. 0 Knives, Honey 1,00 0 Lal)els, Honej-^per 1000 3,25 0 Lithogiajjh of Apiary 25 Lam p Nursery , 5,00 0 Larvre, for queen rearing, from June to Sept. . 25 15 Micros.cope, Compound 3,(0 0 1 Pri:i);ired oVijects for above, such as bee's wing, sting, eye, foot etc., each " -2.5 0 I Medley of Bee-Keepers' Photo "s. (IT,0 Pholo".s) 1,<10 0 Magnifying Glass, Pocket (iO 0 " " Double lens 1.00 0 I Photo of House Apiary 25 06 1 Quills -jfj 2 I Rabbets, Metal i)er foot 02 0 I Scissors, for clipping queen's wings 40 15 Seed, Alsike Clover, riTisef/ »e(7r«s, per lb 35 20 " Summer Rape. Sow in .June and July ... 15 0 " Chinese Mustard, per oz .' 25 10 Smoker 1,50 2 Tacks, Galvanized 10 3 Thermometers 40 1>4 1 Universal Section Boxes in the flat, each 01 I Uni\ersal case of 30 boxes, just right for U. hives or any L. hive, and can be fitted, to ««.;/ hive 1,25 o'l Vails, Bee. with face of Brussels net, (silk) 75 0 1 The same, all of tavletan (almost as good) .'^0 5 I Wire Cloth, for Extractors, per foot ]5 3| " " " Queen Cages '.5 All goods delixered on board the cars at jirices named. May 27^/(— We have to-day 1615 subscribers. Both Gould & Gilllpsie, mentioned in humbnes and swindles have been many times reported. Will the press aid in showing them up as they deserve ? Over a year ago we ordered 3 copies of the German Bee- iournal for subscribers, and sent the money with the or- ders to M. & R. Burgheim. Agents, of Cincinnatti, telling them plainly to send the Journal for the year 1875. A short time ago we received a bill for §12.20. for the .Jo'imalsfor 1^7.i ; We told them we had received no orders for this year, therefore could not ha\e them con- tinued, and that if we were really obliiied to would pay uyt to the present time, but all .Journals were now ordered to be stopped at or.ce. The result is that we are compelled to lose the S 12.20 just because when we ordered the Journal for 1S7(; we did not say empliatically. no longer. It may be the German Bee-juurual is an institution that has to be taken all one's lite if he once subscribes for it. If such is Moi! the case will the publi-iher-i of ii please look after their asents in Cincinnatti, who claim to have the laic on their side '? We have seen a copy of the claim on the Isha-ni hon- ey box, and have reason to think the patent is a fair and honest one ; and that the parties who think they have seen the same thing in use prior to 1872, are mis- taken. Very well then, says one class of our readers; it is your (Uiiy to pay Mr. I. (and to advise your readers to do the same) for an individual light to use the box, if i you want to use it. We certainly do not wish to be I stubborn or headstrong in the matter, but we really ! cannot nndcr any circumstances feel that we should bt doing right to encourage the individual right business. It is true that almost all our laws nni/he perverted, \ but because they sometimes are is no reason why they : should be condemr ed as one ol our number presents U. But dear Iriends Is not almost the entire fruit of the in- dividual right system bad ? Do you know ol any one in your neighborhood who has been benelited linally by "the inircliase of a right ? those who have rights lor tale, will iji(;k up a few facts, it is true, to support their I prsition ; but do the general.average of our readers af- j ter looking about them, decide that the tratlic is one they would advise honest auu industrious men to en- gag'e in ? ! If ]Mr. Isham will manfacture his boxes for sale at a fair price, say by the 100 or lOCO, we have no fear that S%any one will think of infringing by making their own, 1 for hand labor can never compete with that done by I machinery. If any one should start a similar manu- factory without permission from him, it would be a very sim))le matter to stop them by law, and a course we would, by all means approve. The latter plan builds thiiving manufactories, and is satisfactory to j all parties, while the former results in tangled up spec- ulation and then goes down to oblivion, except as at times men look back and review the sums of monej' they have at different times wasted foolishly. I buckwheat" I For seed, cheap. Sow lirst week in July. Address 6 H. 11. EMMINGA & SON, Keokuk Junction, 111. lan i^ueens. Ho Biack Bees in our vScinity. Queens bred from choice inipdi-ted or homo bred moth- ers warranted ])ure. each Si. 00. The same queens, irrn- raiiled piirel 11 fertilized, each Si. ,50, or one dozen fcr Sl5. Oui home bred queens are vc-ry beautiful. (Albino stock, if you choose to call them so)." All queens are reared in full stocks. Sent post-paid bj mail. Safe anivid uuaran teed. Much useful iuformatiou in our circular. Scud for it. 6 J. H. NELLIS Ji: BRO., Cannjoharic. X. Y. \-ST6. CLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. T21 CHA9S£CE IN PRICE. ii} mmaumiiimmimm On account of the very sudden death of uiy husband, Adam "Grimm, I will sell ^'ind sliip, Ijotween May 1st, .und May 30th, 12iKi Colonies of jiure Italian Bees, in S- Irame Langstroth movable-coailj hives, in good condi- tion in ever}' respect; and I will aruarantee sale arri- val if ordered in lots of from 1 to 25 colonies. Shipped j^er expresf, for the following prices - Single Colony.. , .?0.(X) Two or more, per Colony 3,00 Hybrids .*^1,(I0 less. Orders must include cash or will not be noticed. If 'large lots are ordered, the purchaser iinist iiin his acKrag them lor shipment an experienced bee-keeiier will be em- ployed. MRS. ADAM-GIUMM, 5-(i Jeil'erson, Wis. Having a surplus stock of over (jCK) lbs. each of Vhi- •nese Mustard and Bassivood seed, vye will till orders j)romptly as follows: Chinese Mustawl, post-pa kl,~')c per Id., Linden, post-pa kl, 50c per lb. Warranted strictl}' pure, fresh and clean. Prices for less quantity than above, and ft^r all other seed remain as given in March No. (current Vol.) Gleaninxjs. Address carel\dly, C. F. LANE'S N. W. Apiary & Heed. Wareliouse, Koshkonong, Rock Co., Wis. ri-ti Columbia .A.piarj^- Ctueens front Ins ported Motliers for 187G. We will send Queens the coming season as follows : One tested qceen from Imported Mother ...§3,00 "Untested queens " " " each 1,00 Nucleus, with tested queen '* " " 6,00 Colonies " " " " " " , 10,00 Safe arrival of all queens gvaranteed. STAPLES, ANDREWS & VAUGHAN, Columbia, Tenn. BEvery Bee-keeper sbould subscribe for it. The American Bee Journal, Is the best l^cielUilic and ])ractical Journal of APICUL- TURE in the worliL The most successful andexperitnced Apiarians in Euroije, as well a.s Americjv, contribute to its pages. In fact, it is the oldest and l-argest Bee Paper in the English language. %2. Per Annum. Send a Stamp for a Sample Copy. Address THOMAS G. NEWMAN, fcf 181 Clark st., Chicago, 111. ^* V I IV E ^^ ^\. I?. 13 AGAIN WINTERED SUCCESSFULLY. Tested queens or full colonies furnished again this sea- son in my Non-Patent Hives. No useless trails or lisings about them. Send for Prices. 4ts JOSEPH M. BROOKS, Columbus, Ind. Box 120. HOTVEY BEES. SEND for E. W. Hale's price list of Queens for the j-ear 1876. All Queens raised in full colonies and from Im- ported motliers. No Bee disease in mv locality. t-7d Address, E. W. HALE, Wirt C. H., W. Va. choice: CAT]vir» )5sE:i:r>. 1 have a lot of Strictly Choice seed, collected from cultivated plants by M. Ncvins. of Cheviot, O., which I will sell at ooc. per oz., or at fG-'iO per lb. CHA3. F. MUTH, .3-8d Cincinnati, O. WOT. ^W. CAUY, Colerain, Franklin . Co. Mass. Sixteen years exjierience in propagatiiiL' (Jueens, direct from iraporled mothers Ircm the best distiict in Italy. Persons purchasing queens or sMarms from me will get what they bargain for. Send for circular. 3tfq ^4.verill Cliemical Faint- THE OATvF RELIABLE. THE J/0«r BEAUTIFUL. THE MOST ECONOMICAL. THE MOST DURABLE, Requires no oil thinner <«■ drier. Required no waste of time in mixing. Has stood eight years'' criticisms With yearly increased 2)opul.< Pt. Honey Tumblers. Tin Top, per doz 75 <> doz. in a box. Packages v... 45 Also Window Glass, Lamj) Chimneys, and Glass- ware of all kinds. For sale bv B. L. FAHEN STOCK, late B. L. Fahenstock. Fortime & Co., Glass Manufac- turers, 76 Wood St., Pittsburgh, Pa. II tf <- Ml ii^h^ t- PAT. B/NDOTI! J(P£RfODlCALS^ You cannot look over the back No's of Gleanixgs or any other Periodical with satisfaction, unless they are in some kind of a Binder. Who has not sai.15) 3.90 " Fruit Recorder and Cottage Gardener (81.00) 1.75 [Above rates include all Postage.] Books for Bee-Keepers. SENT postjiaid on receipt of price. Lansstroth on the Hive and Honey Bee S2.00 Quinln's Mysteries of Bee Keeping 1.50 Bee Keeper's Text Book, muslin, 75 " '■ " " paper 40 These are the best, but are all far behind the times. A Manual of Bee-Keeping, by John Hunter §1,25 This latter is fully u)i to the times, being as lato as Sept., 1875, but being English, a considerable jiortion of it is hardly adapted to the condition of bee culture, at present, in cur own country. 122 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. June BOOKS for BEE-KEEPERS and OTHERS. [Any of these books will be forwarded by mail, jjosf- paid, on receipt of price.] Allen's (L. F.) Aniencan Cittlc $2 50 Aliens (L. F.) Rural Architecture 1 50 Allen's ( II. L. ) Amerii'an Farm Book 1 50 Allen's (R. Ia and L. F.) New American Farm Biwk 2 50 Allen's (R. L.) Diseases of Domestic Animals 100 AmericinBird Fancier 30 Americiu Gentleman's Stable (4uide , 1 25 Americin Rise Cnlturist 30 Americm Weeds and I'seful Plants 1 75 Atwood's Country and Suburban Houses 1 50 Art of Saw Filinsr. (Holly) 75 Bailey's Our Own Birds of the United States 1 50 Barrv's Fruit (rarden 2 50 Bell's < 'ariientry Made Easy 5 00 Bement 's R i bbit Fancier 30 Bojrardus' Fii'ld. t'dver. and Trap Shooting 2 00 Bommer's ^Icthod of 3I;ikin.r 3Ianure.s. . .^ 25 Boussinirault's Rural E-onomy 1 60 Breck's Xew Book of Flowers 1 75 Breeeh-Loader , 2 OO Brill's Farm -Gardening and Seed-Growinsr 1 00 Buist's Flower Garden Directory 1 50 Buist's Family' Kitchen Gardener 1 00 Burns's Architectural Drawins Book 1 l>0 Burns's Illustrated Drawing Book 1 (K) Burns's Ornamental Drawing Book 1 00 Burr's Vegetables of America 3 00 Cildwell's Agricultural Chemicil Analysis 2 00 Oaniry Birds. Paper, 50 cts. Cloth 75 Carp'^iiters' and Builders' Guide 1 00 Chdi'lton's Grai)p-Grower's Guide 75 Cider-Mikers .Manual 1 50 Clevelatid's J/uidscape Architecture 1 50 Cobbett's American Grardener 75 e id Shot : or Sportmaii's Complete Guide 1 75 DeVoe's Market Assistant 2 50 Dinks, ^[ayhew. and Hutchinson on the Dog 3 00 1) iwniiiii's Landscape Gardening 0 50 Dwyer's Horse Book 2 00 Eastwood on Cranberry 75 Egiileston's Circuit Rider 1 75 Eir:rleston's Hoosier School-Master 1 25 E'i-aleston's End of the World 1 50 E'jsleston's Jlvslen' of ^letropolisville 1 50 P^ir.'leston's (Geo. Cary ) A Man of Honor 1 25 Elliott's Lawn and Shade Trees 1 50 Elliott's Western Fruit Grower's Guide 1 50 Emerson's F.armers' and Planters' Encyclopredia. .. 00 Every Horse Owner's Cyclopaedia 3 75 Farmers' Barn Book 1 50 Field's (TliomasW.) Pear Culture 125 Flax Culture 30 Flint (Charles L.) on Grasses 2 50 Flint's Milch Cows and Dairy Farming 2 50 Frank Forrester's American Game in its Season 3 00 Frank Forrester's Field Sports. Svo, 2 Vol's 6 00 Frank Forrester's Fish atid Fishing. Svo, 100 eng's. 3 50 Frank Forrester's Manual for Youug Sportsmen. Svo 3 00 Frank Forrester's Horse of America. Svo, 2 vols 10 00 French's I'arm Draina'.::^ 1 50 Fuller's Forest Tree (^ulturist 1 .50 I''ul!er's (iraoe Cnlturist 1 50 Fullers JMuall Fruit Cnlturist 1 50 Fidler's Strawberry Cnlturist 20 Fulton's Peach Culture 1 50 Gardner's How to Paint 1 00 Goyelin's Poultry Breeding 1 25 Gregory on Cabbages pa{>er.. ;30 Gregory on Onions pai>er. . 30 Gregory on Scpiashes paper . . 30 Guenon on Milch Cows 75 Gun, R id. and Saddle 1 00 Harney's Bitrns, (^ut-buildiivjrs. and F'ences o oo Harris' insects Injurious to Vegetation. .. Plain S( ; Colored Engravin rs 0 50 Harris on the Pig : .iO Henderson'.s Gardening for Pleasure 1 Stv Henderson's (]Jardening for Profit 1 50 Hender.son's Practical Floriculture 1 .'iO' Hemsley 's Hardy Trees, Shrubs, etc 7 SO Herbert's Hints to Hor.sekeeping 1 75- Hoojjer's Dog aixl (inn paper, 30c cloth.. iHV Hoopes' Book of Evergreens 3 tro Hop Culture :W Hunter and TrapiJer 1 (K> John AtKlross. ( Rebecca Hai-din Davis) 1 •W Johnson's How Crops Feed , i 00 " Grow 2 00 Johnson's Peat and Its Uses 1 i'i Johnston's Aaricultural Chemistry 1 7.'> Johnston's Elements of AirricultuKil Chemistry 1 .^o Leuchar's How to Build Hot-Houses ". 1 5i> L\nnan's Cotton Culture 1 .50 Miles on the Horse's Foot 7.'> Mohr on tho Grape Vine 1 (H> My Vineyard at L:ike\ie w 1 25 Nichols's Chemistry of the Farm and Sea 1 25 Norton's Scientific Agricultuie 75 Onion Culture •J.o Our Farm of Four Acres paper, 30c cloth... «(> Our Digestion. By Dio Lewis 2 00 Pardee on Strawberry Culture 75 Parsons on the Rose." By Samuel B. Parsons 1 ;>0 Pedder's Land Measin-er »i(> Percheron Horse 1 oo Play and Profit in my Garden. Rev. E. P. Roe 1 .'jO Quincy (Hon. Josiali) on Soiling Cattle 1 2.5 Quinns ^Money in the Garden..." 1 .'io Quinn's Pear Culture for Pi'olit 1 (lO Randall's Sheep Husbandry 1 M Randall's Fine Wool Sheep Husbandry 1 iM Rand's Flowers for l*arlor and Garden 3 0!> Rivers Miniature I'riiit (iarden 1 ».(> Roe's Play and Profit in niy G.arden 1 ,';() Saunder.'. Domestic Poultry paper, -lOc cloth. . 75 Schencks Gardenei s Text Book 7.1 Skillful Ilons^' wifery 76 Stewart's (John) Stable Book 1 50 Thomas Farm Implements and Machinery 1 50 Thompson's Food of Animals 1 (it) Tim Bunker Papers 1 50 Tobacco Culture 25 Turners Cotton Planters Manual I 50 Wardei-^s American Pomology a (H» Warders Hedges and Evergreens 1 50 Warings Draining for Profit and Health t .^O Warings Elements of Agriculture 1 (H) Weidenmanns Beam ifying Country Homes. A su- perb quarto volume. 24 litliograph plates, in . colors 15 00 Whites Cranberry Culture 1 25 Whites (ia dening for the South 2 OO Youatt and Sjiooncr on the Horse 1 ."»« Youatt and Jl atin on Cattle 1 50 Yotiatt on the Hog 1 0(> Youatt on Sheep 1 ()!> SELECTED BOOKS. An Egg Farm. New, novel and useful. Paper .50 Cloth 75 Ten Acres Enough 1 25 J'ive Acres too Much 1 50 Window Gardening 1 50 Purdy's Small Fruit Instructor 25 Carpenters' and Joitiers' Hand Book 75 How Plants Grow 1 25 Every Woman Her Own Flower Gardener. Paper 50 Cloth 1 00 Earth Closets, and Earth Sewerage 50 Trout Culture 1 .50 Potatoe Culture 25 How to tise the Microscope 75 Jenny June's Cook Book 1 50 Scroll Sawing with Patterns i oo How to Make Candy 5o CANADA HONEY EXTRACTORS. Made entirely of metal, S8.o0 to -^lO.OO each. The li'.'hf- est, stron.gcst, hatidiest and best. You can save alxjut S5.00 in express charges, jjassini' the customs and duty, by or- dering from me. 1 maiuifaeture for Canadians to si\i' thein the enormous expense and trouble of importing. In orderinir, give outside dimensions of fnime or frames to Vi" used. Sample Hives complete, the best for Canada, Sl.50 each. Italian queens and bees for sale in their season. Parties in. the United States should order extractors from A. I. Root, Editor of Gleaxisgs, who makes the cheapest and best. D. A. JONES. lt.$1.80 Baoton P. O., Ontario, Canada. T>X^ VOTED TO 13EE{!J A7«JI> IIOIVEY, A]Vr> I103XE liVTEKESTS. PublisUed Monthly. (TEKMS: ftl.OO Per Annum in Ad- -E^ ^ -..,• -. ^- -.^^.^ -l-vance; 3 Copies for %2.50; a for %3.7 5: EstaT>lislied. in ISya. ClO or more, 60c. each. Single Number lOc. A. I. Kour, Publisher and Proprietor Meflina, O. ■•} Vol. IV. JUNE 1, 1876. No. 6. OUR ITAMAN QUEEIVS. W'E clip the following from the Los An- geles Herald, of April 2!)tli. We received last week four flue Italian queens from the ripiary of Newton Levering, of Ore Fino, Cal. We were \er.v much ])leased with our royal pets of ^kleTi hue. Had they been a< dark as a Modoc, or as black as the «ce of spades, the enormous express cliarges were eiiout^i to make them appear as yellow as the gold of Ophir. Their majesties arrived in good order, and have entered into netv scenes and formed new associations. When we in- troduced them and saw tliem surrounded by a retiiuie of tiny subjects who seemed to A'ie with each other in their attentions to their new sovereigns, our adminition was wrought up to lever heat, and as we watched tlie royal reception and beheld these welcome dignitiries walking forth with stately tread and queenly airs, robed in their golden colors, without pull-back or chignon, and attended by their loyal subjects, we iiivoluutarily exclaimed : O beautiful golden queen. The fairest that eye hath seen. With stately tread she doth roam O'er snowy fields of comb. When the muse suddenly dropped into our menuiry box the following beautiful lines : My ncfv Italian Queen. BY JAMES MAELIX. So stately is thy step and mien, Thou Jiceds't no diadem to show That thou art every inch a queen. As true as reigns the moon below ; And sooth thoii'rt of a regal line. Of ancient name and "right divine," The eldest dynasty of earth. That saw the Assyrian empire's birth, Rich Babylon, and queenly Tyre, And Troas, famed of Homer's lyre. It saw pi\)ud Rome her eagles raise. And Venice in her palmy days. The Adriatic's haughty bride. It saw them rise in pomp and pride, And saw them sink in blood and crime. Those empires of the olden time- Outlived them aJl, thy royal line, And reigned 'neath Italy's skies divine. The lilies pale, by Arno's wave. The rose tliat bljoms on Virgil's grave. Have lent such nectar to thy lip. As envious fiuries fain would sip. But with thy tiny retinue, To bathe thy feet in Western dew, Thou'rt come to soil by freedom blest- Like man's proud empires n::oving West. Here, though no Horace ever sung. Or Cit'sar jtroud his legions led, The flowers are sweet as on the fields Where slumber Rome's historic dead. Wyoming's sweet romantic vale Hath flowers as fair and fields as broad As scent the breath of Eastern gale. Or bard or Cffisar ever trod. Then welcome, royal traveler liere ; Begin thy peaceful Western reign ; Possess the dew upon the vines. The flowers upon our boundless plains. I almost long to raise the cry, Long live the golden-belted queen ! Bright wanderer from Italy ! We'll rear thy palace on the green ; Yon hive beneath the cedar tree Thy stately Buckingham shall be. I*- ■»■ ^ BEES OIV SHARES. M FTER some inquiry we gather that the J^^ customary way of letting bees out, is to hand them over in the spring, say May 1st. The party who take.s them is to furnish "every thing in the shape of hives, transfer them if necessary, and do the very best he can to in- crease the value of the stock handed over to him ; and after the honey season is over, the honey and bees are divided equally. In this way the risk of wintering is thrown entirely on the owner of the bees ; if he gets theni through until May again, he is ready to let them on the same terms as before. If the party who manages them takes away so much of their honey that they will not winter, the loss falls on himself as well as the owner ; for when the bees are divided the stocks are chosen al- ternately, as is usual with farm products. If it is thought best to Italianize, the managing partner stands all expenses unless it be" the cost of an imported queen, and as this is quite an item, they usually agree to divide the ex- pense. Should the season be a very poor one, so bad in fact that there is neither increase nor honey — ifsucli seasons do occur— the owner loses half of his bees, or rather gives half of them for having the remaining half put in good hives and ready for business. If the season should be an extra good one, he receives a good income from them, with original No. of of colonies or more, and all in good hives, etc. 124 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. June PATENTS, ^VINTER REPOSITORIES, Etc. BEAU GLEANINGS :— As for me, I would like the type as large as the largest, and I am willing to pay for it. When we received the March No. of Gleanings and read jour advertisement of comb foundations for sale, we were in high spirits, and made arrangements to send for .'iO lbs. It April No. had been a few days later we t^hould have sent the money. Bat oh, when it came and we read It, there came over us a sickening feeling, such as we once felt when we lost JoOOO in patent rights. On thinking the matter over, it occurred to us that we had read of ar- tificial honey comb made years ago. We then began to ihink the patent invalid and to plead ignorance for you iu the matter, ho])ing to hear more in regard to it in your next. If it is a valid patent we will have nothing to do with it, neither will we purchase any foundations. But if it is doubtful let all who take your valuable Gleanings say how much they will ^ve to have it testeerimeiited in two or three diflerent ways each winter tor the past twenty years) and when we got our bees in we felt a little sorry that we had iivU in so many, but it was made so cheaply, (only four day's work) while the other cost $115,00, we felt a little consolation. We watched it with care and lo, the results. They were more iiuiet, though rats by hundreds ran over and around them. The heat from the bees, made the haj'-mow above warm, and it seemed tliat all the rats in the neighborhood were aware of it and availed themselves of the comfortable winter quarters. April llth, set them out well stocked up with bees and brood; the next day they began to bring in natural pollen. May Gleanings reach its thousands. W. H. Balch, Oran, N. Y. Who has not some time in life felt that sickeuing feeling upon discovering that they had been deluded into letting their hard earn- ings go for something perhaps worse than use- less ? We have had our experience, but not to the amount you mention, friend B. We have more than once wondered why farmers could not arrange a bee room in their barns in such a way that it might be covered with hay— the ; centre of a large hay-mow must certainly be frost proof— during the mouths that the bees would occupy it. It could be kept dark, dry, and quiet ; and abundant ventilation might be given by having it made entirely of shits iust sufficient to keep the aforesaid rats and other vermin outside. Double doors could bo made to give a most perfect protection from extremes of weather. The past winter has shown our ordinary wintering houses with saw dust walls, quite inadequate, and a great part of the cellars are too dump. NOTES FROM OUR EXCHANGES. f; WOULD suggest that you prepare a sort of ab- stract from the good things contained in other — ' Bee Journals ; any thing of ))ractical benefit in those of the previous month. Medical journals have such a column or page. Should Bee Journals be so exclusive as never to ipiote from each other 'i So many reports of individual success arc apt to become tiresome. I>et them give more minutely the methods which lead to success. J. C. Tuoune, M. D. Garafraxa P. O., Ontario, Canada. Very good friend T., but are you sure Glean- ings has the tact and good sense needed to carry on such a review, and yet avoid saying anything that may cause unpleasantness"/ Now you have suggested the idea, and are fa- miliar with the way in which you of the med- ical fraternity do it; by the way do you never get sharp and unkind any of you V We sin- cerely trust you have too much good sense and — education. Will you please call us to order if you should at any time ttiiuk it desirable. The World for April contains a rare bit of humor in the shape of a communication from "W. B. E." We wonder if his aunt does not rejoice daily in the possession of such a prom- ising nephew. Are we to understand that it is really our friend "Annie" who had her "king" bees managed thus in her absence 'i The idea advanced by Mr. Parker, on page 141, that spring feeding is connected with spring dwind- ling, is a point that should be carefully exam- ined ; before we saw the article, we had ob- served symptoms that seemed to point iu the same direction. We are very happy indeed to note the rapid progress the South is making in the production of honey, and that they seem too busy to heed the discussioi'i that has been going on at the North as to which way was most prorttable for surplus. The demand from the South for extractors is unprecedented, and we have heard no word of any trouble in re- gard to disposing of the large crops of honey secured at several points last season. In the A. B. J., for March, J. K. Bledsoe ad- vances the idea that foul brood is contracted from foul places where the bees go after water ; and that if they had a place where they might always be sure of linding a regular supply of it clean and pure, foul brood would not be known. Now even should this be a mistake, it will do no harm to act on the hint. A few days ago we found the bees from our best hive — Quinby — going out and in so busily that we determined to see what they were in quest of, ind in a minute saw that each returned with a load of what we judged to be water from the size of their bodies, and the ease with which they flew, honey being much heavier. We re- paired to the brook where they were wont to go, but found none. Not to be out-done, we took up their line and soon found them loading up at the greenest and most nauseous outlet to one of the sewers, that could well l)e imagined. They worked thus for more than two hours. Since we have been reminded of it, we will go this minute and lix a glass jar lilled with wat- er and inverted, as described in our July No. of Vol. II. S. K. Marsh thinks those who have had brood killed by using the extractor, used machines so clumsy, that they shook the life 1876 GLEA.NINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 125 out of it. It may be. Henry Bo?shard, of Highland, Ills., has a pair of plates for comb foundations, that came from Europe ; and he has made and used the article successfully, nearly the full size of frames 11x12. We are very glad indeed to know that the Mar/azin-e has a desire that bee-keepers may abandon the idea of selling individual rights, or of having patent monopolies. The April No. presents very fair evidence to the effect, that king birds do not eat bees. From our own observation we can hardly think them innocent in all cases, and should be glad to have further facts in the matter. Capt. Hetheringtou re- marks as follows in regard to wintering and springing: It has been rather humilating to most of lis, certain- ly so to me, not to be able to meet the change in cli- mate, or whatever it may be, and thus avert the great mortality in wintering and sprinsing, that is so latal to our business. MOVING BEES, JBI'RYIIVG BEES, PATEIVXS, ETC. BEAR GLEANINGS:— I remember the motto at ) the head of the columns of the old Prairie Far- ' mer, "Farmers, write for your paper," and I think it would be a good motto for a Bee Journal. I am pleased with the leaded type now used in Gr^EAX- IKGS and if anj- thing I can write gives one half as much pleasure and profit to others as their letters and your comments in Gleanings do to me, I shall not re- gret the time spent. 1 frequently get letters enclosing stamps, from different parts of the country, asking me very kindly if I will explain to them my method of managing bees, of making a cheap extractor, or some other information pertaining to bee culture ; these, if all answered separately would take more time than I can spare, as many besides myself have found. Now I am willing to make public all "I know about bees" through your columns ; subject of course, to your su- pervision. But most of it would be only a repetition and an endorsement of the theories and practice of those who contribute regularly to Glk.\.xin'GS. I can not refrain however, from protesting occa- sionally when I see theories advanced that do not seem practicable, or that I do not think sound ; as for instance, when friend Heddon declares in Bee Maoa- ^inf, that no one can keep bees successfully except those who make it a specialty, or as now, that "all bee culture is vanity and vexation of spirit." Well, I must not forget my report for 1870. I took my bees from the pit April 8th, all in good condition. The following day I was absent and one stock was overpowered and robbed, leaving 23 swarms. I gave away one, and now start the season with 22 swarms none of which I hope will be permitted to starve, a la Novice, before flowers. My bees worked 5 days on rye and oat meal before poplars bloomed, and all had brood in eveiy stage when taken from the pit. I had great hopes of the comb foundations while you had the machine, but at $1,50 per lb. I do uot ex- pect to use any. I think with sectional boxes and cheap foundations I could work some bees on comb honey profitabh', but at present prices I shall stick to the slinger. Many have written me about extractors. Now I say confidently, having just had mine rigged over by a mechanic, that your extractors are as cheap as a mechanic will make a wooden one like mine. 1 moved my bees to where I now live, this spring, on wagons without loss of any kind. Distance three miles and roads very rough. I made a frame of lath the size of the front of my hives, covered it with wire cloth, fastened the cap on the hive, tacked the wire frame on the i'ront, put i inches of straw in the box of my lumber wagon, set the hives 4 inches apart, packed straw tightly around them except the front, and drove along. The bees soon came out and clustered under the wire frame, riding safely. I find that extracted honey is improved, in appear- ance at least by standing 21 hours in an open vessel, and being skimmed before barreling. I believe cer- tain kinds of honey will not candy under any circum- stances, as I have some two years old in Muth's jirs, in a drug store window, as clear as ever. My brother-in-law, J. T. Morris, now knows by ex- perience that bees can be robbed by the extractor so late in the fall as to die from want in the winter, his bees, 7 swarms, being all dead when we opened the pit this spring, with not a cell of honey or a particle of the candy we laid on the frames last fall, remaining. There is a man ne"ir here who never heard of Mr. Wagner or his patent who has made artificial comb by casting in moulds; and it seems folly that Mr. Wag- ner's patent should cover the making of artificial comb bi/ whatever process. If that is so, some fool will patent the 2^rocess of raising queens by any meth- od, and go and take your lamp nursery awaj' from you. Novice, don't you go back on the position you have so long maintained of hostility to patents in bee- cultui-e. AVe look upon you as our champion. The money you have already saved to the bee-keepers of the eountrj' would build a monument of marble over your grave, as high as Bunker hill. I say to every bee-keeper, wear a light bobinet [we would say tarlatan instead.— Ed.] veil on your hat when at work among bees, and at the first sympton of anger among them droi) it over your face and neck; but gloves are a nuisance. I find a roll of rags all the smoker I need. Butter firkins holding 150 lbs eaeh, are the nicest honey packages for my use. Drive the hoops tight, nail the outside ones and wax the keg tight. Bees are never assessed here, as they are not salable property at any price ; most people consider- ing them a nuisance around a place, and bee-keepers being all supplied. Don't let anybody be so foolish as to extract honey before it is ripe. This sometimes may get thicker by standing in an open vessel, but will generally get thinner. Bees having stores sufficient, wintered well in this locality in cellars, pits, and out-doors everywhere. R. L. Joiner, Wj-oming, Wis., May 2d, '7r>. VERY EARL,V^ QTIEENS. /rtpf LEANINGS for May just at hand. We note your ?(^^p remarks on page 101 regarding the sale of early queens. You say you think it unsafe to offer them before Jutie, but that we "might perhaps safely agree to furnish them a month sooner." Now in this matter we have gained a little experience, as in other things, but I can assui*e you it is a sad one. One cas3 : I have raised quite a number of queens, and have shipped, as I advised you, see paic 102, a few queens early in April which reach- ed their destination safelj". In the latter part of the same month we shipped quite a number, some goinir as far south as Texas, others as far north as New York. We have reiwrts of all, and only two reached their destination alive. These two went to Illinois. When we mailed them the weather was pleasant, hut suddenly changed at night turning very cool ; at this writing it is almost frdez- ing. With thi'; experience we have arrived at the con- clusion that wj c.innot "saf jly agree to furnish them a 126 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. June month sooner" than jou can, and would much jjrefer re- funding to all who Iiine ordered of us, to undertaking- ; io do so, and lia\e so notiliedour customers. 1 will never < aiiiin agree to send out queens, guaranteeing their safe ar- ! rival, before the first of June. 1 We arc in receipt of an imported queen from Dr. J. P. j H. ihown, and are very much pleased with her. Her j workers are luiilorml.v and prettily marked; though some- what dark, they are not black, like Dadaiit's. Yours tridy, W. J. Andrews, Columbia, Tenn. May -ind, '7(;. fi HAVE had experience enongh to know about what we want for man, and one-hoise jiower. 1 ' first got a cheap one-horse power and run my saw without using any balance. I soon found it a poor thing, as it is impossible to keep the motion up. I next bought the No. 2, '-V. M.'' gear of the Combined Fower Co., because they claimed it had "leverage." I was afraid it woidd prove a humbug, and so it did. You can no more use a cog wheel as a lever, than you can fiy. And this isn't all the ridiculous feature about the ////«^ ; talk about one man running a saw .'!0CO or 4000 revolutions jier minute! why, your power is used up in running the gearing, and you have none left for sawing. I took off three-fourths the gear- ing and run the saw 700 or 800 revolutions, and found 1 could run more and much easier, Irom the fact that it takes but one-fourth the power to run the &aw. I liut a 27 lb. balance on my saw shaft, and find that two balances are much better than one, especially if they are both light ; the balance en my gearing weighs only ;i5 lbs. It may be iiossiblc that one heavy balance would do nearly as well as two lighter ones, but I think it doubtful. 1 find 1 can saw fully twice as much with a man at the crank, as I saw with the common treadle. I suppose the heavy foot-power machines have the advantage in the treadle as you can tread three or four times lielore the shaft turns round; (here is where the leverage comes in, and were it not for that advantage, I think you could not get the motion up at all. Cive us facts, n-c are willing to pay for ihcm. K. S. Bkcktkll, New KulValo, JMich. We tliiuk friend B., you arc a little rough ou the "V- M." After the saw is tread up to the i enormous velocity of which it is capable, it I will saw through quite au amount of heavy | work, which it could not well do were it not j for the power that is accumulated, or stored lip as it were, in the balances. To Illustrate : ' it' you were to attempt to push a nail into a j board with the face of a hammer, you would! lind your strength wholly iuadequaie, but you could perliaps easily sink it to the head by raising it above your head, and acctimulating power by the descending blow. The Y. M. en- abled us iu the same way to mass the power applied, so as to saw for a short time ou very heavy work. AVe have sawed 2 inch pine, in lengths for section boxes, without stoppiiig at all, for sufficient power could be collected while drawing the Vt'ork back, to send the sav,' through, scarcely slacking the sjiced. It requires au amount of practice to use the V. M. to the best advantage, that is not needed for The |;i.").00 machine, and as the latter is an)ple for doing almost anything reay 25 cents for combs built in such frames ; or in other words we will sell yon the hive for 70 cents, and pay you $2.50 for the same when tilled with comb, even after the bees have all died. If the combs are clean and new, you can probably get more than that in your own neighborhood. You can see when they are bL'ing built straight in snch a shallow liive, by simply raising it on end. Who will in this way at a small expense, undertake to supply the growing demand for empty combs? 128 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. June [ For Gleanings. ] VARIOI S ITEMS. BT G. M. DOOLITTLE. SN April number of Gleaxixgs you invite brief state- ments concerning C. O. Perrine. In tlie fall of 1871, — ' I received letters from him, wishing me to buy honey for him, he sending nie cash to give to the })arties that would sell honey at the prices named, to hold it for him from 30 to GO days, he stating in said letters that ho would Iiay so much for it, delivered at R. K. I went to my bee- keeping friends, read them his letters, and told them I had confldence in him, and should send liim my own hon- ey. To those that concluded to let him have their honey I gave §o. or $10. as the case might be, of cash sent. He ordered the honey shipped about Oct. 1st, and we took it to R. R. (about 7500 lbs.) expecting to find money there but failed to liiid it. We Anally onchided to send it on to Philadelphia, he being in business there at that time. Alxiut the time it arrived in Phil., Chicago burned, but as our honey was not at Chicago of course it was not burned, but was sold at 50 per cent above what he agreed to pay us for it. All we could hear of it tliroush him was that it was received in splendid condition and was very nice honey ; but as he had lost s) heavily by the lire he could not pay for it. I wrote him 42 letters in all, and after pleading and begging for those that were sulTering for the want of it, I got one-third of it and the rest we had to take his notes for, due in June 1871. When tlie notes came they were without interest. A part of my bee-keep- ing friends thought I was holden for the pay for their hon- ey and J. was obliged to get counsel, etc., which did not result in our being on as friendly terms as before, I will assure j ou. If we want comb foundations will he trust us in tlie same way? "The cash must in all cases accompa- ny the order," does not sound much like it. Now one word to the readers of Gleanings. If you want comb foundations or anything else, pay for it ; and if any honey dealer wants honey, demand the cash for it. This letting them have the staff all in their own hands is something like the boys and the frogs "fun for them but death to us." If they can not afford to trust us as wo do them let them send the money to the express agent whei-e the honcj is to be delivered, and when he sees that it is all right and ' in good order, then demand the cash or hold on to the hojiey. If Mr. Wolfenden (page 83) has queens that will not keep more than a part of three frames filled with brood in July or Augxist they can not be good for much. We never knew a good queen to be crowded at any time when there were bees enough to work in boxes. Li apple blossoms Avhen there are but few bees and those mostly old ones the case is different. HOW TO FIND A QUEEN. If you will excuse us, we would like to tell Mr. Chap- man how to find a queen. Proceed as Novice says on page 107, till you get the quilt olY, then bear in mind if the time of day is from one to three o'clock, that as a rule the queen will be on one of the outside brood combs no matter where the bees a re thickest ; if from seven to nine o'clock in the morning you will liud her on the centre brood comb, or if G to 8 combs are filled with brood, on one of the three centre brood combs. The principle is that at from oue to three a. m. the queen is at the outside of brood nest then returns to the centre getting there about eight A. M., and then continues on, an iWug at the opposite out- side at .about two p. 51., then back again getting on the cenire coinl) about eight p. m. Thus she traverses the Mholo brood nest twice every it hours. This is when the colony is in its normal condition. If you are spreading the brood as given on page 135, Vol. II, it breaks up the rejadar operations of the queen and you will usually find her on the frame you put in the centre of brood nest. The queen is nearly twice as long as a worker, in the breeding season. Thus it is quite an easy matter to lind a queen unless you are obliged to smoke them so as to get them running like a ilock of sheep, which is frequently the case with blacks or hybrids ; then you want to look in all the cornels of the hive, or out under tlie bottom board, if the bees can get there. Drones in winter, does not with us denote a drone laying queen. Three winters since 18G!», we have had drones wintered over. In the sisring of 187i we had drones ilying in March almost as thick as in mid- summer, but they soon died olf of old age or were killed by the colonics and driven out, just as we see them in Aug. and Sept. We tried to save Novice from falling into an error on page 27, present Vol., and now he seems to be liable to fall into a still worse one. See what he says on page 113, first column, a little below the middle of column. Too much stores at this season of the year will just as surely spoil the stock for box honey, as it would to let them starre. We did not say on page 27 that a weak swarm hived on 9 fi"ames of sealed honey in the months of April or May would carry said honey into the boxes. No sir ! they would always be weak and there is no such thing as filling the combs with sjtu]) now, and then getting boxes filled with clover honey, for where would the bees come from ? In the cases given you on page 27, we had the bees (and a hive full too) of all ages, and the way we got those bees wo gave you on i)age 135, Vol. II. E. Gallup says in A. B. J., page 6, Vol. IV, "We must never allow the bees to get in advance of the queen, for if we do the prosjjerity of the swarm is checked at once ; that is, if the l>ees are allowed to fill the combs with honey in the spring Ixfore the queen has filled them with brood, the swarm will be an unpi-olitable one." You can not get honey without be«s. Our 0 Gall u]) frames give us 45000 worker bees every 21 days, and a queen that is gootl for anything will keep the frames full of brood if you have on boxes with such a force of bees as tliat in July and August ; but give the same queen but 5000 bees and these old ones, and they will crowd her do .vn to a part of three frames every time. If our hives average 5000 bees on the first of Jlay they are what I call extra good stocks, and if you give them what, honey or syrup they can can carry during the month of May, you will have about 5000 bees in your i:ive all sum- mer. We agree on page 115 that ^ve never see too much hoiK y in the hive in the fall for wintering. If every frame is full it does no harm, for by the first of Nov. they will have eaten enough for empty cells to cluster in. We do not consider such ^colonies as Mr. Roop tells us about on page 115, any better at that time of the year than one that woidd enclose 5 frames or occupy G si)aces. We never could see, when Novice was in his ecstacy over the manure heaps around his bees, what the object was in getting bees strong enough to swarm in April or May, as white clover does not commence to bloom until about June 20tli, and before that these strong colonies will con- sume more than they will gather if they have no honey in the hive on Aiiril 20th. Aiiy one of ordhiary ability can build a quart of bees up to G0,000 in six weeks, with a June temperature. If any one will five us a quart of )>ee3 in a hive on an average, the 10th of May, we will ask for noth- ing better. We did not average one-fourth that on the 20th of May last year. Borcdino, N. Y., May 10th, "70. [Just a word in defense of Mr. Perrine. 3Iany a man when Chicago was burned, was unable to pay his debts at all. That Mr. P. did pay up all fin,ally, is to his credit, al- though there may bo no excuse for his not pajing for yovr honey, which w-as received in good order and sold at a goixl ])rice. We should ( xercise plenty of charity toward cui nciglrbors should we not, friend D. :— Ed.] 1876 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 129 THICK COMBS, SECTION BOXES, ETC. M'AVE you tried tliick combs, say l?i inches thick, for the extractor? I think they wouUl be just ~ the thing we want, without being troubled with brood. "Would like to have some drone comb founda- tions rather large so the bees will linish them, lam an extractor man and all the comb lioney men in cre- ation can not persuade me to believe that I am wrong. You had better make up your mind that you will not be deceived by dishonest comb honey men. n. S. Dkcktell, New Bufl'alo, Mich. We have used tliick combs with the extract- or, and have repeatedly advised them. At the time we transferred our American hives to the Lan£stroth, we saved all die drone comb and put it in frames by itself, and have almost ev- ery season found these drone combs ranch the most convenient when we succeeded in pre- venting the queen from using them. We can senerally succeed in doiui? this by placing them at a considerable distance apart, being careful not to get them so distant at first, as to allow them to build a small comb in between. As the cells get lengthened we can put them farther apart, and we last season had one such comb weighing when filled, 11 lbs. With such combs as these, the labor of extracting is very much lessened, for the bees are brushed off from them in much less time than they can be from combs containing brood ; and we get as much honey from one, as from three ordina- ry combs in the brood apartment. To really enjoy the work of extracting, one needs to have a comb of this kind so heavy as to fairly make the wrists ache to carry it, and then after the uncapping is done, you feel that such a flood of honey as pours into the barrel as you commence to whirl it, is really worth while. As j'ou carry them back to the hive after being lightened of their contents, you must lie unim- pressible indeed, if your countenance does not soften into a smile when you consider what a very easy matter it is to get the honey out of the hives, and in the very shape in which it is wanted for food. What do you suppose the bees would do if they were furnished with drone comb with cells nearly twice the ordina- ry size ? Would they use them for honey when crowded for room, and would there be any dan- ger of the queens laying in them if she could go down into them and turn around? Please don't smile, any body, for just as sure as you live we are about trying that very experiment, so no one can patent it ? Do not fear friend B., we shall always be with you in the extracting business. I would like to know how wide to get out my lumber lor sectioj; boxes, as I want as few as possible in each box (that is sectiens) so as to be sure and have a single comb in each. Do they need to be 1 Ji, 2, or '2J^ inch- es? I have had bees make combs tlie whole size of Langstroth box, but they can not be depended on. E. Stanhope, Pentwater, INIich. How thick will bees build combs of honey in boxes, and build them regularly, that is, if pieces of comb are put in for a start, how far from centre to centre must they be, to prevent their building a strip of comb be- tween them occasionally ? Chas. II. Rue. Manalapan, N. Y. A matter that is undecided. Section boxes are used of all the widths j'^ou ' have named ; Harbison makes the narrowest we believe, and we do not know his reasons for making them only l-^ij. Doolittle and Wheeler, make them about 1J?4 ; and Isham has the glasses in his one comb boxes about 2 inches apart If yon have them as far as 2>4, we think there would be much likelihood of having two thin combs built ; the foundations probably would correct this. AVho will test it first v Bloomlngton, Ills-, Feb. ith, 1870. 1 want to try for box honey next summer. I have the Qninby box, with four glass sides, top and bottom wood. This is a nice box, but too expensive for this countrj-. C. F. Muth, of Cincinnati, sent me a sample of his box with two sides glass, balance wood; says he can furnish them at 10 cts. each. This seems cheap enough. But the box appears to be too small. Please get all the information you can about honey boxes and give us an article in Glkani.xgs entitlpd. All ahntif honey boxes. Also please give us an article en- titled, "All about glass honey jars and glass honey tumblers with glass covers." Some of our grocery men here have honey for sale, put' up in glass jars with glass covers, holding about two pounds. About three pieces of white comb capped over are put into a jar first, and the jar is then filled with extracted hon- ey or something like it. These jars of honey were bo't of C. O. Perrine, Chicago, and are sold here at 75 cts. each. Another 2 lb. glass jar, with a better and hand- somer glass cover, filled with eomb and liquid honey, same as the Perrine jar, is sold here for same price. Hcney is put up in this jar by A. Kernberger, 231 W. Randolph St., Chicago, and sold to our grocers. The said A. Kernberger, puts up and sells honey both comb and licjuid, in 1 lb. glass tumblers with glass cov- ers. The glass covers for the Kernberger jar and tumblers have a glass rim around the outer edge, which (its down over the outside of the jar or tumbler in a very neat manner. The questions are, where are these jars made, and what do they cost ? May 'M.—Oi course the tin cases and separators arc the principle expense in commencing with your sec- tion boxes. Yet I understand that the tin cases and separators can be used for bcveral years. I consider your section boxes and tin cases, etc., a grand success, with or without comb foundations. I will try comb foundations and natural comb. I would suggest two kinds of boxes, one for comb foundations, and one for natural comb. The upright pieces of the box designed for natural comb, can be made solid 1 Ja inches wide, the top and bottom pieces same as now, and the wliolc put together with tongues and grooves, same as present box, with less tongues in upright pie- ces. This would make a stronger box with no cracks for bees to till. John Ansley. The same point comes up here, that we have in the lioop hive. If we make the section box- es with the side pieces whole, we have got to bring in a new piece ; new machinery will Ik; needed for its mannfacture and additional chances of error are incurred. As it is now, we have only to learn to make one piece, and when we can make that one piece just right, the whole box is exact, and we can with little expense or risk, arrange to make these simple pieces with great rapidity, and at a very insig- nificant cost. We think the space left for the comb foundation will occasion no inconveni- ence, but a test will soon determine. The tin cases of course are to used over and over again, and the wood frame is all that is to be sold with the honey. 130 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. June "NVliy not make the foundations of combs intended ex- <'lusi\ely for the reception of honey, with cells ji little lar- •^ov than drone cells V Would not the bees com plete them, and till them with honey? In consequence of the size, would not the (|ueen be entirely jM-ecluded from depositing M'Sgs ill theraV Who will try the experiment and report ? If our tViend Otis Fuller (see page 99) will rub she de- pendant edges of the comb guides in the Barker & Dicer sectional honey boxes, thoroughly with a solid lump of clean beeswax, his bees will all "fall into line" and obey orders promptly ; /. e. if his bees are as well trained as mine are. Of course this must be done with so much care as not to smear wax on any other portion of the box. The least speck of wax in the toji of a clean box or hive will be taken by the bees as an invitation to commence comb building at that place. A well defined line of beeswax on a dependant edge, is as certain a guide, as is a piece of well formed comb. 6. E. Cokbin. St. Johns, Mich., May 5lh, 1870. OlIK OWN APIAKY. Cti^,N paire 13-] Vol III, friend Townley gave 18)1 ' =^ ^ 'T, J^ (lirectious for out door wintering, and in- sisted that we sliould prepare just one liive in that manner. Just to malvc the experiment we did so, and tixed them up just as nearly as he directed as we lee-culture we feel there are few gi'eater than fussing to get the honev out of the combs where it is iiicely sealed up, -and tiieu fussing at still greater lengths to get it back in the same combs and sealed up in the same way (f' ic-e. ■i-mi. "And give u^j feeding r"' At present we ■ii^ould give lip feeding,, at least where one has its much to do as we have. Why, just think of it ! the best colony in our apiary has not had one minute's time expended on it for the jiast six months. At that rate, one pei'son could take charge of 1000 hives until the time for surplus honey catne, and should there be none, lie might do it the year round, for all that would then be requirtd would be to see that each one had a good queen, and the bees would do the rest. At the rate at which good colonies of bees sell, he could do a thriving business selling them if he didn't get an ounce of honey, and should a great yield of honey ■come, he ought to be able to hire help at a price that would pay for the taking care of it, if he were not burdened with too many "new inventions"'. Now all these bright visions could be realized without trouble, it" every col- ony as well supplied as was the one from which we are taking this text, would only thrive iu the same way. The Standard hive wintered beautifully, win- ter before last, because it contained two good colonies ; but during the past winter a fair col- ony went down to about a pint, and the rest of our apiary has gone down iu the same way more or less during the month of April, or as .soon as they commenced to raise brood brisk- ly. Is it ix)ssible that this spring dwindling has all been caused by allowing the juvenile bees to get sore throats, etc., on account of the brisk draft that our modern hives allow when they are of just the age to want to be tucked aipV Keeping them warm with a tight board l)ox has been no better, for a tight board box would be small comfort to one of us on a frosty night; but plenty of warm, pm'otis bed clothing would enable even an infant to keep comforta- ble. Corn fodder and straw put around hives and over them might keep the wind oft", but they assuredly could not contiue the animal heat in any such manner as the .soft dry oat chaff that was only separated from the btes on 'dl sides by a thin piece of cloth. Again, a packing of stra^r, or a straw mat over a strong- colony of bees may be a very good thing, but can it amount to very much when there are innumerable cracks all around where the warm air can creep out, and when the sides are only cold hard boards after all ? How would you like to sleep in a bed made in that way ? Would not the children begin to dwindle out in just about the way the bees do ? Another thing, we don't cover our children with a board, nor an oil cloth, nor paper, nor canvas, but we have wool and flannel ; as the bees seem pecu- liarly sensitive to accumulations of dampness we are inclined to think that even these would be apt to get damp and mouldy. In fact we have had some such experience, but the soft chaft" we think is going to fully meet the re- :3.00, or .fS.lS by mail. These instruments are marvels of beautiful workman- ship, from the mounting of the lenses to tlie mahog;i- ny boxes in which they are encar=ed, and the sanijiles of objects such as eye, foot, scing, wing, tongue and mandibles of the bee, are so much superior to any drawings o:" the same, that we feel as if we could not 1876. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 133 praise tlicm too much to any one who is fond ol' ex- ploring ttie wonders of the libney bee. Did you ever ! Last season we tliought if we soUl one extractor a day we were doinf? pretty well, Init yesterday we sent off 12. And as they were rao=;tly from those who have liought of us before, we shall Jxave to conclude the business is not overlone after all. The way our boys— and girls -are learning to make the boxes of tin come into Shane, with the aid of improved machinery, is soothina: to the feelings of one who takes all the responsibility of having the ma- chines despatched quickly, alter the money comes for them. We are much pleased to note that at the Maury Co. (Tenn.) Bee-keepers' Association, they not only went on* into the apiary, but opened hives, performed the different operations requsite about the apiary, and finished by transferring a colony from box hive to movable frame. Is not this a move in the right direct- ion? How does it compare with associations where they "steady Ed'ard ! '' as Cayitain Cuttle used to say; we rather fhink the idea we were trying to get at was that an adjournment to the open air e)i masxe, would many times be a profitable move for bee-keep- ers conventions in general. THErhaveas yet no Italian bees in iVustr alia, the third shipment having proved a failure. Our friend Carroll thinks want of ventilation and want of water the trouble, but those who have l)een most successful in inip''trtina: from Italy, think Mr. Carroll wrong in his ideas as to liow they should be prepared. We sin- cerely hope some one will try his hand at it, who will make it a success; and as Mr. C. proposes to pay for the bees all the same, whether they are lost or not, there can be little risk in trying the experiment. For narticulars aildress.J. Carroll. Bee-master, Mohawk Valley, Enoggera, Queensland, Australia. Postage on letter, 12 cents, We are pained to learn of the death of another of our number. J. R. Gardner, Christiansbiu-g, Va., who has long been known to most of our readers, has been suddenly taken away. But a few days before his death, he wrote with his usual enthusiasm in regard to bee matters, the new comb machinery, etc. We are busy and careless to-day, but who knows what the morrow may bring forth? Our friend has left onlv ])leasant memories; about 4 years ago, he made comb foundations quite successfully with jilaster casts, and we had considerable correspondence with him in re- gard to the matter. Since the matter has been stirred un, it seems that almost as manv have used the tin separators, as have used house apiaries. Dr. A. V. Conklin, Delaware. O., used them more than lo years ago to make the bees build their combs true in the section frames he used on his Diamond liive. Tlie frames were suspended, and to prevent the bees from refusing to a:o into a new set of boxes, as they often do, he wished to re- move the sections one at a time, or as fast as each was full. As the new one was ijut between others liaving bees at work on them, they could not well help being filled speedily. The same idea can be applied to our section boxes, and where no guide combs are at hand we can take a few sections from a liive that has al- ready started them, and give to one that seems averse to commencing. Few colonies will refuse to work in the boxes if they can have one or two that are already started, for a sample. The tins the doctor used were as wide as they could be, and allow i-oom for the bees to pass above and be- low them. Says he used them enough to get about !>00 lbs. in these little frames. - *^^ - Will you please tell mo in whose care you have your extractor at the Centennial and what you have to" pay ti keen it clean ? I sent one and I have received a bill from Drver, Simmons and Co. for ?5.00 for unpacking and puttins in tjosition. and they want S25.00 more to keep the dust cleaned oft' during the Exhibition which I think is spreading it on ' prettv thick". R. R. Muupiiv. Garden Plain, 111. May 22nd 1876. [Space was secured and our Hive and Ext'r were ready to ship in due season, but we were told to wait until shiiiping labels were sent. They have not been rec'd : by the way as they .are adopting new schemes meu to whom they had sold some of the honey, had pronounced it not bees' honey ; that they would have it ar.alyzed in a few days and if it proved to be pure honey would pay me ii cents for it less freight. I siqipose they lia\'en't n-ualyzed it yet ; as i hav3 heard notliing more from them, I count it lost. If I ever get anythinic for it I will be sur|)rised. Don't you think this belongs in "Humbug and Swindle'' column? Be- ware of the house and ship them no iK^ney, is iny advice. Before closing would like to ask if you ever heard of a hive called "Gould's Common Sense Beehive." A mjin by the name of G. W. C. Gillespie, purx)orting to be a part- ner ot Gould, has been through our County, black-mailing bee-keepers, saying his hive was the only 2 story hive e^"er patented and demanding royalty from those he found using a 2 story hive ; threatening to prosecute if they did not pay him. ' I am sorry to learn that several did pay him. He came to my house last Monday and demanded the same of rae, which of course I refused, and he threat- ened to hav-i me summoned before the United St-\tes Court at Nashville. He had his letters patent with him, but when asked to show me where they covered two story hives he could not explain. He said he hid been all over the state of Ohio, and collected it fr)m all he saw using two story hives. I asked him if he hn,d ever been to Medina and collected it of you. He said he went to soo you tliree years a^o and you were not using n, two slory hive then.' What do yoii think of him ? And do you know any thiu^ about him ? Tell your readers to beware of him. Po'iilars were iu full bloom but no honey on account of so muih mill. J. F. Moxrao.uERT. Lincoln Tenn. May 10th. 1789 134 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. June THAT AAVFII. "DWliVDMlVr;." BY JAMES BOLIX. Jq^RIEND XOVICE :— I think I sbull have to admit p tliere is such ii thing us a bee disease, after all, for a great many l)ees have died in this section the past winter and of course they woiJd not die unless something was the matter with them. And then, calling it a disease lets us careless ones down so easily. It is contagious, too, as the bees seem to catch it of their owners, for in nearly every instance where bees were lost, their owner had been affected with what a noted humorist called "constitution- nl weakness" the preceding fall. Of course it will not do t-o impute the loss to carelessness or negligenca on the part of the owner, for bee men, you know, are never guilty of anything of the kind (?) It is true the bees were out of honey, but that was their own lookout, they might have gathered more last summer; and besides, the.y didn't starve ; it was that dread bee disease that killed them. Some of my bers had it last winter; five colonies died with it while they were in the house, and some 8 or 10 af- ter they were put on the summer stands. Some of those that died after the.y were put out had plenty of honey, but that constitutional weakness, or the cold, prevented ther reaching it, so they sta 1 mean they died of tliat dread disease. Dwindling? Yes, they had spring dwindling, too, that is, some of 'em did, while others didn't dwindle worth a cent. In fact all the dwindling some of them did was uj), .so that they have the entire ten frames chock full of brood, and have queen cell.! nearly sealed over, preparatory to swaiminir. Dwindling down must be a disease, I think, and there is something a little singular connected with my bees that were afTected with it. All, or nearly all, that had it were either tliose that were severaJ feet above the floor, while they were in the house, or else were left on the summer stand during the cold weather wo had in Blareh. Of course neither having them near the top of the room, where the heat arising from lt.j stocks, in connection with our warm winter, rendering them imcomfortably warm, causing a great many bees to leave their hives and liecoming lost, or leaving them out on the summer stinds during tlie severe cold, chilling their brood and prevent- ing their rearing young bees to take the place of those that died, had anything to do with the dwindling. Surely not. It must have been a disease, or a dispensation of Providence, that caused them to act so. Those that were near the floor during the winter, and in the house during tlie cold weather in IMarch were not much, if any, affected by the disease, or dispensation. It just missed 'em, that's all. There, now, don't that .sound better than to say I was negligent last fall, and did not feed them when I knew some of them were short of stores ? And is it not easier to call dwindling a disease, than it is to carry a number of heavy stocks into the house out of the cold ? O let us say a disease, or dispensation, was the cause of the trouble, b.v all means, and perhaps we can make folk.s believe us, and not think we were careless, negligent or lazy. .Ias. Bolin. P. S.— Perhaps you will wonder why I did not put my beer, all in the liouse during the cold v/eathcr in March. Well, the trouble was, there were so many of them that when they were all in thoy made it so warm they be- came restless at once ; with only about half of them in they remained perfectly quiet, consequently I had to leave ])art of them out. Those that were in the house are my strcjng stocks to-day, and although I doubled up a number of those that were out of doors in Utarch, in order to get them strong for box honey, none of them are anywhere near as strong as those single swarms that were in the he use. I have a place enclosed; grape vines planteel for shade, and intend to divide my Ijees and start another apiary this summer. I expect to build a house there, witli cellar vuider it, and thus be prepared for such win- ters as the last one. I had too much to elo last fall to at- tend to feeding when I ought to have done so ; but here- after, I think I shall let the other work slide and attend to the bees. If you ever hear of my letting so many starve again, just call me careless. I fear yoiu- apiary liouse will be too cold in very cold winters. .Iames Be^LiN, West Lodi, O., May 181h, "Tii. DOK'T MIX VOIR HON£V. !W^r-^'E have all wintered, here in Cincinnati, with our W'™ usual success. I brought my '26 colonies through -■ -* without a single loss, altogether on sugar syrup, and much of it unsealed. I am sullering now on account of some of my queens playing out ; having kept some old ones I should have replaced last year, but the season was so bad I found it more trouble than I could give. Some of our hives are quite full of fruit blossom hone.v, and the black locust is just coming out, with every prospect of plenty of clover; taking it all together we have tha best prospects for a large yield I have ever seen. And now while on the subject of fruit blossom honey', allow me to make a suggestion : keep your different lioneys separate. Year before last I took 3000 lbs. ; one-third of this was from fruit trees and the balance from white clover. None of the latter sold for less than ■2.jC and more than half I got 80 for, but we will suijpose it netted the lowest ligure, that is §500,00 for 200 lbs. The dark, bad flavored fruit blossom honey, I was glael to get anything for; at last I solel -iOO Ills, for 10c per lb. and closed it out. A druggist bought it to make mead of, a ver.y popular beverage here in summer. Now if I had mixed all up together, with the idea that the good Avould sell the poor, I don't think I would ha\e got 1.") cts. for it all round. I found no troub- le keeping the different kinds .separate. I have two ex- tractors, and by the time white clover comes in the other is capped over , so by taking it out before the clover honey is capped, I throw that out first. I thus uncap anel throw out the dark honey in the other machine. I could man- age witli one machine but having the two saves time, which is very valuable just now. I am led to make these few remarks becau-.o I know how hard it is to buy a really first-class article ; not one sample in ten, yes I might say twenty, is what I call first- rate A, 1, wliite clover. H. E. CURRT, Cincinnati, O., May IKth, "Tfi. cO From Diiferent Fields. |/-T'|HIS week I find many of the drone combs in the Pji section boxes fiUeel with eggs but not a single egg in — the worker combs, though some of them have pollen in them. Found ])olIeii .vesterday in two drone cells in section box. The secticn fnnne sides are 1?4 inches wide. It appears to make no difference about the ciuoen's laying in tliem whether the boxes i est on the frames in brooel chamber or V inch above. There is very little drone cenub in brood chamber. C. R. Carmx. Quincy, Fla., May lt>th, ISTi!. Our new machine makes foundations just the size of that furnished by John Long, viz., rath- er larjie worker comb. This seems best if we are to have but one l;ind for both brood and boxes. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. rSo 1 have made a siicccsslul start in bee-keeping; I fol- lowed the Joi\rnars directions. I had two swarms in old box hi'.cs in the spring, ami bouglu. one. I then had 8 swarms and have sold about ICO Uis. of honey, t took S/J lbs. from one stock. IJ. 1'. Ci.okdv. Rolling Home, Mo., Dec. 25th, '7o. MR. EDITOR :— I think I c^iu answer oi" solve pixjb- lem No. 1, in Vol. IV, May No. I have invented a candy slab for feedsiig bees without a particle of waste. U is simply straight A sugar, made into slabs or cakes about Jj' inches thick, G wide, and 14 long, or in fact just the size most convenient. Now for the process, (no charge for the patent), procure an empty envelope box or somcthiiig similar, take solt standard A sugar, ut should be moif-t) place a layer in the l>ox, pressing lit down iflrmly an. As we have said before, we can only consider this one of the features of the new wintering, or springing malady ; and if any one can give us a remedy that has not l)een already tried unsuccessfully, we would be very much obliged indeed. I put 56 stocks of bees in cellar Nov. •27th, and on April 7th, took out 52, Three seemed to have starved, and one may have been oueenless. Mj'.t2 are all alive at this time. I have succeeded better than usual, and better than some of my neighbors who complain that their bec;S consumed a large amount of honey and them starved — supposed cause— the warm winter. L. Beckwith, Berlin, Wis., Apr. 22d, 'T(i. I had 56 colonies when winter commenced. I put 2«> in a bee house built for that purpose, leaving 36 on summer stands to try wintering without any shelter to protect them. Ten of the 20 I put in the bee house died from various causes. Three had lost their queens. Two of them had, what I call a dysentery — daubed u|> and chilled to death, one smothered, three in what are ca'led "Common Sense hives'' died. I can't winter bees in such a hive, in-doors or out. It does for sum- mer, but is good for notliing for wintering, as far as my experience goes. One got robbed after I set it out. which makes the ten lost. The 36 left on summer stands have come out all right so .far, strong and hearty. I claim the kind of hive has something to do with wintering well and coming out strong. What say you Mr. Editor ? My hives arc all double ; having two thicknesses, with a lop over all, roof fashion. They will stand out any ndiere and need no covering. I had one colony in tlie "Farmer's Friend" so called, that died also. Lyman Legg. Rose, N. Y., May 1st, 1870. The qualities that tit a hive for wintGrinn; bees, we think may be given to almost any hive or box, and also that almost any hive or box may be so arranged as to have the bees die in them. It may be necessary to bore holes in some of them, and it mail be a good idea to surround them with chafl", but we cer- tainly do not need to buy a right for so doing, nor is it necessary to give them a higli souud- ino- name. r876 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURK W IT.iUANIZINGr. In Italianizing how would it do to put xjueeii cell in a •cage in the bl;u* liive a^id as SO021 as slie as hatclied, ve- ivnove the, black .queen azul liberateen that al- though we may succeed now and then, it can not be considered a success. Instead of hav- ing the hive without a laying queen for a week, we may manage to have the period not ■exceed two days, or by a little different man- agement have the young queen depositing eggs at the time the old one is taken away. The cages we used were made by pushing a •cup, made of wire cloth with the ends raveled •out, over the queen cells; but as we found the bees would eat through the comb to get at them, we put a similar cup on the opposite .side, the points of the wires passing ea<;h other just a little. The queen that hatched first was allowed liberty, and as scon as she com- menced to lay, was removed and the next old- est released, and so on. In this way we ob- tained 3 fine laying queens from one hive on the first trial. The others some way got their legs or wings i^ulled off by mischievous young 9)ee6, and after other experiments we finally abandoned it. To replace a poor queen, our plan was to insert a cell and cage it; after it had hatched the young queen was allowed to i'emain caged 8 days, and was then released in the afternoon when the drones were in full flight. As soon as she returned fertilized she was caged 2 days and then when given the liberty of the hive would usually commence laying immediately. While the young queen was out on her excursion the old queen was generally taken out of the hive to avoid acci- dent. This looks very nice on paper, and in fact can be made to work very well in practice, during the height of the honey harvest, but .alas, at other times tHe bees pitch at either or both the queens, and perhaps at the apiarist as well, and he concludes on the ivhole, he would rather let mother nature and the bees fix it their own way, wasteful though it may seem. The above besides, requires too much super- vision ; some plan should be adopted that would go along of itself as much as possible even il the apiarist were called away, or should find it inconveni- ent to be on hand at the precise day or hour. We believe a division l)oard fixes this best, all things considered; but it must be borne in mind that to use a division board, for queen rearing, there must be two distinct entrances, and that under no circumstances can the bees be allowed to go into either apartment indis- criminately. If they do, one or both the queens are almost sure to be killed, and for the same reason the boards must fit so that no bee can by any possibility get under or around them. 11 the entrances are a few inches apart, and a little different in appearance, it answers every purpose ; and we have been quite suc- cessful in having a colony divided in a common L. hive, one entrance being at the north corner of the jX)rtico, and the other at the south. This is some trouble it is true, but by the means we may have the young queen laying before the •old one is taken away; and even should the young one need caging, which is seldom the case during the honey harvest, we have both sides of the hive well supplied with eggs when the division board is removed. For all such divisions, it is much more convenient to have the entrance to the hive at the side of the combs as we have arranged it in our "hoop hive." The entrance for the queen rearing side may be only a Sg hole bored in the back side of the hive, for but few bees are needed after we have a good queen cell built in some strong colony, and this temporary entrance may l>e nicely closed up when not needed, by a common vial cork. One great advantage in having nuclei in the back part ofaJiive, is that when done with, the bees will all go round to the main entrance when this one is closed up, and none will be lost. We would suggest that the nucleus be covered with a piece of thin board instead of depending on the quilt, as the bees are very apt to push under to what is going on in the back part of the hive; for young bees are very inquisitive, and as full of mischief as a lot of puppies. We would have all queen cells built from eggs that are just hatching into larvtc, and none of the larvjc should be larger than to be just visible to the naked eye. This c-xu be obtained readily by putting an empty worker comb in the centre of a strong colony, for about four days. If any eggs should be laid in drone cells, cut them out, for they will at times build cells over them, though they never hatch. Swjtrming commenced with us, March 0th. Three gal- lons white clo;er honey is the most I've extracted fiom one hive up to date. You say in Gleaxings, that upper and lower stories should be exactly alike. Would you have ,i inch space between bottom bars of frames and bottom of hive and h inch from tops of hive to top bars ?' As I have CO or 70 more hives to make this year, I want to get the e.x.act dimensions before commeiicing. With ,^4 inch space above the frames for tucking down the quilt, which is pretty close work, and 3^ inch below, as we have mention- ed, we can get along very well ; but the ,i._, inch between the two stories, is rather too much, and the }^ inch spaces rather too small. We have preferred in our own hives, to add a hoop which is to be removed when they are placed over each other. 8ee page 27, Would you extract the lower part of an 8 frame L. hive while t)ees arc working in boxes above ? Since our troubles with starving bees, we have alxjut decided to discontinue extracting from the lower combs, but if the hive contain- ed no upper stor}', of course we should extract the heaviest of the combs to give them room. If a colony were well at work in the boxes, we would not extract at all, but if their combs were full and they seemed disinclined to store in the boxes we would extract the honey and set them to work at once. If surplus combs are at hand, we think it will be an excellent idea to have a reserve stock of filled combs on hand for emergencies. It will probably be the cheapest way of feeding that can be devised, especially if honey docs not bring more than 10 or 12 cents. 138 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. JUNTS How far ought bottom bar of frames to be from bottom if hive ? The best distance would be such that a l?ee when conriinc: in laden miffht reach the fi-ame while standing on the bottom board, and yet not have it so small as to be in anv danger of pinching- them. Between i^f and 'g '^vonld be most desirable if it were not for the fact that frames will in time s?g more or less from the weight of their contents, and then we have the very grave fault of crushing or pinching bees between the bottom of the hive and the frames. On this account, a half inch has been some- times given ; but with so great a dist ance the bees find so much trouble in getting up on the combs, that they build little mounds of wax to climb up on ; and these lump? or knobs are much in the way in cleaning off the bottom board. If the distance is not more than % and the bottom boards are painted as we make them, it is quite an easy matter to have them kept clean and smooth. From the description you pive of yotir new section box- es on papre 40. March No., I judire them to be the )ie plus idtra and sine qua no/i, for snriihis comb honey. What would .500 of them cost me delivered here, all cut ready to be put together ? I. T). Eedkli,, Franklin, La. The profit is so small on the section lx>xes that we could scarcely give better rates were 10.000 ordered. They are put up in packages of 30 each, Just enough for the top of one of our hives. The.se packages of 30, measure o inches each way, and weigh 2]X lbs ; 500 would weigh about 40 lbs; the freight would perhaps be 4 or 5 cents per lb' Since you li;ivc ns ked an expression of opinion from .vour subscribers concerning '"patent rights^'etc, I now give you mine. No doubt they are sometimes trouble- some; and, like every other good thing when abused, often operate to the injury of those they were intended to benelit. To say, however, that only that which is tangible and capable of being transferrccl has value is a mistake, as j'ou will easily see. Tour physician will charge you for his prescription though you get. tJie ineiHcine elsewhere. Your lawyer will not give you a.i\\'ise {/rafis. The meclianic does not impart the se- crets of his art without comiiensntion. Tlie school- master, themu^ic teacher, the preacher etc., ete., etc. must all be )iaiil. In fact, when I sent you my dollar for "Bee Gle.\nings", did I only buy of you so many- pages of printed matter, or is it not tacitly understood that you are to furnish me with the results of your skill, experience etc. in bee-keeping ? That is, you have sold me what you know on this subject, and not merely a cartain quantity of i>riirte'l matter. If it isn't worth the dollar, I cm only blame myself. If it's worth ten dollars —twenty— why, Mr. Koot, you are very kind to sell so much, at so low a rate. Is the ease with which the right ot projiertj- may be violated, an argument against protecting it ? Surely not. Because I may do a thing with impunity is no reason to con- cluensc of a discovery are the sole measure of its value ; but its usefulness may be one element. It has long been conceded that no law can be framed which shall not be liable to sonie objections. Excuse me for going over ground which must be fa- miliar to yon, and 1 will haste to comb foundations. Mr. P. has purchased what he claims is the sole right to manufacture comb foundations. It is 1 tliiuk, certain, that only the i)rocess described in the patents is covered b^- it. Inspection alone can determine its extent. I can scarcely conclude that iiny one will' blame yon for testing the niatter. Tlie intention oi the law wais not to place tlie comm-unity at the mercy of an individual, and force them to sabnuit to bis ex- tortion, ilence any eflort to bring the gentleman to his senses will be hailed with satisfaction — at least by me. D.4.N. IX)^NAI.l>fiO>f. I ClebuTne, Tex., May 10th, Td'. I The remarks you refer to, friend D., were in- tended to apply to selling receipts rather than to patents and so far as we know, there is ip> law known by which a man can sell a receipt and jirevent the knowledge from being- commu- nicated to others. In regard to patents ; scarcely a day passes that some of our reader*; do not ask if they can make hives with frames, use tin between the honey boxes, make an ex- tractor, put division boartls in their hives, make comb foundations, make honey boxes like those they have seen, try a house apiarj', mike hives two story, — see humbugs aulred dollars, I reluctajitJy abaiKloiied it; aKliongli I put IS hen's eggs iii it and hatched seven isiteresting little j^ets that I J.avc to mother: which not having to be in- troduced to Mves promise fair to •do well. I thus avcaded 1 lie cociimon pest i-chicken lice) liere, bred while hens are setting. R. Wii.kin. F. S.— ISiave s-inoc consulted back X'ol.of Gf-EANIN'GS ,iiid started lip iny nursery with a'e\ived Jwpes. But iny, Oh ! this is not snueli like Ohio, the ivay l)ees work here,, •>it almost works the lif* oiitf>f me to keef) up with theiii. San Hueiia VeiitiuTi, Qii., May ")15i, T'l. There is sometiiitiij' <(ueer about the niocKl of ?iees in accepting queeus, and it is also very .strange that a few report as above. In our own experience v/c have scarcely ever seen ji colony that would pay any attention to a queen Just out of the cell, say before she had been hatched five hours, yet a few who have tried the queen nurseries have given a report some- thing like the above. You need have sustained .no great loss friend W., had you kept the old queens to be returned in case the new ones were not well received. It is our opinion that during a yield of honey, queens could in the majority of cases be put anywhere without ca- sing, scenting., or daubing wjtli honey. If you have a queen that you <:lo not value, try it. Llfr, out a comb, and if the bees are gentle, you can take out their own, and put the new one in her place without a bee being the wiser; at least we have done it a great nuutlx;r of times without mishap. If your smoker is in your hand and in trim, there is but little dan- ger in making the experiment. ficaj" vSi>:— Enclosed find 50 cents balance OJi ex- tractor. It came in due time, and after s cveval da\ 's regular work I ain very inucJi pleased with it. Itop- <;rates perfectly without breaking or bruising coaibs in the least. The speed is so very easily aid (luickly regulated by th« operator tliat tiicrc is no need or ex- cuse for throwing out unsealed broocls oblige, J. A. It certainly is considerable trouble and ex- l^ense to p'.it all the wire cloth covered holes into a hive, that were in the sample hive we received from Mr. Q., anfov. Itih. 15. F. UAVKNi'c»in. Auroraville, Wis., XJec. 25th, 1S75. I will toll you how I introduced three queens the past season. I took a honey box containing- bees and honey, from t!ie hive to which 1 wanted to introduce a queen. J juit the queen into this, k-l it remain off the hive about 12 hours, and then placed it on the hive again; the bees and queen were treated alike and it proved suecessfui in eaeh case. Having never seen this plan given in any journal, I mention it that others may try ii it is easier than caging, or other methods practiced by apiarians. Coktlanu Xkvvton. South Otselic, Chenango Co., N. Y., Feb. Itth, '76. Nearly the same thing has been tried before, and vvitli perfect success in every case, so lar as we can learn. The idea seems to be to re- move a pint or teacupful of liots from the hive, and to keep them away until they Jeel lost, and queenless ; perhaps a couple of hours may answer. They will then receive any queeu so lar as we know, and the queen and all may be placed over a (jueenless hive and allowed to become acerienced bee- raan like yourself having plenty of honey, sugar, and candii at hand, and every facility for feeding, sbouUI let a single bee starve ; much less such a hirge num- ber of fnll stocks. We lx;ginn&rs look to yon for ex- ample, but if such 53 the example yon set, I for one. shall hesitate to follow, for I think it is a good rule to> never follow a bad example. Last fall I bought my first stock, a full one in an old rickety l>angr-trotl> hive well filled with honey. 1 took out 3 frames amli ate the honey myself; I also took ofT the old-fashion- ed honey board and put on instead, a piece of old car- pet and put the hive into my coal house for wintering. But I was like a boy with a new jack-knife, I wantecJ to be looking at them all the while, and as the winter kept so warm and open I thought they would eat a large amount, and made a practice of raising a corner of the carpet once or twice a week to see how their rations were holding out, always of course choosing the mildest days. AVell, I began to feed some ten days ago. Three days ago they had about a dozen cells oi capped honey left, and as the weather is yet so chilly they can not work, although there is bloom enough now, 1 shall transfer to a new hive as soon as they can work to build up- By the way, how is your Kussiais queen ? did you let her starve too ? One word about youi wind-mill power. Do yon ap- ply the power direct from the mill, or have you some way of storing the power and using it when the wimJ is not turning the mill? A. A. FiiADENBUKG, Cleveland, Ohio. We know we are not setting a veiy good ex- ample friend F., but had we not told you of our losses very likely you would have known nothing of it, aud you can rest assured the temptation was strong to say not a word, but build up again as fast as we could. Should we lead beginners to think it was all clear sailing, we should be very far from being honest, and the sooner they have tlie real facts in the case the better. The Russian queen, or her bees rather, died with plenty of stores near them, aud as the colony was very fair in March, we tliink we can lay the blame principally to the house apiary. Our power comes direct from tlie mill, and we Ijelieve nothing lias as yet been suc- cessfully devised for storing up the ix)wer. Instead of "making hay when the sun shines," we "make hives when the wind blows." The mill has an arrangement for self regulating, something like the governor to a steam engine, bnt of course can only equalize the speed after it has reached a certain velocity. As there are many lulls, especially in the summer time, a steam engine is in some respects to be preferred. Took bees from cellar the Cth inst. Tliey consumed more honey than usual. Found 6 had starved, one dead with honey, two just starving, saved one. One swarmed out ; since had tliem out, 9 lost out of 131. Rest in mediimi condition. Yours, L. C. ROOT. Mohawk, N. Y., May 10th, '7C. 1876 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE, 141 ^^ "re Lin this department I beg; to be allowed to Jay aside the editorial "\v*i," atxl have a f rieiidlj- chat and feel "at home."] I CHAPTER XXL HAVE before had something to say in re- gard to oisterus lor raiu water ; and as so much has been said, and so many directions been given for building them, in the agricultu- ral papers, perhaps I need not go over the mat- ter here. Our cistern was rebuilt two j'ears ago, and a riltcr made by dividing it in the centre with a wall of soft bricks this furnishes excellent soft water. One word in regard to the size ; our old cistern had several times be- come dry during protracted droutlis, and Mrs. Ii. iDCtitioned so sti'onglj^ to have the new one very large, that I told her to direct the men to build it as large as she chose. On going home to dinner I remonstrated that we should have our whole house tumbling into it if it was anade larger, and that there never co>dd be a time when we should need so much water. "But do you not know how nice it is to be able to tell the neighbors tiiey can all have all the soft water they \Tiant, without anj^ fear of the supply becoming exhausted 'r*" The argument was convincing, and although xt cost a good round sum, the cistern was built as large as she wished, and as it was deep in proportion, the water is as cold as If it came from a deep well. I am afraid we shall now be under the neces- sity of invading the kitchen and cook room, but before eloing so, I will try and describe the way. in which we used to get our water from the pump to the culinary machinery. As both jitove ami pump were near the door, the state ofaflairswas not very bad after all. Perhaps the most inconvenient feature was a door-step made by our predecessor, which althoucth made of planed boards and painted, Avas so ai ranged as to slant away from the house, thereby ma- king it easy to go out because it was dov.n hill. Mrs. R. is very fond o^i^lenty of water as you may have gathered, anel somehow, "we chil- dren" grew to be very fond of plenty of it also, especially if there was plent}^ of it in the pail or in the copper reservoir to our Stewart stove ; if either of these receptacles needed replenish- ing we somehow were very busy, and thus it devolved on the mother to bring all the water — if she did her own work — up those awkward sloping steps which were often icy or covered with snow, for the use of the whole family. Ought we to have been ashamed of ourselves ? Very true, we ought ; but how many mothers are there in our country that find it easier to get the greater part of wood and water them- selves , than to do otherwise? The door-step had answered very well for years, and perhaps might have answered for years to come, had not the "proprietor of the mansion" stepped out one bright frosty morn- ing in all the consciousness that every "lord of creation" shoukl have, of his weighty impor- tance and value to community, when all of a sudden in spite of his efforts to" stand with the dignity that becomes such an one, his feet went up, and he had painful evidence of the — uncer- tainty of many things in this life, and among them, door-steps that slant the wrong way. Many had been the arguments in regard to this very step, but none farther were needed now. After the cistern was fixed a stone door-step was put in place, but thh was pronounced too small, and after it was suggested that Blue Eyes might tip off backward, etc., Mrs. R. was again given ear in mind the quantity tliat is heated in this way. Well I at once suggested that one of our honey gates should be soldered in the bottom of the reservoir, that the water might be taken throu' the side instead of over, and that we might get any quantity witliout several times dipping. What objection do you suppose the women urge? Well, a lady that has used one thus, says she would not have another under any circumstances, because it is so very handy some one will be constantly drawing all the water out and thus leave the reservoir to burn. If they were obliged to bail it out with the dip- per it would be so much trouble that no one would take it all. I suggested liaving the gate np a ]>iecc from the bottom ; but no, they would rather dip it over the top. The piece of tin pipe proves an excellent thing on washing days, to run the water from the pumps into the tubs whenever wanted. CHAPTER XXII. ^^^OU know this is my department, and that sfEj I can use it for any purpose I choose. Well, this is going to be a long chapter, and it may be a little diflicult to see just where the moral comes in, yet there is to be a moral to every chapter, and this one is to be no excep- tion. MR. ROOT. Dear iSir:~-J see by the paper yoa sent me, finite a feeling in regard to the foun- dation comb. While in X. Y., in 18()7 I think, I 1180(1 a lot of comb loumlution for trial ; 5t was merely the division or the webbing t)et>Tcen the two cells. I found it to work well in honey boxes for producing straight combs (this was of worker size). As I pre- ferred the drone size in the boxes 1 made a stamp in a circular form, 3 inches in diameter and after the im- pression was given, I cut the comb through the centre, and by putting the cut edges next the top of the frame it had tlie form of newly started comb. I experiment- ed with it to fjuice an extent, and used it for all my honey boxes. I found by making the sheets of wax thicl;, it remained the same after they had worked it and the wax remained yellow. The man of whom I received the first comb claimed he got the stamps, I think in Germany; be that as it may, an article to be patentable must be new, or the features new, and to the best of the inventor's judgment, the article must never have been in use, or publicly used. If so, it would be public property. I found the thin strips of wax answered the same purpose as far as producing straight combs was concerned. M. S. Snow, Ono, Wis., May ^d, '7G. We were aware that comb foundations had been used in Europe, and in fact Mr. Wagner wrote to that eflect, if we arc not mistaken ; but when Mr. Perrine was here we by some means overlooked the fact, although we did tell Mr. P. that we could not understand how Mr. W. could claim a patent on tlie article it- self, and even showed some of Mr. AVs letters, where he distinctly claimed the machine for making the cell bases, as his invention. As these letters may be interesting, and as they may tend to allay the scruples "that some may have in regard to using the foundations, we give some extracts , -■l«'7. IW;, 1370.— I enclose a sample of my artiticiaV comb foundation, the only one at hand at present that can g-o by mail safely. This was of course not intend- ed for tlie service of the bees, but nserely to show the accuracy of construction and convenience of haiDdling. With suitable material these foundations can be made as tJi/ii as desirable, and I am now experiment- ing to find that material. Wax alone is rather too fragile, and the sheets are apt to be broken if handled in cool weather or winter, besides not bearing trans- portation well. At present. I prefer using strong, thin paper, saturated with wax or a composition ol' wax and rosin (10 to 1). If the paper be not thicker tlian the base partitions should be, the bees will quick- ly )-emovc the superthiou3 wax of the coating, and us<^ it for building up the side walis of the cells, reducing at the same time the foundations of those side walls to the proper tenuity. This supplies them with about as much material as they need for completing the cells; and experience or trial has demonstrated that they prefer this to having ful) depth artificial cells- given them. I begin to doubt, indeed, whether this is not more advantageous (apart from the saving) than giving them full depth cells of natural comb, as the lioutif; )>ecs must and will have employment, evcH though it be at tenrin'j down. On my plan, comb foundations can be made of anj- size and form desirable, or adapted to any framen u-sed, as the moulds are constructed of hexagouaV type, and stereotype or electrotype plates are then prepared therefrom, of any dimensions needed, both die and countersink. I liavc bees now at woik suc- cessfully on such foundations, but desire to have ;t needed alteration, or improvement rather, made in the matrix of the type, before I got any more cast. The matrix is now at the type foundry for that pur- pose. I am very busv, at tliis time, on the Sept. A. B. ./., which goes to press next week. As soon as I have sufficient leisure, I will ts rite you more fully on this matter, as I have some cjueer things to tell you in con- nection with it. Sept. "itli, 1870.— Tlie mode of making combfoiradatioiiy. of which I sent you a crude sample, was de\ised by me V> years ago ; and patented in April, 18t>l, Ixjfore the appa- ratus was fidly perfected, as the patent agent whom I h:id employed, thought it better to dj that than to apply f )i- an extension of the caveat entered a year previous. Tli" war then came on, other enga^'ements multiplied (va m\ hands, and the discontinuance of mails in the Southern states constrained me to suspend the publication of tin- Bee .louriial at the close of the tirst \^)hune. So, as re- gards the "foundations," matters remained till within a year past, when becoming more and more assured of the importance and value of the iuvcntioii, I took it in han I again, striving to jwrfect the apparatus, and experiment- ing to fmd the best and clieapest material for foundations acceptable to the bees. I think I have now accumplishe 1 both objects ; though it is probable I sliall not be able \>< bring the invention into jiractical use before spring. In the course of my experiments, I satisiicd myself, ful- ly, that, as stated in the spccilication of my patent !» years ago, there is no iidvaiitage in giving the bees fulldeidli cells ; and ev«n the rudimental bases of side walls, as provided tor in my moulds, can be dispensal with. If thin paper be used, well saturated with wax, a clear and distinct impression of the rliomboidal facets, as seen in the bottom of the cells, is a sufficient and sure guide for 1870 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 143 the bees, and supplies them with nearly enough wax to finish the side walls. This is' demonstrated by coloriiiK the was used, with indigo or earmine. It will then be seen how much, or rather how little, additional materi:il the workers have to supply in elongating the cells. The septum, or middle partition of the foundations, requires much the most wax, time and labor. The side walls are very thin, and can be very expeditiously run up, on a foundation on which multitudes have room at once to stand and work. A strong colony furnished with such foundations can readily build up the cells of -ICO square inches of comb in 21 hours, at the height of the season when cells are in demand for honey and brood. Of course bees will not work so diligently at other seasons, but will still build rapidly enough to furnish the beekeeper with a supply of reserve combs. Since my invention was ijatented, several persons in Germany have undertaken to manufacture foundations, and one or two liave been successful in making such as the bees will work ujjon ; but none of them make their cell foundations with mathematical accuivicj'. Mr. Kiniz, of Jagerndorfl in Silesia, furnishes 8x10 foundations at the following prices : 25 for gl. 75, 50 for .f 3.25, and 100 for So. He uses wax alone, but finds them so brittle in win- ter, that he is unwilling to send out any at that season. Dr. Knaffee, of Nashville, devised a mode of making full depth cells, which look very well, but unfortunately the bees refuse to use them. At least I found it so on trial in one of my hives, and Mr. Gallup says his bees ground them into sawdust the first night after they were put in. They will be torn down and rebuilt, or left untouched or unused. My bees tore down a ])ortion, nibbled away parts of others, and never placed honey, pollen or brood in any. Mr. Quinby has api)lied for a patent for making full depth cells of metal. The queen will lay in SBCh cells, the eggs will hatch, and the bees will in due time seal up the brood, which it is presumable will mature properly. A hive filled up with combs so constructed would jjrobably be mofh-2nyiof to a. great extent ; but how a colony thus provided would fare in tier;/ hot or very cold weather, I am not just prepared to say. The mode of making the cells is ingenious, and the process 1 should suppose to be patentable on the score of Hovclty — as to utility, that is yet to be found out. It is not yet through the mill, and I must therefore not say more about it now. Dec. Idfh, 1870.— A letter I wrote you about a month ago, I think, must have miscarried or somehow gone astray. * * * i also requested you to inform Nov- ice that I would not sell him a comb foundatioi; mould, but that he shall have a pair of plates, at bare cost as eoon as I can get them made, together with the right of making, using, and vending the foundations in Me- dina county and any other county in Ohio, which he may select— on condition that he aid me, so far as in his power, in getting satisfactory demonstration that the bees will use, and use them to advantage; and this if possible a little in advance of the opening season. On this point I will write you fully, in sea- son. I have devised a mode of altering the mould, to suit my purpose, without the aid of the matrix maker, and think now that his declaration that the old mould could not be altered and that a new one would be nec- essary, will in the end save me several hundred dol- lars. I want to use these foundations, properly modi- fled, for another important purpose which I have been revolving in my mind for years. I shall want your assistance in this matter also. It may be a vain and perhaps ridiculous project, but I liave an idea it can be made a success, and if successful it will pi-obably i be a "big thing." If visionary I would like vou to help in demonstrating the tacf. i Mav not the idea have been the comb honey of to-daj'?— Ed.] I You will see an article on Arliflcial Combs in the January Journal, which gets in a month earlier than I thought desirable, as I received nothing from you this month and "copy" was w^anted. 1 would have preferi-ed delaying the notice till I have some of the improved moulds i-eady to operate with. Ill health will prevent me from leaving home this winter; but I would scarcely attend cither of the con- ventions, if well enough; the last two German conven- tions have pretty much put me out of conceit of such assemblies. Fel). Isf, 1871. — After long delay and repeated disap- pointments, I received from Philadelphia, the honei/ comb type (as they are labeled) which I had cast ten years ago ; and shall proceed at once to set up forms for new stereotype plates, with the requisite correct- ions. As I intend that you shall have the first set cast after the forms are in ])roper working trim, it is nec- essary I should know the exact size of the frames you are using in your hives— inside measure— of which please advise me. It is not indeed difficult to adjust the sheets to any size or form of frame, though much better to have them right at once. The sheets that Mr. Bickford exhibited at Indianapolis, as well as others still in his possession, are not properls^ made, and were not intended to be put to practical use, tho' if cut into strips and applied as guide cumbs, they would answer that purpose much better than the tri- angular strips or any other device known to me, "hardly excepting the natural comb. A very powerful press is required to make good impression, presenting the rudimental side walls. Mine is a lever press, ex- temporized for the occasion, and lacks many conveni- ences, but with some modifications can be made to work fast enough for individual wants, though not to supply a large demand speedily. I shall search the Patent Office for something better, and if not to be found there, shall have to try to invent one. March It^fh, 1871.-1 am exceedingly mortified that the new plates for comb foundations are not yet ready. The stereotypers promised to furnish them early in the month, but have disappointed me time and again, and the only serious attempt to comply was a wretch- ed failure. I have an assurance again now that I shall certainly have them next week. Time will show. Delays and detention compelled me to transfer the printing of the Journal to Philadelphia, inconvenient as that is; and it now seems as if this job had better have gone there also. There seems to be no depend- ence on Washington workmen. Sa:\['l Wagner, Washington, D. 0. We confess there is a mystery in the mat- ter, as to whether our friend Warner meant to patent the product, or the machine. See the followinn;: Several years ago we devised and patented an apijaratus for making artificial honey comb foundations having rudi- mental cells, with ease and accuracy. —Hd. A. B. J., May No., 1867. Two pages farther, we have an account of plate-i that came from Switzerland, and on page 175, Vol. 1, A. B. J., Mr. Quinby mentions liav- ing made comb foundations as long ago as '46, and that he used them successfully as guides in boxes, as we are doing now. It may be that Mr. Wagner was unaware when he procured his patent, that foundations had been used ; at any rate he states plainly that he had a ])a- tent on the apparatus, and one patent could not cover both. AVe are happy to inform our readers that we not oiil.y have laid aside the movable type, used by our friend Wagner, but 144 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. JtJIsE have dispensed eutirely with bees wax ; para- ffiae being much cheaper, whiter, stronjier, and more rapidly worl\'arranted (tueen 1.50 1 doz. Warranted (Queens 15.00 1 Tested Queen in Mav or earlv June 3.50 1 " " after June 25th 2.50 1 doz Tested Queens after June 25th 25.00 NUCLEUS STOCKS. Small Nucleus Hive and Tested Queen S 3.50 2 Full Sized Frames 11-12 and Warranted Queen.. 4.00 4 " '• >' " " '> .. (1.00 1 Colony Pure Italians 10.00 Satistaction guarauteeci. Address, J. OATMAN & CO., 2-4p7d Dundee, Kane Co., Ills. We have raised and sold Italian queen bees for the past 14 years. "We breed Ircm selected Imported mothers." Ninety ])er cent of all we send out prove to be purely lertilized. All queens warranted pure, and safe anival guaiauieed, by wnil. One queen .s2.i0. b H. ALLEY, Wenliam. Mass. ~FUEE ITALIAH OUEEHS FCDTl 18T6- I have on hand loo Italian iiaeens, raised in May and June last. They were jn-opagateil in populous colo- nies, are jntre and prolific. Price .^5.00 each. I will pay express charges and guarantee safe arrival, a-qd 'SV. P. HENDERSON", Murfreesboro, Tenu. [.S76 GLEANIN-GS IN BEE CULTURE. a4r> Ailveitaseaients 'Will t)C received at ttie rate often •■•eut-s i>er Kiie, XaaiTareil sjjaoe. eafcli maertk>n. cash til ae a^ees. and that his'goods are really worth t he iirice asked I'or them. MonTSs m mi itai?, WecoTiftiiue to Trn]X)rt hees from Italy, every two weelis ilurinsr tbe«ensoii, a.s fre did Jast year; and weoffes' them "icir sa^e :is usual Fi-ices: Imported 'Queen 818,00 Home fered (test'cd).-- ^ -. 5,00 We ^arsmtee -safe arrival of queeJis, We caji f urnisJi to •iiiir customei-s the best refei-eiK'es nmowg the most sioted bee-keepers of America and PXirope. We seE mone but liealthy Piid jK-ofefle queen-s. We wish tlie reader to bear an mind that nine-tenths of the Amer- icrni . jars, ,. , "l"' Tin FoilCaps, per gross l.^i Lal)els, •• " ■- 7-'> A tlioiissMd labels address printed to oi"der 5.00 One els for sjune, " " ...K» A thousand labels address printed to order 4.0O Uncapping Knives, as good as any, each .")(> *' *• per doz ,\., 4..'iO Alsike Clover Seed, i>er busliel 13..Xt " *• '• " peck 3.50 '• " " '• pound -W 1Larticulars. Address, Itf CHAS. F. MUTH, Cincinnati, Ohio. THE BEE-KEEPERS^ ]n:A«AZI]VE, an illus- trated monthly journal of 32 octavo pages, devoted exclusivelv to Bee-Cul- ture; edite- all postage for S^ 50. IMaterial fov I^angstvotli Hi^^es, Including 10 frames and 7 inch cnp, cut ready to nail for 80c., in lots of oO or more. Kiln dried pine lumber used. Address J. OATMAX & CO., 3-4p Dundee, Kane Co.. 111. Queens and Huclei &o!ii an Imported Uother. Ready to ship by June ^Oth Price of tested queens $3,00; warranted '82,00. Xudei with tested ((ueeu—tv^-o Lingstroth frames with plenty of brood and, 8«i,(X» each or Si5,00 for five. Full swarms with warranted queens in Langstroth hives 812,00, or ten for SlOO,00. (!l^f E. C. BLAKE8LKE. Medina. Ohio. ComBS^ — I have some in the standard Langstroth frame, of average iiuality. which I will carefully pack and deliver on the cars at 25 cts. each in lots of fifty or more. Address, F. T. NI'^X, Ober in, Ohio. OUR Bee Journal of the Southern States. Issued mouthlv at S2.()0 per vcar. Sample conies free. Address \. V. jMOOX & Co. 'Rcmc, Georgia. ■ GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. U. S. WIND ENGINE & PUMP CO., .VAXUFACTUEEIiS OF HALLADAY'S STANDARD WIND MILL. Donble and Single-Acting Force Pumps, Iron Grist Mills, Rail-road Tanks, Outlet Valves, etc. lis req,uire neither eBffineer, fireman, nor fuel, and when honestly made, very little attention; ou? en almost constantly at work for the past live yeai-s, aad is still faithfuUv driving saws, lathes, em- , etc., used in the manufactifre of our bee hives and honey extractors.— E"d. Gleanings.] EVERY BEE-HIVE MAKER SHOULD HAVE ONE ! AVill Rip, Cross-C\it, >Iltro. Ilal>T>ett. Gi'oo>"e, aiicl 01:3a«i' AVorli. Every tut h a Glue Joint. Easy to Work and EASY 'JO LEARN. , 40S0 Per Miinitc against 4S0 the Best ever done by tbe Old Mode, and Speed is Power. With them the EMERT T\'HEEL can \ye, used as tceU as with j Steam, with Great Saving over GrJndstone*. ^ Also, Band, Jig: &: Bencbt Savrs, Boriug' 3Iacbines cV Emery Orinders, all for ilan. Horse or Otlier Powers. Vddress, saying where you saw this, COMBINED POWER CO., 23 r>ey Street, ]V. Y. F. Manufuctiirirs of Barnes' I' 1» 33 11 33 A. "i' . Fulton, Mo., December iMx 1S74. Messrs. AV. P. & .Tohn B.^rnes, Rockford, 111.— Gentlemen : I sawed 110 frets for balustrmTc for portico, and K brackets, in first two days running. Evei-y one who has witnessed the workins of the Saw has pronounced it the most useful machine ever invented. 1 hive bsen working from 12 to 16 men, and hive done all my shop work (scroll sawing) on your machine, running it daily since I purchased it, and have paid nothing for repairs, except for saws, which amount was comparatively small. Three weeks since I purchased some imnorted woods and some nice designs, and. turned my attention to fret work. I have averaxed per day, since that time, :»11.50. I know of no occupition as pleas- .ant and i)TOtitable for a mechanic to spend his winter days at as the above. Your machine runs .so lightly and easily that it will not tire the most deiicite man after a little practice; in fact, I consider your machine indispensable to any carpenter, however smill his business is, ashe can introduce the little machine to his scrap pile, and make enough brackets in one week to pay for his machine. I consider my machine just as essential in my shop as a set of bench )Hanes. Very tmlv, M. FRED BELL. Architect and Builder. r^ Address, for full infonBation, "\V. F. & JOHX BARXE.S. Box 2,011, Rockford, Illinois. One Copy One Year Sl.OO, or with Lithograpii of Apiary, size 12xl(i, Mailed Free, Postpaid, §1.'35 or Litho- graph will be sent as a Premium for Two Subscribers at Sl.OO each. Any person obtaining Three Subscribers at Sl.OO each, may retain 50 Cents for his trouble. " '• Five " " " " 1.25 " " " " Ten " " " " 4.00 " "- -Vny number above Ten will be sent at the rate of Sixty Cents e.ich. Or, Gleanings . S1,00 ; Three copies, .S2,50 ; five. S-3,75 ; ten, S(5.00. Names may bo sent at any time during the year, and whenever a club is reached, we will credii nack the amount iirevi(nislv sent us in excess of the Club Kates. In this way anv of the Articles Mentioned on our PRICE LIST may be Secured as PREMIUMS. Please mention when names are intendefj "^■Q^m MTAwmlmB M^m^w^htL ^©i©BLtifi© A^©i?leants)^^ '^ ^ 14S GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. JUT.T Contents of this Niiiuljero Honey Vinefrar I'll- HW. 151 How 10 get One Swarm and no more 15- When to'pnt on the Boxes 152 The Bee Disense : Using the Comb for New Colonies. .152 Box Hive and Common Bees 153 How to Make Box Hives Swarm 153 Ho-./ to get Immense Yields of Box Honey 153 How the Bees Store Pollen 151 Foniidations Offered for Sale in 185!) K'l "Handsome is that Handsome Does." Queens 151 Are Box Hives Better for Wintering ? 151 Hoolittle's Apiary 155 Chaff or Straw Paekintr for Wintering 155, 162, 1(55, ItiS Long One Story Hives l^S Spreading the Brood, Honey Boxes etc 150 Yonng Queens Swarming Out and the Remeciy 150 Lamp Nurseries , 150 Out Door Wintering. Mice, ete 150 Our IS Year old Bee-keeper, Windmills, etc 157 The Hoop Hive, and so Many New Things 157 A Home Made Hive-Wall-Hall 15S How to rid any Quantity of Empty Combs of the Moth worms in a twinkling 159 How to Store away Empty Combs 159 Foundations 159, 160, 161, 162, 171 How to Catrh Swnrms 160,101 Kubber Gloves K'l Bon't let Y'our Bees Loaf on the Outside 101 Selling Honey • • • -163 Transferring IGl Moisture Collecting on Comb Honey 161 Alsike Clover 161 Common Bees and Italians 165 AVho Will Have the Floating Apiary V 105 Bitter Honey 1<>6 Wax Extractors 167 Very Thick Combs. Who Will Beat V 107 Moving Bees in Summer Time 167, 172 Home Made Queen Nursery .108 Saw-dust Around the Hives. A Caution 171 Comb Guides 172 Fastening Foundations into Frames 172 10 I Blocks, Iron, for frame making 15 I Barrels for Honey >;2.o0 to $4,00 I Buzz-saw, foot-power, complete, circular with cuts free on apiilicati m. Two saws and two guages included. 35.00 0 I Buzzs iw;, extra, 0 inch, 1 50 ; 7 inch, l,7ij ; 8 inch- 2,0t> i Comb Foundation Machines complete §125,00 20 i Candy for tees, can bo fed at any season. Per lb 15 20 I Corners, Metal, per hundred 1,00 25 " '• To)) only 1,25 20 I " '• BottoiTT, gal. iron, per Kio. 75 On lOOO or more a dis-count of 10 per cent will be made, and on 100,000, 25 per cent. The latter will be given to those who advertise metal cornered frames. Combs, empty worker in metal cornered L. frames 50 25 10 10 0(; 1,25 10 Clasps, for transferring, package of 100. Cards, Queen Registering, ]ier doz Cages. " Case with Separator to hold 3 Section frames Case of 10 of the above, 30 Section frames in all. Cheese Cloth, for strainers, per yard Extractors S8,50 to 10,00 " Inside and Gearing 5 00 " Wax : 3,50 Frames with Metal Corners (6 '• Sample Rabbet and Clasps 10 u Closed end Qiiinby, nailed 05 Gleanings, back Volumes, each 75 "■ present *' 1,00 Gearing for Extractor 1,50 Gates, Hone}', for Extractors 50 CoMis honey built on our foundations, is precisely like that made without any. No one can discover a particle of difference. We have received 90 new names this month, and precisely the same number have failed to renew, so ~\ve c.rs 1015 still. — ^-^«ti^^«^0^ OUK NEW GLAS.S HONEIT BOX. The top and bottom are wood, and are about 3-16 in thickness. A small hole is drilled H of an inch from each ■corner, and a Ions slim screw is jnit through tops, and screwed into the bottoms. By turning these screws down, it is plain that you car draw the wood so (irmly against the glass, as to cause them to sink slightly into the wood. The screw is just inside the glass which rests agains-t it. If you wish it more ornamental, fold .square a }4 inch strip of tin, that is 1-10 longer than the glass ; this will cut into the wood, under pressure of the screws, and holds the glass in place, e\en if it be not cut \-ery accurately. To give you an idea of how cheaply this can all bo made, we will remark that the holes are drilled in a block of wood cut to the exact size, before the thin boards are ripped off. The entrance slots (3) are cut in the bottom boards before they are ripped off from a block in the same way. Samples by mail as per price list. When we get our machinery all comijletcd, we hope to give better rates. IMPS.EIT5E\'ir.*i FOR KEE €I'S/rt:KE, Alv- PMASSETICALI.Y AKSSAr^CJESJ. For descriptions of the various articles, see our ninth edition circular found in Feb. No., or mailed on ap- plication. This price list to be taken in place of those of for- mer date. Mailable articles are designated in the left hand col- umn of figures ; the figures giving the amount of pnsfaffe required. 0 Binder. Emerson's, for Gxeanings 50, 60, 75 4 Boxes, section with comb guides C2 " with i^lass sides and fancy paper trim- 12 ming for above 15 20 1 " four glass sides, 5.x5x0i 10 5 I " without glass 05 I Balances, Spring, lor suspended hive 8,00 THE HOOr HIVE. One story Langs'h without frames or bottom §1,00 The same with bottom, 10 frames, division board and quilt, crated so as to be sent safely by freight or exjiress 2,25 I'he above is the hive we use and recommend in preference to everything else, and it contains every thing needed for all purposes except at the suri)lus season. If yon decide to use the extractor you want an extra body and 10 frames— Si, 25— making "comi)letc two story hive— 83,50— or, yon can have 30 section box- es (withtheir 10 cases ) in i)lace of the"10 frames, at the same price. If you prefer the old style of glass boxes, we can fit the upper story with 18 having glass on four sides at ]2| cents each; this will make the hive and all cost $5,00. One story Q. hive witliout bottom or frames 84 The same with bottom. 10 nailed frames, division board ami tiuilt, comi)lete except surplus receptacles ."52.00 The same with two story. 20 frames 3,00 Or you can have instead of the frames above, any of the arrangements for surplus, mentioned for the Lang- .stroth hive. A one storv' complete for 13 frames of eitlier the Standard, American, or Gallup hives, will cost $2,50, and they can also be used with any of the surjilus ar- rangements mentioned; also, as they are all dee|)er than the Langstroth frame, a single story can be used with fewer frames, and sections or boxes at the side of the frames. As an illustration; we can take four frames out of the one story hives above, and put in their place 18 section boxes. 25 I Honey, Clover, i)er lb, Kic, Basswood, 1,5c. By the bar- rel 2c. less and waxed and jiainted barrel included. Honev in section frames or fancy slass boxes. 25c. gross. 0 I Knives, Honev 1,00 0 j Labels, Honey per 1000 3,25 0 Litliogiaijh o"f Apiary 25 ! Lani]) Nursery 5,00 0 LarvtB, for queen rearing, from June to Sept. . 25 15 I Microscope, Compound. 3,00 0 I Prepared objects for above, such as bee's wing, sting, eye, foot etc., each 25 0 I Medley of Bee- Keepers' Photo "s. (150 Photo's) 1,00 6 Magnifying Glass, Pocket 60 0 " '• Double lens 1,00 0 I Photo of House Apiary 25 06 I Ouilts 25 Rabbets, Metal per foot 02 Scissors, for clipping queen's wings 40 Seed, Alsike Clover, raised near «,s,per lb 35 " Summer Rape. Sow in .June and July ... 15 " Chinese Mustard, per oz 25 Smoker L50 Tacks, Galvanized 1*^ Thermometers 4*^ I Universal Section Boxes in the Hat, each 01 , Universal case of .30 boxes, just; right for U. hives or any L. hive, and can be fitted, to any hive l,2o o'i Vails, Bee, with face of Brussels net, (silk) 7") 0 1 The ^ame, all of tnrletan (almost as good) 50 5 I Wire Cloth, for Extractors, per foot 15 3 I " " " Queen Cages 15 All goods delivered on board the cars at prices named. :S76. •GLEAmNGS IN BEE CL'LTURE. IM) mpact, Ssmpie, Substantial Economsca? and EasSl^v Managed. LOOK AT THESE PRICES. ■J Horse Powei' .., ^,§'250.00 4)i '• " SCO,^ For iurthcv information and new circular of th-e Uookwaiter Hln^ine. address the niannfactiuflrs — 7-11 JAMES LEFFEL* CXX, SpnnglieKl.Ohio. Silvery Bee-keeper slioiild. siibscrilse for it. Tlie American Bee Journal, Is the l;est scientific and practical Journal < f APICTUL- ffUEE m the world. The mos'i successful and (=si;eriuiced Apiarians in Eui-o^w, as well as America, contriVmte toils |)ai;'es. In fact, it is tdie oldest andlaoyest Ef.k Papek in 'Uie Eufflish langiiage. W2. Per Ainiuin. Send a Stmnp fc.r a S^unple Copy. Address THOMAS 'G. NEWx^IAX. tf LSI. Clark st.. Chicniro. 111. CAN-ADA HONEY EXTMACTOliS. Made entirely of metal, 58.90 to SIO.'OO each. T'le liarht- ■ost, strongest, liandiest and best. You can saxf ahffat'6o.0G in express charges, passinar the customs anvl d-.ity, liy or- iiO i)er lb. CHAS. F. MUTII. :>-Sd Cincinnati, O. Italian Queens For ISTG. Having dis])0sed of all tlie black liees in our vicinity we are prepared to furnish Choice Queens, bred Iroia Impor-icd and Selected Motljcrs. Carelul attention be- ing given to the selecLion oi .Drone 3fother-f~; allowing; none but those selected, to jiroduce them. xt the following low prices wc will turuish 1 Unwarranted Queen , § 1.00 Sale arrival wiirranted on orders for six or more. 1 Warranted Qneen^ 1.50 1 doz. Warra.nted ■Queens .-,.. 15.00 1 Tested Queen in Mav or earlv June 3.50 1 " '• -after June 2oth , 2.50 1 doz Tested Queciis atter-June 25tli . ., 25.0C' NUCi-EUS STOCKS. Small 3s Helens Hive-and Tested Queen.,. .- ,. .8 3.50 2 Full Sized Fnuwes 11-12 a.-id Warranted Queen.. 4.00 4 •• " ■• '• " " .. (1.00 1 Colony Pure Italians - ,...10.00 Satisfaction auaranteea. Address, ^ -J. OATMAJT -& GO., 2-4p7d Dundee, ivane Co., Ills. 125 Colonies Italian Bees For sale at $7.50 per Colonj-lO for $70.00. Bred from Imported Mothers ; arc in good movable frame hives, well paanted.; are in good eoaditiou. Stfd M. PAaSE, .Pine Bl-aff, Ark. Refer, by p'craiisfSon, to Trulock Bros., Cankers, Smart, JI«d5on.& Cu., Bankers, Pine Blufl', Ark. THE OXiF RELIABLE. THE 3Wt'iT BEAUTIFUL. THE MOJST ECONiOMlCAI^. THK M-OJSX' DUKABLE- Requires no oil thdnncvov drier, Requires w> waste of tijne in mixing, H a-^ sto' ■■■ \ ■I'oht. years'' criiicisms With iK'(triij increased 2Mnidarity . A'AiX yciiriy increased sales. £s «-o'rd t)y Uic gallon only, in packagics of IVo-m 1 to 10 gallons each, in Purest AVhitc and any 'Color (k Tint tiesireiU Add.ress, for sa.mi>Ie cai-d of cok»'s and piice list, A^-eriil Cliciiai-cal DPaiiit; Co., O'ffice and Factory 1S2 & 134 East Rivci- Staxiet, CLEVELAND, OHIO. 6-6-'77 You cannot look over the 'jack No"s of Gleanings or any other Periodical ■with satisfaction, imless they are in some kind of a Binder. Who has not said — "Dear me what a bother — I must have last month^s Journal and it's no where t-o be found." Put each No. in the Emerson Binder as scou as It comes and you can sit down happj-, any time^-ou wish to tind any "thing 3-ou may have pre\'4ous!y seen even though t were mouths ago. Binders lor Gleanincs (wdll hold them foi- four j'cars) gilt lettered, free bj' mall for 50, 60, and 75c, ac- cording to quality. Fcr table of in-ices of Binders for aiiv Periodical, -see -Oct. No., Vol. 2. Send iu your orders. A. I. ROOT. Ji ledina. O. Cr^TJBBING I^IST. We will send Gleanings— AVith The American Bee Journal (92.00),....... 12,75 "■ The Bee Keeper's Magazine (1.50) 2.25 " The Bee World (2.00) 2,5<) " All three. The Bee Journals of America, ...5.25 " British Bee Journal (82,00) 2.75 ^' American Agriculturist ($l.-60) S2.35 "• Prairie FarnTer (J2.15) 2.P0 '- Rural New Yorker (S2.,''.0) 3.25 '" Scientific American (33.15) 3.90 " Finit Reccider and Cottage Gardener (tl.CO) 1.75 [Aloic rates inch'dc all Fcifagc.} 150' GLEANINGS IN BEE CL'LTL'RS. JULV BOOKS for bee-keepers and OTHERS.. [Any of these Ixioks will be forwarded by mail, post- paid, on receijit of price.] Allen's ( L. F.) American Cattle -S2 50 Allen's (L. F.) Rural Architecture.., 1 50 Allen's (R. L.) American Farm Book 1 50 Allen's (R, L. and L. F.) Xew American Farm Book 2 50- Allen's (R Lk) Diseases of Domestic A,nimals 1 UO American Bird Fancier , 30 American Gentleman's Stable Guide 1 25 Americaii Rose Culturist , 30 American Weetls and Useful Plants 1 75 Atwood's Country and Suburban Houses -, 1 50 Art of Saw Filinii-. (Holly) , 75 B:uley's (hu- (y\vn Birds of theUnited States 1 50 Barry's Frait liarden..^.- , ,, 2 50 Bell's Carpentry Made Easy 5 CO Bement's Ribbit Fancier , oO Bosardus' Field, Co^er, and Trap Shooting , 2 CHJ Bummer's Method of Making Manures. . .1 . . 25 Boussinwiult's Rural Economy 1 00 Breck's Xew Book of Flowers , ,,.. 1 75 Breech-Loader , ,, 2 OO Brill's Farm-Gardening and Seed-Growinir 1 00 Buist's FloAver Garden Directory , 1 50 Buist's Family Kitchen Gardener , 1 00 Burns's Architectural Drawing Book 100 Burns's Illustrated Drawing Book 1 OO Burns's Ornamental Drawing Book 1 00 Burr's Vegetables of America. 3 00 Caldwell's Agricultural Chemical Analysis 2 00 Canary Birds. Paper, 50 cts. Cloth..' 7.5 Carpenters' and Builders' Guide 1 C«> Chorlton's Grape-Grower's Guide 75 Cider-Maker's Manna! 1 50 Cleveland's Landscape Architectnre 1 50 Cobbett's American Gardener ; 75 Cole's (S. W.) American Fruit Book 75 Cole's Veterinarian 75 Copley's Plain and Ornamental Alphabets 3 00 Cooked and Cooking Food for Animals 20 Crack Shot. (Barber) 1 75 Croff's Proicrossive American Architecture 10 00 CumminiTs' Architectural Details 10 00 Dadd's (Geo. H.) ^Modern Horse Doctor, 12 mo... 1 50 Dadd's American Cattle Doctor, 12 mo 1 50 Dadd's American Cattle Doctor, Octavo, ;eloth, gilt back 2 50 Dadd's American Reformed Horse Book, Octavo, cloth, gilt Iwck 2 50 Dana's ;\Iuck ^lanual 1 25 Darwin's Varia:ion of Animals and Plants, 2 Vol's.. 0 (X) Deae Dog 3 00 Downing's Landscape Gardening 6 50 Dwyer's Horse Book 2 00 Eastwood on Cranberry 75 Eggleston's Circuit Rider 1 75 Eggleston's Hoosier School-Master 1 25 Eggleston's End of the World ,. 1 50 Eggleston's JMystery of Metro polisville 1 50 Escsleston's (Geo. Car>') A Man of Honor 1 25 Elliott's Lawn and Shade Trees 1 50 j;iliott's Western Fruit Grower's Guide 1 50 Emerson's Farmers' and Planters' Encyclopaedia... 6 00 Eveleth's School House Architecture 0 00 Every Horse Owner's Cyclopfedia. 3 75 Farmers' Barn Book 1 50 Field's (Thomas W.) Pear Culture 1 25 Flax Culture 30 Flint (Charles L.) on Grasses 2 50 Flif.t's Milch Cows and Dairy Farmins; 2 50 Frank Forrester's American Game in its Season 3 00 Frank FoiTcster's Field Sports. 8vo, 2 Vol's 0 00 Frank Forrester's Fish and Fishing. Svo, lOOeng's. 350 Frank Forrester's Manual for Youug Sportsmen. Svo 3 00 Frank Forrester's Horse of America. Svo, 2 vols 10 oo French's Farm Drainaj^e - 1 50 Fuller's Forest Tree Culturist 1 50 Fuller's Gra iie Cnlturist 1 5(* Fuller's Small Fiaiit Culturist 1 50 Fuller's Strawlserry Culturist 20 Fulton's Peach Culture 1 50 Gardner's How to Paint 1 00 Geyelin's Poultry Breeding 1 25 Gregory on Cabbages paper . . 30 Gregory on Onions paj)er. . 30 Gregory on Sciuashes paper . . 30 Guenon fm Milch Cows 75 Gun, Rod . and Saddle 1 00 Harney's Barns, ftut-buildinss, and Fences G 00 Harris' Inscns Injurious to Vegetation. . .Plain .§4; Colored Engravings 0 50 Harris on the Pig 1 50. Hendersoa's Gardening for Pleasure 1 50> Henderson's Goj-dening for Prxjfit™ ..- . 1 50' Hend^rsoivs Practical Floriculture 1 50. Hemtiley's Kanly Trees, Shrubs, etx; —- 7 50 Herbert's Hints to Horsekeeping 1 75. Hooi>er's Dog and Gun .-papei-, 30c. . . .clotk. . 00 Hooijes' Book of E.vergreens 3 00' Hop Culture. .- ,.. .. . _. 30 Hunter aiul. Trapper. . .-. 1 00> J SELECTED BOOKS. An I^g Farm. iNew, novel and usefuL Paper 50 Cloth 75 Ten Acres Enough 1 25 Five Acres too Much 1 50 Window Gardening , 1 50 Purdy's Small Fruit Instructor 25 Carpenters' and Joiners' Hand Book 75 How Plants Grow 1 25 Every Woman Her Own Flower Gardener. Paper 50 Cloth 1 00 Earth Closets, and Earth Sewerage 50 Trout Culture 1 50 Potatoe Culture 25 How to use the Microscope 75 Jenny June"^ Cook Book 150 Scroll Sawing with Patterns 1 00 How to Make Candy 50 BOOKS SPECIAIJ,T FOR BEE-KEEPERS. Langstroth on the Hive and Honey Bee Ji.Oj yuinby"s Mysteries of Bee Keeping l.l>9 Bee Keeper's Text Book, muslin, 75 " " " " paper, 40 These are the best, but are all far behind the times. A Manual of Bee-Keeping, by John Hunter Sl,25 This latter is fully up to the times, being as late as Sept., 1S75, but being English, a considerable portion of it is hardly adapted to the condition of bee culture, at pi'esent, in our own countr3-. Manual of the Apiary. By Prof. A. J. Cook 30 This although small, is the only book we have in .-Vuierica that 16 M all up to the times. DEVOTED TO BEEiS AJ< P HOlVja Y, AJSjy IIO^JCE IIVTERESTS. A. I. ROOT, Published Montbly. „ „. , --, , ,. rXERMS: $1.00Per Amiiim in Ad- Pubhsher and Proprietor, > -^ vance; 3 Copies /or $2.50; 5/or »3. 75 ; ) E!stal>lisliedL in 1873. ClO or more, 60c. each. Single Number 10c. Medina, O. Vol. IV. JULY 1, 1876. No. 7. BEE MEN, AN© BEE MATTERS, NEAR MEMPHIS, TENN. BEAL NOVICE :— Tliis place is only twelve miles from Memphis and right on the R.R., yet people here are as ignorant of bee-culture as any back woods place ought to be at this day and time. When I came here . in Jan. last, if I said any thing about bees, I was asked '"have you seen Dr. E " or "John S— " some one, some the other ; "he is the bee man around here". I found the Dr. witli thirty four colonies of com- mon bees in box hives, about twelve inches square and deep, with a small cap. I got him to go and look at my hives and had considerable trouble to convince him that twenty Langstroth frames were not too many. He finally concluded to take 10 hives (by my agreeing to give him 10 more for the use of 10 good colonies for the summer) at 62.75 each. We transferred about "25 to get them strong, and have got our money back already. He is satisfied now, but will not take iny advice as to buying books or papers yet. I am working for extracted honey altogether, of which 1 have sold all I have ever been able to get yet, at 15 cts. ; so the regular Langstroth frame in one story holding 20 frames suits me very well here. I make them at $3,00, or §2,75 in lots of 10. I use cypress, which I like nearly as well as pine, dressed on both sides. Cheap enough is it not ? Work all done by hand e.xcept dressing the lumber, and strips for frames. I must have one of those saws after they are tried a little longer, if I can get more than I can do by hand. I can give my testimony in favor of honey vinegar. We have used no other for two years, and nearly every one who tastes our pickles asks my ^vife for her receipt for making them. When told that we use nothing but honey vinegar, they are surprised, and say that they have always heard it would not keep pickles. The only tronble we have had is, it keeps getting stronger and stronger, and we have to occasionally put in some water. As we have only used the waste honey from extracting, can not give the i)roj)ortions of honey and water, but usually have it too sweet at first ; and have to add more water. If it does not sour enough, we put it in a keg and set it in the sun with a black junk bottle in the bung. Do you thhik the bottle has any thing to with the circulation of air? I have thought it might. In reference to small or large type I am in favor of the majority's ruling, and it seems to me all those whose eyes are good yet, will vote for small, and the older eyes for large. If the consideration of respect for age bo left out, it is only a question of whether your readers mostly wear spectacles or not. !lly l:ist machine before this one had no wire cloth in- side the tin bars, and I find I can extract from new comb with this, better than the Peabody, which I had first, or your other. Yet I liked the arrangement for turning the casting back and taking out the frame Avork very mudi. I think your Home department a splendid feature and well worth the extra "two bits." It suggests many things most cf us never thought of, and sjiurs us up to other things we knov/ but had put off. "Line upon line, and precept upon precept." I have never known any trouble here wintering bees except from starvation. Speaking of comb foundations ; when I moved here I sold most of my bees and I priced them in this way ; first, the hive so much ; next, bees and six frames of honey so much ; and then 15c each per comb for all additional. Many thought that too high and I moved a great m:iiiy combs here which have been worth the money already. I forgot to tell about the other bee man that I spoke of in the beginning. He had several patent hives and was "out," so some of his friends told me, over §30,00 for "rights." Had taken the premium at the county fair for the best honey in boxes, I went to see him— not at homo —saw his bees— frames all sizes and some of them two inches wide ; saw several hives that had pollen, a prey to the moth ; no regularity in hanging frames in hives. He came to see me three days ago and wants to sell out. Should think so. Bees had been swarming every daj and going to tlie woods. Well, I have written most of this that you might see the ignorance that prevails, even within 12 miles of a city like Memphis. Is it any wonder men like Mitchell flourish ? Keep up your humbug column, I have spoiled their fun here. I "reckon" you will think I am well acquainted with Novice, if you know little about me. I have been follow- ing you since 1870 and should feel acquainted were I to see you, which I hope to do some day. G. W. Gates, Bartlett, Tenn., May 29th, '7(5. ■■! i^ II ft II Ol^ Just now there is considerable discussion in regard to the merits of imported queens, and the dark colored are being rather se\'erely censured. AVe would advise our friends before saying harsh things, to put the suspected workers on the window, and see if the yellow bands are not all as they should be. Perhaps they may be of a dark leather color instead of yellow, but if they are full and distinct, should it matter about the color ? All the bees we have seen that were reared from the Dadant importa- tion, show the marks quite satisfactorily, especially when young ; yet when old, many might pronoimce them hy- brids: or even black bees, just because the bands are of the dark hue mentioned. Honey ii the main object, and bees that can board themselves ; not bees that are pretty to look at. Is it not likely that the bees of Italy, are di- verse in tlieir markings, like animated creation of every kind ? IPO GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. July HOIV TO «KT ONE SWAKITI AlVD NO IWORE, ANU KOX I50IVEV. ^ HAVE purchased of Mrs. Grinnu, three colonies bees M in hi\es, as per ad. I have also sent to J. Oatman & " Co., Dundee, 111., for material for three Langstroth hives, as per ad.; and as a novice m bee management I feel somewhat puzzled to know how to proceed further, and naturally thnik of looking to you for information. I should like to allow my bees to swann once only from each colony, and from the balance of their labor to obtain bos honey. Can the object be secured V If so, how shall I proceed to avoid swarming more than once from each hive ? What have you for sale in the line of surplus honey lK)xes, suitable for such hives as I have described, and how many will 1 be likely to need -.I'ith my stock of bees ? My bees are seemingly doing well, but I notice occasion- ally a few dead ones in front of hives ; is there likely to be any thing wrong with them ? When is the proper time to use the honey boxes ? C. P. Teiesd. East Paris, Mich., May 29th, 1870. To obtain one swarm from each hive, and one only, is a result tliat a novice will be very likely to Jail in securing, with the best direct- ions perhaps that can be given, that is, if we are to work for box honey only. Perhaps no question is now asked oftcner than, when to put on the boxes. We can only repeat what we said on page 53, and the directions pasted on each hive we send out ; viz., put on the boxes just as soon as the bees have filled all their frames and need more room, providing honey is coming in, and they need rcom in which to store it. If they are put on sooner, it does no good, but harm; for it allows too much cold air to enter the brood chamber. The hive should be of such size as to have the bees at all times till it as nearly as may be. It is utterly out of the question for your ed- itor or any one else to tell yon when to put on the boxes ; you must look, and see the condi- tion of the hive inside ; if you fmd there is emp- ty comb on the outside, make them fill that first ; and if the centre of the brood nest looks crowed, or if they are building bits of comb at the ends of the frames, it may be well to put the empty comb, if worker, in the centre ; but have all full before you put on the boxes. Of course we consider the Universal section box and case at .$1.25 the best surplus arrange- ment, or we should not have named it thus. As these cases contain 30 boxes of 1 lb. or more each, your colonies might if extra strong 1111 two cases each. But we think 1 case each per hive on the average, would be a very fair yield, even though some hives might till three. Now the prevention of swarming, depends much on giving the bees all the room they want, and yet not too much. If after the first swarm issues, you open the old hive — the cases of section boxes favor this operation as they may all be removed at once — and very care- lully remove all but one, of the queen cells, this generally answers with common bees, but the Italians will many times swarm with- out any queen cell, or withotit taking any steps toward the construction of one. If after taking away all their queen cells but one, they shotild still persist in swarming, we really know of no way of stopping them unless we take away their honey with the extractor. If we are going to raise box honey exclusively, perhaps the best we can do will be to let those swarm, that are determined to, and hive them on a set of empty combs ; or move the hive to a new location, and put them back into it as we have mentioned heretofore. Those that can be kept from swarming by giving them plenty of room, and our case of section boxes gives a large amount of room very close to the brood, will usually give us a large crop. This requires a good deal of watching it is true, but if you get tired of it, go back to the use of the Extractor. ^ - «^« -^»» THE BEE 0ISKASE, AND ISING THE COIWB EEFT, FOR NEW COEONIES. ^rfrjjDITOR GLE.\NIXGS :— Last fall I had five colonies i^Pjl of black bees, in movable frame hives, from crre I " had wintered in a box hive the winter before. The first of March, two of them died of dysentery, leaving plenty of rather thirr honey. The other three seemed to be doiirg well at that time, but became uneasy. I kept candy and sugar orr the frames, but they would crawl out and die ; arrd died in the hive so that by the time I got them on their summer stands, which was the 10th of April, there were but few left and they soorr dwindled cut. I didn't like to give up bee-keeping thus. The farm would bo too lonesome without them. I have bought two stocks of pure Italians, of Mrs. Grimm. They came all right and ar-e doing nicely. From the two swarms I lost in the winter, I took combs for one, but the others have left their combs empty and somewhat soiled. I can lit the hive over those I got of Mrs. G. for a second story, but the frames hang the other way from t he Lai!gstroth, that is, across them ; being Gallup. Woidd that make any difference ? Is it advisable to give these combs from the bees which died, to other bees, either as secorrd story or for new swarms ? S. C. Peet.y. Portlatd, Mich., May 251h, '7C. The symptoms mentioned are precisely those of the spritlg malady, and yet our Iriend Bolin and others make light of it, and tell us it is all our own fault, etc.; as it seems on the whole to be vanishing, perhaps they may nev- er have a trial of it. Our friend Blakeslee has for tlie first time, this spring seen a colony die by dwindling, when supplied with plenty of stores ; and it really seems to run for a time in particular localities, gradually making its way into new ones. Careful experiments giv- en in our former Vols, seem to show that the honey that causes the bees to die one winter will be perfectly wholesome for them the next. We have found such combs just as good as any during warm w'eather. The frames can be set in the upper story at right angles to the lower ones, just as well as any way, providing the hives are set level; in fact, some aspiring individual claims to have the idea patented, as oflering peculiar advantages. If good strong colonies carefully prepared in the fall, are not a safe-guard against the spring troub- les, they will certainly be more likely to sur- vive even after having their numbers thinned down. I commenced two years ago with one stand, aird from them the followirrg season wintered 7 Stands ; and this spriirg, all arc Oourishitrg and most of them Italianized. And nov,' I must corrtrivc sorrie way to get tire honey with- out destroying the comb. Elizabeth T. Beown, Lincoln, Va., May oth, '70. ]87G GLE.1NINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 153 FOR DEPARTMENT BOX HITE BEE-KEEPERS. ^^l^-^E rather feared uo one would volunteer ^i'ijj to conduct, or rather defend this de- partment ; but our old friend Heddon turns up just in the nick of time, to do the talking, at least. Now friend H. if j^ou don't practice as well as theorize, we will never more have confidence in your skill. We shall expect you to start just such an apiary, and tell ex- actly how it prospers, without letting preju- dice bias your writings in the least; and if you find j'ourself mistaken, to own up like a man. One of your stroug props "Walks and Talks" it seems has already come back to the extractor with a sudd"nness that fairly "jolts" a body. Please don't predict what the future will be iu regard to houej-, for the future is sometimes quite startling in its uufoldings. HEDDOX'S BEE GAKDEN. EDITOR GLEANINGS:— I see by June No., page 132, that the "scales" are dropping from your eyes some, iu regard to these "new fangled" trinkets and notions. Now, I have said, that we have nothing to-day to warrant suc- cess, that hee-keepers did not liave 20 years ago. I can establish an ajjiary, in a suitable locality, and if I put enougli capital into it, and my knowledge and natural tact, or adaptability to the business, is equal to tlie in- vestment, I may be as sure of a suitable return as from any other producinfj business. Let is not be lost sight of, that producers of all classes, "earn all they get," as Jlr. L. C. Root says. Now I propose to estabhsli this apiary (for profit) ujjon very ancient principles. I want no extractors at all, no comb fo'indatiDns, no queen nurseries ; no Italian bees, no movable frames, and xo ajjiarian near enough to divide the "field" with me. Since I have been engaged in bee culture, (and I have made it a specialty for 8 years) I have been "through the mill'" with all these appendages except the foundation comb, and I mean just what I say, and can prove it. "Well wliat do you want ? " I liear some one say. Ans. ; hiTEOXG STOCKS, a good yield of nectar, and free commu- nication to the surplus receptacles. Which one of the above supposed requisites, will insui-e these real advan- tages r " Echo answers, "which ? " Do frames in hives cause the bees to become strong in numbers and do golden bees keep the brood chamber full of larvK, and the surplus receptacles full of white delicate combs ? Djes an extractor lessen your labor and help you to dispose of your surplus r In fact does taking "the labor" off the bees hands and on to our own shoulders seem much like "progressive Itee culture ? " Perhaps it ought to be called "progressive" honey making, almost without bees, but that too, is old ; especially in the line of clear honey. Yes, and I may say, combs too. Our fathers knew nothing of frame hives. "We know nothing of box liives. A box hive propcrlij made, of the rifjht dimensions, and proportions, will better accommo- ilate the apiarian, and assist him in doing all that he can allord to do (for profit) in a 1 irge apiary, than any frame hive can. The above are facts, as I see them, and if desired, I will in a future article, tell Jiow this box hive is made, and also give my favorite method of hiving, making artificial swarms, examining stocks for all purposes, etc., etc. If we have got to dispose of our honey at the present low price, hadn't we better look up the matter of how we are *i) have a steady demand for it, as for wheat, and other productions? Who will pub!i^ll a manual that will shed ONE ray of real light (no fox fire) on "How to winter beos with full success r " (Like tlie box hive men do, wlien we do.) "How to sell their surplus honey for the most sicre pay ? " The season we can't chango much, and those other "progoressive" points, we will get along with, without any book. I think of leading off on another track, and getting all the "old fogies" (that would just as soon eat black as Ital- ian bees' honey) to follow. James Heddon. Dowagiac, Mich., June 0th, '70. Of course you don't want any "book" friend II. It would only be a great bother, and of no kind of use. We promised last month, to tell you more about working the shallow box hives; have gleaned from a friend that if a box hive will neither swarm nor v.'ork in boxes, they can be started out by simply turning the hive over and drumming a swarm out. To do this, a hive of the same kind is inverted over it, and the old hive is pounded with sticks on the side boards until the queen and greater part of the bees are in the upper hive. Now place the new hive on the old stand, and give the old one a new location. Our informant states that these drummed out swarms will go to work ot once with all the vigor of new natur- al swarms, and if the season is early, will, besides filling their hives, almost invariably fill a set or more of boxes. But to get a large yield, have the hive furnished with a full set of comb ; you may then put on the boxes as soon as the swarm is made. To get these empty combs, save them from colonies that have perished ; or, if you do not have that kind of luck, buy them up of those who do. If you want t?iormo(;s yields of hone}'', and do not care for increase of stock, there is still another plan ; and perhaps we should mention that this plan is one that is used by our friend Butler of Jackson, Mich. It is to get a good natural swarm, aud hive it on a set of combs filled with brood, taken from other hives in- discriminately. By this means we get all the native energy of the new swarm, and reinforce this energy by multitudes of young bees that take the place of the old ones as fast as they wear out. This can be done with box hives by drumming a swarm out as above, and put- ting them into an empty hive ; as soon as they get well at work, or after their hive is partly filled with comb — one or two days — shake them out of it, and pttt the parent hive in its place, cutting out all the new comb built and using it for starters in the honey boxes. You will need to watch, and see that too much honey is not stored, or you may have a sticky job of it. If you can take the trouble to sep- arate the sections aud give the new swarm the brood combs from several hives, you will get a much greater yield. Do not let your bees idle away their time on the outside of the hives, whatever they do. jVOXES FKOItl OUR, EXCIIANG£»i. 2 ^.jflJHE BritisJi Bee Journal has an article en- titled "The Mysteries of the Bee hive," that is so spicy, racy, and so full of quaint truths, that did space permit, we would like to give it entire; in fact the only fault we can If 4 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. July tiud. with the work, is that it is a good deal better than anythiug we cau do, even were we as well posted. Friend Abbot long may you "Wield the pen. We extract as follows : "No ff having seen the bees enter the hive with their res- pective spoils, lot us watch and see what they do with lliem. The hcney or water-laden bee, as a rule, marches directly to the hone.v -cells, beycnd, above, or possibly within the brood-nest, and if not wayhiid by a hungry .voung nurse-bee, will discharge the contents of its hcney- sac into one of them ; but should it meet with a sister cra- ving for liquid with which to make the pap for the young bees, it will at once impart to her the contents of its sac, and go back to the lields for more. There is great econo- my in this latter proceeding, as it saves the labor of storing and Withdrawing the newly-gathered honey, and leaves that already stored intact, to be added too only when the ingathering is greater than the demand. The pollen-laden bee upon entering the hive makes di- rectly for the brood-nest, and where its load is required, it quickly disencumbers itself. Sometimes the nurse-bets are in want of the all-necessary pollen, and nibble it from the legs of the worker without ceremony, but more often the bee goes to a cell devoted to pollen storing, and liatgs by its lirst pair of legs to another cell immediately above, and by the aid of its middle pair cf legs it unloads its hindmost, and (as it were) kicks the balls of pollen into the proper receptacle. Here they are mixed with a little honey and kneaded into a stiff paste, which is then ram- med hard against the bottom of the cell, for future use, the bee using its head as a battering ram ; and these op- orations are repeated until the cell is almost filled with the kneaded dough, when a little clear h jiiey is placed on the top, and it is sealed over and preserved as bee-bread. If a cell-full of pollen be cut in two, longitudiiiallj-, its contents will, as a rule, be found of many colours, strati- lied, the strata of varied thicknesses standing on edge, as if the bees, instead of storing bread, had stored pancakes." We owe a vote of thanks to the editors of the Magazine for their very full demonstration of the fact that the loundatious were in use, and publicly advertised in the German Bee Journal, as long ago as 1850. It seems to us there is still too much troub- le borrowed by many of the writers, in nearly all the bee Journals. The bee-keepers who are busy at work have little or nothing to lament about, and those who denounce so heavily, we fear are too often committing themselves hastily. In regard to the comb "foundations, we have of course many points to determine ; but would not careful and candid experiment be in better order than rushing into print against them at this early stage of develop- ment. It is really painful to receive letters that seem written with the express purpose of "using up"' some certain person or thing. Can we not work together with the disinterested candor that would become a band of brothers searching for the truth, and caring little who it is that flnds it first ? We must enter a little protest against the hard things that are said about our friend Dadant, although at the same time we do think it looks a little bad that there are so •/«««?/ complaints against him. If we may be excused we would advise 3Ir. D. to have his' cus- tomers satislitd, even if he had to return the money he had received, when he knew he was in the right. To his customers we would sug- gest that if he really meant to be dishonest he would send out yellow ({ueeus instead of black ones, for these could be furnished almost as cheaply as the common queens at the present time, and perhaps even cheaper for one in Dadant's position. If so disposed he could give the best of satisiaction by selling golden queens, and all would pass lovely; but the fact that he continually sends queens that are not handsome, in spite of the clamor for "nice ones", is to us good evidence that he gives just such as he is able to procure from Italy and no othfi; even when the temptation might be very great at times, to send out just such a one as was wanted. Among all the com- plaints, we think none has been made that his bees were not industrious. Visitors frequent- ly tell us when showing them a queen, that they would not take such a one as a gift, sim- ply because they look so much like black queens ; and this may be the case, when they have no fault to find with the workers. If we get the honey, what else do we want V ARE BOX HIVES MOKE SI CCESSFl't, THAN FK AME illVES FOK AVfll^iTERlIVG ? HY do bees in good solid box hives, winter better than in frame hives ? I have traos- ferred 30 hives in the last few days and have a solution of the question, but ask in Gleanings. 1 will answer it in one of the magazines shortly, in an article on wintering bees. The old log gum and the box hive are more uniformly auccessfiil than the mov- able frame hive ; it is demonstrated to me every win- ter, and in translerriug I tried to study the philosophy of this thing. Xow in the bos or gum there is no up- ward ventilation, every crack and crevice is closed ; more, the top is closely tilled with store combs reach- ing from side to side, and when the bees pack between tlie combs there is a very small amount of vacant space. They have no upward vectilation, they have no absorbing material above them nor in any place, — even the sides of the hive are coated with glue — yet we cvlfirred, cditcafeil. ajnarians give them both. J use the wide or closetl top frame and find that my small hives with the top glued tight so that bees nor water can get through, winter best. What evidence have we that the bee renders the air iinj)ure by breath- ing it ? or even damp, as claimed by some ^ Why, sir if there were as much water thrown off the lungs of the bee as some claim, it would run off tlie bottom boards of box hives ; yet in my frame hives, frost collects on the glass. Well, what makes it ? Venti- lation. How will I prove it? 15y giving ventilation to one of my hives through the propolis on the end or siile next the glass. But excuse me, I didn't want to waste paper. You need not read this side. John F. LAFF?:RTy, Martinsville, Ills., June 10, '76. A great many friend L. have taken the pos- ition you are now taking, but we believe they have nearly all abandoned it sooner or later. Could youread the reports we do, we think you would conclude the wintering troubles were pretty nearly as bad with -box, as with other hives. The water does most assuredly run off the bottom boards, and we have seen icicles iiistdi' box hives almost as large as one's arm. During the past winter we had two hives that we traded ifor, having honey boards covered with propolis, and cemented down tight. These hives had old combs in them, 1876 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 155 and their owner said he had no tronble in winterins; them in the open air : yet when left undisturbed in our yard, thej' dwindled down until almost nothins was left, and one of them today has less than a teacupful of bees. They have abundance of natural stores left yet, and as we did nothing at all to them, why should they thus run down ? From reports we should judge that want of ventilation had killed al- most as many bees as starvation, and yet right in the face of this, we hear occasionally, of bees that winter all right with every thing gummed up apparently water tight as you mention. We are inclined to think the box hives you mention have cracks or crevices that admit a small supply of air after all ; yet we agree with you in thinking it utter folly to bore holes all over a hive and cover them with wire cloth. It should also be remember- ed that unpainted hives admit the moisture to pass out through the pores of thu wood to a considerable extent. DOOLITTtiE'S APIARY. WjE moved our bees (106 stocks) to our new house Dec. 11, putting 54 in a cellar built as — ■ (lecribed in Gleaning Vol.11, page 133, and leaving 52 out doors, 24 of which were packed with straw on 3 sides, and caps filled also. Jan. 1st, being very warm, and our bees not having flown since Nov. 13th, and having been moved during the time, we thought best to set them out for a fly. They flew fine- ly and were set back at night, yet while those out iloors specked things badlj', those from the cellar hardly spotted anything at all. The temperature In the cellar varied but 2^ all winter luitil March 35th. After that time I could not keep it as steadj-. The temperature was 41° to 43° until March 15th, and from then on, from 43° to 4S°. Those out doors had a chance to fly as often as once in three weeks. April llth be- ing a line day we set the 54 stocks out, finding one deail and three queenless which we united with oth- ers leaving 1C2. On April ISth (it having been so cold lor three days that bees were packed closely) we ex- amined all our hives anple we have to feed when we are as short as we were this spring. June 3d we examined all our bees and all that had 500 square inches of brood and upwards (which w^o 43 in number) we let remain as they were, the balance we are uniting so as to fill every hive with brood. Wo shall therefore have 70 to commence the season with. We have united bees at all times of the year and think this the only practicable time to do it. June i)th we were visited by a terrible thunder storm during which the lightening struck our house, and the flood came down from the hills above us and blocked up with brush, stone and mud so as to run down through our bee yard to the depth of 15 inches. Oh, how it rained and how we worked to get the bees out. The water and mud rose high enough to reach the combs of 39 of them, some of which were filled two-thirds full, which killed nearly all the brood as far as it went. Only those that would hatch in two or three days lived. All empty cells were left one-third full of mud which the bees seem loth to remove for j the queen to deposit eggs. At least 400,000 bees were killed in the brood state, and these were just our basswood workers. But we are thankful to our Heav- enly Father that our lives were spared, for Mrs. D. was standing in the door right under where the light- ening first struck, but escaped unharmed on account of the tin roof we think, as it followed out to the con- ductor pipe and thence to the cistern. We can exercise due charity toward Mr. Perrine af- ter the Chicago fire, but his agreeing to pay ii? for the honey delivered at the R. R., and not fulfilling does not call for any charity. We believe you thought your charity towai'd Mrs. Tupper was misdirected, (i. M. DooLiTTLE, Borodino, N. Y., June 15, '76. L,OIV« ONE STORY HIVES. P>LEASE give us a chapter in Gleanings, on the management of the single story 20 frame hive, ^^^ for extracted honey. Walter Wade, Pettit, Ind., June 10th, '76. The management of the long hive is very simple. If the colony becomes weakened in spring, close up the size of the hive with divi- sion board to correspond to the number of combs they can cover, and then enlarge as we have before directed. When honey begins to come in, give them room as fast as needed. Our expersence seems to show that it matter.s little whether the brood nest is near the en- trance, or at the back part of the hive, only that the bees plainly show a preference for having one or more comds between the ends of the hive and the brood. These combs are the ones that will contain the greater pai-t of the hone}' to be extracted. It will save both your- self and the bees much labor if jon use drone combs to hold the surplus honey, and keep them at :\. greater distance apart than the brood combs. We would commence extracting at the back end of the hive, and as fast as the combs are emptied, put them back in the hive turning the ([Uilt back only so far as is re.iuired if robbers are troublesome. We would ad- vise at present, that the brood combs be left undis- turbed, and that enough honey be left in the hive at all times to keep the colony over winter. In one sense this might be considered wastel'ul, but for the masses of the peoi)le, it is very safe advice to give. IT we follow this plan, the long hives have very little advantage over the two story hives, and it is eas- ier work extracting from the latter where they stand directly on the ground as far as stooping is concernc 1. We find them now more disposed to store above the cluster, than to go very far horizontally ; hence our preference for the two stories. IfG GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. JULV SPREADIIVCi THE BROOD, HOXEV BOXES, CHAFF, ETC. VnTjRlEXD NOVICE :— Gleanings for June is in hand, ]l[i anrl its visit finds me so busy that I scarcely have ' time to turn round. My bees came out with the loss of 3 out of 51. Had queen cells started for swarming on Jlay "^Oth. I don't ajrree with you in relation to in- se rtiir^ emjity combs in the brood chamber ; a new strong swarm with hive full of bees may fill all their combs with- out spreadins, but I think friend Doolittle will tell you that his quart of bees wouldn't amount to much if he didn't spread the combs. 1 inserted the first combs this spring. May Gth, and I know the queen would not have occupied the space in several days. I find it a very good l)lan to mark the date on the top of the frames, then you know just when that comb vrill shell out the young bees. It requires some experience to spread the combs just at the proper time ; the new beginner is liable to overdo and ruin the swarm. Although a strong swarm may fill their b.ive with brood, I find in my ajiiary that the front find rear combs are usually filled with bee bread and hone5', and would not be filled v.'ith brood but for removal and spreading. We have inserted such frames, tilled with bee bread, m the centre, and next day found the bee bread all removed from the centre of the combs and eggs in its jilace. You will find a description of tin cornered honey lioxes in King's Bee Journal, Vol. XI, pages 12 and 0(5, for the year 1870; and I used such boxes the same year. Mr. Isham's patent I think covers his method of applying the tins through a mortise, while the old way was to tack the tins to the cover. A very neat box can be easily made by getting out your top and bottom, size required, and setting 4 wires, about No. ."JO, and as long as you want the height of the box, ii' inch from each corner ; cut the glass accurate- ly and hold it in place against the wires, by ])itccs o; tin driven into toj) and bottom pieces. The corners can be covered with fancy jjaper. I am usin.r a few of the abo\"e pattern, they are very easily and cheajily made. I like section frames better than any other method, and if the honey is put in bulging, I make several sections just large enough to slip over the honey sections, like a cover over a lx)x, with glass on one side. You can slip one on each side of a frame and accommodate the bidge. We can make these very easily of wood just as we make our sections, but I suppose they could be made of pajier just as well. AVe make our sections by grooving the ends, and we think it pays to have yoin- glue-pot on the stove and Avhen you put them together, dip one end of each piece in it; it makes a very solid frame. We have adopted the same plan for our hive frames, and now make them stronger than a nailed frame. Friend Bolin has lost a few s'.v'arms of his bees then. We knew he wouldn't sail through this hazardous life of bee-keeping without now and then a little bad luck. But who would have thought that friend Bolin hail the "con- stitutional weakness" of standing with his hands folded, when his Waterloo was perhaps before him. Now, Friend Novice, don't go for chafT too strong. IVe fixed a swarm according to Townly. He said take a me- dium swarm and we did. We put a new quilt over the frames and packed chaff all around, not a foot on top, but about 0 inches. They wintered well, but dwindled in the sjH-ing ; perhaps I should have put on bags and more cliaft'. J. H. M.ujTix, Hartford, N. Y., June otli, '7(;. YOUNG QUEENS SWARMJNG OUT, AND THE REMEDY. ^^OU will oblige me ever so .niicJi, by gi\ing me your W attention five minutes. I have 5 fine young Italian ' queens a month old, raised in full colonies of blnck bees — no drones exce])t in four or five Italian colonies— and when they come out, the bees (a half bushel) will fol- low, filling the air so full of bees that the queen fails to find drones. They settle as usual for swarms, and are re- turned to the old hive to rejieat the next day. Now, what am I to do ? I have a number of young queens of the same age, that are laying, but not one of the colonies fol- lowed them out. D. B. Teague. P. S.— Is it not encouraging for a large yield of honey this season? I have taken from 25 to 40 lbs. each, from several hives, and a splendid article too. D. B. T., Bradford, O.. June l-2th, '70. The remed)' is to see that unsealed larva- is in the hive at the time the young queens make their excursion. This will give them some- thing to do, and keep them out of mischief. Full colonie.* seldom swarm out in this man- ner, but nuclei very often. Put a comb of eggs in the hive, when the queen is 5 days old, and there will very seldom be any complaint of the kind. AVe infer that in your case, you inserted queen cells, and that they were so long in hatching, the brood was all sealed up. As the young bees had nothing to do, they concluded they might as well go out and see the "vvorld, as to stay at home. With the lami> nursery, we get the young queens fertilized while the hive is yet full of unsealed brood. Lamp luirsery and introducing virgin queens proves to be a success with me. Hatched and introduced seven on the 5th. At -1 o'clock this morning found six crawling about in the nursery. Have introduced 13 without a sin- gle loss. Have nine cells in the nurser.v now, which will have to be t.aken care of before night. We are having a splendid yield of clover honey, have extracted 400 lbs. and about 600 more ready to take out. A. W. WiNDiroEST, St. Charles, Mo., June 9th, '70. Besides the nursery mentioned above, we have sent out a good many this season, and would be verj^ gl^id to receive reports from all of them. Also please give us full reports of tlie working of the foundations, and other im- plements. It is onlj'^ by comparing the exper- iments of many, that real progress is made. A SUBSCEIBEE proposes that we .'•hould give diagrams and descriptions of all the iwincipal hives in use, as we have of the frames in use ; but our reply is that we should thereby complicate the subject ten-fold more than it now is, and we are roundly taken to task as it is, for having so much to say about things that none but an ex- ])ert can understand. When the busy season is over, wo will try and give, in a general article, the desirable points of all the hives in use, as well as some that it seems impossible to combine in one and the same hive. In one or two cases we have l)een told that rejwrts of large yields of honey were not given honestly. AVe hope our friends will be very careful to make their statements a little less, rather than beyond the actual facts. AVhere- ever we have good evidence that any statement furnished us is really false, we shall show uj) the offender unhesita- tingly : but it should be borne in mind that yields of honey are manj' limes' so vinaecouutable to the unitiated, one should hardly blame them for thinking and saying unkind things. Besides, two persons may give state- ments very unlike, and yet both utter nothing but the truth. Where reports are very extraordinar.v we are generally pretty careful to find out who it is that makes them. 1870 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 157 OUT-I>OOR \fINTEKING, MICE, ETC. f WINTERED 5i out of 58 swarms ; they are in sood condition. One of them sent out a swarm with a vir- ' gin queen a week ago ; 1 examined them to-day and found the queen had just commenced laying. The old stock also has a laying queen and three queen cells start- ed ; two, containing small larva^ and one sealed over. They are Italians and I should think, a little foolish. I have another stock on which I left a set of partly filled honey boxes all winter, and to-day I noticed that they were putting honey in the old combs. Drones are out from nearly all the hives. I use the Lansrstroth hive with roof not fastened to the cap, and winter thus : get your stocks strong in young bees and honey, put on the quilts, till the caps with fine dry straw, leaving the roofs V inch above the caps. Place a weight on them to prevent their being blown off, fix the entrance s ) that mice can not get in, then give them a thorough letting alone. S. H. Hough. Rootstown, Ohio, May 17th, 1870. Although the saving of 54 out of 58 is noth- ing unusual, it is quite unusual to get swarms as early as May 10th, in this vicinity ; and we are much inclined to give, at least a part of the credit, to the strtiw covering. It seems the yield from fruit blossoms has been quite unusual, and reports to that effect were receiv- ed all the way up from the southern states. It is pleasing to note how a flow of honey gradually creeps northward ; and so invaria- bly does it come, that we have learned to expect it as a matter of course. Today — .June 3nd — we are told tlie clover yield in Cin. was never better ; tberefore we understand that we are to be prepared for it here in about 10 days. We have never until this season, realized the importance of having hives mice proof; but after the number of combs that have been cut to dust besides the honey consumed, we have determined hereafter to have all en- trances so that however much they may be enlarged, no mouse can ever get in. If the bees have as great an antipathy as we, to the peculiar oder that the mice leave, they will certainly thanlc us for making the entrances a little more exclusive. The old Langstroth hives as usually made, allow them to go in at will during the winter, and it is these that give us most trouble. The entrances to the Simplicity and hoop hive, have always exclud- ed mice so far, and if the matter is borne in mind when hives are made, they can easily be kept out. The complaint has been a very gen- eral one, owing we suppose, to the warm win- ter. If the entrance slot in the L. hive, and all others, be made not to exceed % of an inch, if we are correct, mice will never gptin. OUR 18 \EAR OTLS9 BEE-KEEPER. I HAVE springrcd my bses accordini7 to the plan re3- ommended by G. M. Doolittle, I think, and it worked ^^^^ )ucely vmtil honey began to come in fast, when the bees would fill the empty combs I put in, with honey, before the queen could fill them with eggs ; but having an extractor I fixed them and got a nice lot of apple honey. Th&re are drones nearly ready to hatch. I swarmed our grape vines {a la Novice) and have a nice lot arranged hexaiionally. What I wanted to know in the May No., was how a mnd-mill was made to turn a7iy machine. I should think if a balance wheel were used, it might stop on the center and consequently break somethmg. I had one objection to Italian bees, viz., when fed with syrup, if they can get into it, some of them are sure to drown ; while black bees are afraid of getting their feet wet. But dry sugar works all right. I want to try the comb foundations but don't want to \)ay as much for them as the combs will be worth when built. I will send you a. block and punch ,for ]iutting frames together, such as I use. I made the patterns, took them to the foundry and got some made. I will subscribe to what is said under the head of §1,00 queens, having a daughter of an imported queen whose workers all show three yellow bands; they don't have to be podded out with honey either, and four bands can be distinctly seen on some of them when they are filled. I have the eggs already laid for the first lot of cells, and expect to have laying queens by the middle of June. Lloyd Z. .Ioxes. Galva, Henry Co., Ills., May 23d, '76. There are two kinds of wind-mills, friend J. ; those arranged for power, and those for pump- ing. The former have no cranks at all, and we fear it would be somewliat difficult to ap- jily the power to buzz saws, if the mill is built for pumping. We think you are right about Italians getting into honey or syrup; our neighbors speak of feeding in a pan or box, witli only grass or shavings for a float, but our bees die in cousiderable numbers when fed thu?. Many thanks for the new block and punch for putting on corners; but although they do the work perhaps a trifle quicker, the having extra implements to handle, we think more than counterbalances the advantage ; at least tliat was the Tlecision in the work shop. Very glad indeed that you too have found the $1.00 queens a good investment. SO MAIVY NEW THINGS. M'OW you have gone and done it again ! Got up a hive that is better than all before. But you tell us ' ^ not to buy vinless our bees have earned the money. So far all right, but is it right to just keep templing us ^oor/e/?o !(,•.« with ^qx^qWAw^ just a leetle hetter all the time, so that there is nothing left for the Blue Eyes, even if we do make the bees pay far all the traps your ingeni- ous brain can invent ? Notwithstanding all the rain last season, our bees man- aged to get a little buckwheat honey (extracted) to sjiare. It all sold for from IS.'i to '20 cts. per lb., and after payuig for those frames, there is a little left. As I want to see all these new traps find enclosed, etc., * * * J. .1. WniTSox. Valley Mills, Marion Co., Ind., Feb. 9th, '76. We are very sony indeed to have made .so many changes, but the latter can hardly be called a change, as it was only a compromise with the styles of fram.es already in use, and as they cannot be merged into one, we have tried to have the exterior case or shell, made one and the same thing for all of them. The result to be attained, and in fact that has been attained, is that all of the G diflerent frames can be put into the same shell, have the same cover, the same quilt, the same bottom board, the same entrance, the same surplus boxes, and in fact the same hive except the frames. Now if all could agree on this outer shell or case, we might go to work unitedly to improve and even beautify it. If the united talent of our beekeepers could be concentrated on one hive, we ousht to get up something pretty near perfection. Now to thus work together, 118 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. July we do not want to tear down, but to suggest or add to. If the hoops as we have made them are too light, make them heavier; if j'ou prefer a body made of whole boards, make it thus, but let us preserve the uniformity of dimen- sions if we cau. If this were once well start- ed, some large manufacturing firm could make hives by the thousand at a very low price; and if desirable, the frames could be put in after ward as the taste of the owner might dictate. In the matter of honey boxes alone, if a uniform size could be agreed upon, the saving would be immense. Friend W. we thank you for your caution, and are flrmly determined that none but a most weighty con- sideration shaU ever lead us to think of any other frame than the L.; if we are to furnish hives, we certainly shall adhere to the one that takes any frame that may be ordered. Our object now is to improve that one in every way possible. A HO:yX£ MAKE lIIVE-WALL-HAI^Iv. ^N page 32, VOL, IX, A. B. J., friend ^y^Peirce gave a plan for building a number of hives all in one, that seems to be pretty nearly the hive-wall-hall of Prof. Vogel. The following letter gives something of an idea of how it has answered for the past 3 seasons. Last summer we had no surplus honey, and only good swarms gathered eiiougli to winter. I tried to increase my stock to about 20 by feeding, but nearly all my young queens were lost and feeding did not seem to induce them to breed, so that though 1 had 19 or '10 queens in the fall, more than half had few bees. Some had worked in my long hives, but mostly in single 9 frame hives. The full colonies 1 left with the munber of frames they had, the small ones 4 or 5 frames each, sej^arating them by wire- gauze frames, and covering top and sides Avitli quilts. I had 9 colonies this spring, as iu all cases when two or three small colonies were alongside each other only separated by the wire gauze, they had united over the tops of the fraiiies under the quilt into a single colony. All are in good order and strong ; as they had plent}' of honey, I did not feed at all as I had b3gun to doubt its utility except as a matter of necessity. As the colonies were strong, a good deal of honey was gathered from apple blossoms. May 20th as white clover began to open, my strongest colony swarmed leaving 13 frames brood and 3 besides filled with honey— I put them into a 9 frame hive, 9 frames empty comb, and in a day or two put on a 40 lb box with 5 frames comb and two empty frames— Tuesday 30th. the frames above were full and partly sealed— I put on anoth- er box of same size, having 4 empty frames, upon which they are now at work. I ought to have given more room for brood, but it wasn't convenient at the time, and I have little leisure to give my bees projier attention. I have been able to prevent swarming of late years by giving box room as fast as needed, but with the present abundant white clover bloom (unexampled for 15 years), I don't know whether swarming can be prevent- ed. I think my 12 ft. hives for wintering by filling in as described with chaff, cut fodder or any dry non-conductor, and then co\ering each colony of six to nine frames top and sides with quilts, makes the best arrangement I have ever tried, and the best perhaps there can be for this cli- mate and latitude. The filling in of the walls of the hive remains permanently. The bees are dry, warm enough, and can fly when warm enough outside, require only mod- erate supjily of honey and in a siiring of nil kinds of weath- er, they are not soon affected by any change. Single hives in the honey and swarming season are more convenient to handle. J. H. Peikce. Davton. Ohio. June 2d. 1876. Desirable as it may seem in many respects, we fear the idea of building the hives all in one, will never Ije made to answer. However, after expending so much money as we have on the house apiary, we are going to give it a farther trail, and shall perhaps try covering the hives with chaff, another winter, or rather pillows made of chaff so that they can easily be removed when the surplus season comes. At present, the hexagonal apiary as described in Vol. I of gleanings, has given the best re- sults, and is open to the fewest objections of any plaii yet tried. It is not expensive, and can be built up little by little to suit the grow- ing needs of auy cottager, and can be develop- ed to thousands of colonies if desirable. The crop of grapes will more than pay for all the trouble and time spent in beeping the vines and grounds in the neatest and tidiest trim. If by chaff covering or other wise, we can be enabled to keep the bees located permanently the year round on their summer stands, we think it will be very desirable. Make a good hive just as, and just where you want it, and then let it alone. niEi I a ■ i« OUK OW N APIARY. M ND it is June once more ; to-day is the >Q^i 7th, and now the house apiary and every thing else is flourishing. "While warm weath- er is the rule, and cool the exception, the house apiary is very fine, for it is much warm- er nights than the open air. When cool is the rule and warm the exception, it don't answer at all. However; chaff may fix even the house apiary, and so we are going to try once more. Only 10 colonies are left iu it now, and two of these are colonies that were moved into it en- tire, when it was first built. But one is left i on the lower tier on the north side, and that very weak ; 4 are left on the upper tier. On the south side, all but one are gone on the up- per tier, and 4 remain below. F^om this it would seem that the points of the compass make but little differance. As the old colo- nies, or those that were full when put in, came out best, it may be that the loss was some- what owing to having so many on new combs, and that Avere built up last fall. It seems that an impression has been given that we let them all starve ; this is a mistake, for certain- ly not more than a half dozen of the 20 lost, died of starvation. AVhen we took out all the combs, we found heavy ones in many places at the back part of the hives. The honey was in one part of the hive, and the bees in another. Very likely the artificial heat caused much of the trouble, and hereafter, if our bees cannot keeiD tlieraHclvfs warm, they will have to get cold, for we have no more time for any such fussing. If the institution is not good for bees, it is a most beautiful invention for moths, for as there was no freezing inside the house, the eggs of the moth were not killed, and day be- fore yesterday we found that minute worms were starting webs finelv in our best worker CS76 -G-IiEANIlN'GS TS BEE 'CLT.TTJRE. 115y 'Combs. JFrom the exerieuce we have had, we ishoukl think they would iu 48 Ixiurs more, ;liave<:la?iiagcd>com>bs to tlie^amount of -^^OfOO.; 'but we w-ere up early ki the .morning this time .und were oa the •wat-ch for them. In a -oonple • of hours tyhe thiiee hs.Kid»red oambs 'vvere -carri- ■ed to the teee^iou-so — it w-^as a pity they didn't ^all die, for we-copald then have fumigated theai iin the bouse apiary just as ui^celyas -could be, Hvithout eveii distui''oiug a comb — a roll of :sulphur was ixit into a kettlo of coals and (before »ooa cveiy wi'b had come to a staod .-still and its aivchitect was, much to our satis- ifactiou, in the 'OoM oaibrace of ■tSeatli. Poor fthiugs, Jtseecns a pity tl>eir cealcouM iK)t 'be liurned in somo useful direction-, like that of «ome otSier folks. Where are o-ar anglers? .'See page 27, Vol. I. , JS'ow, when we fo«nd that all Uicse -500 'Combs must be quickly inov^ed to the other ibuilding, the pi'obleni was, where to jviit them, ■or hang thesn (up rather. We ccukl put up ipoles it is ts-ue, but we have of late, sueh a aiorrorof any more traps to be mov-ed about, 'that we dislike bringing a single bit of board duto the .apiary. After a little 'V>ogitation," we looked iateutly at tiie division Ixiards and tiinally stood the flrst one in a corner of tlie a'oom and auotlvir at Hie right distauce to diaug the combs on them ; then anotiier and so ■ou, the length of the room. When one tier was completed another was put directly over dt, autl thus we had them all compictly ar- a'auged in a. small sjjace, yet not touching each ■other .at all. And best of all, wheu a visitor "Comes ia, the appearance presented is not suutidy. 9tli, — The Universal section boxes ai-e just fl^eautiful, and it looks now very mach as if !the combs would be built straight and true on "the wooden bar, without any guide of any ikind .; for the wood top bar furnishes a much an ore inviting place to start combs ou, than •does the quilt that covers it. At present we ■cannot give a very flattering report of the nnauuer in which the foundations were desig'U- ■ed to l)e fastsenetl in the frames. The trouble is that as soon as til ey begin to draw np the walls the comb is stretched as it were, so that •Jt bags or bulges. It looks very much now, ■as if the foundations would have to be attach- ■ed by the top only, allowing both sides and ■ends to expand as much as they may. After the large .quantities we iiavc sent out, it seems rs'rauge so little is known about the best waj' to use them. 7'lio jiaraffiue and burgundy pitch, have not proved a success after all ; but ■one lb. of home-made yellow wax will .temper ■ih7-€e lbs. of paraihne making it work ?)eautiful- ly, while if we use the Ix-st white wax — at least such as we buy for absolutely pure wax, of the was bleachers — we are obliged to use iico lbs, of wax to one of paraffiuo. Jnoic lit/i, — Yesterday we had but -iox€s. Nearl}- half the remainin.g 4S are but nuclei, but thay are at work on the clover (inely now, and to open 'IP the season's campaign, the Quiuby hive sent out a rousing swarm t©een 'for a couple of days rather inclined to loaf on the front of tke hive. Before swarm* iug, they stored i^)' .vmps 50 lb.?, in boxes, and there arc Ijees enocigli left to keep the work going right along. What do you suppose an apiary of iOO stocks like this one would .amount to ? and this is the Quiuby liive that we have trie<:l 4 seasons, and heretofore, un- successfully. Although our esteemed friend who iuventeo parts of wax, to one of paraffine. This looks very much in- deed as if the white wax, were erhaps no l>etter way has been devised than the one we have sevei-al times given, viz., making a board that will slip inside the frame half way, and after the sheets are laid in this, fastening them' with a- hot Vvire, or brushing melted wax along the edge. With our sections, the board can be omitted, and the edges along the top bars of the sections, and the outside ends, are all that need cementing. IGiV^ — Fnrthe:- experiments show that one tm GLEANING-S IN BEE CULTURE July: part of yellow wax to three of paraffiue is so nearly white that it will probably ueveFbe dis- tinetuished from that made with white wars ; aud the raelfmt; }X)int is so high, that they will stand safely, exposure iu the su» that natural comb-; woi>ld not. If the matter can: be aritinijed so that we can use o^ne article for both brood ami guide combs, it will save con- siderable trouble ; and when we get over the present iiish, we hope to furnish this article for 50 cents in quantities of 10 lbs. or upwards. 17th — So many have asked for foundatioHas as thin as we could make them, botb on ac- count of the saving of expense per square fixit as well as to have them light for comb honey, that we have, we think, erred iu that respect. As they work in our apiary, we think about 4 sq. feet to the lb., about what is wanted ; in that case there is much le^s liability to bulge or bag, and at present there seems to be a cfe- eided advantage in favor of having the sheets till the whole section frames. 20i7c. — Instead of our own apiary, per- haps we should say our own — xrell, bee-hive. Orders for extractors didn't stop, but came faster; the .section boxes too it seems have proved a success,anc] ever so many of them were wanted, and the worst of it was that our friends only discovered that they wanted them just as the bees were ready to use them, and then the foundations proved' a success too, an.l to cap all, our bees filled their hives at a time when it would have been madness on our part almost to have thought of extracting ; and as onr customers were clamoring for sec- tion cases that vi^e had not, of course our bees could have none. As for the bees, vt^e gave them upper stories and empty combs, and if we don't have enough to keep them from starving, nest spring it will be funny. To be sure we have hired more hands, but as the business is new, and much of it of a nature that makes us green hands as well as the rest, is it any wonder that in spite of us, orders co.uld not be sent as promptly as usual ? We all did our best, the windmill included, but the press was too great, aud a steam engine had to be called in ; if you don't think we are a bee-hive now, just take a look at us. It is true we might have written some of you, aad told you what to expect ; but with looking after new hands and the like, we didn't find time to even do that as we should. To make all satisfactory we will tell all such to send bill for damages, bother and all, and we will pay it; even if it include swarms that went to the woods, as far as we were responsi- ble. Why, we haven't even had a look, this season .at our basswood orchard, aud are told that the alsike clover is just alive with bees, but we haven't even seen them once. AVe fear we have not yet grown big enough to deserve the confidence our friends seem to have given lis, but we shall try hard, and we hope by the time this reaches you to be able to give you every thing in our line as soon as y bad, isn't i-t ? _ At present ■writiiig— June 23d— it Jooka to rts very inuchi fts if it would ),viy to have- the fouvidations fiil our sectiois boxes complete. It then requJre-s ix> cementing at all. and the bees commence workiiig os them beautifully- .^lbout four riieets 12!x5S inches are recjuired ire -a ]:ound. Keep a green bush tied to the teeth of a common wood- en rake, and a ctueen cage tKd to the bush. Wlien the bees swarm, catch t!>e quc-3n and put li«r in the case, their hold lier up among the bees, or fasten the rake iieay wher(> they Ri-e clusterins, aud your swarus is m vei-y convenient shape to handle. Yonr wife can, do it all, after a little^ practice. T-vro more colonies have actually dwhuJlec? out in the- house apiary, and they have done it too when those out doors were actually sending out rousing svrarms. Now if our house apiai-y is the onlj- unlncky one we should bc- giad to know it. We have before asked for a report of the wintering of others, and especially of the one built by I\Ir. Coe, in our vicinity. Are we not to have honest amt c.tti- did rejMrts of failures as well as suc-cesses ? So.ME one complains that the Unircrsal section box does not fit inside the Simplicity hive. They arc made to rest on the top and not inside, the ordinary cover and quilt beinj? raised up and put over them. If they wore put inside, wc should be obliged to make hoops ilifl'crent from those that form the tK)dy of the hive, aud we should not have as great an an70unt ot room for surplus boxes or sections. Our bees have at this date — June 20— filled them clear to the outside sections, and the sight of a whole case of 30, 1'Hcd and ca;iiic-l over, is encouraging- wc as=ure you. 1S7C. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Kil We were sent the neccesary shipping cards from the Centennial, for our hive and extractor on the r2th of June, and were very coolly informed that unless they were on hand by the 14th, they would not be re- ceived. Xow we are altogether too busy to waste our time or money, in cliasing after we Avonkt like to have the sentence ended pleasantly, but it don't occur to us just now, how to do it. 1*1111 ■ 0 II 11^ A CASE of section boxes is now filled and capped over in about a week, when filled with foundations ; and our gro- cery-men pronounce the universal section box ahead of any package heretofore seen. Of course they are to be given away with the honey, and the wood looks nearly as clean and nice as wlien first sawed. Wo would suggest that the boxes be not put together until wanted to put on the hives, and that fhey be left in the original bundle, that they may be clean and briglit when put into market. We sell them at 2oc per lb., box and all, extracted at It!. ^Ql II 1^ II — ^itm OuK better half catches a queen when the bees swarm, by turning a glass tumbler over her. As soon as she climbs up on it the ttxmblcr is held over a queen cage, and she very soon slips oiT the glass into the cage, and is all safe without risk being incurred in handling such tiny morsels of royalty. \\e. have not yet quice discovered whether she fears they will sting, bite, or take some perverse notion to die, i( she picks them up in her hands as we do. At any rate she is getting to be quite expert at the business as she has not failed in a single instance. It stems almost inci'e;iil)l ; tla" a good 4}^ power steam engine all complete can be made for $300.00, yet we seat a check for one on Monday morning, and had it run- ning all our machinery on Friday of the same week. But about 3 hoiu's work was I'equired to get it into our cellar and have it all ready to fire up. It gives us far more power than we need with 10 lbs. of steam, and we fre- quently run our saws on liglit v.'ork, with 15 lbs of steam only. The cost of fiiel cannot exceed 25c. per day, but we use sawdust and refuse mostly. It is the Bookwalter, made by James Leffel & Co., Springfield Ohio. See ad- vertisement. iii^ aid out their money for them, in good faith, can some oi them give a favora- ble report, we shall feel it a duty to put rubber gloves in the "Humbug & Swindle" deviarlment. June 2(U/^— Our bees did swarm on Sunday after all. One came out just before church time, and was clus- tered on the rake as usual ; the other came out while we were away at our missiou Sabbath school, and our 14 year old hopeful, under the incentive of a whole dollar that had been promised him, hived the largest swarm of the season. It came from the hive belonging to Blue Eyes, and the little folks felt considerabh' ela- ted at the feat they had performed. Master Erjiest deemed it his dutj' to hold the rake nearly a whole half hour while thoy were clustering, but we have discovered that it is just as vx'ell to hook one outside tooth ot the rake over a limb of the tree on which they are clustering and let them take their own time in finding where the queen is. Be sure that enough have found her to set up a call, and you are all right. They can be laid in front of the hive as quietly as you wish, and as you open the cage, make sure that she goes into the hive, and then you are all right. Our new swarms when supplied with empty combs, get their hive full and begin to cluster out in about 4 days. In about as many more, they have filled the second story, and as our friends will give us no time to think of extracting, we just keep adding stories of empty combs, or frames filled with foundations. It is our opinion, that even the most extravagant have failed to appreciate the value of the foundations. We have tried to induce a few stocks by way of ex- periment, to start without in the section boxes, but those supplied with them, will have their boxes full and partly capped, before the others will have fairly commenced. Full sheets of comb put in the upper stories Saturday night, were raised into combs and heavy with honey Monday morning. During ver^' hot weather, the sheets of pure white wax are bulged to some extent, but not near as badly as with the par- affine. We shall at present use oiily the pure white wax ; yellow wax, seems almost as objectionable as the paralline. Perhaps we may be able to get the cells raised satisfactorily during cooler weather. The foundations sent us by Mr. Long, were evidently pure wax, and we have had as yet but one single complaint of liis failing to fill orders, and that was for a very small amount. 27i'/i— Hurrah for chaff! The tjuinliy hive has sent out a large second swarm. The rake, bush, and queen cage answered to hive them as well as the others, for the scent of the cage that had held so many queens, induced them to cluster on it when held among them without trouble. This swarm also clustered on the same limb of the same tree as did our first swarm ot the season ; can it be that ic is the wonderful intluence that pervades the sjioc wliere the queen has osu-.e rest- ed, that thus altr;icts them? beveral severe rain storms have drenciied the limbs since. Don't let your liees "'roost" on the outside of the hive, uuiler any circumstances. Give 'em moic room, and dip them into the boxes with a sjioon, if you can't do any better. They will take the hint. 10-3 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. JULT CHAFF. ET J. 11. TOWXLY. fjHE result of .your "experiment" with chaff is about what I expected ; l)ut, keep cool, don't get excited, — ' one swallow does not make a summer, neither doe? a single success prove that one will always succeed. Mr. Quinby was for a great many years so successful in win- tering bees housed, that he rather boasted that if he could iiavc the privilege of selecting his stocks he would not lose to exceed one colony in a hundred, and yet if we are cor- rectly informed, his jjercentage of loss five years ngo was as great as our own, and our loss was so heavy (35 out of .50 stocks) that we were ashamed to own it. That was my lirst exjierience in packing bees with chaff. I had 5 stocks, with chRlI packed on two sides and over the top, and saved tliem all, although some of them wore quite weak in the spring. The next winter I tried IG in same way and saved 11, while I lost SO out of 34 wintered in other ways. In '63 I bought dry-goods box(s and packed my bees in them, from one to four hives in a box, and lost but few bees ; I was so well pleased with it, that in 'C.i I made boxes expressly for that purjjose, a box for each hive, and wnitered my bees in them the following winter with but a trifling loss, and that loss could be traced to other cau- ses. Most of my bees were wintered in the same way hist seison with equal success. I have had no spring dwindling in the yard in three years. I care not how ))ees are wintered, whether in cellars, houses, or boxes, to ahvai/s winter well they must be kept warm and dru. It on some cold, freezing morning in April you had looked at the interior of your Quinby hive, and then at your hcsf one outside, not packed, you would have been still more surprised at the difference between them. In fact "springing bees" packed in these boxes is just where "the laugh comes in." In March 1S75, I took a few of the largest stocks I had, out of the chaff and left them out ; ill June they were the weakest ones 1 had. Are you to be jury or judge to decide the question as to whether king birds do or do not eat bees V If so I fear you will ha'v'e to decide it in the negative ; although there are jirotably hundreds of bee-keejiers (myself among the number) who have seen king birds catch bees in the sjiring, ^/eeks be "ore drones made tlieir appearance, and all through the summer months, before six o'clock in the morning, and after six at night ; and who have also seen them on rauiy days, sit on the alighting board and pick worker bees from the entrance to the hive. Yet there are thousands of others who have not seen it, and the balance of the testimony is in the poor bird's iaxor. Tompkins, Mich., June 12th, '70. I notice that you are enthusiastic over the Townly method of packing bees lor wintering. After reading his article requesting you to try one swarm that way, I wrote to him about it, and lie sent mc full particu- lars in regard to his manner of preparing and packing. I ])acked four colonies and left them until about time for fruit blossoms. They all came out in splendid condition ; hardly a dozen dead bees, and they swarmed several weeks sooner than last year. Tho' licrhaiis the winter might have liad something to do with it. A year ago last winter I jjacked in straw without the boxes and lost half in spring. It is (juite a task to make the boxes, but if they succeed in a very cold winter, like the one before last, it will pay. S. H. Mallokv, Decatur, Mich., June l.Jth, '70. COMB FOlI?fI>ATIO]VS. jM LLOW me to thank you for your ]iromptness in P-Pi: forwarding me my comb foundation machine. The ' workmanship is a model of perfection, it works like a charm. I have made a large quantity of the foun- dations, and will make up wax for half in the mean time until further notice, or 75c per lb. for the foundations. As you have made some very important improvements on my machine o^'er Perrine's and all others, I think I will get the Canada trade, while you are entitled to that of the U. S., especially when you sell cheapest. I can fasten the foundations in the fi-ames very fast and easily, with a knife (a putty knife is best) ; lay the edge of the wax on the top bar then with the putty knife press it liard on the wood, wetting the knife occasionally to prevent the wax from sticking. If the wax and frame are not too cold it can be fastened faster and stronger than in any other way. My bees commenced swarming to-day, June l(!th, con- trary to my wi>hes, as I wish to run that part mj'self. I will now commence removing brood to ])revent swarming and insert empty combs or fotmdations. Bees are doing finely now, and we expect a good honey season. Many bees died hei-e in winter and spring. Bline wintered fine- ly, but I never had so manv queens die as this spring. A great many old queens died before I had drones, so I had to double up with others to save them. I am experiment- ing with other material for comb foundations and hope Mr. Editor you will continue your valuable experiments and give us the results in Gleanings. I have to i)ay 3(;c for wax and 20c for paraffine. I put in some full frames of one-half wax and one-half paraffine; the next day was very warm, OP, and they sagged down. I think there should be something to toughen them. The samjile you sent me from the Perrine machine was a deep- er cell and a thicker, higher wall. Would the wax not leave the rollers with that dejith of cell, or why did you make mine so shallow ? D. A. Jones, Beeton, Ontario, Can., Juno lOth, '70. We have beeu much troubled with the bulg- ing of the combs, and at this date — June 32d — it looks very much as if we were going to be obliged to use white wax encirely, to get rid of the trouble ; \nu-n yellow wax troubles a good deal, and even }.. paratllue does not work well in very hot weather. We are determined to have them all right, and for aay weather, but if we can use nothing but bleached wax, we cannot well make them less than $1.00 per lb. AVe have now decided to ship them iu boxes of 1, 3, i], 5, 10, and 25 lbs. each ; and as these' boxes are made expressly to hold sheets 13 by ly inches, we hope our friends will or- der in the above sized packeges. If wanted by mail, add 2.5 cents per lb. as we are obliged to furnish a box that costs us about 10 cents, and the postage on it is about 15 cents, it is rather up hill business sending a single lb. by mail. The package and postage costs us about 41 cents yet to avoid complication we call it all !t;i.25 by mail, or §1.00 per lb by ex- press, and warranted to please ; if it don't, re- turn it at our expense. The thick and high walls such as the machine that we sent Mr. Perrine made, do not suit the bees as well as those we make now. It seems they do not ad- mire having too much of the work done for them. We\lo not wish to receive orders for anything smaller than 13 by IS inches, be- cause we wish to have the goods boxed, ready to be shipped without requiring the personal supervision of Novice on each individual order when the bees are swarming at the rate they do to-day. Please don't order less than 3 lbs. when you order by mail, if you can avoid it. We pay 50c for white wax, and iSc for panxlHue. L876 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. ig;5 €§ ^mhif From Different Fields. i=jJ(pS\Y knowledge derived from Gleanings, and my own J^]svj judgment, I have U-ans/erred 8 swarins from old box, to movable corab hives ; and through cureless- ■noss, being una-ecustomed to such work liave lost two •queens. Whale the feces aixs rearing new queens tiiey are !!illing the brood chamber with honey, and in order to give the young queens ixjom to do their work, when matured *ind fertilJEed, I will have to extract that honey. I must therefore have an extrasctor. David Waiujwell, Arlington, Ohio, May ICth, '76. I received the extractor in good order, am well pleased with it. It caused some excitement in the family, aH wanting to soe it work. My son-in-law said we must have •some honey for sujjjjer, though afterS o'clock. It worked very satisfactoriJy. David Wakdwell, Arlington, Ohio, June Sd, '70. I have a few hives full of nice combs, honey and bee bread (the bees left them last January). Can I put queens into these hives, remove strojig colonies and put these hives in place of the colonies that I remove ? Vai. D. Urich, Myerstown, Pa., April 15th, '76. The plan answers very well, but is not the best economy, lor the old stock is robbed of all its foraging bees, and the new one is giv- en none other. Some brood combs covered with bees taken from the old stock will be a better way, and in this case the queen need be caged but one daj' — sometimes not at all. If the combs of bees be taken from several colo- nies, you will have the popular way of artific- ial swarming. I read the Gleanings that you sent me and think it one of the most interesting books of the kind I ever read, and I ha\e read many. I read till one o'clock at night. Do you hear any thing about the "Combination movable «omb bee house," as in use by H. Herman Fiick, Lavins- ville, Somerset Co., Pa. ? E. M. FoED, Lunborg, Pa., June 2J, '70. Really friend F., we shall have to hold on if you are going to sit up nights to read. Bee- keepers should rise and retire with the sun — especially the rising part — and keep "cool." Mr. Flick is the man that sells "ambrosial honey," and advises his patrons to drink whis- key when they get stung, for which receipts he charges $3,00 and something. And he owes us the $2,00 that we sent him yet, and won't pay it back, yet he promised to. See "Hum- bugs and Swindles", Vol, I, and II. I have taken 7000 lljs. honey already from the 127 hives, and still it comes. R. WiLEiN, San Buena Ventura, Cal., May 27th, '70. Yes, I'll take SlO.OO for Vol. Ill, Gleanings, to comfon .your friend, but not S'.),'M cents, yet awhile. J. Van Eaton, York, X. Y., June 2d, '76. Your reply to my last needs some explanation. The old swarm of bees I have had for some years vras a ■vcrif sh-iiiirf colony. Last fall I took off one 20 lb. box of honey and the other box was fllleti also; but I v.'as so green that I forgot to smoke them and had no bee veil; hence, when I pried the box loose, (it was open at the bottom and stood on the frames) the bees came out very strong and liercc, as soon as I lifted it up, so I let It back to its place, thinking I would try again in a few days, but when I tried the second time the bees had taken the honey from every comb into the- hive below. I left this box on the hive all winter and put a pieee of carpet over the frames where the other box stood. Therefore they had only to 1111 the combs, which they did by May 20th. You will remem- ber that I have a pear orchard of lOO large trees, ", acres of apple trees, i acres ot plum trees, and 5 acres of peach trees, all of which blossomed very freely and on all of which they worked constantly. I have 1 acre alsike clover, 4 acres other clover, and *> acres rasp- berries, all now coHsing into bloom. This hive swarmed May 2eth; a very large swarm, and they bave already made a large amount of comb in the frames, all straight and right. The hive of Italians I rec\l of Mrs. Grimm are doing well, and have all the frames full, and a large amount of brood comb, capped. i think they will give me a swarm. I also expect one more from the old hive ami one from the swarm of May 20th, which will be 6 swarms to keep over winter. Now in asking when to put on the surplus boxes, 1 felt that it was not right to do so at once, but whether to wait until the frames were full of comb or not, I was uncertain, thinking perhaps they could not de- posit in boxes if I waited for all the frames to be tilled. Hence I wrote you. My Flander's hives I have al- tered into the Langstroth with 8 or 9 frames, and ray Kelsoy hives I cut down, using the Langstroth frames, so that I have a good sui)ply of hives — all the sam sixod frames, like those I rec'd of you. A. Faiinestociv, Toledo, Ohio, June 2d, '7«. We are very glad indeed to hear you are so pleasauted situated, and doing so well, friend F. You will probably very soon lead us all, at this rate. In hiving a new swarm we would at least confine them to the frames of the lower story until they were well started, otherwise the queen might go into the boxe?« at once. Keep the quilt directly on the top of the frames for the first week after hiving, or if they have a full set of empty combs given them, they may be ready to work in the boxes in 3 days, if honey is coming in rapidly. In Sept. No. of Gleanings, I reported season's work up to Aug. 9th. Will state that I sold 70 tested Italian queens, and got 3220 lbs. fall extracted honey, in addition to the 1110 lbs. spring and summer honey before reported. I sold my summer honey to grocers, and others that wou'd buy several gallons at one time, at 12/2' cts. per gal. By Sept. Gth, I had taken three barrels, or 116 gallons fall honey, when I quit extract- ing and doubled all weak swarms letting them fill and seal their honey, as stores were coming plentifully at that time. I marketed mo.'t of my honey by taking it on the street in the barrel, and measuring it out by the gallon to whoever would buy. I sold the fall hon- ey at Sl,25 per gallon of eleven pounds. Many fami- lies would take four, five, or six gallons. So you see it was notadilllcult matter to dispose of a barrel 01 honey. I sold the only two full barrels I tried in that way, in less than six hours each. I looked over my stocks Oct. 20th, equalized bees and stores, doubled to 90 very strong stocks, witli one or two exceptions, and let them stand till Nov. 16th, when I put them in a dry dark cellar. D. K. Napoleon, Ohio, Dee. 25th, 1875. Bees are doing well. They keep wanting to swarm ; is there any way to keep them from it until after linn bloom? We have the queen's wings cut, and let the bees go back, but they came out again, in a few days. Lehman Bi;os., Delphos, Ohio, June 7th, '76. 16i GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Jui^v What is a mm to do when his baes have by roV)bing, destroyed or taken the bees from two other bives? Would you put on the upper story, or divide ? There is not a droiie in sizht yet. I tnitisfeiTeil all into the: Univ- ersal bives and took out all' drone comb. Would it be «afe to make nucleus svrarms under these conditions? Th^y have the bottom story full of bees aad honey. I have but 9 frames below, could )K>t get the 10th in. A. Wilder. Sandwich, Ills. May, 22n(i. If we wauted houey, would put on the upper story or boxes ; but if we wanted increase, di- vide. After such a time of robbing however, we should wait awhile ]>efore making divi- sions. It is rather unwise to undertake any kind of artificial swarming or dividing at a season' when bees will rob. Put the 9 conabs as close tocrether as you well can after transfer- ring, and every time you open the hive, yon will find they cau be put a little closer, until they are where they should be, viz., about 1)^ inches from centre to centre. Endeavor every uirae the combs are handled to get each piece straight and true in the frames, and you will soon be surprised at their uniformity. XoviCE :— Cin you tell what makes thin honey stand in small drops on the surfac3 of ray bos h :>ney ? H ave had it so several times; sometimes when in the cellar, and at other times when kept in an upper room. My idea is that the honey swells in hot weather and burets the caps. Am I right? H ive seen it only on early feathered honey. A box that took the premium at our fiir, had to be put on a hive, for the bees to clean o:T before it was taken. J. L. WoLFENDEN. Adams,Wis. We supposed that it was only in damp cold rooms that these drops collected on comb hon- ey, but we may Ije mistaken. Comb honey, if we are correct, should be kept dry, and neith- er too warm nor to cold ; freezing especiall}" to be avoided. Cannot some of our "doctors" tell us "vThat's the matter" ? Mr. Doolittle we believe, sells his houey before it has time to be troublesome ? How is is friend D. ? Do you ever have to fuss with brimstone and oth- er troubles among your comb honey ? if the alsike will answer as well in other respects, r would like to get it for my bees. E- Ar»stroxg. Jerseyville, Ills, Feb. ISth. 1S76. A friend at our ellx)W who has had much experience, says alsike clover makes- l>etter pasture, and stands winter full as well as the red, but does not produce as much hay on or- dinaiy upland ; although it produces at times- extra orclinaiy crops on low lands that ar,e jiTst suited to it. Either crop produces seed if allowed, but it is- not equal to the red as a pul- verizer of the soil, as it has DO tap root, like- the red, running down into the earth several feet. I Out of 55 swarms put in the cc-llafr, I lost one by care- I lessly letting it starve. One dwindled, and swarmeil j out after setting out, and one I i>acked in chaflf ami I left out doors, antl that also dwitKJled. So I lost only I 3 : the rest aremostl)- doing well now. I J. H. BlARTiK. Hartford, N. Y. I Tliere I Down goes ou r neir hobby ! Won - i der if it could be that friend M. used genuniiie 1 oat chaff and did it right? If neither chaff, I house apiaries, cold frames, nor Tiot hech, are i going to prevent dwindling w hat are we to doV j Boiin won't help at all, but just makes fun ! about it. i At 5 F. M. yesterday, I bad a rousing swarm iroin \ my double cased hive, which lias stood out doors sum- I mer and winter, and never failed to give me some bos i honey since 18(». T. G. McGaw. i Monmouth, Ills. May iind. If-TO. j There now I Was the space not filled with ioat chaff friend M. ? j Kec'd Extractor, O. K- I took ten galJons honey frcn. ! three hives, yesterday, that gave me four and a half se\eii i days beSore. G. W. Gates, i Bartlett, Tenn., May 3st, 1S76. I We work our Ijees for box honey and get it, too. Had I i\ stocks in spring a year ago, got 1700 lbs. bone.v ami I doubled our stock, Winteretl out-doors. Z, CniTXENi>E5, Cheshire, Mich., Jan. 1st, "vt'.. Can queens be safely kept any length of time desirable, alone, without a few other bees for company, provided of course that they are supplied with food and kept in a suit- able temperature? I notice byDadant's advertisement that he winters 60 queens. Does he find it neccessary to give them company, as above, or how does he do it ? Can queens that have never seen other bees, be wintered or summered together without destroying one another? The practicabilily of this last mentioned idea I believe was suggested to me by something I read in one of .>our papers. S, R. Leonard. WalUngford, Ct, Feb. 9th.lS7t3 Queens can only be kept over winter in full colonies, and many of us find it quite a task to do even that. We have kept queens in a cage on top of the frames in the summer time, a month or more, but believe they will not live very long if deprived entirely of bees. We, on one occosion only, found several queens that were hatched in the nursery, on peaceable terms after they were several hours old ; but they would probably have killed each other if allowed their liberty many hours longer. Will alsike clover make as good hay, as good pasture, and stand the winter as well as our common red clov- er? and is it the first or second crop that matures the seed? T sow twenty acre? in clover every spring, and How can I best utilize strained honey for which I c:ii! find no market ? Feed it to the children and bees. Is it jjossible to make it into candy either alone or with sugar ? If so how ? Boil it precisely as you do molasses and work as molasses candy. "VMiich will pay best, feeding it to the bees when en- gaged in making hers, honey (woi-th 20 cts. a lb.) oi- making it into vinegar worth 25 cts. a gallon ? We do not know ; try it and report. In making it into vinegar how much honey should l)e used to a gallon of water ? About a pint, see page 156, Vol. III. Is there .any way to clarify impure honey, makinir ir look like extracted honey ? J. H. P. None unless it be to feed it to the bees and then extract it. Do you raise the cover of your hive slightly in vvinter for ventilation ? Jons Akslet, Bloomington, Ills. No. We have not yet learned that there is need of it. I have had three natural swarms already, and have plenty more ready to swarm as soon as the thunder storm passes. N. E. Pkeniice, Castalia, O., May 19th, Ti".. 1876 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 165 There is no ti-ouble about sawinj; large frames for Biives, on Coraliined Power Go's machine as some ai>- pear to tiiink, if tiie ma'cJiine and saws are kejit in ,(-0 for a colony of gnire Italian beas, if they will warrart them better honey gatherers than mine, with same treatcient. I have the tjniaby closed end frame hives. H. C. Gr.EEX, Independence, Ohio, Mar. 20th, 'T'O. Friend G. we have a neighbor who a few .years ago, talked almost in the same strain ; but not long ago, he said he thought he would Jiardly care to keep bees, if he were confined to the old black kind. We cannot tell where your trouble is, but there is assuredly trouble *5omewhere ; audtjour reckless offer, strength- ens the idea, that }"ou are feeling stubborn about it, for some reason. Do you suppose the thousands who testify so differently, are dishonest or have never tried both kinds ? We have now in our apiarj-, one of the most energetic colonies of common bees we have ■ever seen, and are keeping them just to see how they will compare with the Italians. In the height of the apple bloom they seemed to come pretty nearly up to the others, but when ■clover and locust had just commenced, they were loafing about home or trying to rob, while the others were making a very fair day's work. Again we have to keep picking the moth worms out from under their quilt, while the Italians never think of allowing such ver- min about. Get some real Italians, newly imported, not the yellow ones ; and you will very soon be convinced — nay if candid, you can be convinced iu one hour, by looking through the hives iu any apiarj*. Mii. Editor:— In Vol. Ill, I told you I had made a ciive packed with 3 in. of straw, the straw being next the bees, (you thought there was no advantage ia such hives) as you are now in favor of packing, I will tell 5"ou about it. It is three weeks ahead of all the rest, iiilcd to overflowing with bees and honey from apple blossoms. Drones were flying on the 20th. of May. ?s o loes in wintering, no dwindling- in spring : it will compare well with your packed one. But it don't have to be packed and unpacked like yours, it beats any thing I ever had in the bee line. I have wintered in cellar and in pits, but never had one do as well as this. Have made 5 more like this to use this season ; the rest are doing usually well. Xo loss in wintering, aor dwindling this spring. V. McBkide. Chardon, Ohio. June Ist. 1S7(>. Beee in good condition and working Jike little he- roes. White clover beginning to blossom. Troubled with a sprinkling of unsealed cells of full grown brood in several hives. Geo. G, SCOTt. Dirbuque, Iowa. June 1st, 1S7C. But we do not know why you should be irouNcd, friend S. The bees know whether the larvce should be .^eal over or not. and if they leave them unsealed, you may be sure they are right about it. Perhaps they think they do better thus during warm weather, just as we let the children go barefoot during the summer time. We notice this every sea- son, and never thought it worth mentioning until some one feared the}' were all dead when found thus. If j"ou cannot take our word for it, keep watch of the bareheaded ones and see if they do not make just as good bees as any. I have a few hives of bees. I Iwught a patent two years ago which I don't think worth much. There are about Gt pieces of lumber in the hive. There are two honey boxes on the top of the "homestead," S lit- tle frames in the "Homestea-d," a wire screen at the bottom, and under the screen is a moth trap. And there are several tricks about the hive; enough to trick me out oitiventy dollars. Bexjamix Gc'xn, Alton, Mo., March 1.5th, '76. Eggs ill 4 worker combs in section boxes in one hive. The only eggs found in combs of that kind. Every hive has part drone comb for guides in section frames, and eggs are found in part of the drotie comb of e^ery h ive. C. R. C.'LELIX. P. S.— Part of the worker comb has some pollen in it, and we find it in a few more cells of drone comb. C. U. C, Quincy, Fla., June 8th, 1S7G. If I understand aright your great trouble North is win- tering or springing ; so far I ha^e never known any troub- le here. I now have hives as full of Ijees as tliey can be, with from 10 to 15 combs of brood and no honey to gather. Our season is over here by the time yours begins. Would it not pay to ship bees Xorth after the season is over here, leai-ing the combs here to build up again for our fall yield, and perhaps shipping back in fall to be wintered ':" 3Iuck of our honey here is dark and does not sell as readi- Ij- as lighter colored. The time in transit would not be 48 hours, and a car load without combs, in light boxes made for the purpose, ought not to be expensive. See if you can glean any thing from this. G. V.'. Gates, Bartlett, Tenn., June lOth, IS7G. The idea of wintering bees in the south, and moving northward as fast as the yield of clov- er honey demands it, we think may some time lie made praelicable. At present the high price, and difficulties of safe transportation, are obstacles iu the way. Ii' one could have a boat properly arranged, it seems if they might follow some of our large rivers with a mov- ing apiary as did the ancient Egyptians. It is a fact that the honey crop moves gradually from south to north ; and to illustrate, we mention that by this mail we have with above report, others from about Cincinnati, narrat- ing astonishing j-ields, the flow being just at its height, while with us here, the clover sea- son has only just commenced. Who will have the floating apiary '? Luckily the mat- ter is entirely out of our power, or we might waste another lot of money on it. No spring scales will be needed, for the height of the water mark on the boat, will indicate the number of tons of honey. Just think of keep- ing in the height of the clover season from March until — can't we manage to work all the way up to Greenland somehow ? ME. ROOT :— Put 13 colonies into ceUar. One died of disease. One was too weak. One starved. Actually starved like jours. Another had a drone laying queen. Will never again attempt to winter a colony with a di"one im GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. July f|uepii unless they lost Iheir queen very late in the sfcasoii. The others were weak when .set ont. So I lost two more. Cellar was too damp. They are bnildmg np fast. Bees v.intered well out of doors this winter. 1 th?nk healthy hees wintered outside need no upward ventilation or very little, hut plenty of lower. Does not their instinct say so ? Henkt FrNic, BIo«niijgton, Ills,, June 7th, '7C>. f hare been suceessfitl so far, with my Italian hees which I received from you last fall, when I or- dered and received my extractor. I have now '25 or 00 good strong swarms of Italian hees from the two frame nnclcns which you sent in my extractor. I also have above .3(10 ."iwarms of black bees in frame hives, which I intend to Italianize Jhis anmmcr, if I can. I liave had a better season among my bees than I ever had before; they swarmed earlier than ever beloi-e- r caught i:> or 14 svearms of young bees in Feb., and ahoui: 91 svearms in March. I have taken this spring 2."> or .'W gallons of fine honey anil have about 100 2 lb. surplus boxes filled. And now, as Jnne Is come and not far advanced I am as busy as busy can be in hiving and catching young swarms from the bees that 1 caught in Feb. and >[arch, at the rate of 10 and 20 swarr.is per iary ? [If allowed to swarm natiwally,, the Italian bfood would: soon disappear, when blacks lin-gely predominate.] Do you think fretiuetit visits among bees, or much handling, familiarizes them to the operator^ or neutrali/o« their asf^rity toward him. or the occasional visitor ? &. MeCLE£LAX, Rocky Springs, Miss. That frequent and careful handling makes- bees gentle, almost all adm-it; but that tliey can be taught to disfiuguish their keeper from others, is considerably^ disputed. We do know that the bees we handle most frequently, soon leani to go right along- with their labors un- disturbed, while those out of the way, an(? where we seldom pass ther/i, make a great ado if we staud in front of their hives, or tear ott' the quilt suddenly. As the ones most fre- ([uently handled give the largest yields of honey, invariably, we shall have to conclude that it "does 'em good." EDITOR GLEANINGS :-A severe type of tee fever has V>roken out in thii* neigby>orhood and grows worse every day. But it is human nature. Two years a^o when 1 bougbt half my friend C4eo. Alleii's apiai-y (10 hives for SfO.) I was asked if I thought I could t'ef :is much honey from them as I could eat. No extractor had. been used here before that time. Mr. A. got one, and wi^ took about 400 lbs. of the fiinest kind of lioney. Now they said, "Yon can't sell it," but we clid; and now we have three apiaries running with extractors, and others })re- pariug, Mr. Yates has bought 20 box hives and trans- ferred to L. hives this spring. He came to me last week to set directions for sending for an extractor. I suppose you got his order. Mr. GJeo. Allen has over fO stands, though he lost 10 or 12 last winter, I think from extract- hig too closely last fall. Ho got If s'.ranns for fourL. • hives, one second-handed. Isn't this enougii to create bee- fever? Yet this is the full estimate put on l)ees in t!i old boxes. We certainly ought to make money on bees here, if you at the North can with all the trouble you go to, making conili foundations, wintering houses, feeding, etc., etc. My Italian swarms this spring filled their new hives with comb, honey and brood, in two weeks and I took li! to 20 lbs. from each. I ha\'e taken fiOO lbs. of clover honey, very heavy and thick, and now the linden harvest is be- ginning. I would like to sell out to make room for the fall crop which is the lai'gest, and I think the finest, in this region. I lost 2tO lbs. last year by some bitter iilnnt. smelling like worm seed. What was it? .1. ^. OxEY, M. D. Dixon's Si)rhig5, Tenn., June 11th, 1876. The bitter honey has been several ttimos mentioned on our pages, but no one seems to know just what the plant is that produces it; and it may be a little difficult to determine with precision. The remedj'^ at present, seems to be to get the good honey oft" the hives before it gets spoiled by any admixture of ^the bad. We should be very glad indeed to get more light on the matter. 1 thought it would interest you to know how 1 made out with the larva; you sent me, as you thought it too far to send it and make it a success. The result is, I have three queen cells although much of the larv.-p was shaken out of the cells. I shall send for more soon. J. R. Brovv.v. Fort Atkins-on, Wis., June 15th, 1S70. tS78 GLExlNINGS IN BEE CULTURE. i have about 80 hives of Italian bees; they are in Jiiie condition, and are gatlicring lioncy very fast now from white clover. I winter on the summer stand, on .'i.nu'-j. (Have not lost a colony for A'hffi lasA: Iwe win- ters. Have no trouble from disease or moth. My Titock is from queens of Dadant's importation. Had ten swarms in May. John C. Edwaieos. Cottleville, Mo., ^aue IStli, 1876. Your eectioQ boxes sent do not fit "Simplici'ty" iiives. The three rows wo4ild be too wide by over one iinch. I jtind the bees slow in going up stairs, even with the inducement -of bits of foundation and scraps oi" last year's .comb. They tak-e best to the large frames with full combs. White cl-over In abundance and in full flow of nectar. <}IE». G. Sco^y, D'ubtm«e, fowa, June Uth, lH. are a little larger, or a little smallei". If the revolving part is not exactly in the centre the machine does not look very handsome, it is true, but we are sometimes obliged to get along with things notwithstanding ill looks. We entirely agree with what is said of wood for honey. The honey soaks into it, and it be- comes heavy and sticky, and hnally, unless great csire he used develops an odor that, to say the least, is very peculiar. Tin is light, clean, nice looking, and not expensive in the end; for a honey extras-tor if cared for, will outlast its owner. I hsvc wintered 41 hives «n summer stand— have lost but 3 queens— uEcn o|)ening ore oi my hives the other day, I fosaid two queen cells attached to the etJffe of one of the side bars of a f lame. I have nev-er before fouad a ite of all I can do in the way of giving them room I fear, but let them swarm. I'll make them useful. Chas. H. Rue, Manalapan, N. J., May ^Oth, '7G. Eees are doing well, only I can't keep them from swarni- ins. They are gathering honey rapidly. A. J. Weidner, Bigler, Pa., June Dth, "G. is::^ GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. IITO fi'Mf [lu this 'depai-tment I beg to be allowed to lay aside tbe •editorial "we," and havea friendly chat and feeJ "at home.'CJ CHAPTER XXIII. /?^, UR (coucludiuc: chapter was so lens^lhy ^^ la st moutii, that w€ did not get at the -TOoral we tried to couvey ; aud to get at it briefly, we will suggest that getting out a pat- ent is quite uncertaiu business, so far as profit is concerned. If you doybt this, look over the patent o-Sicf reports, and see how many of the ■countkss thousiinds have «ver haen heaixl of •.since. This is no very great argument it is true, yet most people would prefer to invest their money in something pretty sure of giving .returns, rather than where there is only one chance in thousands, if they knew the real facts of the case beforehand. If it is risky to Invest nK)ney in procuring patents, it is still more risky investing it in. a patent that some one has to sell :, for if there is any one who can /make use of an invention, it is the inventor himself. Was it my duty to purchase the Wagner patent before experimtnlingV Had I nlone so, it would have been only to make it free property. Before .Mr. Wagner's death, he -ind Mr. Langstroth procured a patent on the extractor very much as it is now made ; the patent office granted a patent without a demur, so far as I can learn, but for all that, they mu- tually agreed to abandon it. A visitor ol mine a few summers ago, spent a half day in ques- tioning me in regard to how an extractor s-hould be made, went home, made one aud ap- plied foi.' a patent. He was much disgusted to find that the L. A: W. claim covered the whole ground. People sometimes become incapable of taking a disinterested view of certain things, aud this may be the case with me in regard to patents. I can readily comprehend that a lx)ok, or jar of honey has some intrinsic value, but not so with an individual right. CHAPTER XXIV. ^^ LL humanity we believe, without a single ^^ exception, unite in admiring sincerity aud truthfulness i that is, they admire it in others. Is it not a little queer then, that we do not practice what we admire aud prize so ■highly in others? Is it an easy matter to be tnithlul and sincere V I do hope dear friends you find it an easier task than I do, for, strive U.S hard as I know how, on looking back, I fnid very few days or hours even that I can feel sat- isfied with myself in that respect. The con- 'dict goes on somewhat in this way: conscience says, the first thing in the morning, "Now you are going to try to-day, to be sin- cere and truthful ; to let every word and act, be a faithful representation of your thoughts; to avoid coloring, or making things look the least bit diSereut to others, from what you see them, to avoid saying any thing for effect or convenience, and to be j^erfectly willing your friends should see all your faults and weak- nesses if need be, rather than that you smooth matters over with pleasantly turned sentences, "But," say I, "You do not want a body to be silent, and repress the very ambition that is the mainspriua of all activity and enterprise V" "Be still! You are prevaricating already:; you know that a pure and truthful aml)itiou, oue that seeks to rise on the solid rock of real and simple facts, and that would scorn to rise the fraction of an inch otherwise, is never to be repressed." Like a school boy starting off after receiving his mothers counsels, I give a faithful promise, aud start once more on the "journey of life." But a few hours pass before conscience breaks in with : "Look here old fellow, you have given your readers to understand that the parffiue without was was a perfect success, whereas you had only succeeded v/ith it on a very small piece ; why not wait until it is well under way before rushing into print with it? In yon r zeal in the patent business you have been thinking mainly of those who 'stood in the way of your own projects; and to come down to small items, you, a few minutes ago coolly meditated telling your wife you had forgotten the um- brella, because it was too much trouble to go back after it, to the amount of pt^rhaps 20 steps. The real truth would have been, 'I did not think of it until I had gone about 20 steps, and then I was too lazy and selfish to go back.' " At such a time humanity is very apt to ar- gue the case, and say, "There is no use trying to be so very truthful, nobody is, nor can be so peecise." Is trying of no use ? Sooner or la- ter every body's business responsibilities come to be questioned. Suppose it is a sou of yours, fond mother, and that you overhear a remark like the following: "That young man will do exactly as he agrees ; if he has promised money you may be sure it will be ready promptly ; if he has made a statement you may rest assured that the matter is just so, and that there is no exaggeration about it; and furthermore you may trust him with any amount, aud among any kind of company." Is there one among my readers who does not know what a parent's feelings are at such a time ? To the young, I would say, how do you feel when it is your father who is spoken of thus, or it may be a brother V perhaps your sister has been fondly watching and hoping you may develop principles as tirm as the hills, or a whole circle of friends and relatives, have been watching, and are ready to rejoice at the evidences of a firm unshaken truthfulness. Are there any among you who have felt j^ourseives weak, and unequal to the task of living such a life as I have described 'i Shall I tell you where to find a mine of strength more wonderful than any mentioned in the fables of old? Commence the v/ork of teaching the youth around you, the importance of the very principles I have been speaking of. In other words go into the Saljbath schools and teach, or be taught the beauties of pure unselfish lives. If our Sabbath schools are not the place to learn truth in its utmost purity, I really do not know what they are for. Does an,y oue feel disposed to say that those who are active in these places are not always the most truth- ful ? Please do then come to our rescue, and if you love truth too, join with us and help to raise our standard of excellence. There is 170 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. July room enough, and all -who would like to help in the work of encouraging temperance, hones- ty and purity, should certainly be with us and feel the support that comes from unity In any movement. The pilgrims were banded togeth- er when they founded our nation ; shall not we, their children, preserve our nation by a similar bond V Twenty years ago, when I was 19 years old, I was in the habit of spending the greater part of my Sabbaths, roaming about in quest of some selfish diversion. About five miles from where I now live is a small town, where one or more saloons have been kept open, week days and Sundays for perhaps 25 years. In spite of the leagues, and every influence that could ]>e brought to bear, they have been steadily kept up, and now, for miles around, it is a gathering place for our young men every Sabbath afternoon ; and yet all seem to agree that nothing can be done about it. At the time mentioned — 20 years ago — there was held at a school house near, a Sunday school ; and I, with some other young men used frequently to visit both the school and the saloons, and perhaps with about the same incentive, viz., to pass away the time ; if we did interrupt the services now and then, I fear we tho't or cared very little about it. As time passed, the sa- loons became more frequented and the school less, and very soon the latter broke down en- tirely under the pernicious influence of the former. How could it well do otherwise ? For a great part of my life, my Sundays have been dull dreary days, and when they interfered with my usual week day duties, I have sometimes felt impatient about it. I want work to do, either with brain or hands, and like the juveniles in my class, I have sometimes thought it would be a relief, if I could only be allowed to hop skip and jump up and down the aisles during the services. X am very glad indeed, to tell you that now my Sundays are the pleasantest days in the week, and that I almost count the days until Sunday. Why V Because I am busy : perhaps as busy as on any week day ; and what do you suppose I am doing ? In an humble way I am trying to teach the children to be truthful and honest in that old school house every Sunday afternoon. Come and see: it is half past four and school is out . The pleasant greetings and words of encouragement have been received, together with the smiles from the little ones who as yet are only half acquainted. The last one has gone and as I close the door to the old school house, memory goes back to the time when 1 was a selfish careless boy with no firm rock of principle under my feet, and but little thought or care for the downward course which some of those around me were taking. We have started home ; across the bridge going up the hill is a pleasant looking throng. There are little ones in their neat Sunday clothes, there are young men and women, the middle aged, and a few with gray hairs. All are passing along so quietly and peacefully, that as we mentally review the subjects with which they have just been interested, we can hardly help giving vent in words to a feeling of thankful- ness that the old life has passed away, and that we are one of the number who are doing their humble best to try apd induce humanity to lead the lives they are capable of. How shall we induce, not only the juveniles ^ but children of an older growth, to Ijelieve that truthfulness is best ; to have faith that it is of far moi'e moment to be honest, than to> get rich, and to open their eyes and take a wider view of things, comprehending the extent of selfishness that tBUl govern humanity, if un- restrained? When I was a child, my mother taught me that God was watching my inmost thoughts, that I could not deceive him in the smallest particular ; so long as I retained the faith of childhood that such was the case, 1 was on safe ground comparitively, but as sooa as my faith l^egan to waver, just so soon did I begin to get selfish, scheming and untruthful. Judging humanity as I see it, I really know of no other way of absolutely pytiveutiug the disposition to twist and evade truth, in the mul- titude of ways that present themselves, except by teaching that the Great Master who made the trees, birds, and bees, who rules all things, and made us to stand at the head of all, cares for each and every one of us, and reads our thoughts. There is a little boy in our town who is so profane, quarrelsome and hateful, as some expi-ess it, that I have sometimes won- dered if any thing could make him serious, respectful, and humble. The time came when I felt satisfied that he was all these, and it was when he was before a large audience during a concert. For the first time I sav/ him anxious to acquit himself credibly, and he quailed before the sea of eyes before him, in a way that was really touching. He was then for a few moments humble and truthful, in his help- lessness. Oh, that my little friends could ail feel that the eye of God is always upon them, that they should be as careful before him, as if the eyes of all the kings and queens of earth were upon them, and should be equally asham- ed of a wrong or impure thought. It is some- times said that we must be se'lfish, that every body must look out for "No. 1," for if he does not, no one else will. Have you not faith that God will care for Ids children? He may not give them all the money they think they need, for very likely he can see that it is not best for them. But he icill give them just what they expect to purchase with money, but which money often fails to buy ; content, peace, and happiness, if they can only have faith that he knows best, and will consent to submit to his wishes. A friend sent $21.00 for 3 honey extractors, but forgot to give the size of his frame. Before he could write again, his honey season had passed and he asked to have the money return- ed. Do you know that at first I could not send the money back without some selfish thoughts, such as wishing I had sent him the largest size without asking? And I am really afraid I began to speculate whether I could not by some pretext send them along, and thus keep the .f21.00. Soon, conscience said, "Do you know that God is \vatching'you, and that perhaps he is even novr watching to see how much of a soldier you are going to be? how much money it will be safe to entrust in your care, and vv'hat kind of a use you will be likely to make of it? The money is not yours ; send it back this instant. How can you ex- pect your pupils in the Sabbath school to give up willingly what is not rightfully theirs, and listen to your teachings, if you are not sulM- 187G "GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 171 ciently sincere to practice what you teach ? Can not all this be done without faith in God and the Bible 'i I would not for the world provoke controverey and discussion on the subject, and so perhaps I had better only say, that no amount of reasoning would have ever turned your humble friend from the path he was in, and from a path that he knew was day by day drawing him, in spite of his efforts to the contrary, steadily downward. Nothing would or could have induced him to under- take the task of winning selfish, profane, and disorderly boys to better lives, except a feeling of gratitude to his Maker, that he burned to repay, by reclaiming others in the same way he /iiWiseZ/had been reclaimed. The patience that is required for such work, especially where no pay of any kind ever enters into the calculation, is so far as I can discover, never found outside the circle of those who take the Bible for their guide. In other words as it seems to me, the pure and peaceful "homes", where all the cares and trials of life are receiv- ed with cheerful calmness, and where trouble can scarcely enter, are those wliose inmates j daily look to their Maker for strength and faith, and sliow the sincerity of their love for him, by daily manifestations of their love to all mankind in the thousand little acts of ev ery day life, as well as in the Sabbath schools and mission labor in foreign lands. In such homes evil can scarcely enter for the presence of God is always felt. We had only 4 colonies to start v.'ith this sprin?, but now have 8, and we thuoght yesterday there were 'J as a fine swarm came out and clustered on a tree and as soon as they left, the bees from a:ljoinin:^ hives poured into the hive they had left, and before we could hive them they all returned to their old home ; not being versed i:i bee culture I was unable to account for such a proceeding-. Mrs. GouLDiNU, Butteville, O. May 27th, 1876. [The first swarm went back probably because their queen for some cause was not Avith them, and while out, it seems another swarm came out, and attracted by the commotion at that hive, went to it and entered. Unless they are quickly separated, a somewhat troub- lesome operation, one of the . [Of course this can be done, but it is more or less a damage to the colony, and a very weak one at time of transfering might die of "dwindling" in consequence.] Mr. Da dant shiped me a splendid stock, full of cnpped brood with imported queen but owing to lack of ventila- tion they all smothered. On telegraphing to him he has sent me another im]X)vted queen and stock which has arrived safely, and they are carrying in honey amazinglj- fast- J. H. GiEES^ " Guelph, Ontario, Can. June 10th, 187G. [It seems that friend D. has to learn a few lessons by sad experience, as well as ourselves. If such lessons don't teach a body, we do not know what will.] Please answer me one question for 1 see nothing in Gleanings on the subject ; I have 7 stands of bees and want to increase them. I have them all confined in one story ten fi-amed hives. I have taken no honey and have lirid no swarms. Will my plan do ? J. A. Smith, Elora, Tcnn., June 5th, '70. [Your plan would do very well it they would only swarm as soon as their hives are full, but this they seldom do, and you Mill have your bees idling away the very best part of the season. Either give them room in the ui)i>or story, or swarm thoui artifi- cially as soon as fhey get their hives full.] I would not sell Vol. Ill alone, but would sell the three Vol3. for $-2.00, the buyer to pay the postage. J. WiNFiELU, Hubbard, Ohio. June ;21st. ISTO. How can I oblige a strong swarm of bees to make worker comb v. hen I insert empty frames between brood combs? How shall 1 iasten artificial comb foundations in frames ? IMaktin n. Adams, Fort Ann, X. Y., June I'J, *7C. [Your second question answers the first. Make a pat- tern of tin to just fit the inside of your frames ; lay it on the wax sheets, and with a sharp thin knife, di))ped in soa])-suds cut them accurately to fit. Now provide a thin board that will just slip inside the frames half way, lay the wax ^heet on it, and with a tea-s))Con pour a little melted wax on the edge of the wax sheet, turning the frame so as to make the melted wax run quickly cle-ar around the joint between the wood and wax. With a lit- tle practice you can do a ^ery neat job, and do them very quickly. If your foundations arc pure wax, and if the weather is not extremely hot, you will get frames of comb, of such beauty, that 3 on can admire them by the hour when you have leisure. If we could only ship them safely, we would really enjoy the astonishment that some of those who are incredulous can not help exhibiting when they are shown them.] You can have the III Vol. here, when nesded. Wliat is the postage ? S. Wiisox, Appancose, Ills. [Postage will be about lOc] The bees commence work on it [foundation] before they do on comb of tin ir own make. H. C. GiLSO>-, Burn Oak, Mich. June l(5th, 187C. The comb foundation ordered from you was received in good condition. I have Vol. Ill of Gleasixgs in good condition, that any one can have for §1.C0 jicstpaid. C.W. Campbell, Walcott, Iowa. June 19lh, 1S70. C^xxeens. 1876. i^neens. I shall have for s.ale to Bee-keepers the ]ircsent season. Choice Tested breeding queens, liaised in full stocks, from selected Imported Mothers. Price, One queen S4,00 Two " 7,1^0 Three " 10,00 Kone sent bv mail. 4-10 Address JAMES LA BARE, Cincinnati, O. "JTMli: ITAIL-IAjV liliJJD CO. DISSOLUTiOX.— Mrs. Ellen S. Tupper^s connection with the Italian Bee Companj- terminated Februaiy •H>, 1S7G. The business of ihe Company has been as"- signed to the management of the undersigned. Mrs. Tuppcr leaves no accounts, and full particulars ujion all incomjilete business sent to her or the {.'oni])any is desirea immediatch". Price lists of Colonies, Nuclei and Queens, Extractors, Hives, Seeds, etc., -will be sent on application to Tlie Italian Bee Compauv, Itfd J. E. ROCKWOOD, Manager, Logan,' Iowa. WM. -^V. CARY, Colerain, Franklin Co. Mass. Sixteen years ex]jerience in propagating Queens, direct from imported mothers from the best district in Italy. Persons purchasing queens or sv.arms from me will ii'ct what they bargain for. Send fcr circular. 7-f, AGAIX WINTERED SUCCESSFULLY. Tested queens or full colonies furnished asain this sea- son in my Xon-Patent Hives. ]Vo useless traps or fixmgs about them. Send for Prices. 4t8 JOSEPH M. BROOKS, Columbus, Ind. Box 1.30. ITALIAN QUEENS bred from imported mothers— a month earlier than in the North. Purity and safe arrival guaranteed. Also full colonies ot Italians in Langstroth hives for sale at S15.00 i>er colonj'. Address I>i:. J. P. II. BROWN, Augusta, Ga. Siuq ES76 -GliEANllSfGS IN BEE CULT UHE I'T'; jA.ID"VEE,TISE3S/fl:E3SrTS- AfUevMso-.irciits wll'be-i'ecei\'«d tit tbs rate -oT feeii •cents iicv line, 'Nonpareil spaoe, each insertion, ■<'ash an aeRr; imd i,ve offei- them ftor saile as uatial. Prices : Inrported Qiieen $1©,00 Home hmi. (tested) -^ - 5,00 We euarantec safe arrival of queesis. We can f iiriiish to edthy piid prolific q'vieeiis. We -svis'h '-the reader to liearin mind that nine-tenths oftfte Jlmer- ''C(X)fqi'ecn'fir«iA(rs ere nmn irefeUny from qveeiis im- jioried ihrtuii ue. Ma^iy of tfeeni purohaise i!mporteA I queens from ua-civrf/ jfcar. If necessary weo'/ill .arlve to faose of onr •customers %vlio "»vish it, e\'idence that we receive t'l queens 'from Italy ■ jverv tv.'o week-s, darfcig the scmsoii, from Mnv to Oct. Address, €H. DADA XT jc S< )N, Hamilton, Hancock, Co.. in. Names of res]X)nsible parties will be ini?erted in -eith-er of Che foUowinjj deptirtments. at a rarltorm gjrioe -of 10c. eadh insertioa, or ^.00 pea- y»«S'i'*!S&!'?Bff iK;afr \>e\(r^\ agive 'to ftniiish atalian Queens th« coming season tor f 1,00 each, mi- •ler the following conditiosis; No gnai-a^rt'ce is to be .•assimied of inn-iU', safe deMvery or any thing 'Of the &ind, onlj- tiiai the fQiiieeH be 'fearetl lis-om a choice, pui-e motiier, and hatl commenced to lay wiien they ■were ship]>ed. Tltey also agi'ee to retirrn foe iiioney at any tjiine wh(Hi enstoiinefi's become impalBcnt of sudi 'delay as may be iKiavoidable. Bear in est •Quoeiw, ?)jut tip neatest and «iost securely, v>t\\ probably re- 'ceive tSie most orders. Sjiecial rates for warranted and tested •Qiieeas, fiirnished on appMcataou to any of •tlie parties. Naines with *, use a«i Mipoited Queen cnother. If wanted ^y mail, send 10c. extra. G. W. Dean, River Styx, Medina Co., Ohio, *.J. Oatraan & Co., Dimdee, Ills. St2 *Dr. . P. H. Bro^^Tl, Augiista, ■Geoi'gia. Mi •*E. W. Hale, Wirt C. H., West Va. ■0-6 *J.M.C. Taylor, Lewlston, Fred. Co., Md. itl '*T. G. McGaw, Monmouth, W^arren Co., lU-s. '*.!. Sh:i\v -ll " .1 . JI. C. Taylor, Lewlston, Fred. Co., Md. 7-1 Aaron I. Weidner, Bisler, Adams Co.. Pa. T-IO A. I. Rcot, Medina, Ohio. •T. S. Wootflnnii, Dickinson, Cumli. Ca. Pa, V.ll M. S. West, Pontiac, Mich. 'Oa C«93I35S, — I have -smne in the standaixl Lan!r>tiK)th 'inine, of averauo quslity, which I will carefully pack and ilclivtr on the cai-s at 'iij cts. each in lots of liftv or ■more. -Uklress, F. T. Xl'XX. Cberlin, Ohio. HONE^ JAKS. Giie poiwMl (9 A thousand labels address i^rintcd to order -..""lOO One .(It. fruit jars. Mason's patent, per gross 18.00 Labels for sauie, "• " 05 A tllo^lsaild lal>els a-ddrcss printe'd to -order. 4.()0 Uneapping 'Knives, as good as any, each .^o " " perdoii., ..,." 4..5er Ijiiisliel b'J.oO "• *' '• *• peck ,..:s..')«) ■" " *' " poimd , 4" ai^A.lVOSTllOT'Il B3EaE MIVE>5, Straw Mats, Bee Veils etc., at reasonable rates. Foi- Ixirther particulai's, Address. Itf Ce AS. F. MUTH, Cincinntitq, Ohio. 'CHE BEE-KEEPERS' MAermanent emnloj^iietit. AdE£B, DESIGNiya AND EJSXilRAVINiJ ON WOOD. 2.') Bond Street, Uoom .'>. N. Y. Awarded Meunilee. Kane Co.. III. ■OUR Bee Jotinial of tlie So\d-he=n States. Issued nioiitlilv at 82.00 per vear. Sample copies free. Address A. F, MOON & Co. Rome, Georgia. Do not think of taking the inside out of your ex- trac cash for wax made with oiw wax exti-actors, orSCc for the common. !t looks now very much, as it we should lie obliged to start a wax bleaching establishment. The section boxes work most beautifully witli foun- dations the full size; the expense is about ;ic, each, and in about one week, they are capped ami ready for market. In the way of selling, they beat "hot cakes^" all to pieces. The iNVEKTiox of the season.— Put a common lamp into a box with one side and the top open. Co\ er the to]) with wire cloth: place on the wire cloth a tin cuj) con- taining wax. Keep the wax just melted byiurnini; the lamp wick up or down. Now with a pencil brush, you can put the melted wax just where you want it. Fit a lioam in youi- honey lio.\es just where you wish the guide ; lay the foundations, after being cut to the projier si/e, on it. Brush the wax on at top and bottom, witlidraw your board, and they are firm, Hat. and just at tin' Tii-dit spot. Be suTO and have the upper edireof the sheet secure. After ycu get it s;oiii!r nicely, look hippy. GLEANINGS- IN BEE CULTURE. CrarMHJHESODTK! As prom orders, am Itf-v Add Italian queens I'nrnishred tbe coming sea,son at the following priTes : 1 Tei>tca l^Uieen ..53,00 I) ■• •' 13,00 1 rntested Queen 1,00 li "• " 5,00 Full colonies in Langstroth Hives Sl-2,50 t;®^ate arrival of all qmet'js guaranteed. .jaa. Purchasers must assume all risk in the transportation of full colonies. |)t attention as possiWe will be given to all 1 safisfaction r/tinranfeed. ress, ' RUFUS MORGAN, Old Fort, N. C. Jueens and Kiicbi from an Imported Mm. Ready to ship by June iOth. Price of teatetl cjueens-. S:5,00; warranted §2;00. Nuclei with, tested queen — two- L iiiS'itroth frames with plenty o£ brood and, S(J,GOeach or S25,0J for tivci FuU swarms wkb warranted (tueeiis m Lanrstrotfi hives .$12.00; or ten for S-100;00. t Uf_ E. C. BLA-KESLEE> Medi-na. Ohia. CASH FOR BEES-WAX. AVe are iiaying 3i cents per pound for yellow bees- wax, ia lots- of irVc/iTi M to 5( 00 or more pc«nds, cteliv- ered at fryracusr , or 33 cents, if exchanged for white- wax. If you have any wax on hand, ami can deliver it at the above priee, [dease do so, and we will seni^l you our check on receipt of the same. Res'pectfnlly yours. ECKBTIMANN & WILL. 7tf Wax-Bleachers, Syracuse, N. V. MAN-POWER SAWS EVERY BEE-HIVE J-IAKER SHOULD HAVE OXE / AVIll I?jip. C'l'os^-Ciit, 3Iitre. KaljTjett . ey Sti-eet, IV. Y> Maiitffrcfnyi/rs of E^riifs' P.tten/ Foot-Power Machinery, Scroll Saws, Lathes, Clrenlar Saws, Etc. The only foot-power machinery without crank or dead centers. Sl,500 to 52,0e{> ])ei' yesar HRicle ivsin.iS thene machines. Sciid for rlhvstrated Cataloeiie, ROCKFOilD, W13fIVEBA<50 CO.yIl>L, ^11 5 I* li 1? T> A. Y , %„ Fulton, Mo.. December lith, 1S7-1. Messrs. W. F. & Johs Barnes, RockforcJ, 111.— Gentleinen : I sawed 110 frets for bakistnule for ]x>rtico, and 1.". brackets, in first two days runnina:. Every one who has witnessed the workinir of the Saw has pronomwietl it the mosis useful machine evei- invented. I Ir.ive been woi-kiiiy from 12 to IS men, and have doue all my sli)p vrork (sci-olIsav/hifr)i on your machine, runniuir it daily since I purchased it, and have paid iiothinsr for repairs, except for .saws, which amoiuit was comparatively small. Three weeks siiice I pin-chasecT some imnorted woods and some nice desitrns, and tnrned my attention to fret work. I have nr\-era!red per day, since that tiu^ie, §11.50. I know of no occU'pation as i)Ieas- ant and protttable for a mechanic to spend bis wnnter days at as the above. Your machine runs so Tightly and easily that it will not tire the nros-t delicate man after a little practice; in fact, I consider your machine indispensable to any carpenter, however small bis business is, as he- can intraluce the little machine to his scrap pile, anil make enough brackets in one week to pay lor bis machine. I consider my machine just as esseiJtial in my shop as a! set of bench plnnes. Terv trniv. M. FRET> BELL. Architect and Builder. KT'.VddiTss. U>v fall information, W. F. cS; JOHN BARNES. Box -2,014, Rockford, Illinois. One Copy One Year Sl.OO, or with Lithograpii of Apiarv, size 12x10, Mailed Free, Postijaid, §1.25 or Litho- graph Avill be sent as a Premium for Tvro SubscVibers at .SLOO each. Any person obtaining Three Snbsciibers at -Sl.OO each, may retain .50 Cents for his trouble. " " Five •' " « M 1_25 " " " " Ten " " " " 4.00 " " Any number above Ten will be sent at the rate of Sixty Cents e.scb. Or, GLE.\:?rNGS , .51,00 ; Three copies, $2,30; five, §3,75 ; ten, SO.OO. Names may be sent at any time during the vear, and whenever a club is reached, we will crcdil back the amount previouslv sent us in excess of the Club Rates. In this wav anv of the Articles Mentioned on our PRICE LIST may be Secured as "PREMIUMS. Please mention when names are intended for Clubs. An acknowledgment \vill be sent in all cases on receipt of money— for any purjiose whatever— by return mail. Volumes I, & II, at 75c. each, may be counted on the same terms, as W'C have a Large Supply of BACK NUMBERS Provided for nevirJlDegmners^ As we cannot take the space in future numbers to go over the same ground again, and Vohime <'oe •'.ontains the entire Fundamental Principles and O-roiTincl TVorli foi^ Starting- an .^piar-y. Wm%® WW Amm^mr^f) aif#® ITvO-* i The above an-angement of the hives and honey house, we believe to be the best of anv vet susisrested. Atter some quite expensive experiments in the way of Green houses. House Apiaries, etc.," we hafe come jia K to the out door arransemeiit for hives; and to ecoiiomize labor, we would have the hives as close to t lie liouse, and as close to each other, as the habits of the insects will allow. The distance we have used is tileetlrom - '■^ — ' ■ -^ — " ■ ■ , ., . . _ _ the lurse block represents the car on its track, for conve.nuir the honev or bees to the nea Vo^Is'T "", .^'^'■'■''''1°" •« "'^■'^" foi" buildiiii? up an apiary on this plan, grape vines, honey 1 irest wagon road house and all 176 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Aug. Contents of this Xiiiuber. Basket for Hiving Swarms 17!' Foundations 17!'. 1S5, 1S7, 18S, im, I'M Move than a Barrel of Bees 17!) Hi\es, SometbinK About Them 180 Ivir. Townle.v's Apiary ISO Squashes and Bees-.'. 181 Do Bees get Pollen from the Vines of the Melon, Pump- kin etc "r 181, 1!"3 How to Keep Box Honey 181 Case tor Shipping Section Boxes 182 Imported Queens 182 Introducing Queens 183 Unqueening to Prevent Swarming, and Secure Box Honey .183 Box Hive Department 18 i Blasted Hopes 184 Swarming out in the Spring 185 Two, Three, and Four Story Hi\es 185, ISO Selling Honey 185 Protecting the Boxes While Being Filled .180 Chatl: 101, lti2 Loatlng on the Outside of The Hives ISO L'ntilled Boxes 187 Patent Hives, Bee Gums, and the Floating Apiary 187 Our Solution of the Feeding Problem 188 LarvM for Queen Hearing 1S9 Humbugs and Swindles 180 Feeding Bees Honey cappings 189 Bees-wax 190 Honey Knives with a Curved Blade 191 Playingof the Young Bees in the Afternoon 192 How to Keep a Queen Silent While Introducing... lii3 Catching Queens with the Fingers 193 A Repenting Swarm... ...193 What Should a Swarm Weigh ;. 191 Nir e Lbs. per Day, For 28 IJays 181 A "Barn" Apiary .• ..l!tl Cans for Marketing Honey 191 Do not Extract too Close 19-1 Waxing Barrels 195 Making Clonies with Bees fiom Different Hives 199 Ants 200 There is a bogus "Novice Honey Extractor" in the market. Look out lor it. It is said to be a miserable imitation. In ordering extractors, please be sure to givclength of top bar, iviilth of frame Just under top bar, and dis- tance from bottom of bottom bar, to top of top bar. OuE neighbor, Shane, has secured 3,300 lbs. of ext'd, and about 2,000 of comb honey. He has sold the former for 10 cents, and the latter for 20, to our friend .^Iuth. We have to-day, July 28, 1097 subscribers and we ex- tend 1097 thanks to our readers lor their patronage. During the month we received bii ^ubscribeis, and seven whose time expired have tailed to renaw. Although we retain the hoops for the section boxes, we have discarded them for the body of the hive. We can make a better looking hive considerably cheaper by using yi inch whole boards, using a single hoop above to hold the quilt. The plan of having one size for all the ditfer- ent frames, is so great a saving that we can by no means give it up ; for we are by this means enabled to have a universal cover, quilt, case of section boxes etc., and when we And that chatf is the thing, we can have the external part that holds the chaff, all alike for all the ditlerent hives also. The convenience of having the up- per and lower stories precisely alike is so great, we shoidd not think of having them'ot her wise. IMPtiEMENTS FOK BEE CULXURE, Al^- PHABETICAEEY ARRANGEO. For descriptions of the various articles, see our ninth edition circular found in Feb. Xo., or mailed on ap- plication. This price list to be taken in place of those of for- mer date. Mailable articles are designated in the left hand col- iimn of flgures ; the figures giving the amount of postage required. 0 Binder. Emerson's, for Gleanings 50, GO, 75 4 Boxes, section with comb guides 02 •• with glass sides and fancy paper trim- 12 ming lor above 15 20 1 " four glass sides, oxoxOi 10 3 I '■ without glass oo I Balances, Spring, for suspended hive S.OO 10 I Blocks, Iron, for frame making 15 I Barrels for Honey g2.50 to $1,00 I Buzz-saw, foot-power, comiilete, circular with cuts free on applicatijii. Two saws and two guages included. .35.00 0 I Buzz-saws, extra, 6 inch, 1.50 ; 7 inch, 1,75 ; S inch. 2,00 I Comb Foundation Machines complete S125,0O 20 i Candy for bees, can be fed at any season. Per lb 15 20 i Corners, Metal, per hundred 1,00 25 '• " Top only 1,25 20 I " " Bottom, gal. iron, per 100. 75 On 1000 or more a discoimt of 10 per cent will be made, and on 100,000, 25 per cent. The latter will be given to those who advertise metal cornered frames. Combs, empty worker in metal cornered L. frames 50 Clasps, for transferring, package of 100 25 " 10 10 06 1,25 10 Cards, (iueeu Kegistering, per cioz Cages. " 18 Case with Separator to hold 3 Section frames I Case of 10 of the above, 30 Section frames in all, 2 Cheese Cloth, for strainers, per yard I Extractors SS,50 to 10,00 i ■' Inside and Gearins; 5 00 I " Wax 3,50 4 I Frames with Metal Corners (0 5 I '• Samjjle Kabbet and Clasps 10 10 I u Closed end Qiiinby, nailed 05 0 I Gleanings, back A olunies, each 75 I " present " 1,00 40 Gearing for Extractor 1,50 20 I Gates, Honej-, for Extractors 50 THE HOOr HIVE. I One story Langs'h without frames or bottom $1,00 The same witli bottom, ;o frames, division I board and quilt, crated so as to be sent 1 safely by freight or express 2,25 The above is the hive we use and recommend in preference to everything else, and it contains every thing needed for all purposes except at the surplus season. If you decide to use the extractor you want an extra bo'dy and 10 frames— SI, 25— making "complete two story hive — JS.oO— or, you can have 3U section box- es (withtheir 10 cases ) in place of the 10 frames, at the same price. If you preler the old style of glass boxes, we can lit the upper story with IS having gla&s on four sides at 12* cents each; this will make the hive and all cost -55,00. One story Q. hive without bottom or frames S-1 The same with bottom, 10 nailed frames, division board and quilt, complete except surplus receptacles S2,00 The same with two story, 20 frames 3,00 Or }-ou can liave instead of the frames above, any of the arrangements for surplus, mentioned for the Lang- stroth hive. A one story complete for 13 frames of either the Standard, American, or Gallup hives, will cost S2,50, and they can also be used with any of the siirjilus ar- rangements mentioned; also, as they are all deeper than the Langstroth frame, a single story can be used with fewer li-ames, and sections or boxes at the side of the frames. As an illustration ; we can take four frames out of the one story hives above, and put in their ]5lace 18 section boxes. 25 I Honey, Clover, per lb, lOc, Basswood, 15e. By the bar- rel 2c. less and waxed and painted barrel included. Honev in section frames or fancy slass boxes. 25c. gross. 0 I Knives, Honev 1,00 0 } Labels, Honey per 1000 3,25 0 Lithograph of Apiary ,.... 25 ! Lamp Nursery 5,00 0 Larvffi, for queen rearing, from June to Sept.... 25 15 I Microscope, Compound 3,C0 0 j Prepared objects for above, such as bee's wing, sting, eve, foot etc., each 25 6 Medlev of Bee-Keepers' Photo's. (150 Photo's) 1,00 0 Magnifying Glass, Pocket 60 0 " " Double lens 1,00 0 Photo of House Apiary 25 06 I Quilts 25 2 Kabbets, Metal per foot 02 0 Scissors, for clipping queen's wings 40 15 Seed, Alsike Clover, raised near ?(s,per lb 35 20 " Summer Rape. Sow in June and July ... 15 0 " Chinese Mustard, per oz 25 10 Smoker 1,50 2 Tacks, Galvanize! 10 3 Thermometers 40 \}i i Cniversal Section Boxes in the flat, each 01 I Universal case of 30 boxes, just right for L'. hives or any L. hive, and can be fitted, to any hive l,2o 0 I Vails, Bee, with face of Brussels net, (silk) 75 0 i The same, all of tarletan (almost as good) 50 5 I Wire Cloth, for Extractors, per foot 15 3| " " " Queen Cages 15 All soods delivered on board the cars at prices named. 1876. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 17T R , Italian Queens For IE 76. Compact, Simple, Substantial EcoTsomicai and Easily Managed. LOOK AT THESE PRICES. ;! Horse Power S-JSO.CO 4'i •• " ;!00,CO For further inrorniatlon and new cirrular of the liookwalter Enjrine. nddress the raannfacturers — 7-11 JAMES LEFFEL & CO.. SpriEgtield, Ohio. Every Bee-keeper sboiild subscribe for it. The American Bee Jonrnal I.e the best scientific find practical .Toiirnal of APICUL- TURE in the world. The most successful and experienced .\piarians in Europe, as well as America, contribute to its patres. In fact, it is the oldest and larrjcst Bee Paper in ihe Enirlish lanauaiie. S2. I'er Annum. Send a Stamp lor a Sample Copy. Address TH0:MAS G. NEWMAN. tf l^!4 Clark St.. Chicairo. 111. CANADA HONEY EXTRACTORS. Made entirely of metsl, S^.50 to 810.00 each. The lisrht- est, stroncrest, handiest and best. You can save about So.OO in express charges, passintr the customs and duty, by or- dering from me. I manufacture for Canadians to save them ihe enormous exjjense and troidjle of imjiorting. In orderinar, give outside dimensions of frame or frames to be used. Sample Hives complete, the best for Canada, Sl.50 each. Italian queens and bees for sale in their season. Parties in the United States should order extractors from A. I. Root, Editor of Gleanings, who makes the cheapest and best. Also comb foundations for Catiada cheaper than ever before. D. A. JONES, Itgl.SO Beeton P. ()., Ontario, Canada. HOTVE^fc' BEES- SEND for E. AY. Hale's price list of Queens for the year 1876. All Queens raised in full colonies and from Im- ported mothers. No Bee disease in my locality. 4-7d Address. E. W. HALE. Wirt C. fi., W. Va. choice: OATjVir» j!!HC3i:r>. Having- disposed of all the black bees in our vicinii y we are prepared to furnish Choice Queens, bred troin Imported and /Selected Mothers. Carelul attention be- ing given to the selection oi Drone Mothers ; allowing none but tliose selected, to produce them. At the following loic prices we will furnish 1 Unwarranted IJuccn S l.uo Safe arrival warranted on orders for six or more. 1 Warranted Queen l.i>.0(i 1 Colony Pure Italians 10. Hi Satisfaction guaranteea. Address, J. OATMAN & CO., 2-4p7d Dundee, Kane Co., Ills. During the months of August and September I shall till all orders for (jiiecns at the following prices : 1 Queen for «2.00. 3 '• " 5.50. 6 " " lO.OO. 12 " *' IS.oO. All ijucens warranted pure, and sate arrival guaran- teed by Jiiail. II. A.T^IL<3i}Y, !) W^enham, Essex Co., Mass. A.vei*ill Cliemical I*aint- THE OA'i, 3" RELIABLE. THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, THE MOST ECONOMICAL. THE MOST DURABLE. Requires no oil thinner or ilrier. Requires no waste of time in mixing, Has stood ei(jht years'' criticisms W ith ijearly increased popidarity And yearly incrcasecl sales. Is sold by the gallon only, in packages of from 1 to 10 gallons each, in Purest White and" any Color or Tint desired. Address, for sample card of colors and price list, A-^'erlll Cliemical I*ainLt Co., OlBce and Factory 1:12 & 134 East River Street, CLEVELAND, OHIO. 6-f)-'77 You cannot look over the back No's of Gleanings or any other Periodical with satisfaction, unless they are in some kind of a Binder. Who has not said— "Dear me what a bother — I mvst have last month's Journal and it's no where to be found." Put each No. in the Emerson Binder as soon as it comes i and you can sit down happy, any time you wish to lind j any thing you may have previoiisly seen even though I t were months ago. Binders for Gleanings {will hold them for four years) gilt lettered, free by mail for 50, 00, and 75c, ac- I cording to quality. For table of prices of Binders for any Periodical, "see Oct. No., Vol. 2. Send in your orders. .A.. I. ROOT, Medina. O. ,2.5)it Fancier iJO Bo-Mr.Uis' Fi -Id, Cover, and Trap Shootin^i; 2 00 Bonunor's 'Metbod of Makin;.? iilamires 25 Isoussin i- !' ill's Ivurnl Economy 1 c!!-L j;idor 2 00 Brills pp.rin-Gardcning and Seed-Gi'owiii'^ 1 00 Kuist's Flower Gird^n Directory 1 50 Buist's F nnily Kilclicn Gardener 1 00 Burus's Aveiiileetunil Drawins; Book 1 00 Burns'.s Hlustrate L JDvawin.ft' Book T 00 Burns's Ornrncntnl Drawing Book 1 00 Burr's Ve'^et ibl es (jf America ."5 00 CaldwelVs Ai;Ticuitural Cli:;mical Analysis 2 00 Canary l^ivdv, F-Miev, DO cts. Cloth 75 Carp. ■ alders' Guide 100 Ciioil rtixvcr's Guide 75 Cidoi- . iu-i! 150 Ol'jv'^li." Is Jj iniUcvpe Arcliitecturc Cobbett's American Gard<;ner Col.Vs (;>. W.) .V.m;-i-iean Fruit S>ook Col :''s Veterin:iriaa : 7 'i <-'n;i''-y's riaiii and Ornam^-.ital A'plni>:_'ts ." T)0 0)"!.;:_'d and Cookiniv Food for Anima.ls 20 Cr.ick Shot. (.Barber) 1 75 Cr.lT's Pro'jressiva American Arciiitecture "10 00 Cu'.iri>in«' Arc'uitcr;'::'' TMiils 10 00 Didd's (Geo. H.) " • J)r>ctor, IS siao. . . 1 .50 ] ) idd's Atiierican ,-. 1 S kscs 150 D.i'lil's Ami\-if.. .11)-, fi^cJavo, cloth, j-iitbic;.. 2 50 ©.'..Id's .'.ill -rse Book, Octavo, (•l:i!'l. ".' 2 00 i)i;i.' - 1 55 in:- i.naliand Plints, 2VoFs.. 0 20 1'.'.! s Complete Guide 100 DeVt:./- :d:;rkel .Vs^istant....- 2 75 Dinks, r.I lyl'/jw. and Ilulchinsou on the Dog 15 50 Dow.aiu'x's Jjand.scape Gardeniajr 0 05 Dwyer's Horse Bock 2 CO Bisiwood on Criinborrv 1'^ B,-; ..'t.:i'> Ciii-ni: "Rilri- 1 75 uter 125 150 lisville 1 50 J.! ,;! ; -cih I, 'rj . if Honor 125 ]511i(>i I's Lawn a7i ^ 150 ]CIli ):;":: ■\V,-;.--: ,"s Guide 150 .■leyclopoedia... C 00 COO 150 uire.'. 1 25 SO lJi;r 2 50 I'lin 2,50 7' :son 3 00 :'. Vil"s (5 00 svo, lOOcnft's. 3 50 . portsmen. Svo 3 00 . i Au.L.i.a. Svo, 2 vols 10 00 1 50 uri.st 1 50 J i . 1 50 Fill .Kis! 1 .50 Vn:I ■ !;ii"i.,l 20 Fiil.ii'r;> ;'.-,; ■:! : i,;.i;,-L- 1 50 Ga.-dii'f:; ii;),,- Ui I'.ii.i' 1 00 Oeyelia'. i'(;i;'. ■■ '' I'iii-: I tit (;i'..--i'r\- .111 ■ ■;() (bv;ory on :,0 Cii-e,,; iry on :;0 GiiLrum on .'i;i..:i 'J i'.v:i 75 G'ln, Rod, and SivMle 1 o> H-irney's Bar.; ;. O ,; 'iiiildin'.ra, .and Fences 0 OJ Harris' Ins: to Vegetation... Plain §i; Colored G 50 Harris on the Pis 1 50 Henderson's Gardeniu'^ for Pleasure 1 50 Henderson's Gardeninir for Profit 1 50 I[e:iderson's Practical Floriculture 1 50 I [cmslev's Hardy Trees, Shrubs, etc 7 50 HeiiK'ri's Hiiils lO Horsekeepiu'i 1 75 Hooper's Dos and Gim iiaper, :30c — cloth. . tii> Hoopes' Book of Evr^.- 1 4 3 Oo Hop Cxilture .SO Hunter and Trapper 1 OO John Andross. (Rb cea Hardin Davis) 1.50 Johnson's How Crops Feed ■...;. 2 00 '• Grow..i. : 2 00 Johnson's Peat and Its Uses 1 25 Johnston's Airricultur.al Ch uiis;ry 1 7.5 Johnston's Elements of Acrieultuval Chemistry A 50 Lenchar's IIov/ to Build Hot-Houses. ^ i 50 Lyman's Cotton Culture 1 ..W Miles on the Horse's Fogt 75 Mohr on tho Grape Vhi ] (lO My "N'iriey.'U'd at Lakeviow 1 25 Nichols's Chemistry of th Farm and Sea 1 25 Norton's Scicntilic Agricultuic 75 Onion Culture ; . . 2(> Our Farm of Four Acres papr, 30c clotii... 00 Onr Divfestion. By Dio Lewis ; 2 00 Pardee on Strawberry Culture 75 Pa,rsons on the Ptose. By Samuel B. Parsons 1 50 Fodder's Land Measurer 60 PercheroTi Horse- 1 00 flay and Prolit in ii\- ' ' ^ ■ Rev. R. P. Eoe 1 50 Quincy (Hon. Josi ; Cattle 125 Quinn's Mfinev in ' , ;. i .-(> Q.ninn': "•■•■•'■■ "■ '. 100 Hand:;; 1 50 Rand'ii .lairlrv 1 iii> :' ■■ ■' r;bu 3 00 I O'l ien , " 1 .-'► ;. iMiui.-. ii paper, 'lOe doth.. .Schencks G.; ■ Jeok S'ullful Hoi-. Stewart's (Join: I ■. ■. i nuok i.i Tiiomas Farm Inlplements and ulachinery. . . . .■ 1 50 Thompson's Food of Animals...- 1 00 Tim Bunker Papers 1 50 Tob rc('o Culture 25 Turners Cotton Planters Manual 1 50 Warder's Amerio.in Poraolos:y 3 00 Warders Hedges and Evera:recns 1 50 Wari\i-a;s Drainin.'i" for Profit and Health ■- . 1 5n Vv ariuis Eleineats of Agriculture 1 Carpenters' and Joinei's' Hand Book 75 How Plants Grow 1 25 Everv Wom.an Her Own Flower Gai-dcner. Paper •50 Cloth 1 o;) Earth Ciosets, and Earth Sewerage 5i) Trout Culture 1 5.) Potatoe Culture 2.". llow to use the Microsopo 7:. Jenny June's Cook B-jok 1 5i> Scroll Sawing" with Patterns 1 ' ' ' How to Make Candy BOOKS ESPi^CIAI,I.Y FOR BEK-KEEPESS. Langstroth on the Hive and Honey Bee x^Zam " '• " " paper, 4H The above arc good, but are all far iKdiind the timch. A Manual of Bee-Iveeping, by John Hunter ,«l,-:.". This latter is fnilv u)) to the times, bclnjx as late .-i^ .Sept., 1875, bat bcin.t: En.atlich, a considerable portion of it is hardly adapted to the condition of bee culturi', nt present, in our own eonntry. f.I an u.al of the Apiary. By i'rof. A. J. Cook :!') This a'.iVi:' -.. ii ~ i' I'l. H the onl.y book wehaveiu A'.neri" up to the liaics; the best lor bogi'.ii; r>12 VOTJEO TO I53I:E« AIS 33 3rIOZ»f E Y, A.iVI> H03J:JE: IIVTDEKDESTH. A. I. ROOT, Publisher and Proprietor. Mediua, O. luiiin in Ad- ^ Published Montlily. (TERMS : SI. OO Per Anu , > \ vance; 3 Copies for $2.50: 5/o'yS3.7.'>; JEstaljllslieclin 1S73.U0 ' -■/ or more, >Jic. each. /Single JSumber 10c. Vol. IV. AUGUST 1, 1876. No. 8. NOTES FROM OUR EXCHANGES. WE fairly trembled in our shoes, wheu on opening the A. B. J. we noticed their purpose of "poking fun" at some of our weak- nesses, and the way we mentally went over the awfal blunders we had made here and there in a dozen different ways, was enough to make any body draw a long breath of relief on discovering that it was only because we had held up as new offenders some that were old in the humbug and swindle line. It is true Gould & Gillespie have been a long time reported as sharp patent right men, but it was not until this Centennial year, that they were positively reported as having black mailed people by the ridiculous assertion that they had a patent on the two story arrange- ment, and that toe were not using two story hives. Friend Butler of Jackson, Mich., gives some very valuable hints on hiving swarms, which we extract from as follows : I practice as follows : All my swarms are cunglit in a peach basket on the end of a pole. Take a basket and bore the bottom full of inch holes, and cut away quite a good portion of the staves, so as to make it as open as }X)s- sible ; stick the inside full all around on the staves with small strips of comb, a small leather stra]), six or seven inches lonir, put through the bottom of basket arid nailed on the inside, with a small harness snap on the other end of strap. Then fasten to the other end of pole, a rinr, snap into the rins^ and your Ijasket hangs in the form of a bell. Take a light pole, with hook on the end, and you have all that is required. We suppose your hives are already just where you want them to stand, ready to receive the swarm, some brood combs having Ijeen put in the hive. Now then, this hive has a cover or cap after the fashion of a band box. Ju iho back numbers of a journal that is not stereotyp- ed, and whose Vol. Ill at least, is exhausted. For the aid of soQic Tvho have written me, and others who I presume are similarly situated I will give a few prac- tical directions which I do not expect to bo of any beueiit to llie experienced, nor perhaps the specialist ia bee-culture. To select swarms before purchasing ia the spring. Those are best with como two years old that is mostly worker comb ; that cast a swarm last year ; that have plenty of brood and bees in from five to seven spaces, and honey to last till June. Say 10 lbs. m the fall, as above, but not less than 30 lbs. honey and a queen of the present season's hatching, and seven to ten spaces of bees. In sv/armiug time,— not less than 12 quarts of bees from a hive whose combs are old. To move a swarm, hive in a box with at least a doz- en inch holes in sides, and top covered with wire cloth or perforated tin, two cross sticks, and bottom covered with cloth, opriukle with cold sweetened water once in sis hours and keep shaded ; they maj^ be moved any distance in hot weather. The hive to use : First of all the frame should be Langstroth, tin cornered if you can ofl'ord it, if not and you can make a good nailed frame, irse that. But rio one can afford to use a poorly constructed frame. Make a comb guide of bees-«vax thus. Cut strips f by one inch straight edged, as long as the inside of your iVame. Melt your bees- wax just enough to run freely, %fet your straight edge with a cloth or sponge and place it on the under side of your top bar, the edge exactly in the centre, holding the frame bottom up- ward inclined slightly from the perpendicular and horizontal. With a spoon pour wax iu upper corner letting it run down and cool in the angle made by your straight edge and top bar, remove the straight edge carefully, and if well done you have a clear sharp bees-wax comb guide. I saw 50 combs built on sucli a guide last season as straight as boards. Decide how many swarms you wish to keep arid bend all the energies of jour bees to building straight worker comb sufficient to allow (if you use the ex- tractor) 20 frames to a colony. Good drone comb is not valueless for store combs in upper story, but is worse than valueless below. 1 would advise a two story hive of | in. boards, built v.-ith stationary bottom board below and the up- per story without bottom, for either box or extracted honey. Eoxes to be set on J sq. strips laid across Irames, upper story to be furnished with tin rabbets the same as lower story, cap to fit on either story (with a bevel) like a trunk lid, upper story to be shallow esiough to let tipper frames hang f in. from lower ones and lower story deep enough to allow a J in. rabbet for convenience in tucking the quilt that 1 would alwaj'B use instead of honey board. Make quilt of anything warm, lined next the bees with heaviest domestic. When lifting ofi" upper story fill- ed v.-ith frames set on a board on which is nailed a hoop one inch wide same size as hive. Make the lower story thus, and nail the bottom board well. I have no controversy with those who use mova- ble bottoms. I have tried them to my satisfaction, any one can toil upon trial which they like best. A man that uses thcra and don't get mad I commend as an example of praicncc. Some other time I may tell ' you how I manage after I get my bees and combs ready for action. R. L. Joineu. Wyoming, V,'i?. June Ibtli, 187(>. From Tompkins, (Mich.) Patriot, of June l.'ith. MS?.. TSJ'iVrJiLEY'S AIPaAKT, srg^AVJNG leisure a few days since, Jljjii^ desire to learn something about 1 curiosity and a bees prompted us to visit the apiary of J. H. Townley, of Tomp- kins, or, as he is sometimes called, '-Ijee Townley," he having made bee culture a study for the past twen- ty-five years ; hence the name. We found Mr. Town- ley busily engaged with his little workers. Wo stated the object of our visit and we were kindly received by our host ; he said lie was always willing to tell what little he knew about bee culture. His apiary makes one think of a little fairy viDage with the houses about four or five feet apart. The air seciiis alive ^v^th bees, and yet everything is harmoni- ous, each worker finding his own hive as readily as though it possessed the intelligence of a human. His stock is mostly pure Italians. He claims that they are stronger, better workers, and less liable to rob each other than our common black bee, also they were sure death to millers. He said ho would pay five dollars apiece for each miller that could be found in his entire stock of one hundred stands. Mr. Townley sells very little honey iu the comb ; he claims that he can aflord to sell the strained honey for about one- third the price of honey in the comb. He uses A. I. Root's Honey Extractor, which is quite a novel ma- chine (and is considered the best in the market) and yet the process is very simple : The cards of comb are put into a frame, (which stands in a lax-ge tin can) and revolved rapidly around a few times and the centrifu- gal force throws the honey out of the cells. An expe- rienced man will extract one thousand pounds per day in the busy season, although seven and eight hundred pounds is consiilered a good day's work .The bus}- season had not begun, but we saw enough to satisfy our curiosity. Mr. T. handles his bees with as little fear as we would a common house fiy. To pre- vent his bees from swarming and leaving him he clips one of the queen bee's wings and when the swarm comes out of the hive she drops on the ground ; he then places her in the new hive with some brood comb, puts the new hive where the old one stood, and in a short time the swarm come back, find their queen in their new home, and go to work without anj' farther trouble. We were surprised to learn that workers were so short lived. He said they would not live over eight wsjeks in the busy season but would wear themselves out with actual labor and die, while the queen would live from two to six years, and part of the time lay two' thousand eggs per day. Dui-ing the basswood season (which is in July and lasts ten or twelve days), last season Mr. T. kept a minute of the amount of honey that one of his swarms made, weighing the hive evcrj' night. The total amount for the ten days was one hundred and thirteen pounds. The most made in one day was seventeen pounds, part of two days during the time it rained. The bees had to go on an average two miles to gather the honey and now at the low price of fifteen cents per pound this one stand paid .sixteen dollars and niaety-flve cents in ten days; and v/e should consider by this that bees were a paying investment. Mr. T. says his stands will pay him on an average fifteen dollars per year.- We learned a great deal about bees but space will not. permit us to give all the particulars. Suffice it for the present to say that our host had us test all of his dif- ferent kinds of hone." (basswood, white clover, buck- wheat, etc.,) oi last year's gathering. Fakcv. 1S7G GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 181 SQUASHES AXU BEES. ^^njS^ EAR G LEADINGS: -The back numbers onine to ^Wj hand all in order. Have had a feast of good things, — ill gleaning their pages. Perfection is not for mor- tals here, below, a'.id we alll see with different eyes, ex- cept those who grope their way through life and do not see at all. With the latter I am not going to find any fault at present, but I am astonished at brother Doolittle's assertion that bees gather no pollen from the pumpkin and squash; pape 155, July No. Now dear Gleanings this touches a rather tender spot. You know wc all have our hobbies and if they are assailed, we very naturally defend them if we can. There is much said about honey plants, and of cultivating special crops expressly for honey. Now I am of the opinion there is no crop that v/ill pay for this special purpose, but I do think the squasJi as good, if not better than any other pollen pro- ducing plant we have ; and I would advise every apiarian who can, to have one acre of squash to cultivate and at- tend in connectiort with his bees. All good apiarians love pets. You Mr. Editor have your pet Blue Eijes, your pet bees, your pet hobbies in pet hives, etc. I have my pet bees, pet chickens, pet goose- berries, and above all my pet sqasJi, which mv bees fer- tilize abundantly, and they— the sq«ash— supply the bees with a rich harvest of honey and pollen from fresh and rich bloom every morning, from May until September ; three ftcU months at ieast. There is something peculiar in the bloom of this vegetable, as it only opens its rich golden bloom at break of day, just as the busy bee is ready to sally forth, to commence the labors of the day ; and here she finds the petal of purest pollen and beneath it a cell of the purest nectar, awaiting the arrival of the early worker. Yes, so rich is this bloom, I have often seen three bees quietly taking the sweets from the base of the cylinder, while the fourth was very deliberately load- ing her baskets with pollen from the cylinder above. Thus as she jxisses from the male (lower to the pistillate or female flower, it is fertilized by the pollen from the male cylinder. But stay, I am writing for a Bee journal and not for an agricultural paper. As I said before, we all have our pet hobbies. Jline are bees, poultry, and squash. As we all know, to make bees profitable we must help them all we can. There is some profit in poultry if jn-operly managed ; mine i)ay their way by killing moths, squash bugs, young drones and destructive insects, both ia the apiary, orchard and vine patch. The fine varieties of squash that I raise, require nnich care and attention ; they have as many enemies as the bee, and can not defend themselves half as well. Were it not for my chickens, I could not raise them here, and the squash I know is a material help to the bee. The squash crop is self sustaining ; one acre of Hubbard, Boston mar- row, or Butman squash, is worth from SlOO,00 to 8150,00. Just try it some of you, and if you don't have pet squash as well as pet bees, I lose my guess. I have some of the Hubbard at this date, (July 9th) weighing 10 lbs., of the Boston marrow, that weighs 18 lbs., other varieties very fine but not so forward. I would say to all readers of Gleanings, I am not so young as I was fifty years ago. I have filled my mission by raising a family of seven children, aiy Blue Eyes are all married and heads of families. But I must still have my pets, and I find myself yet able to attend to 150 or 200 hives of bees, make my hives, cultivate my garden and one acre of squash, and have plenty of time to digest Gleanings once a month. At another time if desired I will give Gleanings a sure method of wintering bees. T , .„ , , ^ , A. J. Savage. Lakeville, Mo., July nh, 1S7G. As for as honey is concerued we heartily agree with our friend, but must say with friend Doolittle that ic is our opinion after giving the matter some study, that the bees get only honey from the vines. It is true they get so covered with the pollen as to resemble anything but bees, but as nearly as we can discover, this is only accidental, and nothing that the bee desires or appropriates ; for we could never tind that they stored the sub- stance in cells, or that it was taken off and used in any way by the other bees. If our friend has actually seen them loading it into their pollen baskets, we suppose we shall have to give up, but we really do not believe our bees ever appropriate it in that way. We heartily commend such innocent pastimes as having pet squash vines, queens, chickens etc., and the pleasure felt in seeing what can be achieved with single specimens, by unremit- ting care and study, is not to be compared with those recreations that waste time, money, and health. Happy is the one who can during the eve of life, lind peace and joy in communion with and in the study of the bees, birds and flowers all about us. Ten acres of pumpkin blossoms once gave our apiary as much as 1 lb. of honey per hive per day for several days. We satisfied ourselves of the fact by observing that the scales only showed this increase very early in the morning, and at a time when the whole apiary seemed going in that one direct- ion. See page 78 Vol. I. iipi ♦^^ ail HOW TO KEEP BOX HONEY. ]®J)^-^ honey should be kept, if possible, in a honey J-IDj)') house made lor that very purpose. This house shoukl not be over 7 feet high, and should be large enough to hold all (he honey you think you will ever produce, with room enough besides, for crating it. Some one asks, "Why not have a house higher ? -' Because we want to secure all the heat possible with- out a lire, during August and September ; for tliis beat causes your honey to grow thicker every day instead Qf becoming transparent and standing in drops on the surface as did Mr. Wolfenden's. Honey swells only as it becomes damp from some cause, and the first you will see of that dampness will be in the unsealed cells, where the honey will have become so thin that it will sta.-.d out beyond the cells ; or in other words the cells will be "heaping full." If the dampness re- mains, the sealed honey will become transparent, ami eventually soak through and stand in drops on the surface of the comb. Now if you keep the room thus warm you will be liable t » be troubled with the moth worm. Let your first honey taken oiV be separate, ex- amine it every few days, and if you see many boxes with little white places on them (generally near bot- tom of box) resembling flour, you will have to brim- stone it, as the moths will eventually eat the sealing all oil' and make a bad job of it. Novice is right about our selling our honey early, but wo should not think it right to sell honey that we knew would depreciate in value in the ijurchasera hands, to save ourselves a little troulfie, as he rather seems to intimate. We have always sulphured oar honey with the exception of one year, the last thing before crating it. To do this, fix a solid foundation of scantling two feet above the floor, on this place your honey and whenever you think the moth should be headed oil", get a pan of coals and set them in a kettle, or fix in some way to prevent danger from fire, and 183 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Aug. pour on i lb. of sulphiu- to every 200 cubic feet con- tained in j-our room. Sulphur tlie last tiling before crating if you wish to get a name as producing nice box honey. We have frequently seen honey in mark- et with moth worms in the boxes from 1 to li in- ches long and nearly as large as a pipe stem. Such honcj-is not very tempting to the consumer. Pile the boxes so that all entrances will bo open. The section boxes are nice on this isocount, as they will pile com- pactly tier on tier, and still leave I inch space be- tween every comb all through the pile. Never let box honey freeze on any account, as it cracks it loose from the the box or through the centre of combs when it contracts. If you do not sell before freezing weather comes keep lire in your room night and day. To deliver honey in coM weather, pile the crates up so the air from your loom can circulate all round each crate, keep the temperature of room from 90° to 05° for 36 hours before moving it, and it will ride in open air 25 miles on a spring wagon, before it will get cold enough to be brittle. G. M. DOOLITTLE. P. S. If ants are troublesome, we really know of no other way than to line the house with tin so as to make it ant-ijroof. G. M. D. Very much obliged indeed, friend D. Our remarks in regard to selling honey as soon as taken from the hives, were only meant for such as was to be used up at once, and with no thought of shirking an unpleasant job to the shoulders of some one else. We have had some experience of the kind ourselves, in the way of unsightly worms in honey boxes, and the task of breaking them open and piclving out the webs and worms was by no means a pleas- ant one. In our market the section boxes without glass are taking the precedence ; we make a case to ship or store them, just large enough for a single section to slip inside, and long enough to hold fifteen side by side. The ends of these long boxes are glass, and the cover is held on by six screws ; the sides are made just the right height to allow the screws to draw the cover against the top bar of the sections sufficient to hold them from shaking about when shipped, and yet close enough to exclude flies and ants. These long boxes are very cheaply made, and are of such shape that they are almost of necessity handled carefully. When the honey is to be retailed, the box can be readily opened, the sections lifted out as wanted, and all is secure ; yet the consumer gets less than one ounce of wood to the pound of honey he buys, less than with any other package for comb honey with which we are ac- quainted. In our own store we find it impos- sible to sell honey even in the nicest glass box- es, since we have ofi'ered the sections. When the honey needs brimstoning, the covers can be unscrewed from these long sections, allow- ing your eye to sweep every comb in an in- stant, and any one to be withdrawn almost as quickly. If they are kept in a tight honey house, the covers may be left off after brim- stoning it, in case a second fumigation be need- ed. The facility with which the bees cau be shaken from these sections, is to us quite an argument in their favor, in place of boxes. On one occasion we removed some glass box- es and placed them in front of the hive, for the bees to get out ; as they were slow we left them over night. During the night it rained, and our nice boxes, all made of tin and glass, were spattered with mud, and drenched with rain. They are now bothering us by leaking on the bottom of the show case ; the sections when well sealed, make no trouble by leaking and daubing. A lioney box can scarcely he made, to be sold honey and nil, for less than a half dollar ; and a four or live pound box, even at the 1' w price of 25 cents per pound, amounts to over a dollar. Yuu m;iy jjlacc them so as to catch the eye of the passer Vjy, and they will inquire the price, but the number that can spare a dollar are few, compared with those who will hand over a quarter, or 30 or fO cents for one of the neat little square cakes such as the section boxes contain. Some friends were at tea ; the honey was all up street except that in the hives ; we slipped out, raised the cover to a hive, raised the quilt, took out a sec- tion frame, shook it, blew off the bees, and was back in our ]5lace at the table scarcely being missed. The section was laid on a i)late, a thin knife passed aroinid it, and af- ter the meal it was restored to its place in the hive, ready for the bees again. ^ ^ IMPORTED QUKKNS AND INTKOIi>i:CIN«J QITB3ENS. wp^'E are very thankful for your defense of our deal- w// ings. A'ery few imported queens would satisfy tliose who put the color above all other quali- ties ; yet when we compare tlie small number of com- plaints, {not a half dozen in two years), with the commen- dation we receive daily from our eitstoraers, we are almost ready to continue our course, taking for our motto the de- vice of Michael Monlagne, '"Act light, whatever be the consequences." In your article you suggest that we refund the money to those who will not be satisfied with our queens. As you have seen, by our letter written before receiving your July No., too late for insertion, we had resolved to make an addition in that way to our advertisement. Had we taken that way before, we would have avoided many vexations, by refunding their money to two or three bee-keepers, at most, on several hundred queens sold. But what must we do with those who will refuse to send an afiidavit purporting that the (lueen complain- ed of is the same that we have sent, and who, never- theless accuse us of being swindlers ? We believe that the killing of queens by the bee- keeper while introducing or otherwise, is what makes most of the trouble between queen dealers and their customers. I know of bee-keepers who have tried to introduce valuable queens in hives with laying work- ers. It was sure death for the queen introduced. Others take the queen from the hive before the arri- val of the queen ordered. If the sender cannot send her immediately, or if she has been delayed on the way, a young queen may have hatched, the bee- keeper having fa iled to destroy all the queen cells. Now, as a queen which has been confined for a few days in a small box with few bees, is lean, or looks so rather than really is, the young hybrid queen is read- ily believed to be the queen ordered. Then the hard names come to the queen dealer, who is yet quite sure of having sent a pure queen. Others, to be ready, place the queen to be replaced in ac|ueen-cage in her hive. Nine times out of ten if this conliuement lasts a few days, the colony has pre- pared some queen cells, and the qu-;en is killed. A few days after the bee-keeper hunts for his qeeen ; he is unable to tiiid her ; a few days later he sees her laying. Of course he cannot imagine that the queen he had under his eye i5 not the queen received. I could quote many more circumstances whicli might delude even an experienced bee- keeper. I will quote only one more : Sometimes the colony has two queens ; the bee-keeper kills one. and the one reraaiuiup: kills the queen introduced. • We have had a case of that kind at our apiary and at a neighbor's. 1876 GLEANINGS IN BEE CT^TURE. 18? We are among the bcc-kccpcrs who have introduced tlie most queens, in their app.ries. Wo have tried all methods, hut we know of only one which, if well carried ont, will give onstant success. It istheold method of ratlins the queen in a cage for 40 to 48 hours. We remove the queen to bo replaced, and immediately put the cage containing the queen to be introduced be- tween two combs containing brood. Not less than 3e hours after, we remove one of the stoppers of the cage without removing the cage, and put in place of the cork a stopper made of apiece of white honey -comb, then wc shut the hive, leaving the bees to liberate the queen. In this second operation wo act as quietly as possible, not to rouse the anger of the bees ; and as quickly as possible to avoid robbers entering the hive. Seven days after, we remove the cage and see if our queen is laying. It is imsafe to trouble the bees until the queen is laying fairly. We have introduced, this spring, 55 imported queens so far, all with success. We received our sixth invoice yesterday. Twenty living queens. They will be liberated to-morrow. We are confident that if all bee-keepers succeeded in introducing, theye would be very few complaints of delinquent queen dealers. Cn. Dadaxt & Sox. In inserting the above article we are aware that we to a certain extent advertise the bus- iness of the writers, but our experience so strongly favors queens just from Italy, that we can but feel it a duty to recommend them. There is a kind of cool energy about the work- ers from our imported queen, that we hardly find equalled bf* any other hive. Gentle to handle, keeping their post on the combs no matter where they are carried, prompt to defend themselves and otit the first ones in the morning if any honey is to be gatli- ered, we hardly see how any one can fail to like them. Yesterday we found a moth miller in the house apiary and threw it in front of their hive ; it was pounced on at once, and in a trice a bee took its lifeless body away up in the air. A moth miller would be crazy to even venture within the precincts of their well kppt door yard. If a head of ijrass gets in the way of their morning flight, they will pull and tug at it until we take pity on them and come and pull it up. We would never try to introduce an imported queen, but would give her frames of brood just gnawing out of their cells, as we have so often advised. Let her loose on the combs at once, and with the num- ber of bees that Dadant & Son send with them, she will lay a lot of eggs from which you may proceed to rear queens the very first day you get her. You can keep the hive clos- ed as a security against robbers, until the young bees are old enough to fly. To give all sides impartially, we append the following, from one who knows well whereof he speaks. Don't you think that those who are not satisfied with Mr. Dadant's imijorted queens (though 1 am satisfied that Mr. Dadant has dealt honorably with all ; all the queens he has sent here are just as line and as pure as those I have received from Italy,) should themselves im- port from Italy and get perfectly satisfied, and at the .same time economize ; as they can get the queens deliver- ed in New York, and safe arrival guaranteed, at about §'25 to S'oO pe r dozen, according to season. Should any one wish the'address of apiaiians in Italy sending queens to America, I will give it with pleasure. Each queen is sent in a small box of about six inches square, containing 3 combs— 2 containing hcney and 1 dry. The queens are generally from 3 to 5 weeks on the way, and very seldom die, though sometimes many of the bees do. If I thought I could sell queens (imported) at a fair price. I think I would undertake the importation on a larf e scale, but the trouble is to get public confidence. It seems a difficult matter, from what I see of the jealousy of some apiarians, especially in the last issue of the lice World. Paul L. Viallon. Bayou Goula, La., July 11, ISIM. Perhaps the above was not intended for publication, if not, we beg pardon ; but it is a matter tliat will benefit all, by being made public. Give us the address, and we will promise to behave better, friend V. UNQUEENING TO PREVENT ING, ETC. SWAR]TI. SflfpjDITOR GLEANINGS —The July No. is before me, j?'[j/|i and full of good things as usual. Deriving so much ' benefit myself, it may be in my power to help with a little of my experience. I had, last Nov., CO colonies, but had extracted too closely I am now convinced, and lost throvigh robbery, and perhaps some br starvation, 20. About 15 m box hives, 2 in a ihetal rack hive, and the rest in Simjslicity and Langstroth hives. I found a decided advantage in a bran cover, made by tacking on a sheeet of Burlap across the cover of Simplic- ity hive, after packing full of bran— wheat. The stocks so treated c ime out best and were my best workers. Others, protected by being packed in stiaw, in 2d story, resiing directly on the combs did nearly as well. The whole of May and early June were quite cool here, and the bees never seemed to pour in the honey as they' did last year. I had very little natural swarming, but 8 to commence with, and I have increased to 56. My best swarm I divided May 20, and by mistake took away the queen. The result was, having lots of brood; and boxes being put on at once, they began work in them and have made 112 iiounds of honey besides the fine swarm taken. Is not this evidence that to crowd for box honey it is best to take the queen, after the hive is well filled with brood and larva; V It has worked so well, I shall try it more fully. If our honey harvest had been as good as last June, and our boxes full of comb or foundation, I think they could have made 300 poimds. Several of my Ijox hives are at work on the third set of boxes, each 24 pounds, and have fully as much made as when arranged so as to tier up. Thus far I shall average nearly as much honey from my box hives as from the sim- plicity, and leaving out two, more. This may go to strengthen Mr. Heddoii's position, though I am no convert to his theory yet, for I believe the movable frame indis])ensable in giving control over their operations. I think it an excellent way to keep combs, to place them in simplicity hives over one another and sulphur them oc- casionally. They are out of the way and partially pro- tected from moths, and it is so easy to apply the' brim- stone. Of course the shell of the hive only is used. Is it advisable to divide and increase after the best hon- ey season is over ? J. W. Poktee. Tliere seems scarcly a dissenting voice, in regard to packing Avith chaff", l^ran or similar material, providing it is put close to the bees, and their hives are close and warm oth- erwise. We have wondered, whether the tier- ing up operation, was after all, of so verj'' much importance ; it is certainly considerable trouble, and we run the risk of getting a dozen boxes half filled, instead of 6 nicely sealed up. Will some of our friends enlighten us. The plan of taking away the queen just at the right time, has been advised, but it seems, nev- er much practiced. We opine that it will not always work so well, for some stocks will re- madn almost idle when queenless. We think it an excellent plan to divide very strong stocks after the honey harvest, especially, if we have an abnudance of combs full of stores. 184 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Aug. DEPAKTMEXT FOB BOXJOTE^EEJiEEPEKS. I [For Gleaning's Box Hive Department.] sfnlDITOE GLEANINGS :-Your remarks prefixed to Srrt rav article in July Xc. induces me to makeAEE- ^^^ QUEST of yon. You have wisely advised apiarians not to chantje their style of hive, for a seemingly better one, where thev had many hives of another kind. Now I have 103 hives in my house apiary all alike, and 150 cf an- other style (all alike) in my apiary six miles away. Ac- cordins'tovoui- own .?oH»d advice, how can you expect me to^^add to mv already established apiaries another kind of hive? Asain,my stocks are all Italians except four or five, and a few hybrids. I don't propose to breed them back, but I assure you I shall take no pains to prevent their doing it themselves. The purer the Iial- ians, the poorer wax workers they are, and the longer it takes the new swarms to till the brojd chamber. Two more humlniis are artificial queens, and transferring l>ees from box to frame hives. Y'ou may think me radi- cal, but the future will verify what I say; such is my opinion. But that psoposiTios. Supposing yon are somewhat anxious to see me surrounded by a lot of these box hives, I request that you put in Gleaxixgs (free cf charge) an advertisement of Heddon's Bee Gardens, or Bees and Hives. Now I will stake what little reputation I may have, and give you any bends you may ask for, and I can u'ive, that I will in future keep none but "jet black" bees. Further that I will use no hives containing frames, no honey extractors, no comb foundations, queen nurseries, or any kindred nonseuce. Artificial swarms, clipped queens, and the like, are also to be among the things that used to be it "Heddon's Bee Gardens" vro- vided I find sale for my present ajnaries, or bees and hives. I will sell at low figures, and the hives are made up more workmanlike than any I ever saw. The bees are strong and free from all disease. The combs are straight, and a small share drone cells. In fact the whole concern has been "pruned" and toned up each year since I have been the owner. Now, I never thought cf selling out my bees and hives without the other fixtures, but if you accept my proposi- tion, and the ad. brings me customers, I will do just what I state above, and pay for the space besides. I will fur- ther agree to present 10 colonies cf bees, to any apiarian this side of the Eocky mountains who will clear more cash pro rata from a similar amount of capital and labor invested, than I do. I shall make bees a specialty, and devote all my time to it, besides keeping a hired man, as I novj do. Will you accept my proposition ? James Heddox. P. S.— I forgot to say that I will do more than "ovnx up like a man" if I fmd I am wrong, for I will pay you the price of the advertisement I ask for, every time I find a mistake and wish to take back into use, any of the imple- ments or methods which I propose in this agxeement to throw away. I will besides, make public statement of the mistake. J. H., Dowagiac, Mich., .July 5th, 1S76. To bo sure we will accept the proposition, and rejoice that at last the controversay is to be settled bj- practical work, rather than by talking. The advertisement will be found in this number, and with the fall crops of honey usually secured in j\Iich., the investment can hardly fail to be a good one for any one who is willing to work. At present we would re- quest actual reports from those who keep the common bees and box hives. Our own hive of blacks, although quite populous, has given us just about half the honey that our poorest Italian stock has of about equal strength, and we were somewhat disappointed to tind them more averse to starting in the sections, than are the Italians. Neither are they anything near as much disposed to build little bits of comb at the ends of the frames, and in every little cranny a? are the others. To be sure one colony is not a fair test, and as we wish friend H. to give an unbiased report, on his side, we will try and be equally fair and frank on the other. If you are going to "own up like a man," friend H., you will have to com- mence very soon, we imagine ; the fdn., for instance. If the package of pure wax we have just sent you does not bring some kind of an admission, we fear wc shall have to doubt vour candor. DEPOSITOilY OF B Isi'lii Ui^ai^ Or tetters fioni Xliose M'lio Have ITIade Bee Culture a. Failure. F,EKHAPS yon remember my writing- you last fall ' that ray prcspc-cis in regard to bee keeping were , rather gloomy. 1 put them in the bee house early, according to your directions, but it was a wrong move for they became tauly diseaseil as early as in the begin- ning of December. 1 expected to have none left by spring, but through the mild winter and carrying them out to ^ive them a fly some ten or twelve times, I .>^ue- ceeded in getting them ail through except one, but most of them were very weak. As it has been a verj good honey season 1 am again encoui-aged to invest more in the business. S. M. 3Iohlek. Covington, Ohio, July 11th, 1870. In our Feb. No. we gave the letter referred to in the "Blasted Hopes" department, but it now transpires that our friend's troubles were mostly borrowed ones, for if he got through with the loss of only one colony, he certainly did remarkably well. Are not many of our gloomy forebodings entire!}' uuwarrented ': We are really unable to find matter for Blast- ed Hopes every month, but it may be because our friends are averse to telling of iheir .'all- ures, or perhaps the ones Avho fail do not take Bee-journals. Should we chronicle ail the losses occasioned by investing with traveling patent hive men, we might keep a great part oT the journal filled; but it would be unfair to blame the bees for such losses. Perhaps we may get along as well or better without the troublesome lugging hives out and in doors. The last years Ajn-il fi-eeze finished my last stock, and I also lost them same way year before, but my son sent me in May, two light stocks from Peru, Indiana in your friend Mitchel's famous patent moth proof, moth trap hive, that needs t\v'o men to handle it, but I got them home and on the first good day transferred them to Simplicity hives. One had i and the other \}i frames of brood purporting to be Italians, pure, but 1 call them about half bloods, no better. About the middle of July I divided, and succeeded in the operation so well I extract- ed 100 lbs. of honey and went into winter with IS swai-ms, ten of which I enclosed in boxes and the others put in a warm chamber in the house, and cr.n-ied tliem up and down a number of times as the weather changed. They all did well, consuming less than half their stores. I have taken ICO lbs. that was left, making :i50 altogether. They dwindled some this spring, one gone entirely', and two'lost their queens, but have raised others. Have now, seventeen doing well ; if they fill those little boxes, I will send for more. J. Ceesst. P. S.— The ilitchel jratcnt hive I keep on exhibition for all callers to see ; they ai-e, as a curiosity, Avorth jiresen - ins, if vou have a desire for one I sliould like to furnish you. ' J. C Ho11:uh1, Ohio, May 27th, l-<7tJ. 187(> GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 1S5 S\^'AK3'1ING OJJ'r l?i THE SPRIXG. f' HAVE a jylan by wbicli I feel sure I can prevent n.iiy stock from swarmiii;; out in spring. I winter none — but small stocks aucl have lost many by swarming out. Small apiaries of a dozen or two, can every one be saved by my plan. In large apiaries it would be difficult, and yet the weak stocks may be saved. My theory is that they do not intend swarming out, that the whole thing is a mistake. WTien first set out, most of the bees leave the hive to enjoy the sunshine ; the few that remain get uneasy and some little simpleton screams fire ! fire ! They all rush out, and rather than 1)6 left alone the old lady reluctantly follows. When I get ready to set out my bees I have a spare clean hive ; I bring out a swarm and wait till they com- mence flyinar. I then transfer them to the clean hive ; if they have plenty of honey uncap some, if not, give them a comb well filled vrith syrup. I then scrape and scald the last hive for the nest swarm, going through with them all in ths same way. If we have a cold snap soon after setting them out, I put the weak ones back in the cellar and leave them until those outside get through with their rnsJi on the first fair da v. 0. W. PiRKiE, Xew London, O., June ISth, 76. Your plan may partially remedy the trouble, but as many of ours have swarmed out several weeks after beiuj; set out, we fear it will not always apply. Will it not be an easier way, to have heavy stocks and pack them in chaff to keep them strong V Providing of course, that chaff answers. The scraping and scalding the hive, we can but think unnecessary, unless it is soiled from effects of disease. one OWS APEAEi'S^ WE have increased from 4(5 to To by natu- ral swarming, and the experience we have had in this new direction has been some- what amusing, to say nothing farther. By the use of empty combs, we have as yet entirely prevented swarming, for not a swarm has come off from those so treated ; furthermore the (iueen has in few instances p".t brood in any of the upper stories. The plan adopted was to put in one less comb above than usual, and to spread these as fast as the cells became came lengthened. Of course a second story soon becomes filled, and a new one filled vzith combs is then put under the one that is ready to be, or is partly capped over. In this man- ner we do not intrude on the brood apartment any mors than with box hone}% and yet we verily believe that fuily as much honey will be obtained the season through. Again, as no combs are to be handled except those in the upper stories the work is even easier than with the long one story hives. Besides if one has plenty of empty combs, which every bee-keeper may have, he can keep putting on stories and do the extracting at some convenient time, or even hire some cheap help to do it. In this <;ase the honey will be as fully ripened as the most fastidious can desire. If it be urged that it is a very difficult operation to remove honey from the hives when the bees are not gather- ing, v/e will advise removing the combs by moonlight, an operation not difficult at all, as we have several times proved. The honey can be stored in a convenient I'ocm and with wire cloth doors and windows, a couple of girls could do the extracting and keep every thing as neat and clean as any well kept kitchen or pantry. The one item of being able to work without a single bee to buzz or bother by get- ting in the honey, would in our estimation be worth ever so much (or more). This is not all either, if we use white, or even a very nice yellow wax for our combs, we can remove them from the hives as soon as filled and cap- ped, and then we are ready to accept either an offur for comb or extracted honey, or even if honey is wanted for feeding, we are ready for that. Sell it just as the market demand-*, and there will always be the consolation of bein:: able to give consumers just which they de- mand, and no charge for packages. If they see fit to return the empty frame, it is worth just as much or more to the bee-keeper, and if the frame is given in with the honey, the expense is less than one cent per lb. for the package- To be sure there will always be a demand for fancy packages, glass boxes, etc., and to sup- ply this, every one should keep on hand a sup- ply of a variet}'^ of these as ma.y be needed ; and if he retails honey, as every one should to make the most of his bees, he will keep a nice little show case of these on hand the year round. The foundations of pure wax are proving all that could be desired, and the way the new swarms commence in a whole set of boxes at once, is astonishing. With the Italians it al- most seems as if the foundations were a neces- sity, for without them they commence at the bottom and build upward in a way that is most wasteful and untidy. A new fact seems to be developing, which is that if more wax be put into the foundation than is required, they will use it for comb building in other places. There is no mistake about this, for by using wax of different colors, we can demon- strate it to the satisfaction of any one. Still farther, we can give a queenless colony foun- dations and thus secure the most beautiful worker comb, at a time when no comb would be built at all. How comb is going to com- pare with extracted honey now, is a problem we are as yet unable to solve. After tliey get under full way, with the foundations, perhaps they store honey in them nearly as fast as in empty combs, but we have swarming frequently when they have boxes or sections only partly filled, while as we have said before, none when at work in the furnished upper stories. One more item, and an important one for box honey raisers : In the house apiary we have one of the most beautiful sights, in the shape of a full set of faucy gla-ss boxes with bees at work on the snow white foundations in each. Below, is a full fram.e built, and part- ly capped over, also foundations. Well, this is a spectacle so much admired, that visitors are _ invited to look at it almost every hour in the ' day ; and to avoid disturbing them with too much light, we throw over the boxes a cloth curtain when no one is watching them.' On one of the hives wc used by accident a thick woolen spread and several times when this cover was carelessly omitted, we thought the the bees seemed to cease work in the boxes. Experiment .showed this to be the case, for if the spread was left off, although the house is dark as pitch when closed, the bees would very 186 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. ACG; soou almost desert the outside boxes. Is it not because the woolen covering contiues the animal heat? It this is the case is it not very important that houej- boxes, sections, etc., be weil protected from the changes of the vreath- erV This experiment was made during quite warm weather, and the hive was in the house also. It seems that it is far more important that the covering be close up against the glass, or if for bets iu winter, close up to the cluster, than that extra pains be taken with the out- side 01 the hive, building, or whatever they may be iu. The bees need protection precisely as we would protect a child, or a baby, to get at a fair illustration. How shall this protec- tion be given? Candidly, to do it in tbe best manner is to us an unsolved problem. If our readers have as little time to fuss with bees as we have, it had better be something that can be left on the hive permanently ; especially if the surplus arrangement needs about the same protection as do the bees in winter. The hoop hive, or any thin hive, succeeds so far as keep- ing the bees dry is concerned ; if we could add to it a thickness of 4 inches of chaff, and have this both in winter and summer come close to the bees, very likely we should get it about right. Listen : By the way, friend Root, I aci compelled, to smile once more at you and your exijerience with that Q. hive. Do you not know the principle is just that of the Fmn hive r Only that is a permanent fiiture, does not need tixins up every fall, nor tearing down In the spring. The material costs me but §1,00 and I can make one complete in a day ; do it in winter when time is plenty And if I had one of your saws I could do much better. There is no such thiu^' as spring dwindling luiless it is starvation. Have not lost a colony in any other way. J. J. KiSEE, Adelphi, Iowa, June 29th, '7C. Very true, but is it necessary that our sever- al thousand bee-keepers should each pay for a right to lix his hives just as he thinks best ? If the very best plan is in possession of a "pat- ent right, man," it will be the first instance of the kind that has come under our notice in the history of bee culture. Our Q. hive has sent out four swarms, the first has two stories full to the top and, cells capped, the second just ready for the second story, and the third and fourth — doing as well as could be expected. Again, what would 100 colonies just like the chsffhive do? Vitli — "Well we can raise comb honey after ail, and to confess the truth, we feel consider- able elated at our success. Our trouble in former years has, we think, been mainly for the want of gooil aized guide combs, and this season, where we have attempted to get even a single section tilled without the foundations, it has been mostly a failure. "With the fdn., the veriest novice may succted with comb honey almost as surely as with the extractor, although the amount obtaiufcel, will be con- siderably less, ttntil we can manage to have the fdn. raised into comb in advance of the honey season. Again we have been repeated- ly astonished at the amount uf rcom a colony will occupy to advantage during the extreme hot weather. A very heavy swarm was given a full set of empty combs, yet on the second day they persisted in hanging on the hive; a set of section boxes was eiveu them, but thev were very soon out again, and just for an ex- periment, we leaned a couple of empty combs up against the hive just over the cluster. It rained in the night, and lindiug the combs tilled with what we supiwsed rain we struck them against a post, to remove it ; to our as- tonishment it was honey, and although these bees would not work inside the hive, they had very quickly filled these combs on the outside. "We took the hint, and gave additional upper stories of emptj- comb, more shade and vent- ilation, and were much gratified to find we could get the bees inside the hive and at work without fail, if we only had the empty comb. The fdn. does the same thing partialh*, and perhaps entirely, if we can get the bees once at work on it. or can give them a i)iece on which bees have made a start. Probabh' none of us have ever succeeded ia inducing a colony of bees to do all they are capable of doiug. In our apiar}* we feel satisfied that fully one half the time of the bees has been wasted, judging from the way in which new swarms do business. Several hives are now* filling their fu-nrth story, and from the wa}- these stories "lift", we should estimate they contained over 200 lbs. There has been no cessation of work with these colonies, and singular as it may seem, they fill a stor3- placed on the top of the third story about as readily as if it were directly over the first. The long one story hives do not seem to be filled out to the extreme ends, with near the readiness ot' the one in which the surplus room is above. The house apiary is now working beautifully, as it did last year ; and during the very hot weather, we find it quite a convenience to be able to keep the room cool, by opening the large trap door in the centre of the floor, allowina: the air to mingle with that in the cellar. The building seems in many respecis adapted to comb honey par- ticttlariy, and the facilit}- with which we can pile up sections and boxes without auy solici- tude in the matter of the covers going on, is really quite an item. We have colonies that can only be prevented Irom clustering out by 8 sets of section boxes, a.ud the ordinar}' L. caps, or upper stories even, will not allow this number at once. The hoops, iu such a case, are very convenient, and the facility they oiler for getting at the section boxes when remov- ing them, is enough to rptain them in use, even should they not prove desirable for hives. The only objection we have fouud, and we are not quite sure yet that it is an object- ion, is that the bees get on the otitside of the hive if the sun strikes it directly, during a very hot day. "^^e have persuaded them to go back, even then, by adding more stories, or more section boxes. Honey has been coming now, steadily, for more than a mouth, although not with the great daily yields that we have had some seasons. "We feel that we have er- red greatly, in not giving new swarms upper stories or boxes sooner. We at first thought it best to make them fill the whole of the combs in the lower story, before giving them more room ; but our course now, is to give them surplus room above, as soon as thej' have filled and begun to cap the central combs ; for if we examine we shall find they begin to build little bits of comb at the tops and ends GLEANINGS IN EEE CULTURE. lb'; ■of the frames before th'.y are at wcrk in the outside oi.cs ; this is especially the case v/heu we "ive the new swarm a full set of empty -jmb to start with. Whatever may be said in regard to tlie folly of modern appliances, and processes in bee-cultuit-, there can be no question o.s to the utility of waichiii^'j and ;rivin.i;: every facility for steady work of the ! httle Insects during the honey months. Fur- \ iiishing worker instead of drone comb, giving j combs to new colonies, and furnishing the I wax for eoiub honey, have proved already | such immense helps, that one who attempts to ignore these, simply makes himself ridiculous, to say nothing of the folly of decrying tne use of the extractor. li)l?i. — Honey is coming in some, but not rapidly (-noHgli to keep up work in the sec- tions. ViQ, in our eagerness to keep all the bees in the liives, put on additional sections, un- til we have some comb and little honey in a great mauj"^, and but few that are well filled {ind sealed over. Will frierd Doolittle tell us what to do in such a predicament, or rather how to avoid it in future ? We are not very much worried, for we can take these unfilled sections oil" while they are clean and white, and thej' will be beautiful to put on during nppic bloom next season. Somehow it seems iis if our bee? collapsed in numbers all at once about Jub/ iOth; at least they got dov/n out ot the several stories of boxes, and crawled in .00 per stand. Let's see ; well, you ligure it. The jjoint we are most interested in is the shipping part, and as he in- tends to ship a load back this fall, in his box hive, to winter, there may be danger of his getting away with us fellows. AVell, if he cannot learn from us, per- haps we can learn from him. We shall see. J. M. Hii.L. Dennison, Texas, July 11, 187G. FOUNDATIONS. '^■gR|NCLOSED find {5.00 for which please send comb j°[j^| foundations oH pure wax. and I would like to have the bottoms of the cells as thin as you can possibly make them. I want to use some of them for guides in boxes, and lanless they can be made thin they will not do at all. The foundations you sent me two or three weeks ago, are much too thick. If you eat a piece of honey that has been put into them, you have your mouth full of w.ax. Those you sent, I should judge from the smell, were part paraffine, and I used them in the frames in every shape I could think of, but every one of them would stretch out so that the cells looked like oblong drone cells. You sent me a pound last winter, made from yellow wax, that were tliin and nice, and liave worked all right. None of them have stretched out. I think I should prefer them made of yellow wax. if you make such. Laying them in the sun for a few days will bleach them white enough for all purposes. O. J. Hetuerington. East Saginaw, Mich., July 14th, 1876. It is very singular to say the least, that we have so many conflicting reports, and wishes in regard to the fdn. We have so many times, in our apiary, satisfied ourselves that it made uo difference whether the wax sheets were thick or thin, that we find it hard to under- stand the statements of the few who have written like the above. So many that first wanted them thin have changed tlieir opinion, we have of late purposely made them thicker ; if made as thin as the natui-al comb, it would be quite impossible to handle them, and near- ly all now agree that enough wax should be used to nearly make the complete comb, and that it matters little whether it be given tliem in the walls, or in the bottom of the cells. There is no room for argument ; every l)ee- keeper in the land, if he has not already, will very soon test it for himself. We think you at fault friend H. on the parafUne, as it is con- sidered entirely destitute of either taste or smell. It seems the yellow is going to an- swer every purpose (even for comb honey) but as it is not nearly as pretty to look at or hand- le, as an article of merchandise, we suppose we shall sell the wliitc mostly, at least for the present. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUBE. Published ITIoiitlily, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR MEDINA, OHIO. Terms : Sl.OO l?er A.iiiixiiii. [Including Postage.] For Club Bates see Last Page. IVTEIDinsr^A., J\.TJC3^. 1, 187'6. Foe if ye love them that love you, wluit reward have ye? Do not even the publicans tlie same r Mat., 5:16. Please speak kindly in your criticisms of each other. Remember it is but human to err. No one has as yet reported even fa\or;ibl.\' in reu'ard to rubber gloves. Selling bees that are infected with foul brood, with- out giving the purchaser du3 notice, subjects the o!Te:ider to severe i)enalty by Ia^v. Those who have i)araliine fdn. that they camiot use, will find the material just as good or even better tliau wax, for waxinir iionev barrels or kegs. World and Magazine both came to hand too late for our usual notices. The account of Mr. Mehrings discovery- of the foundations, in ISoS), in the latter, is of rare interest. ^VE keej) forgettitig to say that the sticks for our sec- tion boxes make grand building blocks for the children. A ."0 cent package contains ISO pieces, and with them the children can build an edifice tall enough to walk under. It seems our bee-keepers have been somewhat blamed for the very meager show of implements at the Centen- nial. Our apiarists of sterling worth, are not generally fond of over much show or display, yet when invited in a friendly way to comi^are the products of their industry, we believe they are seldom behind. Nor are they back- ward in meeting all neccessary expenses, but in anything approaching a ruse to secure their time or money with out equivalent, we would feel pretty ^ure they would be found missing. OUR SOLUTIOIf or THE FEET)IN(; PROBLEM. Give them combs filled and sealed clear to the bottom with honey, or sugar either as you may find the cheapest. When they have consumed it all, they have a nice comb ready to be filled with brood, instead of an inconvenient feeder to be disposed of. This is the only plan of feeding we have c\ev disco\-ered that will not keej) the bees at home, when they should be off in the fields : as their feeheets 12 hy K for $54.00, or the same bleached, for §72.e0. 'The prettiest lot of yellow wax we have ever wjrked up <)r seen, was "ent us by Herbert A. Burch. Will friend B. (ilease tell us how he secured it in such nice shape r liECO>ne month or Twove, before they should receive their iast number, we will give any of the premiums offered '.or two subscribers, or we will allow you to deduct 10 !>er cent from our regular r;Ucs, as you may choose. When you wish to avail yourselves of this offer, please refer to this notice. IPertaiiiiiig to Hoo dilliiro. [We respectfully solicit tlie aid of our friends in v-onilucting this department, and wonUl consider it ", favor to have tliem send us all circulars that have .1 deceptive appearance. The greatest care will be at ;'U times maintained to prevent injustice being done any one.] "■, q^RIEXD ROOT ;— The following letter explains its- ^f''' seif. Please publish it for the beuelit of those hav- ing honey to sell. Commf nts from me are nnnec- <-cssary. J. F. Montgomkev. .r. F. MoNiGoiiEET. Chicago. .Tunc 12th, 1S7(>. Lincoln, Lincoln Co., Tenn. Your pi)stal card of .he 7th, inst. at hand. We will say, if you do ( or have done) as jou say, we will fight the pa,vment of your claim lo the bitter end. We stated that you would be paid for vour honey if it were sho\vii to be pure, on analysis, or could be sold for pure honey. When your last iwstal came to hand, we answered saying, that no i-eport had been given, we would in all probabihty know by the 15th. or thereabouts, and when a report was given we would remit. Now if you think to cf'jfke it ont, all we have to say is, try it on. Our reputation is worth more than a btirrel of Tennessee honey, and your course is uof the i)cst to pursue, if you calculate to get your pay. A law- ■oi- of tliis place who had .some of it, says it is not pure, :itiil if we do not wish to pay for it. he will defend us in a :>uit without one dollar of expense. Thi'; howcvi-r is not our desire, but if you force us to it, with yourself rests the blame. J. K. McAllister. We have heard "Philadelphia lawyer.s'' quoted as beino; equal to almost any task, but never before knew that Clikago lawyers were so much smarter than common people. The pretext t() avoid payinj? for the honey is a bare-faced fraud, and if the A. B. J. or any one else knew that McxVUister & Co., wen; of that stripe, why were our people not warned as they should have been long ago. Mr. Mont- gomery is a man who is widely known, and who would never dream of sending spurious honey to Chicago. We have had several reports of the doings of the man Gillispie since our last, and he is getting more money than one would think possible by his absurd claim of having a pa- tent covering all two story hives. He tells those whom he is trying to dupe, of having sold rights to most of our promiKent bee-keepers, and also of having recovered large amounts for damages in lawsuits with others. It may be well to keep him before the people, as thoroughly as we did Mitchell, a few months ago^ FEEBIXCi BEES HONEY CAPPINGS, &;C. s^jjDITOR GLEANINItS-.— In the answer to S. R. i^fij/il Leonard's query, "Can queens be safely winter ' ed, &c.,'^ you say that they can only l>e wintered salely in full colonies. I wintered two viuecns last winter in one of Js. C, Mitcheirs swindles, the Rough and Ready hive; they are made for'^Hrames, 12x12, & 2 false ends; frames fit tight at sides which makes them double all round af- ter the bees have glued the joints, which tlsey do so effectually, that I liave to run a long knife down be- tween them every time I want them out, even if it is twice a day. I fixed it for raiding queens by tacking a piece of carpet on the false ends and putting them in the fourth notch from the ends, making three divis- ions of three frames each, with the entrance to the middle one, on one siile, and the two end ones on the others. I have raised many ijueeus in it. For winter- ing I simply tack a piece of wire cloth on one frame for a partition, put six frames io 'he centre and the false ends against the frames, put several thicknesses of old carpet on the top, and All the ends with the same material. Wintered two in this way ia the win- ter of To and -74. Did not try any in 74 and '75. Per- haps it miglit not succeed in a very cold winter. If friend Pierce had tacked a piece of cloth of some kind to the top of his wire gauze frames he might have saved all his queens, and probably each colony would have been as strong by the lirst of 3Iay as they were after uniting. Some ten or twelve days since. I accidentally dis- covered that bees would work up new comb if left at the entrance of then- hive in the evening. I had put an empty frame in the upper story of an old- fashioned hive with i ortico, ."iud instead of tilling it out at one upper corner, they had spliced out the cells on either side so the frames could not be taken out. I sliced them off and threw tlie trimmings into the ijor- tico. Next morning they were all cleaned up. Tak- ing a hint from that, and having a quantltj' of cap- pings on hand, I gave them about two ounces of cap- inngs tlie nest evening, and it was all used up by the next night. T had a swarm from a hive that was hiv- ed on May 2Sth, on the 8th inst.. which I put in a Uni- versal hive, and gave a lot of cajipings. Thc}- have IjO GL,.I::A^i:-t(^;s l:\ hx.i. <^l^'i li: Aug. iiiied up quite fa&t, Ihoiisli the honey season is about over for (lie present. Have had two swarms since, and have led them a'.l cappiags in the evening, they get the lioney all cleari- od out before morning ; Icecp ilie liivc sliaded and tliej' nse up Ironi one to two ounces every day. Tliey Avill use it, if it is from old comb and quite dark. Last Saturday I opened the lower story of a hive in- to wliich i had put two empty frames when I put on the uj)por story, and found the two frames filled with nearly all drone comb, and the comb nearly lillcd with drone brood, most of which was capped over. In the cvenii;g 1 uncapped one side of each fi-ame, shavingitltjvel, drones and honey, and placed them at the enlrancG of two hives. Next morning they . Vtcre clean except the legs and wings of some of the oldest. Vt'lietlier thisis of any advantage I do not know, but suppose it is, as they are getting but little honey now. To put foundation in frames ca^il}', take a Ji incii board just wide enough for the frame to lit over, and about an inch longer than the frame. Rabbet the ends down so that the guide slrip will just lay flat on the board, cut your foundation to fit, — have it quite warm— put it in, and press it down at the edge of the strip with the lingp.r. You can iiandle this much better than a thin board fitted inside of the frame, and your frame will not slip off at an angle of io degrees. You can fasten the comb very quicklj^ by standing the board on one corner, pouring a little melted wax on tlie upper corner and letting it run down along the frame. C. T. Smith. Trenton, Clinton Co., 111., July 17th, 187G. If the bees really use the cappings for mak- iug new combs, as friend S. supposes, it is cer- tainly quite a discovery. We have noticed the same thing to some extent, but have been led to believe they only used it as they do propo- lis to stop up cracks and crannies in their hives. Within the past few months our bees have seemed more eager for propolis than ever before, and at a time v^^hen comb honey might remain untouched on top of the hives from morning until night, they -woukl commence carrying the propolis from an exposed qliijt almost as soon as a hive -was opened. We have seen them load up old comb (in their pollen baskets) very rapidly during hot weather, but as Jiearly as we could determine it was only used as propolis. We have many times put ■the cappings in the top of the hive, but Ave never observed that they used any part except the honey. If they took the cappings up from the entrance, it Avould rather seem that they .used them for comb. Will others please ex- amine iuto the matter ; qneens have been oc- casionally wintered iii nuclei, but there have been many more failures than successes. Per- haps chaff may aid us. BEKS-WAX. P^ S to whether bees make honey or simply JtLk, collect it, may be a subject of discussion, but we believe there is no question in regard to wax, for bees do assuredlj' make it. Ifyou have your doubts, just watch them closely du- ring the height of the honey harvest, or what is perhaps better, feed a colony heavily on sugar syrup for about 3 days during warm weather. At the end of the second or third day, you will by looking closely see little pearly disks of wax, something resembling llsh scales, protruding from between the rings on the under side of the body of the bee, and if you examine with a microscope, you will find these .little wax cakes of rare beauty. Sometimes, especially wiieu feeding heavily, these wax scales will fall down on the bottom board and may l)e scraped up in considerable quantities, seeming for some reason to have been nnv/anted. During the seasons of the natural secretion of the v,-ax, if the colony have a hive affording plenty of room for sur- plus, we believe tlicse wax scales are seldom wasted. At the swarming time there seems to be an unusual num))er provided with these wax- scales, for if they have remained cluster- ed on a limb for only a few minutes, bits of wax are found attached, as if they were going to start comb. When they are domiciled in their nev/ hive, comes the time — if the hive pleases them, — lor them to show their as- tonishing skill and dexterity in fabrica- ting the honey comb. In the attempts that have been made to supply material for artifi- cial comb, we have hail a view of the won- drous skill with which nature supplies just what is needed for the i^afety and well being of her creatures. Many substances seem at lirst view to have all the requirements needed, but when wc discover that ihe material must be sufficiently soft to be readily molded at the ordinary temperature of the hive, and yet be in no danger of melting down during the in- tense heat of midsummer, we. see that perhaps no other material than just the wax they se-* Crete can coiise any v,diere near answering the purpose. Wax melts at about 145o in its nat- ural yellow state, but becomes so soft that it may be molded by pressure at a temperature of about lOOo or less. When this yellow wax is exposed to the sun and moisture in the shape of thin ribbors, it gradually loses its yellow color, and becomes white ; its melting point is also raised by this change about 12'*, yet it is still readily worked into comb if given to the bees during hot weather, and when raised up iuto cells, it has a most beautiful appear- ance of snowy whiteness. This however, is soon soiled and colored, if left in the hive, for neat as bees are said to be, they have a habit of running over the clean white combs with muddy or at least dirty I'cet. With old and dark combs this might be unnoticed, but in a hive furnished with combs made from bleach- ed foundations, it becomes very apparent. Like other folks the bees seem more careful of their best rooms, for the surplus honey boxes are kept much cleaner than the ordinary work- ing room, or brood apartment, though this may not be intentional after all, for it is prin- cipally the young bees that have never been out in the field-;, that work at comb-building and in the boxes. On this account clean yel- low wax when used for foundations, will give very nearly as fine box honey when filled and capped over, as does the bleached. As the latter is considerably harder than the yellow, it is not worked into comb as rapidly. Wlieu the bees are needing room they will frequent- ly raice a v.'hole sheet of yellow into very fair comb in a single night, while it would require nearly double the time perhaps to do the sami' with "the ble?.ched. t«Tt) GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 191 From Diff'ereut Fieltlis. ¥'OIT sent me last .year, twoctf yjour ljone,y knives, smd I promised, to give xay opmion oi them. In light- — ■ ness and tijiish they are j>ro. i. I have u^ed one of ithein, s'.nd find that .it work*: excellently, wrhen kept verii ishar]). I formeriy Itad to stand beside a warm stove ((usia.t; hot water, and t'An big, r. Jit* j^rjreies, Cai., Jmie 27tb, '70. We prefer to have the one knife ^auswei' all g>ur.ix)ses, that we may not !>e at the expenssof two, besides the mconvenieuce of havkig so ?aiany difi'ereiit Uiiiigs about. We have found by practice that n straight blade if very thin •md very sharp iit the point, may be made to .■do ak&ost any kind of work, even to pushing ublishetl I woidd have been a subscriber before this. It would ha\e been worth §50,00 to me this seasou. I have now, about 50 colonies. iSwarm- ing is nearly over for this season. My hives are Lang- .stroth's4 I paj.ut them all. Is that advisable * The hon- ey boards are slotted for six S lb. boxes. How can I im- j^rove on that ? My hives -contaiu, some 11, and some 1-2 .Li'ames. about the size of L.irame given in your paper. Is that too many V O. Reumeiexd. Brumfield Stataoii, Ky., June 2(i, '7(>. Undecided about paint. Boxes nor frames will give more honey. About 11 frames. 1 got 2 lbs. comb f'oundations from Mr. Loiighist year, but my Queei;s will uot lay in tliem ;i.s long as Uiey can find any other comb ill the hive. I have tried reijeatedly putting one of these irames in the centre of the brood nest, but if the bees are gathering honey they will fill it full, down to about -l}4 inches from the ))ottom and the queen will la,y eggs iu the lower part every time {the foundations were, only G inches wide). That wa* my ex- perience last season and it h;is l)een the same tliis season so far. Have you or has any one else had the same expe- rience witJi the foundations? A. W. W/NCHOJiST, St. Cliarles, Mo., June M, '76. Of lute we have had one or two complaints of fdn. seat out by Mr. Long, that the bees would not u-se, and a sample has tjeen sent us, having an unpleasant bitter ta,ste, we pre- sume this is the same mentioned by A. B. J. We assuredly do not wish a,nything for comb honey that has any unpleasant quality of this nature, and we are surprised tliat any one •should .have .sent out sucli- MR. BOOT :— Thei-e is a mati liei'e who has a jjatent ou a stand for bees as follows ; tlie stand is ^ imilar to a hop- per on a f aiming mill with one small entrance. He sets OJJ this, .four hives; one full of bees, tliree empty. He SM,ys they will swarm xvitliout coming out ajid that there will be a que«i in each hive- Will this l)e so V M. L. BoKiiAM, Clinton, Mo., July 2(1, IS70. The eeu proven by many experiments, although they may ia a few exceptional cases. The idea of their rearing queens iu each seperatc luve, is an utter absurbity. i v.'ant t^osay something ahout wintering, now that you are I'etidy to listen. Two or three yeai's ag-o I wrote jou i>S. the best success attending the paciing of bees in chalf or dry sawdust. You -only remarked that otw swallow ■did not make summer etc. During the irast setisoti I win- tered 122 stands out dooi's, thus packed, witliout the loss of a single cokniy, while I lost more or less that I put in ■cellar. I have wintered in the Langtroth hives single hearde-d padcing the caps with chalf, with perfect success. J. C. Crane, Bridport, Vt. July 4tli, 187(i, Raiiied almost every day since June ISth so our bees are doing iierjj little storing. I r.ever knew so iK)or a year f-or white clover honey. This, with the loss of an import- ed queen, makes me feel a little blue. Queeii lost in in- troduction, I have not lost one l^efore in years. This one I prized a)jo\e all, and she, gone. Well, "I never loved a tree or flower etc." A. J. Cook. Lan.sing, Mich. July (Jth, 187G. 192 QLEA]S^INGS IN BEE CULTURE. Arci. I se3 ia Fib. uuuibjr, B. Lumlerer speaks of unitiiK weak colonies. I never tried it but once and that prov- ed so successful I will give you tbe plan not knowing whether it i5 new or not. On a pleasant day in January, a small starved out .swarm came to my apiary a:nd settled on top of one of my stands (I winter out doors) ; I put them in a honey box and smoked them and also the col- ony I wanted to strensthen. This desrtroys their peculiar scent by which they know each other. I turned them tog:ether and all was well. I see you speak of a quilt in- stead of honey boanl ; what do yon mean by quilt ? is it made of cloth, and could you send me one by mail ? and could 1 make them if I had a pattern ? or is it patented ? Also division board, does that flt close up to honey board to keep bees from goimr over into the unoccupied part ? and does it cause them to breed fas-ter ? How of- ten ought the old comb in lower story to be taken away ? Do you use two story hives for estractr.ig, or do you ex- tract from lower &-tory where they rear their young"? I would like to get the Italian, biit can't see into the catching of the buick queen and inserting th& yellow. I think I could learn more if I could visit some experienced apiarian and assist m his handling bees. Who is near- est me, that I could visit this sprhig "? I would like to learn artificial swarming so as to save the hot laborious work of cUmbiiif/ trees etc. in the hottest weather, after them. If I could succeed as well as Mr. A, C. of "Warsaw Mo., I would feel indeij^ndent and mister of all I survey in the bee hingdmn. Seven hundred and fifty lbs. and 1.3 new colonies from 2 stands, looks "mighty bifj." I start- ed last spring with 9 stands and got about 40 lbs. from one stand that did not swarm ; tbe others scarcely made enough to winter on. I have no right to doubt Mr.- Campbell's statement as I don't know, and he does, but I want to learn. Does the robber bee ever make an effort to sting the bee who catches him intruding? I think not ; I have alVr'ays thought the robber only was killed in the combat, am I right r S. P. Capehabt. St. Albans, W. Va. April 21st, 1876. We get quite a number of letters asking '■what are quilts V" "What are transferring clasps, and "what are they for?" "What is a section box V" etc. etc. Now shall we use these pages to describe again what has been described so fully, or shall "we be so rude as to refer new friends to the back numbers. A care- ful reading of our price lists would nearly al- "ways answer, and the index to back Vols, would guide to full descriptions of hovf the articles are made and what they are for. Many times the article itself can be sent by mail for a very trifle, and perhaps that would be the readiest way. A section box "with a strip of founda- tion is sent you by mail for 5 cents, and 2 of this is for postage, j'et some of oar friends* "scold" because they say we continually talk about things they do not understand. Per- haps we had better print a bee-keepei''s glossa- ry for beginners. We have had serious thoughts of printing at the head of each page "nothing mentioned on these pages is patent- ed." We shall be very glad indeed to have any one copy our wares if they q^n do so to advantage to themselves, for the "purpose of a bee-journal is to help bee-keepers ; and if thej' should all get rich, they would certainly re- member their editor. It is seldom advisable to remove comb from the hive just because it is old, but it may be a very good investment to replace it with found- ation, to get rid of drone comb. Extract from both stories, or the upper one only, as you prefer. It will be a very good idea to work with experienced bee-keepers if you can cou- veuientently do so, but with the journals now- published, and a few hives to practice on, you can at a small expense soon become master of nearly all that is known on the .subject. We- have carefully watched the behavior of robber bees, and do not discover that they ever use their stingy, even when hard pressed. The extractor came to hand on Saturday the 17th, inst. O.K. I like it very much, it ia the lightest runnsng ancJ best got up thing of the kind I have seen yet, so say a'J my bee-keeping neighbors that have seen it. We think the sample frame quite as good in its way as the e.^traetor. S. Co'E^'AI!T, Spanish Fork, F. T. June 19th, IS"?". Our bees are doing finely, better Shan over ; some- have tilled boxes of 40 lbs. already. We number 90 col- onies large and small. Bees have done better than last year. I see chaff is your hobby, so itis micej ; the- Centennial hive is j^aekcd with chaff in five minutes just right lor winter. You will be apt to make one oi your own invention. Townly saw me packing beer- his way 10 years ago and he gets credit for it now. J. L. Davis, Delhi, Mich. June 27th, 1ST:*. But we will try hard to have the credit placed where it belongs, friend D., if you will only be so kind as to give us a full description of that Centennial hive. If the chaff can be put on and taken off in 5 minutes, it is Just the plan we have been looking for. Please give us full piarticulars, and if we can't pay you for your time and trouble, it will be funny. Frequently 'when walking among my bees, I have noticed a great commotion around some particular hive, bees crawling excitedly over the front ami alighting board, and buzzing in front and above the hive. In an hour all -will quiet down and work goTia as usual and porbapa some other colony will be having the same performance. I have never seen this men- tioned by any writer and thought pei'haps you could explain it. Another question I would like to have an- swered is, how do bees carry propolis ? and is the general experience of bee-keepers that the oftener they are stung the less effect the venom has on them r J. E. Dean, Fishkill, IST. Y., June 20th, 7e. It is only the young bees playing in front of their l^ives, friend D., but perhaps you are ex- cusable, for more than one iVoyz't-c has, during their first lessons, thought something must be wrong at such a time. We remember very well stopping up the hives thinking they were robbing, during our first summer with the hives. They carry propolis on their legs ex- atcly as they do pollen, and if you will leave an old quilt where they can find it during al- most any hot day, you can see the "whole oper- ation of loading it up. The majority agret- that the oftener they are stung, the less it ai fects thein; but a few, say such has not bee::; their experience. We have sold very i:early 700 swarms up to date. Wii? perhaps advertise again next fall. ■>Ibs. Adam Geimm, Jeffereon, Wis., June 30th, "7(5. Those who complain of no sale for honey, should consider the matter of selling bee;. The demand is almost unlimited, and oae wh' can manage to steer clear of the wintering troubles, should find no difficulty in procluc ing stocks at the prices quoted by Mr.?. Grim;::. 1876 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 183 Oko of iTiy noiglibors had three swarms before the mid- dle of May, first one on the 7th; they were Itahans. 1 had three swarms this week. The first one came off at 6>i A. M., and was imraediateJy hived in a new frame hive of dried poplar. They came out at 5;i:' r. 3i., and went to the woods. I scratched the ii side of hive and next day j)ut another swarm in, which went to work. Wiliiam; a. Docglas, Oxford, Ohio, N. B.— If those section boxes will not do for oid style Ija-.isstroth hives, you need not send tlie extras, but hold ni.V 81,25 for further orders. W. A. D. We suppose the "scratching" was raeaut to give the bees a better chauce to "hook ou ;" if it answered, all right. Our cases of sections, are just right to go inside the old style Lang- stroth cap, or cover. AVliy do not bees commence working on wliito clover sooner '? It lias been in blossom now abont two weeks and they do not seem to notice it. I have been somewhat oui'ious to know what they are working on now, but have not been able to find out unles.s it luay be poplar ; but have not seen that kind of timber and so do not know. S. A. Dtks, Downington, O,, June 8th, 1876. Bees do not seem to get much honej"- from any kind of blossoms initil th"-"}' are pretty fully matured, or even ou the eve of drying up. We have many times noted that large yields of honey from apple blossoms only come when the petals begin to fall. We too have noticed when the clover first comes out, that it seems almost unnoticed for several days. With us, !:. My bees commenced swarming the 11th oi' June. Up to the lOtb of July have had 40 large swai-ms. -it d:ite, are doing well. What should a swarm weigh? I weighed one that pulled down 5;f pounds. Is that a good swarra or not V Rose, N. Y., July 17th,. 1S7<>. Lyman Lego. My best swarm has made 150 pownds oi mie honey in amall sections or frames. ■mv\ has two set on now, one of them ready to cap ; they have not commenced to work an basswood yet. V. M. DiCEiNSOX. Whitney's Poiot, X. Y., June 13, 1876. I have 50 colonies of bees here that have clone poorly this season in tbc way of honey ; I will have about 1,, from copious showers np to giMi/ wa^Jcers. I have commenced making nuclei tobi^ild npsvyarras as soon as I casn raise the yueens ; will bivy honey to feed with. My .son, Milton, was here from Indiana last week ; he had taken 4,300 pounds of very light colored thick honey from 36 colonies, and he vyrote me since that be thought there was enough to take out to make ic s>,000 pownds. Comb foundations have not worked well with me this year ; a large portion of them in the sections seemed to get so soft that they would fall down in the section*. Is John Long in the comb foimdati m business yet ? 1 sent him, in January last, §100 for white comb foun- dations. He sent me 28 pounds in March, and that is the last I heard from him. I have written several times ; any information concerning him will be tlMink- fnlly leceived. I got 50 pounds of foundations from Perrine at .§1.3» per pound. P. W. McFatkii>oe. I-:loi!A, Tennessee, July U, 1876. It seeras frieud M., that as far as houey is concerned, you would have fared better at home than where you are ; we wonder if it is not generally the case that our own localities properly developed would do about as well as any otlier. The case mentioned is tlie only one we have seen against Mr. Long, with one ex- ception. Can he not fix up these two, and have his dealings all stand fair and square V How would you proceed to get a nice lot of worker comb built yet this summer ? What real advantage is there in comb foundations ? J. M. MoiiLEK, Covington, Ohio. We would use yellow fdn., and would, if the yield of honey were not sultlcient to make them build them out, feed common yellow sug- ar. This yellow sugar will produce more comb than the white sugar, and if fed in Aug. and Sept., is perfectly safe to winter. The ad- vantages of fdn. are that you secure all work- er comb, that you get it much quicker, and that you, by furnishing most of the material, make a great saving in honey. In surplus boxes, we get fine crops by their use, where we otherwise would get very little, or none at all. Last fall I put 10 swarms into my cellar ; they all came- through alive, though three were very weak ; one had not over a half cup full of bees ; I g ive it bees from others^ and as sooii as there wa» brood, gave tliem some. I have made five liew sv?arma antl extracted 1,.300' pounds : the greatest quftnfity from one swai-m, 28t^ pounds^ extraeted as follows - June 12 22 lbs, "• 16- 38 " 21 33- " 2-i 41 '= 27 2i July 1 43 " 3 25 '^ la 61 29 286 Subtracting the 22' fb«. will leave 264 lbs. gathered in 2S days ; a little more than 9 lbs. per day. I. B. Daniels^ Lost, July 17, 1S7C.. I have ha!an something iike yours. The barn is old,, wilh plenty oS cracks bet weea the boards. I put hay on and around them in cold weather. IL L. Lakkton. H ARTPORD', Conn., July, 187C\ Allow me to suggest that you add to your Mst the price- of tin cans, say 10, 55, 2& and 30 gaflons ; with raised bottom like extractors, with a Ikl, side handles and hoTiey pate. I can't get the tinners here to put on the price, till the work is done ; and then tbey wJll charge two prices. I wish the can for carrying the honey to market. Henry Cflp, Hillkud, O., Jaly 15th, 1S76. We can furnish the cans for our extractors probably much cheaper than any tinner, and considerably (;heai)er than tliey could be made did we not make them in as large quantities as we do. We will furnish the No. 1. can^ holding about 15 gallons^, for f;j.50. No. 4 or 5, holding about 20 gallons, for $400. No. 10, the largest, holding about oO gallons, for $5.00. A gallon of honey weighs about 11 pound.s-. The cans mentioned ure I'urnished with honey- gate and cloth cover. If f-ide handles are wanted we will add them for 50 cents extra. In the summer of ISii I had 2,j stands of bees. I ex- tracted all the basswood honey from them, 'iiiteading to feed sugar &yrui> in the fall, if they gathered noth- ing ; in the fall I was very sick and so lost all but (> weak stands. The following season I got up to 13(thi& was the grasshopijer year when bees starved in June) and have novv, July 10th, -i!) stands from which I have taken Wto lbs. basswood honey, all extracted. Would like to sell it at 16 cts. This spring bees have done nothing on white clover. Basswood is all over ; white clover is thick but the bees get no honey from it. By the way, I would like to know the best way to wax a barrel, and whether good new white oak bbls. made to hold whiskey, will do to hold honey. F. J. Fakr. Independence, Mo. July 10th, 1S7(>. P. S. Mr. James Meader, of this city, had 11 swarms cluster on one limb, one day this season. How is that for a big swarm ? Have you seen it beaten ? F. J.F. There is a moral to the first part of the above that it will be well to heed. If you have been so careless as to rob your bees, you had better see about getting it Ixick to them now; that is, if they are gathering no honey. Very full instructions for waxing barrels were mi^ C^LEANINGS IM BEE CULTURE. 1% ^iven in Vol. I, and we have nothinjr to add, 'unless it be to jrive a caution about using ros- in with wax. The rosin will spoil the fiavor of the hoiiey in time, ami i« spite of our repeated warnings, wo notice the Mn^uiue has recently :.given it%i recommend. With the^expf rieuce we have had with paraffine, we think it will an- ■swer excellently, and it is consideribly cbeap- ■er than wax. Melt about a gallon, i)onr it in- to the barrel and drive in the bung. Roll it •ovf r and back again, twirl it on t^ne end and then on th-e other, and be sure every portiOE ■of the inside is well coated; if th« barrel is tight, the byng should wh-eu loosened fly out •with an explosion, caused by the expansion of the air when -shak-en up with the heated was or paraffine. This same operation causes it to «nter and All every crack ^.u-d •crevice. Al- most any barrel will do for honey when thus treated, if it is sufficiently strong. Remem- ber that honey is very heavy. Eleven swarms 'in one clrister is rather aiiead of ws; can any one else match it? I took off on Saturday, tYie balk of mj^lioney harvest, a. little over 3CO0 lbs. from 2i stands. There are sever- al hHnch'ctl po\mds yet on my stands ready to take off, .und honey is still coming in. Carry has almost double the quantity of honey, from his '25 stands, and Hill, ■whom I saw yesterday, has perhaijs the prettiest crop of comb feoRCy, and extracted, in the state of Ohio. I Slope he will make a rejwrt this fall. Take it for .:? ranted that his comb honey will pass for a pattern to go by. C. F. M'lTTH, Cincinnati, O., July Kth, '76. DEAE, NOVICE :— Bees are doing finely now, when the T,-)\u will iet them, inggin? in white ciover koney, sticking ilie VjroodHest all fuU of it. Our stocks are all strong in lirood and bees. Put VI into winter quarters, lost one— Tiueeniess", have so!d two, now have 1.3, and will be ma- ^iiing moi-e right aions. It looks like the higfr^est honey •ooasoii we have ever hnd here,, if it holds (mX. as it has be- «un. I never knew how handy r&y extractor was till I ■sold it and now have to borrow my neigkbor"'s tili I can >.'et my new one finished. Friend Doolittle says, "Prom afi light we can get, wil- Kow produces no pollen, more than does the pumpkin or itquash.^ We have always tiiought melon vines were the no plus nit i-o\\in, seeing the l)ees just rolling in them, all covered over with It. Guess friend D. must 5iave a queer kind of melon or bees, I don't know which. We make the entrance to all our hives just | inch high mid are never trovibled witli mice, tho' wo pack in straw ;tnd chaff. Like you, Novice, we have bev^ome heartily sick of feed- ing bees, and have resolved that hereafter "we'll none of it," but have honey enough in the hives at ail times of the year to keep the bees for months if need be. We, too, use the sawdust wiieii wo can get it, but have never had any fire from it for we sprinkle it on light and •often, so it is too damp to take fire, but still enough of it to keep n^s out of the mud. Our eyes are good, and mtli sympathy for the old folks and weak eyes, we say give us the small type and lots of reading. Can't spare «W7/ of my Gleanings "no how."" Will. M. Kellogg, V. S.— I handle other bees than our own, and have al- ready got out over 500 lbs., mostly extracted. Uees are swarming all round us, but none of it in our own yard. W. M. K., Oneida, 111., July lOtli, 76. liees doing finely so far, made Ihirty thousand lbs of honey. To sell, that is what gets us, here in Cal. E. E. SiiATiLCK, Los Ai;gcles, July lit, "70. Basswood is new in fuU bloom and it is raining ev- ery day as usual ; the wettest season ever known, wc have hardly seen the sun her« this summer. Bees swarming to beat anything I ever saw. I reared two queens from the brood 1 got of you. Hikajm Roor. €arson €lty., Mich. July 12th, 1876. The case of sections and foundations came to hand safely, in due time. We were so well pleased -vi^tli them that wc spent part of our Ceii'teimial Fourth fitting the foundations in the sections. Llans (ray brother-in-law) and I then took them to his place, as he had Simplicities, and put them on one of Ms strongest two-story liives. Tire bees were working like Sixty in the upper story-, we shook them 'be^ow, took away the ^ory and put on the case. The bees soon crowiJ-Kl back and fdled it. Wo took ofT our hats and hurrahed for liberty and foundation comb. The bargain was that I was to give hnn as manj- pounds of extracted honey as his bees would make in my sections. He was to have the premiums the honey would be sure to take at two or three fiiirs near here ; I was to ha-\ e the proceeds of the honey sold, and Novice wa« to have the glory. Well, we had lots oi' trouble getting the foundations in. The,y bagged and budged and crooked and waved, and after w<3 put them on the hive they kinked worse than ever. The next morning the bees went below disgusted, A few bees would come up and walk around on those crooked foundations, and r-em&rk, "Well, what numbskull has betu been lurnashing -our upper chsimbers with this kinky stuff ? Where are those straight combs that we have taken so much pains to build, and were so proud of ? As for these things, we will have none of them. Let's cut them out." And cut it out they wrould, it Hans had not discovered them, and takcji them oil. He tkeJi took the founda- tions out, waxed them in straight, as per last Gleanings, which had not conje to hand the 4tli, and put them on a strong colony just ready for an upper story. But, no, sir ! Move up they wouldji't, and the premiums tliat were to have been taken, and the proceeds that were to have lined my pockets, and the glory that was to have made illustri- ous the name of Novice, are, and I am afraid will be minus. However, I don't throw away my gun for one snap, and before Fall I may sing a different tunc about founda- tions. R- L. Joiner. Wyoming, Wis., July 15th, 1870. Bees are doing well this season. So far, it is the best season wc have had for ten years. Why do bees run all over the outside of the hive? Sometimes they .seem all quiet, then another stock will start up and chase all round the hive. I have 1 gueenless hive ; they do not run around so. None of the bee-keepers here can give any reason for their doing so. G. Dkevv, Bunker Hill, 111., July 10th, 1876. We can give no reason for the bees cluster- ing on, or running over the outside of the hive, unless it is the very warm weather; and per- haps thin hives that are exposed to the sun. Are you sure they have plenty of room to work inside 'i After tho honey harvest is over, and there is nothing especiaMor Ihem to do, they sometimes have a queer fashion of scraping olf the surface of the wood around the entrance by running backvvard. When a number of them are doing this together, their appearance i.s so singular as to call forth much inquiry from visitors. ____________ Bees have done very poorly in this section. The sourwood, usually our main dependence, is an entire failure. C. L. Stuatton. Kno.wille, Tenu,, July 17th, 187G. 196 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Aug. A. I. ROOT, Dear ,S'/r:— The difficulty now is, comb loundations. Three out of four of mine bulge and melt down. The heat of the weather and the bees stretch the foundation to double its original size. I have had foundations from several persons ; that from King & Slocum, was heavier and thicker than others and gave me more trouble. I have no difficulty in putting it in the frames ; take heavy pasteboard and cut just size inside of frames, losing beeswax and ros- in to fasten it. The comb you sent mc from the bees is the finest specimen I ever saw. Comb foundations are a success, and will do wonders when we overcome these small difficulties. It will not do to send by mail ; that you sent me was broken wherever creased. I do not complain of it for I used it in boxes. The failures are more useful than the successcj: we rarely hear both sides. Everybody and his wife are down on the hoop hive, but the longer I use it the better Hike it. The sur- plus arrangement (hoops on top) can not be beat. I should put two or three hoops above the boxes for ventilation. This hot weather is sure to melt comb in boxes in the sun but an inch from a heavy board cov- er. My bees have done well. I bought 20 American hives from King & Slocum this spring and have them about full. I like the size of the American frame, but not the closed bar. 1 shall want 20 hives and an ex- tractor next season, neighbours as much more. I do wish we could decide on a universal frame. Docs it make any difference which way the cells run, in putting in the foundations ? The strips I used for guides in frames, work well ; they build straight combs and lose no time. I secured one Langstroth comb by leaving in the pasteboard ; they worked out the other side which stiffencd.thc whole, with but lit- tle bulge. I cut off the bottom bulge three or four inches from the American frames. The foundations then stretched enough to fdl the frame. I experiment continually, and with some care. Twenty years of my life were spent in practical chemistry. Prof. A. J. Cook writes he lias no trouble. Nellis Bro's say expe- rience is wanted with tlicm, to recommend a remedy. If the old hands don't know, what may be expected of us green hands ':! Cook is mistaken when he says any one can make their own liives; no two will be alike. I have never seen a mechanic and a genius made out of one piece of stuff. Brains and tools are quite differ- ent. Webster stated correctly, that the bottom was lull of lawyers. How many bee-keepers are at the top? Thy friend, Chas. J. Quinby. White Plains, N. Y., July 6th, 1S76. The specimen of comb built from the fdn. that our friend admires so much, was prepar- ed to send to the Centennial. A full sized sheet was put in the frame, and we succeeded in getting it built up with very little bulging ; if we can be sure oi'pure white or even yellow wax, we think we shall have no trouble in do- ing this every time. When the latter is clean and nice, we think it equal in every respect, except in looks. DEAR NOVICE :— I am glad to see you say a word in favor of Mr. Dadant and the dark colored Italians. 1 have none of Mr. Dadant's imported queens, but I have a number of daughters from one of his imported queens, and I am free to confess both tlie queens and their workers are ratlier dark, yet they are quiet and easy to handle and the queens are the most prolific, and their workers are the most industrious and best honey gatherers of any I have ever owned. I have a number of as yellow queens as any one could want and their workers are beautiful to look at. But for rousing big swarms and piles of honey give me the dark leather colored ones always. White clover has been in bloom for nearly a montln and bees have done well on it. I believe there are 50 acres of it \viLhin one mile of my home and so thick it makes the hills look perfectly white. But the bee» are now leaving it for basswood M'hich is just coming into bloom. Should like to try sorae of the artificial comb, but must wait till the bees earn it. Am looking out for a big yield of honey from now until frost comes. There are three or four acres of buckwheat sowed with- in a few hundred yards of my house. Won't it be fun when it begins to bloom. Hurrah for Master Ernest and the rake and all the rest of the little folks for that was well done. How is little Blue Eyes ? Shall want her picture again pretty soon to see liow she looks. Ai>yxiED McMains, Chariton, Iowa, July 5ih, 76. I had fair success the past season in wintering my bees, but some of them starved this spring ; I led some of them but it was all the same, they soon dwindled away. I often wonder how our most prom- inent liee-keepers can recommend feeding early in the spring, but when we look up their success year after year, we lind they don't have large apiaries, nor do they sell many bees. I had good swarms the first of April that were short of honey. I gave them sealed stores and in three weeks they were all gone except the young bees (the same as Novice's) ; but my large hives holding from 2500 to -1000 square inches that had plenty of stores in the fall were hanging on the outside of their hives the tirst of May. They com- menced swarming May 12th, have had 70 swarms from 85 old stocks. If it keeps on raining we will have as much sour honey as friend Heddoh usually lias, but I have never yet had any extracted honey to sour. Now that re- minds me of little circumstance that happened here last fall. Mr. H. came through here selling honey at 30c ; he was told that it could be bought much cheap- er near home but he linall5' persuaded his customers to take his honey, lor he made them think that all cheap honey was unripe and would sour. This honey is on h.and yet and I am selling at from 10 to 15c and making 200 per cent on money invested. Wouldn't Mr. H. do better selling patent rights ? K. Saranac, Mich., July 4th, 1876. 1 commenced in spring with four hives and have in- creased to nine. The season has been a good one. White clover is ]jlenty, more so than it has been for many years. Which do you prefer, using the extractor or top boxes ? Ctrus McQueen, Buena Vista, O., June 2itli, '7<5. Depends altogether on what prices are offer- ed for extd. The foundations now, seem to promise a means by which comb honey may be produced much cheaper, and with more certainty than ever before. Our bees are doing splendidly on white clover ; we nev- er knew a better crop than now and there's plenty of honey in it. We have 18 colonies at this time, 9 of them natural swarms. Last Fiiday we extracted 180 lbs. of honey, and expect to get as much or more this week. Mes. Coats, Columbus, Ind., June 6th, '76. An average hive on my scales re-^istered 71 lbs. at Sis' P. 31. yesterday and 77 lbs. today at 1>i P. 31. June 2d; the best by Vi lbs. th^t I ever had an average colony do, all white clover. H. F. Sjitsee. Windsor, 111, June 2d, 1370. tS76 (CLEANINGS m BEE CULTURE. 15)7 [lu this department I beg to be K,lloxved to lay aside the ■editorial "we," have ii friendly chat aiid feel "at koine."] CHAPTER XXT. FEW days ago we had a uumijer of sec- J^ tion boEes full of honey iu the store, and straightway the flics congregated abont them in i^uchnumbers as to almost disgust us with — ilies if not comb houey. After they were hast- ily piled into a glass show case — it was the .■section cases we were thinking of, but if ^ve recollect aright a good many flies went iu along with them, — we got to thinking about tlies and not knowing any better waj to vent o quickly as to find flies in undisturbed pos- .stsiiou of every thing and every body about The premises. Dust is bad enough but that can be brushed off, bat "fly specks" — every time we have a trial of our patience in clean- ing up any piece of work, we mentally make huge resolves that hereafter they shall be "•■ftnced out," jast as we used to do when the poultrj- invaded our apiary. Besides cur other reasons there is a bald spot on the top of our head, and the flies apparently having discov- a.bor.'t it that will give him. a lift,, as it vrere,. instead of wounding ar provoking him. There is a great field for this kind of work, and! while you by this means make all ;^bout y.oui happy, you take the very shortest v^ay in the world o-f making pourself happy. CHAPTER XXYI. For if ye love them, which Jove yoiir wliaS rewarc^ have you ? D'o not even She pablieaas the same ? —Matthew,, v : 46- 5>^nf5pHEN i>eopIe quarrel, tiisey do no-t love- \ff^^ each other. Tliere may not be any great amount of wisdom displayed in making this statement, and very likely you may think it a t-drZt 30 self-evident, that it were needless to waste pai>er in making it. I have some- times wondered of late, why we &hoiild cjaiar- rel at all ; why it should conae so very natural for us to desire to hurt or injure one who ha.Si actually, or seemingly injureil us. A fellow brought a ring to Ije n^nded a few weeks ago, and as the work was a little difta - celt, the clerk arranged with him that it would cost 2.>c. to do it jost as he wished. This was while I was at dinner. When I had returned, lie called for feis ring, put it in his pocket and coolly started off. When askec^ about the pay, he said he had paid the clerk. Very shortly the clerk came in, and I foumi he had not paid at all. A mere trifle is 35c. but to think 1 had taken his word anfl been humbugged in such a barefaced way, stir- red up, before I was hardly aware of it, the old temper — or tempter — and as I hurried to the door, I saw him just climbing into his wa- gon, l>efore the door of a neighlx)ring saloon. Bareheaded as I was, I started with a iuation of pulliag him out of his wagon, if I could not recover the money I had been de- frauded of otherwise, just l>ecause I could not consent to be "run over" in that way. Con- science just then l>egan pleading, , "Steady my boy ! Is the course you are bent on just the one you would teach iu your Sabbath school ? " "But I want to teach him to respect the property and rights of others." "But are you at present in the right mood to do it y You noticed the poor fallen brother v/as partially intoxicated : is not the saloon more to blame than he?" I did not run after the man, but there was for some little time visions of the exquisite pleasure it would be to tumble him out of his wagon into the dust, or to sma.sh that saloon all into splinters, or "spile" something some- where after the old fashion before I commenced teaching "good for evil" to the little boys and girls ; and in vain did conscience keep saying that the whole matter should be treated as if it were 35 cts. that I had carelessly dropped into the fire. Whence comes this feeling that we see so painfully manifested when two neighbors get into a quarrel, a controversy, or perhaps a lawsuit? Both strain every nerve, and leave no stone nnturned, to make out something against the other. An amount of energy and talent too, many times, is wasted aud in stri- 1870 GLEA.NINGS IN BEE CUJ.TURE. 199 k'mt^ heavy blows at each otl'.or, that wonlil snflice to build not only schools unci churclies, hat rail-voads and s team-boats ; and the most lamentable part of it all, is that it is otten- times the very bosfc friends, nay, even loving brothers and sisters that thus quarrel. 'When this subject is mentioned, almost everybody is ready to assent that such is the case, and still more, many seem to thinK that it must be the case, for in all the attempts they have seen made to make peace, nothing could be done with the parties. Amid' families of the highest r'jspoctability, the most talented and best edu- cated, and with sorrovr I say it, even among church members and in rare cases among min- i -iters, we liud trouljles of this kind that seem as hopeless of removal as the very hills them- selves. A great many troubles and disagreements •;row out of mere business transactions, and I .avc wondered whether much of it was not ■aused by the idea that many of our people cem to have, that every one must '-look out \)V ISTo. !,'■ and that he will be cheated out of very thing he has, if he does not keep hiiiown 'iterests uppermost, in all his dealing. Per- naps I shall get into deep water, in what I am .■oing to advise, but at any rate' I will hazard ■iving you a little of my experience. 1 shall ike pleasure in doing, so, because it pays a ompliment to my fellow beings. Many peo- ple are fond of calling the world selUsh, sche- laiug, and dishonest; I have found them liber- >1, pleasant, and accommodating, and many iaies where I have been sadly at fault, very indulgent. . . Shall I tell you what iz isV what kind of a "hilosopher's stone I have found that will '< 1 aw out peoples' better qualities V I will try, if 1 love to speak vreli of the kind good iiends I have found awa}^ in distant States, ;;d in many by- places where I may in all Hke- I'lood, never have the pleasure of seeing them , : all. Well, my philosopher's stone is simply a 'an of allowing j'our opponent to decide all iificult points, just so soon as you discover 'icre is coming up a diff>3reuce of opinion. If is a bad unscrupulous person, make up •ouv mind you are going to lose, jind after • ■ ating the matter as kindly and pleasantly as )U can, tell him you will leave it all with :)U, and then give him to the very letter, just ■ iiat he claims. Many times it will seem for verity, casting your bread upon the waters ; lut do it cheerfully, and try to think what is ur loss, if loss there be, will be his gain, or least a gain somewhere on the wide waters ■ humanity. Please do not for an instant, get. J idea that I would approve a reckless "rowing away of one's property, for I would ;vise the utmost frugality in every respect, id a careful economy and looking aftei*, of '.e smallest item. To illustrate : One of our aders proposed to sell bees, and asked what id better be said about giving satisfaction. advised saying all transactions woidd be idc satisfac*-ory. But said he, "If they hap- .1 to be notional and arc not pleased, what en V" I advised that he should in such a case, .!)lain things as well as he could, but that if ;e explanaiiou would not be accepted, tell .jm to send in bill tor what they thought right and proper, and thou pay it cheerfully. His reply was a positive refusal to do bus- iness in that way ; a way that seemed too much like opening one's purse to whatever amount the "•greedy" Vvorld might choose to take. More than one of my readers can I'ccall wliere I have, to prevent hard feelings, or possibly misunderstanding, left a •mattei* in question entii'cly to their own sense of what was right, and I have as yet no reason to feel that I have been robbed. On the contrary I have many times l)een astonished at the very liberal Vi'ay in which they h.ave consented to be satisfied, when just before, they had seemed especially difficult and bard to please.' The very act of giving up, , and surrendering your o\rn rights, seems to have a magic power in calling out peoples better selves, where they have been gradually led into some controversy or quarrel. Another thing: if we commence doing bus- iness with a purpose of making every bodj^ sat- isfied v;'ith every thing we send out, we shall very soon discover that it will not pay to al- low any thing poor or even indifferent to bo sent away, and tha,t we shall ba obliged to inspect every package with something like the care and precision we would if we were going to send it to a brother or sister, or to some very dear friend, whom we would bo careful to please. It is a very hard matter to do this where a business necessitates many hands, and we are at this minute conscious that very few of the goods we sell are jnst what we would like, or expect to have from others. Do you care to know how we have fared by trusting our customers to make, out their own bills for damages, and paying them cheerfully? In some cases we have paid for things feeling that rather too much was being asked, it is true ; but were amplyrepaid by feeling the matter was all closed up pleasantly; and in several cases, much to our surprise, the money was returned to us months afterward, In one case it was after the lapse of over a year, and the person who sent it did it of his own free v/ill, with- out a word having been said on the subject, meantime. Is it not possible, dear friends, that mankind has never yet learned of the reward that awaits those who fry to follow the teach- ings of the little text. And if any man will sue thee at the !av,% and take away thy coat, let him have tliy cloali also. Mat., .'J : 4i). by comb from different hives with cUiilci-in.-; bscs . s^fJ ET me warn you against your mei by comb from different hives with It won't do, especially Avith "!N"ovices." The swarm FEST>ON. Adams, Wi-<.. July 5, 187C. I want something that 1 can examine any small thing with, without having prepared objects. If your compound microscope will do that. I would like to ha\'e one. T. B. Parker. 'lTo be sure, you can examine :i7iylhi7ig you wish ; the anly reason why we ad\'ertise prepari'd objects, is that they soon decay if they are not preserved ni some way. Again, it is something of aTi art to prepare any part of an insect so as to show to the best advantage, and liave it perfectly protected from the air and dust ; yet you or any one else can learn to do it, with proper histructions and practice. If yow wish to do much work, you liad better have the book we advertise, "How to use the microscope."] I have two thousand Ujs. clover and bass-wood hon- ey. Will take VI cents for it. K. S. P,E(KTEI,l. My foundatior.8 s<:('ni a success. Better than "mov- able frames." JAMKS IIKIJDO.N. Dowagiao, Mich. July 19th, 1S7(!. [Very glad to hear you say so, and we have strong hope-s of being able to convert you to movable frames also, ere long, friend H.j The extractor works to a charm ; it surprises all who have seen it, and is as much of a . Price, 510 each or 2 colonies in 1 Quin- i)y hive $19— if sold at an early date. "W. G. SMITH. .■^119 Vineyard Street, St. Louis, Mo. 8d Itali.in and Hybrid Bees for sfile, in Quinbv and Lau'i- ■ilroth hives. Price, §10.00 per cnJonv. Hart, Ocjana Co., Michii,'an. HKXRY PALMER. %m}^ %€unduHm§ ! PURE BEES WAX. Cut to any sixo desired. packed ix neat -vvooden boxes-paper be- tween every two sheets. at sl.oo per pot;nw F( »r th e wh itk. or 75 cents per poind for the yellow. IF WA>-TE7) BY 3IAIX, ADD 2.5 CEKT3 PER POVlfD FUK VACKJXG BOXEa ANI> POSTAGE. IJ taken in o«r regular packing boxes, sheets 12xls inches, 10 jter cent, off from above prices on 10 pounds w over. Wax will be worked up to order, and cut juto sheets oi any size desired, for 19 cents per pound. We will pay H3 cents per pound Vask foy bright yellow wax, or sell it for 'M. One pound of wax makes from 4 to 8 square leet of sur- face. The thrnuest will be used by the bees, but is noi made into comb as quickly as the heavier, which has ■■:■ greater depth of cell. Sheets just ri(:ht for L. framc!, both wL?te and yellow, kept constnntly in stock ready 5or shipment ; also square sheets for section boxes. About 0 of the former or 30 of the latter (ejiowgls for 1 Universal case) weigh 1 pound. At above prices we can pay no freight or express charges- either way. The only wholesale rates we can give is 10 )>er cent, oil from above rates on orders for 50 pounds or over, or 2" per cent, on 100 pounds or over. A. I. BOOT. Medina, Ohio. m mil m men im, Pursuant to retiu-nini; to tlie box hive system. James Heddon, of BowiiiriMc, Michiiian, will sell his Glenwood Apiary, at the following jirice^, to-wit : yOcolonies of Ital- iiie Bees for I<;i0, all m S fnime (Standard) Langstrotl. Hives, of best rattern ; 28 colonies of Italian Bees in i< frame Oatman hives for 8221-. These Bees are nearly al? pure, carefully bred, /icr/ec//// 7/f'(///^//, and will be sok? only in two lots, as named above, and to purchasers on tlio ground. For further particulars, address, Dowagiac, Michigan, JAMES HEDDON. 50 CHOKE (QUEENS! Now ready for shijiment. AH of these queens are pro- ducing extra, bvisrht colored, viiforons workers. Address J. A. BUCHANAN. Wintersville, Jefferson Co., Ohio. S(J. eens. No Black Bees in our Vicinity. Queens bred from choice imported or home bred moth- ers warranted pure, each $1.00. The same queens, iiar- ranted purely fertilized, each 51.50, or one dozen for Sl.'J. Our home bred (pieens are very beautiful. (Albino stock, if you choose to call them so). All queens are reared ii. full stocks. Sent post-paid by mail. Safe arrival ffuaran- teed. Much useful information in our circular. Send for it . J. H. NELLIS & BRO., Canajohane, N. Y. .^I^IA^I^Y^. 9*> AGAIX WINTERED SUCCESSFULLY. Tested queens or full colonies funiished again this sea- son in my Non-Patent Hives. No useless traps or fixings about them. Send for Prices. «8 JOSEPH M. BROOKS, Columbus, Ind. Box 130. ITALIAN QUEENS bred from imported mothers-- a month (iarlier than ii\ the North. Purity and safe arrival guarantees will giveto those of onir custoia>er5 who "ivish it. evidence that we receive 22 queens from Italy ■ovei-v two week-s, during fhe -season, fro-m May to C>ct Our customers are authorized to send back all queens M iih Khich .they areaiot satisfied, and we will return the iiionef,' and exprjeis charges, on condition tliat ■t^.iey will >ond us an affidavit that tlie-qneen is the same that Ihey rtvceived from us. Address, CH. DADAJTT & SON, Hamilton, Hancock Co., 111. Names of responsible i:>arties Avill be inserted in •uitlier of the following depaj.'.tmeuts, at a unifoi'm j>ri«e -ef 10c. eaeii insertion, or Si. 00 par year. $1®®® (^]tt©©a:®® Xames insertnd in this d-spcu-Vment the first iimt wiiJi- •out churge. After, Wc.oidabk;. Bear in mind that he who sends the best Queens, (j>ut nj) neatest and most securelj-, will jirobably .re- 'oeivc t'le inost orders. S-iiecial rates for warrantecl .•md tested Queeeis, furnished onii])plication to any ol £he parties. Names with *, use an Importe^l Queen uiother. If wanted by mail, send 10c -extra. G. W^ Dean, River Stvx, Medina Co., Oh'le. *J. Oatman & Co., Dundee, Ills. St2 *Dv. . P. H. Brown. Augusta, Georgia- Stf *E. W. Hale, Wirt C. H., West Va. •G-C *J.M.C. Taylor, Lewiston, Fred. Co., Md. Itl '"■T. G. McGaw, Momnouth, Warren Co., Ills. ''.J. ShinvJt Son, Chatham Center, Medina Co., -O. 5 7 ^J. H. Nellis & Bro., Canajohane, N. Y, Miss A. Davis, Ho!t, Insham Co.. Mich. 3-1-2 *Aaron L Woiduer. Birfcr. Adams Co., Pa. <;-12 .1. B. Dines, Libertyville, St. Prancois Co., Mc (I "'J. S. Woodburn, Dickinson, Cumb. Co., Pa. C-11 *P. H. Gibb'^, Guelph. Ontario, Canada. *Staples, Andrews J: Vaughan, Cohiml^a, T«mi. 7-11 *W. P. Irish, New Portage, O. > 7-12 B'©©s Mmm We, whose names appear l3elow, agree to furnish bee.s as follows : A two fra.me nucleus, full of brood a^id bees. M-Uh tested queen, for 5f6,O0, or the s-ame wdth .Sl.OO queeii tor f. 00. Where five are ordered at one time, Sl.OO less on .■iack nudeus ; * names use oaly imported motJiers. *E. C. Blakeske, Medina, Ohio. t3-tf * J. S. W.oodburn, DickinsoM, Cumb. Co., Pa. G-11 * J. M. C. Taylor, Lewiston, Fred. Co., Md. 7-1 *Aaron I. Weidner, Bigler, Adams Co., Pa. 7-10 *\Vm. J, Andrews, ColKinbia, Teiniessee. Stf Hive ]M:a«ufacliix'ei».s. A. I. Root, Medina, Ohio. .) . S. WocdbTu-n, Dickinson, Cumb. Co.. Pa. M, S. West, Pontiac, Jlicli. Oil G-5 HONEY JARS. One pound (square) Jars, per gross, U^.TA) Two " '• " " S-.'SO One " '• " Flint g-lass per gross 9.00 Two *"• "• ■'" " " " " 11.00 Corks for 1 and 2 lb. jars , 7r> Tin Foil Caps, i>er gross .1.20 I Labels, " " 75 i A thousand labels address printed to order, .5.00 I One qt. fruit jars, Mason's patent, ^ler gross 18.00 I Labels for same. " " (;5 i A thousand labels add-ress printed to-order 4.00 j Uncapping Kiiives, as good as any, each .50 " " per doz ." 4.50 Alsike Clovei-Seed, per busSiel 13..50 *' "' "•' " peck. 3.50 " " '• " poTind 40 Straw'Mats, Bee Veils etc., at reasonable rates. For further iKirticul4irs, Address, Itf CHAS. F. MUTH, Cincinnati, Oliio. THE BEE-KEEPEKS' MAOAXIlVE, an illus- trated monthly journal oi' "i octavo jjages, devoted exclusively to Bee-Cul- ture ; edited by Albekt J. King, containing contri- liut'ions from Mrs. Ellen S. Tui)i>er and experienced Bee-Keepers in America. aiKi EiUKOPE. A large ■-pace is devoted to Ixjgin- ners. giving tiseful inlbr- nmtion j\ist when it is nuist needed throughout the year. Terms $^1.50 per year. The Bee-Keepers' Text- Book in Gerincm or JSnglish, and the Bee-Kee]>ers' Magazine 1 year $1.70. A 64 page pamjihlet (price 50c) containing a Ijeautilul life-like CSironi-o of Hoiiey- Plasits and Ita.liau Bees in their natural colors, with prize essay of Mrs. Tupper, Qiteen Rearing by M. Quiuby, instniebion for beginners, etc., sent free with the M.vciAZ.iNi;, on trial, 4anonlhs for 50 cents. Agents wanted — Casli comniissioin a.nd .i>eimauent emploj-ment. Address, KING & SLOCUM, 61 Hudson St., N. Y. MISS S. E. FUEEER, BESIGJVIJS'G AND EN-GRAVING ON U^'OOD, 25 Bond Street, Room 3. N. Y. Awarded Medal of Merit at Vienna, Expositian, 1S73. Orders by mail promptly executed, at reasooabl-G rate.s, ftoin sket<;ih'es'Or pnotographs. Electrotypes supplied. ]VIatei'ial for- 3Liaixgsti'ot li iHi-\ es, In-cluding 10 frames and 7 inch cap, cut ready to naii lor SOc., in lots of 30 or anore. Kiln dried pine Iwmber used. Address J, OATMAN & CO., 3-4p Dundee, Kane Co., 111. OUR Bee Journal of the S^iuthern States. Issued monthly at S2.00 per year. S>iniijle copies free. Address A. F. MOON & Co, Rome, Georgia. THE TS A LARGE, Beautifully Pi-iuted. and Profuselv Illus- JL trated MONTHLY; Clear Ty])e and Fine Heavy Pajjer. It is conducted by CHARLES NASH ABBOTT, Han- well, W., Londoji, England. Annual Sub.scription, Haif- a-Guinea. We will send it with Gi-eanings and pay all postage for S2.50. C^Tieeifis. 1876, th. Price of tested queens S3,00'; vnrranted S'i.OO'. Xuclei Avith tested queen — two Ling-stroth frames with plenty of brood and, S6,90each or $25,00 for i\\e. Full swarms with warranted queens iA Lansstroth hires §12.00, or ten for 5l0O,00. fitf E. C. BL.VKESLEE, Medma. Ohio> CASH FOH BEES-WAX. "We are paying .72 cents per po«nd for yellow bees- wax, in lots of from .^0 to 5( 60 or more pounds, deliv- ered at Syracuse, or 33 cents, if exchanged for white wax. If you have any wax cm hand, and can deliver it at the alx)ve price, please do so, and we will senil you our check on receipt of the same. Respectfully yours. ECKERMANX & WILL. 7tf Wax-Bleachers, Syracuse, N. Y. -POWER SAWS. EVERY BEE-HIVE MAKER SHOULD HAVE OSE ! TVill Kip, Cross-Cut. 3Htre. rta1>"bett, Oroo^'o, and Otlxei* AVoi-k. Every cut is a Glue Joint. Eftsy to WorJe and EASY JO LEARN. 408O Per Minute against 480 the Best ever done by the Old Mode, and Speed is Power. With them the E:>IERY WHEEL can be used as ivell as with ^team, with Great Saving over Grindstones. Also, Band, Jis° ^ Bencb Ssi^vs, Boring' Macbines ey Sti-eet, IV. If. W. F. & JOHN BARNES, ^Ia)ii(faeturers of Barnes' Patent Foot-Power Machinery, Scroll Saws, Lathes, Circular Saws, Etc. The only foot-power machinery without crank or dead centers. Sl,500 to ?2,000 per year made using these machines. Send for illustrated Catalogue. ROCKFORD, ^VINIVEBAGO CO.,II..L,. Fulton, Mo., December 14th, 1874. Messrs. W. F. & John B.vknes, Rockford, 111. — Gentlemen : I sawed 110 frets for balustrade for portifo, and 15 braekets, in first two days running. Every one who has witnessed the working of the Saw has pronounced it the most u^efid machine ever invented. I have been working from 12 to 16 men, and have done all my shop work (scroll sawing) on your machine, runtiinir it daily since I purchased it, and have paid nothing for repairs, except for saws, which amount was comparati\cly small. Three weeks since I purchased some imnorted woods and some nice designs, and tamed my attention to fret work. I have averaged per day, since that time, Sll.50. I know of no occupation as pleas- ant and profitable for a mechanic to spend his winter days at as the above. Your machine runs so lightly and easily that it will not tire the most deiit ite man after a little practice ; in fact, I consider your machine indispensable to any carpenter, however small his business is, as he can introduce the little machine to his scrap pile, and make enough brackets in one week to pay for his machine. I consider my machine just as essential in my shop as a set of bench planes. Very trnly. M. FRED BELL. Architect and Builder. !S"Addres.s, for full information, W. F. & JOHN BARNES, Box 2,044. Rockford, Illinois. One Copy One Year $1.00, or with Lithogi-apii of Apiary, size r2xlB, Mailed Free, Postjiaid, $1.25 or Litho- graph will be sent as a Premiuni for Two Subscribers at .Sl.OO each. . Anv person obtaining Three Subscribers at Sl.OO each, may retain 50 Cents for his trouble. " " Five " " " " 1.25 " " •' " Ten " " " " 4.00 " " Anv number above Ten will be sent at the rate of Sixty Cents e.ich. Or, GleaxixCtS , .'?1,00 ; Three copies, .S2..50 ; five, S.3,75 ; ten, .S6.00.' Xaraes may be sent at any time during the year, and whenever a club is reached, we will credit back the amount previouslv "sent us in excess of the Club Rates. In this war anv of the Articles Mentioned on our PRICE LIST may be Secured as "PREMIUMS. Please mention when names are intended for Clubs. An acknowledgment will be sent in all cases on receipt of money— for any purijose whatever— by return mail. Volumes I, & II, at 75c. each, may be counted on the same terms, as we liave a Large Supply of BACK LUMBERS Provided for new TDeginners. .A.S wo cannot take the space in future numbers to go over the same ground again, and Volume One oontaius the entire Fundamental Principles and Grround TVork for j^tarting- an .A^piary. r'tJT5I^ISHEI> 3i:0]VTHLY, AT IMrEDuvA., OHIO, Wmn® EW P©pi©^fe©^g, l®f^® lf@® t Figure 1 shows the simple stick of which all are formed ; 2. 3, 4, 5, and 7, are some of the different forms that are easily made and filled with honey by the aid of tlie fdn., but Fig. 2 is the principal one for the mar- ket. Fig. S represents ,30 of these as thcy'are to be jilaced on the frames in the hive, and Fiu:. 9 shows 1.5 of them in a case ready for market. For further exijlanation, see pase 217. ^^ ^ 2C4 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUKE. Sept. Contents of this Number. Prviventiii;: After Swaniiiiiij 207 Storiiii; Eini)t.v Combs 207, 216 GetiiiiK Box Honey 207 Hives used by our Leading Bee-Keepers 208 How to Make Bees work in the Boxes 209. 227 Omit; ins the Separators with the Section Boxes 209 Our Kxpeiienee with Smokers 209 How to put the Sections on the Hive 210 How to Dispose of odd bits of Comb honey 210 The S'lle of Honey 211 How Doohttle works witli the Section Bo.xes 212 Squash and Pumpkins Again 212 Fastenins Combs in Transferring 213 Sports of Nature 213 Can we Sell Honey for H c per >b. ? 213 Second Swarming 207, 214, 215, 222 Giving Bees a "Ply" 21J. Box Hive Department 211' Humlnigs & Swindles 215 Feeding Extracted to get Comb Honey 21() The I'niversal Section Box 217 Bee Botany and Entomologv 217 Pollen of the Milk Weed Entangling Bee's feet 217 Some of the Wasp Family 218 Wild Hei-ii.imot 218 Inlriiilufiug tjueens to Hives a long time Queenless. . .219 Feeding for winter Colonies having fdn. instead of comb 219 W'orkers in Drone Comb 219 Doubling up in the Spring 220 Feeding Bees Scraped up Wax 221 Laying out the Hexagonal Apiary 222 Plain Sheets of Wax 223 Killing Queens with coal oil 223 Quinby Versus Langstroth Hive for Box Honey 223 Average loss in Introducing 223 Chaff in the Upper Story 223 Queens just Hatched for Stocks just Uuqueened. .216, 223 Empty Ccnibs, and Frames of Fdn 224 Gonnelly's Honey Box 224 Queen Rearers of Italy 227 Bulging of the Fdn 227 Closed end Q. Frames 228 Eggs in 12 Hours on the Fdn 228 August 29th. We have to-day, 1778 suljscribers. ITALIAN pEES&^UEENQ 300 Colonies for Sale. 1 to 10 stocks, each S8,00 15to25 " " 7,(0 1 two frame nucleus (frames 11x12) 8,50 5 to 10 two " " .3,C0 1 four frame "■ 5,00 5 to 10 four frame " each 4,.50 Warranted queens " 1,50 " " per doz 15,00 Tested " each 2,50 Safe arrival guaranteed on stocks and queens. Sat- isfaction guaranteed. Address, J. OATMAN & CO., 0-lld Dundee, Kane c. Ills. BEES FO_R SALE! Italian bees in small Gallup hives. 9 frames (un- painted) 37,.50. Same in Standard Gallup hive with sample set of cases and 21 boxes (un painted) ^9,50. Same in Doolittle's improved hive with 30 boxes and cases all complete (painted with tin roof) $12,50. Hy- brids 81,50 less. G. M. DOOLITTLE, 9d Borodino, Onondaga Co., N. Y. imPLiIil^IENTS FOR BKS: CU I/riKE AL- PHABETICALiLiY ARllArVCJEIJ. For descriptions of the various articles, see our ninth edition circular found in Feb. No., or mailed on ap- plication. This price list to be taken in place of those of for- mer date. Mailable articles are designated in the left hand col- umn of tigures : the figures giving the amount of postage required. 0 Binder, Emerson's, for Gleanings 50, (30, 75 4 Boxes, section with comb guides 02 Balances, Spring, for suspended hive 8,00 Clasps, for transferring, package of 100. 50 25 Card's, Queen Registering, per cioz 10 10 00 1,25 10 10 I Blocks, Iron, for frame making 15 I Barrels for Honey §2.50 to $4,00 I Buzz-saw, foot-power, complete, circular with cuts free on applicati m. Two saws and two guages included. 35.00 0 I Buzz-saws, extra, G inch, 1.50 ; 7 inch, 1,75 ; 8 inch. 2,00 I Comb Foundation JIachines complete §125,00 20 Candy for bees, can be fed at any season. Per lb 15 20 Corners, Metal, per hundred 1,00 25 " " To)) only 1,25 20 " " Bottom, perlOU 75 On 1000 or more a di^ccunt cf 10 per cent will be made, and on 100,000, 25 per cent. The latter will be given to those who advertise metal cornered frames. Comlw, empty worker in metal cornered L. frames 10 "• 0 2 Cages. 18 Case with Separator to hold 3 Section Irames I Case of 10 of the above, 30 Section frames in all, 2 I Cheese Cloth, for strainers, per yard I Extractors 18,50 to 10,00 i " Inside and Gearing 5 00 [ " Wax 3,.50 4 I Frames with Metal Corners 00 5 I " Samjjle Rabbet and Clasps 10 10 1 it Clo.sed end Quinby, nailed 05 0 I Gleanings, back Volumes, each 75 I " present " 1,00 40 1 Gearing for Extractor 1,150 20 I Gates, Houej', for Extractors 50 THE SIMPLICITY HIVE. I One story Langs'h without frames or bottom §1,00 The same witli bottom, lo frames, division I board and quilt, crated so as to be sent I safely l)y freight or express 2,25 The above is the hive we use and recommend in preference to everything else, and it contains every thing needed for all purposes except at the surplus season. If you decide to use the extractor you want an extra body and 10 frames— SI, 25— making "comi)letc two story hive— §3,50— or, you can have 60 section box- es (two tiers of 30 each) in place of the 10 frames, at the same price. If you prefer the old style of glass boxes, we can fit the upper story with 18 having glasi* on four sides at 12^ cents each; this will make the hive and all cost §5,00. One story Q. hive without bottom or frames 84 Tlie same with bottom, 10 vailed frames, division board and quilt, complete except • surplus recejitacles .S2,00 The same with two story, 20 frames 3,00 Or you can have instead of the frames above, any of the arrangements for surplus, mentioned for the Lang- stroth hive. A one story complete for 13 frames of either the Standard, American, or Gallup hives, will cost S2,50, and they can also be used with any of the surplus ar- rangements mentioned; also, as they are all deeper than the Langstroth frame, a single story can be used with fewer frames, and sections or boxes at the side of the frames. As an illustration ; we can take four frames out of the one story hives above, and put in their place 18 section boxes. 25 I Honey, Clover, per lb, 16c., Basswood, 15c. By the bar- rel 2c. less and waxed and painted barrel included. Honey in section frames or fancy glass boxes, 25c. grosg. 0 I Knives, Honey 1,0() 0 Labels, Honey i)er 1000 3,25 0 Lithogiaph of Apiary 25 ! Lamp Nursery 5,00 0 Larva;, for queen rearing, from June to Sept.... 25 15 I Microscope. Compound. 3,00 0 I Prepared objects for above, sucli as bee's wing, sting, eye, foot etc., each 25 0 Medley of Bee-Keepers' Photo 's. (150 Photo's) 1,00 0 Magnifying Glass, Pocket CO 0 " " Double lens 1,00 0 Photo of House Apiary 25 06 Quilts 25 2 I Rabbets, Metal per foot 02 0 Scissors, for clii^ping queen's wings 40 15 Seed, Alsike Clover, raised near ?4 I Univei'sal Section Boxes in the flat, each 01 Universal case of 30 boxes, just right for U. hives or • 75 75 50 15 15 any L. hive, and can be litted, to any hive. 0 i Vails, Bee, with face of Brussels net, (silk) 0 I Thesame, all of tarletan (almost as good) 5 I Wire Cloth, for Exti-actors, per foot 3| " " " Queen Cages All goods delivered on beard the cars at prices named. IBTP "GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. ■'20s Compact, SSmple, Substantial EconomScal and Easiij IVSanaged. LOOK AT TS^ESE PRICES. .; Horse Powei--. , S-250.C0 iy. '• *' , -3(X),co For I'luthcr Kiforniation and new cir-cular -of th<; fiookv. alter Engine. aiMress the Bianiiracttiici's — 7-11 J^VMES LEFFEL & CO., Spiii gfickl,'01iio. Kvery Bec-Jseeper sbouM siil'scrl"be for it. The American Bee Journal !■- the best fccieiililk" and jii-aetica-l Joiiwia! of APICiUL- TURE in the world. The niost succ«sslul aiid experienced Apiarians m Europe, as well as America, contribute to its paces. In fact, it is the oldest and. larffest Bee Paper in The Eiiarli?h langiiage. %2. Per Ainnnn. Send a Stamp for a Sample Copy. Ad-dress THOMAS G. NE WMAN. tf 181- Clark st.. Chicasro. 111. I'arties having honey for sale vail do well to corres- if.nd with ns at on-ce. Will pay cash for nice comb ;i;'l exiracted honey or sell on conniiissio'n. Address, BARNUM BROS. & CO., '■' 88 Mass. Avenue, Indianapolis, inil. DISSOLUTION.— Mrs. Ellen S. Tupper's connection svith the Italian Bee Conipfny lonunatcd F( bruary -id, 1^70. The business of Ihe Company has been as- signed to the management of the iindersigK'e'i. Mrs, Til). per kaves no accounts, and tail particulars upon fill incomplete business sent to her or the Ccmjiany is desired immediately. Price lists of Colonics, Nuclei itrid Oueens, Extractors, Hives, Seeds, etc., will be icnt on application to The Italian Bee (-'omiiany. _:L^ J- E, ROCKWOOD, Manager, Eogran, Iowa. I VI ill sell Volumes 6, 7 and 8 of American BecJovr- inii, v\"ell bound. Morocco baclj and Morocco corners. Address. A. J. FISHER, 9d East Liverpool, Columbiana Co.. Ohio. We crrn sreU all the ex t ranted or stvai-ned honey conngijcd «s -ixt highest Tnar^dJ •rates for a t'easonable-comEiission. On lai'ge consignments wg will tnabe liberal casK adv.anctj;. AVe refer to t%ie grocery track; gfucraily throtT.sho\it the United States. H. K. & F. B. THURBER & CO., 9-Md West Broadway, Reade-& Hudson Sts- N. V-. THE O.VXr RELIABLE. THE 3J0tST BEAUTIFUL. THE MOST ECONOMICAL. THE Jl/OAT DURABLE. Requires iio oil thinuei' or dviev. Requires no Avaste of time in mixing., Has stood eight years'' cHticis7ns With yearly increased iMpvlarUy And ye<(rljy iiicr-eased sales. Is sold by the gallon onlv, in pac3?a^esof from 1 t\> to gallons each, in Purest WThitc aixl any Color or Tint desired. Address, for sampl-c caKl of -colors aiKl price list, A.>'crill Cliemical I*aiiit Oo., Office and Factoiy 1.3-2 & 134 East Rlvx>r S-treet, CLEVELAND, OHIO. 6-G-'77 You cannot look over the back No's of Gi.e.\mn'G3 or any other Periodical with satisfaction, unless they aie in some kind of a Binder. Who has not said— "Dear me what a bother — 1 ^inist have la«t month's Journal and it's no vviiei-e to be found." Pnt each No. in the Emerson Binder as soon as it comes and yon can sit down liappy, any time you wish to find any tiling you may iiavc pr«vioiisly seen even though t \vere niontlis ago. Bindei-s for Gleanin'SS (will hold them for four years) gilt lettered, free by mail for 50, 60, and 75c, ac- cording to quality. For l>a"ble of prices of Binders for any Periodical, see Oct, No., Vol. '2. Send in your orders. A. I. ROOT, Jiledina, O. We will send Gt-eanings— With The American Bee Journal (?2.C0) f^.75 " Tlie Bee Keejier's Magazine (1.50) 2.25 •' The Bee World ( 2.C0) 2.50 " All thiee. The Bee Journals of America,... 5. 25 " British Bee Journal (S2,-00) 2,75 " American Agriculturist (Sl.60) 82.35 " Prairie Farmer (t2.15) 2.90 " Rural New Yorker ($2..50) 3.25 " Scientitic American ($3.15) 3.90 " Fruit Recorder and Cottage Gardener (ll.CO) 1.75 [Above rates include all JPcstoge.] 2m GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTL^KE. Sei't. BOOKS for BEE-KEEPERS and OTHERS. [Any of these Ixwks \vi\\ be forwarde:! by raiil, post- jijid, on receipt of jirSce.] Allen's (L. F.) Amencan Cattle §2 50 Allen's ( L. F.) Rtir.il Architecture 1 50 Allen's ( R. L.) Americ m Farm Book 1 50 Allen's (R. L. and L. F.) New Auiericm Farm Book 2 50 Allen's (R. L.) Diseases of Damestic Animals 150 American Bird Fancier 35 American Gentlom ni's Stable Guide 1 25 American Rje Culturist .SW American ^Veeds and Useful Plants 1 70 Atwood's C'juntry and Suburban Houses 1 55 Art of Saw Fihnz. (Holly) 70 Bailey's Our Own Birds of the United States 1 50 B vrry's Fruit G irden 2 50 Bell's Carpentry 3Iade Easy 5 00 Bement's Rxbbit Fancier 30 Bojirdus' Field, Cover, and Trap Shootiir^ 2 00 Bonimer's Method of Makin; Manures 25 Boussin.'ault's Rural Economy 1 GO Breck's Xew Bosk of Flowers 1 75 Breech-Loader 2 00 Brill's Farm-Gardenina; and Seed-Growing 1 &3 Buist's Flower G irden Directory 1 50 Buist's Family Kitchen G irdener 1 00 Burns's Architectural Dramn-; Book 1 OO Bums's Illustrated Drawing Book 1 OO Burns's Ornamental Drawin ; Bo jk 1 (X) Burr's Veiretables of America 3 00 Caldwell's Agricultural Cheinici! Analj^sis 2 00 Canary Birds. Paper, oOets. Cloth 75 Carpenters' and Builders' Guide 1 00 Chorlton's Grape-Grower's GuiJe 75 Cider-Maker's Manual 1 50 Cleveland's Landscipe Architecture 1 50 Co'obett's American Gardener 75 Cole's (S. "\V.) .\merican Fruit Bouk 75 Cole's Veterinarian 75 Copley's Pliin and Ornamental Alphaljets 3 00 Cooked and Cooking Food for Animals 20 Crack Shot. (Barber) 1 75 Croil's Progressive American Architecture 10 00 Cummin rs' Architectural Details 10 00 Dadd's (Geo. H.) Modem Horse Doctor, 1 2 mo. . . 1 .50 Dadd's American Cattle Doctor, 12 iiio 1 50 Dadd's Amencan Cattle Doctor, Octavo, cloth, prflt back i 50 Dadd's American Reformed Hor.se Book, Octa.vo« cloth, ffilt back 2 00 Dana's Muck Manual 1 55 Darwin's Variation of Animals and Plant.s, 2 Vol's.. G 20 Dead Shot ; or Sportman's Complete Guide 1 OU De Voe's 5Iarket Assistant 2 75 Dinks, Mayhew, and Hutchinson on the Dog 3 50 Downinir's Landscape Crardenin;^ C 05 Dwyer's Horse Book « 2 00 Eastwood on Cranberry 75 Esgleston's Circuit Rider 1 75 E?sleston's Hoosier School-Master 1 2.5 E.ggleston's End of the World 1 50 EjTileston's :Mvstery of Metropolisville 1 50 Esileston's (Geo. Cary) A Man of Honor 1 25 Elliott's La \vu and Shade Trees 1 50 Elliott's Western Fruit Grower's Guide 1 50 Emerson's Farmers' and Planters' Encyclojja'dia ... 0 00 Eveleths School House Architecture li 00 Every Horse Owner's Cyclopaedia 3 75 Farmers' Barn Book 1 50 Field's (Thomas W.) Pear Culture 1 25 Fhx Culture 30 Flint (Ch n-les L.) on Grasses 2 50 Flint's Jlilcli Cov.-s and Dairy Farmin:< 2 50 Frank Forrester's American G.ame in its Season — 3 00 Frank Fcrrester's Field Sr)orts. Svo, 2 Vol's (j 00 Frank Forrester's Fish and Fishin:r. Svo, 100 eng's. .3 50 Frank Forrester's ^Nlanu.al for Yoim; Sjiort.smen. 8vo 3 00 Frank Forrester's Horse of America. Svo, 2 vols 10 01 French's Farm Draina-.ce 1 50 Fuller's Forest Tree Culturist 1 50 Fuller's Grape Cnlturist 1 50 Fuller's Small Fruit Culturist 1 .50 Fuller's Strawljerry Culturist 20 Fulton's Peac'n Culture 1 50 Gardner's How to Paint 1 00 Geyelin's Poultry Breedinir 1 25 Gregory on Cab!) axes paper. . 30 Gregory on Oiiiais paper.. 30 Gregory on S.|uishas pai)er . . 30 Guenon on Milch Cows 75 Gun, R)l, and Siddle 1 00 Harney 's B ims, Oiit-buildinrs. and Fences 0 OJ Harris' Insects Injurious to Vegetation. ..PI lin ■?!■; CoP'red EnTrann'.'!' 0 50 Harris on the Pi.r - ~ Henilersoii's Ganlening for Ple.asure Henderson's Oardensng for Profit Henderson's Practical "Floriculture Herasley's Hardy Trees, Shrubs, etc - Herbert's Hints to Hoi"sekeeping - H'X)]>er's Dog arxl Gun paper, 30c cloth.. Hoopes' Booiv of Evrg.' I i ... .., Hop Culture Hunter and Trapper John Andross. (Rb cca Hardin Davis) Johnson's How Crops Feed " " " Grow Johnson's Peat and Its Uses Johnston's Airricailtural Ch roisf ry Johnston's Elements of Agricultural Chemistry Leuchar's How to Build Hot-Houses L^anan's Cotton Culture Miles on the Horse's Fo^t Mohr on tho Grape Vin My Vineyard at Lrtkevie w Nichols's Qieinistry of th Farm and Sea Norton's Scientinc Agricultuie Onion Culture Our F'arm of Four Acres pipr, 303 cloth . . . Our Digestion. By Dio Lewis Pardee on Strawberry Culture Parsons on the Rose." By Samuel B. Parsons Pedder's Land Measurer Perclieron Horse Play a-id Profit in my Ger 1 5L> 1 5i> 1 50 1 50 7 50 1 75 00 3 (H> oO 1 OC 1 50 2 00 2 0> 1 2& 1 75 1 50 1 50 1 50 7.5 1 00 1 25 1 2.^ 7.7 20 fii) 2 Oi) 75 1 50 .;o 1 00 1 .5i> 1 25 1 .50 1 00 1 50 1 00 3 00 I «;t 1 50 . 75 75 1 50 1 50 1 00 1 50 25 1 50 3 00 1 .50 1 50 1 00 15 00 1 25 2 00 1 50 1 50 1 00 1 0!) An Ej^ Farm. Cloth Ten Acres Enouirh 1 2.'> Five Acres too Much 15') Window Gardening 1 50 Purdy^s Small Fruit Instructor 25 Carpenters' and Joiners' Hand Book 75 How Plants Grow 1 25 Every Woman Her Own Flower Gardener. Pai)ei- 50 Cloth 1 "0 Earth Closets, and Earth Sewei-age 50 Trout Culture 1 5'> Potatoe Culture 25 How to use the Microscope 75 Jenny June's Cook Book 1 5i) .Scroll Sawing v.-ith Patterns 1 00 HowtoMake Candy 50 BOOKS ESPECIALLY FOE BEE-KEEPEE3. Lan£stroth on the Hive and Honey Bee *2.it-i Quinby's Mysteries of Bee Keeping 1.50 Bee Keeper's Text Book, muslin, 75 " " '• " paper 40 The above are good, but arc all I'ar boliind the times. A Manual of Bee-Keeping, l)y John Hunter 51,25 'This latter is fully up to the times, being as late a.s Sept., 1875, but being English, a considerab'e iiortion of it is hardly adapted to the condition of bee cultur.'. at prc.«ent. in our own country. Manual of the Apiary. By Prof. A. J. Cook 3) This although small, is the only book we h ive in America that is entirely up to the times ; the best lor l.cgi:incrs. r>li:T-OTEl> TO BEE« AiNr> H0]VIE:Y, .^>-I> H03iIE HVTERESTS. TERHS: Sl.OO Per Auuiim in Ad- A. E. KOOT. ^ Published Moiitlily. Puiluh->r a.!,; Proprietor, \ -^l vance; 3 Copies />»• S2.50; o/o;- S3.75: ."^Eeclina. O. J 3i:sta"blisliecl in 1S73. ClO vr more, GOc. each. Simjle yumbcr lOe. Vol. IV. SEPTEMBER 1, 1876. No. 9. PREVE>TI>'<; AF TEK S\VAR3IIN«. GET'f IXtJ BOX HOXEY. STORING SPARE C03IBS, ETC. s^JRIEND NOVICE:— If any one teUs yoxi that in- ii[j"' troducing young lertile queens to old stocks, ^^ after they tiave swarmed once, will prevent se- cond sw.Hrms, tel 1 them tUey are mistaken. I have practiced doing so for a number of years past, and have generally succeeded pretty well, !j;it the present season it has been, almost an entire failure; as just fouroiit of every live of the young queens introduced, led out swannsin from one to two weeks after their intrcducticn. For some time past I have pi-acticed a method to some extent that has in every case prevented second sWi.rms ; and I see the same method is now recom- mended, by a correspondent of the A. B. J. It is sim- ply this : As soon as you are sttrc you liave the queen with the new swarm, carry the old colony to a new stand, and put the new one where it stood. True, this gives the old colony a rather forlorn and deserted ap- pearance for a few days, as all the old bees join the new swarm on the old stand, and storing honey is stopped (or a few days in the old stock. But if they gather nothing, the new swarm in the mean time will collect a double portion and thus make up for lost time, and if we only get the honey, what difference does it make where it is stored ? If the swarm is put in a hive filled with empty combs, the surplus boxes should be put on at once ; but if they are put into an empty hhe, wait until they have fairly commenced below, then put the surplus lx)xes on and the amount of honey they will store i;i a short time will be astonishing. If there are a lot of partly filled lx)ses on the old stock, that you want finished, put them on the new swarm, and the work will be done in a hm-ry. This method remedies, in a great measure, one of the evils of natural swarming ; it prevents the bees in the old oolony from filling the bi-ood combs with honey before the young queen has a chance to fill them with eggs. Instead of being storetl there, it is put in the surplus boxes en the new swarm. Oh Xo^ice ! How could you say I woudn't help, etc. and even intimate that I did not sympathize with the brethren when their lv?*s dicitidled. Didn't I wi-ite a piece and say all I could in favor of dwindling, and that bee disease r I have often heard that republics were un- grateful, but who would have thought our esteemed Editor wouli be so ? I would like to ask a question on the subject of spring d*inclling, and it is this : Did you ever know a colony to waste away by dwindlir.g. that had plenty of young bees in it when taken from winter quarters ? "M'ho will whisper words of cheer"' to the advocates of extracted honey now : since No\ice is not only letting his bees "fool away their time on Iwxes" (see pazeM. Vol.11.) but is even furnishing sectional frames etc. to help others do so ? And now to make matters worse Mr. Heddon is goinir to advocate 1k)x hives and comb honej', although it would have cost him the 4o00 lbs. of extracted to have had the oOOlbs. of comb honev finished, a few years ago. Oh, well! If he can prove that box hives, black bees etc. pay best, I shall eertanly adopt them. I can easily see tlie point ui friend ^Martin's remarks, about losing some of my l->ees ; but my hands were really not folded at all, they were full of carpenter's tools and farming uup'.ements. Here-.ifter I will try ar.d let the above named incumbrances drop, and attend to my bees, so that if I have found mv Leipsic, I will try and avoil my Waterloo. I had several hundred frames of empty comb last spring, and as much of it was bought of neighbors who lost their bees last winter, aud had left the hives contain- ing it stiinding on the summer stands until I bought it, which in some instance«. was after the weather became quite warm, it was full of th? e^irs of the moth miller, ar.d worms soon made theu' appearence. For some time I was at a loss as to how I could best arrange so many combs to fumigate them. I finally went to work and ripped out strips of inch lumber two inches wide for the inside pieces and one and a halt wide for the outsideones. I rabbeted H Inch square out of two corners of the two inch strips and one corner of the 1 }i ihcli strips. I then nailed the strips in parallel lines, with the rabbered sides up, securely to the ceiling overhead, at such distances apart that the top bar of m.v frames would just pass be- tween the parts left after the rabbeting was done. The frames hang on these strips the same as they do in the hives, are out of the way when not wanted either sum- mer or winter, are easily put up or taken down by simply moving one end a short distance either way, and Ijest o; all, are in the most comfortable place when I close the ventilators, windows and doors, place a kettle half full of live coals in the room, and throw a pound of brimstone in it. In the above way by a half daj 's work I provided stor- age loom for over 1000 combs and it is out of the way and always ready for use, when wanted. James Bolix. West Lodi, Ohio, July 19ih, lS7e. [7\Ve have repeatedly had colorijs die of spriiig dwind- ling, even with plenty of young bees, though not so man.v as to make a hive fidl. AVe never knew a hive full cf you no bees to suller in that way, or in any other scarcely. The plan given for disposiivx of empty combs where house room is s :arce, is most exciUeut, and we tender you our thanks for the idea. The plan for prevention of after smarming is, we believe, quite successful. — Ed.] 208 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Sept. HIVES USE© BY OIR EEAUHVG BEE- KEEPERS. T^j^'jRIEXD rs'OVICE : — I !im looUi!'.^' for your descrip- j'f}'^ tion of the leuding hives in use. I do not care what hi'.c "Blasted Hojjes" used, but I want a descrip- tion ci the hive thnt such men as Doolittle, Pahncr, and those who are making monej" out of bees, use. Jonx A. KixcJ. Janesville, Minn., July 2ith, '7G. The hives used bj- the large bee-keepers are, we believe, very plain aud simple. Those used b}- Adam Grimm, were the ordinary Lang- stroth with a portico, like those in general use, except that, they were made lor S frames iu.slead of 10. The dimensions of the frames are about the same as those given in our list 0} diagrams. The lower story is only a sim- ple box of such size that the frames hang in it so as to come about ^-g of an inch from the IjOtlom and sides. The upper story is simply a l)ox open at the top and bottom, aud large enough to set over the lower ; being therefore large enough to contain one more frame. When the hive is used for shipping bees, the upper story is omitted. Our friend Bolin uses in-incipally, the same hive made wide enough — I4I4 inches — to hold 10 frames. Mr. Doo- little uses the small Gallup frame, 11^^ inches square, and without ever having seen his hive, we can only say we suppose it to be about as simple as those mentioned above or still more so, as he uses no portico, if we ai"e correct. The Gallup hives are usually made 18 inches long, or so tbey will contain 12 frames, but we believe friend D., uses and advises, a hive with but nine of these small frames. We might object a little to having hives so very small, were it not for the invariable success that at- tends his apiarj- ; in fact we do not know that we have a single bee-keeper who has made the yields of comb honey per colony, that Mr. Dooiittle has. Our friend Davis of Holt, Mich, uses about the same hive aud frame, and he too, has made astonishing crops of honey .Capt. Hetheringtou, L. C. Root, and many others in Mr. Quinby's neighborhood use the closed end Quinby frame of, or very near, the dimen- sions given in our diagrams. To get an idea of his hive, suppose we have a level bottom, cleated to prevent warping. We will place 8 of these frames on the bottom board standing them with the broad upright ends close against each other. Now if the bottom board is large enough to allow of a tier of honey boxes being piled close up to each outside frame, we shall have a fair idea of the Quinby hive without the outside shell. This shell is made of four broad boards cleated to prevent warping, and having a strip of hoop iron nail- ed to the ends of two of them, projecting enough to enter a saw cut in the sides of the other two, about one inch from the ends. The ob- ject of this, is to make a tight box without top or bottom, and for convenience in manipula- ting the honey boxes the four boards are not nailed, but simply held by a cast iron corner piece, of Mr. Quinby's invention. By pushing these downward, the boards are clamped fast, but on drawing them up, the boards fall apart. These side boards are made wide enough to come above the frames sulHciently to allow of a set of boxes on top of the frames as well as at the sides. A plain flat clamped top covers all. Now when the honey boxes are all removed, it is plain that we have left a vacancy : just about what is wanted to cover them with chafl" in winter. To protect the ends as well as the sides of the brood combs, Mr. Quinby directed that the eight frames be turned 3i round for winter, thus leaving a space for chafl' all round, and about G inches above the brood nest. It is a hive of this description that has giv- en us such good results the present season. In order to open a Quinby hive, vre must re- move the cover, and at least two of the four sides. If no honey boxes are on, we mu.st re- move the quilt or honey boards, and we are ready to pr.v off the first frame from its neigh- bor. If the hive has had bees in but a short time, and the end bars are thin, this is not very difficult, but it takes considerable time. Each of the eiaht frames is removed in the same way. Yv'hen the hive is to be closed, you are to bring the ends of these frames to- gether so carefully that no bees are killed. If the weather is very warm, so that the propolis readily gives way, it works much better than when so cool as to make the frames snap, when pried apart ; and a great many of our bee-keepers saj' at once, that nothing would induce them to u.se a closed end, or closed top bar frame. Others after having had their pa- tience tried with the evils of the suspended frames, prefer to go slowly and patiently, and use the former. The bad features of the sus- pended frames, are that the bees are always building little bits of comb outside the frames, and that there is always that usele^ss loafing air space filled Avith idle bees ; this space is thought by mauj', to be a very bad feature in wintering, and we confess to a feeling, that we would much rather have the bees cu the combs, and not standing about somewhere else. Our friend Palmer of Hart, Mich., uses both the Quinby and Langstroth, aud he once remarked that the l)its of wax and comb built on the outside of the suspended frames, Vi'ould almost buiid the comb to hold the hon- ey that we get with the extractor. No mat- ter how ofteu we may scrape this wax oil", nor how anxious we may be to have our frames clean and smooth, the next time the hive is opened, especially during a season like the present, thej' will be found much in the same state as before. The worst part of it, Is the disagreeable propolis, and we have been to-day wondering whether Vaex would take so much pains to collect this, if their hives were not so full of the modern crannies and corners. The same question comes up in connection with quilts, honey boards, or closed top frames. Quilts are by far the quickest, aud easiest to handle, but they very soon become covered with propolis, and if the frames are not scrap- ed often, the bees will get the v/ax upon them a little higher each time, until finally they will fight for the privilege of making small m.ounds of honey on the top bars. Friend Davis had a plan last fall, that we thought very laborious, but since we have had a sea- son so much like those in Mich., we have be- gun to wonder whether his plan was n6t pretty good after all. It was to have the tops of the Irames close fitting at their ends, and then to close up the mortise by a strip of 1876 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 20!) wood laid between every two frames. These strips were covered with propolis it is true, but he, jackkiiife in hand, scraped it from eve- ry stick as it wa^ laid in place. The result was that no propolis ever touched the upper side of his top bars, and we have just been feeling as if we would be willing to take a great deal of time if we could have our own frames in the same condition, namely ; every bit of comb on the inside, and the outrides clean wood without any stickiness. As this is next to an impossibility with suspended frames, or those easy of manipulation, we presume we shall have to give it up ; and you my friends, I presume will have to choose in the kind of hive yon decide upon, the lesser of the two evils in many points. To be conthitied. ■» ■ a II i» OUR O^VN APIARY. ilf ];6ME of our friends write the bees will not ^^ work in the section boxes ; well we have satisfied ourselves pretty thouroushly that they will not, at least not in a way that would be at all desirable, unless they have foundations, or natural combs for a guide. Even then, we occasionally have colonies that do not seem to compreiicnd what the section boxes are for, and hang on the outside of the hive with the coolest indiflerence. while oth- ers are doing good day's works. We are hap- py to say we have made a GREAT DISCOVEllY, that is, it would be if no one else had made it before ; at any rate it is new to us and would have saved us ever so much honey if we had made it earlier, for we have never seen it fail to start the most stubborn stock in boxes at once. It is simply to take a section, bees and all,, from some stock that is working briskly and put it in the centre of the one that will not work. We in one day thus started more than a dozen, including our colony of blacks, but as they do not work on the red clover, or but sparingly, they have made but little head- way. There are to-day, bees flying once more from every one of the Si entrances in the house api- ary, and we are rejoicing in a moderate yield of honey, even though it be the 4th, of Aug. This was quite unexpected, and is quite un- usual. As nearly as we can make out, it comes from red clover, and it is the full blood pro- geny of the imported queen, mainly, that are doing it. One colony in the house apiary are actually tilling glass boxes at a pretty fair rate ; the honey looks and tastes like clover honey, and the bees are found very busy on the red clover. This one featui'e alone, is worth all the expense of Italianizing. Our plan of making the new colonies, was simply to lift the combs from the upper stories, and put them in the hives in the Ilouse apiary ; and as they contained no brood, we made a very sure thing of it by giving each colony a small piece of comb containing larvjy from our imported queen, also a cell nearly ready to hatch. In case there vvas any failure with the cell, they would be pretty sure to raise one from the brood, and we are thus under no necessity of taking a second look at the c51- ony, unless we choose. If we give them a sec- ond piece of brood in about 12 days, it will make success more certain, and will keep the bees at ho:n3 while the queen is out. This method is of course only for building up stocks, and where you have very little time to look them over and look for queens. In fact we many times never see the queen at all, feeling satisfied as soon as we fin;l sealed brood in abundance. SECTION BOXES WITHOUT THE TIN SEPARATORS. Just after the Aug. No. had gone to press, we were much delighted to find that the sec- tions that were filled without the tin separa- tors were just as much handsomer to look at, and contained from ^^ to }o more honey. And really, after taking a look at the plump round- ed cakes, those made in the tin cases look thin and lean. If^^ inch sticks are laid on the frames — only two are needed — the sec- tions can be placed right over the frames without trouble, and ive are happy to add that we found they could be all renioved from the hive in a body, if unfilled, by moving the whole to and fro until the propolis was loosened, and theu lifting them up. It is true we do not keep the bottom sticks as clean, as by the other way, but it is so much less ma- chinery that we are inclined to think we can take the trouble to scrape them oil' with a knife. Some kind of a honey board with slots riiiiy be advisable, but we would be pretty sure to get the sections farther from the brood, winch we hardly think advisable. IWi — Honey is coming almost as it did in June, and there is little doubt but that the main part of it is from red clover. The Ital- ians are seen on it every where, and they are just about as busy as they are on the white clover in June. It were no more than fair, to state that the hybrids are at work on it also, and some strong stocks of very cross hybrids are actually filling section boxes faster than any we have, but it may be because they have such a heavy force of workers. The imported queen, although we have sold larvte from the stock almost as fast as she could lay the eggs, for the past 3 months, sends out workers enough to bring the hive down at the rate of from 1 to 1 lo lbs. per day. We put them on the spring scales, because they are almost the on- ly stock that is not too heavy for the capacity of the scales. They were divided in July, and the new colony is now a strong stock. The plan of dividing was simply to carry the brood combs, bees and queen, to a new hive, brood being left in the old hive from which to raise a queen. OUR EXPERIENCE WITH SMOKER'^. When moving the combs from the upper stories into the house apiary, we got along very peaceably with several colonies, scacely nefiling any smoke at all; but when we came to the 4 story hives of dark hybrids, it was not so pleasant. Had our hives been made so that only % space was left between the frames above and those below, perhaps we should have got along very well, but unfortunately they were our old Simplicity hives and the space was in some cases l^^ inches and heavy combs were bridged across this to save room. The hoop hives, and the hives we make now, work ex- 210 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Sept. celleutly iu this respect. We would earnestly advise, that no one ever, no matter how much hurried, put on upper stories that allow the frames to come more than ^o inch from the low- er ones. Well, the upper stories had to come oft", and there was no other way, but to tear these combs apart, and then with the honey knife trim both top and bottom. Of course we very soon had robbers at work, and had to desist. At the next attempt, the hybrids were just in the mood to sting, in thai cool decided way, that perhaps you have all exper- ienced. Circumstances were such that we felt the upper stories must come oft". Our smoker was put in its best trim and they were driven back, but only to come to the l3attle with renewed lury, just as soon as we stopped an instant, or allowed them to boil up at any corner of the hive. With flnyers daubed with honey, tears running down our cheeks from the combined etl'ects of stings and smoke, and with a humilated if not conquered spirit, we went round on the other side of the bee house to meditate and pull out the stings. Even after we had desisted and retreated, two or three little "heathen" that did not feel "satisti- ed' came and inflicted a couple more wicked stings and then seemingly regretted that they had no more stings to inflict judging from the way in which they buzzed up ones sleeves and seemed generally bent on mischief. Veils and gloves say you V We have a feeling that when our bees get so furious that it is ueccessary to barricade against them in that way, it is a fair indication that something is wrong — against nature, as perhaps friend Heddon would have it. We do not believe in fighting with anybody, and if we cannot get along without flghting with our bees we should feel very much like giving them up. To get a veil and gloves and push ahead at such a time, would soon demoralize a whole apiary, to say nothing of the stings that might atflict the whole neighborhood. We did try a veil but feel as we have said before, that when one who has had experience enough to feel at home among the bees, finds a veil needed, he had better stop. If we are careful, and see that no robbing be allowed for an in- stant, 100 colonies can be kept in quiet and tranquility the year round, but do not let the bees ever find out that honey is to be had about on the ground, or iu the houses. We wiped our eyes, pulled out the stings and took our old sauce pan down from its nail ; put in a coal, and then a heap of sticks, and very soon a cloud of smoke arose that seemed fit for our purpose. This was taken to the hive, and very soon every bee iu the air, and around the hive, retreated with an air, that to say the least, was quite consoling. With a very few pufl's of the breath, every bee could be driven entirely from the combs, and by placing the pan so the smoke curled above our head, those in the air, very soon flew away in disgust. We finished our work in peace and quietness, and felt very much like tumb- ling the Quinby smoker, with which we had fussed and tinkered so much, on top of the verj' summit of our raorument of discarded imple- ments. Before doing this however, we decid- ed to give a new one a fair trial, as our own has been used over 2 years. This new one works much better than the old one ever did ; when first lighted, we could throw a stream of smoke nearly 10 feet, and we were rejoiced to find that it would not go out as long as it was kept supplied with fuel. It has now been used over a week, and every day we are sorry to find it getting more like the old one ; caus- we suppose by the soot that accumulates in the tubes, which requires to much time and trouble to clean out constantly. Always go- ing out at the wrong time, is the trouble with the Quinby smoker ; the trouble with the sauce pan is, the smoke gets into one's eyes, and the sparks get into the sawdust. The ( former is the neater, more compact, and easier put away, for if laid on its side, it always goes out at once ; if it would not go out at any oth- er time, it would be a "jewel." We have stud- ied in vain to improve it in that respect, and failing, have decided to accept it as it is. As we have sold a great number of them this summer, we shall hereafter keep theiJi in stock, which will enable us to furnish them on shorter notice than heretofore. 11th — Did you ever ! We have actually tak- en over 100 lbs. of the most beautiful comb honey in section frames, from one colony, and they are now at work on their fourth set of 30 sections. This colony is out doors, and the honey has bees all stored in the sections with nothing but the hoops around them. To keep the bees from hanging out we gave them three tiers, or 90 sections at once,and have been very agreeably surprised to find that when all were taken ofl", those iu the lower tier were just as white and nice, as those in the top- most. This may not prove the case invaria- bly, yet these had been sealed and ready to take ofl' forever a month. At present our ex perieuce is in favor of the sections without the tin separators, if not to be glassed. They are not only much easier to handle in lifting out those that are sealed ready to come off, but they contain considerable more honey. We would prefer to have the sections set di- rectly on the frames, were it not that the brood combs need to be about IJo inches from centre to centre, and the sections about \%. Unless the bottom of the section sets squarely on top of the top bar to the frame, the bees fasten them down too tight to be convenient in handling ; if we turn the section across the other way, they fasten them if possible, still tighter. We really believe we never spent a happier hour in the apiary, than did we to-daj' iu taking oft" honey in section boxes. Where they are set directly on the top of each other with no tin separators at all, they can be lift- ed up as easily as one could wish, and if the sections have been filled, or nearly so, with foundation, each one will come out clean, and entirely free from the stickiness that makes so many operations about the apiary disagreea- ble. ' Just think of it ! Honey put up iu clean white packages, not a particle to drip, and the bees do every bit of it themselves. While tak- ing them oft", we were tempted to stop and ex- claim "Did you ever see anything so hand- some V" at almost every one removed. IWi— Our honey house had become awfully "cluttered up" in fact it showed strong symp- toms of getting as bad or even worse, than was "No^vice's barn." Puddles of thick honey 1876 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 211 were to be found in clivers places on the floor, an1 hives, hoops, covers quilts, section boxes etc., were mixed up in a fearful way with plates, and pans, containinac bits Df comb hon- ey that had been hastily put out of the way of the bees that all hives might be as speedily accommodated with boxes to receive the new and unexpected yield of honey in Aug. Well when the matter got so bad we could stand it no longer, we made every thing clean and nice except the dishes of bits of comb honey. How we did wish we had directed the bees to put it in tliose clean sections, instead of between the frames and in out of the way crannies that had to be cut out with so much labor. Well we thought of the letters of friend Crane, and Smitii, and finally took our dishes just about sunset, and emptied them all in front of the hives among the bees that were clustered out. Instead of any robbing uext morning, we found the honey all taken up clean, and still further, we found them very busy talcing all the new white comb, and before night the most of that was carried into the hives. Further, a plate of extracted honey was placed in front of one hive, and that too was all taken np clean before morning, and we rejoiced to see that col- onies so fed, were as soon at work in the morn- ing as any. To be sure this honey went into the section boxes, for their hives are so full be- low that they have no other place to put it. Now who will help tell how many lbs of extd. it takes to get one lb. of comb honey ? If fed at the entrakce in the night, we think it will in no way interfere with their labors during the day. — ^ ^^^ .^ [For Gleanings.] THE SALE OF HONEY. ^aq|lHTOR GLEANINGS :-Perhaps of the least inter- f^^\ est to beginners, and of the most importance to the older apiarists, is "the sale of honey." In an- other envelope, I send you samples, in the way of adver- tising, of afeic of my past efforts to dispose of my pro- ductions. I am well aware that some of the statements are as much as the truth will bear, but something must be done to offset the "popular"' pi-ejudice against extracted honey, if we expect to sell at all. I have spent money enough to establish a fair sized apiary, in putting up hon- ey in an attractive shape. I liave always ad^'ocated building up a home demand, and at the same time have built up my own ten fold. I made but little progress, until I quit extracting uncapped comb. I claim that all uncapped, extracted honey is more or less sour, or rank (as many of our friends seem to think "sour honey," means vinegar) and I am now afraid that my statement, on my price list of "choice machine extracted honey," is not quUe up to the whole truth. Too many honey produ- cers are so "slack" as to let dealers buy their hone.y at low figures, and after putting in proper shape, return it to their own town to be sold out at fancy prices. I consider a sale cf choice extracted honey at 1'2,'i cts. per lb. of more value if to my nearest neighbor. This is my centennial price at home, at retail. And less than I will ivholesale at abroad, unless to jobbers. Thst price gives my neigh- lx)rs no occasion to "keep a few bees .just for their own use," and insures to raa^ growing home trade which is already worth more than any other. "I am free to con- fess" thit I have no desire to see my neighbors keei)ing bees, for I find it hard enough to "get up the hill,"' as it is. If I don't keep my own market supplied (and few bee- keepers do) but go to shijiping away at 7 and Sc per lb., some one ought to keep bees, who would let the people here enjoy honey at 20 per cent advance. We must not wait for people to "come after honey," but must introduce it at their doors, and charge them for our trouble. Hov/ jvjuch honey could C. O. Perrine dispose of, if he kei)t still and waited for orders. No sir, he keeps men and horses busy in the city, binding honey to consumers to "taste," and men and circulars going over the ro id, soli ;iting or- ders from dealers. In Gleanings for August," 1S76, friend Heddon is charged wi:h—\vell — something wrong probably, that he did in S iranac, Mich. Well, here is a "era«rl-out." In the first jj'ace I never was nearer Saranac, than Grand Rapids. My books do not contain the word, Saranac. Which either shows I never sold any honey there, or else never charged it up, which would make it somewhat less than 30c per lb. either way. :My agent says he never sold any honey there, and never used the words "unripe" or "sour." Finally, I wonder it there realty is any such place as "Saranac"' at .all ; undoubtedly, there are lots of K.'s wlio don't like the looks of their full name, on paper. If I really am, one of ane Colvin's box hive converts, as Mr. Hill KNOWS is the case, just take me back into the arms of "ilumididles" and new fangles, and ''rock me to sleep." Colvin is undoubtedly in dead earnest, and prob- ably thinks I am, from a reply I wrote to him. I wouldn't fear to challenge his hive, with a candle box. Bro. Hill can't you find any thing I may have dropped, to pick at, without feeding on the tricks I am going to play ? My time has not come yet, to describe this "boss" of boxes, but just for your sake brother Hill, I will say noio that it tvon^t beat a nail keg, for sucesscful wintering, but won't y XI be so kind as to tell me what frame hive will, and why/ Don't forget the "why." "iVoMiis"eh? Well of course you know all about it, and I will give you plenty of time to describe it, before I do. James Heddon, Dowagiac, Mich., Aug. 1st, '76. The printed circulars that our friend enclos- ed, were truly — well, astonishing, and we fear he acted on the principle that our "Young America's" seem to think "business," namely ; spending one half your capital in advertising the other half. Perhaps as many fail in bus- iness, from to much advertising, as from al- most any one thing, and we believe the real substantial men of our day, depend mostly upon the goods they send out to bring custom- ers for more of the same kind ; or at least, that their adverti-seraents are of a very mod- est character. "Spread Eagle" circulars, are not an indication of a large and healthy bus- ines. We fear our friend is swinging to the opposite extreme, when he offers honey at retail at 13/^^ cents, but his remarks in regard to bringing our honey right before the people, are certainly sound. We are told that even now, our hotels in the cities, although their tables are supplied with almost almost all the rarities in the way of fruits and vegetables, seldom have a bit of honey of any kind, and we have heard the excuse given that they can- not afford it, because there are always those who will eat so much. 'Poor fellows" did they never in their lives have honey enough ? who will take some decisive sieps to have honey on the tables of our hotels the year round ? We supposed of course "K." kneio that the iaouey was oftered for sale in jars with your label on them. Will he please rise and ex- plain ? We will take good care that you are not unjustly blamed, friend H. 212 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Sept. HOAV JDOOLITTLE AVORKS WITH THli siicrio:N BOXES. ^OVICE asks the question, page 1S7. how to avoid having so many partly lilled boxes, and so few lull ones. Perhaps we can answer in no bettei* way than by giving our ])lan of operation with them. Oil page l.jj, Vol. II, we told you when, in our opin- ion, boxes should be put ou. When putting on boxes, (if we have them) we put in the centre case, two or three boxes (according as the case holds, we use some two and some three box cases), which are nearly full of comb, such as Novice will have next year. As the Lees commence work first in these boxes nearly lilled ■with comb, they are ready to come off first. Tliey Will generally be well sealed by the time those on each side of them are two-thirds full. As soon as sealed, take out, and put empty boxes (rtith startero in always) in their places. Now by doing this, it will be seen that there never comes a time when the whole set is all scaled at once, as we used to get with the large boxes when we had such hard work to get them into a second set of boxes to work once more. In a few days more there will be from C to 10 of those that were near the centre ones which you took out, ready to take ou* also ; and now is the time if you have side boxes, to raise them to the top and put the empty ones in their places ; and so on, having them build comb at the sides and store the honey at the top. Every apiarian knows, or should know, what his re- dources for honey are, and how long, as a rule, tliey last. Now, about a week before your harvest of white honey will come to a close, when you take out full sections at the top and raise those from the sides up, instead of putting in boxes at the sides, have your board that keys the side boxes, tight up to the brood chamber, thereby throwing all your force of bees into the top boxes ; or if only top boxes are being used shove all your partly lilled boxes into the centre, put- ting the empty ones on the outside. Thus you will see that at the fore part of the honey harvest we get them at work in as many boxes as we can, and at the latter part we strive to make tliem finish all they have com- menced work in. In this way, we have but few boxes that are part white and part dark honey or but partly filled, at tlie end of the season. It is not very com- forting to ah apiarian's feelings to have the harvest of white honey come to a close with from 20 to 40 sec- tions to each hive, nearly full but none full enough to come off, and to be obliged to have them finished off with buckwheat, which decreases the price by one- half. Also, in this way we get the larger part of oar dark or second quality of honey stored in the brood chamber for the bees to winter on ; for as the nights grov/ cool the queen ceases to keep up her brood and so the combs are filled with the dark honey which in our experience proves just as good. John F. Laflerty asks on page 154, "Why do bees in good solid box hives winter better than in frame hives ?" We deny that such is the case. AVhen we first commenced to keep bees we could count within a radius of two miles, 150 or more stocks of bees in such hives. All went well till the winter of '71 and '7-2, when they commenced dying ofi". They have de- creased till at the present time scarcely one remains. And this is a general rule all over the country, here in York State, while there are plenty of frame hives with bees in. As long ago as we can remember, fath- er had a box hive that lived through the winter when all the rest would die, and the reason was soon ascer- tained. It had a Di inch hole near the top for an en- trance, that being the only entrance they had. In other words they bad upward ventilation. Other hives were fixed the same way, and the mortality de- creased by one-half. We would like to know of Mr. Porter, page 183, if he is sure the swarm he took the Hi lbs. of honey from, had no queen ? Did he examine the combs after he put the boxes od, to see ? Queens get into stocks in mysterious ways sometimes. For instance : we found a stock that had a good laying queen a day or two previous, qneenless ; and upon opening a queenlcss stock some 40 feet distant, we found tlie identical queen filling the combs with eggs. We can give no satisfactory reason, for she had to pass three or lour other stocks to get to this hive. With us, bees will not build comb in boxes while qneenless ; and to tell when a stoi;k has a laying ou can feel you have helped somebody else, it will all come right some time. We en- deavor, as far as we can to allow a small commission, to those who take orders for us, and we will tr^ to pay you for your time and postage, if nothing more. We prefer to pay for all work that is done for us, or for Gleauings. 1ST6 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 213 HOW E FASTEN COMBS IN TKANSFSJK- KENG. |M^|AKE No. 10 wire ni\d cut (diiiwiially across so as to make a sharp jMint) into sialable lengths so thut when bent into this Ibrni Ml "1: it will catch under the bottcin bar and hook over the top bar. It' some are made longer ii!id marked and kept in a bundle by themselves, their usefulness will su^^^est itself •without further explanation. To use ; prepare your frame l)y hool ins on as many as yon wish on one side; lay in your fcnib, hook on (he upjwr side, and it is done in a twinkling', and they can be taken off as quickly without disturbins; th e bees. The idea i.s oris^inal with me. I have used them three years and am satisfied that they are better even than Xovice's transferrin? clasp. Try them and be convinced. J. 31. Hill. ^ — •^»— <^^" — • SPORITS OF NATURE. PiROF. >. J. COOK :— Yesterday in answerinc; ques- tions for the Bee-Keepert:' Magazine, I had occa- sion to comment upon a curious specimen of bee, \iz., a worker bee to all appearance, with perfect drone eyes and winr/s. Last oveninsr while haiviling bees, I found a specimen of worker, with the wines and abdomen of a drone. V/hat shall we call these specimens ? Preaks of nature, or a ne v developement ? Please make some comments in one of the Bee Journals. I send you the ^^I>ecimen which I found, by this mail. .T. H. ^^''ellis, Canajoharie, N. Y., .July 25th, 'TG. ir.iMl SIR. EDITOR :-Our friend J. H. Nellis, of Can- ajoharie, N. Y., sends me a curious bee. The general ap- pearance is that of a worker, and such it is called by Mr. Nellis, but the thorax including wings and abdomen are those of a drone. He speaks of another worker with drone eyes and wings. The insect sent to me was pos- sessed of regular drone organs, and thus v^-as a drone, with some worker characteristics. These curious insects, which are not infreiuently no- t iced by good observers, not only among bees but other insects, are called HermapJirodiies ; but mcorrectty so, :i.s a true hermaphrodiU: possesses both male and female organs, perfectly developed in the same individual, as il- histrated in our common sn.ails, and many other of the lower animals. Am.ong insects there are no true her- maphrodites, as only one set of organs are fully devel- '>].ed. The sex can usually be told by noting the peculi- :rity of that part of the body to which are attached the --enital organs. Thus the insect in question had a drone shaped abdomen, and proved to be a male. Such cases are by no means confined to animals low in the scale of animal life, but are rarely met with in the very highest. Such cases of false hermaphroditism are not to be ro- irarded as normal, but as malformxtions, or if we believe in evolution, we may regard them as explained by the law of atavism, in which case peculiarities occur, not af- ter some generations, but after some millions of genera- tions. Such cases are of exceeding interest to science, iikI should be brought to notice by all who are close •uough observers to detect them. A. J. Cook. CAX WE sell ITOXET FOR 10 CTS. PEJK LB. ? ^jr-X your Juno number, H. E. Curry, of Cincinnati, O., Ji states that he sold 2000 lbs. of extracted white clover honey at from 25 to 3Cc per lb. "Will Mr. Curry be good enough to explain, through Glea>'ixgs or ofho^-- wise, how bee-keepers in general, can secure oven oiw- half as much, for a like quality of honey ? Last year I sold a very white and choice article of hon- ey, (mostly white clover, but containing, I suppose, ;;, sprinkling of linden) in Cincinnati, at 10 cts. "What I re- tailed at home, of course, paid me much better. I now have a barrel of white clover honey, all put up just prior to the advent of linden lilossoms, which I should bo glad to sell at 15c. I can afford it at that, and I can not affonl it at 10 cents. My experience in this matter is jiarallel with li'.at > 1 nearly all bee-keepers in ^Michigan. Can you, Mr. Editor ; can you Mr. Curry ; can any one ; will any j^erson suigesi any hojiorable course by which we can securo a fair equi\a'lent for our choice machine extracted honey? G. E. CoEBi>-. M. D. St. Johns, 3Iich., July 2-lth, 1S70. We presume Meucl Curry put his honey in very neat attractive jars, with a very neat and tasty label, and retailed it himself, in the city of Cincinnati; which is probably one of the best markets for choice goods, that we have. At first glance, it looks entirely unnecce.=.sary that honey that is retailed for 25c., must be purchased in bulk from the producer, for 10 or 12 cents ; yet wc believe such is found to be the case by almost every one who undertakes to handle it in large quantities. The same thing is transpiring in regard to other arti- cles all about us, and perhaps it will contri- bute to our cheerfulness, to accept it pleasant- ly, and not feel unkindly toward our neigh- bors, even if they do charge 50 per cent tor handling some of the staple articles of food. We can all retail our honey, or at least a large part of it, if we wish ; but after selling barrels in that manner, v/e think you will most of you decide to allow the retailer such a profit as he thinks right, providing you have plenty of oth- er bnsiness to occvj)!/ your time. If one has things conveniently arranged for it, wc think it a very pretty business to sell honey at retail. And even if we sometimes have to weigh out a half or even a quarter of a pound at a time, if it is all done good naturedly and pleasantly, it is not so very much of a bother after all. After the honey season is over, your extractor will do very well to retail honey fi'om. Place it on a convenient table elevated just enough to have the honey gate come over the mouth of a quart jai-, while the jar stands on a pair of scales. Adjust the scales for the amount of honey wanted, and with a little practice you can give the exact amount of honey v»':inted without wasting a single drop. Our neighbor Rice, of Seville, sells at r'-c, as that is just one cent per oz., and is very easy to "reckon." Well now, cannot we sell honey • in this way at 15c. and make a very comfort- able living at it? If we can sell it by the barrel at 10c. and do nearly as well ; and cannot bee-keepers as well ail'ord honcj' at 10c. by the barrel, as farmers can wheat at .^1.00 or less per bushel, and as well as they can sell many other products at the price they do ? May I venture to suggest that we are oftentimes less happy when we get great prices for our work than when we are obliged to honestly earn every dollar we get, and work hard for moderate pay. The question asked as to how wc arc to sell our honey, might with equal propriety be asked in lU GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Sept. regard to corn, wheat and potatoes ; the latter were recently oliered iu our town at 10c. per bushel, and wanted a ]:)U}'er. How n-iauy read- ers have we that could raise a bushel of pota- toes as easy as a lb of honey V Go to work pleasantly, and rai.se as large and nice a crop of honey as you can; iu the same mauuer, sell it to your friends and neighbors as well as you can. If you cannot get as much as you think you would be will- ing to pay in like circumstances, take less; but make up your mind you are going to be contented and cheerful, no matter what the price is. Very likely there are those who will not care to fuss with bees if honey comes down to 10c. ; but we shall if thej do not, and it will probably make us all the more earnest in our efforts tu simplify the work in the api- ary. Is it not possible that it would do us all good '? If you open a honey column put me down for SOOO Ib.s.- extracted honey, at 15 cts. per lb., barrels thrown m ; and 2000 lbs. box honey in light section frames, at 25c per lb. .1. H. 'Maetin, Hartford, N". Y., .July 24th, "76. »EC;0>(I> SWARMING, FUN., FXEBINO EXTRACTED HONEY, CHAFF, ETC. IP' JjRIEND KOVICE :— We have had a fearful run of J'{j| honey here ever since white clover commenced, ' about the 10th of June. Basswood gave out on the 20th of July, the bottom dropped out of it all on a sudden. During a little over a month we have obtained 3000 lbs. of extracted honey and have boxes enough nearly fdled to give 2000 lbs. box honey, and i)erhaps more, if the fall yield is good. I think my yield of l)Ox honey would have been greater could I Iiave prevented the swarming fever among my ex- tra swarms. I have no objections to first swarms, but when second swarms persist in coming off, it is more than I can endure. All remedies, even giving a generous sup- ply of unsealed larv* woidd not prevent some of them leaving witli the young queen in her first flight. We have not used tlie foundations this summer but V.ave a problem in our mind whicli ]jrobably you have been thinlving of, i. e., will it pay to feed our extracted honey to swarms supplied with comb foundations ? If I feed the 3000 lbs. of extracted honey, how many lbs. will I have of comb honey therefrom ? That is the next prob- lem we want solved. In relation to the chaff theory, I am free to confess that I didn't do it exactly right. The swarm was in a glass hive, capacity, 8 frames ; as far as chaff was concerned it was genuine oat chalf, but I think the quilt was too close, ••is the combs moulded a little. We will try another swarm during the coming winter and will follow direc- tions implicitly. The only objection to such a plan is the 'extra boxes and muss of chaff. Just think of it for a hundred swarms ! If you are equal to the task of invent- ing a cheap and temporary chaff quilt you will confer a blessing. If it will aid you I will mention that Asbestos roofing felt would make a good outside to the quilt, as it can be made to shea',}ster or t2ie cart hoise. The labor aiecessary to keep up an apiary of 200 <5olonic^ and anakc ami prepare all the i>ar-aphernalia of a modern ■establishuient, requires -all the tiKie of a bee-keeper. ■1 keep, on my own place, 200 colonies, with a little at- 'ienlion irom the i;ardciw3r to hive one swarm irom •each parent stock, and the tiuie I take in putting on ilioney boxes and removing when filleees from the old stock returning to that local- sty. The old hive will send out no other swarm that fieasoH, but gather stores rapidly if Uic pasiu.rage is ^'ood. The work to make one frame hive will make a dozen itriangular hives such as I use, twenty-two inches cfiuilateral, and the glass or tin hoses containing 10 dbs. honey will cost 13 cents, and with these simple raeans I will coHjpare results with any apic«Uurist in eiie country provided all things are e^iual. The common lanucr wants 15 or 20 colonies I'or toaie aise, iias no time to nurse bees the live long day, he wanls a simple cheap hive and plain honey boxes all of same pattern, so that any one will fit on the hive. He wants one swarai each from his old colonies. Then if the pasturage Is gootl, and he has common sense, he is sure of a bountiful harvest of houey, and colonies enough to sell half his stock with the least ^.rouble imaginable, free of the ten thousand annoy- -mces which the regular apiculturist imagine-s are actually necessary. It seems that everybody nowadays who hives a swarm of bees thinks he knows all about it; hence She superfluous suggestions. Just think of ventHa- ■^iiiT?. Is that following nature ? Do the bees not close mp all ajKirtures, even the entrance, when too large? •Another absurd operation is the boring a one inch aioie entirely through the center of tiie comb to give S-'a.sage to the bees, when they have already left enough gate-ways for all purposes. My apiary is located among plum trees. I prefer natural swarming to artificial. 1 permit one swarm only to issue from same stock. Iveep the stock strong and dispense with most of the humbugs on the subject. Geo. E. Peteus. M. D. !^ S.— I don't supiwse you will publish my views as it is not strengthening the position of all you zealots, but trzitk is what we. are all striving at, and I am re- minded here of Campbell, "When science from Creation's face EnchantmenTs veil withdraws. What fairy visions yield (heir place To cold material laws." G. B. P., Council Bend, Ark,, Aug. 5th, 76. We should ix; very sorry iudeed, to seem un- willing to give a fair hearing to any side of bee-culture, even though it might be some- thing that would result in pecuniary loss to ourselves, as manufacturers of implements for the apiary. The above letter seemed so can- did and straight forward, we sent the writer ^5.00 at once for the articles mentioned, and asked him to send us one of his hives. His reply is below. The five doUar bill enclosed, I return to you. Th« triangular hives I have preijared for my own use, are rather rude and my tirae is aow so engaged in pre- paring to sell the crop cotton from four iar^e planta- tions that I can not immeciately send you one, hut will do so .(gratis) some time this winter. The fact of yo«r sending me that bill, proves that you are en- deavoring to reader the bee lousiness a certain and profitable ^-ocation, Kud your Bee journal a medium of truth, of facts observed, and a scientiflc colbction of all the most useful inventions connected with api- Cttlture. I have hitherto looked upon all Bee journals as I do upon all other journ.alism, that is, asahusi- ness for a livelihowl; rather -catch penny trai)s" but t&is remittance of yours has done more to convince me, that your object is usefulness as well as thrifii- ness, thao all the articles you could write in twelve Eiontias. With the kindest i-eciprocal sentiments I will write some articles in an old-fashioned way which may not suit the fashions of apiculturists now- adays, but our Mr. Heddon, no doubt wiil read them. I will soon write an article "Why do Bees selt.'e on any object when they swarta naturally, and not go directly to the woods?" 2d. My siuiple method of hiving a natural swarm. 3d. Bee pasturage iu the alluvium of ibe Mississippi river bottom. 4th, Winteritsg bees in this latitude. But as I aEi moi^ of an observer than teacher, / would rather read the suggestions of others who are more corapetent than mysel!- I am a free thinker up- on every subject and believe nothing without a reason to sustain it, and ia all the economy of bees, upon close inspection, there is a cause which impels the instinct of this wonderful insect. Geo. B. Peteks. Covmcil Bend, Arkansas, Aug. 17th, '7(''. IPex'taii^iiig tro Bee Ciiltvire. tWe respectfully solicit the aid of our friends i« conducting this liepartwicut, and would consider it a favor to have them send us all circulars that have a deceptive api)earance. The greatest care will be at all times maintained to prevent injustice being done any one.] s^iRIEND ROOT :— Enclosed I send you an order Jn wliich I received of the name signed. The 0th, of — ' Dec. I shipped the 8 boxes as a sample, which he recei\ed, as I have his receipt. But the pay for it has not yet come. I have written to him several times, but get no answer. Had he paid for the sample, he would have got 200 lbs. more. As it is, the S7.60, price of sample, 1 have not received. Can you tell where this Charles Freed can be found ? dealer in comb and strained honey, etc. (was some time). No. 218 Arch St. Philadelphia, Pa. Lymak Legg, Rose, N. Y. Aug. 8th, 1876. The letter referred to is written on a sheet that has a large bee-hive on it, and proclaims in large engraved letters "The American Honey House." Contents : MR. LYMAN LEGG:— Sejid about 50 lbs. of small boxes as sample ; i)ack them well, so as not to move about Go to some store and get an old boot bos, this is what is generally used, and cover with strijjs alx)ut one inch apart, so as to show what is in it ; also, put one on each end for handles. Prepare as above and mark, "this side up with care." Chable.S Peeed. No. 218 Arch St. Phiklelphia, Pa. Dec. 1st, 187-1. Now friend Legg, you or any other of our readers are very thoughtless indeed, if you send your money to any one you know noth- 21G- GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTTT?E. Seit- ing of, more than that he tells himself. If any one wants your honey, go to your nearest banker oi- merchant, and "have hini tell yon whether such a man is known. In case no such person is quoted, yon can Ije pretty sure that he is either a, humbug, or is doing a very small business indeed. On looking we find no such honey house, nor any one of the name in the honey trade in Philadelphia. We are ac- quainted with the habits of most of the honey buyers of our cities, and will willingly advis'e our readers if they wish. GLE/iMma$ m bee guituhe^ PuMisIied Montltly, ^. I- iROOT. EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. EDINA, OHIO [Including Postage.l For Club Bates see Last Page. 3^E"DIlSr-A., SEI^T. 1, ISTe. Her ways are wnys of pleasaiilness, aiuT al! her paths are peace. PfOF., 3 : 17, We are glad to note that friend Mnlli has made honey jars a litOe lots-er. See advertisement. ■ 111^ •%ii <■!■ We have never yet seen a partiele of pollen, nor a eell of brood either ^yorker or drone, in the Universal seetioii boxes. We always rejoice to see things cheaper, and if it is a loss to us, we feel it is a gain to many. Our friend Albert Poster now comes on the stage, with full colonies of Ital- ans, in hives, for only .*o.OO. If the price is too low. they will be soon bought up, that is all. Nesbit does still bet- ter, but does not say jiui-e Italians, nor ready for winter. TnE combs used in the upper stories, for the extractor, must be stored some svhere, for 6 or sei^en months in the year, and it is quite a little task to care for 1.000 or more, as we know by experience. We have never had ours troubled with tlie inotli, when removed in October, aiid stored in a tight box in the barn until wanted the follow- ing May or June. We believe we can guarantee satisfaction on all goods, except the larvse, by mail ; on this we can do no more than give you some brood of the proper size, in a neat wooden box, taken from the hive just before our mail is made up, and our best wishes for a speedy journey. If it is more than 48 hours on the route, you ha\o wasted 2Cc., that is al). We are in i-eceipt of a very pleasant letter from Mr. Langstroth, and rejoice to know that he is once more able to take up bee-culture where he left off about a year ago. He says the long interval seems on looking back, like some troubled dream. Djwewho have the full use of our mental powers every day in the j-ear, realize what a l;les^i:ig it is r OvRl%, horse poner 17 foot Cantiaental wiml-niill, just painted and in good repair, is cti'ercd for :ir-20O,0O. Tiiis price includes the tower, ba'.ro.v and all, and all will Ijc safely boxed and delivered on is.nnl the rnr>. The mitl cost irs over 5500,00 ami was only laid aside on account of enlarging oar business. If the purcha- ser will take it! down and box it himself, §50,00 will tie dediTcteJ. I>. P. liARTFOBT>> Wolfboro Junction, K H., makes a ij. Ibi hon«y bos for .3 cents, (without tlie glass)', that is sc^ m>ic-h nicer than any vre have been able to make for 5c- tbat we gi ve bim tb!« aid. gratv^ Tii-e wood work is in fac^t the nejxtest we ever saw ra a Iwrey box ■, no nails an? used, and any glsss can be removed at an>y time. AVe \ivi-' sume fie will maii a sarapJe for 103. Ovis friend Rufus Morgan, has sent us soiue of the pret- tiest stei'eoscopic views we have ever seen.. ^i;d the Southern views, such as eotton picking etc. aa-e especially- intevestsng to us here in the' nortI_ Now we are quite- ansious to get np views of the differetit bee-ranches, autX a good stereoscopic view is almost equal to lieing right oib the sjxit. We have been taking a deal of pleasure in look- ing ove-r one cf fi Jend Doolittli 's apiary, and it mriii hap- pen that we shall be able to give the rest of you a chance? to take a lock at it over our shouldea'. — — ^^•♦•■^ On page 171 we carelessly omitted, when replying to- friend Elwood, saying that we were well aware that tliw ; paraffine fdn. was a well, hiunbug, for it hinnbugged us jjerhaps worse than any one else. Wo have tried to< replace it all with pnre wax, and if any have been missed, we hope the)" will speak oTit. We beg jjurdon friend E., but if you meant to apply yom- renjarks to pure w.ix, we s hall have to say as before, there is certainly now no room- for argument. See the reiJOTts in this number. In try- ing to give our friends fdn. at a low price we wasted a good mirfy dollars, all in ali. OrR friend Windhorst says much of the matter \i\ our Journals is not to be depended on. It is very true that tb.e results of new experimeiits must not be received with the confidence that one would expect to have in the matter of a text book, but what then ? Shall we publish nothing- that may afterward be controverted ? We are inclined to think friend W's. decision that virgin queens cannot be given full colonies at once, not a very safe guide, for wi- have done it so often with'perfect success, that we con- sider it safer than inserting queen cells. The success of these operations depend very much on the yield of honey. Two story bee-hives are patented, and our friend Montgomery of Lincoln, Term., has been sued by thi; swindler Gillespie, for 11250.00 damage.s, just becai;se M. had put a stop to his black mailing in that neighborhood. This chap claims to have pjttented the whole idea cf using hives on top of each other, in 1870, and every body has got to stop or pay up. There is one excellent tbint;- about this, and thp.,t is that it shovrs just what '"riglits" are coming to. Shall traveling rascals and swiTidlers have it all their own way, or shall hone.st men h n-e ji word to say ? Ii' you wish to try feeding extracted honey to. get boxes tilled, just set one of our 10c quart fee^Iers \t.\ the portico, or just before the entrance to the hive, wliere the bees are clustered out, and see how q-aickly they will take a quart of thick honey. If you give it them just before dark there will '>e no dang-er from robbing-, and it will not interfere with their storing during llie day at all. As no opening of the hive is reijuircd, wc do not knov? b-at we shall have to caU I Ibis the easiest way of feeding in very ivarm weather when tiie.bees ra-e clustered out. Every colony shonlii bo strong enough to cluster out, during the wai-m 1G76 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 217 We fear our friends ha^e some of them, thought us un- courteous in the brevity of our replies to their kind let- ters. It is not because we do not wish to reply in the same kind spirit, but because it is simply impossible. Should we attempt it, we could make no practical exper- iments with the bees, could rot give this Journal the time it needs, and perhaps should lose the good health we have been lately enjoying. All letters are opened and read, and the answers read and approved by us person- ally ; this is all we can do, and we very often regret the brevity that is made a neccessity on account of their num- ber. If any thing is amiss, do not hesitate to make it known, and please do not doubt our willingness to do all that is right ar.d proper. THE U]V1VEI£>«AL, SECTION BOX. I WE should be very "lad indeed if we were able to decide on the simplest and best form of implements for the apiary at first trial, but those who have fallowed Gleanings may have observed that things liave a kind of fash- ion of fashioning themselves, as it were, after they are put into practical use in the apiaries of our liundreds of readers. The Universal section box seems to be no exception, and by repeated working with them, wc find that we can, not only get along without the tin sepa- rators, but of late we have found it an advan- tage to set the section boxes directly on the frames, dispersing with the cases i'or holding them, entirely. Not only do the Italians get into them quicker when placed thus, but they can be lifted out as fast as filled, with gfeater ease than when placed in cases. As we wish to have the bottom bars free from wax and propolis, we will simply lay some slips of pine ^gxTg and as long as the width of the hive, di- rectly on the frames crosswise. With this simple arrangement, the bees find it impossible to fasten the bottom bars so that there is any danger of pulling them oft' from the section, as sometinif'S happens when they are placed di- rectly on the frames. Agnin, we thought it necessary at first, to make a case purposely, instead of using the ordinary upper story, just as made for a set of frames. We now find that an upper story is just what is needed. In the engravings on our front, Fig. 1 shows the simple piece of wood from which the other 8 figures are made. Fig. 3, is the Universal section box composed of (J of these pieces. Ob- serve that the four tipright pieces gauge, the distance of the frames from centre to centre ; in the one shown, it is about IJg, but by turn- ing one of the side pieces over, we can reduce it to 1^4 exactlj'. By using 3 pieces for the sides and two each for the tops and bottoms, we can make it 2°^g, this is right for very thick combs. These cau all be used on the same hive, where the size happens to be of odd di- mensions. Fig's. 3, 4, 5 and 7, are difterent forms for getting honey in fancy shapes for fairs, weddings, etc. No. 7 is easily made by placing it on the hive in halves, and uniting the two when filled and scaled. AVith the fdn. it is an easy matter to fill all these difterent forms. No. 9 is the storing and shipping case for No. 2 when ready to come off the hive. It holds 1") sections, and v.-ilh glass in the ends, it is almost sure to be handled carefully. The depth is such, that the cover when screwed down, holds each section firmly in its place. It is made entirely of ^o inch pine; top and bottom, 6x28}o' ; sides, 5x28J2. The latter are cut in with a saw }'4 inch from the ends to hold the glass. If you will promise to keep it all to yourself, we will tell you confidentially that No. 6 is a hive having all the brood in the hexagon, and all the honey in the squares and triangles. For wintering, a pillow of chaff i8 to take the place of the boxes, and as the lower half is bedded in a box of chaff permanently, the bees will be in the best possible shape — a sphere al- most— for economy of their animal lieat in winter. The hive will be especially suitable for those foolish fellows like Novice, who are always trying to tinker through, a lot of weak colonies. It also accommodates the queens in their disposition to have their brood in the form of a circle, and allows the apiarist to re- move all the honey from the hive in a market- able shape without disturbing the brood. These frames are so nearly round, that we can wrap them up in chail' \y\i\ows precisely sis we would a baby, and the supply of stores is cor- tained in the end frames. Frames cost 1 cent each and chaft" pillows — you will see them in our price list for next month. We will tell you how it works, next 4th of .July. BEE BOTANY AND ENTOMOLOGY. ^[rJ|NCLOSED I send you a small box iu wbicL I put jSmi a few dead bees. (I killed them). I wish you to examine the feet and see what there is at- tached to them. I think it is a parasite of some kind. DonH think they get it from flowers. In magnifying them it has the appearance, partly of a vegetable and partly of an insect. I believe it to be an insect, as you can sec some of them In a state of development. They have an appearance something like this, (if they should get dry). The wings or leaves are of a yellow- ish green, the body black, and the attachment nearly black. They pi'event the bee from using his feet. One bee has some of them on his proboscis. Now can you tell me any thing about it ? If it Is a jiarasite where did it come from ? And what can prevent its spread ? It it is vegetable it is of no account. W. Blanchakd, Peoria, III., July 27th, 76. Please examine the feet and legs of the enclosed bee through a microscope and tell me what you And. A. A. Fkadexbukg, Cleveland, O., July 31st, "76. We have received an unusual number of let- ters similar to the above this month and are glad to be able to assure all, that it is no pa- rasite, but only the pollen of the milk weed that the bees accidentally get entangled in when searching for the honey. It is the same that Prof. Riley alluded to when he recom- mended that the milkweed be planted to kill oft" the bees when they became troublesome to the fruit grower. The folly of such advice — think of the labor and expense of starting a plantation of useless weeds just to entrap hon- ey bees — becomes more apparent when we learn that it is perhaps only the old or enfee- bled bees that are unable to free themselves from these appendages, and that the milkweed cau scarcely be called an enemy. On page 52, Vol. I of the Mcujazino we find a very fuU de- scription of the whole matter, and the Editors have very kindly loaned us the ctits below, which will enable any of our readers to re- 218 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Sept. cognize at once the trouble, when it appears in their apiaries. Bound Volumes of all the bee-journals are many times of great value in looking up items like this, that appear only occasionally. The appendage it will be ob- served, looks like a pair of wings, and they attach themselves to the bee by a kind of glutinous matter which quickly "hardens, so that it is quite difficult to remove, if not done when it is first attached. We give the cuts ?.nd explanation as we find them'in the Ma{;. EXPLANATION OF THE CLTS. A. Leg of a Wild Bee— four joint.?, pp. Polinia of Asclepias (A. cornuti:-' perhaps)— two pairs, each with its jointed jjedicels and black adhesive gland. B. Pollinia of Asclepias from Utah (A speciosa.') 0. The adhesive gland. /(. A hair or bristle from the leg of the bee. I send a "big spotted queen" in cage. Please classi- fy. I think it is a hernet. Have never seen one like it before. AT. J. Andrews. Columbia. Tenn., July •24th, '76. DEAR FlUEND ROOT :-Yes, I iciU tell you when you trouble me too much. If we are not to be used, what-rtrewe for.' Send on your specimens. By the way, I presume the bark lice you sent, are the very ones referred to iu Manual, as friend Benton tells me that the tulip goes by the name of poplar in the South. The wasp you sent is the female of tlie Stigus Gran- f?is. Say. This is perliaps our grandest wasp, and so was well named by oiu- great pioneer entomologist. It is found in the middle and Southern states, but not so far North as this. It is one of the digger wasps, whose curious habits have long interesteil entomolo- gists. These digger wasps, we have many here, but they are smaller and not all so beautiful, catch insects. The one in question having a partiality for the Cicada (locust) paralize them with their powerful sting, then bury them, but not until they have placed an egs upon tliom. As the egg hatches, the infant wasp finds ten- der steak right at hand. You Mr. Editor would ap- prove the diet. These wasps are of special interest to the apiarist, because of their near relation to bees, and also because of their instincts, which are second only to bees and ants among insects. Some too, like the one seat, are very beautiful. A. J. Cook, Lansing, Mich., Aug. 3d, '76. If we mistake not friend C, you or some one else told us that hornets and wasps, by some unknown virtue iu the poison of their sting, preserved their victims from the usual decay, or in other words the poison injected into the circulation keeps the meat fresh and sweet until the young insect requires it. Also, that this poison is in no way injurious to the larva,-. The "Balm," "Camphor weed" of which I sent you a plant by mail to get the "true name, grows in the sand bj- the river. By some it is called "horsemint" though the description is not exact. It came into bloom about July '20th ; July 2Sth, I put on six 6 lb. boxes. August Slh the stock swarmed out, the sis boxes being nearly full, only 10 day's work. At the river, swarming has set in strong. Also at my Mon- mouth apiary have had four swarms in less than a week. I then cut out queen cells and put swarms back. You are one of those who claim that bees should not be allowed to hang idly en the outside of the hive. Xow I wish you were at the liver awhile to try your hand. It is 7iof for want of room, tor I have tried that. I have thought that the odor from the Balm honey was so strong and pungent in the hive they could not stand it. In the A. B. J., May Xo., 1876, when the plan of introducing queens by scenting hive and queen was first made known, peppeimint was advised as one of the scents. On using a very weak solution of this, I found the bees became excited, or rather could not stand the odor of the mint and would cluster outside the hive for a long time. AnJther reason may be that the sand gets excessively hot and retains the heat during the night. If our friend Jasper Hazen was a j'oung man I would say to him settle on "Benton's Bay'" above Oquawka, Henderson Co., Ills., with 10,000 colonics in his patent hive, and he could almost stock the market with honey, and not be in the least danger of over- stocking the localitj-. One year with another, five stocks from one can easily be made. Make a cave in the sand and put the bees in and I will insure them to winter, for 50 cents per colony. T. G. McGaw, Monmouth, Ills., Aug. 17, '76. DEAR FRIEND :— The plant sent by T. G. McGaw, is the wild Bergamot (Monarda Fistidosa). It is com- mon here, and even more so South. Belongs to the mints, or to the mint family. I planted honey plants extensively this year, and up to date am specially pleased with Mignonette, Borage, and Black mustard. Chinese mustard poor. A. J. Cooic, August 4th, 1S76. DEAR EDITOR :— The tall plant with small blue flower is the Verbena Hasfata, or Blue Vervain. It is common in Michigan as well as Illinois, never fails of bloom, and often j-iclds considerable honey. The short plant with yellow bloom is a leguminous plant, belonging to same natural order as bean, clo- vei', etc. It is the Partridge Pea {Cassia Cliamor- crista), I have not seen it here. We are getting beautiful honey. Golden rod, milk weed, etc. A. J. Cook, August 15th, 1876. isrfi t>LEA.NIiSrGS IK BEE CULTURE. 21V> Fi"om Diff«iieiit FieUls. /f^f} A-\" queens be introduced successfully into colonies V\^j], that have Iteen QuceiiJ ess feuT er five weeks ^^^ I have two of that kijid. One of tkem swarmed tlv3 latter i});!rt of June and gave lao ftfty pounds surplus in section 3ioxts, £he other gave neariy one h'j.ndrod. pounds and j r.ever swarmed at all. To-day neither of them has a par- | ■tide of bwxxl- r eet HiVEir. j niarlboro., Stai4c Oo., 0-, Aug. .7th, 'tjW We -can hardly thiuk the bees mcutioned erity aud j activity that is seen ivhen a j-oung queen first | .cocimences to lay. If th-e honey season is i over, with you, it may be that brooil-rearing ! has only stopped teinporarily, aud will soon ! resume. Give them a good fec-d for several i <'aTs, and if no eggs are then to be t^eeu, j-ou ' ZTiny consider them queenless, and proceed to j introduce almost any queen with sa.^ety ; in] i'act after a queen i-s lost, where there is noj brood in the hive, they will aluiost invariably I ireceive a qiieeu without any introduction at ill!. You can try them by presenting them the ; •cover of the queen ■cage to "smell" of; if they i gather about it with limning wings, betoken- j .ing joy, she may be let loose with safetj'. If: .you find they have fertile workers, give them j two or three frames from other colonies, con- I taining abundance of brood and ]>ees. Find j the queens of these colonies iirst, and put the j SVarae containing them on one side, that they j anaj" not by mistake l>e taken Avith the other bees. I c u a shelf. I now have 20 ; lost one old one by worms. I ha\e hived all swarms this jear, in frame hives, nine, standanl -frames to the hiAe. Is this the rigbt size ': Bees doiiig nothinis at this time. Had u rw.sjng bis swarm to- day. itcaae out of a hive that I hed not touched. It is or.L- ci the descendants of theAujrust swarru, they now nu-niber four. A. H. Boit.les. Cloverland, Ind.. Auj;. f th, '7o. We fear you are a little ca-reless, friend B-, although j'ou have had excellent success. We can hardly thiuk your colony was killed by the worms, nor can we comprehend how you bad a swarm of bees when no honey was being gathered. We have several ti-mes heard the remark that the bees were doing nothing, when it was only because their owner hacl failed to give them room. We have colonies now — Aug, 6th — that are at work in 30 section boxes, the honey beiag from i-ed clover, and yet some of our neighlDors are feeding. The yield many times, in the fall, comes quite un- expect-ediy ; and a colony suspended on scales, win niauy times show quite an unexpected result on the dial. Vv'oiikl it be practicable to remoTC bees frota a \k>7: Siive to a frame hive filled with fdn,, and then feed Sor winter on sugar syrup ? C. S. Milleu. It would be practicable, but not advisable nt this time of the year ; principalh' because I nev.- combs are not as safe for wintering as { Old thick ones. The new combs built from j the fdn. are scarcely any protection at all, be- | fore they have had one or more sets of brood ; hatched in them. We would advise transfer- ring and using the old combs for wintering. If a new swarm is furnished with a full hive of fdn., ihey will have the brood combs thick and strong before winter. The silky mater- ial of which the cocoons are woven, seems quite necessary for the piotectiou required in Avinter, and we should be very careful in ex- 1 tractiug, making artificial colonies etc., that we do not drive them away, or divide this brood nest late in the season. 1 wr.c. ;^ou by to-dyy's maii a piece of drone ■comb con* tainini: worker tees ; the piece it was cut -from, was about 6x7 indies square, about one-half worker and tlio rest drone comb with workers in. Sometimes the drones and workers will be mixeth inst, leaving behind for her master, 60 lbs. of fine comb honey.— Tmy insect although so small, how wonderfully formed, and how grsiiid in results ! A. Salisbcrt. Carmargo, Ills., July 31st, '70. If a handsome queen is ncccessarily a yellow one, we can not call her handsome; but if one that fills comb after comb with eggs, as regu- lar as hills of corn in a field, is a beauty, we may call her comely indeed. Thanks friend S., she is domiciled in the house apiary with your name on the register card above her, and with abundance of chaft' shall she and hers be made happy, ere the frosts of winter come. i"20 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. I enclose a small tin staple similar to some I have been using for fastening surplus honej- frames togeth- er. Do j-oii ever have any difficulty with combs break- ing down In hot weather, because the bees have not fastened the combs to the bottom of the frame ? I do, and think that a triangular piece, or something simi- lar to the comb guide used at the top, will cause the bees to fasten the combs at the bottom, and am making a 1o4 of irames with triangular bar for the bottom also. Er>GAn Sa&ek, Hudson, 111., July olst, '7«. The staple enclosed is made of a bit cf tin 1 inch long, and ig wide, sharp at both ends. The pol)]ts are bent square so as to be jast 3^ inch lon^i, when done it is much like this i— j. We have had some trouble with new combs, when we were so careless as to tip them on one side before they were fastened at the bottom. If they will not build them down, push in a strip of worker comb. We f?o not think a comb guide would help the matter for they would stop just ]>efore they came to it, as before. Our neighbor Blakeslee makes them finish the comb to the bottom, by rais- ing the frame a little higher than the rest. Buriug a heavy yield of honey, oi'srs do it without any care of this kind. The fdn., se- cures this beautifully. The triangular guide has we think boen mostly discarded, as too clumsy and luefHcient. I have taken 6v[0 lbs. of nice clear tliick honey from ;•>() colonies, made strong by putting V) stands into 3(5 in the spring. I think this is the plan for surplus; there is no money in a we.ik stand of bees, but two weak onesin one. will pay largely. Honey 20c. M. M. HCFatriuoe, Carthage, Ind., July 29, '76. This result is equal to about 1G6 lbs. per hive. Had the 70 hives remained single, we should have to get about 85 lbs. per hive to get the same result, and the 36 colonies of bees, would be worth, without hives or comb, at least §.5.00 per colony. Taking this view of it, there was quite a loss in uniting, aside from the time and trouble taken to do it, but if the 70 colonies were so weak that they would not have pulled through, or at least so as to have been of any profit, then assuredly the plan of friend M. is best ; and as G.OOO lbs. of honey is an unusually good crop for even 70 stands, we may conclude his method is a pretty safe one. If we crt/mci get our bees through the spring strong, in any other way than doubling up, very likely we had better do it. But if one has only citoice queens, what then ? Chaff is our last hope, and we shall give it a pretty thorough test this winter. Universal hoo]) hive is too light for this windy 'country. Bees wont work in your small sectional frames, have put on glass boxes and now they work all right. Foundations bulged badly, hence perhaps the trouble. Your honey boxen are tight, and you very likely have not made the openings in the sec- tions tight with the quilt or otherwise. We cannot discover that honey boxes need any ventilation at all, and they work best for us when they are as tight as a bottle. Of course the hive should be shaded. We have had the very best success with the sections, and have observed that the bees always go to work best when every opening .above is closed. Pure wax gives no trouble by bulging, even if the sheets fill the sections. How can I tell scaled honey from sealed brood l-* Some may smile ait this query friend A. Tho brood is capped with a substance much re- sembling brown paper, while hon«y is capped with pure- wax. Besides, the latter is capped over smoothly, while the former is- slightly- raised or rounded. Pick open one of each) witli the point of your knife, and you will see how different they are. Brood occupies a pos- ition in the frame nearly in the centre, while the honey is- usually at "the extreme ends and corners'. Do the bees in ciueenless colonies mever bnild work- er comb ? I have a Itive in which I,catn find no (tueeuv but Ijees are building worker coaib only, have every cell capped over. It is a riile with, very few esceptions, that bees- build only drone comb when destitute ol a queen, but it is difl^cult to get them to build any co^mb at all, at such times. We should call it i^ood evidence that they have a queen if they build worker comb. The (jueen may be one that v;ill not lay ; such are occa- sionally found. You furnish us with so many cheap an-d useful arti- cles pertaining to the Srpiary, wliy not also cheap ex- tractors ? X saw one some years ago in the old coun- try, looks about like following diagram and works* well. G. S. A©ER,?BOKG. St. Helena, Neb., July 27th, '76. The diagram mentioned is a square box, with another made to spin on a pivot inside of it, and the motion is given by pulling a roi>e round on the shaft. Wood is too heavy and clumsy for an extractor and the plan of getting the motion is very objectionable for rapid work ; the use of the gearing is as much or more to stop the combs quickly, as to get up the required speed ; and to avoid throwing out the larvae, we wish the speed entirely un- der the control of the operator. We want the very best we can get for an implement that is required to do the amount of work that the extractor often is. If you are compelled to hire help, a good machine might in a single season save you §25.00, that would be wasted with a poor one. Am busy as a lx?e, extracting and taking off boxes. Hives full of honey of a nice qxiality; weatlier hot and dry. Am anxious to try your extractor. My ex- tractor bulges the combs and breaks them loose at top bar, oi an inch or two below rather. Hope the wire of yours will not give enough to damage the combs. M. Pause, Pine Bluff, Ark., July 28th, '76. No wire cloth can be made to answer the purpose of itself, in our opinion, for if made large enough to stand without support, it would retard the rapid discharge of the honey from the cells. Since we have used the metal bars with edges toward the wire cloth, we have heard no word of complaint of combs being broken, or damaged in the least. We have not had more than a month or five w*e!jf5 of honey weather, but in that time in some localitier' here the bees have been doing wonderfully well- Kind regards, J. Hunteh. Eaton Kite, Ealing, England, July 17th, '7f>. DEAR NOVICE :— I would be very glad to hear from you, how shaking off the bees, and extractinjj work in the house apiary. My bees again liave dwin- dled very low. It is my opinion tliat the escape of t876 OLEANIN-GS IN BEE CULTURE. 2S1 aniiaal he.it, ami jiartiul starvation, are tUe vciy •causes «f the miscliief. The box and straw tive bee- aneu are ve^y eiKltaiit; 4hcir bees ai'e very sta'ong, ;and svvftrias ai-e plent*,-, w&ile I kaveio better on ki :a ver}- jioor w-ay. I want adviuc ot'^reat iBiportaiice to icae jwst •now- Woiil'i J--OU ae way. Put the cloth cover over llie niachiue when not in use, and the honej need not ■fje washed ofl' un- til tiie tiid of the seasoji, for it is the very best protection against r'dst. We have counted oiore bees on a single plant of burdock than any other plant we ever saw. ANOTUJiR LINK IN THE 'JHAIN Ol" i'KOOKESS. I always want to ''take my pen in isanil" after read- ing a frc.sii No. of ariug combs for the extractor, I have noticed the present season while watching bees work, through gla,5.s, that before adding wa.K to their combs ihey tear it into minute pieces. And this is why thej- will colof their combs beyond the foundations, ^^hen given them. They tear or bite off the wax irom thick fouudatioas and use it in other places. It occured to me that if that were the way they hui.t theircombs, if wax in the proper condition were placed in their boxes it would Ije readiJy appro- priated, i did not think of cappings or I might have tried them. But I went to some nice bright yel- low wax that I had, and wltli some glass, scraped ofl' a ^iuactit^-and put into a box that bees were at work in; no sooner had I put it in the box than the bees pounced upon it and began to tear it in pieces and add to their comlis. The next daj- the combs, where they were working fastest, were yellow instead of white. They took the wax all up, after which I fed them more of the same kind, and of other colored wax also, with equal success, I hope no enterprising iankee viill patent the idea. But when we practice a little more, all we shall liave to do will be to put on our boxes \-iith the projter amount of wax in them and just watch and see the most beautifulcombs built down as if by magic. Then how those people will groan who have invested in foundations or founda- tion machines ! All we shall have to do will be to furnish the wax and the bees will build the combs that will not be was, but real combs. Don't you see ! But you will excuse my enthusiasm, you know our brotherhood are apt to be a little enthusiastic over something new. To be frank, I have no doubt in my own mind, from ihe experiments I iiave made, that wax can be fed very profitably. Still if the foundations prove a suc- cess as now seems quite certain, that will doubtless be the best way in which to furnish wax in iiuantities. Hope my experiments may throw some light on the question raised in the last No. of Gleanings. J. E. Ckane, P. S. I want to ask G. M. Doolittle if smoking hon- ey with sulphur or brimstone does not injure the flavor of the honej\ J. E. C. Bridport, Vt. Aug. 4th, 187G. What a people we are ! Friend Smith dis- covered that cappings would be used for comb-building, and we were fortunately able to present the idea to our 1097 readers. The result of the experiments of only one of them, is given in the above. We think those who have a fondness for having their bees build their combs in sornc definite form, or place, will prefer the foundations, but have no doubt but that wax scraped up in the form of thin shavings as above, will prove successful. 222 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. SEn The Gle.vnings jast received. And shouW I re- ceive no move, I consiikr that I have received the worth of my money in the August No. My six colonies have inci'eased to 24 aJl in good con- dition. Have l«ken 450 lbs extracted honey which has retailed at from la to 30c- per lb. and at present J fin 1 I have many customers who have developed a taste for honey which I caiynot supply. Can you fm-nish clover honey by the Isalf barrel and at what l>rice ? K T. Fog i.e. Hartsvillo, Iiid. .-Ing. 5th, 187<>. The above show* what may be done with our home market; we think every neighbor- hood will do nearly as well, if it be tboroagb- }y developed. Well N'ovice yon forgot ir?y advertisement again didiT't you ? That is the way clTiktreii are usually treated treat- ed and I am somewhat used to it. But I am 19 years old to-ir3orro\T and I hive a notion that 1 ought to prosecute .you "for breech of promise." You mvie proposals which I accepted, complyhig with yom- stipidations, and your failure to perform your psrt of the contr.ict has ruined ray prospect of selling queens this year, and nearly "brok- en my" ambition ; and I feel iudfliereiit whether you remember mc now or not, s'm<-e it is to late to do nmch good. Comb foundations are a success with nw, lu 2i hours the cells are lengthened and contain honey and eggs. I have ordered 2 lbs. more through J. '\V. Crtmer and our Kellogg of Oneid i, 12 miles fi'om here. I visited their api iries a short time ago, (Kellogg insists th it his is a bee yard) K. rais3s honey , and C. raises fuieen-i. Both have very nice combs built on the foundations, and say that it has been worth |3. or St. per lb to them. I think the quickest way to lay out the heKigonal apia- iary, is to take a strip of pine 1 inch square and a little more than C> feet long, bore holes C> feet apart and drive 5ome pins into the holes so that they will stick through C) or S inches, then have a straight line across the yard, or commence on one side. Divide the line into points (> feet apart with the measureing rod, drive a stake at each point, then set the point of one of ihe pins at the tirst stake, and with the other make a scratch on the ground in the form of an arc; then place a point at the next stake and make a circle or an arc, and where the Unes cut each other drive the stake for another grape vine, and so on tothe end of the row. Take the second row as a guide to make the third form. The apiary can \ye continued in any direction and will always be aceui-ate. There .ire two honey plants that are proof against dry weather. One, a tall wectl with blue blossoms, the other is short with yellow blossoms. They never fail to yield abundantly. They blosssra from the middle of July to middle of Aug. Lots of honey coming in. Some bees have increased six fold. Last night 1 opened a long queen cell and found a chrysalis with her head to the bottom of the cell. l>id any one evei find a queen in such a position before ? Llotd Z. Jonep. Galva, Ills. Aug. 8th, 187G. We once knew a man who had such an in- veterate habit of telling things that were not (jnite the truth, that his friends finally decided to call on him with a remonstrance. To their surprise he admitted it at once, and gravely informed them he had shed "barrels and bar- rels of tears" over that very infirmity, but all to no avail. Now we have not done quite so badly, in regard to the mixed way in which our business has some of it been done this summer, but we felt so badly about the adver- tisements, that we have given the whole mat- ter over into the hands of one of the clerks, and have just bought ber a bran new book ins which to note down all the items, etc. Telb ITS how much will make yoi?r loss and disap- pointment good, friend J., and we'll treat yoiB as deferentially as ifyou were SOinstea-dof lO". Did not your cfueen have so large a cell that she tiTrned ro«nd in it ? EstractorspleiKlid so light a-nd nice. My boy ha'S a war dance around it. Will try it right away after dinner. ITiveg full of honey of a splendid quality ani5 still coming in, we are busy as beea. M. Parsk, Pine BlufT, Ark. Aug. 2d, ISTIJ. 1 aiw still exiwrimentirKj with c^mb foumlation of al3 shades, from you and Mr. Perrine. Haven't tried far, enough to ape.ik deridedly on any point yet. How do you, kn-ow that the bees "draw out" the wa.\ rather than cut it doiri> to tl:>e thickness they choose and theii build out with was from their pouches ? But IJttie honey has been coming in, but why do i»t strong stodis oo ahead ,an(> iiiake 8on'>e progress "drawing out" tl* cells? Does it take both stroia;; stocks, honey and time, to do this •^drawing out" business ? James Heddon. But your experinicnting has not gone ^vr^' far if yon have not yet tried a piece of white and a piece of yellow, side by side. We shall have to consider you about a year l>ehind the times if you have not as yet seen your bees use Avax of difterent colors and carry the cells clear to the to"p without any change in color. They will only t>uild oi>t the combs when they are needing- them, bwt with a very moderate yield of honey, we get a frame foil of founda- tion made into fair comb in 24 hours. 1 have had better success with box iToney than ever be- i fore, and will tell you the reason. They usually swarm i when the boxes are p:^rtly filled, which stops work in them at once. If you cut out c^ueen cells and return tlio swarms the,' refuse to work or soon svifarm out aiiain. The w;}y I foal them is this : when they swarm put tlicn; in an empty hive just beside their old stand ; when nicidy at work, say in one or two days, give them their own did combs and boxes and everything goe^ on just as though nothing had happened. My bees are now working finely on the rape and buckwheat. I have about 2300 lbs. of white clover honey. J. L. Wolfendex, Adams, Wis. We are inclined to think your plan which has bten given several times before, with some variation, the best one if comb honey is wanted, and no increase of stocks. If left very long, considerable comb will be built, but this is just what is needed for starters. We think if the new hive is put close to the old one, it may be removed so as to oblige them to take their old premises the very next day. We judge so l>ecause we have hived them in their own hive successfully by simply moving it a, few feet. We certainly do not wish to be obliged to lug them about just to accommo- date their whims, more than is really necessary. I am an.xious to see one of your ca5es of boxes, or frames. Have a good strong swarm ready to fill it as soon as received. This swarm is in the Finn liive, and has given me 110 lbs. of honey besides a swarm. Bees liave done exceedingly well here this season. 1 received one lot of fdn. of you last spring, which 1 used for guiiles ; it did liaely. CacouGK L. Gast, Le Clair, Iowa, .Vug. 4!h, ''''>■ '1-87G t5LEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. i>EAE NOVICE :— You have lateJy rocolAcd an oi-der tior several pounds of fdu. f rom ir.iend Cramer. -Several of lis here liave beea using it ard Ihauk it 'is tlie thing for mice straight worker coszib. Wo have had two lots of Per- xiue at §1,'28, but when I told Uiem wcrould get it at 67/2 -ots. of Novice, au 1« lb. lots, we all coijeluded to switch f)fl' onto your track. Tdl those who sa.y idn. aro aiium- ibug, and that strMght worker comb -caw't be made from it. that they are •^ery amch mistaken, a«d if they could just stepdnto Oiir Ona'da bee yards, wC'COuld show them a^ nice worker-comb as they ever saw, built up out of fdn. Many thanks to you Nowce, for shortejiing the loiig word to "fdn."' Bees aise doin^ tip top. Slocks just crowdevith bees, brood and hoiKjt- — have 17 now and wiU have r-JO soon- We liave one acre of buckwheat in bJooan, and white rfowr is as thick as ^atttr again. 1 have 10 Awanus toAakefeaj-e of out in the coinitry, and 28 iw town. Hives to Jia:xke for tkewi lujd outside parties, aaid you may ijQ sure father and I are busy. Novice, I have finished «iy new extractor, ajid if you cui beat it you must have a mighty good one. WiLt. M. Keiaogw, Oneida, Ills., Aug. lUh, '7S. 1 tiled flat sheets of yellow was and what surpiised cue was ibey woyld bwikl on flat sheets as ijuickly as '01! Idn. in the same h-lve, thinning them down, and i'.ilcaching them white. But liie cells weix; not so reg- •uiar ; and aametimes they would fill a space between •cells with the surplus wax. Tell Heddon thaericuce has taught me that the best place to winter bees is o« their summer stands with the second story above them filled two-thirds full of chaff or cut straw, with ventilation above the straw to 'et ofl' the moisture arising from the ijees. Have large swarms, plenty of sealed kouey and give them an abundance of fresh air from below, and then wc can bid good bye to the bee disease. N. E. Pkentice, Castalia, Ohio, Aug. l.'th, '7G. I read all four of the bee Journals and my opinion is that my letter to yow in reg.ird to introducing virgin queens, which you published in July, is a fair sample of more than one-half of owr bee literature, it won't do to depend on. After reading for two years the ex- perience of others, stating tliat a virgin queen not over so and so many hours old can be put in any colo- ny of bees without failure, and my own lirst experi- ence with said number of qitecns which were all do- ing well for 24 hours, I concluded that it wa.i a suc- cess sure enough, and as I was ordering some goods from you just then, I made mention of it to you, but the next niording, before my letter reached you, I found that I had just so many queenless slocks. I picked up more than half of the ([uecns dead in frout of the hives and the balance were killed so dead 1 could not find them a,t a':h I have 10 stocks of bees. Introduced virgin (pieens to all of them as soon as tlie old one was rcmoxed, • nly 3 out of the 10 received tlic first young queen I gave them, but after a stock has been queenless 5 or (J days and all queen cells removed I have been successful with virgin queens every time. I have experimented in that line to my full satisfac- tion this season. A. W. W!-M>HOitST, St. Charles, Mo. 224r GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE- bEPr. DEAR NOVICE :— In speaking of preventing sw.irming by tlie use of em pry combs, (page 185) do you mean empty combs, or foimdations ? Yoursiying "If we- use white or even a very nice yellow wax for ottr combs," makes the impression that fdn. are to ]je used. Do you meire that the (iueen does not go up if there i» no diTisiom at aM be- tween the two stories ? You say put in one less comb thiu usual and spread as fast as the cells become Jeiisth- ened. Do you mean to kci'p taking owt frames and spreading ? B, Lf^debeb. Chicago, Ills., Aug. 8th. 187tJ. We meaiit empty combs ; sheets of fjQ. will not prevent svrarmiDa:, at least not as surely as empty combs. If they have been once start- ed, so that the bees recognize them as comb, undeniably, they seera to be all riarht. In per- haps 50 hives of from 3 to 4 stories, we have found brood in not more than two or three, and only in one or two combs at that. We Tised nothing between the two »tories but per- haps the great yield of honey msy have had something to do with it. We take out a comb when spreading, bitt some of them have been so weighty to handle, that we have concluded there is an extreme to be avoided. We have quite a number that weigh 10 lbs. and over. When so very heavy, they are apt to attach to the ends oT the hive, and to each other. It would now be worth considerable money to us to have this nice clover honey in the Univer- sal sections instead of in the large frames, and xhe bees would have put it in them almost as readily. We hope we shall know nest time. Extiactor received some time ago anil gives entire satisfaction ; only it is a little too wide for ray Cham- pion frames, the top bars not quite reaching across the revolving frame so as to hang. 'Twas badlr bruircd in transit, the sides all being jamed in. I have used the Extractor— a poor thing— also a good machine, bnt the Xoyice Extractor is the one lor me hereafter. A. Chkistie. Maple Landing, Iowa, Aug. 2d. 1876. The above illustrates the utility of giving exact dimensions of your frames. No more bruises hereafter with our new plan of crating, and yet the charges are no higher for ship- ping than heretofore, for we make the weight of the whole come under 25 lbs. Bees are not doing as well as last year. I have 3 old and 4 new swarms (one second swarm went to the wood), have taken out about 200 lbs. and I thinli I could now take another hundred ; bees not gathering honey at present. My report for the year ending May 1st, 187<>, is as follows : Apiary. Dr. To 1 swarm bees SlO.f 0 " 1;^ days' extracting 2,25 " Sagar"for wintering 4.50 " f'o day getting home and iJUtting in cellar 75 *' C"artage 25 Total $17,75 Cr. By 1.52 lbs. honey sold S2;>,24 "40 " " kept (estimated) 6,00 " 2 swarms left May 1st, 187G 20,00 Total S55, 2t Profit .$57,49 S. EowELL, Faribault, Minn., Aug. 2d, "7(5. The comb fouridaiiou works like a charm. BecK' begari work on it within an horn' I'ronv the tiiae thcy^ received it. E thought I put np a latle the neatest franie in America but I noAV present ;/o»- the Ijelt. U call yonrs the implus iilirn. The metal eorners are r^ "boss'' invention. Received yoiw jaraple teo late tC" order this season, but yotjwill hear from nae r>ext. V. have rcixDst of ir/y comb boney mit in \}i lb. seetions- soiTK! in fancy shapes for fancv- price.=,.tor use at wed- ding parties and other select feasts, and some in 3 lb. boxes Irke the one I ei9«lcHe you- Sample is- l-(>4 full size. Box of com-se et>ntf»ins two combs in- steat! o£ one,, as started in sasaple. Bees quit storing, in supers a few days after I pnt on? n:sy sa.mples,-but: hope to have some fJllcd fron^ bnekwbeat anJ wib'J flowers by i^air Sime. Wha(t do you- think o/ the box? Four glass sides and perfectly tight. Less work and) better show by omitting the corner posts. I have as cani/Jy tar iMletl with one solrl comb of l>eautiiful white clover honey^ Have some of the most beantiful honey this year, extracted arsd ini co-Kstbs that f ever saw. Our bees have done well this seasoa. Use a 12x12; friroe, which u'Cthink is the one- Scif.ntilic bee-keepiag is in its infancy ir> this couq- ty. Not more than three or for?r in the coi?nty who- use movable frames and !fenow how to appreciate- their worth. Mr. Ebersole, near Upper Sandiiskjv has t-XT sw.'jrms in Amciiean hive?, wliicli are making: him sonae money. His extractor being an old revol'- ving can, he Js bound to haye one of Novice's next season. J. M, Gonnelev. Carey, Ohfo, Aug. 9th, 1»76, The sample honey box sent by our friend is certainly a novelty, and is the cheapest ar- rangement for a lx>x with four glass sides, we have yet seen. ^^ONKELEV's HONEY BOX. Id the above cut let the heavy lines repre- sent top and bottom, made of wood, and the light lines the glass. The glass rests in a saw cut made near the ends of the wood, and the glasses are ^^ inch wider than tlie woods-. This com])letes the top, bottom and euds. Now cut glasses for the sides of such size that they just drop between the end glasses and lap on the wood half its thickness. Our friend fastens all secure with gJue or melted wax, but we would suggest four glazier's tins, one at the top and bottom of each side glass; if driven in half way and then bent down on the glass, it holds them very secure. Our section Iwxes are pleasing so much bet- ter than any glass boxes, that we have rather discarded the latter. With the same sticks our sections are made of, we can easily make diamonds, triangles, hexagons and a great va- riety of figures. To keep them firmly in place, put a very little hot glue on the corners. For the squares and triangles, this is not needed. COMB FOUSDATrONS. It works io a charm, we now have frames as straight as a board, filled nicely with brood. There is no humbug about it, and I consider it a great help even if it cost much more. I sold two stocks in spring to M. Under- wood, of Galva, 12 miles from here, and now he has 11. One Isft for the woods and he has taken over 100 lbs. ex- tracted honey. J. H. Cramee, Oneid.i, Ills., Au3. 10th, lS7f". 1(^76 GLEANINGS IK BEE CULTURE. [ill tliis departmoiit I lies to be aUowed to lay aside tfae t.ditoriftl "we," have a friendly chat and fee! "at hoa>e.'"] CHATTER XXVII. 'rrjj'RIEND Long, of Howard, Pa., s-ent for an ^ tstractor C. O. D., and we sent ju-st what v,-e supposed he needed, but it seems that he fov some qneer reason, had given ns the msu'' dimensions, of his frames iu-stead of the outside, \ and so his ft-arae would not go inside at all. ' This caused lis to lose the amount of the ex- press charges both ways, but as there was no lielp, we quickly dispatched another. From some want of care on his part or our own, the ■secocd di-d not answer either., and in despair almost, we sent the third one, feeling sure we 'had it all right this time. It seems something ".vas wroag -still, for this morning the pleasant #;peciacle welcomed us of tiie whole three Islanding in a row, jammed, bruised, discolored, ■crating brokea, and so begriramed with dust jind coal soot, that we should hardly have re- co-zi:ized the work we had taken so much pride in a few daj's before. While we were; ^trucgling against the temptation to fe<.'l cross, <;;:e of the hands— there are twenty besides ourself at work now — reminded us that the f.ump had not been repaired, and several more v."ere asking what work was lirst wanted. To iidd to our perplexities — we were late at our apiKiiuted post this pai'ticular morning — some fdn. that was urgently needed had not been sent, and various other little trials seemed to persist in trying to upset all good resolutions of keeping coof during tiic hot weather. As ^.isual, soon a conflict l>egan. The voice that )tter than any one else what kind of fruit or berries she is fondest of, and let her feel that you have remembered it by hunting up the first of the seasoii for her. Are you too busy to take the time to attend to these little act&V Do yoi? not know that He who cares for the sparrows, watches over and guards the pathway of each of us. Again, quarrels among brothers au(t sisters, do more to make mother.s prematurely old than almost anything else; who but a. mother, can look upon the children all alike,, having the same pure love for one that she has for all. Do you know how it is in yonr power to re- joice her heart by showing her that for her sake yon will give up every thing for peace? Are you in doubt at times as to what is just right and proper? Go to her and she can tell you, for alx>ve -all others on earth, is your mother anxious for your safety andwell doing. Your friends and neighbors might tell you. you were in the right, and your brothers might say your course was well enough, but your mother by that unerring instinct, as we might almost call it, would tell you that she would rather see you on different ground, and; perhaps would be unable to even give the veix- son why, if asked. A man that can always tell his mother honestly all his plans and ambitions, can seldom be a very bad man and a mother's counsels are rarely at fault. I can remember some dark places in my life where the tein-ptation was strong to do as I pleased, and let the world think as they liked ; and I can remember reviewing them one by one, thinking what this and that one would think, or say, and with a feeling of stubborness I was prepared to defy them all, tell them all that I should do as I pleased, and they could do as they pleasrcd, until it came to that moth- er, who I knew would never reproach, but would only with sorrow bow her head in grief and shame. And at the very thought of her I drew back, and began to think with horror, of the abyss I had just I)efore meditat- ed plunging into. It was her voice that first taught me gentleness, purity, truthfulness, courage, and all that was good and noble ; and in after years when T felt that I had stray- ed away from those early lessons, and when I longed again for the peace, purity and in no cence of childhood, it was to her I went feel- ing that I would like once more to be led into those peaceful realms where dwelt that One of whom she had taught us in childhood. Be- ware oh my brothers and sisters, of the time when you begin to think yourself more capa- ble of deciding in regard to right and wrong, than is your mother ; and when you meditate something that would give her pain, let me implore you to consider. May I hope that you will to-day dear reader, see U your mother is remembered? 1876 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 227 DEPOSITORY OF Or Letters from Tbose Who Have Made Bee Culture n. Failure. sf^jEES have done but little this season. My hundred jgQa)) colonies all came through the winter safely. Have li wl but few swarms. Have only increased seven and extracted 2400 lbs. Honey all of a dark color, haven't extracted a pound cf liiin honey. Taking the season through up to this time, I have never seen a worse honey season. E. Coble. Cornersville, Tenn., July 31st, 187(3. I have kept bees in movable comb hives for nearly six years, with good success, excepting the past year a report of which I give below. Late in November, (winter 1S75-G), I buried seven stocks in a pit, and packed four in wheat chaff. Left them until the middle of April. Two of those in the pit surviveil, one of those in the chafl' "dwindled," and one starved. Some of those in the pit starved. These bees had been fed late (Oct.) with brown sugar (out of doors) and syrup ; the sugar being wet caused a great uproar among the bees, and some lighting for the treasure. I think this activity after brood-rearing had ceased, may have been the cause of their dwind- ling. Having united two stocks, I began the season with only two. These have never swarmed nor gath- ered any surplus. During June I bought six good sized hybrid swarms lor 314,00, and gave them hives full of comb; these have only gathered enough for winter, though they have plenty of brood and are in good condition. I have one of your extractors but have not used it this season. To take advantage of the best yield in this locality we must have strong stocks by the first of June, white and red clover bein the main dependence. I. M. Kaukfman. Belleville, Pa., August 21st, "(1. 4)€le^'^ ami §um^§ MR. Gano and mj^self paid friend J. S. Hill, a visit a few days since. He is criticizing your foun- ' dation and wonders what you are aiming at— whether to enlarge the woi'kers— or reduce, size of drones. He says worker comb is 5 to the inch, drone 4, yours, m. G. Tompkins, Gin,, O., Aug. 19th, '76. [If friend Hill finds anything that is not right in practice we should be glad to hear of it, but if he is theorizing before trying the Idn., we fear we can not help him. The first machine made, the one now used by Pcrrine, made 5 cells to the inch, but in practice we preferred the sizo made by Long, 4>^ to the inch, and our present machir.e makes that size. The bees will roar worker brood in cither, and the latter is cer- tainly preferable for the honey boxes. We have plenty of reports from both.] In pnlilisbing a part of my last letter, when ordering some extractors you place me in evidence, and the con- sequence is that I am receivina; letters and postal cards form every part of th3 country enquiring the names of bee- keepers in Italy who send queens to the U. S. I have rec'dth?S5th p:stal this morning. I have answered to about om dozen, but as I h ive no time, having other bus- iness than Apicultvu'e to attend to, not depending on bees for my living, though it is very remimerativo yet many think diiTerently, I will comply with j-our request or rather with my offer, and give the names of a few of the bee- keepers in Ualy who have sent Italian queens to this country, and hope that all those sending for queens v.'ill be as successful as I have been. Louis Saetori, Milan, Italy. D. Tremontani, Porta Galliera, Bologna, Ital^\ . JosEPE FiORiNi, Monselice, Italy. AuGUSTE MoNA, Bellinzoiia, Canton Tessin, Suisse, Mr, Tremontani and Mr. Mona are the only ones that I know who will guarantee safe arrivals of queens. Mr. Sartori in answer to some inquiries, states that he .ships queens to America every 15 days with the best success : but he did not state to me if he would guarantee safe ari- val of queens. He gives me his price as §2.00 in gold for each queen. Mr. Tremontani asks the following prices, according to season : in July and August Sl.50 in gold, in September and October, $1.20 gold, ready packed for the U. S. Mr. Mona's prices are about the same. Each box the queen is sent in is about (3 inches square and weighs about 10 ounces. The best way of getting queens is by theEuroiiean Express, which has agents in every city. The honey season was not very good with me this spring but I anticij)ate a good fall. Paul L. Viallon, Bayou Goula, La. The comb fdn. in tin came to hand yesterday, found them all sound and straight. Put in some last evening and found them half celled out this morning, but am convinc- ed that they should not come more than two-thirds dowTi on the fi-ame as they will wave out and bulge. J. R. Pkatt, Manchester, N. Y. Aug, 19th, 187i3, [But they will not wave or bulge, friend P., if we leave only >4 of an inch at the sides and bottom. In this res- spect we have had better results with the yellow, than with any white wax we can buy, and we find it an easy matter to have entire frames without a single cell of drone comb.] I Vi^ill tell you what my three swarms of bees have done. I wintered them in a house and they .commenced swarm- ing June 11th ; July Gth, had increased to 13 swarms, but; think they swarmed too much for their own good. I use a hive of my own make, holding 16 closed top frames. I use division board according to their strength and 6 hon- ey boxes on top frames. Size of frame 11 K in. by 12,'-^. My first swarms have filled their hives and are at work in boxes. I have been to one of my neighbor's this A. M. and taken about 250 lbs. from boxes on top of straw lined box hives. Some of it had been on for 2 or 3 years. S. B. Trumbull, Hudson, Mich. Aug. 21st, 1876. My bees will not work in the boxes I obtained from you. I put them on a hive whi 3h was very strong and full of sealed honey. They were on a week and had done noth- ing and I thought I would force them by feeding ; I have fed them honey enough it seems to me, to of itself fill the boxes, still ths boxes are ignored. When boxes were first put on, a few ran up into them, but since then I have not seen a bee enter them. I shall try them a little long- er and if they do not work I will take the extractor or cut comb from the frames. W. C. Geiek. Lamar, Mo. Aug. 7th, 1870. [Just bec.xuse you usad neither fdn. nor guide combs we suppose. We hardly think one in ten of our colonies would give us comb honey under the same circumstances.] I received two nice Italian queens from J. M. C. T;iylor. but lost them in introduction. So that has upset the notion in my head of Itali inizing my bees. I am conti- dent that queens are very seldom safely introduced ; that the majority of the bee-keepers sacrifice five or six before they succeed in introducing a single queen. Per- haps you will say there must have been a queen in my hive that I failed to kill, but I am sure there was not 228 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Sept. 0113 ; for there was not a single egg in any of the cells at the time of introducing the Italiim queens. So the colony remained quee nless until I gave them common brood to raise a queen, when they at once commenced to make several queen cells of it ; is there any possibility of there having been a queen in the hive before introducing the Italian queens ? W, T. Seal. Chaddford, Pa. Aug. 9th, 1S7(). [If the bees commenced ce'ls on the brood given them, it is pretty (certain they had no queen, but yon are going to very great extremes in presuming the number of queens lost so great. Jud!2;ing from reports, we think not more than 1 in -i is lost in introducing, counting new be- gmner's work and all. The plan we ha^e given so often obviates all risk, viz., frames of hatching brood.] The last fdn. you sent me seems to work all right. My only apprehension is about the queen's laying in it although she has used a little in oue hive. AVish you would give me a word of your experience in this respect. J. P. Moore in last A. B. J., frightened us about that. J. F. Sfaulding. Charles City, Iowa, Aug. 7th, 187U. [With clean nice wax, we find the queens laying as quickly as in natural comb. Queens are quite sensi- tive, and it would not be strange if they objocted to trusting their children in cradles having an offensive taste or smell. If they object to any wo furnish, send in bill and we will pay damages. See what our next friend says.] The f jundation that you sent me is received and I must siy, is a perfect success. I put it into frames and found the queens laying in it twelve hours after its insertion. Next summer I must have iOO weight of it. No trouble with having too much drone comb in a hive now. I think it one of the greatest steps ever made in bee-keeping. E. W. Alexamiee, Camden, N. Y. I have made over 200 Quinby frames like sample you sent me ; transferred all the combs out of my old style Quinby frames into them. I turned all the frames upside down in the hive for five or six days while the bees were fastening the combs, it works splendidly, and a honey board in 2 or 3 sections on that kind of a frame beats quilts all to pieces. It gives the bees a free passage of %' inch all over the frames. Just try one or two of them ; you can transfer the combs and bees from an L. into a Q. frame in less time then you can extract the honey if it is iill capped over. A. W. Windhoest, St. Charles, Mo. The royal food for the young queen in the cell, is com- loosed of young grub bees, cut up. Am I rirjht ? A. L. KxAE, Pana, 111. LWe think not. The idea has been often advanced, but observation and experiment do not veiify it.] I send you 651.00 by express for 100 lbs. worker fdn., yellow. I don't want them too light ; about 5 to 6 square feet to the lb. R. S. Becktell. New Buffalo, Mich. Aug. 19 th, 187fi. Comb fdn. got of you last Wednesdey, the IGth, is fdled out and to-day— 22d— extracted honey from it to give queen room. Will M. Kello&g. Oneida, 111. Aug. 22d 1876. HO^VElk^ BEES. SEND for E. W. Hale's price list of Queens for the year 1876. All Queens raised in full colonies and from'lm- ported mothers. No Bee disease in mv locality. 9 Address, E. W. HALE, Wirt C. ll., W. Va. Italim and Hybrid Bees for sal.?, in Quinbv and Lang- stroth hives. Price. .§10.00 per colony. Will sell 30 swarms forS250,tO. Hart, Oeeana Co., Michigan. HENRY PALMER. ^ ^J )m PTJPvE BEES WAX. Cut to any size desired. PACKED IN NEAT WOODEN BOXES-PAPER BE- TWEEN EVERY TWO SHEETS. AT .?1.00 PER POUND FOR THE WHITE, OR 75 CENTS PER POUND FOR THE YELLOW. IF WANTED BT MAIL. ADD 25 CENTS PEE POUND FOE PACKING BOXES AND POSTAGE. If taken in our regular packing boxes, sheets 12x18 inches, 10 per cent, off from above prices on 10 pounds or over. Wax will be worked up to order, and cut into sheets of any size desired, for JO cents per iwuiid. We will pay S3 cents per pound cash for bright yellow wax, or sell it for 36. One pound of wax makes from 4 to 8 square feet of sur- face. The thinnest will be used h} tlie bees, but is not made into comb as quickly as the heavier, which has a greater depth of cell. Sheets just ritht for L. frames, both white and yellow, kept constantly in stock ready for shipment ; also square sheets for section boxes. About 6 of the f(>rmer or 30 of the latter (enough for 1 Universal case) weigh 1 pound. At above prices we can pay no freight or express charges either way. Tlb3 only wholesale rates we can give is 10 per cent, off from above rates on orders for 50 jjounds or over, or 20 Ijer cent, on 100 pounds or over. A. I. ROOT. Medina, Ohio. "BOHimWrncnsEsT Pursuant to returning to the box hive system, James Heddou, of Dowagiac, Michigan, will sell his Glenwood Apiary, at the following prices, to-wit : 80 colonies of Ital- iae Bees for S610, all in 8 frame (Standard) Langstroth Hives, of best pattern ; 28 colonies of Italian Bees in 9 frame Oatman hives for S22t. These Bees are nearly all pure, carefully bred, ptrfeclly health!/, and will be sold only in two lots, as named above, and to purchasers on the ground. For further particulars, address, ' Dowagiac, Michigan, JAMES HEDDON. TEA-KETTI.E BEE-FEEDERS, large enough to feed 18 lbs. at a "dose ;" with it, enough can be given in one day, under favorahle circwmstan- ces, to last over winter. Pric3 reduced to Toe, or §1.00 by mail. Quart (3 lbs.) feeder, 10c. ; bv mail 16c. A. I. Root, Medina, Ohio. Fifty (50) good strong colonies of Italian and livbrid bees. " Price, one colony SlO.Cu : five Sl.'i.OO; ten fSO.OO. In 8 frame hives, each jl.OO less. Hybrids each Sl,00 less than above rates. Also hives lull of comb (frames are all 11x11) and 25 or 30 lbs. honey and bee bread, for wintering bees on. Price 86,00. Order soon. Will deliver at depot Oct. 1st to 15th. 9-10 R. S. BKCKTELL, New Buflfalo, Mich. Cheap Honey. For feeding Bees or other purposes. I have some good buckwheat honey that I will sell for seven cts. per lb. if takpn a barrel (40 gallons) ut a time. J. L. WOLFEN'UEN, 9-lOd Adams, Wal. Co., Wis. 876. ueens. S376. ueens. We will sell queens in September at |1,C0 each. ALL warrantp:d pure, large and HANDSOME. SAFE ARRIVAL GUARANTEED Bl' MAIL. 9 H. ALLEY, Wenham, Essex Co., Mass. t-yre CLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 229 .A.I3^V^Em:ZSEIvfl:ElJQ"TS. Advertisements will be received at the rate of ten cents yxsc line, Notniareil s^jace, each insei-tion, ■cash tn advance ; and we reqnire that every Advertiser satisfies us of his ixjsijoinsibility aiid intention to do tfU that he agi-ees, and that his goods are reiillj' worth the jn-ice asked for them. mim mi mi im We continue to impoTt 1-iee.s from Italy, every two «-ee"ks duriii? the seaso;a, u.s we did last year^ asid we offer them for sale as usual. Pri/3es: Imtporbed Qaieen.., ,.,-510,00 Home bred (tested) 5,00 We guarantee snfe arrival of queens. We can furnish to our customers the best references among the moiit noted bee-keepers of Ameiica and Eiirope. We sell none but lieaiihy : nd jiiolific queens. We wish Che iH^ider to beae'in mind that nine-tenths of the Amer- "jcaii qnefiii breeders are now breeding from qiwens im.- ,oorted throuh us. Many of them purelitise imported •queens f roiia us e/very yeas'. If necessary we will give to those of o«r customer < who wish it, evidence tliat we receive 22 queens from Italy ■yver.v two weeks, during the season, from May 1o Oct. We wiU retui'u tJi*ir money to those who will not like •our queens after a two month's trial, provided they send ithe gueex! back with an affidavit establishing that it is '\ he same ermanent employment. Address, KING & SLOCUM, 61 Hudson St.. N. Y. MISS S. E. FUEEER, DESIGNING AND ENGRAVING ON WOOD, 25 Bond Street, Boom 3. N. Y. Awarded Medal of 3Ierit at Vienna Ex])ositlon, 1873. Oniers by mail promptly executed, at reasonable rates, from sketches or photographs. Electrotypes supplied. OUR Bee Journal of the Southern States. Issued monthly at $2.00 per year. Sample cojdes free. Address A. F. MOON « Co. Rome, Georgia, THE IBritish Bee Joxxrnal TS A LARGE, Beautifully Printed, and Profusely llliis- i ti'ated .AIO^'THLY; Clear Type and Fine Heavy Paper. It is conducted by CHARLES NASH ABBOTT, Han- well, W., London, England. Annual Subscription, Haif- a-Guinea. We will send it ^vith GLEANINGS and iray all postage forSa-iiO. <^neeiis. 1876, <^ueen.s. I shall have for sale to Bee-keepers the jiresent season. Choice Tested breedisig queens. Raised in full stocks, from selectetl Imported Mothei-s. Price, One queen S4,00 Two " 7,00 Three " lO.OO None sent by mail. 4-10 Address JAMES LA BARE, Cincinnati, O. ITAUMBEES. Imported and home bred queens: full colonies and nucleus colonies; bee-keeper's supplies of all kinds. Queens bred early in the season. Send for catalogue. Address DR. J. P. H. BROWN, 9-tf Augusta, Ga. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. QUmsmOU THE SOUTH! Italian qneens furnished tlie 1^ coming season at the following prices : ^ JMI'lil. 1 Tebted Qween 43,09 1 Untested Queen 1,00 ^^•iX \>. Full colonies in Langstrotli A V ^.iSmC I ^ Hives §12,50 esr^afe arrival of all qitcens guaranteed. jaT Purchasers musi assnme all risk in the transportation of full colonies. As promiit attention as possible will be given to all orders, and satisfacfion quaranteed. 7tf-v Address, RUFUS MORGAN, Old Fort, N. C. Italian Queens. No Black Bees In our Vicinity. Queens bred from choice Imported or home bred mothers, warranted pure, each §1,00. The same fjueens, tcarrantedpKrel}/ fertilized, ea.ch SI'50, or one dozen for §15,00. All queens are reared in full stocks. Sent jK>st-paid by mail. Safe arrival guaranteed. Send for our cir- cular. We can note send queens as soan as we receive the orders, J. H. NELLIS & BRO., 9 Canajoharie, N. Y. 50 COLONIES Pure Italian Bees For $400.00 Slinger— comb rack or box— feeders and all fixtures thrown in — all delivered on cars in good order. Uees healthy and strong, and honev to last till spring. a-11 H. NESBIT, Cynthiana, Ky, Queens ani Nuclei from an Imporlei Uotbr. Ready to ship by June '20th. Price oi tested €i«eeiis S3,0O; -warranted S2,(K>. Nuclei v/kh tested queen— twO' liangstroth frames with plenty oS braod and, S6,©0 each or- S25,00 for five. Pull swarms with warranted tiueeiis irj Lanestroth hlTCS §12.0©, or ten for SlOOiOOs ^ 6ti " E. C. BLAKESLEB, Medma, Ohio. CASH FOB BEES-WAX> We are paying 30 cents per ponnd for yellow bees- wax, in lots of from 50 to 5000 or more pounds, deliT- ered at Syracuse, or 31 cents, Jf exchanged for white wax. If you have any wax on hand, and can deliver it at the above price, please do so, and we will send you our check on receipt of the same. KespectfuHy yours. ECKERMANK & WILI^ "tf Wax-Bleachers, Syracuse, N. Y. FOR HIVE MAKING. W. F. & JOHN BARNES, Man- nfacturers of Barnes' Patent FOOT POWER MACHINERY, SCROLL SAWS, LATHES, CIRCULAR SAWS, etc., for Hive Making;. The only foot power machinery without crank or dead centres. §1,500 to S2,00(> per year made iising: these machines. Send for Ilinstrated Catalogue. Rockford, Winnebago Co., Illinois. One Hundred Swarms OF PURE ITALIAN BEES FOE Sale in lots of 25 at .§5,00 each. Single swarms at §ti,«iO in Langstroth hives— healthy and in good wintering condition. 0-10 ALBERT POTTER, Eureka, AVisconsin. -POWER SAWS. EVERY BEE-HIVE MAKER SHOULD HAVE ONE r TVill Ilii>, Oross-Ciit. 3Iitre. Ral^Tsett!. Oroo've, and Otlier "\Voi*li. Evei'y cid is a Glue Joint, liasi/ to Woi'k and EASY 10 LEARN. 40 SO Per Minute a^'ainst 480 the Best ever done by the Old Mode, .uid Speed is Poiver. With them the EMERY WHEEL can be used as tcell as with Steam, with Great Saving over Grindstones. Al»o, Band, Jig- ey Street, ]V. Y. One Copy One Year 81.00, or with Lithograpii of Apiar%', size 12x16, Mailed Free, Postpaid, §1.'3 or Litbo- gi-aph will be sent as a Premium for Two Subscribers at §1.00 each. Any person obtaining Tliree Subscribers at §1.00 each, may retain 50 Cents for his tronble. " " Five " " " " 1.25 " " " " Ten " " " " 4.00 " " Any number above Ten will be sent at the rate ol Sixty Cents each. Or, Gleanings , 81,00 ; Three copies, 82,50 ; five, 83,75 ; ten, §6.00. Names may be sent at any time during the year, and whenever a club is reache<1, we will creOiJ back the amount previously sent us in excess of the Club Rates. In this way anv of the Articles Mentioned on our PRICE LIST may be Secured as "PREMIUMS. Please mention when names are Intended for Clubs. An acknowledgment will be sent in all case? on receipt of money— for any purpose whatevci-— by return mail. Volumes 1, & H, at 75c. each, may be counted on the same terms, as we . liave a Large Supply of BACK NUMBERS Provided for new beginners. As we cannot take the space in future numl)ers to go over the same sround again, and Volume One T7ntalns the entire Fundamental Principles and GrroTincl A\"orls: for J^tartino- an .A.piary. r tlKT^ISHED M:0]VTHLY, at MIJBDINA, OHIO, JB Y -A.. I- I^OOT. T@l® 1^ (Oc^fo.^'&i^,^ iSf'S® Mm® i# We rc.j;ret tlwt our ensraver has n^t paid our readers and ^h: Doolittlo a little better comijlimeut bv a mora careful foUowinj^ of the photograph seat us, but we jiresume w-i sliill htive to atone for it li.v "tryiu'.' to do better next time," as the thief said when he got oau'j;ht. Friend V. has just moved into his new house, and has as yet had no time to get trees and grape vines growing for shade, wliicli we suppose is the reas>on he has his liives protected hy such irregular looking boards and covers. His great cro|)s of basswood honey, we are informed come from those trees beyond the house. Very likely the trees among the hives are bass- v.Mud too, but our artis: his made them look more like splint brooms stuck in the ground. Friend D. has a protty residence truly, and we trust his crops of honey may continue to bfes may fill the sections and build their own comb faster then we com with all modern appliances, and that o ir artist may imrive enough to sir next time we try to give our i\ aders a •'squint'' over our shoulder. >k in the ground. Friend D. has f/fPt •-M~, > grovv better and better, tliat his j\^J \ nmon folks can eo:ix them aloue . |fe-;> ov,- us his "bee-yard" as it is. the ^2=^^^ GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Oct. Contents of this Nnniber. The "Papers,"' and their ideas of Bee Matters 235 Wax and Propolis, How Bees Uarry '236 Surplus Boxes, Blanketing 236 I'eed Extracted, to get Comb Honey 236 Bees on Outsiole of the Hive, How to make them go in. 2.i6 29 Colonies from 2 in 2 Years 236 Report of our Chaff i'ackect Q. Hive 236 Yellow Fdn. for Comb Honey 237 Huure Apiary, a Sucu-oss witli the Extractor 237 Section Frames usea inside the Large Frames 2::i7 Hive with Hexagonal Frames 237 Comb Honey in lull Sized Frames, Case for Shipping.. 237 Moving Bees lo the Swamp for Fall Honey 238 Chair Ou?hions 238, 244 Can Bees Talk, and How Much ? 258 Wintering Boxes 238, 2W Introducins Queei.s 239 The Olel Flan and the New, Feeding etc 239 Comb Foundations 238, 240, 0i5, 2i7, 2i8, 250, 251 Buckwheat, Best Kind 2i0 Two Queens hi a Hive 239, 240 The Hen and the Honey Bee. A Poem 240 Natural Swarming and its attendant clustering 241 5000 lbs. Ex'td, ani 200 Comb Honey from 26 Hives... 242 Honey, How to Detect Adulteration 242 Waxing Barrels 243 Bad Eggs— Bad Bee-Keepers, and the Malady 243 From Across the Ocean 243 Distance, Painting, Shade etc, for Bee Hives 244 Paindiig Bottom Boards 241 Section Frames Versus Honey Boxes 244 "Ripe Honey'' 241 The Centennial Honey Show 245 Doolittle's Report 246 Prevention of Swarming— All Rules fail at Times 24^: Transferring in September 247 Look out for the Mitchel Gang, and other Land Pirates 247 Covers for Hives, How to make Light ones 248 How to Sell Honey 248, 255 Smokers, a Common Corn Popper Ahead 249 Wax Bleaching, and the White Wax of the South.. ....249 How to get Bees out of a Chimney 250 Royal Jelly and Young Larvse 250, 251 Black Bees, Dark Honey; Italians, Light Honey. 236, 250 Gtloves 252, 250 A Womans Trials, and Triumphs 252 (Jhanging Pl.ices with Colonies 255 .'ideand Top Boxes 255 - Pepper Box for a Feeder 256 We are growing a ?i7/?e, any way; 1787 subscribers to- day, Sept., 2Sih. 'Sjiect it is all we deserve. iaiPt,L;MENTS FOm BEE CUETIIKE AL.- PHABEITICAEEY AKKANGED. For descriptions of the various articles, see our ninth edition circular found in Feb. No., or maileel on ap- plication. This price list to be taken in place of those of for- mer date. Mailable articles are designated in the left hand col- umn of figures ; tlie figures giving the amount of postage required. Bees, full colony amply provided for winter, In our new two story Simplicity hive (chalT cush- ions), tested queen from imported mother, safe delivery guaranteed $15,00 The same in old style L. hive with portico, etc... .12,00 The same with hybrid (lueen 10,00 The same not provisioneel for winter 7,00 We think we can prepare bees for .shipping safely any month in the year; when we fail in so doing, we will give due notice. 0 Binder, Emerson's, for Gleanixc;s 50, 60, 75 Boxes, section with comb guides G2 Balances, Spring, for suspended hive 8,00 10 Blocks, Iron, for frame making 15 Barrels for Honey .*2.50 to $4,00 . Buzz-saw, foot-power, complete, circular with cuts free on application. Two saws and two guagcs included. 35.00 0 I Buzz-saws, extra, 6 inch, 1,50 ; 7 inch, 1,75 ; 8 inch. 2,00 I Comb Foundation Machines complete 8125,00 20 Candy for bees, can be fed at any season. Per lb 15 20 Corners, Metal, per hundred 1,00 25 " " Top only 1,25 20 " " Bottom, perlOO 75 On 1000 ormore adi.^ccunt of lOper cent will bo made, and on 10,000, 25 per cent. The latter will be given to those who advertise metal cornered frames. Chaff cushions for wii-.teilng, and lor covering hon- ey boxes in summer. These are made 16x20.\V,, but can easily be ])ressed into a much smaller cap or up- per story. The chaff used is clean, soft and free from dust. CO I Kach 30 09 I The same all ready for the chaff 15 As we purchase our cl'th at wholesale, this is per- haps as cheap as you can make them. Combs, empty worker in metal cornered L. frames 50 Clasps, lor transleiTing. package of 100 25 " " " ■ ■ 10 10 06 1,25 10 18 Cards, Queen Registering, per doz Cages, " Cas^e with Separator to hold 3 Section frames I Case of 10 of the above, £0 Section frames in all, 2 I Clieese Cloth, for strainers, per yard 12 I Duck for feeding and for covering the Irames I —bees do not bite it— per yd. (29 inches wide) 20 I Extractors S8,50 to 10,00 I " Inside and Gearing 5 00 " Wax 3,50 Frames with Metal Corners 06 Sample Rabbet and Clasps 10 a Closed end Quitby, nailed 05 Gleani>!GS, back Volumes, each 75 " present •' 1,00 Gearing for Extractor •. 1,50 Gates, Honey, for Extractors 50 THE SIMPLICITY HIVE. One story Langs'h without frames or bottom $1,00 The same with' bottom, 10 frames, division board and quilt, crated so as to be sent I safely by freight or express 2,35 The above is the hive we use and 'recommend in preference to everything else, and it contains ever}- thing needed for all iiurposes except at the surplus season. If you decide to use the extractor you want an extra body and 10 frames— §1,25— making "complete two story hive— 83,50— or, you can have 60 section box- es (two tiers of 30 each) in place of the 10 frames, at the same price. If you prefer the old style of glass boxes, we can fit the upper story with 18 having glass on four sides at 12^ cents each; this will make the hive and all cost §5,00. One story Q. hive without bottom or frames 84 The same with bottom, 10 nailed frames, division boai'd and quilt, complete except surplus receptacles .82,00 The same with two story, 20 frames 3,00 Or you can have instead of the frames above, any of the arrangements for surplus, mentioned for the Lring- stroth hive. A one story complete for 13 frames of either the Standard, American, or Gallup hives, will cost S2,50, anel they can also be used with any of the surplus ar- rangements mentioned; also, as they are all deeper than the Langstroth frame, a single story can be used with fewer frames, and sections or l)oxes at the side of the frames. As an illustration ; we can take four frames out of the one story hives above, and ]nit in their place 18 section boxes. 25 I Honey, Clover, per lb, 16c., Basswood, 15c. By the bar- rel 2c. less and waxed and jiainteil barrel included. Honey in section frames or fancy glass boxes, 25c. gross. 0 I Knives, Honey l,0o 0 Labels, Honey ])er 1000 3,25 0 Lithograph of Apiary 25 I Lamp Nursery 5,00 0 Larvaj, for queen rearing, from June to Sept. 25 15 I Microscope, Compouna 3,00 0 I Prepared objects for above, such as bee's wing, sting, eye, foot etc., each. 25 0 I Medley of Bee-Keejiers' Photo 's. (150 Photo's) 1,00 0 Magnifying Glass, Pocket 60 0 " " Double lens 1,00 0 I Photo of House Apiary 25 06 I Quilts 2o 2 I Rabbets, Metal per foot 02 3 I Sheets of duck to keep the bees from soiling I or eating the cushions ^. 10 0 I Scissors, for clipping queen's wings 40 15 Seeel, Alsike Clover, raised near ji " " 300,CO For I'luther information and new circular of the Sjookwaltcr Engine, adflrcss the TOannt'acturcrs— ~-ll JAM ES LEFFEL & CO., Sprir gflclfl, Ohio. K^ er5" Ree-keeper slioisld. siibscrib'e for it. Th€ American Bee Jo'arnal Is the best sdentifio and practical JoiunKl of APICUL- TURE m the world. The most suecessful andexperitnced A|riarians in Europe, ns well as America, contribute to its jv.iiies. In fact, it is the oldest and largest Bee Paper in t!-.i' En;;lisli Jan^ruage. %2, Per Annum. Send a Stain ij lor a Sample Copy. Address THOMAS G. NE\^■MAN, tf 181 Clark st., Chicago, 111. ITALIAN 1EE8& ,rEEN 300 Colonies for Sale. 1 to 1(1 .stocks, each , f8,0G S.") to 'J.T " " 7,(0 1 two frame nucleus (frames llxl'i) 3,.^0 "i to 10 two " " ,3,(0 llourframc " 5,00 '1 to lu four frame ^ each 4.50 Vravr.' ntcd queeue " L.W " " perdcz 15,00 Tested " each 2,50 Safe arrival guaranteed en stocks and queens. Sat- i. si action guaranteed. Address, J. OATMAN & CO., 'I!' Dundee, Kane Co.. Ills. Cheap Hone;^^. For feeding Bees or other purposes. 1 have some good buckwheat honey that I will sell lor seven cts. per lb. if tak'^n a barrel" ;40 gallons) i.t a tirr.c. J. L. WOLFENDEX, K d Adams, \\o.\. Co.. Wis. EXTRACTED HONEY We can sell -all fne 'Sxti'acted or strained honej' consigned us at behest aiarlict rates tor a reasonable commission. On larirc consignments we will make liberal cash advances. We refer toXhe grocery trade generally throughout the United States. H. K. & F. B. THURBER & CO., 'J-lId West Broadway, Reade A Hudson Sts., N. Y. .A-verill diemical I*aint^ THE OJS^LY RELIABLE. THE MOUT BEAUTIFUL. THE MOIST ECONOMICAL, THE MOST DURABLE, Requires no oil tbin«er or drier. Requires no waste of time in mixln-g. Has stood -eight ycars^ criticisitns With yearly mo'ccu^edpoiyjlarity And yearly increased sales. Is sohl by the gallon onl.v, in packages of from 1 to 10 gallons "each, in Purest White and any Color or Tint desired. Address, for sample card of coloi'S anil price list, A^v'erill Oheniical I»aiiit Co., Otlice mv\ Factory 1.32 & 134 East River Street, CLEVELAND, OHIO. 6-6-'77 You cannot look over the back No's of Gleanikgs or any other Periodical wilh satisfaction, unless they are in seme kind of a Binorts. 8vo, 2 Vol's 0 00 Frank Forrester's Fish and Fishing. 8vo, 100 eng's. 3 50 Frank Forrester's ^Manual for Young Sjiortsmen. Svo 3 oO Frank Forrester's Horse of America. Svo, 2 vols. . . - 10 00 French's Farm Draiua,'e 1 50 Fuller's Forest Tree Culturist 1 50 Fuller's Grape Cnlturist 1 50 Fuller's Small Fruit Culturist 1 30 Fiiller's Strawberry Culturist 20 Fulton's Peach Culture 1 .-;0 Gardner's How to Paint 1 O;) Geyelin's Poultry Breeding 1 25 Gregorj- on C ib'jagos jiaper . . .SO Gregory on Onions pajiir . . 30 Gregory on Squashes jnper . . .30 Guenon on ;Milch Cows 75 Gun, R-)cl, and Saddle 1 00 Harney's B irns, Out-buildinss, and Fences G 00 Han-is' Inserts Injuvions to Vegetation. ..Plain St; Colored En^r.ivinTs .". . , G 50 Harris on the Pig Henderson's Gardening for Pleasure ^ Henderson's Grardenirtg for Profit Hendereon's Practical Floricuiture. , Hemsley's Hardy Trees, Shruljs, etc.- Herbert's Hhits to Horsekeeping ■■ Hooper's Dog ami Gun paper, 30c . . . .«ioth . . Hoopes' Boos of Evrgr I i . .» ...- ...- Hop Culture. - , - Huntei' and Trapper ••-■ John Andross. (Rb cc.^Hardin Davis) Johnson's How Crops Feed--- '• " " Grow Johnson's Peat and Its Uses - Johnston's Asricnltural Ch mistry ^. Johnston's Elements of Asricnltu'ral Chemistry Leuchar's Hov,r to BuiH Hot-Houses Lvman's Cotton Culture ,,.. Miles on the Horse's Foot , Mohr on tho Grape VJn My Vineyard at Ltikeview Nichols's Chemistry oJ th Farm and Sea Norton's Scientitic Agricultuie - Onion Culture Ovir Farm of Four Acres papr, 30c cloth . - . Our Digestion. By Dio Lewis Pardee on Strawl>eTry Culture Parsons on the Rose.' By Samuel B. Parsons Pedder's Land Measurer... Perclieron Horse Play and Profit in my Garden. Rev. E. P. Roj Quincy (Hon. Josiah) on Soiling Cattle Quinn's Money in the Garden Quinn's Pear Cultin-e for Profit Randall's Sheei) Hus'oandry Randall's Fine Wool Sheep Husbandry Rand's Flowers for Parlor and Ghirden Rivers Miniature .Fiiiit Garden Roe's Pliy and Profit in my Garden Saundei-s Domestic Poultry paper, 40c cloth . . Schencks Gardeners Test Book Skillful Hons3 wifery Stewart's (John) Stable Book Thomas Farm Implements and Machinery Thompson's Food of Animals . Tim Bunker Papers Tobicco Culture Turners Cotton Planters Manual AVarder's zUnerican Pomology Warders Hedges and Everjireens Vrarinirs Draining for Profit and Health Warinv^•^ Elements of Agriculture Weidenm.iuns Beam ifying Country Homes. A sii- l>erb quarto volume. 2i lithograph plates, in Whites Cranberry Culture Whites Gardening for the South Youatt and Spooner on the Horse •- . . • Y'ouatt and Martin on Cattle Youatt on the Hog Y'onatt on Sheep 1 50- 1 Zi> 1 ol)- 1 5t> 7 50' 1 75 3 00' ol> 1 00- 1 50 2 0* 2 0.> 1 25. 1 75 1 50' 1 50" 1 50 75 1 00 1 1 25. 5 X 20' (lO- 00' 75 50' GO- 0* 5!> 25 00 5f> 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Ot> 3 00 1 (10 1 50 . 75 75 1 SOf 1 50 1 00 1 5I> 50 3 00 1 50 1 50 1 00 15 00 1 25 2 00 1 50 1 50 1 00 1 0;> SELECTED BOOKS. An E-'iT Fann. New, novel and useful. PajTer 50 Cloth 75 Ten Acres Enoush 1 25 Five Acres too Much 1 5*> Window Gardening 1 50 Purdy's Small Fruit Instructor 25 Carpenters' and Joiners' Hand Book 75 How Plants Grow 1 25 Every Woman Her Own Flower Gardener. Pajier 50 Cloth 1 iio Earth Closets, and Earth Seweraa;e 50 Trout Culture '. 1 50 Potatoe Culture 25 How to use the Microscope 75 Jenny June's Cook Book 1 50 Scroll Sawing with Patterns 1 ^'^ HowtoMake Candy ."0 BOOKS ESPECIALLY FOE BEE-KEEPEK3. Lansstroth on the Hive and Honey Bee ?2.00 Quinby's Mysteries of Bee Keeping 1.50 Bee Keeper's Text Book, muslin, 75 " " " " paper, ifi The above arc good, but are alU'ar behind the time?. A Manual of Bec-Ivecping, by John Hunter 31,25 This latter is fully up to the times, being as late aa Seiit., 1S75, but l)ei"ng English, a considerab'e poi'tion of it is hardly adapted to the condition of bcc culture, at present, in our own countrj'. Manual of the Apiary. By Prof. A. J. Cook 3) This although small, is the only book we have in America that is entirely up to the tiaics; the best ior beginners. r>i:voTi:i> to i3e:i:« aind no?^ lbs. each. Our metal cornered frames weigh only 3 oz., and contain about 20 square inches more comb surface in- side, although the outside dimensions are the same. If we could be sure of this price for comb honey in the frames, perhaps it would bo the most economical Avay in which it could be produced for both consumer and producer. rss GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Oct. Our fricucis Shaw & Sou, aiKl Mr. Daniels and his neighbors, have taken all their surplus with the extractor. Mr. Daniels is situated near the swamp we have before spoken of, and it has now been pretty well demonstrated that it pays to move the bees foi" several miles around, into this vicinity in the fall ; and we found tive ditlercnt apiaries located in Mr. Daniels' door yard. Mr. D. has from the stock reported on page 194, extracted since, of fall honey, 55 lbs, making Sil in all, besides making one new colony from it. We examin- ed the stock, and did not find it as populous as many of our own now are. All agreed in calling the double width hives less conven- ient than the two story for the extractor; and that there was no particular advantage in them. If we are not m-istaken, all agreed that it would be about, or full as well, To extract only from the upper stories. The swamp hon- ey is from the Spanish needle, and although the strong flavor is very pleasant to many, "it does not please generally as well as the clover and linden. Our friends are now retailing it at 10c. A brother of Mr. Daniels, has suc- ceeded in making three new colonies, and 167 lbs. of honey from one colony of blacks ; this will make a very good item for Mr. Heddou, with the exception" of the movable frames and the extractor which he used to do it. It seems pretty evident that bees do, occas- ionally at least, go as much as three or four miles, for Mr. Shaw finds bees coming home from the swamp — recognized on account of the peculiar yellow dust, just as we know when they commence on the" touch-me-not by the white spot on their backs, etc. — laden, and going to the spot where their hive stood be- fore removal. Now the swamp was estimated at not less than four miles, and the bees could not have gone from there home, had they not been in the habit of going there before remov- al. The bees at home do go to the swamp, but the amount of honey gathered, is not nearly equal to that gathered by those within >o mile of the flowers. Mr. Shaw makes all his hives with a view of taking them to the swamp in the fall, and he has also a wagon constructed for the purpose. We have purchased about 140 bushels of chafl' at about 5c. per bushel. A part of it has been run through a fanning mill at an expense of about 2c. more, and this is by far the nicest, as it is freed from all dust and heavy particles. ISlh — Our house apiary is supplied with chaff cushions, and we are rejoicing to tiud them answering the purpose so well. These cushions are made of two pieces of Indian head muslin 17x21 joined by a band 6 inches wide, so that we have a box of cloth as it were ; we prefer to use the band, as it leaves the ends and sides square, making a close fit to the sides of the hive, or to each other when placed in the house apiary. They were all put on in a very few minutes, and any hive can be readily opened by simply raising the cushion that covers it. The night they were put on, the temperature outside was down to 400. iu the house GO", and a thermometer put under one of the quilts for a few minutes, showed 809. If you slide your hand under the quilts that cover even the weak colonies, it seems like putting it into a warm bed. Now all this animal heat was passing off continually through the one thickness of cloth, last spring during the spring dwindling, and we fear this has been the case with bees put into cellars and beehouscs to a considerable extent. Before putting on the cushions a pretty strong hum was heard during cool nights, but now we hear not even a "whisper." We shall see. Wth — It is a very pleasant piece of fiction that bees have a In guage of ilitir own, and can commnnicate to their fello ws where plunder is to be had, etc., but we opine their vocabulary must at least be raiher limited. Yesterday, the dcor ct' the honey house by some means got open, and at noon we found them doing a "land olttee business" on our sections of comb honey. The door was closed until they were all on the glass, and then opened Just long enough to let them out. As a fresh army rushed in at every opening, it was some time before all were out, and as each lot rushed laden info the hives, a swarm of w orkers came out and made straight for the door way. At night they had given u]) buzzing around the door, and a feeder was jilaced in front of a hive which wo watched until a few bees were ready to go irrside witha loadof honey ; almost as soon as they were out of sight, a lot came tumbling out, and went straight to ilie door ot the honey house. More kept coming, and we finally were convinced that they only know when a bee comes in laden, that he has obtained his load somewhere, and that the only way they have of lindins;' it, is to scatter about in ev- ery direction until they lind it. WiarXERINti BOXES. IlVTROUrCING Qi'EEIVS. ,.* S to comb fdn. I can not say enough in its praise, for it works to a charm where it is properly used. I got some from Perrine and first filled some frames too full for such warm weather, 85^ to 90^, and it stretched so as to double up at the bottom. It also spread laterally and waved, but as I tried only a few this way it made but little diil'erence. I then filled the frames leaving about one inch each side and from one to five or six inches at the bottom and got some splendid combs. I put some in hives at S o'clock r. Ji., looked at them at S the next morning and found the cells about }i inch deep aud in 12 hours more egg 3 and honey in them. Perrine's fdn. was very thin. We got 37 sheets 12x19 inchco for 8 lbs. and we got 38 sheets from you in 12 lbs. ; so you see Perrine's gives more surface for same number of lbs., but I would have no choice between the twfl as both work well. Perhaps yours would work best in very hot weather and strong stocks. At all events it is a great help, Heddon to the contrary. By the way, 2 plus 2 make 4, and I think friend H. can prove his theory as to humbug fdn., box hives, and black bees, just about as easily as he can prove that 2 plus 2 equals 8. Now I will tell you my plan of wintering (don't tell any one, as I intend to get it patented a la Gillespie). I am indebted to Mr. A. Simmons of Fairfield, Iowa, for it. I have been at his place several times during the past five years, and while he lost a great many bees by other modes of wintering, he has rrever lost one by this. It is as follows : Make a box or outside hive with good bottom to it, large enough to take the hive in and leave 5 or 6 inch- es space all around and on the top ; make a good tight cover, and let the cap or roof project over 1)4. inches. Xow bore one or two holes through side or rim piece of cap just under the projection and tack wire cloth on inside. This will give ventilation over the top of the hive. Make an entrance to the outside box to correspond with the one iu the hive, and a "chirte" or passage way from one to the other. Also make a slide to shut up the entrance in outside box, which should be kei t closed to )i inch during winter. Now pack all arouud and on top of the hive with 1876. GKEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 239 may be permitted to remain where they cluslcred ; bv.t if the explorers lind a home they rotiUict the whole colony dirccily to it ; 2d, as the swarrn is v.-a'.cliin? for th3 242 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Oct. loturn of scouts, it is necessary to hive them witliout delay, and as soon as they are quiet remove them a distance from that place so as to thwart the returning scouts; and thinlly, the new colony will never llec to the woods iinless the scouts conduct. I have kept a regular account running up to one hundred and eighty-tv, o colonies thus treated and never had one to leave ihe hive. There are apparent exceptions; lor instance, a colony clustering in the full rays of tlie sun on a hot day, will be driven off by its scorch- ing rays to seek a more congenial resting place. Another exception is where bees in a dry sterile coun- try, if they ever swarm at all, are almost sure to take wing in order to find a more favored region where their instinct suggests tlie pabulinn of bee life may be more abundant. Geokge B. Pkteks, Council Bend, Ark. We can readily endorse all that our friend says in regard to the habits of bees, and espec- ially that part of it relatioc; to their ditlereut notes, when actuated by diftereut impulses. A aieighbor, while at work in the woods, saw bees going out and in at a hollow tree. The next day, he, with his boys, repaired to the Spot and cut it down, but not a bee nor a bit of comb was to be found in the hollow. Care- ful inspection showed that bees Tiad been at work cleaning out the cavity, and while they were talking about the strange phenomena, behold a swarm in the air circling about the very spot where the tree had stood. The scouts, in this case, it seems had selected their abode the day before swarming. Again, sev- eral years ago our bees were all going to the Tiorth-east, and on following them, we found the most dense mass of white clover at about :1}2 luiles from our apiar}^ that it has ever been our fortune to meet. The thought occurred to -us then, that they might save a 'deal of labor by locating in one of the trees of the forest ad- joining ; and sure enough a large swarm with the largest queen in our apiary — "Giantess" of the A. j5. J., Vol. Ill,— left their hive for that precise location just a few days afterward. This is the only swarm we ever had, that did not cluster, and we have always thought it was the clover that induced the move, for they must have had it all arranged before swarming. 5000 I.B8. EXTRACTED, AlVU 200 COITIB HONEY, FROM 2G HIVES. -E are inclined to think friend Curry must have covered all his hives with "iHanure last spring from the report he gives, although he says nothing about it. Listen 'to him : DEAR Novice :— our honey harvest is over and We have some spare time to look around and compare notes. In the spring we started with 26 hives, but ou 'examination founds without queens; an unusual fa- tality owing to our keeping some old queens over that ■should have been replaced. The season was so bad ■luBtyeal* ahd We found it so diflicult to raise good tjueens that we became discouraged and gave it up, hence the result. However, we made the best of a bad bargain and raised young ones as soon as possible to fill thely plfices. The season closed about the 6th of July and we found ov-vsplves in possession of over 5C00 lbs. extracted and 2C0 lbs, comb honey in small frajnps. The extracted wc put in new half barrels; ?rQ trjgd oUl maple syrup barrels at first, but came to the conclusion after spending' any amount of time cooi)ering,that new barrels were the most ecoaomioal. In regard to waxing, if the inside of the barrel is cold when waxed, the rrax will scale off in time. To ob- viate this we first took the head out, held it over a charcoal furnace, and then after coating it with warm wax, it was heated in again and left to cool. On ac- count of the great quantity of fruit, sales liave been ratlier slow but we shall have no trouble in disposing of it all at 20 cts. in ten and twenty lb. lots. Have sold over 200 lbs. in that way during the last week. Some of our brother bee-keeijers feci discouraged be* cause they haven't disposed of their crops, but they will have to be patient and all will be well. We have issued a small circular that we are sme has done much good in the way of educating the peo))lc. We meet so many that can't see how it is jjossible to sell pure honey for less than is charged for comb and all, besides the trouble of taking or squeezing it out. This circular explains the whole process. I promised some time ago to give you the result ot some experiments in detecting adulterations in honey but have hesitated hoping that some more able pen than mine would undertake a matter in which we are all more or less interested. It would astonish not a fp-w of us if we could see what doctoring processes some of the most common articles used on o\ir table liave to submit to.- It would be hard to mention a sin- gle one that is not adulterated in some way; from the tea and coffee we drink, to our daily bread. Is it any wonder then that honey should have to bear its share ? From our many experiments we think honey is per- haps as little adulterated as any ; the most common article added now is glucose or grape sugar. But I have also found cane sugar, and wheat starch ; the latter is put into old honey to improve its color and also to correct that sharp acidulous taste. This is very easily detected by the microscope ; dilute a little in water and add a drop of tincture of iodine. On placing it ou the stage of the microscoi)e the starch grains will be seen colored dark purple. The cane sugar Is not so easily detected excepting the taste, or if granul.ated the difference in tlie crys- tals can be easily seen by means of the microscope, the crystals of the cane sugar being much tliicker. There are several chemical tests but they are too com- plicated to be of use to the ordinary bee-keeper. We now come to the most common article of adul- teration, glucose. As honey itself contains a large per cent of this, some chemists say it is impossible to detect it by any simple means ; and so it wouM be if it could be made strictly pure. GIucdsb is made in this country by allowing a mixture of starch and water at a temperature of 130 degrees to Ilow into a vat con- taining water acidulated with one per cent of suljihu- ric acid, and kept at the boiiing point. In half an hour or so the starch is converted into sugar, the liq- uid is drawn oft" and the acid neutralized by the addi- tion of lime. Before it is ready for the market it goes through several other minor processes depending on the particular use to which it is to be put. Those beautiful corn syrups we sec at the groc^ers arc the finest qualities. I have some samples as clear as crys- tal. A commoner grade is used by brewers and is the kind used to adulterate honey. It is very thick, due to a considerable quantity of dextrine contained in it. This can be seen by treating it with alcohol; the al- cohol will dissolve the glucose but leaves the dex- trine in the vessel in the shape of a white gum. By pouring a little pure honey in alcohol it will be found to dissolve completely; therefore if dextrine is found in honey I should pronounce it adulterated without ?'87g ^LEAKINGS IN BEE CCLTCRE, 243 arlher test, but if it sho',v3 no dextrine then iiroceed to test it for tra<;cs iai which tiie honey wiis gathered. Thus a -close student c.voulu be able to tell from what plant any fcami>le of ilionej' was gatiiered, I suppoised till lately and indeed stated such to be a fact, tliat extracted honey con- •tained no pollen, but I wo«ld now be ready to con- "icmn, as aianufactured, a sainple containing none. H. E. C'.UKRV, Cincinnati, Ohio, Aug. iTlh, '7f'. In regai-d to waxing th« barrels, if tliey are anade warm in tlae sun, aud the was — not less tliun a gallon- — is pi-etty liot, it can be done jjerfectly secure, without the trouble mention- ■td above. We are inclined to think paraffiue innch better than wax, as it melts easier, and when melteMrc-p rr.mhs 1o l->t 'br^ l>Of >; (ill cpii;-!- '^-^ llv-v --nv not be compelled to move to the right or left in search of stores unless the weather is suitable f''ir them to do so. Some stingy bee-keeper wants to know how much honey they will need to last them from October till the following June. Ayell. not less than 35 lbs-, and 46 will do them no liarm. It is just -fun to overhaul stocks in April, that have plenty o: honey and see the amount of brood they have. Besides, shou'.d they have too much, some may ha^e too little, and you can use it to good advantage. We have got through with feeding bees in spring and consider it waste of time. Again, bees should never occupy a larger -space than they can keep warm ; for that part of lie hive that is cold, will always be damp. Those bees you read about that starve with plenty of honej in their hives died be- cause they couli not keep warm and expel the moi^sture, or because there were not bees enough. We have made section fraiaes s success, some stocks have filled three cases, of 40 lbs. each. The only trouble we anticipate is that the queen will spoil more or less in almost every one of them. Such has been our experience. Is there a remedj" ? Cutting winter passages ui the combs, in our experience does not amount to anything, providing your stocks are well supplied with bees and honey ; as such stocks are not coin].>elled to ramble all over tlie hive in search of Iionej in unsuitabJe weather. J. Bittlee. J.ackson, Mich. Aug. SOth, 1S7G. Our ideas exactly friend Butler, if we ex- cept the one single item of too raauj^ bees. We never yet had a colony too large if every thing else was in keeping. Give us the mam- moth swarms, and then perhaps they may need the 40 lbs of honey you speak of. In such a case we can look for swarms when fruit trees are in bloom, and then for the sec- tions filled Vvith pure clover honey. FKOM ACROSS THE OCEAN. ^\EAR GLEANINGS;— I have been so successful /jjv) with my bees this season, having obtained from ' several hives 1 cwt. each of comb honey, that I intend to go in for bee-keeping more exclusively next year, and write to ask you for a little information. Enclosed is Si,5C for Volumes I and II of Gle.vnixgs, which I hope will assist nie in the matter. I have an open field of about an acre, bounded on one side by a 15 feet river and wish to set up in it, say 25 hives next spring; the Eiovable bee house is ready built and the hives are to be grouped aiouud it. Would you salt and gravel the ground where the hives are to stand, and set up the the latter, say 10 feet apart ? I have found that my hives do best facing south, and as they are all double cased there is no need of shade, but nevertheless I intend to grow shrubs between them, it only to prevent the wind sweeping through. What plants would you recommend j* My hives have alvvays beer, painted all of one color, but 1 have found the bees during honey gathering en- tering any hive indiscriminately; also when I dis- turbed one the bees in it would flock into the next one. I tliink the boxes had better be painted difl'erent colors if only to prevent young queens getting lost, v;hat color is best ? I use a frame hive, inside measurement 17 inche.-, 13 wide aud ll^i deep, and a bottomless frame with a strengthening bar across, nearly half way down. I find this frame very strong and serviceable. Every drop of honey is extracted in autumn (even from brood combs) and sugar syrup is very gradually foil (l-cra instend, causing the hives to be filled with ^u GLEANINGS IN BEE CVLTURE. Ore. brood and enabling them to pass the winter jierlectly withonC being liable to dwindling in spring. There is- very little market for honey hi England, but iTjc for extracted and 3&for comb can generally be obtainecT. J. P. J. Percy House, Tottenham N., London, Aug, 29, 76, Very glad indeed are we, to learn that our Eiiglisb coHsins are able to give such reports. We would not have the hives more than 0 feet from centre to centre, and even if painted all of the same color, think there will be no dan- ger at all of loss of yonng queens. Bees going into adjoining hives during the busy season, will we think occasion no trouble, and we are inclined to think it less frequent than our friend imagines. We have noticed the same, when the yield of honey was such as to al- most craze the bees with the abundance. We favor painting the hives white in our clime, because they do not get so heated up by the .sun as when some dark shade. For shade, we much prefer the concord grajx; vine on ac- count of the facility with which they can be grown so as to aSbrd a perfect protection du- ring the middle of the day. Evergreens might do as well, if carefully pruned, but it would require a much longer time to grow them. The dimensions of frames are quite similar to our L. frame, but we believe the bar across half way down, has been pretty gener- ally discarded among our people. The queen gets on one side, and seems averse to crossing over. The price mentioned for honey, in your money, friend .J., seems encouraging to apiar- ists, to say the least. We use sawdust to keep down weeds; salt and gravel would be nice, but we think, rather expensive. Mast reports seem to indicate that bees, as a rule, wi!S not store comb honej' \ThiIe queenless. If the colony is very strong, all liands will harsg about idly, arid only commence work wiieu the qireere begins to lay, and then- they work with a rush. Beware lio-w yoii. lea.ve a strong' colony qneenress during tl^e honey season. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Publislied Montlily, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. MEDINA, OHIO. Tei'iiis s Sl.OO Per A.nmxiii. [Including PosUuje.'] For Club Bates see Last Page. i^ElDllSr^^, OCT. 1, ISTS. Yea, thoiisch I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil : for thon art with me ; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.— Psalms, 23 : 4. >tmfmm> — Ake your bees ready for winter? If not, would it not be prudent to get about it at once ? Paintikg bottom boards mq find to answer quite well for preventing their being covered with wax and propolis. Some that have been in use two years, are almost as nice and clean as when first given the bees. OUK bees arc to be wintered on their summer stands; not a bee is to be bothered by| being lugged about, and if they die, it will not be of horac-sickness. The greater part will have only the chaff cushioas pressed closely down on the frames; some will have chaff on all four sides, some on three slde.^, and soniO on only one side. A dozen or more, will be entirely surrounded v.'ith ch.iff, bottom board and all. Eees are again to-day— Sept. 2otli, — gathermg honey from the red dovei\ This is sIio«ni by their loads of dark green polJen-, vThich- so far as we can Jeant, coraes fi-om no other blMsom. A visit to the fields showed them busy av could be, pushing their tongues clear down to the base of the pet lis, and then ixicking the adlrering polien, wliile- on tbe whi?. *a>i -»^l c^ If the c>iaf? paekmg is really going to Ije r?eeded during the summer time as we'I as winter, the house apiiry seems to Ije the cheapest and readiest way m which it caii be applied; and the coiweraence it adToitls foi' putting .aii^' number of section frames, either at the side or on top of the hh'e, without the bother of enlargiTtg tire hives as- we are- compelled to do out dooi-s, is certainly a great ad- vantage. It seems as if onrs must winter safely, iu the way it is- itow filled with bees blanketed \Tith chitf pillows. "We would reommend using a siagTe thickness C' J cloth over the fiames before puttfug on the chafi cushions; this will present killing- bees that might not get out of the way when pressing the cushion down, and will also keep the cushions from being soilci with propolis. And if the sheet of cloth useil is dnck, there will be little danger of the bees biting,' holes through. Holes in the cushions will make more trouble than do those in the quilts, for chaff will silt out where the batting would not, and chaff seatteretf about in a bee hive would not be very pleasant. As we have said before, duck or canvas is the only ma- terial we have found that the bees would not I'ito through. • Honey boxes are at a discount in oar vicinity; we are told the city of Cleveland is overstccked with nice honey- in boxes, but that they cannot get enough of the small sections. No glass is wanted aljout them, but th-j lighter the wooden frame, the better they sell. One dealer re- marked that he did not care whether they were ;d! straight or of an even thickness or not, and if some cf them contain only % lb, all the better, for there was al- ways somebody who wanted the cheapest one. If they were onI,y so they could be bandied without any daubing or dripping, they would always sell. The Universal sec- tions, seem to pleise invariably •, even those that are only partially sealed orer, as the price is only a few cents, are taken off our hands without a word, at a uniform price of 25c. per lb. — Mia I B I ii^ As to whether people will prefer to pay 25c. for cumb honey rather than 15 for extracted, time alone can deter- mine ; but it is pretty certain that nice looking comb honey can naver h.ave the ripe rich flavor of well ripened extracjed ; for the ripening process, is so far as we c;iu discover, sure to spoil the beauty of the comb. If you want some real genuine honey, entirely free f .-om the r.iw taste of both comb and extracted neic honey, take a frame that has been in the hive two or three months, and whether you get basswood or clover honey, you will find the llivor as much ahead of that taken out in June and July, as cm well be imagined. If you have some hives that are too full for winter, just extract a few somL' warm day and see what >jou think about it. It may prove slow- er work than in July, but the quxlity of the honey will I repny you. 187G GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 245 COMB FOUNDATIONS. THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MATTER. eUCH scores of pleased reports were recei\ed from all sides after we used nothing but pure wax, it never occurred to us that any one could be displeased with them, and in fact nothin,^ unfavorable was received in rejrard to the yellow, until rather late in the season. Geo. Perry, Peru, Ills., complained that his bees wjuld not go into the boxes containing the white, and as we are obliged to inirchase the white from the wax bleachers, we thought It might have in that instance contained something the bees did not like. We returned the §3.00 he sent and $4.25 more for express and trouble. But two complaints have been received in regard to the yellow ; one is from R. S. Becktell, Xew Buffalo, Mich., who says they sag or bulge unless kept straight by sticks every four inches, and that the queen does not lay in them. This may be because he did not have a filled comb at ea«h side as we have done, and it is possible that we may have been so careless as to get hold of wax adulterated with tal!ow. To guard against this we have carefully ex- amined it all, and cakes that seemed suspicious, have been made into sheets and tested in our own hives. So far, we have never found a piece of yellow wax, that woidd not make beautiful cmob, and wo have tested some almost black. The other and the strangest of all, comes from Jlr. Herbert Burch. As he furnished the wax for the 21 lbs, and as we called it an unusually fine lot, it is hard to see where trouble could get in, and yet he says the queens will not lay in it, that it is raised into comb much slower than they build natural coaib, and that the honey is n.>t salable after it is stored. He lays the troub- le all to our making the sheets -iH feet to the lb, instead of (! as he ordered it, and makes out a bill of damages at SaO.OO, saying he lest S150.00, by putting the fdn. in 300 boxes that would hive been filled, and would have brought him 50c. each, had he not done so. We have paid the .JoO.OO, but with it went the best appeal we could make for a little more mercy on our hard earnings. We have not haard definitely from Mr. B. since ; he may be inclined to think diilerently and it may be we are wrong, and that it is right for us to pay the money. Mr. G. M. Doolitlle is the next and last, and his claim that the thickness of the bottom of the cells is a serious objection is not worth debating, (or tons of the honey have been i)roduced, and hundreds of bee- keepers have used the fdn. We can if desired make fdn. for boxes, so thin as to be almost nothing at all, though it may be hard to make such sheets a foot ■wide. We have at present more than 10( 0 partly filled section boxes, and an ordinary observer would find no difference ia the cells below where the fdn. ex- tends. Wc can find occasionally one v.here the fdn. lias been left something near its original thickness. The last and most serious objection is that the fdn. does not save the time of the bees to any great ex- tent. Mr. Doolittle thinks a tr'angular piece of nat- ural comb, 3 inches on a side, will be worth as much as /?Wi»(/ the section with fdn. To test this we have tried perhaps two dozen sections with natural comb of all sizes, and have had tliem distributed through diU'ercnt liivcs. If we made no mistake, all but the largest were beliind the fdn , and were so irregular, compared with the fdn., that we decided ia favor of the l"du. In our large glass boxes, the bees covered the fdn. completely at once and the boxes were filled throughout almost at the same time, while v, ith starters, they progressed only as fast as the co.nbs were bui'.t; this latter was in the house apiary where we could v.-atch it con-tantlj'. Afheetofthe same lot that Mr. Burch complains of, works beautifully in our hives, and it contains brood at the present lime. Any who are inclined can see plenty of nice combs, made from both white and yellow in our apiary, and yet we have never thrown one away. We would advise using a piece of fdn. for each section box, about 4 ,'< inches square ; and at 75c. per lb. this will cost about 2c. Now if a piece of nat- ural comb, new and white, of this size, or perhaps a little smaller, can be furnished for tlie same monev, we shall without doubt be obliged to lay the fdn. aside for box honey. Will friend I), tell us what his start- ers probablycost him, taking into account the time the bees lose when they are building them ? About the damages; for two years past I have paid every claim of the kind that has been made, and I have proudlj- mentioned that among our hundreds of patrons I have hardly felt one to be unreasonable. I dislike to lose my faith in liumanity, but seriously, a few more bills for $.50. and I should be unable to keep up Gleanings, even with all its faults and failings. What shall I do ? THE CENTENariAI., HONEY SHOW. M'R. EDITOR :— As the time is fast approaching, and many inquiries are made, we will again give notice that the special show of honey and wax at the great International Exhibition of Phila- delphia, will commence October 23d, and close No- vember 1st, 1876. Entry blanks can be procured oi" Capt. Burnet Landreth, Chief of Bureau of Agricul- ture, or of the undersigned. In addition to the inducements offered by the Cen- tennial Commission, the North Eastern Bee-Keepers' Association offers §35,(0 for the best and most merit- orious display of comb and extracted honey and wax, conditions as follows : The honey and wax must be of fine quality and put up in elegant packages, such as are most likely to find ready sale at high prices. Other thinr/s hebuj equal, the larger the display the greater the merit. The apjiointment of judges an this prize is retained by the Centennial Commission, the award being sub- ject to the above regulations. The Association oft'ers S^25,00 for the best and most practical essay on "How to keep bf>,es successfidly du- ring winter and spring." These essays should not treat on the physiology of the bee, except so lar as is necessary to explain instincts and management. This is suggested with a view to making them brief. With bee-keepers, the ultimate idea of succk.-^s is the attainment of pecuniary reward, and in deciding upon the merits of the essays, the judges will keep this idea, prominent. Arrangements are being perfected to have a committee of three from different parts of the United States to decide upon the best essay. We certainly hope a lively interest will be taken in the matter of display, so that American bee-keepers shall get the credit due them for the rapid progress they have made. We have written the officers of the National Bee- Keepers' Association for information as to their op- erations ; the president informs us that his health is too feeble to make any arrangements, and the Secre- tary had supposed the association nearly or altogether dead. We were sorry to hear of the want of energy that has characterized the operations of that body of late. Upon tliis occasion the attendance of bee-keepers should be the largest ever known in this country. The varied aud magnificent display at the Exhibition, the show of apiarian apparatus and special thow of honey, together with the satisfaction attained from a fraternal shaking of hands and mutual interchange of ideas, of those long acquainted through printed me- diums, should be ample i:idncemont to make a long tiip to this meeting. 240 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Oct. Tiie president writes tliat he thinks the change in time advisable, la accordance with the arrangements and tins opinion, wo announce tliat the national Bi£E-]vEErEES' ASSOCIATION wiU meet at Philadel- phia, Pa., October 25th, 1876. Bee-keepers will please report themselves at the department devoted to the display of honey, at 10 o'clock a. ji. After temporary organization, the association will adjonrn to some convenient, suitable place, for the use ol which arrangements will be made. Wo hoi>e the special inducements offered for this meeting, will be appreciated by bee-keepers general- ly and we anticipate a largo gathering. One suited to display the importance of our industry in this Cen- tennial year of American Indepeudance. J. II. Nbllis, Sec'y Centennial Committee of the N. E. Bee-Keepers' Association. Cauajoharie, N. Y., Sept. ICth, 1876. DOOLiIT'E'S.E'S SIEPORT. YJr^Y turning to pages 153 and 171, present Vol., the JrQa readers of Gleanings will see how we stood —^ June loth. About this time clover opened, but our bees hardly got a living, as it rained nearly every day. Jane iid bees commenced to swarm and as they were not getting honey enough to build any comb we could not control the swarming fever ; or at least we did not succeed in doing so. We do not be- lieve there is such a thing as a nonswarming hive with the Italians ia sucli a season as the past has been. If bees get just honey enough to rear brood rapidly, and still not enough to build comb they will swarm, no matter how much empty space you give them. On the other band if they get honey so as to build comb rapidly the foie part of the season, they will swarm but little. Black bees have swarmed but little ill this locality and have done little else, while tne Italians have swarmed freely and made some hone}'. We wor.der how many have tried the plan given on page 153, to get an "enormous" yield of honey. Our bees are just fools enough to swarm in from 10 to 15 days after being hived on brood in tliat way. We have repeatedly tried it and just as often failed. .Js^ov ice tells us several times the past>eason, that if we don't wisli our bees to go out with the queen in her first flight, to give them a frame of young larvfc thereby giving the bees employment at home. We were never bothered in that way very much, till this year. But this year every thing swarmed ; so we thought to try it, and in every case the bees built queen cells and then swarmed, which made it just no preventative at all. But to return to our report. Basswood opened July 11th, but we could see no gain till the 13th, at which time our bees would not average '2 lbs. to tlie hive, with no start made in the boxes. Then came seven liays of honey yield although it rainedapart of each day. AV^th tlie •21st came tlie end oftlie lioney season for 187(), although we kept lioping that they might get something from the second crop of clover, teasel or buckwheat; but alas, all failed. Teasel seemed to dry right up, as we had a change from wet to dry about the 22d, clover (second crop) did not get far- ther til an the bud and buckwheat was an entire fail- ure, so to speak, for we have not 100 lbs. in our whole 3'ard. To sum up, the past season lias been the short- est honey season we ever knew, and yet wo have no reason to be discouraged, as wc liave obtained 2901 lbs. box honey and 356 lbs. extracted, or 50 lbs. to each old stock, on an average. Our box honey we have sold at 2Cc per lb., and arc retailing the extracted at 15c. We have at date 163 colonies, but shall not go into winter quarters with over 120, as a part of them have not stores enough, and we propose to make them self-sustaining. So we shall unite them down to where their stores will carry them through the winter. Our average yield of box honey per old stock in 1873 was SO lbs., in 1S74 a fraction of a pound less than 1(0, in 1S75 a little over 1(6, and in 1S76 near- ly 45 lbs., say nothing about the extracted. Our profit from bees during the past four years, after jiayiug all expenses incurred by them is nearly SIOCO. So who will say bee-keeping is not a profitable business? Novice was sceptical when we said on page 135, Vol. II, that one man could tend 100 colonies, and that these 1(C colonies would give an income ol SlOOO each year; and yet we have done it for four years, with an average of less than ouc-lialf that number each ye.ar. We have learned many things the past season, and one of them is that all rules, with bees, fail in such a season as the past lias been. The secretion of nectar is a great mystery to me. When every thing seemed as favorable as could be, not a drop of honey was se- creted in the flowers. The islau given by James Bolin, page 207, to prevent after swarming, will not work with us, with the Ital- ians, once in five times. If any one will notice a hive after being thus removed, they will see that it is only the bees that are in- the field that return to ihe old stand, as all bees that leave the old hive after being removed, mark their location as does the new swarm. We have practiced the method given for the last three years, but always have to destroy queen cells, or have after swarms. Novice, we beg of you if you want your bees to en- ter the section boxes quickly, do not scrape the bits of comb ofl' the tops of the frames ; for there is noth- ing that will i)ay as well in the apiary as to leave those bits of comb to lead the bees to the boxes. J. E. Crane asks, page 221, if smoking honej' with sulphur does not injure the flavor of it. You can in no way injure honey with sulphur except by getting the smoke so dense as to give the combs a greenish hue. As soon as the sulphur has entirely burned up, or about ten minutes after it has killed all bees, flies, etc., that may happen to be in the room, open doors and windows and let the smoke out and there will be no trouble. G. M. DOOLITTLE, Borodino, N. Y., Sept. 12, '70. Why, it seems frieiid D. that every thing has failed with you this season, except houey ill sectiou boxes, and as that is the vmln item you certaiuly need have no reason to com- plain. Unsealed larvas may fail, we are well aware, but the exceptions are so very unusual, that we think it can be laid down as a rule, that bees will never desert a hive when sup- plied with one frame containing eggs and very small larvcT. We have never yet had a case of swarming (we think) where empty combs were mixed in with the flUed ones as often as they became full, and the present season plenty of empty combs in the upper stories has been unfailing. But if the section boxes set directly on the top of the frames, they will put these little bits, and all this useless labor, where it will be utilized; and with our arrangement of sec- tions each one can be lifted out almost as easy as if it hung on rabbets. With smoke at hand, new ones can be ciuickly put in their place, without any killing of bees. IbTG GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 247 €i nraith From Different Fields. ^^. EAR NOVICE:— I nmolTered fu-ecolomes at Sl.OO Jfjiv' e:tch ; but the contlition they are in is deploraljle ; ^ thej hare received no attention whatevei for sev- <;ral years, ai\d I don't think they iiiive made one lb. of surplus honey in that time. Would it do t-c transfer them durijijr September ? or would it be bett-er to take the best possible care of them as tkey are until spring ? Three of them are in box hives, and two in old LanRstroth hivf s of ■\-hich they have tilled the top story with cotabs and liave toeeu breeding botk above and below. There are no frames in the upper hives, and one caainot insisect them ■tvithout breaking the combs as I did on eudeavoriRg to see their condition. It would bo quite a difficult job in trans- ferring them, to remo-se the comlj, I was told during July, bj an old and experienced bee-keeper, that it would Biot do to traasfer them, ajid f-Il they were tit for was to 'brimstone and take the honey which would probably be worth as much as tfeey vrere offei'ed to me for. I am the veriest tyro, having no knowledge of bees but what I have learned by reading a great deai of Gleanings- Never- theless I am inclined to think they could have been easi- ly put in frame hives during July, and possibly yt-t could be if they arc fed to make them build up their broken ■combs, what do yo« say ? The hives are almost falling to pieces having openings and decayed parts that you ^■ouid put your finger in. J. R. Ebdt. ■Vriieeiing, W. Va. Aug. 29th, 1870. They can be transferred, eveu iu September, if you chose to take the time to do it, but it •may l>e nearly a half day's work to do it well. -It your bees are getting no honey, and robbers ■around, you will have to be fery careful that ^lo honey is allowed to run out and get them titarted. Work slowly and carefully, and ^r^iean up every thing as you go along ; the tliick heavy combs, yo'j had better leave out 'until the last, and then give them only so much as v^'ill make a good supply for winter. oses. All the way I could devise was to put two :l)ieces -fyv top and bottom and one for sides ; of course the fdn. should be perpendicular. This arrangement ass up and down. When the fdn. <;ame I took all the comb from a strong folony and gave them tlie four sheets. In 3<5 hours they had one sheet about half tilled with honey but the queen does not «cem to like to use them. One of them was -rjiiite narrow, the bees Irailt it down with natural comb and the queen stocked it with eggs as fast as built, but not until there was room nowhere else did she lay an egg in the fdn. Do you have sr.ch experience ? Your "custom"' of making good all breakage looks a,s though you "acted by the plumb'' and practiced what you preaeh, J. A. W-A-KD, Madjsonville, Ohio, Aug. 2ist, '70. As the fdn. must Ix; fastened securely at the top to make a sure thing of a good comb in every section every time, we have had to abac- don our original plan of allowing the sheets to be held by the open spaces in the section, and now cut into 4^ squares and fasten tliem only at the top, with melted wax and a ix3ncil brush as given on page 173. In our apiary we have had no trouble at all in getting eggs in the fdn., but a very few have sent reports some- thing like your own. We have oftoi had queens exhibit an apparent aversion to partic- ular frames of natural comb, and we think it can be nothing more in this case. We have so many filled with brood in beautiful shape, that we ran not thinlv there is any serious ditllculty in the matter. If our customers place their money safely in otir hands, we are going to try to. put the goods as safely in theirs, with no other expense to them than the freight or expres-s. I started with six stocks of black bees in box hives last spring ; I bow have eight and 1 our are in mova- ble comb hives of my own make ; had Cleanings for my "boss." Framed hives and Italians are a new thing here ; have never seen an Italian bee. There is a man by the name of Muliver, that has passed near me and sent me word that he was coming to see me, and I supjiose to indict me. He is „elling rights foY framed hives, he claims to have a right on all framed hives and gars tiiere is hiaiseU" and nine more in a company, and tiiat Mitchell is head boss of all. He don't seem to ktiow anything about a Bee journal. Now when he comes what must I do or say ? Must I show him <;Jleanis-gs, and what you say abotit Mitch- ell, or must I drive him cS? I would iike to know what you think about it. I agree with A. J. 6., and say that bee? do gather pollen from pumpkin and sijuash here; perhaps they will from one thing in one part of the world, and another in another part. Would it not be well to think of this? • Z. D. HAisuitL. Mooresboro, N. C, Aug. 23d, '7(5. When such men call on you, treat them pleasantly, but tell them firmly what you think about such business. If they threaten, pay no attention to them whatever, and we find it one of the best ways in the world to decline discussing the matter at all. Give tliera a copy of GLE.\NiNGS, if they will accept of it, and we will give you another iu place of it. Whatever you do, do not waste time in argu- ing with such men. Our bees are doing well. We have 400 stauds now, from 1^0 in the spring. We hare taken but 500 lbs. bos honey yet- The bees are now working on buck- wheat and bone-set. We have a new hive that we call the centennial with honey boxes or frames in front cf brood chamber and by closing the lower en- trance we can force the bees into the front boxes or frames. The hive is double, outside of hive '24slS inches, and holds 0 American frames. It has two di- vision boards. We had ItO put up this summer. Lehman Bros., Delphos, O., Aug. 2.sth, '"C. We are offering cur honey at 7 and 9c. per lb. according to oualitv. NvNN Beo"s. Oberlin, 0. Aug. 27th, 137(5. 348 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Oct. Will you please tell us how you make your li;ht covers ? Also how your hives are fixed, that the queen may re- turn again? Does your hand ever tremble when catch- ing queens ? If you do not like a stone on top of a hive, set a bucket hoop, cut off four pieces about three inches long, punch holes through and nail to the side3 and ends, letting the ends i)roject the thickness of cover. Put holes through the cover to receive the hoops, push a nail through on top of the cover and it has to stay there with no warp about it. This will also keep top story on. Henet Funk, Jk. Bloomington, Ills. Aug. 11th. 1876. Covers are made of }4 inch piue about 16x30, with a groove made all round the edge with a very thin saw. Into this cut, we push strips of No. 28 galvanized iron, folded thus : The dotted lines represent a section of the wood, and when the metal is in place, the corners are lapped slightly and soldered. The wood is by this means clamped in a stout iron frame, yet it is free to swell and shrink by the weather without splitting or drawing nails, for it can slide along the saw cuts. The metal is l}-'4 inches wide, and the folds are made % inch from each edge. The lower fold is of such an angle as to fit the bevel on the upper edge of the hive or hoop that holds the quilt. We have very rarely had such covers blown off by the wind, and the machinery you men- tion friend F., would be more complicated than we should like for a bee-hive. We can- not see why the upper stories should ever need any fastening ; ours are more in need of some invention to keep off the propolis that they may be separated when needful. When ship- ping bees we like things keyed down fast, but at no other time. Our hives are all directly on the ground and we keep it so clean arouud them that any bees or queens that are drop- ped, have no difficulty in getting back. Al- though we have worn off all nervousness in handling queens, we seldom do it, for fear of their being stung as intruders when returned. The honey machine sent, came at an earlier date than I expected. Considerably damaged by express, shait bent by pitching, probably. I wns very unwell when I receiv- ed it, but as soon as I became better I straightened the machine, anl using it, filled 3 barrels (nearly 15001bs) and having a note past due I put out peddling honey, but found it quite slov/ business on account of the manufact- ured honey that has been in the market heretofore. But I think I am on the right track for a fair market and a fail- price. I made a thorough canvass in one lively town at least. Sold or left sample at almost every house. Sold ill quantities of from 1 to 15 lbs. at 20c. per lb. Disposed of about 500 lbs. It was very thick and nice Ihin honey. Had to spend much time to got many to e-»'en look at it. I did what I could for you and Gleanings ; hav- ing a number with me you sent as a sample, I exhibited it when I thought there was any use. I also had copies of A. B. J. Have no subscribers yet but each office will certainly get orders for machines and Journals. I will send names of a few jjersons having bees and others who were much interested in bee-keeping and talk of making it their business. I left home with the expectation of selling out in four or five days, but I could not wholesale it to grocers, and was ne^r]y 50 miles from home, so I went to work in earnest, taking street by street, visiting aim )st every family in the city, and if I have not gained! some customers for my honey I shall be much mistaken r, also an opening for some bees, hiv'es and extractors. Times are very dose here. We shall commence extract- ing again this week and probably get 10 or 1500 lbs. Ha\'e- at present 5S' colonies of bees; Moses Bailet. Winterset, Iowa, Aug. 2Sth, 1876. What is the size of the rollers in the comb foundation! machine ? Of what metal are they made, and what is the price of them ? "WTiat kind of punches do you use to make them with, and what is the price of the punches ■ L. Heine, Smithville, N. Y. The diameter of the rolls is three inches and they are made of lead and tin, about in the proportion of tinner's solder. At present we could not furnish them with the cut gearing neccessary to run them, for less than $100. The punches are of tempered steel, and they can only be used in a very ingenious machine made to gauge the depth, and to move the roll the proper distance at each stroke. The punches alone could be furnished for perhaps $5.00, but they would be of no use without the graduating engine. Since the fdn. is proving such a boon, we should be very glad indeed if the machine could be afforded at a low price. As -it is quite a trade to use them and to handle the wax, perhaps it is just as well to have it worked by experienced hands who make it their business. The comb fdn. came to hand. It is a capital thing, the invention of the Extractor is nowhere compared with it. I cut your 12x18 sheets into 40 to 50 small strips and sim- ply use them as ladders for the bees to climb up on. I received 2 lbs. of yellow fdn. from Perrine to experiment on in the body of the hive. To fill a Langstroth frame half full, fastening at top and ends is the best way. T. G. McGaw, Monmouth, Ills. Aug. 17th, 1S7(;. I am getting the "biggest crop"cf buckwheat honey you ever dreamed of. I moved 10 hives 5 miles, and placed them where they have access to a hundred acres within two miles. The first two weeks they avei-aged 25 lbs, to the hive. Most of the cases are full and nearly scaled up. Hurrah for our side. Hurry up the 400 sections. S. F. Newman, Norwalk, Ohio, Aug. 28th, ISTtl. The fdn. came duely to hand and I must s;iy it is a much better article than Perrine's and just as cheap, for it is :i great deal firmer and heavier while we get just as much surface to the Hi. It works A. No. 1, and here goes our old hat for the "fdn." We here have much risk to run in getting our queens by mail, for they ome on the Lightning Express which does not stop here, and the mail bag comes off with force enough to kill a man if it should hit him. But we have received several dollar queens from J. Oatmm & Co. Dundee, Kane Co. 111. by this same train, and they have all come as lively as crickets. If queens cm stand such treatment as that, they can endure a good deal, .and I must say that the dollar queens from Oatman & Co. are the quietest, stick- to-tbe-comb bees I have ever handled. 3Iy "Dundee" bees are my pet and pride. Will M. Kellogg, Oneida, 111. Aug. 21st, ISvO. I had in one place last spring four hives ; I now Inve twelve, and 3 went to the woods, which makes eleven swarms from four old ones, and all are strong. How is that for Orvi le. I have 51 hives in all. I am hatching i;i l.imp nursery ; Ixst week I '.atroduced six and have four now. C. I. YoDEK. Orville, W:iyne Co. Ohio, Aug, I'Jth, 1S7G. IL876 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. •249 The sourw'ood, usually our main dejxiudance was almost •.a failure. Bees are how working verj' ■stronsly on buck- v.vheat, and two kinds of grass or weed. I do not know what it is^ it commenced blooming abaut-thc first of July •Tind will -conlEnue until frost. Bees relish it very much. .Find enclosed a spisg of each. My combs are «ow all trilled with brood aiad honey. I have v.o extractor. "What is a sectioH boi ? Please st p.d ms-ono, aiid a i^ece of fouudatiion. I fcave Rev^er seen afiy of either. R. H. Aebott. P. S.— I hafl a swaRQ of beesrcsae off to-day, Aug. iSth, leaving aM tke-eoEibs fiHed with brood and honey. They •hctlled on top aiiother hive nearby- I found the queen, ■CMged her&nd tied the ■cage to a teush, which tliey all soon ■clustered round and I put tbem back ijito their c4d hive, ■^Vhy did thej ieaxeS Leiioire Stataon, Ea-st Tei^n., Aug. lotli, 1S7C. The plants were nipped too short to analyze. We Reed (leaves. One was a mint. All mints are valuable. Tell .-•suljscribers to send good flowers, good leaves, height of ailaut, aiid locality. We are having & spiendid fail for hoivey. Golden rod, sand ether fal-i bloom yielding aaost Ijountifully. I feel better. Caa afford to lose wMtc olover every year, if we <"\n liava sueli a yield in Aug. Commenced Aug. lOth. A. J. Coos:, Lansing, Mich. Will our friejids pk'ase remember lli-e direc- tious for specimen plants? The swarm was «impl5' a ne bees in that way. Suppose you have a .st'ock of hybrids that you must look tkrough for queeii cells, or for any otiier purpose,; I think it'a the better way to have a veil handy, for a hybrid is like a mule, you "can't soiaetimes most geEcrally tell" when he is going to Siick. We have one of the Quinby smokeis a.ud would iiot Snirt with it for twice its cost. Fiiend Cramer tkinks so Enuch of it, too. that he wants at when I am uot using it. Novice, I'd a'dwse jom t^o look out for that Lloyd Z. Jones. He is on his way to the Centennial and may stop an to see you. and just as likeiy as ROt will have some 3sing queens in nitroducing, that I can put in 909 out of 100© queens ;uid not lose ene of them. Bijtyou must understand your Siusiness tho'. Will. M. Kellogcj. Oneida, 11!., I5ept. 5th, "fC. I have bmnted over Vol. 1 and watciied CJT^K/tNiN'est ; they only cost ?~~. cents, and all you have to do is to put in ;-ionie chips and then a coal of fire and then swing all about your head until you have ?;moke enough. Stand this at such a side of the hive as to have the wind blovr the smoke across the frames, and vou can v^'ork along happily. If they show tight, just give them a couple of puffs with the breath while your smoker is held over the hive, and they will go down at once. The popper is better than the sauce pan, because it will not let any lire or sparks out, and because the ashes are easily shaken out as fast as they accumulate. You need not stoop to set it down, nor to take it up, for the wooden handle i« just right to lean against the hive, convenient to your hand. We have no secrets in the world from our readers, and trust never shall have ; we are glad to be able to tell all we can learn. Wax bleaching by the sun, is a slow process, and will only pay where it is a business of itself- Bleaching by chemicals in our hands has proved a failure, if there is one among our readers, who can succeed with it, we should be glad to hear from him. Mr. E. Coble of Coruersville, Tenn., recently sent us about 50 lbs of wax to work up, that was very nearly as white as that from the wax bleachers. In answer to an inquiry he says that it was only wax from cappings without any bleaching whatever. Now recent experiments look I very much as if yellow wax would answer I every purpose of the white, and that alter it is I built out and capixfd, the comb honey is one and the same thing, especially if the wax be bright and clean. Will those who have had exi)erienoe in the matter report ? I raised three queens from an Italian mother. Two o'f them in stocks of bees covering not more than two Q, frames, hatched in July, are iijce yellow queens. The other was raised in parent hive, strong colony, hatched in August,, and is very dark. Query— Why the differejice in •color r / I ain 'ierymueh surprised at friend HKldon's letter. How a man of such uitelligenoe and experience in bee- keeiMug can discard ail the improvements made in bee- culture, and return to the old fogy style of keeping bees in boxes, is beyond my comprehension. His letter is dated July 5tli, I suppose he had a real jolly time on the Centennial 4th, and on the following day was somewhat despondent, atsd sat down and wrote that letter. He wrote another remarkable letter on July 5th, 75. See Vol. Ill, No. 8. In that j-ear the 4th, was celebrated on the 4th, I suppose on that occa.sion he was brimful of patriosm and had to give vent to his pent up imagination. If my suppositions are wrong, will friend H. please teli why a box hive is tetter ;hau a hive with movable frames, and other improvements. I am a beginner and willing to adopt the best way. If I am to be converted, facts, "chiels that winna ding," must be presented showing clearly that box hi\es are better than hives with movable frames, and kindred K0Kscn.ce. Hurry v.p > give us proof, or own up like a man. W. Giedwood. Alleghany City, Pa, Aug. 21. 1873. Queens raised in cool weather, are much inclined to l>e dark, but we cannot learn that they are on that account any the less valuable. The grand-daughters of an imported mother, are almost invariably much yellower than cheir mothers or grandmothers. In regard to friend Heddou, a postscript just at hand says, "His tales are amusing— if they do not last too long— but not instructive." Now friend H. cannot you give a report of your system, very soon? I have been keeping bees 48 years, the first four years in North Wales. I kept them in straw liives 25a GLEANINGS- IN- BEE CULTURE. Oct. ana brimstone the bees to get the honey. I sold sev- ea sovereigns worth of honey, wax and bees before I started for^this countrj-. After I came here I kept bees in box and gum hives and had not enough honey for my own use. About 12 years ago I read of the Langst'roth movable comb hive. I sent for it, for his book on the Ifive and Honey Bee, Qninby's book. King's Text Book, and many others on bee-keeping, and now I have plenty of honey, and have &okl many 100 lbs. I have sold honey every year except the last. I have this year, of box honey IGG lbs. and 7-2 Iba. of extracted, and my neighbors with box and gum hives have hardly any for their own nse. Two of ray own neighbors have one movable comb hive each, and they have honey as much as I according to the num- ber of hives. One of them, last winter- bad (> hives ; 5 box and one movable comb. He lost all in the bos Mves. They will winter ns well in movable comb as in box hives. I have had an experience of V2 years in that. If I had to go back to the box hive I would not keep bees on any account ; there are so many adiva;;- tages in the movable comb hive that no one can ))'=!r- snade me on that head. William Rqeebts. VaughansviUe, Ohio, Sept. E)th, '76. Please send me a copy ol Glejxijjgs. I am in- terested so far as this ; a swarm came and settled on one of the chimuies of my Jioute last June and we can not use the chimney, as they are building and making lioneij inside of said chimne;/. What shall I do f D. C. WrLLiAMsox, -273 Hudson St. IV. Y. Sept. 11. '7(i. Take out bricks enough at the point where they are located to enable you to cut out the combs, and transfer thera as you would from a hollow tree. Bet the hive on the roof of the house until they all find their new location, and after a few days when they have got all their combs secure, move them not less than two miles. When they have forgotten their old home — in three or four weeks — bring them home and put them where you wish. If this Is too much trouble, put them where you wish when first transferred ; but in this case a great many of thera would probably go down the chimney and perish, after their first flight. You are mistaken about ,^ inch being enough to al- low for sagging of fdn. at the bottom of frames of all depths. You are probably correct with regard to the L. frame. My Irames are the '"Standard" and M inch was allowed but I had to take out all the frames after they commenced to lengthen the cells and cut off i{ or % inch more from bottom. They had reached the bottom of frame and still they sagged, producing bulging. E. KiMFTOX. Cedar Creek, N. J., Sept. 13th, '76. Very likely you are right. In our L. frames we have left from I4 to }2 inch, and have had no bulging, but it may be owing to our having in every case, put the fdn. between two old combs. If we can have pure wax, there is certainly no trouble in getting good combs in any weather. I took 200 lbs. of wax to the wharf on Saturday to ship to you, but learning that I can get 2Sc gold in San Francisco, I conclude that it is better than o3c in Ohio with freight and 10 per cent discount on curren- cy. I wish you had some of our pretty wax. I will expect GLii.vNisGS on the 10th with big reports of the honey yield in the States. My 127 colonies of last spring increased to S60 and yielded about ten tons of extracted honey, crediting all to the original stock. Most of the practical bee men have done about the same- although bee-keepers were surprised by Uu seasoi» being c\Tt short a nvontli earlier than usual. So many are staTting in the Dee business here,. which I am glad to see, yet the probability that they will all crowd into one plaec too much, gives me thc- mixed feeling^ of Robinson Crusoe, who longed for nothing so much as ssociely, yet when be saw human foot prints in the sand, fearing they were cannibals- they became the greatest tenior to liim. Immense quantities of honey have been storeil up in San Francisco but the low price of 7 to 9c is causing it to go to all parts of the world and the price is going- up. I have sold considerable here at If c in gold. We had a rain here last March, and expect a shower again next Nofvcmber. So yen may know there is no- mild. However there is some drrst, yet there is honey in the flowers of the driest soil. R. Wilkix. San Buena Tentcrra, OaL, Sept. ^tb, '78. T.iste a yomig grub and some royal jelly, and see H they are not very much alike. I think yoa are more than half righ^. Read Frof. Varro's articles in -4. ^. J., 185S, \19 and '70 on this subject. The Prof, died be- fore he had got to the end of his subject. T. G. McGaw, Monmouth, Ills., Sept. 2d, '70. The above was sent to friend Klar, and re- fers to his theory that the royal jelly is com- posed of young larvtB cut up, etc. As the young grubs or'larvre are fed on royal jelly and nothing else, for the first few days, we do not think it strange that they taste of it. la this early stage of existence, they are little more than a thin envelope to contain tie nutriment furnished thera ; in fact some of the transparent forms of microscopic animal Viie are so simple that they can be turned inside outward like a sack, and they will go on tak- ing in food, and performing all their functions just as well one side out as the other. Is it then strange that small larva; should taste of the food they are nourished by ? Is it not due to the coarse food given them at a certain age that they become workers instead of queens? Have you ever known bees to kill their queen a month after having accepted her? Our daughter of an imported queen that we got of Mr. B'akeslee last year, produces queens three-fourths of which produce three banded workers, but they are dark, and we thought we would like to have one ewarm of yellow bees. Accordingly we got a queen of Mr. Nellis' Al- bino stock. She arrived on the 4th of July, was ac- cepted on the 6'th, and before July was out was filling her combs with brood the second time, but last Thursday we found her missing and the bees were building queen cells. Now I would give something to knovy- what became of that queen. VTe did not kili lier for we always re])laced the comb so carefully, which she was on, that we arc sure we did not hu; t a hair of her liead. I would not give 05->e good swarm of Italians for lliree swarms of blacks. During the time of scarcity, between white clover and bas&wood, there was a ten acre field of red clover near us that had been past-u el and then let go for seed, on which the Italians worked, and stored quite an amount while the black bees were doing nothing. And now we have four acres of buck- wheat in bloom. It seems to yield the most, early in the morning. The Italians are out before the black-* thiiik of getting up, run over the buckwheat, then away to the red clover fields that arc to be cut. the second time, leaving the black bees to put in the d,.^.y gathering up what remains of the buckwheat. £■876 -GLEA.NINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 251 I send jou a plant in blossom, wbJcli is at present a ^rreat favorite witli the bees. Please give us its true name. It commences blossoming the last of July and coiiliiuies till the ground fi-eezes. Bee-s work on it with a will. More so than on ajjy other ilower at this date. They are collecting large quantities of pollen from it^ Tell us if it is a honey producing flower. My bees have done splendidly this season. I com- menced in July 1873, with one new swarm of Italians sent lue as a present from Hon. Joshua Lake"'s apiarj, North Jay, Jiaine. They sent out a swarm Aug. 18th, leaving the old stand in rather poor coiiLition for wintering, the new swarm in Heddoii's favorite box hive containing ITi^S cubic inches, half full of comb and bees, with seme lioney. Fed on syrup and candy to supply the balance. Wintered in a dry cellar. Came out this spriiig, the old hive (Quinby's) weak. The new liive in good condition. Commenced feeding early and liberally on sugar syrup and continued till apple blossoms came. The result, they both giew strong and increased in bees rapidly. The old hive sent out two swarms, viz., June 2Sth, and July 10th. The other, four swarms. May 21th, June 1st, June 3d, and August 8th an unusually large swarm. The first new swarm has swanned twice. Can you state another in- stance in the North where a first swarm sends out a second one V Have increased my two colonies to ten by natural swarming this season. Most of them well supplied with bees and heavy with honey. Now, friend Novice don't say that second and third swanns or even fourth swarms are not worth wintering. The prospect now looks good for all. I owe in part, my success to the four Eee Journals of America, of which I have l)een a subscriber and constant reader the past year. Jeremt Lake, North Easton, 3Iass. We have had many reports this season of a 1 have rode but one hobby a good while, got on be- J acre Novice got off; it is the .exclusive use of the long .standard hive and the honey extractor. Think I shall •keei) on until it throws me oS. i\jid now let mc give you one word of advice. Don't lor the world let Mr, James Heddon get you to exper- iimeuUng with box biies and black bees. It would aevohUionjze things so, and old logics would never get done -rtrowiug, I see you are already letting your bees do the swarming themselves, which Novice said ^.somewhere in ISi.eanin'GS "never happens without a aoss botli to the bees and their keeirer." In regard to cemb Idn,, wo got some of Mr. Long, and we made a small set of dies ourselves, but really 1 believe we can get combs built almost as quickly without their use, and worker too, if we try. But ■there may be a difference in the amount of honey stored; still, don't you think there is a waste going on in the hive, if bees are not allowed to build comb when they are gathering honey nicely? Have pa- *ience, I am still your pupil. Ila Michexeu. Low Banks, Ontario, Canada, Aug. 11th, '76. Sometimes it is hard to account for die loss earaiice, e&pecially if it is to be sold as comb honey. Corab fdu. received jn prime condition. Bees have learned wh.'it to do with it and work it up rapWly. H think its use would doBble the yield of corab honey from any hive. R. Tekkis, Belleville, N. J., Aug. X4h, '7(;. ATben I wrote you before, I had two swarms of Ital- ians in frame hives. Abont the first of June, jns5 when my bees needed most attention, my husbami had bis right leg badly crushed uy a horse ; of cour.se he restuired my whole atleBtion. As I eould do very little with tbe bees, I put on upper stories and let them go three or lour days, I then looked at them and iound they were building- their comb in every direction. I took off the upper stories, cut out the comb,fa5tene(5 some on the frames as best I could aad put them on again. It took some courage and patience, for the weather was ver3' warm and the l>ee3 particularly cross; but I wiped off the sweat, pulled ont tbe stings and kept on. I strained the honey and got about tf lbs. Well, the second time they did no better than the first, and though they had plenty of room to work, one Sunday, one of them sent out a swarm. So I took off ibe upper stories and commenced artificial swarm- ing. I might have done it before but I had very little time and less courage. I liad put my hand to the plo;? and I was not going to turn back; besides, my husband had strongly advised me not to buy theni. Well, I won't tell yon all my blunders and mistakes. I now have eight nice stocks from the two. When you consider I have had my liusband to take care of my house work to do ; the care of milk from two cow and last but not least, my bees, you may know I have had voiy little time to spare. I have also had the care of the farm with only help from my two boys, one eleven the other fourteen. The older one made the hives for me, all but three. So like Barnaby's ra- ven, I shall "never say die." My hu-sband is around now on crotches and thinks of making bee culture « business, as he will probably be crippled for life. No doubt you are tired of my long letter, but as I told you of my beginning, I thought I would let you know how I had oncceeded in my new enterprise. Mrs. S. p. Hubbakjx Neilsville, Wis., Sept. 5th, 1876. Had you given your bees a hint of what was wanted in the sh-jpe of a few finished combs, or even one or two from below, they would have done nice work. We seldom have letters too long from your sex. Our bees here appear to be well aware that it's the Centemiial, being very independent and cross, and con- tinuing to s^varm and go to Centemiidelphii or to parts unknown till near the last of August. But they left goo:i stores behind them, I fear for their future. Stepuen Yoi'XG, Mechanicsvdle, Iowa, Sept. 11. "7 '•• Will it do to make bee hives of red cedar, or in oth- er words will boes work well in hives made of r.vl cedar ? V. P. Towxsen! i. Worcester, Mass., Sept. 9th, 1876. We think it makes little dilfereuce to the bees what the wood is, and have never heard any objection to cedar. t87fj GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 253 ^ [In this department I bag to be allowed to lay aside the editorial "we," have a friendly chat and feel "at home."] CHAPTER XXIX. M, FEW clays ago I took a ramble through gS^*V., the woods and fields to see a piece of buckwheat that wag just in full bloom, a mile and a half from our apiary. That our bees might be kept busy during the fall months, I made an offer in our weekly paper of $1.00 per acre to all who would sow buckwheat within the above named distance. It seems but three acres were sown in response to tlie offer, but if the amount of buckwheat honey that is now I'ound in the section boxes be any guide, we might have offered a much larger amount, and i?till have been sure of a good investment. .This was sown as early as June I believe, and if we could depend on the same smount of honey per acre, every season, I should think ^25.00 invested in that way would be a very safe undertaking. The one drawback, is that the dark honey may depreciate the value of such honey as might lie gathered from red clover or other sources that give a lighter col- ored more marketable honey. Now, although it may never pay in dollars and cents to raise crops exclusively for the honey, we feel pretty certain it will pay for the apiarist to offer some inducement to the farmers about him, in the shape of one or two dollars per acre for all the rape, buckwheat, and perhaps alsike that they will raise. The bees were at work on the buckwheat, which stood full as high as my head, (it was sowed on a ricely prepared cornfield after the corn had failed,) to my full satisfaction, and all that remained now was to see if the dark hou- ey came from any other source. We passed fields white with the Eupatorium familj' — bone- set, thoroughwort, and white snake root — without finding a bee on them ; a few were found on the wild touch-me-nots, and more whenever I passed a field of red clover ; and now I have come to the incident that was to furnish me with the text for this chapter. In passing through a dense piece of woods, I passed a very pretty, sleek looking horse standing in the shade, solitary and alone, do- ing nothing more than to stamp and whisk at the troublesome flies. As I was bent oulj'', at this time, on the study of nature, I greeted my four-footed friend with words of kindness and sympathy, and soon had him at my side wher- ever I went, nibbling at every flower I tried to examine, and in his eagerness to keep con- stantly at my side, exposing my slippered feet to great danger of being trodden on by his heavy hoofs. He would eat grass contentedly so long as I remained in one spot, but when I raoveei he was at my heels, and as he must smell of the very bees and flowers that I tried to examine, wondering seemingly, if I loved them just as he did choice wisps of grass, I be- gan to think I should have to study horses and not bees, unless I chose another field. We bade each other a reluctant adieu. Pre- suming am I V Well it is true he did not say he was sorry, except by actions and looks, but as I have many times durmg the day, felt an involuntary longing to see him once more, to feel his soft nose thrust inquiringly over my shoulder, and even to have him give a mis- chievious nip at my coat sleeve when I seem- ed to disregard his presence, I could not help wondering if he too, did not think of his play- mate of the morning. Do not horses remem- ber? Aye, but they do. Let a colt stand hitched but a few minutes at a post, and in passing the spot months afterward, he will show very clearly that he remembers the cir- cumstance. When first taken from his native fields he is so sensitive to impressions, and so ready to fall into habits taken from his new surroundings, that I have sometimes likened them to soft wax, preserving a faithful repre- sentation of every place, circumstance and event of the day. Now if we— both horses and humanity-— are so prone to be melded and influenced by those with whom we associate, how important is it that we either be careful what those are, or guard ourselves against their influence. 1 oc- casionally have a visitor who makes me feel lonely after he has left and whose influence re- main's long after he has gone. Now such may be the case, even if he is a bad man, and it sometimes takes more labor to eradicate the seeds of evil that have been sown, than had they been so much good. The society of those whom we know to be bad, is sometimes very pleasant, and as we get better acquaint- ed with them, we are often inclined to think the things we thought objectionable, not so very bad after all, and to question whether they are wrong at all or not. Taken alone by themselves, and under some circum- stances, almost all the great evils that af- flict humanity, may be voted harmless ; and many times we can only judge of them by the results that in time follow. Pleasant friends have defended the taking of a glass of beer oc- casionally, and I have agreed with them, in deciding that there was certainly no harm in it. Others have spoken of card playing at home with brothers and sisters until it seem- ed hard to condemn anything so harmless. Others argue that the Sabbath should be a day that people should all love, and that it should be made pleasant and cheerful, by each one enjoying it after his own fashion ; that a quiet game of croquet was no worse on that day than at many other times, and that much harm was done by those who tried to be so very strict. Again, a wife will defend her husband in profane swearing by saying that he did it in such a funny good uatured way there could certainly be no harm in it. Many will stoutly defend the custom of using cle- ception when convenience demands it ; that is, of deceiving just a little in harmless matters, and the way in which they put it, looks as if there was really nothing to make a fuss about. Now all these things are very little items, not worth making a fuss about, some will say, but suppose you were in the habit of doing all these, would you blame people for thinking you were anything but a fit associate for the youth about you? Suppose you wished a young man to learn a trade, or as clerk in a store, or as teacher for your children, will 254 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Ocr. those of my readers who may be iuclined to think I am notioaal, considered the eS'ect that these simple habits might have in deciding your choice. It is possible that one may go to extremes on temperance, but did you ever hear of a person being too careful in regard to using by- words and slang ? Did any one ever get on a hobby of truthfulness, and carry it to too great an extreme ? Was ever one's useful- ness or value to community, marred by his being too careful to avoid engaging in games of skill or chance ? It is not my purpose to discuss croquet, but what would be the ver- dict between two young men, one of whom spends his moments of out-door recreation with some hives of bees, and the other em- ploys them playing some game V As nearly as I can determine, the enjoyment is keener, and more refreshing, with the bees, than with the other. Perhaps it should be added that even with the bees there may be an extreme to be avoided, as with every thing else , and this extreme, is reached when the young man wishes to borrow money to go into business more largely, before his bees have earned it. The charm of any of these rural pastimes is that they be self sustaining, aside from the time given them. So long as we are in the company of the bees and horses, we are at least sure of learning no bad habits, and I am sorry to say such is seldom the case in play- ing games. I dearly love to be in the com- pany of those who are doing a thriving and healthy business without getting into debt ; who use no profane or obscene language ; who respect equally .the truth and the Sabbath ; who are happy and contented with the food that is raised about their own homes and who crave no beverage stronger than milk. Milk and honey ! The product of the toil and la- bor of your own home and its inmates ; harm- less and healthful, it comes a gift direct from that Great Father who knows far better than we, what is for our own good, and as a re- ward of diligence and faithful service. Be kind not only to your fellows, but also to those dumb friends. His creatures, that are all about your pathway ; make their lives pleasant and happy, and you will by no means lose your reward. Should we decide to have no associates ex- cept those who were entirely free from object- ionable traits, we would doubtless lead rather a solitary life, for it seems that humanity as we find it, presents no perfect specimens. Again, the temptations that baset one indiv- idual, have no charm for the next one at all, and the fact that I neither smoke nor chew, does not show that I have exercised any self control in avoiding such vices ; yet where we see one who has repeatedly tried to break off, enduring the ordeal, we may see that he is really massing all his energies to escape from slavery and be a free man once more. Men who have conquered bad habits, or unruly passions, and who have turned all their ener- gies toward helping their fellows to get on their feet and do likewise, may be much better companions for oar youth than those who have never sinned because they have never had an inclination to. When I he.ar a person boast- ing that they have never read a novel in their lives, I begin to fear they may i:ot have read anything. The heroes, and the ones whom I am sure God smiles on approvingly, are the active "go a.head" people who are all about among humanity, full of life and engag- ed in so many of the stirring events of the day that difficult and different paths are diverging at almost every step, and who are yet ready to drop the dearest project on earth, the very minute they discover it is leading to wrong. If we can join in with the world, catch their enthusiasm, feel vividly that we are one among the many, and burn to do our part and do it well, j^et study to keep ourselves free from the many vices that we shall see all about us, I feel it is far better than to stand aloof and say they are all sinners on the high- way to destruction, and that we cannot have anything to do with or in common with them. I have just been reading of a coat of mail designed for firemen, that will enable them to pass safely through the fiercest conflagration without being harmed in the least. To enable them to bid defiance to these elements, a fresh* supply of both air and water is sent through proper tubes constantly, and so well did the device succeed at the experimental trial, that a fireman clothed in his armor walked all through an immense bonfire and finally sat down in the midst of it amid the cheers ot spectators who could not come within several rods of him. Now this is exactly my idea of the way in which we should be daily fortified against the influence of the evil associates with whom we are daily obliged to come in contact, if we mix with the busy throng of workers. An earnest petition before going forth in the morning, and frequent calls for a fresh supply of His Spirit during the day. at times when the fires burn hottest, will I verily believe, enable us to pass unharmed amid the worst scenes of modern corruption, that our country affords, if our motive in going into such places be always a good one. When our boy was about 10 years old, he was overheard uttering something that sound- ed strangely like an oath, and when question- ed by his mother, owned up that he had learn- ed to swear, by hearing so much of it all about him among his playmates. "Mother, almos'^ all of them swear when they are at play, and I do it before I think." Now this was a serious matter indeed, and the question at once came up as to whether it were well to allow him to go among such playmates at all; but if he at- tended school, what could be done? He must mix with the rest, more or less. Oa asking him if he were willing his father should be told, he pointed out the course to be taken himself. "Not just yet mother", said he "but wait a little, until I have broken myself ox" it, and then you may tell him." With his moth- er's help, (aud who can help like a mother at such a time "0 he did break himself, aud not only that, he reproved others, and instead of beiu:: injured by going among bad associates, he set before them a better example. Now mind you. this is no easy task, especially for the mother, and woe betide her if she allows other tasks to take the place of this work ; for unless the child's young mind is fortnied with daily cheering and encouraging words, wel- coming smiles on his return from school, and a faithful sitting down by his side aud ques- 1876. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 255 tioning of the events of the day, he is ahnost sure to faint and get discouraged. Oh ye mothers, do you know how much devolves on you ? Do you know that by your strong love you can send these little ones into the world clad in an armor that is almost proof against all the allurements of Satan, if you only will take the trouble ? Are there any among my readers who feel that they have not that hold on their children they should have ? Go this minute, and in your closet ask of your Heav- enly Father the A-ery strength to go through with your dailj^ duties, that you should be able to give the little ones to go through with theirs, and your path will very soon be point- ed out to j-ou. M VERY good way for box hive men or any other having a surplus of drones, is to exchange places with a weak stock, about 10 o'clock A. M. In is hours the hive will be clear of drone?. All will be dead except the few that find their way back to the old stock, and both hives will be beneflted. If Mr. J. S. Hill has any pure Italian bees, and will take the trouble to measure combs built, he will find the worker comb to average very nearly i)i cells to the inch, the smallest being 14 to 3 inches, and the drone comb about 3>2, the smallest being 15 cells to 4 inches. At least that is the way mine have built this summer. O. T. Smith, Trenton, Ills. [Eschaugiug places with colonies is very apt to lead to fighting, and sometimes to the loss of queens, unless honey is coming in rapidly ; and even then it is so unsafe, as to have been mostly abandoned. Our measurements of comb built by the Italians, agree very nearly with the above, but if it should transpire that 3 cells to the inch are more desirable, as the ma- cliine that we sold to Perrine makes, we of course will furnish such fda., meanv,"hile wc would like re- ports from thctc who have used both. Friend Smith gives several other exjieriments, at length, showing that comb answers equally v/ell any side up, in trans- ferring ; that brood combs l(j years old are as good as any; and that queeuless stocks very seldom store comb honey before the young queen begins to lay. All of the above points have many corroborations from others.] My report for that hive is still iTO Hi or at least I think so. For 60 days ending Sept. lOih, the yield was £08 lbs. of good extracted honey with a good prospect of their still getting plenty for winter. I told them I would let them have th.e balance ; wasn't it clever ? We have had n splendid season hei-e for bees, and still good. I hope to bo able to make a batter report next year. J. D. C. 3Ic?AELAyD, Greenwood, Mo. Sept. 15th, "TO. I found that some swarms had little brood, and I thought ii necessary to extract some honey. Would three frames give room enough for them to raise hees for winter r I started v.'ith 12 swarms and built up to 22. A swarm came cut the 2Sih, of Aug. and has its hive I'.early filled with comb. John Keippxes. O.ikb.nd, Wis. Sept. 12ih, 1870. [We have tad little espeiiznee v.-i!h too mucli honey in the fall, but s-honld think three frames ample room after honey has ceased. 1 You never publish the prccoedings cf Bee meetings but I will try to give you just the "GLEA^-I^•GS." The South Western Ohio Bee- Keepers' Association met in Lebanon, Sept. 9th, 1876. and will meet again Feb. 14th, 1877 at the same place. A plant known as "Carpenter's Square" was known by several to be a very good honey ])lant.— The honey extr.actor was thought to be a good thing.— Brimstone was the best thing for getting wjrms out of box honey, the taste would leave the honey iu course of time.— The best protection for winter was some material over the bees that would permit the moisture to pass off, and still retain the heat. Out-door wintering was thought to be the best for this climate.— Bees bi-ed in all months of the year except December. There was often more than one fertile worker laying eggs in the hive at once, one member having the frames out of a hi^•e, one at a time, and by eai-eful watching had caught three bees on one frame in the act of laying eggs, and had caught ten bees in one hive ; with the aid of a glass he had counted f 0 eggs in one cell. W. S. Bore. Bethanj', Ohio, Sept. 15th, 1876. [Condense reports as above, and we can ahvays flnl room for them.] I put a man on the road to-day with honey, and from his success, reports of sales and promises, I think a splendid tra:le could hi worked up in any portion of the country. J. H. Maetix, Hartford, N. Y. [That is just what all say who h.ive tried it. Load your wagon with an assortment of honey in bulk, in neat- ly labeled jars, and in section frames, and it will be a queer community indeed if you can not work up a fine trade.] The plant sent you by Mr. J. Lake, Easton. Mass., (page 251) which he says blooms from August 1st till frost, is named Leontodon autumnale, or fall dande- lion. It belongs to the compositae order, same as aster, daisy, etc., and was introduced from Eui'ope. It is not found here. Whether the bees can reach the honey in the long tube or corolla I know not; no doubt they yield honey. By watching to see if they insert their tongues Mr. L. may determine. Yesterday I went to Jackson, bloom is everywhere. We are just getting a grand yield of the most excel- lent honey, thanks to fall bloom. A. J. Cook, Lansing, Mich., Sept. 9th. 1S7G. My bees have increased to 185, all in good condition for winter. We have suffered very much from the drouth ; stocks that did not swarm did very well. My greatest yield from one stock (Italians) was 329 lbs. A little more than one-third comb and the bal- ance extracted: this was done without any feeling. They have plenty for winter. W. H. B.^LCH, Gran, N. Y. [But you do not say how many you had to start with, friend B. The yield from one colony is very good, even if it was all extracted.] If no precaution is taken, bees will work much sooner in side boxes than in top, but when the combs arc built thej^ will store honey twice as fast on top as at the sides. Hence my advice to have combs built at the sides. We do not think much of the tiering up operation although we have practiced it to some ex- tent for some years. Certainly our new hive is made ' for side boxes, 16 at the sides. It on top; EG in all, or any number less than that to accommodate a small swarm. We never sold any box honey exco])t by gross weight ; that is, box, glass, honey and al!. G. M. DOOLITTLE, Borodino, X. Y., Sept. 221, '76. I do not import queens from Italy for sale, as I find honey to pay better in this section of the country than queen S2lli:ig, though don't infer that I wiU not go into it s.-id GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Oct. also. But I will offer to those ha: ing imported mothers, tu exchange dollar que ens in the spring, as I am opposed to in and in breeding and wish those queens as drone hijers. I have been tr.ving sueh queens so far, from Oatman & Co., Dr. Brown, J. H. Xellis k Bro"s, and every one received has proven to be purely fertilized. This is a course that I will follow every season so as to have drone layers from different persons, and thus have my queers fertihzed by drones from different apiaries. I think this plan the best. Paul Viallo>-. Bayou Goula, La. Sept. 5th, 1S76. Gloves? Tes thej' are an absolute neccessity with me. 3My bees easily enough subdued in June, are almost un- manageable in August. Rubber boots, veil and gloves are only a partial protection. Imakeitarule never to buy what 1 can easily make. I purchased a yard of thin, tightly woven 30e. cotton goods, made a pair of gloves which reach nearly to the elbows and applied two or three coats of rubbei (pure rubber dissolved in spirits of turpentine or better, bi-sulphide of carbon). The bees seldom prick through them and then only slightly. My 7oc. extractor made last winter gives entire satis- faction, I ]3refer it to the cylinder extractor for straining small irregular pieces of comb. Tell your old fashioned bee-keepers that an extractor of some kind is indispens- able to every apiary. A piece of comb from an inch to a foot square can be relieved of its honey in a nicer, quick- er and cleaner way with an extractor, than by the old way of crushing the comb, while the pieces of comb saved are worth more than the honey. Xo Xaiie. [Xow friend ^you are certainly misunderstanding your bees ; we would as soon think of getting a cast iron armor to prevent our horses and cattle from kicking and hook- ing us, as to think of barricading against the bees in that way. "What would you think of a farmer who went among his stock m that shape. Come and see us work among our 'Jl colonies, and see if you think we need such protection, at any month in the year. Tell us more about the 75c. extractor.] I have of your goods 100 L. frames sent by mistake for Standard. Charges by express §2,50. Subject to yonr order. Geo. p. McLean, Kocky Spring, Miss. [To save the express charges we will sell the 100 frames for £4,50; send us $2,00, and the §2,50 to friend McLean.] I am not pleased \vith those tin cornered Langstroth frames (150), which you sent me March 16th, 1874. Have used only a part of them, and these will be vacated, soon ; those that are not injured (about ISO), will be .sold, if any one wants them, otherwise, they will be offered as incense to experience. They are too movable, for box honey op- erations. As I do not recommend these frames to my neighbors, it is not likely any one will buy them, here. If you really think such frames are suitable to anij one, you may sell the above for me, and at whatever price you please. p. Motee, Sharps\-ille, Pa. [That is right, speak out, and don't be afraid of hurting our feelings. As this is the first complaint of the kind we have ever had, we must think our friend a httle peculiar. As we have sold more of these frames this seasm than ever before, we trust tliere will be plenty who will take the frames off his hands without much loss. On some accounts we woidd prefer a closed end Q. frame, but every time we undertake to handle them, we conclude that it is quite out of the question for v.s to think of any thing but the metal corners. We are so used to picking anyframe we wish right out of the middle of any hive without the aid of screw driver or handspike, that we fear we shall never submit to any slower process. "We find no trouble at all ni using such frames for box honey.] It seems some of the friends do not know water willnjt run out of our lOc feeders wlien inverted. Fill a pe])i)er box with honej- or water, turn it over, and vou have the idea. TABLE OF PREMir?IS. Kames of Premium Articles. V>2 f^:^ Xo. Any of them sent free on rec't of price. 1 — Litho(/rax>h of Apiary, Implements, etc. 2b 2 — Photograph uf House Apiary 25 3 — '■^That Present,"' Novice and Bine JSyes 25 4 — Hmcill Horseshoe Magnet, a scientific toyib 5— Emerson's Binder for Gleaxixgs, %vill hold i Volumes 50 6 — " " better quality 60 7 — Pochet Magnifying Glass 00 S— First or second T'o?«;«e o/ Gleanings.. 75 9 — Best quality Emerson's Binder for Gleanings 75 10 — Double Lens Magnifier, on 3 brass feet \,QQ 11— Photo Medley, Bee-Keepers of America\,(Xi VI— First and second Vol. o/ Gleanings.. 1,50 13 — A real Compound Jlicroscope, beauti- fully finished, and packed tvith Imple- ments in a Mahogany Bo.r 3,15 Number of Sub- scribers required at or at 75c. 1.00 PURE BEES WAX Cut to aay size desired. PACIvED IX XEAT ^YOODEX BOXES-PAPER BE- TAVEEX EVERY TWO SHEETS. AT §1.00 PER PUUXl) FOR THE WHITE, OR 75 CEXTS PER POUXD FOR THE YELLOW. if W" anted by mail, add 25 CENTS PEE POUND FOK PACKING BOXES AND POSTAGE. If taken in our regular packing boxes, sheets 12x18 inches, 10 per cent, off from above prices on 10 pounds or over. Wax will be worked up to order, and cut nito sheets of any size desired, for 40 cents per pound. We will pay 28 cents per pound cash for bright yellow wax, or sell it for 31. One jwund of wax makes from 4 to 8 square feet of sur- face. The thinnest will be used by the bees, but is not made into comb as quickly as the" heavier, which has a greater depth of cell. Sheets just ri^ht for L. frame', both white and yellow, kept constantly in stock ready for shipment ; also square sheets for section boxes. About 6 of the former or 30 of the latter (enough for 1 Universal case) weigh 1 poimd. At above prices we can pay no freight or express charges either ^\ay. The only wholesale rates we can give is 10 per cent, off from above rates on orders for 50 pounds or over, or 20 per cent, on 100 pounds or over. A. I. ROOT. Medina, Ohio. Fifty (50) good strong colonies of Italian and hybrid bees. ' Price, one colony SlO.tO ; five §45,00; ten ^80,00. In 8 frame hives, each fl,00 less. Hybrids each 81,00 less than above rates. Also hives full of comb (frames are all 14x11) and 25 or 30 lbs. honey and bee bread, for wintering bees on. Price §6,00. Order soon. Will deliver at depot Oct. 1st to 15th. 9-10 R. S. BECKTELL, New Buffalo, Mich. THE Alley Smoker B This snioker has been in use for IS years. It is very light and is held between the teeth while the hands are at liberty. Price 50c by mail. 10 ■ H. ALLEY, VVenham, Essex Co., Mass. L-y76 -GLEANINGS IN BEETDULTURE. 558 — 'i Advertisomeuts will {>e recoiv per year. Those whed. They also agree to return the money at iuiy time when custoaiers become impatient of siich "ieiay as may be unavoidable. Bear in mind that he who sends the I>est Queens, f,iut up neatest and most securely, will probably re- c. extra. '"G. W. Dean, Elver Stvx. Medina Co., Ohio. *.J. Oatinan & Co., Dundee, Ills. 3t2 , "^Dr. . P. H. Bix)wn. Augusta, Georgia. 9tf *E. W. Hale, Wirt 0. H., West Va. 6-€ ' J.5I.C. Taylor, Lewiston, Fred. Co., Md. Itl "".T. H. ^^ellis &, Bro., Caiiaioharie, N. Y. 5-10 "\iiss A. Davis, Holt. Insham Co., Jlich. .5-12 ' Vaioii L Weidner, Biirler, Adams Co., Pa- fi-12 ~-r. S. 'VVoodbu™, Dickinson, Cumb. Co., V-a. 6-11 "P. H. Gibts, Guelph. Ontario, Canada. i "'Staples, Andrews A: ^'au^han, Columbia, Tenu. 7-11 ' "W. P. Irish, New Portase, O. 7-ie I. W. Cramer, Oneida. Kno.x Co.. Pis. 9-10 We, whose eiames appear telow, agree to furnish bees ;is follows: A two frame nucleus, full of brood and Ijees. v,-ith tested queen, for &5,0er gross, SO.oti Two " " " " 8.(0 One V. u u. Flint glass per gross S.50 T-,VO " " " I. ,. *. .. n,.g(, Corks for 1 and 2 lb. jars 75 Tin Foil Caps, per gross 1,20 Lalxils, " " 75 .\ thousand labels addixjss printed to order 5.00 One qi. fruit jars. Mason's patent, per gross 17.00 Labels for same, *• " 65 A tiiousand labels a' \ -w^ 1 '^ Hives S12,50 iserSafe arrival of cdl qit.eens guaranteed.jDs Purchasers musi; assume all risk in the transportation of full colonies. As prompt attention as possible will be given to all orders, anci satisfaction quaranteed. 7tf-v Address, RUFUS MORGAN, Old Fort, N. C. BEES FOR SALE! Queens from an Imported IWotiier. Full swarms with warranted queens in Langstrotli hives S12,00, or ten for $100,00. lOtf E. C. BLAKE5LEE, Medina, Ohio. 50 COLONIES Pure Italian Bees For $400.00 Slinger— comb rack or box— feeders and all fixtures thrown in — all delivered on cars- in good ortler. Bees liealthy and siro»o, and honev to last till spring. U-11 H. NESBIT, Cynthiana, Ky. TEA-KETTr,E BEE-FEEBEKS, large enough to feed 18 lbs. at a "dose ;" with it, enougli can be given in one day, under favorahle circumstan- ces, to last over winter. Price reduced to 75c., or §1.00 by mail. Quart (3 lbs.) feeder, 10c. : bv mail 16c. A. I. Root, Medina, Ohio. Honey J^Vanted. Will pay cash for nice comb an<> extracted honey cr sell on commissijiia Bee's, Hives and Apiarian Supplies for sale cheaj) nr B AR N U M B ROS. & CO. , 10 Honey Depot, 8S Mass. Ave. IndianapoHs, Ind. CASH FOB BEES-WAX7 Wo are paying 30 cents per pound for yellow bees- wax, in lots of from .50 to 5( 00 or more pounds, deliv- ered at Syracuse, or 31 cents, if exchanged for white wax. If yon have any wax on hand, aixl can deliver it at the above price, please do so, and we will seniB you our check on receipt of the same. Respectfully yours. ECKERMANN" & WILL. 7tf Wax-Bleachers, Syracuse, X. Y. Barnes' patent FOOT POWETS Machinery, Oircniftr Saws, Scroll Saws, Hand circular. Rip saws for general ripping, Lathes, etc. These machines are especially af^apted to HIVE MAKING. It will pay ev- ery bee-keeper to send for onr 4^ page illustrated eatalnguo. W. F. & JOHN BARNES, Rockford, Winnebago Co,, 111. One Hundred Swarms OF PURE ITAimBI BEES FOE Sale in lots of -25 ais .§5.00 each. Single swarms a' ^i'uOO in Langstroth hives — healthy and in good winterir.g- conrtition. 'I-IU ALBERT POTTEK, Eureka, Wisconsin. EVEBY BEE-HIVE MAKER SHOULD HAVE OXE .' ^Vill Ilii>, Cvoss-Ciit. IVIltre. r«al>l>ett, Cjri'oove, and Otlicr "Woi'lc. Every ciit is a Glue Joint. iSnitt/ io Work and EASY 10 LEARN. ■4080 Per Jlinutc against 180 the Best evei- doi>e by the Old Slodt-, iiid Speed is Power. With them the, EJIERY WHEEL can be used as v.-eil a» with Steam, with Great Savin'j; over Grindstones. Also, Band, Jiff & Bencli Saws, B9riu^ Macliscics & Emery KriBiclers, all tor Man, Horse or Other Powers. Vddress, saying where you saw this, COMBINED POWER CO., 3.3 T>cy street, :X. Y. One Copy One Year $1.00. or with Lithograpii of Apiarv. size rixlC, Mailed Free, Postpaid, $1.25 or Litbi*- graph will be sent as a Premium for Two Subscribers at fi'l.QO each. Any person obtaining Three Subacribei-s at 51.00 each, m.iy retain 50 Cents for bis trouble. •' " Five " " " " 1.25 " "■ " " Ten " " " " 4.n« «• " ■Any number above Ten will be sent at the rate of Sixty Cc»ts each. Or. Gleanings , .?1,00 : Three copies. 82,50 ; five, 83,75 ; ten, 8(5.0!). Names may be scut at any time during the year, and whenever a clnb is reache -i)ostroving Queen cells not a preventive of swarming.. 276 Shipping bees by 11. R 28.5, 276 Section boxes for hives crammed with honey 276 l^'ifty cent hives. Preparing them for winter 277 You. g Queens laying drone eggs 277 Q. Frames, Lining end bars with tin 277 Smoker....... 277 Queen rearing ( V ) How we may be mistaken 278 Eees in a city.. , 278 Box Hives not the thing after all 278 Buckwheat— Silver Hull, and the Common 279 Natural or Ariilicial swarming 279 18 Colonies, -450 lbs. of honey from one in one season.. 279 Locust Honey 279 Moving bees short distances.. 280 How to catch all the ants.......... 280 Damages 280 Section guide combs should be leijgth of top bar .281 Qiiet nless stocks seldom carry poUen 281 Bees with not enough to winter; What to do 281 Propolis oi)en frames, etc .28i How to remove the section boxes 284 ^;ide storing boxes, When they are an advantage .281 i'ountlations notes. Five cells to the inch, etc. 285 Will It pay to feed during a bad season ? 286 This 27th day of Oct., we find we have 1810 sudscri- liors. What a multitude of bee friends. May we be en- abled to grow in wisdom correspondingly. IJtIPLIilTlfilVTS FOR BEE CUI/flllRE AE- PHABETIC.4EEY ARUAIVUED. For descriptions of the various articles, see our ninth ?; edition circular found in Feb. No., or mailed on ap- I plication. I This price list to be taken in place o those of former I tiate. I Mailable articles are designated in the left hand col- I umn of ligures; the figures giving the amount of postage % inquired- Bees, full colony amply provided for winters in our new two story, ohaff hive (described Nov. and I»eo.No's .. '76), tested queen from import(jd mother, safe arrival guaranteed §15 00 The same in old style L. hive with portico, etc 12 00 The same with hybrid queen 10,00 The same not provisioned for winter..-. 7,00 We think we ean prepare bees for shipping safely any month ill the year; when we fail in so doing, we will give due notice. 0 I Binder, :KmersOn's, for Gle.\nings. 50, 60, 75 4 I Hoxes, section with comb guides .......... 02 ! Balances, spring, for susi)ended hive( 60 lbs) 8,00 10 I Blocks, iron, for frame making 15 I Barrels for honey,S2,.50, waxed and painted tt.OO Buzz-saw, foot-povver, complete ; circular with cuts free on a)>plication. Two saws and two gauges included. 135 00 0 i Buzz-ssws, extra, 6 in. 1,50; 7 i».. 1.75; 8 inch. . 2 00 I Conlb Foundation .Machines complete..... ..125 00 20 1 Candy for bees* can be fed at any season, per lb. 15 20 Corners, met.-t 1. per huildred 1 00 S5 " " top only...... 125 20 " " bottom, per liundred.i... ... 75 On 1,000 or Wore a discount of 10 per cent, will be made, and on 10,000 25 per cent. The latter will be given to Ihose who advertise metal cornered frames. Chaff cushions for wintering, and for covering honey boxes in suininer, These are madj 16x20x6, but can easily be pressed into a mncli smaller cap or upper story, Tlij chart' used is clean, sjft and free from dust. 601 Each.... .•:0 9 I The same all read.v for the clialT 15 As we purchase our cloth at wholesale, this fs perhaps as cheap as you can make them. Combs, empty worker in metal cornered L. frames. .'',0 10 Cl.isps for transferrinar, package of lOu- 0 Cards, queen registering, per doz... Cages " .... ..... Cheese clot h, for strainers, per yard .... 12 Uuck, for feeding and covering the frames — bees do not bite it — per > d. (29 inches wide) Extractors S8 £0 to 10 CO in«ide and gearing 5 («» I " wax... 4 Frames with Metal Corner? 7 Feeders. 1 q't, tin, can be uied without open- ing the hive, in warm weather— neat ana simple — The same, 2 qts, lo be used in upper story... ai " Sample Babbet and Cla^|)S 10 I " Closed end Quinby, nailed 0 i Gleanings, back Volumes, each I •• present " 40 I Gearing for Extractor 20 I Gates, H^ney, tor Extractors 20 3 50 10 fO 10 0.5 75 100 . . 1 50 50 THE SIMPLICITY HIVE One story Langs'h without Irames or bsttom SI 00 The same with bottom, 10 frames, division board and qnilt, crated so as t j be sent safely by freight or express $2 25. If you decide to use the extractor yon want an extra boily and 10 frames — ^1. 2.5— making complete two story hive— $3.50— or, you can have CO section box- es (two tiers of 50 each) in )dace of the 10 frames, at the saiie price. If you prefer the old style of glass boxes, we can fit the upper story with IS, having glass on four sidles, at 123-2 cents each ; this will make the hive and all cost §0.00. I Chaff hive fok out door wintering. 10 frames below, and 14 frames or 88 section I boxes above, well painted and finished coni- 1 pleie 85 00 These hives, if suppled with stores, will, we hope, need no att'.ntion whatever, from the time honey ceases until it comes again the next season. I One story Quinby hive, 10 nailed irames, I division board and quilt, complete except surplus receptacles — S2 00 I The same with two story 20 frames .. 3 00 Or you can have Instead of the frames above, any of the arrangements lor surplus, mentioned for the Lang- stroth hive. 25 I Hone}', Clover per lb. fOc, Basswood, 15c. By the barrel 2c. less and waxed ami painted barrel included. Honey in section frames or fancy glass boxes, 25c. gross. 0 I Knives. Horev 1 00 0 I Labels-, Honey per 1000 •5-5 0 I Lithograph of Apiary '-5 I Lamp, Nursery '. 5 00 0 I Lai vae, for queen rearing, from June to Sept. 25 15 i Miscroscope. Compound 3 00 0 I Piepared objects for above, such as bee's wing* sting, eye, foot, etc.. each -5 0 I Medley of Bee-lCeepers' Photo's, (150 Photo's) 1 00 0 I Magnilying Glass, Pocket ^ the ijest scieiiliUc and pa-actical Journal of APICUL- TURE in the world. The most successful and experienced ^\i;iariai!S m Exirope, a-s well as America, cojitrilmte to its s:;ngt's. In fact, it is the oldest and laroesi Bke Paper in ^he Enslish lansfuntce. %2, Per Anni;=.n. Send a vStamp for a Sample C&i)j-. Address THOMAS G. NEWMAN, '■J 184 Clark st., Chicaiio, 111. TALLIN 'EEH& .UEEN 300 Colonies for Sale. 'i to lOstockG, each ,, ?«,00 'i.'Jto25 '' " ...7,(0 1 two frame nucleus (frames llxli) 3,50 stolOtwo" " , 3,C0 i four frame ■" 5,00 ~) to 10 four frame " each 4,50 Warranted queens " 1,50 yerdoz 15,00 Tested " each , 2,50 Safe arrival gnarantced on stocks and queens. Sat- i sfaction gnaranteed. Address, J. OATMAN & CO., ■.i!l(' Dundee, Kane Co., ills. For feeding Bees or other purpose^?. 1 have .some good buckwheat honey that I will sell i'ri- seven cts. v>cr lb. if tak'-n a Vinrrel (W gallons) 4,t a jinie. J. L. WOLFKKDEN, . Kd Adams, Wal. Co., Wis. Wc can sell all tlic cxlratted or strainetl honey consigned us at highest market i-ates lor a r<»asojiablc-comfuission. On large consignments we will make liberal cask ndvuaces. We refer to she grocery tvatKi ■gejierally throughout the United States. ir. K. & F. B. THUllBER & CO., D-lJd West Droadwsxs Kcade & Hudson Sts., N. Y. ^^verill Ohemical I*£iin.t* THE OiVi rRELIABI^E, THE 310.!iT BEAUTIFUL. THE MOST ECONOMICAL, THE MOST DURABLE. Requires no oil thiinn^r oil* (hie v, Requires no waste of time in mixitig-, Has stood eigM years' criticisms With yearly increased jwjmlarily And yearly inioxased sales. Is sold by tlie gallon ojily, in packages of from 1 t-o 10 gallons each, in Purest White and asij' Color ov Tint desired. Ad<1ress, for sample cainl of ' 2. .50 " All three, TliC Bee Journals of America,... 5. 00 " British Bee Journal (S2,00); 2,75 " American Agriculturist (Sl.fiO) 12.35 " Prairie Farmer (■'3^2.15) 2.90 " Rural New Yorker ($2..50) 3.25 " Seientific American ($3.15) 3.00 " Fruit Recorder avid Cottage Gardener (Sl.CO) 1.75 [Ahore raf<'s ivcUdc all I'cFtcrr.] 2S3 GLEANING?S IN EEE CULTUKE. 15foiv-. BOOKS for BEE-KEEPERS and OTHERS. [Atiy of these books will bs I'orw.irrteil by mail, post- paid, on receipt of pric3.] Allen's ( L. F.) Am tic.hi ( ' ittle ?2 50 Allen's (L. F.) Riril Architectui-e 1 50 Allen's (R. L.) Aimn-icui Farm Book 1 50 Allen's (R. L. anl L. F.) New American Farm Book 2 50 Allen's (R. L.) Dis uses of Domestic Animals 1 50 Ameriem Blnl F.inciir ^5 American (Vnitl-nnn's Stable Guide 1 25 American II >■• Cult irich-L rider '-i 00 Brills F irm-Gardenin? and Seed-Growing 1 00 Buisf s Fluwer Garden Directory 1 50 Buist's Fi'uilv Kitchen Gardener 1 00 Burns's Architectural Drawini;; Book 1 00 ]}urns's Illustrated Dnxwing Book 1 00 Bunis's Ornamental Drawing Book 1 00 Burr's Vear-jtaliles of America 3 00 Cxldweirs A'iiricultural Chemical Analysis 2 0(J Cmiry Birds. PaiK'r, 50 cts. Cloth 75 Cirp Miters' and Builders' Guide 1 00 Chorlton's Grape-Grower's Guide 75 Cider-Maker's Manual 1 50 CleveUnd's Lxndscape Architecture 1 50 Cobbott's American Gardener 75 Cole's (S. W.) American Fruit Book 75 Cole's Vcteria u-ian 75 Copley's Plain and Ornamental Alphabets 3 00 Cooked and Cooking Food for Animals 20 Crack Shot. (Barber) 1 75 Ci-off's Pro-n-essive American Architecture 10 00 Cummin js' Architectural Details 10 00 D^wld's (Geo. H.) Modern Horse Doctor, 12 mo... 1 50 Dodd's Americui Cattle Doctor, 13 nio 1 50 Dadd's Araericm Cattle Doctor, Octavo, cloth, gilt back 2 50 Dadd's American Reformed Horse Book, Octavo, cloth, gilt back 2 00 Dana's Muck Mmual 1 55 Darwin's Variation of Animals and Plants, 2 Vol's.. C 20 Dead Shot ; or Sportman's Complete Guide 1 00 De Voe's Market Assistant 2 75 DJnka, Miyhew, and Hutchinson on the Dog 3 50 Dowihim^'s Lmdscipe Gardening 6 03 Dwyer's Horse Book 2 00 Bastwosid on Cranberry.. 75 Eggleston's Circuit Rider 1 75 E'i.^leston's Hoosier School-Master 1 25 Eggleston's End of the World 1 50 Egglcston's Jlvstery of Metropolisville 1 50 Eggleston's (G3o. Carv) A Man of Honor 1 25 Elliott's Lin-n and Shade Trees 1 50 Elliott's Western Fruit Grower's Guide 1 ,50 Emerson's Farmers' and Planters' Enc.vclopscdia... 6 00 Eveleth's School House Architecture 6 00 Every Horse Owner's Cyclopajdia 3 75 Farmers' B irn Book 1 50 Field's (Thomas W.) Pear Culture 1 25 Flax Culture 30 Flint (C^^^rlJS L.) on Grasses 2 50 Flint's Jtilch Cows and Dairy Farming 2 50 Fr.ink Forrester's American Game in its Se;ison 3 oo Frank Fon-ester's Field Sports, Svo, 2 Vol's 6 00 Frank Forrester's Fish and Fishing. Svo, 100 eng's. 350 Frank Forrester's JIanual for Yonug Sfwrtsmen. Svo 3 0;) Frank Forrcstei-'s Horse of America. Svo, 2 vols 10 00 French's Farm Drain ige 1 50 Puller's Forest Tree Cullurist 1 50 Fuller's Grape Cnlturist 1 50 Fuller's Small Fruit Cnlturist 1 50 Fuller's Strawberry Culturist 20 Fulton's Peach Culture 1 50 Gardner's How to Paint 1 00 Geyehn's Poultry Breeding 1 25 Gregory on Cabbages T paper . . 30 Gregory on Onions paper. . 30 Gregory on Snuaslies paper . . 30 Guenon on Jlilch Cows 75 Gun, Rod, and Saddle 1 00 Harney's Birns, Out-buildinss, and Fences c 00 Harris' Insects Injurious to Vesetation. . .Plain $!■; Colored Eniravina-s ."^ G 50 ' Harris on the Pisr 1 Henderson's G-xrdening for Pleasure HerrdersoH's Ganlening for Profit Henderson's Practical FJorscuTtirre.--, Hemsley's Haitly Trees, Shnvbs, eSe - Herlsert's Hints to Hoi-sekeepiwg Hooper'sDog ami Gun papir, 30C ^lotb.. Hoojier's Book of Evergreens - Hop culture _ Hunter and Trapper - ; John Andross. (Rebecca Hardin Davis Johnson's How Crops Feed...- ,...,.... " " "■ Grow - Johnson's Peat and Its Uses •-.-.• '>•.--..•- i Johnston's Agricultural Chemistry , ' Johnston's Elements of Agricultural Chemistry Leuclnr's How to Build Hot-Houses '..,.. Lyman's Cotton C^iltnrre Miles on the Horse's Fo t Mohr on tho Grafie Vin* .'. My Vineyard at Lfxkeview Nichols's Chemistry of th F'arm and Sea Norton's Scientific Agricultuie -.. ....... Onion Culture .' Our Farm of Foiu- Acres papr, 30c cloth... Our Digestion. By Dio Lewis Pardee on Strawberry Culture Parsons on the Rose.' By Samuel B, Parsons Pedder's Land Measurer. . . Percheron Horse , Play and Profit in my Garden. Rev. E. P. Roe Quincy (Hon. Josiah) on Soiling Cattle Quinn's Money in the Garden Quinn's Pear Culture &r Profit Randall's Sheep Husbandry Randall's Fine Wool Sheep Husbandry Rand's Flowers for Parlor and Garden Rivers Miniature Fruit Garden Roe's Play and Profit in my Garden Saunders Domestic Poultry ... .pai)er, lOc doth.. Schencks Gardeners Text Book Skillful Housewifery Stewart's (John) Stable Book Thomas Farm Implements and Machinery Thompson's Food of Animals Tim Bunker Papers Tobacco Culture Tuiaiers Cotton Planters Manual Warder's American Pomology Warders Hedges and Evergreens Warings Itr.uning for Profit and Health Waiings Elements of Agriculture Weidenraanns Beautifying Covnitry Homes. A su- perb quarto volume. 24 lithograph pJates, in Whites Cranberry Culture Whites Gardening for the South Youatt and Spooner on the Horee Youatt and Martin on Cattle Youatt on the Hog Youatt on Sheep 1 50 1 5t> 1 50 1 50 7 50 1 75 60» 3 00 30 1 00 1 50 2 00 2 0'> 1 25. 1 75 1 50 1 50 1 50 75 1 00* 1 25 1 25 75 20 60 2 00 75 1 50 fiO 00 50 25 50 00 50 00 3 00 I Ut) 1 50 75 . 75 75 1 50 1 50 1 00 1 50 25 1 50 3 00 1 50 1 50 1 00 15 00 1 25 2 00 1 50 1 50 1 00 1 00 SELECTEU BOOKS. New, novel and useful. Paper. An Eirg FaiTO Cloth Ten Acres Enough 1 25 Five Acres too Much 1 50 Window Gardening 1 50 Purtly's Small Fruit Instructor 25 Carpenters' and Joiners' Hand Book 75 How Plants Grow... 1 25 Everv Woman Her Own Flower Gardener. Paper 50 Cloth 1 00 Earth Closets, and Earth Sewerage 50 Trout Cultxire 1 50 Potatoe Culture 25 How to use the Microscope 75 Jenny Jime's Cook Book 1 50 Scroll Sawing with Patterns 1 00 How to Make Candy -• 50 BOOKS ESPECIALLY FOR BEE-KEEPEBS. Langstroth on the Hive and Honey Bee f2.0;) Quinby's Mysteries of Bee Keeping 1..5(i Bee Keeper's Text Book, mnslin, 75 " " " " paper, 40 The above are good, bxxt are all far behind the times. A INIannal of'Bee-Keeping. by John Hunter .SI, 25 This latter is fully u)) to the times, l)eing as late as Sept., 1875, but being English, a considerable portion of it is hardly adapted to tho condition of bee culture, at present, in our o\vn country. Manual of the Apiary. By Prof. A, J. Cook 3) "This although small, is the only book we h.ive i:> .Vmerica that is entirely xip to the times ; the best tor bcffinner.s. i>i:vote:i> to hhiei^ a.tsx> hoive:^", A]vr> iioivii: iivti^rests. A. I. ROOT, ^ Published Montlily. rXERMS: $1.00 Per Annum in Ad- Ihihlisher ami Proprietor, > -] vance; 3 Copies/o)' $2.50; 5 /o?- $3.75; jTIedina, O. j ZBsta'blislied. in 1873. (.lO or more, 60c. each. Single Number 10c. Vol. IV. NOVEMBER 1, 1876. No. 11 CALIFORNIA. ^^JjEVEN months, steady pull with the bees, during ^jk which cimc one scarcely gets time to breathe, — ^ much less to write, is now followed by the end of the season and a lew day's rest preparatory to get- ting ready for another year's work. I began January 1st with an even hundred stands of bees. 1 worked i)2 of them for box honey, extracting only before the season tor surplus honey began. The others 1 worked exclusively for increase, extracting only as the necessities of giving the young queens room to lay, required. My first two natural swarms came off February 23d. Then followed three weeks of cold damp weather, when, on the loth of March swarming began again and was kept up for a month. Some days 1 had 12, 14, and one day 16 swarms came ofl", until at the end, 1 found the increase to be 150 good strong swarms. The 8, 1 began to divide about the 1st of April. These now number sixty-eight good strong stocks, fully supplied with honey for the rest of the year. From tlie S and their increase, I extracted 971 lbs. of honey. From the 92 stands, I extracted a little over .'.000 lbs., (all with your old extractor) and have shipped 106 cases of comb honey, each case holding about 60 lbs., or 1(',<(0 lbs., making .a trill i over 14'(0 lbs. in all. or 110 lbs. to each original stock. I am now getting ready to go to work at hive and section box making for :"0 stands for next year. All this is the most conflning, hardest kind of vjork. Your extractor bids lair to go through twice the service it has had so far. 1 have never yet had to stop it a moment nor spend a ceni for repairs, but it is not just what we want iiith our thick honey. Here, we need a tank holding one-half barrel right under the machine, into which the honey may pass instantly out of the way, for the gate is too small to carry off the hoiiev. One can uncap and extract three times as fast at the honey will run ofl'. 1 have hal two large tanks made out of 1 ^i inch )nne. each holding 120 gal • Ions, one for white and Ihc other for dark lioney. The honey is drawn from the extractor, straineil into the large tanks, where it remains to seHle, and when perfectly clear, is drawn off into barrels, each holding aljout 283 lbs. net, which is tlie size wc use. Your honey knife ha? dnne all my uncapping, but I'.iat too needs to be made differently. It U too lhi:i, the point having a tendency to go into the comb. If the3" were thicker in the center, or curved as you now jjropose making them, they would probablj' do the work. So many bee-keepers saw your machine and knife laat year that you have had many orders for t;;c knives, but freights arc ngain^t rapid sale of your extractors .Extractors are made in San Diego, of gal- vanized iron, wich a tub underneath, into which the honey runs out of the way and is drawn off at pleas- ure. The mania for extracting honey in this county was at its height in April, when nearly every man with a dozen stands of bees, got one, expecting to get a boat load frcm each hive. A few got the machines without any knife and in trying to throw out the hon- ey without uncapping, succeeded admirably in throw- ing out comb and all. Then too, many took out honey that had not ripened, and spoiled a good market. A San Francisco exporting firm, haO, an agent in San Diego to buy 100 tons at Oj^ cts., but when this raw stuff soured on their hands before it had even been shipped to England, the orders were countermanded and the price fell to 5c and even less. Comb honey has had no market value so far. The best priie offered in San Diego two weeks ago being 6c. Now these prices, or even double, may strike you as rather low ; in fact ive think if we have to sell in sneh a market, we had better get out of the country before starvalicn claims us. It is pretty hard, after working until the last bit of strength seems drawn away, to bo insulted with such beggarly offers lor your labor. An association has been formed and it is hoped it may so get into working order by another year as to sy.itema- tize the sale of our crops. And now, a word about bees in this country. So far I am unable to see any difference in their liabits and instincts. They all get the swarming fever about the dame time, and arc sure to cluster in one great mass if they issue near the same time. Just about as many young queens get lost in fertilizing and about the same proiJortion of old queens die, get superseded, or turn drone layers, and quite as many fertile workers bother us. By the way, did you ever .see one ? I did ten days ago, saw \i with its body down in a drone cell just like a (jueen— laying— but she never drew out thac body to try it again. Since then that hive has let a queen cell hatch and bids fair to come out all right. I have had eight large swarms light in one mass- forming a cluster as large as a barrel. Then such a time to get them hiveil. First provide yourself with as many empty hives as you think you will want and as many queen cages. Then, as all our swarms cluster on low bushes and rest on the ground, run your hand among them until you find a lump, which you draw out and it proves to be a hugged queen- cage— but put her aside, and continue this until you have one tor each hive. Then shovel bees enough into each' hive for a good stock, shut it iip, with ven- tilators, and so en with aU the hives; about sunset, release the queens, by changing the stopper for a 265 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Nov, piece of new coinb filled with lioney and b}- the nest morning they will be all right. I have had swarms fill a hive with new comb and go up into boxes in ten days. One swarm, hived Slay •2Sth, made 15 section boxes ofie lbs. each, besides fill- ing the main frames. These are exceptions, though, and the average as you may see, is this year liO lbs. of both kinds to each old stock, or 47 lbs. nearly for each hive, old and new. And this in the face of an entire loss of the white sage honey, on which the main reliance is placed. The white sage grew up very nicely and began to bloom about the ioth of May, when the ilowers blasted, and the result was, no white sage honey ; and yet our honey is veiy nice and heavy. The season for surplus honey ended generally the 10th of July, ten days earlier than last year, and six weeks earlier than expected ; so you see, as time in honey making is value, we were left with large quan- tities of partly filled boxes. The way the Harbison box is made, admits of the full sections being readily sepai-ated from the others, and from these filled sections we can make up full section boxes. I have used glass at the ends of my section boxes while on the hives. They are readily fastened by using the double pointed carpet tacks at each lower corner and a common tack or tins at the top. I like the glass very well, as it enables one to open his hives and see when the honey is finished without being troubled with bees, and then there are no points of wax fastened to the hives to break off and start the honey leaking. If you can get your fdn. to work nicely, and can furnish them at a price at which they will not cost more than after they are sealed over with honey, this will prove a fruitful field for you. Onr nights being always cold, the ends of the boxes nest the glass are built last, and are often ill shaped ; so, if we had fdn. to put in, if only at the ends, it would save much time and annoyance, waiting for a piece at some lower coiner an inch or two square, to be sealed over. I have many daughters and grand-daughters of one of Dadant's imported queens. They certainly know how to work, but hate to leave a box full of honey. I have had little trouble getting rid of the bees from section boxes, as I pile 50 or GO up close together, and in two hours they fly to the windows of the honey house, which being made of wire cloth, are easily moved and let out a half bushel at once, nearly all of which find their way back. But my experience so far is, that the darker the bee, so long as there is a dash of Italian blood, the more box honey. The verii yellow ones refuse section boxes, altogether. For starters cut new, or at all events, white comb into strips about two inches long, and three or four cells deep. A little fruit kettle with bees wax and resin, suspended over a lamp, keeps the wax boiling hot. Dip the edge of the comb into the wax just enough to fill the lower row of cells, and quickly ap- ply to the frame. A few minutes practice will show what is wanted. I have tried glue and several other mixtures to fast- en in the guide combs, but find nothing so good as pure wax with just a little resin. With this the bees will begin at once to work, and not try to eat oft" the guides and build crooked. Those who have 2C0 to 5C0 hives of bees and four to six section boxes on each hive //i(i«^ have things light to begin with, or there is ti-ouble. Reading your troubles with your smolei; leads me to tell you of the kind used here. Nearly all here use a stove, made of galvanized iron. This stove stands on 4 legs about G inches long, has a body about G inch- es square j.nd 1.5 inches long, with a hearth 4 or 0 inches wide, a ciicular door 3 or 4 inches in diameter in front and one of the same size on top near the front end. A pipe 2 inches in diameter running up about a foot, and then a square angle of 4 to 6 inches, finishes the stove. The cost in San Diego is §5,00 gold. Filled with partly dried wooi], they burn for hours, the dampers fully regulating the quantity of smoke want- ed. They are carried by a handle made of heavy hoop iron over the center. Try one when you next open your crossest hybrid hive and I will guarantee you will suhdi'.e then-. Another item ; I see you yet open your hives and get your fingers stuck up, as well as the bees, with dripping honey. The way we do this thing, is to go to the hives we want to open, raise the honey board and loosen all the combs, then let them stand an hour or two, or over night, when you \x\\\ find all the combs cleaned up so you can handle the frames nicely. I am going to take half my bees to a new location in January, and want your advice as to whether or not hives set 6 feet apart each way as in your hexagonal apiary, are too near. Will this distance work in practice with 300 to 500 hives without losing large quantities of bees and young queens by their getting into the wrong hive ? The bees here are put on stands in rows 16 to IS or more feet apart, 7 hives to a IG feet stand. These stands are made of common fencing boards fastened by 3 cross pieces, and stand on 6 legs each a foot or Tnore long. G. F. Merkiam. San Luis Key, Cal., August 16, 1876. The extractor referred to, was made before we commenced making cur own gates, and be- sides making the exit for the houej- larger, we have improved it in many respects. In regard to a reservoir for the honey beneath, it would make the machine cumbrous, would add much to the shipping expenses, and it would be much cheaper to rigthis part of the apparatus to suit circumstances and persons. We would by all means have the machine so arranged as to have the honey run nut of the way of itself, and in our house apiary, we have a cellar for that express purpose. A side hill for the ex- tracting house, with the tank or barrels to hold the honey, in the lower story, would be a very convenient way. Stopping to empty pails, or to pour it out of the extractor, would be more bother than we should want to stand. "We should have no fear in using hives but 6 feet apart in an apiarj' of any size ; if it were not for extracting, we think thej' miglit be set still nearer. In the house apiar}-, the entrances are little more than 2 feet apart, yet we have lost less queens there than with any other ar- rangement we ever used, but it is doubtless much owing to there being so many sides to the building, that but three entrances are in a row. DEPAKTMENT FOR BOX HITE BEE -KEEPERS. niVIXG A XATrEAJL SWAEM OF BEES. [Y] IFTT years ago the common bee hive of the pioneer 'T' was a segment of a hollow tree, with a board on top ' and sticks acrjss the center, to prevent the new comb from breaking doirn when filled with houey or 1876. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 260 brood. Xext followed the box hive finished somewhat after the fashion of the gum hive. From the first came the appellation of "bee gum." To introduce a natural swarm in ei.her of these, is most easily done by hiving from above, and not from below as my "illustrious prede- cessors" did. This is readily effected by inverting the hive and placing the open mouth immediately under the swarm and almost in contact v/ith it. If they ha%"e clus- tered neir the ground, place the hive on the ground, and as thj height varies, vary the resting of the hive, say on a 1-ench, box, barrel or any object so as to obtain that rela- tive position of bees and hive. If high up on the branch of a valuvble fruit or ornamental tree, draw up the hive and 1-ish it to the branch or some other object to make it secure; then a sudden jar by tapping the limb or other object will precipitate the whole swarm to the lower end of the hi\e. Cover the mouth of the hive ^vlth a board leaving two inches oijen. Immediately upon finding themselves in a dark room, they set up that "happy hum'' indicating delight instead of frixlit, .ind all the bees that hippen to miss the hive will make a rush for it, nij,theycin no': be kept out unless the mouth of the hive is entirely closed up. After a half minute's rest to enable the bees to get a footing, the hive is to be gently raised and placeJ in an upright position, and in five min- utes more it can bo removed to its permanent locality whgre they will begin the cireer of a complete colony. If the s ^varm is high up on the body of a tree or an ob- ject not susceptible of the "sudden jar" I lash the hive securely to the tree or limb and with the quill end of a turkey's wing feather, detach as much of the loicer part of the swarm as I can, letting it fall in the open hive as before. I say lower part of the swarm for there the queen is always to be found in a clustered swarm. I then put on the closing b)ard, the roaring is inst.antly started in the hive and then I gently brush all the bees off the tree, not caring where or how they fall as they are sure to go to the sound in the hive. When they cease to return to the tree I lower them down, ui)right the hive and in a short time place them on their parent stand. Upon the same l)rinciple I hive bees in my triangular hives or in movable frame hives, with this dilference ; I do not invert these hives, but I bring the top of the triangular hive in contact with the swarm, and the slots for the honey boxes just underneath them, or I take out the centre frame of such a " hive of any construction and place it as I do the tii;ingu- lar hive ; then with the quill end of said turkey's feather detach aboat one-third the swarm, dropping them in and through the slots or frames as the case may be, gently pushing in all the bees that lodged on top of the hive, with the feather end. In an instant that welcome roai ing is started, when I displace the balance of the swarm which lodging on top of the hive rush to their compan- ions welcome. When the whole energy of t'ae swarm is directed to the inner hive, I close honey slots or replace ' the movable frame and cut off connection through the top. They then make for the entrance callinrr in a'l ab- | sentees, and in a few minutes the new colony is placed in the apiary. It is the simplest process in the world to ■ hive a natural swarm of bees if they are managed with ] patient gentleness and not irritated by rude treatment. Thousands of men think they know how to hive bees, and yet the use of the veil and gloves proves they do not com- prehend the nature of the insect. I can hive a half dozen swarms in the same time required to make an artificial colony. In fact it can be done sooner than described, raid there is no earthly necessity of using veils or ether pro- tective means. With this mode of hiving a natural cwarm or with any ct'eer mode, the most impoytatit pcf) t cfthe whole transaction is to remove the hive as $cc:i c.s the confttsion of hiving is over and the bees quicf, to seme other Iccali'.y in order to avoid the returning scouts whose explorations of the forest for a hollow t)-ee, may have been successful. If so, whether they find the swarm in the place they left it, or in a new hive they wiU as surely take the colony off to the woods as effect follows cause in any other operation of their economy. Geo. B. Peters. Council Bend, .\rk., Sept. ^^d, 1870. NOTES FROM OUR EXCHANGES. AirEEICAX BEE JOURXAL. THE BEST HIVE FOE AXL PUKPOSES. A paper read before the Missouri Valley Bee-Keepers'' Association, (l^i'^^3pT-^HAT is the best hive for all purposes?'' In what I shall offer I hope I may be able to throw some light on the other question— "the best mode of obtaining bos honey." I will try and give you a description of the hive that I use, and I begin with the frame, which is the most imi)ortant part of any hive. The top bar is a stick of wood ?j inches square, and when used in the hive one comer is uppermost. Mr. Bingham uses them 21 to 22 inches long. I use them 20 in. long, but were I to start anew, I would use them 21 in. long. The end pieces of the frame are | inch thick, IJ origin, wide, and 0 inches long. There is no bottom piece to the frame. We use from 8 to 12 of these frames in a hive, 10 frames are ample for a very, good swarm. The ends being IJi in. wide stard close together when in the hive, and really make the side of the hive. It will be seen that the bees have ample space to pass between the top bars to the surplus boxes. Having'finished the frames I will proceed to the rest of the hive. I have varied my case from that used by Mr. Bingiiam, and as I prefer it, will describe it. The front board is 2 in. longer than the frames over all, that is if your top bar is 20 in , and your end pieces | in., this would make the frame 20 ?4, so this front board would be 22K long. Strips f in. thick are nailed on top and at each end of bottom board : these strips riise the frames and front board t in. from bottom board, and make the entrance for the bees. The back board is precisely like the front board, so there is r.n en- trance front and rear, but in practice we generally (except in warm weather) close the rear entrance by a spare strip ^awed off the proper length ; a rod of iron with thumb screws at each end holds them together. These side boards are G'i in. wile and rabbeted on each edge as represented, and are as long as the bottom board is wide, say 20 or 21 in. Xow this box screwed together with the requisite number of frames makes the hive prop- er. But the ten frames will not ( ccupy all of the bottom board, so that the back board of the hive must be crowd- ed close up to the frames, nr.d by turning the thumb screw will i\ tain iliem as tight as if nailed, but can be instantly loosened by loosening the screws. WHien you do not want boxes on the hive, the cover can be put en and you have a hive complete. I always use a cloth over the frsmes so that the cover does not stick when being re- moved. Xow when you wish to put on honey boxes, re- move the cloth and put them directly on the frames— do not use a honey board. Get your brood and surplus boxes as near together as jiossible, but we have no case for the honey boxes. To have this, put up another box with the rods and screws exactly like the lower one for tlie hive proper, and it mil fit like a glove, the rabbeted edges of the side boards holding it in place, and so on up, aa:j number of stories yon may desire. I may not have made my description plain, but I thirk any cf you with p. a:€chanical tiini of mind can get tie idea. Its advantages are that it is simple acd etc Ep. £fc» solutelv free of aimcracks and traps, vet rcssetsit? ill ll.© 36^ GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Nov. real requisites of a Tir.'.t class luvc. It will be seen that two kinds of pieces are necessary for the mse— side boards niid end boards. Of course you must h;u'e a bottom and ton. The top is any plain cover that will project over all and which is water tight. No hive in the world can beat them for box honey, for the reason that you cau get the brood and honey boxes so near together. I do not speak at random, 1 know what I am talkitig ab'out. Hundreds of these low hives are in pse in this vicinity, and they are fast driving out all other hives, and when they become generally known the name .of their inventor— Mr. Tracy Flynti Bingham — will hold a place among apiculturists, not inferior to Quinby or Ijangstroth. JuLirs Tomlinsox. \ We believe six iuches, is about the greatest •jextrt-mc of .shallowiiess that has been tried or recomencled ; we admit its adaptability for box houej', but we cannat well fail to caution our readers, by reminding- them that great losses in vfiutering have resulted where such hives have been largely in use. It may be the .shallow frame has nothing to do with it, but scarcely one among us has reported the heavy losses Mr. Bingham himself has. We would like to ask if the combs are not very often fastened to the bottom board where such shallow bottomless frames are used. On so long a frame, the bees would probably be so lar from the ends, that we should have little trouble in handling them, even if they were closed ends. May we take the liberty of cautioning en- thusiastic writers about using the names of Quinby and Langstroth in that way ? Per- haps ]\Ir. Bingham himself, feels more pained by it than any one else. Instead of predicting that any one will hold positions beside these names, willit not be best to wait uutil the WDlid .'jhull see iit to accord it them? , ^ BRITISH BEE JOUENAL. I A COUPLE OF HOURS IN A GEEMAJf AMAET. ^ Having occasion to visit the small town of Fursten- ,walde, situated on the river Spree, about 2.5 miles ,from Berlin, I learnt that a member of one of the German Ajnarian Societies had established an apiary in a village at an easy walking distance Ircm the town. He was most kind and courteous, anil after insist- ing on my sitting still, 'to cool myself,' after what, in kierman estimation, was a long walk, he con- ducted me to liis apiary, most pleasantly situated be- neath some tind old trees, which completely shaded the hives from the sun, and enabled the operator to manipulate them, at all hours of the day, without getting violently heated. In the ceutie of a round space about twenty feet in diaineter stood a sc!uai-e .bee-liouse, from all four sicles cf whicli beeb were issuing in large numbers. 'iDo you find that practic- ^ally, it makes any differeritt's wiiich way the hives face ?' I inquired, 'JTot the .slightest,' was the an- swer., Not far rrorn this centre bouse stood the most , remarlxable thing in the whole apiary, namely a ^licleton hive, in which were twelve large bar-frames and a stock of bees, which were then, and had been, busily at work for weeks. I could hardly believe that they wore not robber bees emptying some combs, un- til assured by the bee-master that they formed really a strong and healthy colony. They have been in their present position since very early in the spring, open on all sides and at top, and with no other pro- tection from winds and drifting rain than a sloping boaid fixed about four inches from the top of the bars. I stood for several minutes watching them, .hardly even then able to comprehend the fact that a colony of bees could exist, let alone prosper, with so little protection and so close to over forty other stocks, which, according to our English idea of bee- keeping, ougiit to have attacked and demolished them. 'Do they never rob each other?' I imjuiied of the bee-master. 'Never.' I shook my head in per- plexity and passed on to one of the stands or houses. 'lio you find it most desirable to keep the bees warm in winter or cold?' 1 asked, seeing that his houses were for the most part lined with nearly six inches of dry moss, and that his liives had the same wedged in between them.. 'I have practiaily proved that bees keptasycu see these here eat considerably less du- ring the winter, and are just as strong in the spring as those kept cold ; in fact, I believe they cannot have to great a thickness of moss around tlicm. In winter it keeps them warm, and in summer cool, buc they have, of course, all got a ventilating aperture at top.' 'What about the entrances? Do you contract them at all or not ?' 'On th:it point there is a diver- sity of opinion, but as lar as my apiary is concerned, I never make any difference between spring, summer, autumn, or winter.' 'So,' I replied, and passed on to what, as the bee-master told me, were the newest and best hives in Germany. I must endeavor to. de- scribe them. The hive itself is about two feet long by about twelve or fourteen iuches wide, has a round top, is made of straw and is well painted, and con- tains sixteen bar frames. 'Di5 you let your hives swarm naturally?' I asked. 'If they will do so sufllcientiy early; tliat is to say, those which will swarm I let swarm and those which won't I divide.' But do you not lose many ? Do they not often Settle on one of the trees \vliere it would be difficult, if not impossible to hive them?' 'Never,' he answered, 'for the simple reason that 1 always 'make them settle where I wish, often on my hand.' Tlic bee-master lauglied on seeing my look of slirpl'iso. 'This ap.pareritly wonderful feat is very easy of accomplishment,' he said ; 'I cut the wings of a'l my (jueens, so that, when one leaves tlie hive, she falls to the giound; and I or my wife, being always on the look-out, catch her and put her in n small cage, which I place wherever I desire the bees to cluster, or hold in iiiy hand, from whicli, in a few minutes, I have thousands hanging.' I may here mention that most of his hives arc more or less fixtures, that is to say, that three and foitv stocks live in one large hive, being separated from eacli other by dividing- boards, which he finds a great saving of ti'oi'ible and eriuftlly good for the beeS; 'Do you feed much ?' I askCd, seeing a number of shallow tin trtiyS. 'in spring I feed but not at all in slinnner ; sugar is too dear in Germany (best loaf sugar erf per lb, and often 7c?.).' 'Do you know the bottle feeders' I asked. 'Yes : but for sjiriug feeding I pre- fer the shallow zinc or tin trays, which I put into the hive, and from which the bees will feed, when they would not touch the syrup if given to them in a bottle at the top of the hive. I have had almost every feed- er that has been invented, and tried them all; but must confess that, according to my experience, noth- ing beats this at once simple but efflcient method.' I enquired if he had ever had foul brood in his apiary. 'No,' he answered ; 'but since Herr Emil Hubert's valuable discovery of a cure for this former- ly fatal disease German bee-keepers no longer diead it.' 'What !' I exclaimed in surprise. 'Has a remedy bnen discovered which is really lo be relied upon?' 'Yes,' he replied; 'a remedy which will effectually 1870, GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 268 (uuc tlic disocasc without the destruction ol' a single bee, or the loss Ola drop of honey or of an atom of comb. The discover of the remedy cured 25 Ijadly ;;fi"('cted stocks--, and other bee-keepers have cured lliirty and forty without a single failure.' 'And what is thi?, to bee-keepers, really priceless treasure ?' I enquired, eagerly. 'Salicylic acid.' 'This news is ceitainly as wonderful as it is important,' I said. 'But how is it used ?' '1 will lend you a paper giving a full description of the discovery and the means of preparing and using the preparation,' said the bee- master. 'Many thanks— 1 should be charmed to read it,' I answered. And from this paper I have extrcted the following lines :— 'Put 50 gramms [ 1 lb. ] of the best crystallized acid into a bottle with eight times the weight of good spirits of wine, and cork it up till required for use. This (|uantity of the acid should not cost more than a lh:iler [ 3s. ] and will be found fiifficient for about 13 uccks. The salicylic acid thus prepared should be mi.Ked uith water in the proportion of one dro]) ol the spirits of «ine and acid to one gramm of water [a gramm is the one-hundreth jjart of a lb.]. The water employed for this purpose should, if possible, be soft, and of a temperature of not less than 13° Reaumur [o'.r Fahr.], as otherwise the acid i? likely to crystal- ize, and also Ihe brood would be chilled. With this weak preparation of the acid, tlie combs and brood, as well as (he hive Itself, of an affected stock should be well sprinkled, after, of course, having thoroughly shaken the mixture. The combs are to be replaced in Uicir lilves as soon as the operation is completed; and if the above proportions have been strictly adher- ed to, it win be found that, though the young brood will not have been in Iho least injured, yet the virus of the disease will have been elfeclually destroyed. .Sliould the weather be cold, the hive should be taken to a warm room. Care must be taken not to let bees from neighboring hives suck the afl'ected honey before the application of the acid.' Amongst other things he told me that he had that spring used the salicylic acid as a preventative against foul brood, having mixed it with the sj rup. Salicylic acid is said to be used as one of the best remedies for diphtheria, etc. In the provinces of Hanover and Brandenburg he tol<;, AND ir.EAVlI\X; IT ON, A]>» AUOFNDXHE SECTIOO* BOXES, AEE SVMItlEK. ¥OUR letter of inquii-j- of tlic 5tli is at hand. I see by Gleanings this season, that you are on the — right track now to winter and spring your bees Euccessl'uUy. Don't, I beg of you, make a failure of chaft" packing, as you have of so many other exiieri- ments you liave tried in ihe past three years. M you fail in chall' packing, in my Oi-inion you can have no possible excuse to ofl'er, except lack of thoroughness in doing it. You ask somewhere in last Gleanings, about packing underneath the hive, I started with the idea that the under packing was most important of all, and am so well satisfied that I shall make no ex- periments on that head, but let every one pack as he pleases. If you are going to let the frost in at the bottom, why keep it out at the top? You might as well lock your front door against a thief, and leave the back one wide open. Buckwheat chaff is not po- rous enough lor top packing, I prefer very coarse dry sawdust, as I am firmly opposed to any absorbent. I want the moisture to pass off freely, and get entirely rid of it; then, at any time I put my hand between the pillow of sawdu3t, and the woolen blanket ii.nder- neath, I always find it dry and warm, and they are also very handy to examine, which it is well to do once or twice between Xovember and April to know that they have suflicient stores, as you know that some stocks will persist in eating just about three times as much as others. If any are found short of rations, lumps of loaf sugar can be put under the blanket. 1 commenced feeding two stocks ilius last February, and brought them through nicely; of course I com- menced feeding before they were entirely out of hon- 63'. I have very little confidence in ycur house apiary, with the thin paper walls, for wintering bees. If you will get two good thick doors, and have both shut tight on list, then jjack your house outside with 6 inches of chaff or sawdust, and put pillows of saw- dust on each hive, you can probably winter bees well enough in it. You say you can pack them in the house very readily, but that would leave the side next the thin pajier wall exposed, without any protection whatever, unless you draw the frames all back, put in a division board and pack between it and the wall, extending the entrance under the packing. Last win- ter, you probably had not as manj' bees in fen of your hives in the house apiar}', as I had in one of my non- swarmers. I have no objeclion to the house apiary as I have it, tor wintering or springing bees, and the}' will work and store just as much honey through the summer, but it is a very inconvenient plan in which to handle brood or boxes, and bees are much crosser. I can handle them twice as fast out of doors, where I can get at them on all sides. I run two stocks in the packing boxes this season ; one swarmed out the sec- ond time, and insisted on having a new hive. I bothered with them about two hours more or less, trying to get them to go back into the old hive full of emiJty frames, but did not succeed. I finally gave them a new hive and had peace ; but then I had one or two others that insisted on having a new hive in the same way, that were not jiacked. How quickly such swarms would go to the woods if their queen ■was not clipped. They had to be humoi-ed and have their own way at the time, and afterward I had mine, as the next day I lified the rack of boxes from the old hive into the new, and in five days I filled the new swarm out with the old brood combs, leaving only such now combs as were nearly finished. The other hive that was packed (both L. with the packing under and on the sides to the top of the brood cham- ber, none around the boxes— large entrances on both sides at side of comb) had to build several brood combs, and did not swarui, but large quantities of of bees covered the sides of the box all summer, as the heat from the Ijrood was all retained. Another hive was run in a box without packing, using only the roof to cover the boxes; this hive hung out less than anj- other, and seemed to do well ; it was ventilated throu' the bottom of the box. And now, to sum up this mat- ter of winter protection : My conclusion at present is, that the best and cheapest way to do it is to ailopt the closed end frames, and make the outer case so as to be right for chaff box in winter, and shade for the hives and boxes in summer. If the cases are made high enough to cover two tiers of boxes on top, then for winter the hive can be raised up 5 or (i inches on a false bottom, and packed under and all round, and still leave 4 or 5 inches between the pillows and the roof. I find with practice and a little little instruct- ion from those who have used them, that I can handle brood and hunt up queens, early and late in the sea- son, with more facility, than with the hanging frame, of same size, and you are aware that I don't propose to handle brood combs much in the height of the sea- son. Such frames are very hand}' for nuclei, and I don't see why they would not be handy to extract from, but I say let every one use that which suits him best; as in my opinion there is a great deal more in this bee culture, than the mere dollars and cents we are likely to get out of it. You probably opened your bee house door, and let the light shine into the boxes through the glass on the inside, and for that reason they worked stronger next the wall, where light was excluded. At all events, I found at once V7hen I commenced using the bee house, that I would have to shade; and have done it with building paper tacked on to a light frame. Where they are thus shaded from the light, and stocks are strong, I find they generally store honey rather faster in the inside row of boxes, than in those next the wall, unless the yield is slow, or the weather cool. If you make the sides of your rack or holder of ?i or '^a inch stufl', and as wide as the boxes are high, you will exclude the light, and retain all the heat necessary. I understand that the most extensive lioney produ- cers in the States, don't use a particle of glass about their hives. If they can run thousands of stocks in that way, it strikes me, that we ought to be able to run a few dozens. I knov»' this is different from what I talked last winter, but like yourself I claim the right to reverse former conclusions, when I see they are likely to block the wheels of progress. I probably would not have replied to your letter at all, but the other day I saw your extractor in Mr. King's office, in New York, and I was so well pleased with it, that I ielt that the bee-keepers of the country owe you a debt lor perfecting and cheapening that implement. Your section boxes don't suit me at all, for manj' reasons, and then the course you take in regard to the fdn., why, lor box honey I put them alongside of glu- cose ; the customer that buys comb honey, io entitled to what the bees make, but you sell him wax fdn., lience you i)erpetratc a fraud, and ought to be put in the "Humbug and Swindle" column. When I get my hive to suit me and know just what frame I shall use and no other, I will order an ex- tractor from you. My apiary has been an experi- mental one so i'ar, and will be ior one season more at least. It looks to me now as though I should settle down on a frame with closed end 11 'i inches high, and 18 in. long outside, as I have several of that size, and the combs in tliroe- fourths of mv hives will fit such a frame. "J. P. Mooke. Binghamp.ton, N. Y.. Oct. 9th, 1S76. 1876. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 270 IS OUR OCCUPATIONAL UNHEAL,TIIY ONE ? l^pJjHIS hiis been a good season for this section of the 31 country. Last fall I had 1!» stocks, wintered a part in the cellar, the balance on summer stands well packed in hay, blankets, quilts etc., the front as well a? the rest of the hive, and the entrance covered with hay. For strong stocks it is less trouble than carrying in and out the cellar. I lost one in the cellar and one on the summer stand, they were starved. Then 7 dwindled down in the spring so I had only 11 in May. They have increased to 19 aaain mostly by natural swarming. I could have increased more but I did not care to. I tried Butler's plan and like it. When a swarm came off, I put it in a hive nearly filled with brood and combs, and mov- ed th3 surplus boxes or frames from the old hive to the new one ; then in a day or two I put a swarm in the old hive and ga\'e them boxes to liiiish. I did five or six so, and I think it is a gaod way to m.ake honey. I have sol.l 5110.00 worth of honey this summer, ex- tracted and co'.nh, at 20c. and 30c. retail, wholesale at 17c. and 25c. in frames or small boxes. Mj bees are in better conditiDii than last fall. I don't think I shall feed any this fall. I have been sick for so ne weeks now, a pain in the head, and unable to stoop or labor. I am afraid working in the hot sun Vv'ith the bees has made my head bad. I Winder if it shortened the lives of Quinby, Grimm, Hamlin and others. Do you know of a modern bee-keeper who has lived to 70 ? I am nov/ G5. D. Wi.VFiELD, Hubbard, Ohio, Sept. 28th, 1876. It has bcca several times sug<;ested that be- ing stung so much was injurious to the health, but never before so far as we remem- ber, that tlie pursuit W3.s deleterious in other respects. So far as the hot sun is concerned, there is no ueccessity at all for it. If your bees are shaded as they should be during the hottest months, y^a will not need to stand in the sun, and the stooping can be obviated by raising the hives a little. If you are not iu a particular hurry, you can get a comfortable old chair and sit down at it ; we often do this when tired, and if onr implements are arrang- ed conveniently, it is not so very tedious after all. We believe that it has been pretty well demonstrated of late that even the stings have no worse effect on the system, than would so many slight bums. For an old gentleman, tlie house apiary would be very nice. The gentlemen you have mentioned, all lived to rather more than the average years, and iiad 3Ir. Grimm remained in his apiary, instead of talking the cares of a bank, it is thought he might have lived still longer. We have great nitmbers of instances where in- valids have recovered and become tougli and strong, by going to work with bees in the open air. In my own case, I find it almost impossible to work in-doors more than a coup- le of hours at a time, especially at severe men- tal work, yet I can work among the bees, and be "happy all day long", without so much as ever thinking of one hand being less efficient than the other. The right hand that seems almDsl useless with a pen or pencil, never ihinks of weariness, when manipulating frames and hives. And v.'ho can tell, but one who has had actual experience, of the ditler- oa-je one f^els when coming to the dinner table ? After a forenoon of indoor v.'ork, Ave are crippled, pinched anees .tiud ru-bbi^h tusivble out, of thwnseh'es almost, .and auy araofiuitof cutraoco oi' ventilation caa ibe readily givt?u without -auyMiiug loose to tumble ivDuud. Our iiivcs that w^re filled •clear up to the fourth story this season, were •of this description. Perhaps it may be well to ;add here, that although bet« %vHl carry honey lup to this h-eight — they worked in ■section 'boxes on the top of tiie thiixl storj' — yet Me do Giot fiml it very ■goctl economy, for th'ey did anuch tetter Mhen wo took out th« second and the third sto5-ie^, aixl placed the sections di- ffecily over the brood. jiEE eota:n¥ and entomology. A liEAF FKOM: the BOOK OF NATURE. "W'T was the flrst day of our county fair, ^about 10 o'clock iu the Riorniug, of a most ^jeautiful 4Sept-ember day, I was balloonist, and had just set atoat a sufficient number of the colored tissue paper globes to set all the ijuveuiles wild with delight, and to induce as well, a crowd of older children to turn their spectacled gaze aloft, while the balloons grace- fully soared heavenward. I too admired them, but soon my attention was taken with some- thing, to me far more entrancing. It seemed at first to be a dense cloud of musquitoe*:, but as I came nearer, they had more the move- snents, and appearance, of bees at swarming time. I forgot the swarms of humanity about Ene and drew near tiie insects, v/oudering if it were not possible a Kind Father would unfold to one of his children, something of the bidden sind mysterious laws that governs this phase of insect life. By ascending a little eminence I was enabled to get much nearer the phenom- ena, and finally a light breeze, wafted the swarm so that it completely enveloped me. ."My thought was, "why do these insects sport thus, and for what puriwse do they thus con- j^regate and dance iu tlie sunshine?" After a few minutes of close attention, I discovered audividuals dropping straight downward, and when the eye had been trained to take note of these, the falling became so plain that they resembled drops of rain. I looked at my feet, and in one minute more, I knelt iu the grass, and with uncovered head, thanked the great Author of the universe for guiding ray stumb- ling footstejis, where I might behold the open pages of tills great Ijook of nature. The insects — small black Ijees they seemed — were drones and queens, and although I might never witness the actual meeting of the sexes of the honey bees, here the phenomena was spread out before me in countless thousands ; could I help thinking there might at least be an analogy? Did it ever occur to you my friends that it i.s singular how queens and drones could meet when they both seemed to f4 LOWER STORY, 14;;£X18%, FOR 10 BROOD COMBS. 14 FRAMES CROSSING LOWER I A A A A A, are the seamless corner posts, and B B B, the home made siding, etc. The reason why we make our siting only 3 inches, is that our largest saw will only cut that depth. This half inch stuff only costs us i-o cent per foot, besides the sawing, and by turning the smooth side inwards, we can make a very pretty hive, to be set in these chaff boxes. Just think of it ! An L. hive one story with bottom nailed, can be made with less than 3c. worth of lumber, and I have been making just such to-day. If you think such hives are not good looking when painted all up nicely, with the roof and corners a shade darker in color, perhaps we shall have to give you a picture of one. The greatest expense is the roof, and as the cover to the Q. hive is heavier than we feel like using, we shall make a permanent cover Z, over the outer box, and have the cover that is movable, only over the frames. As the upper story contains 14 frames, it can be used much like the long hives for extracting, the lower storv being reserved entirely for the brood and win- tering apartment. We have no fear at all that such a hive will be too warm in summer, with the large entrance we have given, and if we cannot find some way to keep the bees at work after we have a hive full, we shall be forever contented with the name of Novice. If the apiarist can stand working in the sun, perhaps the grape vines may be dispensed with, and a little village of these permanent hives, would be a pretty sight indeed. We studied harder over a light cheap cover, made of this same cheap lumber, than perhaps any other part, and we wasted lumber, tin, time, money, and patience enough to almost make us sick, before we were perfectly satis- fied with it, but we got it finally. After your lumber is all cut up"2 feet, rip up for siding only such as will shed rain, using the knotty and shaky pieces for the bottom of the hives next the ground. Perhaps i^ of the whole will be thrown out thus ; the bottom is naiUd on the last thing, just after filling in the chaff, and to do this, the hive is inverted. After flie chaff is well packed down, we lay on a piece of tari'ed building paper, then nail on the x UPPER STORY, 11 INCHES DEEP. LOWER STORY, 9}4 INCHES DEEP. rough boards. This keeps out all dampness. For the covers, sort out the best of the siding ; run these over the buzz saw so as to cut each piece nearly in two in the middle. Now nail them to a 5 inch ridge board beveled inward with the buzz saw as at X, letting them bend at the saw cuts Y. To make the joints be- tween the siding iised for the roof water tight, groove the edges ^4 deep with a thin saw thus : m^Bi^ ^^^^^^ ^-^ ^ i^ After the cover is nailed to X, lay it on the saw table, and trim it square and true, then slip in 1^ in. strips of tin folded lengthwise as shown at E, slightly trough-shaped. These will never check being so narrow and the tin slips will allow them to shrink and swell, and yet the cover is very light. Z is the perman- ent roof that covers the chaff, and it is made with a lip on the upper edge, that just reach- es up inside the strip? that are nailed clear around to the under side of the cover. This lip is easily made with the Iduzz s.iw, and the four pieces Z, are put together like a picture frame, before nailing to the top of the hive. Bees in these hives will need no care what- ever we hope^ from October, until May follow- GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Nov. Or Letters from Those "Wlio Have Made Bee Culture a Failure. ^"jip^ EAR GLEANINGS :— I have spent the day in read- jF|J|) ing Gleanings for October. To say I am sick, — would beafaint expresskn of my maladies, after reading the favorable reports cf all bee-keepers all over the Union, and then comparing my condition and ex- jiericnce this year. Could I but tell you one half our troubles in this vicinity you would at once condemn us all ; I mean a vast lange of country, to t!ie list of Blasted Hopes. But no, I have hopes in the future, though 1 may have to import bees to commence with next spring. I wrote yen in the fore jiart of the season in good spirits and with great hopes of a pros])erous season, and now I write you with blasted hopes and mined apiaries. I cannot see what our people iiave been guilty of that we should be thus deprived of all the sweets of natures nectar so bountifully bestowed upon the rest of the world, yet it seems to be so and a^ it is the decree of pro- vidence, we must not complain. To illustrate I will give you a slight history of my home apiary and that will be a fair illustration of three others I have in other parts of the country. In June our bees were doing well, nearly all full and all sealed honey and brood in the main hive and some had commenced in the boxes. But alas ! Their work was done, they commenced uncapping and consuming their stores and by the last of July there was very little sealed honey in the hives, breeding ceased and all were idle. In August some commenced filling the empty comb and some starved and left their hives ; some left the hive after having returned several times, clustered on fruit trees and died. Others forced other hives and were kill- ed and none have now sealed honey at all. One of my neighbors had ten stands in August, and in September seven of them came to my apiary and were destroyed. I examined the hives they left, not one drop of honey or pollen was there. The latter part of September my own bees began to leave their hives and enter others, and thus many were destroyed. The 13th of October caps the cli- max ; a lady asked me if I knew my bees were swarming, behold the air was full of bees. Soon they selected a hive and commenced entering. I closed the hive and they set- tled on the top. I secured the queen, supposing they would return to their hive, as the lady called to me that there was another swarm out. They settled with the first ; I soon found their queen and secured her. As I caged the queens and returned to the bees another swarm was settling with the two first. Their qiuen was soon imprisoned by the bees and I caged her. On my return to the bees another swarm of my own was issuing and settling with the three. I soon secured the fourth queen, and by the time I had her securely caged, behold, here comes the fifth swarm, apparently from the woods. Now, my friends, if any of you can, in the month of October, pile up five swarms of bees, and secure and cage live queens in fifteen minutes, you may take the horns. My bees re- turned to their respective homes and I restored their queens. The other two I gave a hive and both queens witli some honey in comb. Now what could have caused this flurry with the bees ? My own had honey, but very little sealed ; one of the oth- ers came near half a mile, luuX the fifth one, I think, came from the woods. I sujiiiose it was the prospect of starva- tion. In nearly two hundred stands under my control, I do not think there are ten that have ten pounds of honey in the hive, and many that have not five ; some not three, so you see I am a legally nominated candidate for blasted hopes next spring, but I will not serve if I am elected. WINTEEING BEES BY BVRYING THEM. Some time since I i)iomised to give a sure process of wintering bees on short allowance. In the fall of 187i I had S( ven stands of bees in box hives on a farm on which I had a tenant who robbed them so cl)se he killed two of them before frost. The others were alive and we found on examination two had not over three pounds of honey each, and the others not over eight. As I was giving di- rections how to arrange things for the winter he said : '•What shall I do with the bees? Bury them?" Said I, •'Bury them as you Mould potatoes. Dig a pit two feet deep, put the bottom board in the bottom, set the hives in and fill around them with dry leaves or straw to the surface of the ground, then shovel on the dirt un'.il you are svire the frost can never reach them ; then lay up some rails around so nothing can disturb them, and cover with boards that the dirt may be kept dry ; make a shallow drain to carry off the water, that it may not soak into the pits, and your work is done until the middle of March. Then resurrect them and set them in their respective places." He followed my directions to the letter and I never saw brighter bees in ray life than they were in the spring, and they were far ahead of strong full colonies that stood on their summer stands. I buried five stands last winter, which did better than any in the vicinity. A. J. Savage. Lakeville, Stoddard Co., Mo., Oct. 15, 1876. The picture is truly a most dishearteuing one, but there is a sure and certain remedy, if we can only have the courage to buy the sugar. We usually have a dearth of honey in our locality that brings about just such a state of affairs, if something is not done to Iceep brood rearing going, and to forestall swarming out. The first colony we ever own- ed, was one that starved out in August. The remedy is to keep a barrel of cheap sugar in some sheltered place, and let the bees work on it whenever they will take notice of it, and you can rest assured they will not go near it whenever forage of any kind is to be had in the fields. Our own barrel was unnoticed this season after clover was fairly out, and they did not go back to it until late in September. Tip the barrel on its side, and when they grt it worked over into hue dry sugar on the sur- face, roll the barrel partly over, to give them a fresh surface. It will give constant employ- ment to all troublesome robber bees, will keep any colony from starving, will prevent your bees from ever going into the groceries for sugar, or from swarming out, even if you for- get and neglect them, and it is probably the cheapest food that can be given in warm weather. The thing for our friends to do now, is buy sugar and get some confectioner to make it into candy for him. The candy after many experiments, seems to be rather prefer- able to loaf sugar, yet it might be well to give lump sugar a trial, where so mi;ch feeding is to be done. Such seasons are liable to come in any locality, and it would be well for us all to be on the lookout for them. Buy the sugar by all means, for your bees will in all proba- bility pay it back next season in three or four days. To carry them through will not exceed $2"00 worth of candy on an average, even if they are doubled up so as to be good strong colonies. If buried or in a good strong cellar, perhaps half the amount. We opine this burying will only answer in dry sandy soils, for in our own clay soil, it is almost impossible to keep sucli a pit from be- ing damp and wet. Where successful, all seem to agree that the amount of food con- sumed, is very trifling. £876 ^LEA^HINGS IN BEE CULT"URE. 270 UMllh FroHi Diifereiit Fields. ■^ fi»i'Y ■second storj' is a lioop six inches deep. Instead \ /\ of trasnes, i propose to iise sl;Ks of tlxe saine widfii "^ '' as mj section boxes. Thi section boxes are to be .listened to tbeundeiade oT these slats, by means of doub- Aq pointed carpet t.-wks; ohc point being driven into tlie edge of the slat, tlie other, into tJje edge of tne box. One tack on eaoJi Kde will liolel the iMxes perfectly tight. 'Tlieso boxes can thus be ftetencd to each slat, a piece 'M i:.ch sfiuareis to be 'laid across thelrames to give support to the middle section box. Thus arranged, the boxes, three at a time can be -easily lifted on't for examination, •;uid replaced if necessary. K Hie section Ijoxes rest di- rectly on the'iraines, or'cros! slats, it is dilScnlt to replace them, owing 'to the propolis vrilh which they are fasteiied. 1 propose to put strips of g?ass 2 iitches wide, and Vd or ■vi2 inches long, in tlte sides of the hooiK so that I can see what the bees are doing withovit the iiecessity-of smoking them. What think jo^i o^ my 1^x311* The idea is iK)vcl, -and may provt? •a v-ery good one. We tiiiiilc no support will be need- fcd in liie middle, for liie boxes will be tightly ■giuni'n'e<:l tog^tlKr before tlvey are fill-ed, and they will in this -condition give stiffness to Ih^e top bar. Th-e ereat objection, will be the proiv olis that covers the bottom ami «juds, which anars *30 mucii t-he bca-nty of the clean v\'Ood, .tir.d the bits of wax that will be, with some stocks, built between the sections and frames. IV-e find much less of this propolis in the 'house apiary, and have just be(n wouderiDg if it were not because it is so much warmer. Thin stufi- to go all round the sections anv1 'j.rolect their exterior, such as Doolittlc uses, ^vould be nicer, Init it would tak-c up room in .the hive, and add to t]ic expense, if I ttesti-oy Ciuetii cells just before swaiining time, •can I thus -certain^ly pr-evcut swarming? Will a second oxam illation Ije Jiectssa ry S Ls it advisaWe to piusue this <-ourse ? J. H. P., Fr.'uildin, N. Y. By IK) ra-eans, for the It-aliaus often swarm without the sigii of a queen cell. A second •examination may help the matter, hat will 350t make a sure thing of it. We believe it 5ias Ixjen voted that cutting out; the queen <,el)S is not mu-ch to be deix}nded on. I was x^greeably surprised when I learned that you had •^eiit me a colony of your bees, and could scarcely wait un- til they ariivcd. I received them yesterday at noon— Thursdoj" — and at once took them out home. In openiiig Ihein I was very fortunate, beirg stung but twii'e. As far ■ys I cculd tell, they can i2d very well. At 3 o'clock in the Jif teriioon 1 received jour postal and queen, the former oxplaiiiing the latter. I was somewhat alarmed tlien lest the bees might go away, being queenless, and consequent- ly hurried out home to give them the queen. I did as you directed on postal and will liberate her this evening. i am vciy well satisfied with them, and feel somewhat 3ike the boy with his first whistle. I came very near ■■■gi\ing up the fort" yeste.'xilay afternoon by running; i iiuil three l>ees on two fingere, * each one stinging me. Tliis makes five times, and I will soon become accustomed to the poison at this rate 1 WiU this colosiy swarm again this year? You say there live about fifty pounds of honey in the hive. Do they need til! of this for winter? ^Tould it be l^csfc i ot to take any f')! it out? I could not couiplniri cf the i)rice at all, con.- siderii'.g the koney and the hive. The express charges were ?8,0G, making it cost me Sl8,00, which I will not be- grudge if lean but winter them safely. My lices are working niceb' now. Saw the flueen to- day, til 3 first time since I put her with them. Do yo« ever sell CLueens ? At wknt price could you seH them ? E. B. Thoe>-tox. Bedford, Iml, Aug. Vth, K76. Abofit the last of -fuly we took a notion into our head that if we wished to answer the many qiicrics in regard to shipping bees wie iiad better make some practical experiments, and an order coming to hand opportunely, we flxed one and sent it along. The colony vv^as too heav}- to be crowded into one story, so we moved the hive, and put our new one in its place, putting in all the brood combs, and as many bees as wc could get in. To our dis- may there wai^ hardly even a brood comb, that was not so lieavy that we feared it would all be smashed down during such hot weather; we flxed it to our notion, and sent it away, but when it was weighed, wc found there must be something like 50 lbs. of honey. That was not all the trouble, w-e gave the re- maining bees the comljs that had been in the tapper story, and a queen cell, but by the way it was soon torn open we knew they had a queen, and ehe proved to be the one that should hare been sent with the swarm. "Was'i-t that bright! Sending the queen by mail, and the bees by express ! Now we de- termined to see if Doolittle was right in say- ing' the honey would be. moved into the sec- tion boxes above ; so we gave our colony another cell, and watched their behavior when the queen began to lay, for there was hardly a sxiuare inch of empty space for her to begiu work in. Sure enough they did move the honey into the sections-, hardly as much as we expected, but they are now a pretty fair colony, with solid walls of houey on every &ide of their circle of empty cells where they will pass the winter. We shall report the effect of so much honey for wintering. I wintered last season, two small nuclei (on four Gallup frames each), and as they increased in the spring, gave theoi larger hives and oMiJ^^/ frames, until, on the sixtli inst., one of thera threw ott an enorsiously large swarm from a crowded two story hive, notwithstanding I had several tioies extracted all their honey and destroyed queen cells to prevent swarming. Vigor jus treatment of a like nature ha.s with difficulty restrained the other from swarming, I hare no more prosperous colonies than these two. One year ago last winter. I wintered two nuclei in the same small hiver, with like results in the following spring and summer. G, E Coebin. P. S.- On the 18th day of Ma.v last, I destroyed every queen cell in a jirosi^ei-ous' colony, which nevertheless, swarmed out on the -iOth. Since that time they have filled 12 gallup frames with comb and brood, and swarmed out a second time. These bees are hybrids. G. C, St. Johns, Mich., July 10th, 1870. Will you please tell us friend C. just how you prepared those nuclei to winter thus, and where they werc kept; just now it will be quite an interesting item. I have -i-oOO lbs. first quality linden honey, extracted for which I will take 10c per lb., and -2000 lbs. fall honey at !tc ; fall honey is good. Geo. ?.I. Dal]-, Border Plains, low.-., Oct. 1. lS7tJ. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURK Nov. The two aOc lath hives that j- m sent me came throir' all right at fart, although they were a long, thi^e on the jonrnc}- (freight charges Sl,45). I went to work on your speciilcations given in June Nc. of G-lean- }\GS, gtt up three or four lath hives and had bees in tljrea of them before youra arrived. They appear to be just the th- thing- for hot summ-ers like thi-s, bnS just how they will stand one of our Illinois wiivters i's the next qiescian. \yill oat eiiafS be the thing ? Bees began swarming earlier than cmuraoB here this season. Had the llrst swarm May 30th. This spring, I liad M stocks, n?ative bees, lost none last winter; all remained on their sumn>er stands. By the middle of June or 20th at farthest I bad as many good strong young stocks as old ones ,' and by the 10th of July, they were just three to one .' my first swarm having turned off a swarm whteh 1 think will fill theii hive. But the most unusual thing with me is, I had not one swarm to leave the hive after being pirt in, nor one giy oQ\ or leave for the woods. W. LE^rIS, Kappa, Ills., St3pt. llth, 1876. Take away all frames that remain unfilled or that contain but little honey, and close up the side boards so as to occupy a» Itttle room as may be ; then cover the whole with such | cloth as is used for j^rain bags. Transfer i them t-hus prepared into an empty box, and pack chafl' all around. Fix the entrance- to exclnde mice, but so the bees can pass, and be sure the boxes have a good roof to keep the chaff dry. Honey trade has been very lively of late. I have perhaps never sold as many ban-els of honey in one month as I did during this September. Chas. F, Muth, Cincinnati, O., Sept. 29th, '76. The idea that a young qneen will lay but few drone eggs is quite erroneous. That ymtnr/ queens geijerally do not lay as many drone eggs is no ijroof that they will not under favorable circumstances. I have been testing tliis theory for three years past aud I know my young queens by as many drone eggs as the old ones, and that too in one week after they begin to lay. I have had many swarms issue in from one to four weeks after the queens began to lay. The necessary conditions are strong stocks and fine weather. It is said the queen seems discreet when honey fails. I add, the bees are more so. Prof. Cook also says that an egg is ])}aced in a queen cell either by the queen or the bees. I have tried in vain to in- duce bees to remove eggs from combs to qncen cells. R. S. Eecktell, New Buffalo, Mich. You are uncharitable friend B. Bees at times work strangely at variance with their habits as laid down by others, but we should get into an awful row, if every one of us said he did not believe anything that was contrarj' to his own experience. We rarely Had a young queen laying drone eggs the first sea- son in our apiary, and we quite frequently find eggs moved by the workers for the pur- pose of queen rearing. besides Quinby lias it ? Box hives are the rule here- know of only on« man besides myself vrho ha:» movable comb frames. L. H. W. Jlarlljoro, 3Ias3:, Sept. 21, 1S7& The tin would prevent making^ the clo.'=e- tight joint that we get with the- wooden bars^ aiid would make tli^ hive nvuch- more expen- s-ive ; the idea; is not a new one. We can sur- round any kind of a hive witii: the chaff" pack- ing, but we- opine to get tli-e fir-U advantage of it, it slTOuld come irp close to the l?ees antF combs, as it does when we simply cover the- frames with a coarse piece of cloth. To do thiw to the best advantage, ia as yet an u-nsolved' problem. After reading ycur '^Experience wi-tlr smokers," 1 con- cMded to give you a dteseription of or« I ufie. Make :i qi5flrt cxvp without solder ; near tire bottom, in- side next- you when holdHng it in tlKj band— I pre-fer holding it in tlie left hatxl — make an inch lK>le, or n; nunrbar oi smaller- ones, oi'er which arrange a slide to be clo9ed when not iii nse. Then m-ike a close fitting lid with a slot in the cen- ier, fxl hich. Next make a conical tube S inches long, i inch in di-imeter at one end and 1 inch at the other, witli a slot in the mkldfe to TOn-espond with tlie ca>e in the lid. Solder the tube to tte lid and' it is compl'eted. By placing tTie small end of the tube to tire moiitb and gently blow- mg, you can send enough sirioke to ai?y part of a hive foi- ordinary use. When you get amoijg "dirk liybri-ls" antl find a sauce pan necessary, take off the lid and you have- it ready. E. S. Easteecat, Nokomis, 111. I started I'st of Maj- witli r>h stocks in fair conditio!! ;, vei^' poor season up to last of May but very good since. I increased to 130 and took 3000" lbs. hmey, about 1200 box- balance extracted ; my bees are all in extra condition fot- winter. I had but one swarra go to the woods. Geo. W. Kennedy, Cirrollton, Mo., Sept., 21, 7(i. I use a straw lined hive and Kke it much. I commencecE the season with 11- stands, lost 2 which were not in straw lined hives, in winterJiig. I have inci*eased by nat- ural swarmiijg to 2S' strong stocks, and ta'ien 900 lbs. oi: honey, comb and extracted, which I have sold at home for IS and 20c per lb. How do you keep the sectional boses together ? That is, v/here yon put 30 of them on a hive, how do yon keep the end boses from failing over before you put the cap on ? IX) you make them different sizes ? E. J. ScnoFiELP, Nashua, Iowa, Sept. 21, '7*1. Most of our hives have upper stories, and as vi-e get at the sections by simply removing the light cover, we have no such difficulty as you mention. Those made with caps for honey boxes, were worked by using thin boards to close the ends of the sections ; these thin boards can be liept in place until the bees fasten them, by a string around the whole. The bees shonld never under any circum- stances be allowed on the outside of the section. Can make sections of any dimensions. In reading the article "Hives used by ouv leading bee- keepers,'' I am reminded to send you a part of an end to a "Qiiinby frame." You will perceive the sides of it are Ijrotected with tin ; and it certainly has this advantage, that the wax can ba scraped off quite easily and quickly. Please comment. ^Vhat I want is a hive in which I can winter ray bees on their summer stands. It seems that friends Davis and Townley liave done it, and you have (lone it with "Quinby's hive." Now let us have a hive to which we must add only the jiacking in the f:'!l. Who I received and read j-our August number, advertise- ments and all. Thought I would give a little of my "bee" experience. One year ago last winter I had but 10 swaiTns live through, and they were all very weak. I i;-.- creased the number to 10 during the summer, and i;i Ih;; fall took oft' about $100,00 worth of nice box honey, or vw average of S10,00 to each hive ; besides the increase of three swarms to eacli one. My 40 all lived through la.st winter, and were all good and strong this spring. I u.sl' the American hive principally, and let them remain on their suir.mer stands. 1 had 25 of my Centcnni-\1 hivis 1?>T!5 'GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 27S uitid^ last sprin;^. They ai'3 my own iuveiitiou, but A. G. iHill,-*! Kendahille, ladiana, was feoi-e Ibis su^:iiiaei- with ■:i vers similar hJv-2. Bees did very well An ffee sprcng, but ^wai'nied too aiii'.cli, as 1 was iwt wall enougk to k«ep the honey ex- tracted 'from Ib.em. They have ircFeased to 100 now. I jiave sold -some, aud a number wep.t oft when I was 2iot ' nvateluiig. Had a number of sesoad swarms that threw swarms again in Jii^y. In oae such I put an Italian ■queen the day it swareied^ and in just three weeks fi'om the time I let her go, there was a swarm out that went 'back, and ok openiH^;; it I found young queens just featclt- dug; showing it had swarmed, aud my nice "bough ten" queen had goKC to the woods. In siitroduoing Queesis, I jue day let OHe g<3 out of Ihecageon aframe that I had Jiad hangiug out of the hive, to see kow she would be rerience in bee- kee]ung, but never ha^e reached that amount from old stocks that swarmed, lly greatest surplus has been from .young swarms that came out early in the season. Bees in this section of country have gathered a small amount ' f lioney. Jly .surplus this j'ear is mostly buckwheat or dark honey. Golden Red has been a failure this season. \rould it Ue profitable to comsnence bee-keeiiins with Oiie hive, in a smalJ yard in a city of 30000 inhabitants} T. S. Ctossos, Trenton, N. J. Bees will thrive in the heart of the largest city, and we have many favorable reports from sucli colonies. Our friend Muth, who is one of our most successful honey raisers, has his apiary on the roof of his large store in Cincinnati. From 41 L. hives packed in chaft last winter, I have taken 2250 lbs. extracted, aiid 1211 lbs box honey; aR average of alwut S(» lbs. to the hive. Have taken 32 lbs. of way, and sold S25.00 worth of l>ees. It cost me afcout §00.00 to put them in good wintering condition. I have sold about half the honey, J. W. TJttee. Amity, N. Y. Oct, ith, 1870- This summers experience with movable frames has somewhat shaken my faith in the old fashioned manage- ment of bees accoi-ding to my plan, except for small apiaries of 20 to 50 colonies. For these I am firmly com vinced there is no hive equal to the triangle with comb guides lengthwise with th3 tup. But for the pur> poses of a larger apiary, where a man devotes his whole time and attention to Apiculture I am inclined now to believe there are no improvements thus far to equal the mo^•able frames and the honey extractor, I thus con- clude from the array of riieu of character who advocate these improvements, men whose positions forbid the idea of their being either knaves or fools, that the ssystem of bee-culture and the hives they adopt must possess in- trinsic merits not yet known to b(e-keeiJers who have not fairly tested both plans. I also arrive at the same conclusion from my past experience with frames. Y'et I am fully satisfied th.at a small apiary and a triangular hive with suitable section boxes is infinitely preferable for the senior Apiculturist. K I ever should be con- vinced to the contrary I will readily "throw up the sponge," for I can bear a beating as coolly as any man iu the world. I accept the couplet of the late Dr. Arm- strong. "Be not the first by whom the new is tried. Be not the last to Iny the old aside."' 379 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Nov. If llie movable frame hive is ffhat is claimed for it, LnngstroUi is entitled to tii3 applause of tlie whole Api- cultural coaimuuity, for he certainly wrought llie greatest i'cvolution in l>ce-rulture of any man in motlern times so far as my kno'.vletUe exteiicls. Huber, Hunter, Aristotle, and many amon^ modorjis have written their observa- tions on the Honey Ike and the "Eeonomy of Baes" gen- erally, but if the frame can accomplish all that its advo- cates elaiiu for it, then Langstroth hiis crowned himself with a wreath of laurel by utilizing the mechanical oper- ations of llie insect, and raised the bee-keeping business to a profitible vocation by which thousands may acquire ji livelihood. If the frame is what the apiculturist of the dij claims, why is not Langstroth canonized as a bene- factor r Why wait until he is dead, and then shower upon his memory the thunder of ajjplause that sliould have greeted him while living ? Why let hini pass away like Fulton, without appreciating his merit V Why does ••very journalist quietly see him stripped of the pecuniary advantages, which he should have enjoyed from his inven- tions, by every adventurer who may keej) bees, and chooses to trespass on hia patent? These queries may now appear out of place, and may not excite much con- hition, but in the distant future, Langstroth will be en- rolled high on the scroll of that peculiar fame which has luade men immortal wlio have achieved great strides in progressive iinprovements in rural and agricultural sci- ence. Geo. B. Petees. Council Bend, Ark., Oct. 7;h, 1870. \Vc lieai'tily endorse all that is said of our friend Langstroth, and would suggest that all who feel indebted to him, send to him direct what they thinly right ; aud we do not see why this cannot be done without the raat>- ter being made public at all. If it is genuine gratitude toward him, why sliould we care to liave the world know of it? Heretofore much has been done in the way of taliv and resoln- lions, but there it nearly all ended. Now can we not, without a word more — pay a just debt ? Gle.\nisa yon use square or round ones ? I have seen sqiiare jelly tumblers with a llange on two sides, and a tin cover with the ed.ges turned donn so as to slide on the tumbler. Ei>. WEi.LiXGiox, Kiini)tou, lown, Oct. 9tb, '7(i. As we raalic the Universal section at pres- ent, it takes 0 pieces, but we shall before another season, arrange machinery to make the uprights in one piece. This will make them stronger, and easier to set up. We hope to be able to make them of any dimensions for 1 cent each, whore 1000 are ordered at one time. Have never seen square tumblers; wiili those having them please advertise? On p.ige 210, Oct. No., J. W. Shearer says cl buckwheat, "The okl Black is a better hojiey plant than the Silv(M- [ Hulled." I think to make it correct he should say v.t I samp sci7s, and svmc locatio-as. I aJw.iys get four times ' as much hcney from the Silvei* Hull as from the Black. I 1 . I think every bee-keeiier should try lx)th kirwls and see I which is best for his soil and climate. j My bees are doing well. I got from seven old stocks- afid two yonng ones, §40, worth of honey anil they each have from '25 to oft lbs. of honey for winter stores. D. N. Kern, Sbimersville, Pa. Which is best, natural, or artiticJa} s ivarming ? R. G. Peters, Manistee, Mieh., Oct. 11th. 1{\. As a general thing vye believe artillciai swarming is considered best, without doubt, yet many circumstances are to be taken into consideration. A new beginner, who should undertake to make swarms out of season, would doubtless da better to let the bees f.il- low their own instincts; but one who knew just what to do, aud when to do it, would without doubt, make a great saving by taking the matter into his own hands. If our object is comb honey, it may l^e best to discourage swarming ; in such a case we would get all at work in the surplus frames possible, and if abundant room and empty combs would pre vent swarming, well and good; but if swarn^ they would, we would consider that the next best thing, and set them at work as speedily as we could. In such a case, we should of course have none but natural swarms. AVhere increase of stock is especially desired, we think as we said at first, the artificial ahead. If our friend who comes next will tell how A<; managed, it may help the matter. I stand alone here in bee culture. When I left Chari- ton, Iowa, last February, I sold all my bies except one colony which I shii)ped to. this place; from that one I have taken 450 lbs. ()f honej- and made 13 colonies, all ia good condition with from 10 to IC frames se.aled honey and brood. How is that for bleeding Kansas? If any one can beat that lot them waltz to the front. J. S. Mahkle, Chanute, Kan., Oct. 11th, '7*!. The above is certainly '•tremendous," but with a rousing colony in the spring, aud an uninterrupted flow of honey the whole season long, such as we have almost had here, it it might not be so very difficult after all. We hope to give full particulars soon. Have you ever extracted any locust honc.\' knowing it to be such ? I got about 2.50 lbs. this year and will s'^nd you a sample if it will be any thing new to you. It is much lighter than white clover and more mild in taste. Honey is selling first i-ate now that cool weather has come and I think the trade will imin-ove as the season ad- vances. I have my bees fixed for winter which with u>? consists simply in removing second stones aud piittinu the sti-aw mats on with inch strips between them a.nd the top for ventilation and leaving them on their sumnici- stands ; hive never lost a colony so fixed. II. E. Cl-eey, Cincinnatti, O., Oct. litli, '7(1. We had quite a crop of locust honey in ISyO, and at that time had quite a fancy for plant- ing a locust orchard, but as we have scarcely h.ad a taste of it since, we fear it is not a very certain source of honey. Thanks for your oi- fer; we a'zree with you that the honey is of a very mild and pleasant flavor. INTI GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. S80 I wish to move my api n\v :i disiance of about WO yards sometime next season. Please tel! me when is the best | lime to do it, and how to proceed in order to prevent (he Jiees from going back to their present situation. Ctecs McQueen, Buena Vists, Olio. Ghocse a time in the winter or &priii2, after they have been confined to their hives tor sev- e se- riously injured. We extracted 110 lbs. of honey the firet afternoon we received tl>o extractor from you. It was all taken in iibont an hour and a half from 4 stands of bees wliich had so filled their hives as to leave no room for the queen. Ail the brood tliey had was in 3 or 4 frames while others had from 7 to S. We also received the balance of fdn. <'omb in as good condiu ii as it was shipped and were M'cll pleased with it. This being of a better quality, and iieavier, is not so liable to warp after being placed in the J.iive. We went into winter (luarters with 102 stands of bees all in movable frame hives. We had 5(5 in the bee house, 11 on summej- stands and .>5 in the cell;:r. We lost •1 in the bee house, 3 on summer stands and 2 in the cel- ■\nr. Two being queenless we united them with others :ind sold 7 this spring, leaving us 87 with which to coui- jncnce the season's w-oric. Up to this date we have 33 .iiew stands all being first swarms. You may ask how we inanaged to stop second swarming. If we have young <|ucenE, we put them in after they swarm and take the ^■oyal cells to fee hatched for the next that swarms. This -sisually prev^ents second swarming. To make suie'work of il;, examine in nine days ajid if there are more royal '■ells, repeat the operation. If no queens are on hand v/ait 0 or 7 days, then take out all the roj-a! cells except one ; see in five days whether the one left is hatched, and if new ores are started dciitroy them ; but in all cases be sure you know the one you left in hatches. If you wait so long that the queens are peeping, before taking out the <'!ills they sometimes swarm out and leave no queen in (ho old staaid, and Jio way to niise one. Now I must go back and tell you about (he honey of jurbeef. There are 73, all working in boxes. We have Hi to 21 four lb. boxes on a liive and think thoy will be all sealed before basswood is over. How did we get them on ? Tliey are made so that it takes 8 to cover the hive hv taking elf honey board, and there is a two inch hole in the toj) and bottom so we can set them top of each other one, two and three tiers accordijig to the staiid. We think we will have to extract the honey from the rest as we did from the 1 when we got the extractor. 'They seem to work like new swarms since. I have been reading different methods of putting comb i'dn. in frames, and think tlie best way Ls to cut the comb one-half inch smaller than intide of frame and fasten with glue to tlie top of frame. If the comb is tender and Ihin, put two little sti-ips one irich fi-om the bottom of !t.!ie cc«ib on both sides to keej) it from warping. Henry Ke'jpp & Bro. Wane«J., Warren Co.. Pa., July i2th, 1876. extractor to tlie tin-smith and got it mended, I can put a new handle on the knife myself, anb sbouUi be at least 4 jnchejlwig, or betteiv the full length oi the section. The depth docs not matter j tbey will work straight if there ;^re on-ly two cells, and those mashed flat, ff the centre ridg« is left straight. If a ahort piece is Jiscd, tbey will often run crosswise and sometimes, 5n h'alf circles. My bees- have been working on shipstuff ftnd corn meal every wa,rn:t day since the 2.id, of January ;. and I have fomid out to a ce-rtuinty that queealess stocks will not work on meal. I have two hives that have aot carried: a single load this year that I can dfecover, and tbey are both (i,ueenless. Last year I liad 40 stands and the fiTSt really good day they had to ily was .liter She middle of March, and that day they carried in 10 lbs. of bolted rye flour mixed with coarse wheat bran. To keep- tbem from swainiping I watched them closely, and two hives did not touch the n>eal. though they were flying as briskly as the others. On cxamiar.tion I foimd both were rjueenless, and they were the only ones in the apiary. V. T. SiSiTH, Trenton, Ills. March, lllh, 1S>7(). Your Sbarpville correspondent does not like llie flietal corners. Strange I I do not use them, because they Willi not flit my frames, but if I bad reason to make or try new frames, I sliould certainly want the metal corners. Thus fortified the francos cannot gia9t. What shall I feed, syrup or candy .' If candj', how mnch, of the kind you make ? I fear to feed syrup if cold weather continues. IVould yon try to feed up to 3f> lbs. pei' hive ? Space or time will not permit asking questions. The situa- tion is, l-iS colonies of bees very strong, 15 lbs. honey per bive, va inter comins? on, weather b.'id and cold. Hives, S fr.ime Langstroth— winter in cellar. How long does it take to ship candy from your place liere ? Dli, S.J. Sawyek. Fort Atkinson, Wis., Oct. 5th, '70. You maue a rather bad start we Tear, for a Novice, fiieiic) S. If your bees iucreased so much by natural swarming, you are perhaps jiot so much to Wame, but at the present low prices for honey, it would l?e prudent, to kecp- your bees at all times with enough ahead for winter. In other words, remove tilled frames and lay aside for just such contingencies, un- til you have enough to be safe, and then keep increase of stock within such bounds, that you are always safe. These frames of surplus stores need not neccessarily be removed from the hives, but may remain until October in the upper stories where they will be secure from moth. So much for prevention ; the next question is, what is now to be done m the way of cure. As fifteen lbs. will carry -almost ,Tiiv colonv to Aoril 1st. or until thev com'mcucB brood rearing, the case is- not so- very bad after all. A?'fry strong cc-iouy, vidip consun-i« twenty Ite, but fifteen ll)s-. o% sealed honey v^xW tmntcr any ordinary stock of bees ^ when their hive is full of brood, tliey will needs th-e ath<;r ten to take them in. goocV strength, up- to frufit blossoms,, birt uo--ao but the very populous, can i?se any such amount. Although it is said that &yra-p can be safely" fed to stocks carefully packed in chaff fit any tiir^ in the Avinter, yet v^e would not advise it after the flr*t of November. All stocks that are deficient now,, we would give caudy, aniB if considerable i;* wanted, yoi» hsid better get your nearest ccmfectioner to n:iake it for you,, and thus save the IVeigbt or express yoit wouki have to pay its. If l>e will not make a nice pure article for fsfteeii cents, i>erhaps youi had better send to us for it. To feed, place it flirec-tly jn, or over the cluster, and cover it over well with a quilt or chafi' cushion. Yout can feed it in the spring, or now, as yoiu choose ;. the former will give you the use of the moiiey ViO days or more, but the- latter if delayed* too long, will let them s-tarve : a very poor investment for a bee-keeix!r to^ make. B-ees can uo-vv be si>pplied wJtli food much easier than any other kind of farm^ stock, for enough candy can e-asily I>e given, at one time to last a mouth or m^ore, and it can l>e given safely, any mouth in the year. Son>e of our very best colonies were last sea- son wintered with their stores at least 3^, candy, and we tried it on a sulOcLeut number, to demonstrate perfectly its safety. Even if the colonies were pitt in ihe cellar, we shoulc^ give them chaff cjuilts, and keep theni well protected in the same way, mitil thrpli?s boxes or i>pper stories. A circumstajice came under my observaition tha-3 seems to supix)rl tk-e opinion the late Mr. Quiiiby at one time- held; as to Xhe origin oi foul brood (by a .sudden ehill). 1 had in June, divided a swarm of biaek bees for the r;se of getting queen celfe on a eomb Jrom pure Italians aixl I did not set the old stock far eiiough irom the old stand, to prevent nx)8t of the old bees from going back. The weatber being warm, I thought the sealed broo(5 ATOuld soon furnish bees enough. In about two weeks 1 noticed that the bi-ood in the outside comb did not hatch property, and gradually holes came in the caps; 1 theii examined closely and found, perhaps lOO cells of dead broDd, showing all the characteristics of foul brood ay- ennmerated by the books. I picked out all surti, and left the comb in for experiment, there being then no dan.irer of its spreading by robbing. I soon had a young queen l.iying in the hive. It is prosperous now, and I have seeu nothing dead in it since. Now it may have become chillecl during some night, causing the bees to crowd clo- ser together, leaving the brood on the outside eomb ex- posed. I can at least see no other explanation of the m.Ttter. Bees have had a good season here as in other places. Henry Rofkar. Catawba Island, O., Sept. 11, 76. We do not see any reason to consider that there was foul brood in your case ; it is not an uncommon thing to find brood chilled uii- der such circumstances, yet we very much dou'oi wliether foul broad results therefrom. It i.-< a fungoid growth, and unless the seed- of the diieasc are by somj mcan^ brought int!> the hive, it is dlilicult to imagine how it sho:ild net tlurj. 187a XiLEANmGS IN BEE CULTURE. 282 [111 this departiaent I beg to he allowed to lay aside iiw •editorial "we," liave a f«encHy cfaat asd feel "at home,"] CFIAPTE31 XXX. WHAT SHAI^L, WE CO WITH «O^Ji^ JfONEY ? ■^ WONDER what kind of answers I would J!}L; hear if this -qncstion «houM ^x; addressed to each of ray r-t,' bought tlmt youjiave never needed; ol' look over your cash account at the end of the year, and see what proportio;i of your expenses have been judicious ones. But suppose the peddler or agent you treat so uocharitabl}'' were your own brother or father, says som i one. In that case I should thank the public,^ who would tell them by actions and words that they roust settle down and have some local habitation, if they would be treated as friends and fellow citizens. Is it not much pleasanter for all parties, to have those who are in need, go where the goods wanted are kept for sale, instead of be- ing continually solicited to buy something of which they are in no need V It eertsiiuiy can- not be pleasant for one who travels about with the go3ds to feel that he is, many times,, forcing his presence and business on those- who not only have no interest in the matter^ but are often so full of cares of their own, that they have no time to waste on outside trifles. I can speak from personal experience, for I too have traveled about from house ta house, looking perhaps pitifully, as well as. wishfully into the faces of those who were many times inopportunely summoned to no- tice my humble wai-es, but I did it but a few clays. In that short time I made huge re- solves of having a place of business where I was known, and of having pec>ple come to mc, when my humble services were in request.^ rather than that I should long'er go in quest of those who did not want to see me. Think of sumnioning some ambitious housewife deep- ly intent on the duties of house cleaning, and after she has washed her hands, perhaps- snxoothed her hair, and mayl>e made some slight change in her working apparel, to find when she comes, nothing but an impertinent peddler, for of late they are getting to be ex- ceedingly illmaunered, when tbey have reason to think there are no men folks about. Some ladies were a fevvc days ago discussing the propriety of locking the doors, when suck personages api>eared, l>ut this course would lead us to run the risk of ill treating tho^e most deserving, just as I may welcome you dear reader, with distant coolness, when you pay me a visit, be:'ore I can feel sure you are notiin insurance agent, or something akin. Since writing the above, I have several times thought it was perhaps too much fault finding, and that i^erhaps I v/as making a one sided plea ; that some might say it hardly agreed with niy repeated advice to my reader.s to start out with their honey and hunt up customers. I certainly would not do this, for I do not know that I ever felt annoyed at see- ing a farmer or market gardener come about v/ith his produce. I believe such people are generally pleasantly welcomed, and that if we do not wish to purchase, we aie always pleased to look at the fine fruits of their own industry. It is the utter strangers, those who are false in their whole get up, and who never expect to see us again, who only care for the money they may get, and have little or no scruple as to the means they employ in gettirg .1876. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 284 it, that I have sought to portl•a3^ There ai'e amoii2: the peddlers and agents, without doubt, tho>e who are true and honorable. But when we look baek, at the money we have expended in that way, can we not feel that almost all of it was really wasted ? The washing machine, that was going to so revolutionize things, where is it and how long was it usedV And so with the multitude of new things. But is it so with the wares j^ou And in your hard- ware stores and groceries ? They are slow to take up new things, but when they once do take them in hand, are they not generally things that will not "fade away ?" I would by no means discourage any kind of honest industr}', and those who are doing as they would be done by, who are telling the whole truth about their wares, who are giv- ing a full equivalent for the money they re- ceive, who are to be found when dissatisfac- tion arises, who are supplying the wants of their fellovvs in a way that will make the trials of this life easier to bear, I would by all means, bid God speed." PROPOSES, OPEflT TOP FKAMES, ETC. sjfijp HAVE just been out examining a stand of bees. I Ji|[ got an old corn popper, (trjing your plan you see) — ' and jnit some fine chijis and fire in it, and proceeded to business. The popper made a famous smoke, but in spite of all that, the bees would come up and get in the way ; then my fingers got all stuck up with pi-opolis, etc., so I could hardly let go of any thing. My patience was a little tried as I had to give up the job before I got done. I found no eggs but some cajiped brood and a few larv;c. It is pretty hard for me to tell whether a stand is queen- less or not this time of the year. Open top bars that ha\e quilts or carpets on them are a heap of trouble for me to handle, as my fingers get all stuck up so I don't know what to do with them. I have been using the American hive since '71, and as I heard so much about the L. hive I thought to try them. Open top frames are handy in some respects and bother some in others ; (that is, to me) are they not mere easily handled wlien there is a honey board on the hive ? Would a hon- ey board do f of an inch thick ? I wintered part of my bees last winter with a case round them .3 or 4 inches larger than the h\ve, filled in with hay, did not have them covered very well ; hatl five fixed that way and part of them had mouldy combs in the spring. Well, I sometimes get the blues and almost wish I ne\'er had begun the bee business. I have made it a large part of my study since '71, have been at some ex- pense and have made a heap of talk on the subject, tho' I have not really made any money at it. I enjoy working mth bees in the honej"^ season, and sometimes I get all delighted with the business. Should hate to do without Gleanings for it gives me fresh courage lots of times. J. S. WiLLAED, Hopkins, Mo., Oct. 12th, 187(5. Can you not manage to handle your liees only during the honey months ? We have the same troubles with propolis here, but it is mostly late in the fall, and we feel pretty sure that if managed properly, hives need not be opened at all, after honey has ceased coming. Thiu honey boards will do very well, but after trying one or two, we think you will prefer the quilts. Spread a single sheet of duck over the frames, close down tight every time you have the hive open, and you will keep the propolis entirely off the quilts. It is not pos- sible for us to be delighted all the time in any pursuit, and you are proi^ably not alone in feeling despondent at times. We are very glad indeed, to hear that Gleanings, has cheered you amid your duties "Be not weary in well doing, and yon will assuredly reap in due time, if you faint not." OUK OWIV APIARY. Oct. WtJi — We would like to report all our bees in wintering trim, but they are not. If we could fix them all as easily as we did the house apiary, it would be a light task indeed. By the way, we have found that a frosty morn- ing, is an excellent time to remove a set of section boxes and put on the chaft' cushions. Apnroach the hive quietly, and get your screw driver under the case of sections, or the upper story containing them, and with a quick movement you cm snap all attachments, and get the boxes off iDefore a bee has waked up ; but now comes the time for action. Have your sheet of duck in readiness, and ijefore a iDee can get to the side of the hive., have the cloth tucked closely down all round ; put on your cushion, then the cover, and you are all right. If it is an upper story, you can put it back, or another, before you put in the cush- ion, but bo sure you get it all fixed before the bees have time to boil out. They will very likely gather out at the entrance, but don't insult their dignity by walking before them, and all will be well. If you are clumsy, and do not get things fixed expeditiously, you may find hybrids rather worse in frosty weather than at any other time. In fixing our old Standard or long hive, we took too much time, and all hands waked up to such an extent that they took entire possesion of the corn popper smoker, and came at us like a very young hail storm. Many of the yellow stocks, will hard- ly stir, when we raise off a whole set of sec- tion boxes. By the way, in fixing them for winter, we found out why the hybrids were ahead. They had a full case of sections, but so little in the fiames below, that some had to have combs given tnem ; while the ItaMans that had been very backward about going into the sections toward the last of the season, had filled every cranny below to such an extent that they were almost a solid block of honey ; in fact they had built the ends of the frames and the hive, into a solid mass of honey. While we admired their prudence, we could but think their pecularity a little bit objection- able. We have had quite a pleasant visit from friend Stanhope of Pentwater, Mich. Mr. S. now has 204 colonies ; has sold a fine crop of honey at good prices, and gives us the cheer- ing inteligence that extracted honey is speed- ily growing in favor, where a really fine article of ripened honey is put in the market. At Milwaukee, he says he had many applica- tions for more at 15c. after he had sold all out. This demnnd came from honey dealers, but it may be well to add that his honey had a good reputation in the market. Mr. S. says he should not feel like giving up at all, if he had to sell honey at 15c., and colonies for $5.00, but feels sure he could do a very good busi- ness at the prices. He gave us an idea on side 285 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Nov. storing boxes, that was new, at least to us. He says they are an advantage, only during extreme wainii weather, and that tlie bees of a heavy colony will crowd into the side boxes because they are cooler ; if such is the case, side boxes are especially desirable for hives standing in the sun, and for our warmer cli- mates. As it is very inconvenient to handle side boxes unless we can take the sides of the hive entirely away, it will be quite desirable to keep the hives cool at such extremely warm periods. Can this be done by chaff or saw- dust packing that the heat of the sun may not penetrate ? oj lim%h ^Tnjj LEASE tell how you put up or fix your bees to be rp^ sent off on the cars. A. .T. Cook. ^^ Lansing, Mi %. Oct. lOlh, 187(i. [Be sure the colony has olu, strong cdinbp. not too heavy with honey ; the great bulk of stores should bo near the top bars. If the coaihs are all right without breaking the fastenings made by the bees, all the better, and you h-ive then only to make the frames secure as they are. We prefer pushing sticks, sawed to the right length and thickness, between the end bars of the frames; this makes all solid and secure, and yet the sticks can be pulled out without removing the combs. Lay another piece across the frames at each end, and fasten it with screws, and the hive will be safe, even if it should be thrown uiiside down. If tlie liive has a portico, cover it with wire cloth and let the bees get out in it if they wish ; if it has none, cover the frames with wire cloth, and fast- en the cover a little open. If the weather is warm, and the colon.v very strong, it will be safer to allow them to leave their combs and cluster in an upper story, but or- dinary colonies in cool weather, may be simply confined with wire cloth. The surface of wire cloth must be large enough so they cannot pack densely over it, or they will be ruined. We have many times seen them when re- leased, crawl out of their hives in every direction in the dirt, completely demoralized ; this from insufficient ven- tilation.] Whose paint do you use for hives ? If 16 pounds of honey be assumed as enough to winter on, how many pounds of coft'ee A. sugar will it take ? I suppose the same number; but perhaps a less number of jjounds of sugar made into syrup will do. What is cofl'ee A. sugar worth per barrel where you are ? Where do you buy ? E. D. Sanfokd, Deoherd Tenn., Oct. 10 '70. [We use the paint advertised on jtage iG-i. Ten i)Ounds of sugar will go as far as 14 pounds of honey on an average ; but 10 pounds of honey properly ripened and sealed up in the combs, are worth nearly as much as 14 pounds of liquid honcj', to feed. Cir- cumstances may vary this, but it will be found to av- erage about right. With honey at 10 or 12 cents, it will hardly pay to extract it to feed, but when feeding is to be done, and we have no sealed combs laid away for the ])urposc, we would use the sugar by all means. Given in the form of candy, it is sal'er and more eco- nomical, and we think 8 pounds of candy would go as far as 10 pounds of sugar made into syrup. There is no waste with the candy, and it neither starts brood rearing or comb building out of season. Coflee A sugar is worth 11 cents by the barrel, at W. P. South- worth's, 116 Ontario St., Cleveland, O. FOfNDATION NOTES. We are quite anxious t> hoar reports from those who had the first we sent out last spring— made on the Per- rine machine, 5 cells to the inch. If this has all worked satisfactory, we shall pi-oceed to make another machine exclusively for brood combs— for the greater number of young bees in a given space will be quite an item. We sent to Mr. Perrine for a sample of his very light fdn., and behold it had no side walls, but was simply an indent- ed sheet of wax. If such will answer as well, we can make them as thin as this pai)er, with great ease. We al- so remitte;! for a sample to the parties who have been ad- vertising in the i)/«rya2 jwe, and were told that they had quit making it for the season, and had not even a sample on hand. If any has been made hi N. Y. this past season we should like to see a samjjle of it ; we have sent con- siderable of our own to the Ma/ja.rinc folks. Of the complaints mentioned last month, Mr. Perry generously returns the money we sent him, saying he could not feel it light to take anything for damages, if we took back the fdn. It is now in our possession and we sh'\ll try and find out where the trouble was. He writes : "Mr. Sausman likes the yellow fdn. he got of you, and thinks he will want 50 or 75 pounds in the spring— and I am in hopes to need as much." Mr. Becktell s&ys, after putting in the sticks as mentirned last month : ''I get the fdns, built as straight as a board, and I think the bees build them two or three limes rs fast as natural ones.'' He has written us since that they bulged even when built between full combs without sticks. As this is so contrary to our experience, we have des-ired bim to return us some of it. Mr. Eurch in a letter of date Oct. 7th, says he found ") sheets in his package that gave 8 square feet to the tb. He writes, "these were given to a new colony, building comb at the time, and were not only prnmptly accepted, and lengthened out, but were also occupied by thequeen." These light sheets were of course some that were dipped so thin as to have no side walls. In our aniary, the b(es have worked such much slosver, and as thej' were com- plained of, we directed the girls to use none but those thick enough to fill the rolls. We have sold over a ton of the yellow, and perhaps a lialf ton of the white, and have, as yet. had no other complaint of either the bees or queen refusing to use the thick sheets. We suggested t"j Mr. B. that his trouble might have been in the wax that he furnished, or in his manipulation, but he insists the trouble was all in the thickness. By the way, would it not be a grand thing for the extractor, to have some dione comb that the queen would not use ? TABff.E OF PKEMirMS. NoDies of Premium Articles. '^\ Any of them sent post-paid on rcc'pt of price. 1 — Lithofiraph of Apiary, Impilements, etc. 25 2 — I'hotor/raph of House Apiary 25 3 — '■'That Present,'''' Novice and Blue Eyes 25 5 — Emerson's Binder for Gleanings, will hold i Volumes 5( 6— " " better (juality 60 7 — Pocket Mar/nifyiuf/ Glass 60 S—Eirst or second T'(*?(u)((' o/ Gleanings.. 75 9 — Best quality Emerson's Binder for Gleanings 75 lO^Double Lens Mar/iiifer,oH 3 brass feet 1,00 11— Photo Medley , Bee-Keepcrs of Americal,00 li— First and second Vol. (^Gleanings.. 1,50 VS— Centennial Cabinet Clock; a pretty and accurate time piece, that icill run even when carried aboHi, for only .?2 00 14 — A real Compound Microscope, beauti- ftdly finished, and packed ivith Imple- ments in a Nahogany Bo.v 3,15 Number of Sub- scribers required at or at 75c. 1.00 PURE BEES WAX. Cut to any size desired. PACKED IX XEAT WOODEN lit )XES— PAPER BE- TWEEN EVEiiY T\\ ( ) sii i:ets. at Sl.OO PER POl'ND FOR THE WHITE, OR 73 CENTS PER POUXH FOR THE YELLOW. IF WANTED BY MAIL, ADD 25 CENTS PER POUND TOE PACKING BOXES AND POSTAGE. If taken in our regular packing boxes, sheets 12x18 inches, 10 per cent, off from above ]jrires on 10 pounds or over. Wax will be worked up to order, and cut into sheets of any size desired, for 40 cents per pound. We will pay 2S cents per pound cash for bright yellow wax, or sell it for 31. One ijound of wax makes from 4 to 8 square feet of sur- face. The thinnest will be used by the bees, but is not made into comb as quickly as the heavier, which has a greater depth of cell. Sheets just rifjht for L. frame?, both white and yellow, kept constantly in stock ready for shipment ; also square sheets for section boxes. About 6 of the former or 30 of the latter {enough for 1 Universal case) weigh 1 pound. At above prices we can pay no freight or express charges either way. The only wholesale rates we can give is 10 ])er cent, off from above rates on or.'^ers for 50 jiounds ov over, or 20 l)ev cent, on 100 pounds or over. A. I. ROOT. ^lediiia, Ohio. tsTe. •GLEANIITOS IN BEE CtlLTUliE. 286 Hauxoe of the year free, to new subscribers. Ma. HARBisoif feas a,oe0 colonies, aiid iias sect to N. Y, [100 toils of hoiiej'. JLe. Meseiam wiites that he will contract to furnish -lexi season 60,-000 jjouiids of extracted Jioney iorS oents^ >r tor Si if delivered in CaJcago. Ml'THS ADVERTISEMENT. At Jast; A sectioti box tliat will hold-fdii. witfcout the duelled wax. ItliolUs tliem so secure we iJiink thej «an 'l»e shipped thus wi.iiout injury, and the whole caii be put together with the liugei's as quickiy aii-our old stjJe. Pri- ces as before. Ms. Bl.vEESLFK'g laT'gecropof'COUib hoiiey, which has •l)eeu all sold at aveiageof iiic, wks all or nearly jill built •on ihvjMmfiri'' Sda. it used in strips about au inch wide., ID oaii oe used to very good ad\autai?e, as uumbers •■ li our friends ha.ve r-ejKsitad. It is witii pleasure and jjride we tei! our •customers that . )ur combiioii^vis built ou tlje new artjlici:ij comb fdu-. ■(udif we thought aiiy one raigtt be decesveii, we should assuredly label ewer,^ -se uion. Would it be wrong to sell •iilucose *f every bottle werehonesUy iabeled^'' How is it -tuend Moore? TiiE walls of our hoivse apiary, all&oi;gh but 4 inches, .are certainly nsjieoi! a proteciiou as =)■ or (i inches olohalf. The building paper a.nd 4 air spaces wiswer esceilently, ■liut i*e think ciiaff or sawdEst walls would be -cheaper, "when the house ajjiary was kept dark ajid I^alKiJ.s '• - 7-i A thousand labels addicss printed to oraer .5 it( One gt. Iridt jars. Mason's jwitent, per gross 17 4)0 Labels forsanie, " " l^a A thousand labels address piinted lo order -. 1 ■00 i^ncapiiing knives, as good as any, each...- iiirtionlars, address ' 7-12 CH AS. F. MUTH. Cincinnati. O. OuE friends wiE have to excuse us froKi publishing fbe lei'orts of associatiojis that have onl>' a local value. (tLEanixg.s is read jiot only all over the United States, ■ijui Ln Canada, England, Australia, Prussia, Austria, and — and— GeriHiuiy. (VVe send one copy to each of the last three anyway, and we we were afraid if we didn't tell of it, no one eise woidd.,) Now we wish to give something !)u tiiese .pages that wiJl interest ati of oua- readers, as well as souieuluiig tliey have not feen elsewhere, before, .-sind fur Uieia.ter rejison wecanuot print reports that are ipvetty sure w a^jpearin the other jourzials. A list ni tile .^liuues of ufflcersis frequemiy sent to us \nth the retjuest io print it, but these are of no interest or value to the ■great inass-of otu' peaders. About a year E_go. we had a jieasasit visit lt«om J. S. Jiliil, of Mount Health}', 0-, who keei>s his bees ijermaii- I'utJy iiacked the yeai- round in such, or similar hives as ■the chaff .ugar largely to keep iiis bees froin starving. Was he disconragefl ? Not at all ^ took it very clveerf ully, fixed -up the bees well, aod said he guessed they would pay for i he sugar sometime. Now listen to tlHs, ye faint liearted ; '■■Hil^^ hon^'«K>p tills y>ear was oser 10.000 lbs., com- nieicmgin the spring with, 1 baUeve, 81 stands. He i.'Hised also 6.000 .iiounds of ma^'hine extracted honey, .as nice as anybody has, and you kiiow we feel a little proud of the quality of the honey raisedin this part of the coun- try. 1 iKiuglit ail of his lioney, and I am sure I have never before seeu as nice a lot of comb hoiiey as Hill's. There was about 3,800 lbs., in combs weighing from li t^ !,?« ■each. Every comb in the let was perfect and separate .troju the rest ; it is a model lot of coinb honey., and it would do you good to look at it. C. F. Muth, Cin., Oc-t 23.'' JSfames of respoiisible ^jiirties will be Inserted iw eithei" ol' th>e tollowingaepartiuents,at annitonnpiioe of_l(kw ach insertion, or jti.ti> per year. iVdJHes inserted in ihis department the first tit>ie i.vith~ -out charge. AjT^i\ 10c. encli insertioji. ur lAXii per year. Tlj,a'^e whose names appear below, agree to lurnish Italian Queens liie coming season lor ol-'JO each, under the lollovviug conditions; No guaraniee is to be as- sumed of purity, sate delivery, or anything of the kind, only mat tlie queen be rcaied Ircm a choice, j ur« mother, and had commeuced to lay when they were shipped. They also agree to return the money at an}' lime when customers oecome impatient of such delay as may bo u«avoi Mm^M® We, whose names appear below, agree to furnish bees as follows: A l wo frame nujleus, full of brcod and bees, with tested Queen. for lif-OO, or the same with isl.OO queen for $4.00. Where )i\e are oideitd at one iime, flto less on each nucleus ; * names use only miported moiliers. *J. S. Woodourn, Dickinson, Ciunb. Co., Pa, (5-11 *J. AL C. Taylor, Lewision, Fred. Co., Md. 7-1 *\Vjn.J. Andrews, Columbia, Teiui. *ii .A.ID-VJBE.TISEIwfl:E3SrTS. Advertisements will be received a-t the rate of te« <;t Ills per line. Nonpareil space, each insertion, cash in advance.; and wo lequire that every Advertiser sat- isfies us of responsibtliiy and inter.tion to do all that he agiees,aad that his goods are ireally worth the 111 ice asked foi- them- Wanted. !— Three copies of Vol. Ill of Gleanings in liee t;ulture at this office. Write us, stating price. " ^mmi m mi m^" Having succeeded better than ever in our importa- Jioui-, we will be enabled to sell our COLONIES and QUEENS Next spring, at gvcatlv leduced prices. ilu CH. DADANT & SON, Hamilton, 111. Hl-\'e 3Iamifact:urers. A. I. Root, Medina, Ohio. J.,S. Woodbnrn, JUicKinson, Cumb. Co., Pa. M. 8. West, Pontiac, Mich. € -U I3i-itisli TKCE 13 e e Joui'n^ 1, Is a large, beautilully printed, and profusely illus- traied MONTH Li'; ciear type aod.Une beav} paiier. His conducted b} CHAULES NASH AliliOTT, Han- well, U'., Eondon, England. Annual subsciipiion, haU-a.guinea. We will send it with Gleanings and pay all postage lor S2.aa. '^ tTAUANBEES. Imported and home I red (jueens ; full colonies and nuc eus colonies; bee keeper's supplies of all kinds, (Jueens breci early in the season, bend lor catalogue. <)[t DK. J. P. H. BUOWN, Augusta, Ga. 1S1& GXEANINGS IN BEE CULTURi:. '^T THE BEE-KEEPERS' 3IA«iAZEXE, an illiis iraiCMl monthly journal ol 32 octavo pajres, devoted exclusively to bee-eultnre; f!'litc(l by Alheut J. King. containing contribntion^ )tVom Mis. KUen S. Tupper. and expei ienced bee-keep- ers in America and Eu- rope. A lar^e space is de- voted to beginnersT giving usel'nl information just tvhpn it is most needed throughout the year. Terms. SI 50 per year. The Bee-Keejiers' Text-I5'iok in Ger- man or iSittjJish, and the IJee- Keepers' Magazine one year .¥1.70. A (>4 page pamphlet (price !i&c) containing a beautiful life-like Chronio of Honey-Plants and Italian Bees in their natural colors, with ])rize of Mrs. Tuiiper, Queen rearing by M. Qninby, instruc- tion for beginners, etc., sent free with the Magazine, on trial, 4 months for ht cents. Agents wanted — cash commission and permanent employment. Address A. J. KING & CO., 61 Hudson St., N. Y. MISS S. E. FUDEER, DESIGNING AND EN- GRAVING ON n^'OOD, 2.1 Bond St., Room No. 3, N. Y. Awarded Medal of Merit at Vienna Exposi- tion, 1S73. Oiders by mail promptly executed at reas- onable rates, from sketches or photographs. Elec- trotypes supplied. wmm mmm w©»ii©® OUR Bee .Journal of the Southern States. Issued monthly at J2 OO per vear. Sample copies free. A. F. MOON k CO., Rome, Ga. PNS From Tie SOIIIB. COLONIES Pare Italian BEES For $400.00. s inger— comb rack or box— feeders and all fixtures thrown in— all deliveied on cars in good order. Bees henUhu and i'roiir/, and honev to last till spring. ''>-U H. NESBrT, Cynthiana, Ky. Italian Cfueens furcished the :!oming seasoa a6 the tollowing prices : 1 tested (|neen S'5 Ui> 6 "■ •' li OO 1 untested ?iueen 1 w t> '- '• 5 Of* Full colonies in Langstroth hives 12 £(> KF~Saie arrival of all queeuf guaranteed. ""^ai Purchasers must assume all risk in the transportation ol fall colonies. As prompt attpntion as possible will be given to alt orders, and satisfacUon rirtaranfeed. I7tf-v RUFUS MORGAN. Old Fort, N. C. CASH FOR b¥eS-WAX> We arc paying 30 cents per poimd for yellow bees- wax, in lots of from 50 to 5,060 or more porinds, deliv- ered at Syracuse, or 31 cents, if exfhanged for white wax. If you have any wax on hand, and can deliver it at the above price, please do so, and we will senr?. you onr check on receipt of the same. ECKEKMAN & WIL1>. Wax-bleachers, Syracuse. N. Y. Barnes' patent FOOT POWER Machinery, Circular Saws, Seroll Savvs. Hand circulars. Rip Saws for general ripping. Lathes, etc. These machines are especially adapted to HIVE MAKING. It wili pay every bee keeper to send for our ■iS page illustrated catalogue. W. F. & JOHN BARNES, ^ Rockford, Winnebago Co., 111. EVERY BEE-HIVE MAKER SHOULD HAVE ONE. "Will l?ip. Cross-Cut^. ]Vriti-e' IXaliliot- Oroo^e, and Otliex' ^Vorlt. Every cut is a Glue Joint. East/ to Work and EASY TO LEAlt'N. 4080 Per Minute against 4S0 the best ever done by the old mode, and Speed is Power. ^Vith thtm the EftlERy WHEEL can be used as well as with Steam, with great saving over grindstones. A.1SO. Band. .Tig^ &- Benoli Sa"ws, Boring 3Xa- olilnes «Sr liiiiery Orinfiers, all lor man, horse, or other Powers. Address, saying where yon saw this, COMBINED POWER CO., a3 r>ey street, T«f. Y. 0;ie copn one ijecr ^XdO, or with Lithograph of Apiary _ sizeVl.r\5, mailed free., postpaid, 81.25, or Lithograpt/ will be sent as a premiuni for tivo Subscribers at $1.(K» each. Am/ person obtnining three Subscribers at $1.G0 each, may retain bOc. for his trouble. '• " five " " " " 1.2.'> " " " " ten " " " " 4.00 ;• " An}/ number above fen will he sent at thii rate of 60c. each. Or. GLEANINGS, •'iSl.OO ; three copies, $2.50 ; five, $3 75 ; te7i, $6.00. Names mnif be soif at an;/ time (hirhiii the y^av, and ii'Jieiicvera club is reached, we will credit bacli the atnuni f previous! If si'nf us in erccss of tlic club ratea. In this wav ami •! Feeiler '-'•' > Hecs, 11 -e sus; ir syrup, but not m ilas-,i's -i'l') Wintoi-ins l)eei; ho>v to prepare them i*:. 'Jit! Ch-iff packin j: ii t -2'.n> - * c, Apiaries in vvinter. mast I hey looli unii'lr '.ii-, Aniary at A:^. < ;oUegp, Mich -lij Natural swarmincr ■''•'> jSIeal feelinsr perhip^, not essential -I'M Evergreens I'o ■ shale -i <> Sawdust about the hives -''i; Golrlen rot honey -^> Honey plants -•*'> DooUttle's 9 frame gallu > Uiies 29IJ Section box, Doolittle''< 'iS*!! Starters ol' natural c ni'i t ir section o >xcs 'ia; Moving bees short distances ■>9ii Honey plants, so nething about the number ot.:n;5,>0/ Honey dew ■ -'■'? Harbison's honey crop ot l-S.'i) •2i'8 Translerriug -'-^^ Report fron L. V. U >ol i'Jl) Blacks & Hybrids lor comb honey ISDO ]\[oth^ in -iection boxes, and Itaiians 300 Report from J. S. Hill m) (!haff p ickiog tor indoors wintering 301 How to set beautiful yellow wax 3i)l Does it pay to advertise things 301 Leave an air siiace above the chaff 301 Frames biU 0 in(;he3deep 30i Starters of natural comb 30! Adam Grim •5ti3 Italians and red clover 301 I'.e sure and extract from all unBlled sect ens. ..302-31 4 Js it foul brood ? 3f4 Home s eating larvje 3().t Buckwheat chaff for wintering 30.i Bee- balm .10(5 50,(01) lbs. of honey, and 1,-lUO colonies from 4ti, in two seasons 305 Sour honey, liow to ••flx" it 306 (Jueenless colonies in the fall 3ti(j Aboutagents 3(7 Pollen, comoosiii'in of it 308 Siiall we all pee'" '2S8 .1 ^ lli'l's ini'iho 1 u miner stands 314 i.nPB,»;»!i-;\ I'x fo!« bee cin/rnRE al,- PlI iEIETICAJ.EY AKltA]VC>i:0. I'^i' desc i I'ioii; cf iho variou.s nrticles, Jce our ninth eili ioM circular liuiid in Feb. 'So., or mailed on ap- plioi ion. This price list to be taken in place of those of former d-.bv JIailable irii Ii". a-p de.-i.'nated in the left hand col- umn of lirui-e- ; ilij ti^ures giviiiL; the amount of postage re inifcd- li-es. full cnljny amply provided for winter, in iiiir new two story, cli all hive (described Xov. jiiid De '.No's .. 7(5). tested queen froin imported mother. safe arriy il iru;ifaiite.;d .slii 01 Tliesiniei;i oldstyl.; li. hive with portico, etc \i Oii Til ! same witli liybrid C|ueen .10,00 Tho same not provisionevi for winter . .7,01) \\'.' think we can prepare beos for .vliipniiig safelv tiny Tiioiiih i a the year; wlien wo fail in so di,ing,wc will give ilu'^ notice. (I I Binli'r. E n.'t.soirs, for Gli2axixgs 50, CO, 7.5 4 I ]!oxes. seer. ion wi.li comb guides 02 I UliiK-es, si).-ia/. for suspi,'!id«'d hive ((iO IDs) S,00 10 I Ul.crks, iron, lor fiMni=! in ikitig 1.5 I Uarrels for hnn-y. J-J .".0 : waxed and painted tl,00 Buzz-saw, foot-power, chiipli'ti' ; eircti! ir with imiIs free (^n anplieation. Two saws 'ind iwi' irnmrf s iiulndrd. f.\:i ( 0 0 ! i! i:'./,-s 1.VS. extra. C, in. I.-IO; 7 in.. 1.7.";; S inch. . 2 00 \ 15u,.z saw 111 iiidrtl .III I boxes complete for 0 inch I siws 5."i.0',) ; The same for 7 anl S inch saws... 8 00 I (^o;nh l-'oundatioM Machines cer yd. (29 inches wid Extractors .." i " in-i le and gearin; .... " wax. Frames with MiMal C>nii;rc Feeders. 1 1. 25 —making complete two story hive- -.S3 ."0 -or, yr u can have 00 t^eclion box- es (two tiers oi3o each) in place of the .0 frames, at the sami' luice. I Ch.\kk nivK Foi! <)i;t door wintering. 10 frames below, and 14 frames or t'O section I boxes above, well paint e t and finished com- I plete S5 00 These hives, if snppded wuh s-tores. will, we hoi'c, need no attention whatever, from the lime honey ceases until it conns again the next season. I One story (.iuinliy liivc. 8 nailed irames, I division board and quill, com|dele except surplus receptacles $2 01 I The same with 16 franii s 3 00 Or you can have instead of the frames above, any of the arrangements lor surplus, mentioned for the Lang- stroth hive. 25 I Honey. Clover per lb. 10c. , T> I'swood, loc. By the barrel 2c. less and waxed and painted btirrel included. Honey in section Irames or fancy glass boxes, 25c. gross. 0 I Knives. Horev 1 00 0 I Labelf, Honey ;!er 1000 3 25 0 1 Lithograph of Ajiiary 25 I Lamp. Nursery 5 00 n I Lai vae, for queen rearing, from June to Sept. 25 15 j Microscop' . Compound 3 00 0 I Fieiiared oljects for above, such as bees' wing. sting, eye, foot, etc.. (^ach £5 0 I Meillcy of Bee-Keepers' Photo's, (150 Photo's) 1 ('0 0 I Magnifying Glasr, Pocket tO 0 1 •• " Double lens 100 I Muslin, Indian head, for quilts and cushions I per yard 10 I Parafiue, " tor waxing barrels, per jiound 20 0 I Photo, of Hiiuse Apiary 25 Oti I (guilts 25 2 i Rabbets, Metal per foot 02 3 I Sheets of duck to keep the bees from soiling or eating the cushions 0 Scissors, for clipping queen's wings 15 I Seed. -Alsike Clover, raised neir ns, per lb. . 20 I " Summer Ri))e. Sow in June and July. Cliinese Mustard, jicr oz. Quiiiby Smoker Tacks, Galvanized Therinomctors Universal Section 15oxcs in the Hat. each . 0 I Veils, Bee, with face of Brussels net, (silk). 0 I The same, all of tarletan (almost as good).. '.) I Wire Cloth, for Extra(^tors. per foot '• •' <.»iiet.ii Cages 1.', 10 40 35 15 25 150 10 40 01 <• 75 50 15 15 All goods -Ulivered on bjard the cars at i>rice8 named. ^875 GLEiLNlNGS IN BEE CULTTJTIE. ^3S0 =5^2 TABl-EOF PREMIUMS, I V 1> KaiKes of I'femlum Articles. *s jj" II (>/ fJiem sent post-paid en, tYtc'jJtef price. -LWiorfraph }ie jiiece, ihat will fun even Ti'liencarried ubo^U,Jor ■only ,-..,,. .$2 00 -A r-ecfl Compound Microscope, beauii- fHlly finished, and packed with l*nplc~ ineuts in « Mahogany Bo.v 3,15 Ntt,mber oj Sub- scribers required at or at 75c. 1.00 5 2 5 2 1) 2 e hved ^jiieens; lull oolojiies arwl auiv eei's stiijplies of all kinds, t^iieens bred .earJiy ia tie seasoH. Sent! for catalogue. i'tf DK. J, V. H. BEOVVN, A«g«sui, tia, iV3E\v dj^Afs^ iiot>«:ey tioxje». Any one interesed in neat and profitable packagets lor surplus honey may ■ito well to exaini«e these iioxes. Circulai-s free. C. ii. JSIIAM, l-'-l Peoria, Wj OKi!n.g< 'o., N. Y. MflSTED BEES IM ITAII ^ aiaving succeeded better than ever in owr importa- lioiis, we will be enableil to eel! our COLONIES and gUEENS Xejxt .siJrinLf, at pvcatlv ix-diiced prices. UtI CH. DADANT & SOX, Hamilton, iU, Doolittie's Advertisement. 1 laving had mail 3' calls lor wares \iscd in cur api- ■;a} . we have cuiu'liided to sel! lor s.^mples, aa below ; iliiit our bee-keeping friends, if 4hey de.sire, may have a pattern to work by in maliing them. i)ooiittlc''s improved Gallup hive with ^0 boxes ;iiHl cases and wintering arrangement all com |)lete ,, J6 25 >l.:indardOallup hive with -il boxes and cases all complete.... 15 The above are well painted, with tin roof. ~;nuj)le set ol ca&es wiih 21 boxes that will fit any Irame hiv« at top 14x20 (outside measure) or "larger - 2 (K) .-rt-.njile case with 3 boxes 40 .^aniple /lase with 2 boxes (by mail IGc extra; 35 >a!niik* box icady to nail (liy mail 3 cts. extra; . . < 3 lioxci by the IflO r«ady to usf 2 50 ;l'.oxes by the 1*0 ready to nail 1 "iZ ■'fin tacks far fastening glass in honey boxe.s sample by mail *j ct5. ; i>er 1100, 40 cts. ; per 5W (i, •■i."> cts.; (by mail -Sets, extra per lOiO). T.'.ocii to nail boxes on (by mail "5.TC extra) I. iiO I'.lock to tin boxes on (by mail 2oc extra) SO Address, ' G. M. DOOLITTLK I2-4 Borodino, Onondaga Co., N. Y. Every Bec-kceper sliould subscribe for it. The American Eee Journal (.- llu! best scientific and practiciil .Jouinal cf APICUL- Yl'RK in the world. The mo.st successtiil and experitnccd Alii;nJuiis in Eurojie, as well as America, contribute to its p;i^vs. In fact, it is the oPlest aiid largest Bee Paper in ' th'' English language. %2. Per Aniu.m. Send a Stamp , for a Siuiiple Copy. Addi-e.ss TIKJMAS G. KEWJIAN, tf 184 Clark st., Chicago, 111. > f oi/(6 %mmdaimi§ I PUKE BEES WAX, ■Cut to any siire desiretL packeimn:veat wooden boxes -paper bi-n XWEEX EVEilY TWO ST. PACKING BOXES AND rOSTAGE-. K taken in our regular packing boxes, >-h«ets 12xls ■inches, iO .pereaiit, oR from above prices oii W) pouinls or over. Wax wiil be worked up to oixler, and cut into s3«eets of any sfiw dt- sired, for 40 cents i)er poiuid. We wilt pay -J.'i cents pei-jxHindcasSi for bright yellow wax, or sell it for 31. <)«K' pountl of wax makes from 4 to 8 square feet xA sur- face. The thinnest will be used bj the bees, btit is not made into comb a-s <^uickl,v as the keavier, which has n greater depth of cell. I Sheets .instri^ht for L.framwi, both wlitc and .vellow. fceptcosistautly in stock ready for shipmeiit; also .sfiuarc sheets for section boxes. Abckitfiof tte fonner or 'M) irf Ike latter (enough for 1 Universal case) weigh 1 ix>imd. At above ])rices we can pay no fredgSat or express chart' es eitiier way, Tlic only wlrote-ite rates we can give is 10 per ce^it. olJ from a'bove rates on orders for 50 pounds or over, or '20 per cent, on 10© jiounds or over, A. I. R(X)T. Mediina. Oliso. A.ver*ill ClieiTiical I*aiiit- THK 03V>i' RELIABLE. THE MOST BEAUTIFUL. THE MOUT KCONO>IlCAL. THE MOHT DURABLE, Re^ 10 gallons each, in Purest \Vhite and any Color or Tint desired- A *' Prairie Farmer (S2.15) 2.!io *• Rural Now Yorker ($2..50) 3.25 *' Scienti!i<' American (13.15) S.'.Mi *' Fi nit Kccordcr and Cottage Gardcner(Jl.(.fir GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 3DEr. BOOKS for BEE-KEEPERS and OTHERS. lAiiv of these books will be forwanlefl b.v mail, jMSt- jiiiid, on receipt of price.] Alleifs (L. F.) American Cattle §2 50 Aliens ( L. F.) Rural Architecture 1 5l> Allen's (R. L.) American Farm Book 1 50 Aliens (R. L. and L. F.) New American Farm Book -2 50 Allen's ( R. L.) Diseases of Domestic Animals 1 50 American Bird Fancier 35 American Gentleman's Stable Guide 1 25 Americiui Roe CiUturist 300 American "Weeds and Useful Plants 1 70 Atwood's Country and Suburban Houses 1 55 Art of Saw Filini. (Holly) 70 Bailey'^s Our Oxvn Birds of the United States 1 50 Barry's Fruit Ganlen -J 5o Bell's Cnrpontry Made Easy 5 00 Bement 's Ribljit Fancier 30 Bosaitlus' Field, Cover, and Trap Shooting 2 00 Bomnier's Metliotl of Making Maiun-es 25 Boussinsrault's Rural Eeonoiny 1 60 Brock's Xew Book of Flowers 1 75 Breech-Loader 2 00 Srill's Farm-GardAiing and Seed-Growing 1 00 Buist's Flower Garden Directoi-y ". 1 50 Buist's Family Kitchen Gai"dener 1 00 Burns's Architectural Drawing Book 1 oO Burns's lUustratetl Drawing Book 1 00 Burns's Ornamental Drawing Book 1 00 Burr's Vegetables of America li 00 Caldwell's Agricultural Chemical Analysis 2 00 L\inary Birds. Paper, 50 cts. Cloth 75 <"arpenters'and Builders' Guide 1 00 • 'hi>rlton"s Grape-Grower's Guide ^ 7.5 Cider-Maker's Manual 1 50 Cleveland's Landscape Architecture 1 50 Cobbett's American Gardener 75 add's American Reformed Horse Book, Octavo, cloth, gilt back -2 00 Dana's Miick Manual 1 55 Darwin's Variation of Animals and Plants, 2 Vol's. . i; 20 Dead Shot : or Sportman's Complete Giude 1 0(» De Voe's Market Assistant 2 75 Dinks, Mayhew, and Hutchinson on the Dog 3 ,50 Downing's Landscape Gardening i; 05 Dwyer's Horse Book 2 00 Eastwood on Cranberry 75 Eggleston's Circuit Rider 1 75 Egsleston's Hoosier School-Master 1 25 Eggleston's End of the World 1 50 Eggleston's Mystery of Metropolis\ille 1 50 Eggleston's (Geo. C'ary) A Man of Honor 1 25 Elliott's Lawn and Shade Trees 1 50 Elliott's Western Fniit Grower's Guide 1 50 Emerson's Farmers' and Planters' Encyclopaedia... 1; 00 Eveleth's School House Architecture li (X) Every Horse Owner's Cyclopjedia ;} 75 Farmers' Barn Book 1 50 Field's (Thomas W.) Pear Culture 1 25 Flax Culture 30 Flint (Charles L.) on Grasses 2 .50 Flint's Milch Cows and Dairy Farming .> 50 Frank Fon-ester's American Game in its Season ;> tx) Frank Forrester's Field Sports. 8vo, 2 Vol's (j 00 Frank Forrester's Fish and Fishing. 8vo, 100 eng's. ;{ 50 Frank Forrester's Manual for Youug Sportsmen. 8vo ;-; 00 Frank Forrester's Horse of America. 8vo, 2 vols 10 00 French's Farm Drainage 1 50 Fuller's Forest Tree Culturist 1 50 | Fuller's Grape Cnlturist 1 50 1 Fuller's Small Fruit Culturist 1 .50 Fuller's Strawberry Culturist 2o i Fulton's Peach Culture 1 .50 Gardner's How to Paint I o() (-Myelin's Poidti-y Breeding 1 25 Gi-egory on Cabb:iges jraper . . .'io Gregory on Onions paj)er.. :io ' Gregory on "Squashes pajwr . . :iO \ < Tuenon on Milch Cows 75 j 00 | Harris" Insects Injurious to Vegetation. ..Plain .$4: I Colored En?ra\ings t; 50 ' 1 501 1 50 1 5i> 1 5l> 7 5<> 1 7.> iIO" 3 0«> :-;(>• 1 Ol> 1 .-.!> 2 o«> 1 (K> 1 2--> 1 25 2i> 2 0«> 1 5W lUV 1 IMJ 1 .51 » 1 2.5 1 .-.(» 1 (N> 1 .51 > 1 0^> 3 00 I tiM 1 5t> Harris on the Pis Henderson's Gartlening for Pleasure Henderson's Gardening for Profit Henderson's Practical Floriculture Hemsley's Hardy Trees, Shrubs, etc Herbert's Hints'to Horsekeepiitg Hooper'sDos and Gun paper, 30c ^oth.. Hooper's Book of Evergreens Hop Culture ." Hunter and Trapjier John Andross. (Rebecca Hardin Davis Johnson's How Crops Feed " " Grow Johnson's Peat and Its Uses Johnston's AL'ricultural Chemistry 1 Johnston's Elements of Asn-icultunil Cbemisti->- Leuchar'sHow to Build Hot -Houses '. Lj-man's Cotton Culture Miles on the Horse's Fo^t Mohr on tho Gr.ipe Vin My Vineyard at Lakeview Ni chols's Chemistry of th Farm and Sea Norton's Scientific Agricultuie Onion Culture ^ Our Farm of Four Acres papr, £0c cloth... Our Digestion. By Dio Lewis Pardee on Stra\vl>erry Culture Parsons on the Rose." By Samuel B. Parsons Pedder's Land Measurer Pereheron Horse Play and Profit Iti my Garden. Rev. E. P. Roe I Quincy (Hon. Josiah) on Soiling Cattle i Quinn's Money in the Gaixlen I Quinn's Pear Culture for Profit I Randall's Sheep Husbandry Randall's Fine Wool Sheep Husbandry >. Rand's Flowers for Parlor and (iarden .'. ; Rivers Miniature Fruit Garden I Roe's Play and Profit in my Gaitlen I Samiders Domestic Poultry paper, 40c clotli. . Schencks Gai-deners Test Book , Skillful Housewifery I Stewart's (.John) Stable Book I Thomas Fann Implements and Machinery Thompson's Food of Animals . I Tim Bunker Pajjers Tobacco CXilture Turners Cotton Planters Manual Warder's American Pomology Warders Hedges and Evergreens Warin:rs Draining for Profit and Health Wariiiics Elements of Airriculture Weidenmanns Beaut if \-ing Country Homes. A su- perb quarto volume. 2i lithograph plates, in colors Whites Cranberry Culture Whites Gartlening for the South Youatt and Sptxjner on the Horse Youatt and Martin on Cattle Y'ouatt on the Hog. Y'ouatt on Sheep. .T SELECTED BOOKS. An Esrg Farm. New, novel and useful. Paper Cloth _ „ Ten Acres Enoush ~ Five Aci*es too Much Window Gardenins Pin-dy's Small Fruit Instructor Carpenters' and Joiners' Hand Book How Plants Gi-ow Every Woman Her Own Flower Gardener. Paper Cloth Earth Closets, and Earth Sewerage Trout Culture Potatoe Culture How to list the Microscope Jenny .June's Cf)ok Book Scroll Sawinir with Patterns How to Make Candy BOOKS ESPECIALLT FOR BEE-KEEPEB3. Langstroth on the Hive and Honey Bee S2.iSi Quinby's Mysteries of Bee Keeping I..".** Bee Keeper's Text Book, muslin, 7.'> " " " •' paper, 40 The above are good, but are all far behind the times. A Manual of Bee-Keepiug, by John Hunter .§1,25 This latter is fully ni> to the times, being as late as Sept., 1.S75. but being English, a considerable jiortiou of it is hard!}- adapted to the condition of bee i;ult\ire, at present, in our own country. Manua I of the Apiary. By Prof. A. J. Cook *> This although small, is the only book we have in America that is entirely up to the times ; the best lor beginners. 7.5 1 5t> 1 .50 1 tM> 1 .->•> 1 Hi> 3 do 1 .51) 1 .-,i> 1 IM) 15 00 1 25 2 tK> 1 .51 » 1 .50 1 (M) 1 IK) 1 25 1 50 1 .50 1 25 50 1 IE ITS^TERESsTfe*. A. I. ROOT, ~) Ptiblislter and Proprietor, IVIcdina, O. Publisbed Monthly. (TER:ns: ^l.OOPer Annum in Ad- )-] vance; 3 Copies/or 82.50; o/or S3.7o; EstaTjllslied in ISTS. (.lO or more,GOc. each. Single Number lOc. Vol. IV. DECEMBER 1, 1876. No. 12 BEE-KEEPING IX TENNESSEE. ^T has been some time since I "bored" you with aeom- *[[ munication, and I would not do so now, but for the ■ — ' fact that I, like most other bee-keepers, Uke to tell what 1 have been donig for the past season, and have an especial preference for making the communication to an appreciative and sympathizing auditor. Know then, that I began the season with seven stands of bees; only two of them able to cover eight frames when fruit trees blossomed. I borrowed bees and combs from all the others, so that I had three at work on comb honey, in boxes and small surplus frames and one for ex- tracted honey. I took honey from the four only, the other three being put to work at ccmb making. 1 did not care for iucrease of stock in numbers of colonies, my obj' ct this season being to get a little honey, and to go into winter quarters with ncne but strong stocks. I have two L. hives for box honey, both of which swarmed two or three times. I gave the old combs and unfinished boxes to the swarms, and did very well in honey, but it did not prevent their swarming again. I made several nuclei, but was very unfortunate about losing young queens in first flight. I had only two young queens fer- tilized safely and at work this fall, and one of them I lost in an effort to combine her colony with one of my old stocks, which had lost their queen in swarming, so I have my orgiiial number, seven, and all are in tolerably fair condition, save one, which is quite weak in numbers, but they all have plenty of stores. The hive that I run for extracted honey, was a two story Simplicity, and they did not swarm. I am so much pleased with them, or that style of work that I shall run all for extracted next season, but one Langstroth. I took about 250 lbs. of honey altogether ; about equal quantities of comb and extracted. Some 65 lbs. extd. from two storj- SimpUcity and as much more from the lirood nests of the other three, besides a little from the three that were comb making. The above is far from being a large jield, but I am very well satisfied with it. My opportunities for giving my bees attention at proper times are poor. I am engaged in book-keeping, and have to leave home quite early, do not return until dark and ha\e no means of knowing what my beis are doing all day. They might be robbing or swarmuig, or what not, and I could be of no service to them. The children are all at school until the afternoon, and then have to get their lessons, and this condition of affairs caused me the loss of three good swarms that I know of this last season. My extracting has to be done at night too ; and to do it, I must take out the combs and keep them out all day, so as to have them ready at night. This last spring I had not combs enough to put in for them to work on all day, while the filled ones were out, but next season I will be better prepared. Drone comb is splendid for the extractor. I I am surprised that some of your correspondents object I to the metal confers. I want no other kind of frame, than yours with metal corners. They are light and stron-r, ' and I never have any fe irs about shaking bees off, no j matter how heavy with honey the frame may be. And i then they ar* so easy to get out of t'ae hive. Tou nee«l notliing to pry them loose, but even after they have been I in the brood nest a whole season, you can just take hold I of them with thumb and finger and lift them out. I When I first began bee-keeping I had peach trees in I my garden, but they did not do well, (the soil is Xon [ heavj-) and this spring I procured some grape vines, and I arranged some trelhsses, a la Novice, and am cutting out j the peach trees. I swai-med several vines (s« e Glean- ings, Vol. II, Xo. 10. Page 113.) very successfully, and i that too with \ines just set out. I transplanted one \uv; ■ and made one swarm from it, and the swarm produced j grapes first season, and the old stock or root grew two ! canes. Fi-om several vines, I made fi-om four to five swarms each. It is a splendid idea for getting a \inc- j yard quickly and economically. The posts of my trellisses I are dressed cedar, (red cedar) 3x3 inches, about four feet j out of the ground, with cross pieces of same timber, 1x3 ! in. by 3 feet with trellis wire from top to bottom as you I diJect. All are painted white The hives are on south \ side of each trellis set diagonally, eiitnince facing south- j east. Each hive has sawdust aromid and in front. 1 have ! arranged for sixteen trellises, wiiich is dl my garden will I accommodate. I have not used smoke for the last two I years, in handling my bees, and feel now that when it is j necessary, they had better be let alone except for special I purposes. My bees are Italians. My children have fiowers all about the garden, and all I go fearlessly in among the hives, and are rarely disturbed ! by the bees. One of my little girls a'xiut 13 \ears of age. when they swarm, gets a veil, catches the queen and cages her, puts her before a prepared hive, covers the old hive with a sheet, and when the bees come back liberates the queen, and never gets stung. I keep queens I clipped. I I have not been troubled this seascn with moth. I ; sometimes find a dead worm in front of the hive, which I the bses have killed and brought out. but do not see where they have been on the combs. When I had black , bees, the moths were very troublesome, but with Italians. j and especially strong stocks, or even stocks weak in num- [ bers, but with only as much comb as they can cover, I have no fear of the moth. 1 use division boards all the time. Twoof mv hives I run on the hng idea plan, aii'i coiitine the queen in front with divisinn board in brood nest, and keep surplus frames in rear. I like the lonirhivt. Mine are but two feet Ions, and I liave not given them a thorough trial yet but think I shall like thein. I do noi think the surplus frames can be troubled by queen hyinsr in them, as the two story hives are- The "queen ia two story Simplicity vexed me considerably in that way ; but I attribute some of it to my not extracting often enough. I see you are still improving your section boxes or frames. \\lien you get them jicrfecl, I shall want some of them. With love to "Blue eyes" and wishes for the prosperity of all, I am respectfully, J. H. Ceiddle. Nashville. Tcnn. Nov. Gih. 1870. 293 CLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Dec. THIItTEEar GOO» COLO^IE*. AXD 450 FOl AJBS or HO.XEV r«OM 0-\E, IX «»^E SEASOX. FULL PAnilCrLAKS. i-OUR postal is at baud, and in re])ly I would saj- that the hive when it came here had lost a good 1 '^^ many bees, as one corner of the wire cloth had | got loose : but the queen and about a gallon of bees ■ were all O K. On the lourteenth dav of Feb. they commenced to gather pollen, and brood rearing went on nobly from that lime. I fed them SS pounds of cof- fee A. sugar in syrup, and divided ihem in MAy. In June and July I had seven swarms to come oll'^one going to the limber. In July it became necessary for nie to move them to a new locality, as I had to leave the house I was in and take one some three hundred yards from where I was living, so I divided them all, making 10 colonies of them, placed them where they were to stay, and placed boxes on the old stands to catch the stragglers— putting them with the weakest ones early in the morning. I do not thiak I lost one •pint of bees in the move, and how the5' di I work. About the first of August I got a card of eggs from Iriecd McMains: it was 50 hours on the road, and raised IG fine cells and 2 workers. On July 7th ext. 25 lbs. honev, '* " 1« '' «>5 " " 19 " 55 •" " 30 " 65 " Aug. Sth " 70 " Sept. Sth " 30 " " " 15 '• UO '• 450 For display at Fair. 1 have 5 hives of 16 frames ; the balance, 10 frames, are full of nice straight combs, and I think they have all of 400 fts. of honey in the hives, sealed for winter. I can coimt 125 stocks of bees in this valley, all in "l>ox hives, and they have not averaged 5 lbs. of honey to the hive. They say this has not been a good year for bees ; I have not seen a pound of honey for sale, except the honey I sold, and some fancy jars from C. O. Perrine. of Chicago ; they sell for So cents. I have sold all of mine at 20 cents per pound, and it went like hot cakes. Friend Xovice, I am a tinker, and not much on the write, but I can follow you in all your tin parapher- nalia pertaining to apiculture. Jas. S. Makkle. C'hanutPi iCan., Oct. 2,1 ^. S. I send you the diploma taken at the Fair here for your extractor and my honey. J. S. M. HOME MADE IMPLEMEXTS, ETC. MAXY thanks to you for your article on Italiani- zing, in June No. It was worth many dollars ' to me. I first tried one caged queen cell. In six houi-s after it was hatched I removed the old queen and liberated her on a fi-ame of hatching bees. The next day I foimd her dead in front of the hive. I then made nuclei in one side of the hives and succeeded in getting 3 laying queens out of 9 hatched; the other six were caught by musquito hawks (dragon flies) in their first flight. The5e pests have been around my apiary in swarms for a month past, but I think they will dis- appear soon. Some days, as many as four or five hundred would be in sight at one time. They come in the gi-eatest numbers when drones are flying, and between sunset and dark. As you have done so much towards reducing the price of apiarian articles, and getting them within the reach of all, I will try to describe three home made ones that I am using. Take a lobster, salmon, or fruit can and solder a piece of perforated tin over the open end vvith melted resin and beeswax. Then cut a half inch hole through the perforated tin, and All the liole with a piece of spocgc, and you have a feeder that costs only a cent or two. WAX EXTRACTOK. Take a square o gallon coal oil can, cut it in two, so thf.t it will make a pan about 1 inches deep to hold the water. Then from another can cut out the top and bottom, and set this in the top cf the first to confine the steam. Make a shallow pan to catch the wax, by turning up the four sides of a square i)iece of tin. Solder a little tube into the last to rnn the wax out; then make a frame of wooden strips, with thin cttton tacked on the bott jm and sides, to hold the comb. Enclosed you will find a sketch of the scales I use in weighing hives. A pair of them can be found he»e on almost every plantation, and can be bought at the price of old iron. One side of the bar weighs 220 pounds, and the other 85. If the little knobs arc worn round where the pendants rest on them, they should be filed to a sharp edge. Why do bees reverse nature's law by making the current of air go in through ventilators above, and out through the entrance': I noticed this on very warm days, and the thermometer stood ten degrees higher at the entrance than at the ventilators eight inches above. I saw an article in some bee journal saying that- bees gathered a poisonous honey from the jameston weed, which 1 find is a mistake. It is now in bloom here, and furnishes some pollen, but the cup is so deep and narrow that they cannot reach the honey which is secreted in large quantities. As bees have been gathering very little honey here in the past two weeks, I concluded to have them build some combs from molasses ; but the experiment was a failure. They would not use it, although they take sugar house syrup very readily, which is our cane juice boiled down to the right consistency containing both molasses and sugar. J. D Bedell. Franklin, St. Mary's P.irish, La., Aug, 14, "C. We have never uoticed the phenomena men- tioned, because we have no ventilation except at entrance, perhaps. Our bees send a stream of air out at one side of entrance and in at the other. We rather think the case you mention was an exceptional one. Our readers will get a clearer idea of the wax extractor b^' examin- ing the diagram on page 44, Vol. II of Glean- ings. ^ ■»■ m- NOTES FROM OtK EXCHANGES. AMERICA>^ BEE JOUIiXAL. ^iiACK Frost has already tinted the maples and qWJ elms with r?d and yellow; even our gorgeous fall flowers, golden rod and the asters are fast fading. These sharp mornings with now and then a chilling breeze remind us of the colder times we may soon expect and for which provision must now be made. Among other things we must not forget our little pets— the bees. They have labored unceasingly whenever they could find anything to do, and have given us a generous supply of delicious nectar with which to gi-ace the tea-table and tempt the palate, aad in gratitude we should see that they are made as comfortable as possible during the dreary months of winter. Aside from this, it will not pay to neglect them, and it will pay to take good care of them. The yield of honey from buckwheat this year has been quite good in most portions of the State, and as a little has been added from the late wild flowers the 1876 GLEANINGS IN BEE CVLTURE. 204 hives must be well supplied lor the winter. In sec- lions where fireweed is abundant, or certain species of golden rod are plentj' the hives are filled very lull almost every fall. The asters which grow in our State are not the kinds which furnish the large yields of honey so often spoken of, so comparatively little can be counted upon from that source. It would pay our apiarists to procure seed of the most common spe- cies of wild aster which grows in the middle South- ern states. We suppose, then, that our hives are fairly supplied with honey this fall, yet, to be sure each hive should be examined, and any that may be deficient, supplied by feeding honey or white sugar syrup, or by giving them combs full of sealed honey. While Ihere are many expensive stjles of feeders, simply a shallow pan set in the cap or top story of the hive will ansiver every purpose. A quart or so of food may be poured in just at dusk, and shavings or cut straw scattered on the surface to keep the bees from drowning. In order to estimate correctly the quantity of honey in a hive it will be necessary to examine each comb separately or to weigh the whole together and then , are for some small contrivance or feature not worth a sixpence to any practical bee-keeper. The constant stream of inquiries in regar-l to patent hives, and the frequent accounts of having been the victims of fraud in this direc- tion, especially in the South, has induced us many times to think seriously of keeping a caution permanently in our journal, in large plain letters. BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. Friend Abbott says : In the winter the appearance of an apiary is not oi much consequence, as few visitors care to spend thtir time in viewing what is so uninteresting during the quiet and almost lifeless period: aud, therefore, al- though tidiness is highly to be commended, we use whatever comes to hand to cover up our bees, 5D5 GLEANINGS IN BEE (.^ULTURE. Dec. boxes, if possible, with pacUins of hay or sha- vings, and anything in tlic way of cari)et or sacliing that we can lay hands upon, and over the whole the best roof we can aSbrd to keep all dry. Now such has been almost universally Ihe case, and it has made us icany times feel dis- mal to realize that our apiaries must be such an uninviting scene of disorder, for almost six months in the year. "Well, we assure yon we have taken some rare pleasure in the past few days when it was pleasant, in ftxing up in nice trim our new chatf hives ; and the thought that they might be kept in just such trim all winter long, was refi'eshing. Now how pleas- ant it will be to see them fly during fine days in winter, such as we had so many of last win- ter, and to feel that they are all in just as nice trim, as they were during the summer months. ^ »»* ^ THE AGRICCLTITRAL COL,I.EGE APIAKY. EEPOET FOR TUE YEAR 1870. From forthcoming report of State {3Iic}i.) Board of Agriculture. /^|x F the ten colonies of bees placed in the new- cel- IUjI) lar Xovember '26th, all but one, the experiment- ^"""^ al colony, with none but old bees, came through the winter in fine condition. That one lived till spring, and then died. These colonies were all removed from tlie cellar once in January, and once in March, that they might have a purifying flight. They were not removed to the summer stands permanently till the middle of April. During the previous autumn the bees were kept breeding even into October, and consumed nearly all the pollen. Several colonies had none. These liad no brood when removed from tlie cellar. I attempted to supply this lack by feeding meal during the last of April, but found that nearly as soon as the weather would permit the bees to fly they could get pollen, and thus would not touch the meal. I fed sparingly of syrup till the fruit trees were in bloom, and by that time had si.K or seven frames of brood in each hive. I also fed a little between the fruit trees' bloom and that of white clover, with the most satisfactorj- results. During the season I have increased from nine to twenty colonies, all large and in excellent condition. I also procured two Italian (lueens imported from Italy, 3nt lost one in introducing. Tlie other has done well, and from her I have Italianized tlie whole apiary, though I am in doubt whether all the queens were purely mated. I did not permit the colonics to swarm, but prac- ticed artificial swarming or dividing. 1 lost three colonies, one coming out in the spring, and leaving at once, without waiting to alight even ; the other two going off this fall, before I suspected any such thing, clioosing Sunday of course as the time for their leave- taking. Had I previously cropped the queen's wings, all of these would have been saved. I have now no queens with uncropped wings. I have extracted during the season 507 pounds from the brood chamber. About a third of this was from basswood, the other two-thirds from fall bloom, and none was extracted except from worker comb, which it was desired to keep free from honey that it might be used for brood. During the season I have worked for comb honey, both in boxes and in small frames, and found that I could secure much more in Ihe frames. I lind, too, that the honey in small frames is liked quite as well by consumers. In the spring I surrounded the apiary grounds with numerous honey-producing shrubs and trees, among which were bass-woods, locusts, crab-apple, shad- bush, etc. Most of these have done well, —a few have died. These have been kejjt mulched, and the ground about them well spaded all the season. I have also set out more evergreens, some for a wind-break, oth- ers for shade for bees ; and have started some Con- cord grape vines and Virginia creejjer for shade. Some of the latter has been set about the house, that it may climb upon It, and has alreadj- made a fine growth. I have also set out several kinds of bee- plants of more or less repute, the tollowing of which have done well, and all yielded bloom except the two first, which will not bloom till another season: yel- low trefoil clover, yellow Bokhara clover, mignonette, black mustard, Chinese mustard, borage, common and silver-leaf buckwheat, common and Chinese sun- flower, and Rocky mountain iiee-plaut. Tnc following is the summary of the account with the apiary for the year : APIARY. 1)K. To improvement of grounds S26 17 " experimental plats 2o 65 " tools 20 4.5 " maklnghlves, feed, queens, and care of bees 8181 Total S155 OS CK. By 11 colonies of bees(n:^10 $110(0 ■• 506)*' lbs. extracted honey(al6(a-22c 83 It) " \iS,y, lbs. comb honeyfg,2-2 i/c 33 90 " 168 lbs. comb honey (unsold) (3200 33 60 " 55 ^a lbs. extracted honey (unsold) (Sloe 8 32 " 60 frames worker conib(ailOc 6 00 " 9 unoccupied bee hi ve=f(i 52 18 00 " Improved grounds 26 17 " experiments on bee plants 23 65 " 70 lbs. asparagus(«8c 5 60 " tools, record book, etc 15 45 " work bench 5 00- " lumber, oil, ajd p Int on hand 2 33 Total receipts $371 41 Total expenditures 8lc5 (8 Net profits on 9 colonies $216 33 " " per colony 2105 CONX'LUSIONS FROM YEAR'S AVOIIK. The experimental hive, strong In old bees, but which contained no young bees, as no brood was per- mitted to hatch after the middle of August, and which died 111 early spring. Indicates that spring dwindling may come from the fact that there are no young bees in the hive when the bees go Into winter quarters. This condition may arise either from a poor queen, a poor honey jield. or deartli of honey in autumn, when even the best queen will refuse to do duty ; or, as has been the case here this fall, such a great honey yield as to give the queen no opportunitj. NATURAL SWAUMIXG. I have proved, what reason and a knowledge of the natural history of the honej' bee would discover, that natiiral swarming Is always suflered at a great sacri- fice. This Insures a ciueenless colony for nearly or general!}- quite two weeks, which Is equivalent to the loss of a fair colony of bees, as a good fertile young queen will start a fair colony In this time, especially as this is generally at the time oi the best honey sea- son of all the year. THE EXTRACTOR. The great value of this machine has been again demonstrated during the wondrous honey yield of August and September. Although the bees had plen- 1870 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 290 ty of room in the supers— both boxes and frames- still they would fill up the brood space as fast as the bees came forth, so as utterly to preclude breeding. By extracting I kept the brood chamber replete with brood, while by orailting the same, breeding stopped entirely. I found, too, that thi-j sent the queen into the supers, where she would lay if there was a possi- ble chance ; whereas she rem.iined below entirely when room was given her in tlie brood chamber. POLLEN A 1!KQLILSITE TO UROOD KEAUING. The lact that there was no brood reared in colonies destitute of pollen till the bees had gathered and stored some, seem? a positive demonstration that pol- len is an essential element of the food of the larva% though it is not required by the mature bees. The rapid increase of brood in the spring would also indi- cate that it is as well, if not best, that the bees have no pollen till they can fly out in spring. FEEDING MEAL. The observations tlie past spring, sustained also by those of 1874, show tliat bees are pretty apt to be able to gatlier i^oUen as soon as it is best for them to fly in the spring,— by the middle of April,— and that feeding meal is unnecessary. EVERGREEN.S FOR SHADE. Evergreens for shading the colonies, especially Nor vvay spruce, not only serve an exeellent purpose, but can be trimmed so as to make the apiary grounds very attractive from their beauty, and are to be strongly rscommended. SAWDUST ABOUT THE HIVES. The sawdust about the hives, underlaid with brick, by keeping the grass down serves an excellent pur- pose, at it enables one to see at once any bees that fall ujjon it, and thus ensures against loss of queen. LATE FALL FEEDING. As all the bees wintered so well during the past winter, I could see no special diflercnce between those fed late the previous fall and those that were not. All bred so late as to vitiate the experiment. HONET PLANTS. The experiei'.ce of the summer sliows that the fol- lowing honey plants not only yield well, but that they bloom from early in July till autumn, covering a pe- riod when there is a dearth of native lioney bloom : mignonette, borage, and black mustard. Chinese mustard is inferior to black mustard. It blooms ear- lier and the bloom fades away much sooner. Sun- flowers are unworthy cultivation, while the Rocky mountain bee plant blooms too late to be valuable where there is plenty of fall bloom native to the re- gion. With no native bloom to furnish autumn hon- ey, it would be valuable. All of the above do well on light sandy soil. GOLDEN-ROD HONEY. Our autumn experience proves that golden-rod honey, though rather dark, is of very superior flavor. Several good judges have prononnced it superior even to linn or white clover. A. J. Cook. P. fi.—AU labor was performed by studenta. FROM DOOI.ITXL,E. ^^^I'R bees are ready for winter with the exception of mM of putting about half of them in our "mud hut" as some feel disposed to call the plan given on page 13'2, Vol. II. After getting our bees in just the conditicn to suit us, we find we have 10 1 loft. Some of our friends seem surprised that we should recommend a hive as small as the one we use holding but i) Gallup frames. Perhaps they will think us more insane than ever when we tell them that in 1871 we averaged but O2 frames to the hive, in 1875 but 7 frames to the hive ; and now after all our doubling back we tind we only average HK worker combs to the hive. We hope next year to get up to 9 frames. Our hives are so constructed that wo secure surplus honey from nearly every thing down to a 3 frame nucleus, and this in boxes. E. GJallup told us years ago that 3 frames M'itli queen, and bees to cover them well was a swarm to all intent and purposes, and such a swarm will store just as much box honey in accordance with their numbers as one that would fully occupy 12 or 15 Gallup frames. The idea is, keep all hands at work, and if they can do noth- ing else they can build comb. We are frequently asked about our boxes that we use, and would say here to all, that they originated with N. N. Betsinger, of Marcellus, N. Y. ; that thev are not patent- ed, and that all Mr. Betsinger desires is that proper cred- it is given him as the originator and inventor of said box. This box is termed by some, the "SjTacuse style'' of box, for the simple reason that Mr. B. and myself with a few smaller ajiiarians in this locality have sold our honey to :i wholesale dealer in honey in Syracuse, he shipping to all part* of this state, Pennsylvania, and most of the Eastern states. This box wher. flUed, sells 5 cts. per lb. higher in our Eastern markets than the common 6 lb. Langstroth box, and 2 cts. higher than the 3 lb. Alley box. No\ id- would have you understand on page 278. that one-third of our honey crop was wood and glass, which shows that he is not thoroughly posted in regard to the matter. These boxes are only used in connection with the separators and are so constructed that when glassed, Iha glass comes within 1-32 of an inch of the honey, thereby getting the greatest possible amount of honey within the least possi- ble space. If any person does not wish to sell glass, they are certainly better for packing for transpcrtation than any other section box in market, as every comb is just such a thickness and can by no possible means be built so as to touch any other comb. In regard to the selling of our boxes, as we sell them glassed, compared with that sold nnglassed, we will quote from the New York price current of Oct. 18th, 1876. "The feature in this market is the arrival of 10 car loads from San Diego, Cal. The hon- ey is handsome but the style is not quite as well liked as that of our domestic honey. The small boxes contain but a single comb but it is not protected by glass. This saves the buyer something in tare but the comb is not so well in-ote;ted." Our aim ha^ been to please the people and we are well pleased with the results. Novice says we use haul wood ends. This is so, but said hard wood is nearly as light as some soft wood (swamp elm being the lightest of all hard wood) and is only used because the tins that bend over the glass when filled, will persist in drawing out of soft wood during the operation. When filled the box holds 2 V lbs., and Si oz. of this amount is wood and glass. Novice asks, page 2t,'5, what our starters probably cost us. We should say not over 50 cents per lb., taking every thing into consideration. 3Ioi-t of them are built at limes when the bee would not work in boxes at all, namely from apple blossoms, dandelion and buckwheat. This i-t the time to get your comb for starters built and we should consider it a very poor ajjiarian that could not get a ijound built fi-oiK each stock during the season and not reduci; the amount of his box honey more than one per cent. Buckwheat honey is at present wholly or nearly unsa- lable, and wilh a good yield 2 lbs. tf nice starters could be secured with ease from each stock during its flowering. We were not a little surprised at what was said on page 280 about moving bees. Would it not be a much better way to wait till after the bees had just had a fly and then as soon as it became cool again move them? Bees that have not had a fly for several weeks are generally loaded with their f»ces and as soon as they are disturbed, they always fill themselves with honey and if they should not havc'a chance to fly soon, they would certainly have the dvscntery. So it looks to us at least, from the experience wV have liad. , fig worts, alx>ut 60 ; Verbenaceee. verbenas, 10 ; Lahiateee, mints, many of much value, 7S ; Hurrai/incea, Borage family 2S ; Asclcpiadaceae, milkweed family, 25 ; Polygonacene, Buckwheat family, 38 ; Liliaceae, lily family, 50. Besides these there are many where there is only one or two or a few in a small order, perhaps not far from 570. Then probably there are a hundred or more about which I am uncertain. If I have added correctly, I give above, about 1775 species from which bees get more or less honey or pollen. These grow east of tlie Mississippi river and north of Kentucky in the United States. Some, like the grasses and pines, have no showy or fragrant flowers and afford little or no honey. As a general rule, those plants which produce odorous or showy flowers afford honey and will be visited by honey bees unless the flower is of a shape which makes it impossible for the bee to reach the food. It would be a great source of pleasure, and in some cases perhaps of profit also, foi- every bee-keeper to be a good botanist In fact, every person should study botany more less, as any one can if he only tries and perseveres. The culture it gives, the enjoyment, the discipline, all place botany in a high position as a science. HONEY DEW. ^f" SAID in my last communication, the absence of _f|[ all wild and cultivatid flowers during this year, 1876, was very like the year 1865, but owing to the atmospheric constitution favoring the development of this "myth,*' Honey Dew had caused this to be re- markable as a bountiful honey season. We have re- moved honey boxes until tired out and now all the boxes are full on the colonies. Some hives have c )mb a foot long attached to under part of the trian - gle, well flUed with as nice honey as any in bo-xes ; the bees having been driven in by cold weather. One large box hive, empty, sitting in contact with a full colony on either side, was filled with honey nearly as white as the driven snow, and abandoned upon the ai)proacli of cold weather. It contained over 4000 cu- bic inches of honey. Why do I call this Honey Dew a myth ? Because as yet, no satisfactory explanation of its production has I'een given. We are all conjecturing and each man has his theory. Langstroth and others attribute it to Aphides. I have seen cotton fields covered with it. In riding through prairie grass at early dawn, 1 have been stuck all over with it and my horse made so dis- agreeable that ablution of myself and horse was nec- essary before proceeding. I know apiarnes bordering on these floral praires, often of the old fashioned gum hive or barrels, kegs or any other rude hollow mate- rial, during a Honey Dew season to yield vast quanti- ties of as pure nice honey as ever was taken from box or frame. There among grass and flowers was em- phatically the land that flowed with milk and honey. The Honey Dew mystery has not been solved. Dry weather is sine qua non to production of Honey Dew. J^verv observer will testify to this fact. It will continue as long as the dry weather lasts and cease with the first he .vy fall of rain. No man ever saw Honey Dew to any extent during a wet season. Whatever produces the Honey Dew of this region of country renders our apiarians rich and prosperous in such seasons— they are poor without it, ior all the honey bearing blossoms furnish more the pabulum of bee life than they do of pure honey in wet seasons. I hope some enlightened contributor of Gleanings' will give this Honey Dew subject his attsntion and communicate whatever he may discover, to the world of science and thcreljy give an impetus to investiga- ting the efl'ects of vegetable respiration and chemical afllnities in floral regions. I am free to confess my entire ignorance of the true causes resulting in the compound called Honey Dew. That the aphis and some other insects distil a kind of nectar, 1 know to be the fact; but the idea that it can spread a mantle of honey over vast acres of country, both prairie and wilderness in one night, and for a succession of nights lasting weeks and months, is simply absurd. Honey Dew in our present condition of knowledge aijpears as a result of sometliing— we do not know what that something is. Geo. B. Pi;teus. Council Bend, Ark., Oct. -inth, "TG. IS TO GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 298 SWEETS BY THE CAK I.OAl>. Tv. o liimdicd tliousantl pounds of Cali- fornia. Sioney. WHERE A VAST TEREITOKY, HITHERTO ALMOST WOETH- LESS, HAS BEEN MADE MOST VALUABLE.— DIFFICULTIES OYEECOilE IN BEE CULTURE. M'R. J. S. Harbison, of San Diego county, CaHfornia, arrived in this city yesterday witli ten car loads of ' honey, each car containing 20,000 pounds. This vast aggregation of bee labor was taken from Sir. Harbi- son's six apiaries on the sides of the Coast Range of moun- tains, as near to the Mexican line as they well can be and yet el.i'm the protection of the Stars and Stripes. Twenty- five years ajo 31r. Harbison made a stir in the bee world by selling at one time two thousand pounds of honej', the product of his apiary, near New Castle, Pa. So much honey had never before been raised by a single producer, and the sale led hundreds of staid farme-s to embark in what looked like a most profitable field of industrj'. The result was not flattering. Short seasons and limited bee pasturage forbade profitable bee euUurc. Old-fashioned hives were th?n the only kind known. The modern means of robbing bees without killing; them had not then been thought of. Having invented a hive that enabled the ciilturist to obtain successive crops of honey from tlje same colony of bees, Mr. Harbison began to look for a I'egion that would supply the food for the bees. He searched for this in the equable climate of the Pacific coast, and found it in a narrow stiip of country in the extreme south-western corner of the United States, now knovi-n as tlie bee belt of California, Sheep raising was the only industry of the natives found by j\Ir. Harbison when he first visited the country. The country inland was thought good enough for sheep pasturing, but n) one dreamed that the soil could be mide to produce grain in paying quantities. Timber was confined to the bottoms of running streams and to the canons, the valleys and hill sides being covered with a growth of .stunted brushwood from which sprang a luxuriant grovith of white sage, sumac, and other flow- ering shrubs, which bloom there nine months of the year. Mr. Harbison's first apiary was started on a mountain side, twenty miles east of San Diego. He embarked for the West with seventy hives of bees, bat these were re- duced to sixty-two by casualties. From them he nc w has six apiaries, and a total of 3,000 hives. He employs fifteen men constantly, and is reaping rich profits from many thousands of acres that must otherwise have been a barren waste. He soon had many imitators, and now not less than three hundred persons are taking honey along the "Bee Belt." Samples of the honey and a stock of bees, brought East in one of Mr. Harbison's hives, are on exhibition in H. K. Thurber & Co.'s ware-rooms. The California bee season, Mr. Harbison says, begins by Feb. I. In March or April the bees swarm, and the bee culturist has lively times in saving the swarais. The science has become so systematized now that the apicul- turist knows within a day or two when a given hive may be expected to sv/arm, and as the young bees always set- tle near the parent hive at least once before selecting their new quai'ters, a swarm is seldom lost. The flowei's are at the height of their luxuriance in May and June, and the taking of honey is begun usually about May 20, and the bees are kept at work as long as the flowers last. They cease to bloom in sufficient quantity to more than subsist the bees in the early part of August ; but the little workers are able to find enough to live on without con- suming their stores as late as October. It will thus be seen that the harvest time is never longer than three months and is often much less. After October begins. although the air is still mill and sin'ing-like, the baes cease to work, and retire into a semi- dormant condition. Once everj' eight or ten days a colony will turn out at midday and fly around for an hour or two iti the sunshine but they never fly far from the hive, and are never seen at work. The food of the bees in the bee belt is generally the flow- er of the white sage, a plant that closely resembles the garden sage. This is not to be confounded with the sage brush of Nevada and Utah, which is of the wormwood sjiecies, and has the family bitterness. Next to the sage in importance as bee food is the sumac, a shrub that grows in California without poisonous quality. In fact, there is no poisonousfioweringplant in the bee range, and the honey has none of the colicky qualities that make Eastern grown honey objectionable. The honey is graded by the cultur- ist according to the plant from which it is derived. That made from sage flowers, being clearest and most aromatic, is most valuable. Mr. Harbison siys thit notwithstanding tho gre:it crop he Ins brought to this market, h3 will pi'ob vbly not realize more than §1.000 after deducting expenses and interest 0!i cajntal. He had to dig his bee ranch out of the wilderness. The ro:\ds thereto over rocky mountain sides and deej) canons, were bull t at heavy cost. The continu jus labor of fifteen men is needed in the care of propagation and liar- vesthig. The hives, boxes for shipment, and houselnll supplies have all to be transported from Sin Diega, fjrty miles from his most remote apiary. It costs about f jur cents, gold, to freight a pound of honey by water to S:in Francisco and by rail to New York. Taking into consider- ation the commissions and currency v?.lues realized hec:, thereisnogreat mirgin left for profi".— JVaiw York S: i. Tl^ANSFERKIIVG. S I think transferring and fastening combs in the JG'\s fi'ames can be done much move rapidly in my way ' than in any I have seen, I will take tin libjrty of describing it to you. If honey is plenty and bees not in- clined to rob, blow a little smoke into the hive, (on the old stand) split it in pieces, have some clean boards ready, brush off the bees, sort out the combs and put eachkindby itself so you can get any of them you want to put into the frames. To prepare the frames, stick small tacks in th5 top and bottom of the frame, take a piece of fine wire long enough to go across as many times as you wish, fasten the wire to one corner, put it around two tacks from top to bottom on one side and fasten. Lay the frame on a board with the wire down, fit in your combs and continue to wind the wire on the other side around the same tacks. If there is a bad place in the comb and the wire does not come in the right place you can stick in more tacks and continue the wire until it will support heavy combs. I think I can transfer a stock in this way as quickly as I can diviile a swarm into an empty box the old way. I have packed my bees in sawdust, shavings from planing mills, and chatf since 1870. To make my boxes I get inch boards, get them resawed, get out cleats one inch square and the length of box ; nail on the board on two sides half inch from end of board, the other two sides nail one inch from end of board ; that makes the corner come right. I drive nails in the corners and tij with annealed wire, but; per- haps some would prefer hooks. Slant the roof four inches, make the cover by putting on cleats. These parts of the boxes are handy to use in summer when hiving, and in case you have no grape vines they can be used for shading the hives. I remove them from the hive just as apple trees b'ossom. I put up seventy this way last winter, and they wintered well. When I removed the boxes I found plenty of brood in the hives ; one had 299 GLEA^^NGS IX BEE CULTURE. Dec. brood in all stages on edse of combs next the glass, but it was removed in two davs after they were taken aut of the chaff. The cover should be removed from the hive. The chaff should not be less than eiarht inches deep over the hive and must not touch the upper cover. Do not think of leavins: the pa?kin5r on all summer to keep them cool any more than you would think of wearing an overcoat t:) keep yourself cool in hot weather. I have left the I lacking on a few to try them and they got so hot it near- ly stopped their wcirking. I have t:ied Mr. Bolin's plan of removing the old hive when it cast its first swarm, to prevent after swarms : hut this year the plan has failed in every case. I re- moved fifteen in June, every one of which cast off a se- cond swarm and fourteen of them swarmed again in Aug. i have had six natural swarms from one in several cases this year and five of them stored enough for winter with- ' ut assisianee. My increase has been quite large this -eison, lio swarms from So in the spring. Honey yielded very Ughily only 2375 lbs. frcm the So. but they were not very well cared for. I have 60 swarms in hives with combs 10x17. Shall sell the old style hive :combs 12 wide 14 deep) this fall, have 150 of them. If I succeed in sell- ing them I think you may look for more subscribers for GLEASiyGs from this quarter. L. Kzixet. Ionia, Mich. Oct. 2:Jd, 1S76. KEPORT FRO?I \% , S. tUITT. etc., tells the story of many disconragements from losses. To learu how and what, to hold on and nevtr give up. is perhaps some part of the habit of my life. W. S. LfNT. Fostoiia. O., Xov. lit, "76. -^ m ^ — REPORT FRO?I I.. C. ROOT. ^f C 3MMENCED the season with 132 swarms and \ increased to ISS, have taken a little over five tons of surplus. About two tons box and balance ex- tracted. This we consider about an average season ; much better than last year and not as good as the season before. L. C. Root. Mohawk. X. Y.. Xov. Sth. 1376. As an evidence of the soundness of friend Root's teachings, which are found each month in the Ani. AgricnUuritft, we cite the above. When our successful honey raisers can be in- duced to write for the people, we may be pretty sure it will be safe to follow "their teachings. CHAFF HIVES. r|i J^T^JHE season of 1S75 gave us here no surplus honey, .T.~ except during fruit blossom? : but colonies were strong in bees. They did not swarm naturally r.nd in August I divided, giving each new colony an Italian queen, many of which were killed, and their ! 'laces filled with queens raised frcm brood or egg;. Thus the time for increase of bees passed till late in the season. Frost came, Sept. 11 and 15th, when the ilowers died, and honey supplies ceased. I fed over a ■'arrel of cofl'ee sugar, a large part of which was con- sumed early: and as a consequence my IS swarms were rednc«d to 5 good one^, and one very weak, for the spring of li?76. This has been the best season I have ever seen. My 17 colon -. e strong in numbers and supplies. I lost one with worms, and came very near losing another by a singular loss of the queen. After putting a rath- er small, late swarm, into a hive. I concluded to add to its strength by giving it a still later nattiral colony, shortly after, I noticed the bees were idle, and did not •juickly enter the hive, though honey was abundant On opening the hive I found them without brood or queen, though they had received two. I gave them an Italian queen since which they have prospered. This season bees, especially the Italians, would not work in boxes placed at the side of Quinby frames or on the top: though every box was supplied with comb guides. I should have been short of honey, but for the extractor, and a few section boxes which were Tied as an experiment. The section boxes will be ; sed more extensively another season and also a trial r-i fdn. made. All except a few are now packed in Quinby hives ^vith chaff packed in all sides but the bottom. These are removed to a false bottom board and returned to the same hive, leaving an air chamber below it of 13j inch. For iour or five years past, I have wintered in this way on the summer stands. I have lost many, but could as I thotight, always find sufficient reason for such losses, without attribu- ting it to any fault of winter quarters. Ignorance ex- plains much and perhaps nearly all. Leaky roofs, weak colonies, jnsuflicient stores, loss of queens, etc., i ^rWHOSE hives were packed all summer under the bottom and not at the sides. Heat promotes swarming, and therefore your chaff hive will be a failure in summer. If you had my kind of portico your hive would be good for winter. There are times when bees would not fly in four months with such en- trances as yours. In mine the portico is several de- grees warmer than out of it when the sun shines in winter, but it is shady in summer. Bees will flv when I want them to by opening the outer door in fair weather. J. L. Davis. Delhi. Mich.. Xov. 6th, 1S7G. If our hives will keep the bees in for four months at a time, and yet have the entrance open as in summer, it is certainly just what we want. It is just the way the Q. hive did, and they did not even get out to work on the meal when the rest did ; but not a bit did it hurt them. If it proves too warm, we shall have to contrive some way to cool them, and without pulling it all in pieces every spring either. My summer stand lor bees is out of doors on a bench. Do you thirk they will v»inter with chafl' cushions over them, with nothing around them but a '3 inch board ? C. X. R. Tescu. Xewmarket. Ontario. Can., Xov. 7th, "76. About 30 of our hives are arranged in the way you mention, and we have little fear but that they will winter, for they usually do without the chaff. The principal idea is to avoid the spring dwindling ; and although the quilt alone will not answer as well proba- bly, as the whole chafl" covering, we think it will be better than none, or as good as the straw mats which have answered so well. Where the colony Is not very strong, we re- move a comb, or even t^vo combs on each side of the cluster, and put a cushion in their stead ; this protects all except the ends of the frames. With a portico at each side, and chafl' pillows in these, and a box of chafl' to go under the hive, we should get clear round, but it would be more more bother than the hive described last month. All these plans will be pretty thoroughlv tested this winter. I don't know how yon will like the plan of having two stories packed: sh:iJl watch the experiment with interest. It looks as though it would work well unless IS76 GLEAKINGS IN BEE CTLTUEE. 300 WiH «ttr friends excuse us, and tmrn to p»ge 3(Xi. oc:r o\*'N apiaky. -R. StauTiope wheu here, expressed him- self decidedly in favor of bees having a >train of common blood, for comb koMey. The reason he gave, was that black bees will go to the top of boxes and commence work, whil*? the pnre Italians, will only work upward ; the .~ame idea has been many times spoken of, and ticcoucts for perhaps all the statements we have had in regard to the superiority of the blacks for comb honey. It is our opinion that there is no need of this, for the Italians fill every comb in the lower story, much more completely than we ever have found the blacks to do, and all that is needed, is to get the sec- tion boxes so near the brood apartment, or to oi^en the way into them a few at a time, that they may not consider they are getting away from their brood. Perhaps we maj* by select- ion, get Italians without this peculiarity so strong, for it is quite certain that stocks dif- fer greatly in this respect. S'<*t. 1-i — Aha ! And may it not be that there is something else to be considered before we i;ive the blacks and hybrids too mucli credit for the way in which they commence in boxes "When the Italians do not? We have to-day been lifting the ijees out of the thin hives, -and setting them in the new chaff hives, and :is w« iiave befoiv remarked we lind the Ital- ians with their combs crowded, but the hy- ; orids that have given their largest crops of romb honey late in the season, have some of them not half enough for winter in their brood -■;.ombs. We confess to being somewhat as- touiT^hed at this result, for we had always sup- posed colonies that had stored in Iwxes would iiave a great abundance for winter. If this is to be the pi-ogramme, we shall say give us the bees that look out for their winter stores, in prefereuce to those that carry all their gains into the boxes alx)ve. What a nice thing it is to have a stock of thosti combs that weigh •Jown like iron wedges, for such* emei- gencies ; two or three at most, will fix any . 'C-olony, for we have some that weigh as heavy i -as 8 lbs. In one case, we put a large colony '■ on six of these heavy combs, and have nar- rowed the space witli chaff cushions, so that they cover the six combs almost completeh'. About next May, we expect to see the contents of these heavy combs manufactured into worker brood. Xov. 20iJi. — Mr. Stanhope said that wheix' ; none but Italians were kept, he thought it un- necessary to take the trouble of brimstociug romb honey, lor it was only once in a great while that any worms would be found. Our [ experience has been much the same ; and if a , little care be taken to pick off the webs as >oon as they make their appearauee, no more will be seen, although a single worm may make considerable mischief, if allowed to grow to full size. Another item. Mr. Pierson, told us a few days ago, that moth worms bred only where there was pollen. We were , at fii-st much inclined to doubt this, but on looking over a lot of our lllkd combs, we round the worms had been at woik where cells : of jwllen were feuud, and nowhere el-o. < hi ) one comb, we found a frightful nest webbed against the next comb ; and this one contain- ed a solid patch of pollen, that the worms had partly consumed. If this should prove the case invariably, it would be an aditional rea son for keeping pollen out of our comb honey. Xoc. 2od. — For the past two davs. we have been enjoyins: the rare pleasure, of a visit from Mr. G. M. Doolittle. The characteristic of this man as an apiculturist, seems to be an in- tense determination to make his bees self-sus- taining, and to make them bring in more mon- ey, even during the very worst seasons, than is paid out on them. Not oni\- does he aim to get all the nice white honey that his bees gath- er, but he aims to get it in the most marketa- ble shape. The implements he uses are all strong and substantial and every thing is cal- culated for going risht along without any hindrance or bother during the working sea- son with the bees. Again, he is a man who is perfectly satisfied — or seems to be — with his frame, hive, honey box and every thing else for aught we know : having no disposition whatever to change about, every season or oftener, to the annoyance of his bees and every Ijody else, as some one does who is pretty near our own weight and dimensions. We shall with the January Xo., commence a series of articles detailing his method, also giving a full explanation of his hive with dia- grams. Although many will feel like object- ing to a brood chamber so small — 9 Gallup frames — when we look into the way in which he handles them, we begin to understand how he gets so much comb honey, and gets it in such very nice shape. There are very many who report large yields from single colonies, but the number who can report a steady cash income from their apiaries, good seasons and bad. as does Doolittle, are few. Again, his apiary is not encumbered with miijcellaneous traps of doubtful value. He has only his one style of frame, and just one honey box with no Ihouirht of tolerating anything else in his api- ary, under any circumstances. REPfIRT FROM J. S. ETILL,. fC.VX uot consistently grive you a report, wichout _^ including last season also, which was the hardest — season to grot alonsr with bees I ever experienced ; oall it "-lilasted hopes" if you please. I had So hives in the sjiring. od'C of whith became queenless : having no queen for it I united it which left St hives. Bees gt»t but little from the flowers, the whole season did not make it up, and I fed -iSOO lbs. of honey and sugar to stock them lor winter ; with all the trouble of feeding they went into winter much weaker than usual. They wintered witliout loss. This season has been the best for honey since 1S62. 1 increased to ICi hives and got a little over lO.CtXi lbs. honey: 3S^o lbs. sealed cov honey, the balance extracted. Did not extrac: from the lower story, the hives being very full of brood. At the close of the honey harvest which was about the 4ih of July (and they did no: gather enough to ■winter on) had to feed near 900 lbs. to stock them up for winter. As there h.is been much said in reg.ard to having sealed stores for winter, I will add that 1 iiavo uo choice as to whether they are sealed or un- sealed : if there is any difl'erence those with plenty of unsealed stores breed fastest in the spring. J. S. Hill, Mt. Healthy, O., Xov. Uth. "Ttj. ?rrf GLZAXIXGS IN BEE CULTURB. Dkc. GLEANINGS m BEE CULTURE. obbsred as aU to werk nisbt and day. go civ jpoursals vkb omr «s«b> prjwspiness-. e vi>u V"*;r Publislied :nontIilr, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR MEDINA, OHIO, Terms r SI .OO Ferr Ajanxtm, For Ctub Bates see Loot Page. A5T> ther come ro Jesus, and see Mm that wa« posses-i- ■rith the deTU, and bad tbe Irsion. sktras. asd rkithf d. awl in i^ right taind ; and tbej were afraid.— Mari. 5:1.'. * i«i ^ Ot:e anrmal price Est of implensenr?. irii] mit >'f> '•fr: out tiis season nntil spricsr. We spe elad to be able to »tate that fii:s.±siye'i and extracted if -we xri?h new and bright looking hon- ey next yeai. so says DooiKsle. who certainly ought to know. _ Rexeseee sendine wax by express, is erpeiwfve Ttus- mess, "We hare received several small lots on trhirh the express charges were as mnch as J the value of the wtls. We have now so much invested in wax. that we dare not offer more foan f5c, SBd yon can aD probably do ijett'T than that at borne. FBnrvTi Eoop reports on poae 311. a riear profit of ?1 521.1ft, from 159 — see pase 115— rn tbe spring, besides haviraftj* now. Had he occiipied a couple of paae?, m- stead of about a dozen lines;, he could not have srven n« an arstnnent b«Tf as convincing, in favor o-f Ita&ir?? and moTHbfe frames. yoTBTSG can be mnch nicer for a bee-keeper's mrlor table, thin a stereoscope, and a collection of views. We can famish pxd stereoscopes for -SLW or 51.25 if sent by maiL Perhaps the best war to get views. wiU be Sor each one to get a dozen or two of his own apiary, and Then excfaan^se. We wiD send one of outs, in excharere for thai at any erf our readers. Tiews of some of our Califomi:i apiaries, would be very desirable, espeeiaHT tbo^e am'/ns- the moontain zorge<. OrK friend Washburn has been unusually fanvyNfor «ome time past, and no^ presentsi a rerr pretty mru-hine tot Tnakinir fdn. for surplus boxes only. The roller* admit of making sheets 5 inches in width, and a« long as yon jAeaae, and his first trial produced s.heets so thin ihat peAaps S sq. feet would be required to weish 1 lb. We can fornix these smaQ macaines complete for $33.40. and it gives m gieat pleasure to be enabled to pnt tbe price so low. m »»«^^- - - We really beg pardon for oar seemrn? disregnni of the convention at the Centennial, but for ns to leave on the ^th of October, was next to an impossibility. JIad xrc made arrangements to have our Xoremher Xo. ont Iwfore that time it might have been done, but the thonaht that it was possible for us to go. scarcely occurred to us until Xov. 1st. As most of our hands went in Oct.. it \5-3s an unusuaDy bu'y month, and an accident about the iJth l7 seems t&Bs that everj- one ol o»r reat^rs. whether farmer or scasething else, micst find tbe A,»eruTan Ain-i- miturist a ecod jovestaaeat. A sjceie Jiuraber i» ulteit worth tbe price ior a year. FuU of the oost wholesome teachings, illiissrared ^rtt^ abundaace^ ol eugsavijjffs of "how to do tiinei,"' jiwl CM-efsUy weeded of ali iMirtful bkinders that s& detract frwD the vaiue c< naost oi our :i::- ricukBral papers, we cao iK)t biit wish it God !>pee«l. tbreugh the boaoes of ©ur iandt Seot wkh GiiASisr wintering, ft b we* to- fcjiTc- a vacant spore ab€>Te tbe csaff untJer tbe moi % ami the ro»f or e*>ver Tsust not be too dose fittiig, or yo*» wil6 have frost and dampness co3ectinsr co its under skte. that Biay mn dowa aad wet the chaff parkaia. IS yoa wJi take a look at tbe uoder side of tbe cover alter a Jreez«'. you wili get tbe idea. To carry off tLis dacBpuess. tfee :iir mu»t be allowed to circulate t» some eitent above th^r eba£C ; raising tbe cover a little, or having holes covoi-etl with wire cloth jast under the eive*. wdJ answer. Kr^ sore y C'U keep tiie chafi dry. aad that iMine ol your '?>vcr* a'jre ieakv. m ■»■ m — We harvelsad very pleasant visi:3 with oor yours- liee- keeper Lloyd Z. Jones who called on has retam from tlv^ CentenKJaL and our friend Aitell, of EoseviHe. IMS' Oii- readers wil remeraber tbe pkasam letters Jrotr* 3Irs. AsteH- Well, they use the Q. hive, and pack thenk ni chaS for winter, and then carry the wbde. outer c:ise and all. into the ceflar to winter. If any »e jncbiievl to smSe at such pains, let them bear in njind tbat friend .\_ has r:ever lost a colony, while all the rest of us have been )osa« by tbe gviess we won't say bow nMny. Wlieii asked if they had tried learaig a part oi them out wliei* thus prepared, he 5aid they had nnta sstisfied that l>ees: and bo'.sey enough were saved to pay weD for tbe trottl)le . Tw»raen would carry in 69 in a half day, with case. 3tK. DooLmxE brought as a cake of yeilow wax to b.- made into Sdn,— 5 cdls to the inch for brood eotabs — tbal for beauty amd purity, gjes consiiJerably ahead of any furnished us heretofore When questioned lie said it was purified with \Tnes^r, as given in QuinbyV book, ijn tnming to the page we find : "By addiag an acid to tbe water in wb»?h the was i>* meheti, it may be separated mnch mere readily. .\. (>nart of vinegar to s gallon ol W3t«-, or a stnait spoonful of nitric acid is sufficient.'' Sucb wax makes beautiful yellow fdo., and i: will without doubt pay to treat it aD thus for comb honey ; bat for the brood chamber, we believe the dark wax to lie eqaally 20od. ^ 3fK. D. took his knife and pushed it thToi:gh the bottoEC of the cells of a piece of aatnral coin.j : oi' course i; foand bnt little obstruction. H3 then tricl it on the fdn,: the knife struck the bottom and stop- pe<:. ''^c looked np some with thinner bases — somcv in fact, that seemed to look at. as thin or verj- nearly as the natural comb— but the bases stiU stopped the knife b'.ade in a way that thenstural did not. ft linu!- ly occurred to ns to teit the side walls in the siinn- way, ao'l behold, the;/ were tongh and hard compared with the natural comb, even when raised to fnl) depth comb. The mystery was Ihtn solved: allhongh The lieci can work white wax. it is so much harder that thev do it slowlv ami lalx>riously. compared with the ' vellow; atid as most of friend I)"s. experiments were Vritli the white fdn., it is no wonder that hU beei witli ■ the natural startere went ahead. He promises to jrive . the ve'-'-O'v a farther test next season. IXDEX TO VOL. IV. AbDut asents 30" Adam Grimm 3*3 Alsike Clover 10,164 Auts 33, 200, 272, 2S0 Apiarv, A "bam'" 1^ Doolittle's 155 Floatinz 165,187 German, A couple of hours in 26< Heiajronal, Lavine out 222 House .'. 6.7.33,111 " " A success with extractor 237 Our own. 6, 24. 51. 115, 130, 158, 185, 209, 236, 284,.300 Townlev's 1 W At Agricultural Collese, Mich 2J<5 Apia: i is in winter. Must they look untidy : 2?o A woman's trials and triumphs 252 Bees and squashes 1^1 " Black, dark honey, Italians, light hsney 236, 250 *• Buryins for winter 275 •■ Candy for ^ '■ Car\'ius for - " ^ • Chilled. 103. 115 ■ Common, and box hive. 153 * Italians 1^ • Can they talk, and how much? 238 '• Disturbin? in winter 1-* " Dead, do thev "come to life ?" 83 " Don't let them loaf on the outsider 161,186 ■• Doubling up in the spring 220 •■ Gallup's • -^ •' Gious them a ' fly" -14 • How lonz thev will hve dormant 10 " Fartheyfly 1-74 •' '• To get one swarm, and no more lo2 •' " Th;v store pollen 154 •' " '■* Carry wax and propolis 236 " To get out of a chimney i'^ " Hiiins anatural swarm 266 • Ina nty ■•"^^ '• Light colored AJ, 4b, jo •• Movins - "-"H' In summer time_ — 1*»/, 1/2 To the swimp for fall honey ~ 238 •' •■ Short distances — 280, 293 •' More than a barrel of them ~ 179 •' On outside of hive 236 " On shares 123 - Eobbe-. catching 58 • Renting aud taxing „..1C0 - Rape for -140 " Star^-ing - 113- 275 •' Stealing 30J> •' Shippins bv R. R 276, 2« • Toads rf:< eat them —12- 13 ■ U«e susar syrup, but not molasses. 2^ •• Workers indrone comb ~ 10, 219' •■ Why desert hives- _ - —46 ■■ When to take out _ - — 54 ■■ What makes rasired wings 7-4 ■ With not enough to winter _ 281 ■" Young, plarins in the afternoon _ 192 • Balm. .".....7 303 • BotiuT and eatomology 217, 297 "' Disease - 152 • Fever, what to do forit 313 '- Plants - 313 Beeins, las: vear's - -103 Beeswax .....". 1?0 Cash for 79 Boxes, lioney 76, 156, £36 ••' Gonnell.v's "-24 " How to make bees *ork in them 209, 227 " How to get the bees out of them 98, 265 •■ J. P. Moore's rack for „ _...72 " Protecting while filling 186 " " RiiiiLc. partlv filled 14 •* •• Side „ 101, 285 '• •■ Side and top „ _ 255 '■ Seeins the bees at work in^.„ IW •• InfiUed _ _187 " *■ Vs section frames 244 " When to put on „ _152 • Sections 4. 40, 76, 99 " " .\nd smokers _ 75 •• Thick combs 129 " Brood aud i»llen in 1S4 " " Case for 3, 77 '• " Shippins „.._ „ _..182 - *■ Doolittle's _ 296' " '• For hives crammed with honey 276 " ■■' Guide comb for _ 79, 80 ■^ Hetherington's 312 "■ •• How to make „ 102 "_ '• Put on the hive 210, • R-^move yH ' '• Doolittle works with them 21;; " Mollis in, and Italians. _ Sffi " " Om.tting the separators. „ .■iff. " " Starters of natural comb for _ _29r. " " Suspended „ „ _ .27c " " Tin separatjrsfor 73, 73, 133, 14^ " *' Universal 77, 217 " I sed inside the large frames _ iST Blasted hopes „ 22, 184, 27-"> Brood, spreading _ lof. Buckwheat, best kind_ _ 24" Silverhull _ 32, iT- " Who wiU atswer'r Vt California.... .6, U, 30, 45, 264, ^e- Candy for bees .1 .7*~ - .8, 25, a- " Brown sugar ^ 31^ " How much per month „_ „_10l '• Honev _ 32 Chaff .'. 130, 155, 162, 1©, 191, Ift; •• Buckwheat, for wintering _ _ 3 •• In the upper story 2ii •• Leave an air space above U._ — 30; " Packing _ a®, 294, 299, 3i. '■ "for indoor wintering 3t'; '■ Packe'l Q. hive- report from _ _ ^■ Colonies changing places with 2i". Queenless in the fall 3»- Making with beet from different hives_ iw? 25 from 2. in 2 vears _2*i '• 13. and 450 lbs . honey from 1. in 1 season_2T9.2K; 11 irom 1. and lots of honev Sti; " 1,400, and 5(',000 lbs. of honey from it, in 2 seasons '. 3»; " I niting _ 3= Comb building, separators for_ „ „ ...IOL" Combs, empty, how to store away _ 159, 207. 21''. •• •• ' And frames of Idn 224 Melting down or. Petrified (?i _ . 84 Starters of natural „ 3C"; •' Very thick, who wiU heat: I67 " Worker vs. drone _ s^'". Comb foundation -29. 39. 123. 143, 1S9, 161, 162, 171, 179. 185, 187. 1S8, 194. 196. 238. 240, 215, 247, 248, 250. 251 _ " " And Wagner's patent 80,142 •* •' Bulging _ 227 " •' Egg; in 12 hours on it ii* '• " Five cells to the inch Stt' Fastening into frames _ „..17i *' " How to make _ S, 9. 2! " •• Long's _ „ _ _ 2; Larger than drone cells Lt: Machine _..40, f>* '■ Notes 28-i " *• Of plain wax clieets_ 10l'> '* " " drone comb 7i " "• Offere Entrances 7. .".I._"._5?> Conn aciin? not a prerentiTe, etc 1(» > Where: ...". „ 7.- Eversreens for shade. ...„ _ _.„_.„.„ _2^- Extract from all uniUled sections _ .'."iilsftirso • Extracting and straining honey .,11"~"."._ 5" " From brood" combs". !"."."1""2T " Xottooclose _ 11*.".".".~'"i9t " Wax and honey, Cahfomia way .".V..""..S' Extractor, Discv:«very of _ „ _ -■•> How to make „ „ IK- " Heaw J.'- Wood for „ „ 14, ic: Wax 167 " Homemade „ 29^ Feeder _ „ -2k; " A pepper box .^ 25'"' Feedini and loaf susar _ „...„.... --^^ GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Deo. " Bees lionev rappiiijis 189 " Extracted to get comb honey 216, 2S6 " For whiter with fdn. instead of comb '21Si " How earlv ? , 50 Meal 54 " " Pf'j'A^p.s- not esseniial ^C *' Old plan and new -J!' " Problem, our solmion IJ'S Spring 124 *' Scraped up wax --1 " 'Will it pav during a bad season > '286 IVml brood 71. 281 "■ " And puic water 124 ■' " Cure for 26S " Isit? £04 I'rame making i, *» 103 A standard ..2n8 Knunes biit 6 incbes dfep.. .266, ;:02 .'* Hex.'igonai ". '. 237 ." .Open. etc. • : 284 .'.' Quinby, how te make -.62 Clo. , 134 Extracted i ; ,... 26 , . " Ys. comb ../.'.........'is Qoldeii rod . 296 '■ Hoty to detect adulteration !.'.'"..'.. ..242 " in fancy .shared ccmbs ................"!!!!270 '• Locust.". ['/["_ 279 Poi-C'ECd 57 Plants 296. 297 Ripening 125,98 "Eipc" 244, 264 Sour, how to "lix"it 306 Selling 163, 185, 211, 24P, 255 Shall we all peddle it out? 308 Show, centennial _ 245 7 lbs. per dav. for 28 davs 194 5.000 lbs. exfd and 200 com b irom 26 hiveV...2}2 971 lbs. and C? stocks from C, in one season.. 264 Vinegar ICl. 110, 151, 164, K8 llrney, box. and swarming 13 •• How to .sret 2< 7 " " ■■ Immense yield." 153 - "Keep 181 H ner. comb 49 " BUtts .nnd hybrids for...„ 300 - How to get...". 128 " " •■ Dispose of odd bits 21' In fnl] Jized frames! , _ 237 ilolsUive collecting on 164 How to do all that need be done, &c 52, 53 Humbugs and swindles 7, 30, 51, 133, 189, 215 Italianizing 137 i Italians and red clover 3t4 I Katie Orimiu no! outdone 6 Knives, honey, with a curved blade 181 Lamp nursuries 47, 138, 156 home made - 16S Larva-, hornets eating 3(5 For queen rearing IS** WorKer, food of 136 Young, and royal jelly 250, 251 Loaf sugar 39,'S2 Look out for the Mitchell gang 24f Mice , 157 Moth millers ;;.... .13 Waxing barret liS, 243 Windmills. &c 157 Winter repositories 124 Wiiitf ring 302 Bees in a pit 13 Boxes -238, '244 Caves for 11 How l^ prepare for '298 In ;} lii.o c 1870 GLEANINGS IN BEE CtLTURE. Nuclei 11 On summer stands, J. S. HilPs mcthofl.314 Out- floors, &c 157 Hives lor 274 " Sure (?) way of 11 Index to Illustrations. All am Grinim 303 !:ce botany and mtoniology 218 iUtmh Founli, can at once get at all that s saidof sny jarlicular lhing, or if at any time take a li- kiiig to any jarli-ell Ihon for mere than cost, for vie are now tfl"ering§l :!or Vol. Ill that cnly ccst cur readers 7£c., and we find it hard to tiipply the dimaiid. Tel. IV, bci nd with brass < l;i s, free by mail forgl.CO. Index to Advertisements, iH<:<}S. J M Marvin, Jan. to Mar. J P H Brown, \far. Dadant .A: .Son. year. J M Ercoks, Jan. to Aug. i.C Root. Jar. to Mar. E W Hale, Feb. to Sept. W 1' ilcncicrson. Fell, to Mar. R M Argo. Feb. lo Ma''. .1 Oatmam &€o., Feb. to Nov. E C I. Larch Feb. to May. .idam Grinini, Feb. to June. E Djelendorf. Feb. lo May. W W Gary. Mar. to July. Keystone Apiaiy, Mar. to May. M Parse. Mar. to July. TG 3tcGaw. Apr, to June. Italian Bee Co., Apr. to July, ■■staples & Ar.diews. May and J\mr. E O Blakeslee, June to Oct. J S Wocdbnrn, June to Nov. JMC T'jiylor, July to Dtc. A J Weidner, .luly to Oct. R -IMo'rgan, July lo Dec. W G SmitlK Aug.' II Palmer. Aug. and Sept. W J Andrews, Aug. ?o Nov. GM Uootittle, Sept. R S Becktell, Sept. and Oct. H Nes- liit, Sept. to Nov. A Potter Sept. and Oct. D A Jones Apr. to Aug. I?eos>Aax. Eckeiman & Will, and A. J. Root. .1 ulv to to IJtc. I$inclers. A. I. Root. < aiicly for Bees. -A. I. Root. Cards. R. \V. Clark, Jan. to May. A. H. Peakc Coanto J^o\iiilarch. C O Penine Apiil and Mav. A I Root Aug. Ill Dec. lyiiijjty <;'oaii"l>. F T Nunn June nr.d July. JOiigiiie-s. J Leflel & Co. July to Nov. XOiitsraA'ing. Miss S E Fuller Jan. to Dec. lOxtiaotors. A I Root Jar. to Dec. D A Jones Ajnil to Aug. iti^es. H. Palmer Jan. lo May. C. F. Muth year. 1 . M. UicRinaon Feb. •& Maich. H. Harrison Feb. J. < i.:il man & Co. JIar. to Aug. A. I. Ecot Slay to Dec. J. S. U'l.odbum June to Nov. M. S. West June to Dec. W. 1'. A J. Barnes Sept. to Dec. D. A. Jones Apr, to Aug. vs. W F & J Barnes March to Dec. Combined Power Co. Jlaivh to Dee. ^eecl-s. C F Lane Feb. Mar. May and June. A A Rice Feb. to Api. C F Muth year. A I Root Feb. to Dec. H R Emminga & Son June. Smolcer.s. H Alley Oct. L C Root Jan. to Mar. A 1 Root Feb. to Dec. "Wintlnilll. V. S. Wind Engine & Pump Go. Mar to June. Index to Correspondents. Allen W. F. 11 ; Andrews W. J. 14, 4G, lOg. 126, '218; AmateurSO, 45, 57; Andrews T. P. 34 ; Allabeu J. C. 56 ; A. F. 62 ; Axtell L. C. 101 ; Allen A. 101 ; Ausley J. 129, 164 ; Au W. L. 140 ; Armstrong E. 164 ; Atkinson W. O; 171 ; Adams M. H. 172 ; Agersborg G. S. 220, Alexander E. W. 228 ; Abbott R. H. 249 ; Bardweil D. J. 13; Barbour K. M. 13, 100; Becktell R. S. 14, 84, 126, 129, 2C0, 228, 277 ; Butler J. 14, 243 ; Eolin J. 25, 134, 207 ; Bulev I). L. 30 ; Brown H. H. 32 ; Bassford P. D. 33 ; Beard D. 34; Buchanan J. A. 47, 223: Beck- wilh L. 71 84, 136; Balch W. H. 78, 124. 255; Bickerton T. 102 ; Boardman H. R. 102; Barnes W. F. & ,T. 102 ; Benton F. 107 ; Beard S. 135; Ballard O. L. 135 ; Butman C. 136 : Bedell I. I). 138; 15urkson S. 140; Brown E. T. 153; Brown J. R. 166 ; Bray J. B. 171 ; Brumfleld O. 191 ; Bonham M. L. 191 ; Blanchard W. 21T ; Bowks A. H. 219 ; Bailey M. 248 ; Boyd W- S. 255; Beal Prof W J 297: Billings E B 309 Coe O. R. 14; Carroll J. 32 ; Cj renins F. H. 49; Cowan H. C 54; Clark O. S. 55; Coat^ W. F. 56 ; Chapman F. M. 56 ; Criddle J. H. 57 ; Corbin G. E. 74, 130, 135, 213, 276 ; Campbell I. A. 81, 94 : Crane J. E. 83, 167, 191, 221 ; Coe J. S 94; Carlin C. R. 102, lc4, 140, 165; Chap- man U. W. 107, 252 ; Curry H. E. 134, 243, 279 ; CUardv B. F. 1-35 ; Callbreath J. F. 139 ; Chit- tendon Z. 164; Comfort W. 166; Campbell \T. C. 172 ; Cressy J. 184 ; Cook A. J. 191,213,218, 249, 255, 272, 285 ; Capehart S. P. 192 ; Cor- uaby S. 192; Culp H. 194; Coats Mrs. 196; Cross I. K. 200; Christie A. 224; Cramer J. W. 324, 239 ; Coble E. 227 ; Chaplin V. M. 278 ; Closson T. S. 278 ; Conaway A. F. 312 ; Dtan G. W. 3 ; Davis J L. 10, 108, 192, 299 ; Dale G. M. 12, 276, 313 ; Drew G. 14, 195. 304 ; Doolittle G. M. 27, 75, 100, 108, 128, 155, 171, 182, 212. 240, 255, 296 ; Dawson J. 31 ; Dubois M. D. 33 ; Daniels II. 33 ; Dufleler J. 34, 221'; Dippel C. C8, 3C9 ; Davis J. M. 81 ; Denny C. 115. Doyle .T. 116; Donaldson D. 138: Dav- enport B. F. 139 ; D. K. 1C3; Davison A. L. GLEXlSriNGS IX BEE CULTUKE. 168; Dadaut&SonC. 188; netin J. E. t02 ; Douslas W. A. 193 ; Dyke S. A. 193 : Dickin- son F. M. 194, 1^23 ; Daniels I. E.194: Dines -T. I J. 223 ; Dinham W. H. 236 ; Elwoad P. II 25, 171; Eberman Mrs. 06: IM wards W. U 101; Edwards P. 110; Ed- wards J. C. 167 ; Eddy J. R. 247 ; Easterday i:. S. 277 ; Eddy W. A. 30(5 ; Eidridgc J. H. 308 ; Fuller O. 12, 09; Fry J. E. 4t ; Frederick \V. II. 56 ; Fiddes A. 76 ; Fox C. J. 81 ; Fogle i:. T. 101, 222 ; Fradenburjz A. A. 126, 140,217 ; Pahuestock A. 144, 163, 313; Friend 152; Ford E. M. 163; Funk 11. 166, 248; Fletcher D. W. 172 ; Fancy 180 ; Farr F. J. 104: Ferris 11, 251, 252 ; Fletcher W. H. 305 ; Gould C. H. 11 ; Grimm A. 25, 29; Gllson H. V 32, 172 , Griswold E. W. 34, 304; G. P. 37; Gould Mrs. A. L. 57; Grout W. II. 8. 81 ; Gardner D. 82, 304 ; Gast G. L. 100, 222 : Gim- ison H. F. 100 ; Gates F. II. 100 ; Grimm C. 105; fo. almost as much, had not friend Muth paiil over one-tiiird of it himself. We can but feel that we haye never deserved these kindnesses, from such whole-souled generous friends scattered about. I hope that every one who contributes to Gleanings, or who sends a dollar towards its support, will be free to submit their opin- ions in the way of suggestions, that we may know just when wc are pleasing you. And now before say- ing good bye, we wish to add that you can not fliin/c how much it pleases us to get tokens of apjiroval in the shape of letters with dollars in "em. FRAMES BUT 6 INCHES DEEP. SEE that in the Nov. number you have printed my article from the A.B.J, entitled -The Best "'Hive for all Purposes;" and it is for the puiposeof noting some of your criticisms that I am now writing. And first I claim it as high praise when you admit its adaptability for box hoi\ey. I take it that box honey is what most of us are striving for, and when we have got a hive that is best adapted to that pur- pose we ought to study how to attain other points, without destroying this one vital point. But I go far- ther ; I claim that this hive is every way the equal of any other hive for the extractor, and when you want to work rapidly the large frames are not to be com- pared to those low ones. I think I am safe in the as- sertion that I can get the bees off two combs from my frames in less time than it would take to get them from one of the Langstroth construction. Why ? Because 1 have no bottom for a bee to get under and bother me, in my Irame, and because I can uncap the cells more rapidly in a narrow comb than a wide one, 1 have no dillicully in handling the tender- cst comb in ih'- hottest weather. But jour chief objection is that "great losses in winteiing have resulted where such hives have been largely in use." I admit that INIr. Bingham has had heavy losses, but I cannot a'dmit that the fault was with his hives, for the reason that the great majority of those who use his hives, in this vicinity, have suc- ceeded as well as those who use any and all other kinds, and in many cases better. Indeed, the worst cleaned out bee men around here arc those who use the old box hives. My practice is to lift half the frames to the top oi the other hall— this makes the hive 12 Inches dceit then move the whole back to the middle of the bot- tom board, and put in an extra set of front and rear boards, leaving a space of three inches which I fill with very dry saw dust or wheat bran, and cover the bees with a box of bran with a doth bottom. Have the bran say ;5 inches deep, and leave this packing till the time to put on boxes, (as my hives are placed on the ground I use no bottom i)acking), say in June. With this packing the bees put their brood in the out- er combs almost as freely as in the interior ones. As all the lumber I use in packing goes without fur- ther work on it into new hives, I have no waste, ami no useless lumber to store away. You ask if the combs are not very often fastened lo the bottom board V I answer, never. Did you ever see the combs in the old-fashioned lwi\ hives ? It is the same in this low hive. Ji i.n;s ToMi.iNsoN. Allegan, Mich., Nov., 1876. This low frame hts a very special interest to us ; last spring wc inentioneil an experiment tn determine if a hive could not be made of Uni- versal section boxes and nothini? more — pil- ing them up as the colony increased, and re- moving for sale as fast as any were capped and suitable. Such a hive would be very cheap, and about as simple as a pile of bricks. We regret now that we did not carry the ex- periment farther, especially as we found later in the season, that such sections could be handled beautifully, when thus piled up 2, or even 3 high. There is a trouble in having the brood sections as far apart as those for sur- plus, but doubtless this can be remedied, if bees will breed profitably in combs but 0 in- ches in depth. ^VINTERING, STARTERS FOR COMB MONEY, ETC. •^r? T would make you smile to see oui' loiiir rows of hives 'I all packed and tucked up with llieir winter hoods on. all ready to receive old Boreas : and you can bet all your old boots that none of them will starve for want of honey. We have taken extra pains in putlini; them up this fall, for we noticeil that the loss of bees has been very great, owmg we think, to the queen stopping brood very early, and so much chilly weather during September and a greater part of October. We also noticed a few davs ago, when the weather was very wnrni and the bees Hy- ing very briskly, that a gre:vt many aliirliteil on the fonccx and boards all over the apiiry, and many of them seemi'd to be quite dumpish. We shall watch them closely. The p.ast season has not been an extra one for hoiii'v, but after footing l)r. and Cr. we find our income from thi- apiary will be §750.00 for comb honey, nearly all sold at 20c., besides the increase, 20 colonics. We have now in winter quarters S3 swarms. Since wi^ have wintered in chaff boxes we arc not all the time worrying about tln' temperature, sudden changes of weitber etc., and tiny are always ready for a lly whenever the weather is suii- able. But mark this; we have a row of hives facin.' north, and close up to a \\x\\\ hoard fcncj; the sun nev.-r shines on tliesy hives from Octob '!■ u-i'il .\pril, an! Ill' weither must be remarkably warm in the win;e.' \'< arouse the bees to lly nuich, while? those standin- in tli-, sun will bo flying briskly. Yet the»e northern stocks are always strongest in the sjn-ing. SOS GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Dec. The impulse to swarm the pnst season was ver.v preat, but we mana^eil to kf-^p down the rtuantity of naw Nwarms to quite a moderate number, usiiiir the bees for surplus instead of increase- But it takes some labor •ind sometimes a considerable stock of paticnct . COMB MADE TO ORDER. Mr. GLEAJiixifS how do you like that r But mark ye. We refund no money to dissatisfied piu'chasers. No sir Ve ! We work in this way to jsct comb for guides, and can get all we can use. Take a hive four or live frames larger than the size you use, transfer your swarms to it, put in a tight flttinii; division board letting it be H inch short so 1 he bees can jjass under it to the other department. Vut licxes on the pai-t above the main hive, and bang in the other side, frames two inches apart from centre to centre. Xow if the hive is crowded with tees they will pass un- der the division and build comb on the.se frames- But the queen will not go through, neither will much pollen iie stored in it. Every three days, if honty is plenty, these combs can be removed, the licney extracted and combs cut into strips for surplus. The beauty of this comb foundation is they don't sag or stretch, but are O. K. Did I understand that you would like to have your bees •-warm when fruit trees are in bloom r I am forced to that conclusion by some remarks from you in C4leanings Nome time back. 1 return all swarms that issue when fruit trees are in blossom, and consider it the better way, in my location. J. BniEE. Jackson, MicL. Nov. loth, 187fi. We do not know that we should care to Jiave swarms during apple bloom, but we wish the colonies strong enough to do so. Ti'n stocks ready to swarm at this season, might jield more profit than 100 readj' to swarm by the middle of Juh' ; but if extracted honey were wanted, we should try to have no swarming. It seems that you and Doolittle, friend B., would get along without any occasion what- ever, for fdn. ; we shall rejoice if you are cor- rect, and will be glad to publish anything that will help the matter along. As we dislike all unnecessary machinery about the apiary, we shall be very glad indeed, if natural comb can be produced at a price that will render fdn. unnecessary for comb honey ; but friend D., who is now at our elbow, says he would by no means think of having the bees do such work when they are gathering white honey. THE r,ATE ADAM GRIMM. M, DAM Grimm was born in Germany, in the j^ear Jr^^ IS'24. His lather kept a few hives of bees In "~ which Adam took deep interest, and did not rest satisfied till he himself became the owner of a lew colonies. He emigrated to this country In 1849, settling at Jefferson, Wis., on a farm where he remained until tlie time of his death, which occured April 10th, 187G. Soon after settling at Jeflerson, he obtained a few col- onies of bees and was so successful with them, that at a time when all other crops failed, his bees came to the rescue and heli)ed him over the most critical time of his life. fn 1863 he had increased his apiary to 60 stocks of lilnck bees in all sorts of box hives, and in 18G4 he commenced to use frame hives and transferred all his bees into them. In the same vear— 18fU— he botight his first Italians and as rapidly as possible Italianized his apiary, and then sold large numbers of Italian qeeens all over the countr.v. About 18(j9 or 1870 he imported, personally, 100 Ital- ian queens, CO of which were alive on their arrival at New York. Of this number he introduced 40 in his own apiaries. He increased his stock regardless of cost, every year, but had larger returns especially in late years both from the sale of honey and bees. Queen rearing he thought unprofitable. He had an intense enthusiasm in the business and worked so iiard in the apiary as probably to shorten his life. His success was the cause of many others engaging in the business. He established a bank at Jettcrson, of which he was cashier, (his bees having provided the capital) but during the honey harvest he left the bank to the care of employees and went from one apiary to the other, personally supervising all that was done. ADAM GKIMM. We shall not soon forget two or three pleasant vis- its which we made at his home with his interesting family. He told us that his wife remonstrated with him for working so hard, telling him that lie now had a competence, and could give up his bees witli the laborious care of so many, but he seemed to think the returns were large for the amount of labor, making the work still a pleasure, although no longer a neces- sitj'. He reached the number of 1,400 colonies, and on one of our visits when he had nearly 1000 colonies. he said, with a half comical expression, "What would I do if all should die in the winter ?'' And then the comical look giving way to one of German determina- tion, he said, "I would buy some more, and with so many hives full of empty comb I would show you how soon I would fill them up again." His daughters, Katie and Maggie, (since married) were his able and faithful assistants, and the son, George, since his father's death has assumed the principal care of the bees, for which he is well fitted by his previous training.— i^)w?i A. B. J. [By following tlie writings of our departed friend in the A. B. J., and in the back volumes of Gle.^nino.s one can get a better idea of his peculiar virtues, and of his strong love for oee cnlture, than perhaps from any other source. Wc at one time sent him the money for some Italian ((ueens on Jlonday morning, and re- ceived them in fine order on Saturday of the same week, and tbis all the way from ^.Vis. In all his deal- ings, we believe he was ahvavs thus prompt, besides being lair and liberal.) lS7fe 'GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 304 iieads o| Smlih From Different Fields, ^,|^\^^ILL our friends who are inclined to y^qj prefer the black bees, aotice the fol- 'lowing: I am mivch iatercstod and pleased to find my bees- all Italians— working freely on red clover ; not having sieen them doing eo until a lew days ago, tioiigh I Avatched them last season and tliis as soon as red clo- ver came to blocKii. I was beginning to thinic that .Mr. Quinby must have been mistaken iu sajing that they did so ^'apparently/row choice Bometimes." But he is coiYCct. In a field near my apiary containing •iioth r-ed and v.'hite about equally mixed, I found yes- 4crday, in a half hour's search, Italians only on the red, and blacks only on the white. In fact the Ital- ians seem to hare abandoned the white clover en- tirely, though It is blooming freely, and black bees <'ome over a half mile to within '20 feet of my hives to feed on it. I noticed that the Italians in visiting tlie reil affect only that part of the head which has begun to wilt, leaving the fresh recent blooming untouched, though it contains as much honey as the other. I find as ft reason that the tube of the corolla liaving wilted »ind collapsed, tlie Loney rises in the tube and the bee is enabled to reach it. Perhaps also the tube having become soft and flaccid the bee cnimples it down, making it shorter, in the effort to reach the honey. How does the quality of the honey in the red, com- j>are wifli"ihe white ? E. W. 1;kiswoli>. Centre Brook, Conn., June 2:>d, "T'lj. We have not been uble to discover any ap- 5irecial>le ditt'erence between the honey from the white, aud that from the red clover. iSome declare the latter has more a taste of i':tll honey, but we are of the opinion that this is only because some fall honey is often mixed h\ with the red clover which is gathered in August and September. In localities where clover is not produced spontaneously, honey from fields of diflerent kinds might perhaps be compared, but we feel pretty sure the difl'er- *.-ncii will not be easily perceptible. It has been a good honey season here, my uncle has averaged ICO lbs. to the hive, and I have averaged TiO lbs. J had to sell my honey for 17 and 18 cts. Our main dependance is white and sweet clover ; most of iHiT honey was gathered from the sweet clover. All 'lur honey is in comb. FuAJfK Salisbukv. ticddes, Onondaga (Jo., N, Y., Nov. 7th, '76. A chip from Sweet Home. The season for honey is ■ended and our report is as follows. Fore part of ^ca- son good, swarming lively ; we aimed to increase as litrle as possiljle, and frequently jiut two or three swarms in one hive. We lost 15 swarms or more. <'ommeEced with 103, have now 17a and took 1920 lbs. box honey and 9i0 lbs. extractefl honey. We h.ive used the Harbison section box with glass on each end. A box composed of 8 sections holding from 10 to 19 lbs. We put guide combs in each section. When oar boxes were taken off we had many jiarlly tilled. In the sections we found quite an adyamtage, for I crated ;dl full sections and from those partly filled, my wife iuicapijed and shing '200 lbs. Those empty com^s are .saved for next sprin"; and wc got readily 15 cts. for slung honey instead ol 20 cts. in combs. This seavon our bees did not do as usual for when we doubled swarms they would frequently kill all queens in which case they formerly built drone comb. But this season It made little difference as to the amount of drone or Worker comb built, queen or no queen. \Ve as well as seme of our neighbor bee-keepers think the slates an invaluable adjunct, cut -elates in pieces of 2s3 inches and hang on a, nail. D. D. Palmeu, I':iiza, Ills., Oct. 28th, '7^ One-iialf the bees in this township will be deal if they are not fed, as there was no honey this fall. My boes have gathered nothing since July loili. G. DUEM'. Banker Hill, Ills., Oct. ilth, '16. And very late it is getting, to attend to it. But little time can now be left in which food can be sealed. I must bother you a little with my getting alon;i with black bees. I i)ut 14 stocks in the cellar last fall anil took the^n all out alive in sprin.::;. I increased them to ;!7. hav£ taken 1710 lbs. extracted honey, I'irt lbs. comb, and they have a good supply for winter, althongli it has been a very i)oor season for honey here. Is not that pretty fair for a beginner with black bees and a wooden extractor? But you may get an order for a better extractor next spring, and I think I shall try Italianizing next summer. V.y the way, I should have had two or three hundred lbs. more ot honey, it I had used comb fdn. Well, I must show both sides of the picture. I think I can mak« bee culture a success if 1 can find market for my honey, which I have failed to do as yet. I wish you would send me a buyer, or inform nre of some good reliable jiarty who would be likely to want It. I t.ave now 0!i haml two barrels of extracted tall honey, and one- half Jvirrel of white clover and red raspberrj-. I shipped one barrel of bass wood to John T. Norris, .Sj/ringtield, Ohi >, on the 19th of September ; have written to him twice, yet I hear nothing from him nor the honey. I expect to winter my bees in the same cellar as last winter. It is a log one covered with dirt. I take oiV cover and honey board, and put on a ({ulit made of two thicknesses of cotton cloth with batting (juilted between. D. Gakoner, Carson City, Mich. I think I have found what causes foul brood, at least aiu- cause; you have undoubtedly noticed that much of the brood of fertile workers dies on coming to 7natHrUi/, more especially late in the season. Tliis unnatural brood leaves a cocoon of course like otlier brood, and a great deal of it immediately after sjiin- ning cocoons becomes a rotten filthy mass. I have found this to be the case as late as Sept. and October. Such stocks are usually broken up and the combs put away where they freeze, so that all may go well for a while, but not with the bee- keeper who uses such combs when they have not been frozen. I was at friend Muth\s this season early In Sept., and while there. Mr. Moth found that one of his stocks had foul brood, I he first thing of the kind I over saw. I went homi[i til i?t kin ff; and on ray airival I selected combs from two stocks infested with lertile workers, gave them to a stock having a very prolific young queen, and in six weeks I had a worse case of foul brood than friend Mutli had. I should have stated that ! did my best at ceding the stock to cause them to rear broorl. iliKAJi Roor, Carson City, Mich., Nov. 1, '"(>. Weren't you mistaken as to its being genu- ine fou! brood'? ^ GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Del Have just reiximed from a two wec-k"g star at Benton's .B^v on ibe M.i- s. liver. Cramer and I hare been \r0rkin2 wiih bees for MeGaw and Jarris. McGav has Ijeen sick for seme iiiuesKdunriLle to attend to his bees. Friend Jarvis told me not 10 co r.nd tell ererj-body how cruoked their hives stiiul in the yard, facing all points of the compass, some lij pc-d back and some forward, about the sand bnrrs in their tkthes, beds, towels, fingers and feet: abont the fleas and "^keeters" and the hot sand : the snakes, rats .ind mice, and — Xovice I am net going to tell any one;, would you : McGaw and HoUingsworth have 150 stands of bees. Jarris 19X Br. Caml)tll 45, Hammond "!>. and Dickey 7- X. L. Jarvis will be 62 years eld Oct. 24. Began in spiingcf 73 with five stocks, increased to 13. Gave me non port for TS or 4. Spring of "75 began with 25 stocks, very little honey till July 5th, buUt np to 45 stocks. Profit from sale of bees and Loney §301.50. Spiing tf "76 began with 3S stwks iaereased to ii>*, lost 14 by going to the woods. Has sold and has on hand over c(CO lbs. hcney, mostly in small 6 lb. boxes. Has sold his honey r.t an average of 17 cents. It is a good location for bees but the bee-keeper must put up with a great many inconveniences. I enjoyed myself tip top while there; friends Jarrii;, Dickey, Hammond, Leouek, etc. made the stay less lonesome by their neighborly visits. Wnx M. KEiiCGG. Oneida, Ills. Aug. 24th, 1876. My bees have done well this season, and are in fine condition for winter. 'WThat extracted honey I did take, about three barrels, I have sold for 20 cts. per lb. I take my honey to town in a large tin can, and c-all on the families, and insist that they bny a hrtle. even if it be only one lb , and the nest time I call seme will take 20 lbs. and some as much as 40 lbs. in course of the year. I am surprised to see some bee-keepers offer honey at 7. and lOo. when I feel sure they could get 20c for all they could spare, if they would take pains to build up a home market. Johs A- BrcHA2f ait. VTintervllle, Ohio, Oct. 16th, 1S76. soaieii'-nes too damp. The basement is under the parlor, where the organ is played coiisideral^, but I think ihey like n)usie better than I d."), when a quickstep is plsyetl aronikl my ears. Geo. Peekt, Peru, His. Oct. 17th, '7ii. The p]an of buikling the hives together, has many advautases, but it makes them more dif- ficult to handle. The plau seems to be little _ in ft»vor, as yet, bat late developments may ■ obviate the liiflicnlties. 1 Four years ago last spring I bought one svrarm of bees in bos liive, for flO. At that time I did not know a hon- ey bee when I saw it. I now have 34 swarms in good con- dition, aixl h.-tve sold altogether S-3J5.0C worth of honey. True, this is nothing very great, but then I am satisfied. ■ I owe my success largely to Gleaxixgs ; I use the Lang- ^ stroth hive and J. P. Moore's rack (sae P. 72, Vol. i Xo. i GiXAXiXGs). The fdn. has proved a complete success with me. W. H.FiZTCHEK. Sauk Rapids, Minn. Oct. 11th, 1876. "VThen bees are wintered in cellar or frost proof house, how wide have you found it best to have the entrances of hives ': When the entrance extends full length of end ot the hive, would you leave entirely open for strong colo- nies and gradunte for medium and we;ik ones '; G. G. Scott, Dabaque, Iowa, Oct. ISth, lS7i;. We have generally closed the entrance up iu October, until but two or three bees could pass at once, and thus we let it remain until it needs enlarging in May or June. Of late we have been much inclined to think, if the stocks are strong, the entrance need not be- meddled with winter or summer. Our chart hive has one Sg t»y 2 inches, and we propose trying to keep bees enough inside to keep on: both frost and robbers. HOESXTS EAirSG T.AP.VAE. Xear the top of the Missouri grade, about 4 miles X. E. of San Diego, a s srarm of bees have taken possession of a small box culvtrt under the main wagon wav. In pass- ing them lately, I noticed an unusual commotion among the bees, and, upon stopping to see ''what was the mat- ter," I found they were fighting away some yellow jackets or common hornets. As I stood there watching the fight, I noticed a yellow jacket come tumbling out foUowed by a bee- The hornet seemed to be carrying something, and to see what it was, I put a stick on him, and foimd he had the larva of a bee about Ji grown. This then ex- plained the trouble — the yellow jackets were after the larvje. Yellow jackets are very troublesome here. If you leave a piece of fresh meat exposed they will come by dozens, each gnawing off a piece the size of a pea and fly- ing away. They will soon carry away several pounds. G- P. Mekkllm, San Luis Eey, CaL I commenced the bee business with the common Lang- stroth hive, and hav€ improved it until I now have, one that I think will suit me. I have name! it P. P. S. S. which being interpreted means. Perfection Perfected, and Simplicity Simplified. I have loaned my Gleanings, and cannot recollect the name of the man that winters his bees in a box with straw or leaves around the hive. I like the plan, but why not make a box long enough for 25 or 50 hives, 6 inches apart. I have one 32 feet long, top and both sides on hinges, so that I can get a current cf air through it on a hot dsy, and have it i>erfectly shaded. I have never wintered bses in it. I have a good warm basement kitchen that I shall give up to the bees this winter. I have usually wintered in a cellar, but it is Iraised two queens from the larvse I received iroiii you in Jnly. One was a nice queen producing yellow I bees, she other was a small black queen whose worker ■ progeny are hv brids. My bees have done wel' this- summer ; increased from S to 24. I am intereste'l in "chaflT" and the ventilation snbjeet. F. C. White. Eaclid, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio. The past season has been an tmusuaUy gocxl one with tbe honey producers of this sectiou, but I think a great many hives will be empty in the spring from over swarm- ing and failure of late honey crop. I had five hives in ' the spring ; I have increased to twelve and sold several ' queens, and have taken over five hundred pounds of ' choice comb, for which I find «>>d s^e at liome at 25c ' per pound. I use 7 inches deep second story with divi- sion board through centre lengthwise, giving two rows oi i small frames, twelve in a row. Don't you think it »» , Utile unhandy to examine a Live with section boxes resting on the frames r For quilts I take seemless bags. I tarn them wrong side out, lay in a sheet oi cotton bat- I ting, or what is better, a piece of rag carpet, quilt in ' wide rows on the machine, then cut into three pi;ce», and I have three quilts which fit the tops of my hives 12xlS. For feeders I use shot bags which seem to answer admirably. I would siy to correspondent in September Xo. of Gi.EA2axGS that I believe 1 can introduce lOo queens without a loss, every effort being successful since the bit of experience given in GLEiM^GS when I was more of a greenhorn than now. I have introduced a greit many for myself and neighbors, and I have never lest :i hive of bees from any cause whatever, and have never had a swarm leave me. Hoping for continued success oi G^EANiXGS, lam your resp"y W. O. Atkiss'^.v. Vermont, 111. Oct. 30th, 1S76. 1>T6 OLEXNINGS IN' BEE CrLTUPvE. ?^>; %t is too much trouble to handle brool and boxes all irom the top. I suggest you call K '■•the Immova'ole iiive." The difficulty of taking ost and patting in the packing is greatly reduced where buckwheat chaft' i^ iised. as tulle ost packs itself when tnm««i in : S ov i l^nshels will pack a hire nndemeatb and en ^ides to top of brood chamber. Then make bottota of box iicparat* by naiRng to top piece of scantling for stand, and have tfee lids hook together at two opposite , transverse comers and it will be very handy for ta- king out. packing and handling brood or boxes ant find sale for it. and it is the very finest kind of ci<5ver hooey. Pit L ViALtOX, Bayou Goula. La.. Xov. ath.'T';. That is right frend V., give them their choice, and don't stop to argne the matter. Have jast returned from the Centennial and the *-ipirit moves^ me to write a few lines for Gle a.xisgs. I came away with an exceeilingly friendly feeling toward the Police force, for how else wouM one find the hoase apiary or the one or two hives, among the <"ouatles3 numoers of articles from every other de- partment of industry. After en'iuiriag of every po- liceman we could get oar eye on. from the Main Viuikling to the centre of Agricultural hall, we a: last lonnd one bee hive (a friend says there were several in the British Department) and that from Canada. t apt. lletherington's display of honey in sections -s very nice, bat looks lonely from so large a family cf i>ee-keepers as we have. We wanted to see the hire from which those nice sections were taken, contrastet^l with the straw one shown. We went to the house api- ary where we foisid several nam^ of bee-keepers present, oa a slip of paper tacked on the door: among them that of Cyula Linswick, whom we wished very much t > see. The door of the house was open but the g£HtleiHeu inside did not seeai incJined to receive visitors. VTe saw a kive at a little distance being put v.p. but not a bee flying anywhere. We sincerely hope that the next time the world's bee-keepers meet, the etter represented. M. Medina. O.. Xov. ah. Te, 1 had 13 swarms July ii. Extracted 6S lbs on the iilh, of Jidy, and in the next flfte«i days they gathered 425 lbs. extracted honey. Three o£ the swarms were very smalL i liad one large s'S'arni that gathered ^S lbs. in three u:iys. The koney wis gathered from Bee Balm which is (ilenty from Juiy "Oth, until Sept. 1st, I now hare 10 ^wanns all in g3od condition for wintering. I took the lirst premium on the extractor that I bought of yoa last Sipring. and first premium for Italian bees and Simplicity hire. W. A Eodt, Easton. Wis. Xov. €th, 1S76. I lia\-e but a moment to write, it is bees, bees, bees, liouey. honey, honey, with me. It is work here the year lound. From the W stands I started with a year ago lust . Vebruary. I have increased to IW^J stands, and nuide 5« thousand lbs. of hoBey. How is that for hisli ": Have iwid out §la6.M for Italian queens, and calcidate to clianae luy stock every year. Mr. Amateur, please tell us how nusch you have beat that. If I am not mistaken he was soiiis to beat any man iu the Vnited States this season. E. E. Shattcck:, Los AngeJos. Oct. li»th. ISTt?. "VHTien I stopped extracting in Jiuie I had < stmigiit combs filled with capped brood. I put them into an <.iui>ty hive, and set them upou another hive full of l>->es. Ir S-?ptetE'oer I took off the upper hive, and found larce holes in aeaKy e^ery comb. P»rts of several combs were entirely gone and the adjacent ones bulged into the spaces so sade. How dp to a accxwnt for this ;- I sa a- ne worms. The hive was fidl of honey. What are the con- ditions that favor the sourin? of honey r S>me honey ei- iracted in June put into a new, waxed, headless firkin and covered with two thicknesses of paper and a flat stone, kept perfectly good in cellar oot withstanding the extr:me hc-t weather. A sampte H the same in a corked bottle in the pantry, soared. Some uncapped dover hoR- ey taken off in July, kept in the cellar, soore*! in the cells. Also some buckwheat taken off in September, soured in the cellar as it Leaked out of the cells. Can honey com- mejK-ing to sour be stopped, or restored when soured, by scaldins or otherwise "r What, if any, are the first indi- eitioRs that honey is souring f Soaie say never extract imsealed honey ; others say, do not put the bees to the bees to the trouble of capiMng the honey. What is the truth in the matter r J. H. Paksofs. Franklin, X. T. Xov. 4th. l^TS. We ctin offer uo explanation for the bees gnawing away the combs that had contained brood, unless by some means the moth had deposited eggs in the comb. The souring of honey, has we confess often- times puzzled us: it will many times soar on the sarface of a jar, because it has been hast- ily rinsed, and some water left adhering to the jar. As cool weather approaches in the fall, moisture frequently condenses on the win- dows and sometimes even on the walls ; this soon evaporates ordinarily, but if it happens to condense on comb honey, the attraction is such that it unites with the honey, liquifying it to such an extent that it afterward soars. We know of no remedy except to keep comb honey in a room where the temperacare is so uniform that the air does not deposit moisture. When honey has soured, or become damp or sticky, the very best thing to be done is to give it to the bees. When there are enough of them, or the weather is warm, they will re- move it from the cells, and ripen it, in a very short time. I am a beginner in bee-keeping, and come to yoa for a little information. How can 1 tell, with certain- ty at this season of the year, whether a colony is queenles-s ? I have looked through some colonies re- cently, and could find neither queen, eggs, larvae, nor sealed brood. Does the queen cease laying at this season of the year, or is she supposedi omr libe &«£=>. A » Sire 1 . . ■wiii i SI'. xoiB &iTt T-err Is-t-p-- , yo«r letter qaay IB =^- ■ t Twin be ^my^te- ~-i, ^ T"> 'h^ a*' «nre " - ' - harBE 'heHB at J I -w^s " 5ar tie ; ao-t belp :h.:cfc-g tijere sje few r-cwsessed viT tisat ~.:r:ci: ^xnzK-'ii sen?* seedeJ to i&akr tbrZ2 7-r»: iril-st j^cc-Mitp'Js.be'i ^a^tnt^ Gi— 'i.-rs i-1- c-ni^e--:* -jcii aj-c handed Ou" "■ i"l,c ;£;-i:~ :f il-e law. asJ t*-: it see-ms i: ^; :■:';!:■:• i :;-riz:;-D 5.cz.Sc SjOoZd s-ui&r by -;chr:.r-- !»■:• d.;: lii- police regTililioii> ^r -irr; -::':.■> ^~zi :o take ii :m grsi:- i_iJii i^::::;:^^ ". j is ii>: ajail i-o the task o: . .. iiL2 f^yr iiaseli- b:ii n-eed? to be tiken care . : : Paiiiiss I shaU bjiTe to a±3iit being ooe '>: iIt ■Bsfomaaires that fkll s r&a»3y pre-y to tli'>>^ trho isjLke falsehood ooe of tie fee arts. Oar board of ed-acatke re-:?entlT paid an ajeat flSXiX* for am tir jwmp < frrecd ofedacs.- tioQ Toa 9ee> tlka;^ is worth filtXC*. Now d STicii fern as he f^irmfg to T>e-preseiii is to r^ lOtuad, aitd the ^1^. CO is a t^D«aI loss : ret th-- board is composed of sosae of oisr siiTewde^: bttsasss iDea. I was ssall iBore astonisbed * .> find be bad sacceesied in obtainiiif tbe sam- ao^aat aT>m tbe cooaty seat of an a>3)oiiuii^ cooBiy ; yet bis plans were so weil laid, that w^bes ire looked into tfee details we were in- cSaed to pity i^tber tban bJame bis victims- Shfa"; we let sucb felJows -ream at lar^e' with- om a pio5>est ? Tie seascBi fix Ex-itiisi liixsr liife rear kas »b«r ' c^oae'l. s»i wjw caaaes ibe usae to lAiTw'g cnft asid lai - liLTt CUT plsatiior '^e fsEiEre. I say piamt 'becassss I lifirCj tarnat iiis* szi: ssrj" &f oitr aeSSTe uni laon-'- iwsre or les experiEjeii:*! {Hses. TWg is i^e fact i.^ zeg»^ "7 owa, aad whes l£ oeaees to be ortifrcije- tasB SB »f beee jK afi liHKs wIm^ it is iliinirtrHj E^e- - esEKj; afe Btaterf ttin^ las temigha ^ CMie : faeeiitlflia»oiii^ - pieces awi ik97 'to " 1 was 2DI* iJlEt f.'J T^LEX^TS^GS IX BEE CTLTTRZ noQ -swarming. We woi ! ;: r-:^?ible mike tue «€^tion box tike the r" ;:-: ' ill glass cox- ■ ■es: : - : - .~e done so with . . A:.:---.:- •• . ii^.-r _ _, ......yr shipping ^.-ase or crate, than tiie cne g^Iveu on tbe csver *^'f oar St?pt. Xo. Nothing can be mach chea|>- -er than benzine to remove pTOpl royal smte? We ex^tict as follows firom an article in Vol. n. A. B. J., page \m. ■'Bee-brsad e^n^isls of tbs EoILtwirs substajises : Albnaaeo. Peede add, Gxapess^ar. Botiriie add. Syri- eene. Pafanadn add, Stearine add, Oldr add, GlK^bOT^ . Antho^BOBi, SjppBnt aad, Gambia, BoB^um, CeSa- Of ibeeBKHO^ed^^e^sahsfciaeesoc^ ftnee — albit- laeii, bniHiv aad. aad poOeniii— aie BiareeBECiEa. Tfee rcsi CGsaist •£ caHNo, ^dni@em, aad «H;f^ea. The ^oet iHportsat mtoitiEMS smksS^His as<^ «S4«£S- tiooablj; aBmMUM i\ (7 y^^^itj pecfiB. gnpesKar, aad foe £us ^ pex cea:>. Possiiilj, also, the fajpiianc add. The Crtfigf s&te&iBCies pi^ a sabeidiosse p*n xs isBDi- lu-fiit: aod saeae, sncfa as rril^lnpft, sie of bo teeaamk vhSiZiif^sr^ beJag-dJariMfgedimiliysteeA^ tiw bees. i The AntbcsHiiRaBd ERt]iaJK (periops the CaioihiK Hke«i5e.^ are e^aLs^cHS &an the bs^T c^ the fcea, aad >«€H to ^enetiate Ae entire nass aC the co^bs asd the ' -trhide mletaor cf the hive^ the Antkiscabi eoKaiascat- TiiKiiBpeeidiar«dart»tfae «vx. and the Eiitia^in isir- turUH? tha«tBi& jreSov colot; h&gaeaify eakxtns ako tbe fisiBes sad the internal sarti^is dt the faiv& Both >4ibistas!ees are na^HTJKoeaxei. firaiR jfSem nx.'" The nectar cf cacti and sane fl^a- pfaotis is sCUsd to, tioiiEsin eazis sasti: earn jvm are sae &s naBe ei aay eooi- TiM>i'. bee plants vfi-:se aectanes Tkid this kini «f sogar r We know oi no plants in oar loe^tj. jield- iag cane sagar. Oo ABsariciH fsxtnas pie&r white to nd flairs- r If so, Tise only Kason whv wMte clover is pre- lerred is because it grow? spoataneously, while the red has to be Sccare«l bj ireqaent ^ieedin^. Is ic usual for Xmerinim prafessKoal raea. who b:^ beess to so a?oaiid the cfwnt^ in carts,. letailia^ ihclr As & general rete, we belleTe our profession- al men do not pcTsonally rttail their o^^ u hon- ey, yet shoeld they and they ocsuld sell eaua^h uiore ttsu aay hired lielp. to pay them :'or tak- ing their own time, and this is sometimes the case, we assure yon they woald not hesitate an instant : for the secret of the success or oar American indtLsrries. is that no one scrat-les to take np any form or" honest labor, at which he discovers he can do well. We re- raember asking a college professor a short ti me ago, why he himself took estire care of hl> horse and cow. He replied that he pre- ferred to do so, becanse he felt sure it did him ;good : and liis care, without qaesiioc. did the horse and cow good, for the saimals w^-re not ouiy sleek and tidy, br.^ ,-,^-'' ^o have ai- raost as much trnst an '. : ia hits, as did his papiis in the Iv . aa. I have wondTrc«l sin??, whetiKX the kiod aiid chris- tian spirit whirh seoaed to pervade this wamaTs whoie life, were not dnwH simewbaL, ftu» his 'laily visits wttii these donb trkiads. Those who d« aH their labor ia their oBkaes or cocnting rooms. I fear ate mapaaiaiag against God's laws : and maokj oC oar laest and moist ssecessfal market ^ardaaos,. grav- ers of s^udl frnts^ aad eren apiarist, are sea wito hare beea edacated fior the pio^ess- iOBS. BtorgyouFgrgqr&afemyCTa'Mlj.MMthuad? We hare ao Forze, or Hfath, that we kaow o:. I boagfat a jg-cf Sas Oie^ eoKh hao^ m. Sefi.-. s vas 9Q&i, bei afi^ msimias. i£ «:» frrwl to ecn»tt oc €ztraried widi tro er thiue tiaa sSees ef seated eoin1> i-cssy. CbKESis abofii I Bu psaee Sat. 3i/. WfcUB Ks vhdea^e arad resaS peiire ia K,n^wjk : San Diego hooej. pat ap in glass j^ts. sh''»:iid retail at aboot ?5c- per lb., aad ^loald r." =" * ~': " = "=. more tfaaniSc fix snail This is for jais eo»- :„ : --. __i extracted- For whole- sale prl>s of extractc'l only, see Math's qao- tatioos in this Xo. I hsd STSir diSeeiif in JiHtfp^ AfcWfe Ae giwea* «c tM~ -rrr. ' -r^^lxaam. mMti a psiehaser Sae a saaS hoaesr ia saetioaal si^nsL «f In r needed and Hae itassoM at Ijl far o: in ; i ; ~ rj i ' t i .m ti'di She gioeer KSafled thesi sc 1^. 1- Ih. &aeas ^ie hoe &rem. S -_ . _- _..__:.- _; _^rfe^i3i^ Tovr hauej. yoa did not get it into the haads «^ the pro- per p'ersoEs. we feir. Espcrieaefc seeas to indicate that such a trade m^t be boilt apt We now retail on an atmage 1000 Gjs^ aana- ally. and oar satecribers write, many oi then, that they do still betser, aad that feio. with lictie e^ort. WhKE the sreafeesc mad. least weehg oC hoa^ :y«2 BSTe a stcefc rEMsaate- dmiaa the ca£d weaker: A nnc'eas might winter on -5 ibs. while aa extra strong stock winteped in the ^ea air, might we never had oas to eoasane as much, as 4»> lbs., bat hare beea told they sa«ae- times do. Wa^r eshcf^ seaes fcr wtexiar of We have deci«ied ia farcx- oCa feraed casoi- ber ojstaining jasS one half the araosat rca mention : about i5;» only. Daring the sar- plns Scis»:>c, we would want oa an. average -? o*X» more. T!ii- i Tcc »3! ff:^ tu.tlalfe -aai cr sterKtis ^Ktter " ' "^ J. H. EiX'ixpi^. -,r-..-. -. -i.-- _.,.; with ail the vegefci- aMe wsxe* we ci:>tild hear of. The nearest to pure wax. is c^resiu : some specisEec-s of the whitt. seem to answer fall as well as wax. but t!:e v-:;!!*?^. st?«t'*hes ~ery much like paraiSce. as great- Tlie ia- .; a coasiderable ooe, :-.•: .> .. .-:._x '.'. ;:..-j. >.^.'Stitute f?r "T": "^^x itself. _______ Tlii. - - -.-..---- Hart y-jv. K. 300 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Pec. The yellow comb fdn. you sent me last spring, ■worked vatisfactorily except one very pale looking piece of faS in., which bnlgeil during the summer beat ; the yellow fdn. had the cells extended in the best manner and also brootl hatched in some of those new combs. Cokrad Djppie. M'atertown, Wis. Nov. 3d. 1876. The above refers to the 5 cells to the inch, idn., ami as no adverse reports have l>een re- ceived, we shall have to call it a success, al- though it is packing the young bees a little closer than they do it naturally. It seems there will be quite a saving in getting the brood so closely packed together, and we should be very glad of more reports before another season. While a larger cell will prob- ably l)e better economy for the bulk of our comb honey, yet the scraps from this brood fdn., may be all used up to very good advan- tage for starters, as has b<^en very fully dem- onstrated. As friend Dippel received the fdn. mentioned in March, we can not now recollect in regard to the light sheet mentioned, bnt presume it was some of our first parafRne ex- periments. <>ne year ago I bad 95 stocks of bees, and yet at the beginning of this season I had only 63 left. I divided my time between the shop and the apiary, and at the close of the season had 10-1 stocks. And then came along some miserable sneak thieves, and traveled towaril the lower regions, with four heavy stocks, in splendid hives, combs mostly new, and beautifidly straight ! And yet we hear of Universal Salvation ! If that be trne, they will, when they get to the Celestial Paradise, be apt to steal a dia- dem, unless the seraphim and cherubim keep constant guard I The yield of box honey is 2500 lbs gi-oss. Here is what the local press says ! '■— D. P. Lane, the honey king of this section, W}!1 market a ton of honey this season, as the product of his apiary. He sells his honey in the comb, tastily put up in small packages, and it is good enough to eat." ]>. P. Lane, Koshkonong, Wis. Nov. 8th, 1876. P. S. In consequence of this action (stealing) of human hyenas, superadded to the natural risks and losses of Apiculture, I feel blue enough to be a cantlidate for Blasted Hopes. D. P. L. Why friend L. yoxi have little cause to feel blue, even if you did lose some of your hard earnings in such an aggravating way. There is one sure and certain remedy for thieving bees and honey, and that is the house apiary. If chaff packing is going to be the thing, it will not be so much more expensive either. If was thoroughly understood that the whole comb foundation business was an experiment, and in fact is still, notwithstanding our seeming success the past season. We first bought the paraffine foundations for just what they were, and at a paraffine piice ; and when it proved worthless it was our loss, as, had they proved !i success it would have been our sticcess. Your putting your price at 50 i^er cent less than we could buy else- where showed that you were not simply trying to make money. As a stock-holder in Gleanixgs I protest against your throwing the dollars we send you away in this way, and I do so on purely selfish grounds, as I want you to use it in your experiments in l>ee culture atul print them in (jleanings that I may profit by them. Upon the same grounds I would like to be one of fifty of your subscribers to stand this loss, that fiLEAN- INGS may not suffer bv it. K. B. Bili,iv(;s Elmira, N. Y. Well really friend B., with such champions as yourself; and those who have sent iis simi- lar letters, it would seem we might learn dis- cretion. You can hardly realize bow much we appreciate the kind spirit in which yous offer to stand the loss that resulted from our own carelessness ,- bi7t since we "-left the door unlocked" ourselves, we cannot tbiok of let- ting our friends suffer in our place. If you entrust us with your dollars, we will promise to hold them faithfully, and we prefer to have every one who sends a subscription feel that they are a veritable stockholder in Gleanin<^< to that amount. If you wish any new plan tested, any experiment made, or even to see what the "bee ranches" of our successful "stock-holders" look like, express yourself to that effect, and we will do the best we can. Send on as many dollars as you can, but we shall insist that a copy of Gleanings be re- ceived as an equivalent, for each one of them. My report for 1876 does not compare well with my others, bnt with your permission I will tell a swarm- ing story. My honey sales for this season amount t<> 810*S,05 clear from expense. Sales of bees 64.3;i,05, total $1521,10. I shall try to winter 190 good swarms. I used some of Long's comb fdn. ■which answers every purpose for comb surplus, but my queens will not use them to lay in, neither will young natural swarms stay in a hive containing them ; though small canis ol" brood will start comb building in the sections, when it can be removed to the next hive and so on. Please remember that this card of unsealed brood will bring the comb builders up into the boxes quicker than any other method in the world. Now don't all say at once that this will induce the queen to lay in your boxes, for it will do no such thing if the brood is removed at. the right time. In August 1S75, 1 sold one swarm of bees to a trieml living two miles from me. They were pure Italians and had for their home one of those movable comb hives with frames 10 inches square, and 12 frames to the hive. He now has ten swarms, 9 of which have .'lO lbs. of honey to the hive, one weak swarm, and one flew away to the woods ; all from this one. He hafl no dry combs to work, and no feeding done. The one tliat flew away left early in haying time. HiK.\M Roop, Carson City, Mich., Oct. 21), "f,. Your notes on page 272 bring to mind what I observed and supposed to be drones after a virgin queen. I wa«-- harvesting on a hill and heard what I at first supposed to be a swarm of bees, but looking in the direction of the sound saw what appeared to be drones flying in a nucleus alK)ut as large as a hat brim. They flew very swiftly and in all directions, sometimes within twenty feet of tlv! ground, then very much higher, always keeping in a com- pact b(xly and looking like bees settling in swarming time. I followed them for 200 yards and lost sight of them. One of my neighbors told me that a lot of drones came to the ground in a field where he was working corn, and remained for a short time. I have seen drones chasing worker bees, on a cool day when they were pass- ing over a hiU to work. When drones fly I think they spread over the whole country as the sound they make in a summer afternoon would indicate. I have seen ants coming out of their holes, small winged, and large ones about three o'clock on a sunny afternoon in September, filling the air in aU directions, but did not observe any of them come to the ground. Jons B.\iui>. K'm Grove, W. Va. Nov. 6th, 1S76. ISTG DLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. mo AWAY FROM "OUR HOME. ^^ wife aucl 1, find ourselves quite unex- pectedly, away from our home, and our little ones. Fifteen years ago, hand in hand, we r^tarted on a similar journey; the years have passed, and changes have come, and the hand | that grasped mine at the depot as I Iieard I "Good bye papa," is almost as large and strong | as my own. In the «7>/v5/.— Weather warm and passengers Mppy, with car windows wide open. Officious l>urter builds fire in stove notwithstanding protests of all. As it gave ladies nearest ^itove a headache, I volunteered to take "hot place." Plead with porter, but he only put in more wood. Appealed to conductor who tried to "choke"' stove, but could tind no stove hearth; said he guesstd it would burn down -after awhile. Asked fashionable gent and lady to "sit up" and give us a seat away from stove; would not, so 1 tried to think stove would prevent night air from giviug people •eokls, and was happy in spite of heat. lo'clock. — "Waiting two hours for train at country depot. Found a half dozen Sabbath j^chool workers, and extemporized "teachers Jiieetiug," but none of us had Bible or lesson paper, so we drew-on our memories for what we <-ould ollect in regard to PanTs conversion. Made out nearly the whole lesson in that way. s A. J/.^Lost my stamped envelopes, got tamps, but every thing to drink. All the way to P. O. I found glaring signs of beer and 'vvliiskey, and the faces of all I saw on the r-tr«.-et, proclaimed the same things plainer than any device in the way of gilt letters n_-uuid do. Liquor dealers standing before tlieir fine brick stores, talked of their superior "drinks" and I really expected to find the P. O. too, furnished with the glittering display of bottles. It wasn't, but a red faced oflicial gave me a pewter dime in change when I at length got the coveted stamps. If all the streets iu Hornellsville, are like the two long ones I traversed, and all the towns in York ^tate are like this, what is to become of our people 'i Are there those who like a good glass of "lager '?"' So do I too, and the old appetite was pleading for it all the length of that walk, but may God help me to fight against this, as well as all other right hand temptations, as long as life shall last if need be. 11 A. M. — Somebody has a very pretty apia- ry of American hives across the river a few miles above llathburnsville. Who are you friend '? With such beautiful river, hills and scenery, dear York State, why cannot your people be happy without marring their intel- Kcts by "something to drink '?" lU^.d. J/, — Another pretty apiary of Amer- ican hives near Stonington, but we fear they stand too close together. 1 P. M. — Somebody has a house apiarj' near Elmira. Who? '^- '■'< P. M. — When we first struck acquaintance with the Susquehanna river (a man said it was) this morning, one could almost skip across it." But uovy it has grown so much that it resem- bles a good natured lake, that has followed us just for the purpose of tantalizing us because we can't get into it and wash olfthe coal dust"! 3^2 P. M. — 40 min. for refreshments. A neat looking new hotel induced us to ask if a place could be given the ladies to wash. We were motioned to a place baek of the clerk's desk, filled with men, who besides performing their ablutions, were being supplied with the iu- ev itable "drink" as fast as the clerks and all hands could pour it out, and no one could spare a minute to listen to anything else. The ladies had their tea without washing, and I preferred to run down the bank and wash in the river without soap rather than try to iin- dertake it iu that den behind the bar. Places to get drinks are in plenty and seem to be do- ing a thriving business at everj"^ station, and that seems to be the only important item. . Js it because our traveling people demand them and pay for them and nothing else, that such is the case right in the very midst of all this glorious scenery ? The individual behind us has been drinking himself profane, obscene, foolish and silly, and that iu broad daylight, right before the conductor, and with ladies on every side of him ? Can not some temperate man start an eating house ? And are ■ there not enough of us to support such an wig. ^lay God bless our native land and hefp the faithful to reclaim it from this threatening evil. G^o P. .¥".— Not only does Pa present beaii- tiful mountain scenerj', but we actually have burning mountains. We • play" they are Tol- canoes ; they are the low growth of forest trees on fire, and as they burn out a circle, we have a ring of conflagration visible clear around as we view it across an intervening- valley. These hills remind one of a boy Who has dropped an armful of biscuit, and once in a while a whole loaf of bread ; the latter might have split square in two. From the way in which the hills are piled about, 'one- might imagine he didn't stop to pick anything up. The scenery itself is worth the trip. Que thinks "Rock of Ages." "'. . . '"■',■ Eirniag.—OvLv friend with the bdttle' fe wishing he was president of the V. B. '-His poor brain formed the desire, that he might take the duty oil' whiskey. His wife sayS she wishes site was, that she might annihilate whiskey. He boasts loudljf of being a demo- crat. / ' ICov. 3(1.8. A. 3/.— I love PMladelpliia Jll- ready. Am away down ou the wharf atoong the shipping, and the ocean breeze, the multi- tude of vessels, and above all the pleasant words and smiling faces, make oue feel it is rightly named. Only found oue whiskey shop in five minutes brisk walk, on a bu=y street. Every body seems busy and happy ; even the colored people unloading salt. When I. need another business sign, it shall assuredly be like those here. Paint your board, which may be of some nice shape, as black as it can' be, and then make the letters of the purest white. Such a sign can be seen for a long distance, and one can find what he wants at a ghxhce. CENTEKKIAL. , ; ,,...-^ ,,.„' i,,., 10 A. 3/.— I recall all I have said' "in:, regard mi GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Dec to the Centennial. No words can do it any kind of justice. I never, never ?>efore real- ized that the world was so large. Noon. — A very a;ood wh'olesome dinner for 25c. at the Dairy. ¥ov the first time we found honey on the bill of fare, and price only 10c. No smell or trace of beer about the premises, and dinner iu an open veranda. The thing of all others that pleases me, is that all the na- tions of the earth are so well represented ; and the way iu which they have sent the products of their own lauds, the implements tbcy use in their industries, drawings of the manner in which they use those implements, with ex- planations in their own language, translated to ours, is really affecting, and when I saw their books, their methods of education etc., and realized that these were our own brothers and sisters, in the sight of our Heavenly Fath- er, I could not keep back the tears; and at :?ight of the department from Liberia, showing with what pains and care those poor colored people had collected and sent us the best they had, and then implored us to help them in their eftbrts to become "clothed and in their right mind," I had to have quite a "womans cry" before 1 could go farther. May God abundantly bless these people, and all the na- tions of the earth, in this scheme of sharing with each other, all that we have done in the way of progre.ss and civilaiztion. The contrast between the agricultural ma- chinery of other nations, and that of ours, especially seeing them exhibited side by side, gives one a feeling that is really overpowering. Japan has actually purchased one entire de- partment of agricultural machinery from us. Residents of these various parts of our earth, clothed and speaking though imper- fectly, our own language, meet one all through, and the thought that all these have intellects that respond rapidly to the influences of a Christain religion, and mental culture, make one burn to speed the work that the mission- aries are doing. How cajrerly we American people, grown up, as well as children, are captivated by see- ing how xmrk is done. Selling toy tin pails might be a slow business, but when a half dozen girls and a sieam engine, made them by the thousand right before the eyes of the vast crowd, every body must have one or more, and such a crowd was con.stantly watching the mighty presses, and the nimble fingers, to sec Jioic it was done, that one had to push and crowd, to even get a peep. It was the same at the glass factory, and we should say the prevailing American ti'ait just now, is to see how every thing is made, even if it be the grinding of apples into cider, and after seeing, to be sure all must taste. May our Great Maker above help us to keep our appetites and passions as our servants and not our masters. Dozens of little boys were busy making rocking chairs, baskets, centre tables, etc., with their different scroll saws, and the way the multitude took them as soon as fin- ished, at a dime or a quarter each, made one think they might get rich. There is literally acres of automatic machinery busily at work, and apparently to the satisfaction and hap- piness of all parties for I cannot remember during the whole day to have heard aai un- kind or unpleasant word. The way eveiji children (iiirls as well as boys) are taingbt ti> use these amtonaatic machines is astonishing ; and we can hardly say whether it is that the childreu are taught to manage the machine, or that the machine is so made as to be within the scope of the powers of the child. These little ones receive money, and make change correctly, for aught we know as well as any- body ; and he who simplifies business and tin? cares of life, so that a child may take charge- of them, truly is a benefactor. Very lew humbugs seem to bave got into such a wilderness of industries, and very- little was said of "rights for sale." Hiiladel- phia I we owe you an everlasting debt of grati- tude, and if you have used money "like smoke'* we really believe it has been used to good ad- vantage. We aiTj pained indeed to notice how very meagerly the bee and honey industry of our land has been represented, for the few hives that are to be found are scattered widely apart, and none represent any where nearly j the hives that are actually in use in our coun- I try ; they are all much too complex, and ex- pensive. Our comb fdn. was pretty fairly represented after all, and our thanks are due I friend Isham, for sending it. A very consid- erable building could be filled with the pro- ducts and implements of the apiary if gathered up, and we hope soon to see it done. Sabbath Eve. — Is not the secret of so many kind pleasant people in Philadelphia, that the city is so well supplied with churches and Sabbath schools? We visited Wanaraaker's Bethel school, and were rejoiced to find it filled with people long before the time of opening :, and when time to begin, the crowd was so great, that a large church was filled with those who could not get in. These were formed into an immense Bible class, and Mr. W. left his school long enough to make glad the hearts of Sabbath school teachers that represented al- most every state in the Union. Mr. W. started this Bethel school about 15 years ago, in the worst part of the city ; now it is held in one of the finest and largest stone buildings, resembling a large church, that is to l>e found in the city, and the interest is so great that thousands are unable to get in. Even should we not be able to achieve like re- sults, may we not remember the promise "He that is faithful in few things, shall be made ruler over many." Visitors and strangers receive the most cor- dial welcome to all places of worship, and if the example could extend to even the smaller towns, the efiect must be beneficial. A plain clean board card such as we have mentioned, tells the stranger where the servici^s are held, and extends to him a welcome, that makes him feel the churches his home, as they cer- tainly should be. God bless Philadelphia. Capt. Hetheriugton's display of honey i-:) quite iu keeping with the way other depart- ments are represented, and we owe him a vote of thanks for having done his work so nicely. It is a larao square pile of section boxes very near in size to our Universal. Each one is en- cased iu ghvss, and for retailing, the whole is sliliped into a neat paper box or case, tied at J 1876 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 312 the top with blue I'ibbons. This certainly makes a very neat package, but the expense is such, it would have to be sold at a good price. The section, which is very light and neat is made thus: A and B are the ui^rights about '4 of an inch thick, and 3iy wide. The top bar which is about as thick as a common light of glass, slips in the saw cuts, shown, and is probably held with glue; it is about l^o wide. Now if we put a sheet of glass on each side next the comb after filling, we should have four spaces of ^4 inch each left open, and these the Capt. closes by four narrow slips of glass the length of top and bottom bar. A and B •are ral) beted in each edge to let the light of glass drop in, close to the honey. Our object- ions to this box, would be so many pieces of glass, six to each box. The large glasses seem to be held in place with glue. The wood work is very light, and the glass all seemed to be made very thin for the purpose. This package is perhaps the neatest in the market, but oth- ers, such as Doolittle's, are much less expense. On Capt. Hetherington's table too, we no- ticed a box of what we took to be our fdn. It is unfortunate that no printed explanation was left with it, for visitors evidently were much puzzled to know what it was, and for what used. — Four very pleasant days have been passed viewing the products of the labor of our brothers and sisters, all over this vast globe of oui's ; and the feelings awakened have been almost uniformly those of pleasure, through the many different departments and buildings. The fine art gallery was visited last, and even at the risk of being called old fashioned, of lacking appreciation, and of imagining evil where none exists, I feel like protesting. In all the other departments I met cleanliness and order ; pleasant and wholesome looking gen- tlemen and gentlewomen, and I saw no trace of either intemperance or other kindred vices on the whole grounds until I went into the fine art galleries. With the statuary of the little ones just as they get out of their cribs in the morning, I was delighted, as almost any one would be, but when I began to study full grown nudity, and at the same time the faces of the swarms of humanity that were crowd- ing and jostling each other in a way they did no where else on the grounds, I could but pray that we might have humanity, even in statuary, depicted "clothed and in their right minds." This work — carved with a skill that is wonderful to be sure — is much of it from nations that are not celebrated for their puri- iy of moi'als, and when one seeks for the pur- pose of the work, notes the way in which the figures are poised, the expression of the whole piece, it does not seem they ai*e hardly fitting for the gaze of a people who are active in the work taught in our Sabbath schools and churches. for, at least us two, of any other on the wide earth. God bless our homes, and keep them sacred and pure. DEPARTMENT FOR BOX HIVE BEE-KEEPERS. I have kept bees for 10 years, but have never made it pay. Have now 25 hives, all except 3 without frames. Of course they swarm naturally ; never had a swarm go to the woods. I want to get Italian bees, mine are all black; I never saw an Italian. Hail I not better sell my entire stock of black bees ? Will take a fair price for them. Don't put me in column of "Blasted Hopes" for I never expected much. A. F. CoNAWAY, Mannington, W. Va. Nov. 14th, '7. we have so often advised.] $€l^s and §ii^rk§ ^ HAVE 18 colonies in Am. hives and have Itaiian- j°|[ ized 4 of them. Which is the best way for me to — ' Italianize the rest ? [So many circumstances are to be considered, shall have to tell you to read up the subject in back v A- lunes. Mr. Doolittle, who is just at hand, says "buy dollar queens." If you have more time than money, perhaps you can make nuclei and raise the queens for the remaining 14.] Are the nails used to keep the frames from swinging together in Am. hives, in the way for using the ex- tractor ? [The frames can be used in the extractor very well without removing the nails, but they have been votea too much of a nuisance to be tolerated in other res- pects.] Have I made a good selection in the kind of hives I use ? I have never had anj- other hive in use. Have been advised by a seemingly intelligent bee-keeper to make kindling wood of said hives and use Langstroth. J. J. SiLZiE, Fertigs, Pa. [Your intelligent uee-keeper was probably not far out of the way. Nearly all of the hives now in use, American with the rest, use plain S(iuave frames, hanging in plain square boxes.] In our own home again ; and with a feeling that after all, it is the best and happiest place To say I am delighted with the microscope is to speak very moderately indeed. How can you send so elegant an instrument for only eight names ? Yes I have tised some of Perrine's fdn. and like it, only it is a little too thin ; bees break it down in very warm weather. Bought it before you started your new lot. Make your fdn. live cells to the inch (like Perrine's,) and as heavy as you now make and it is jws^ . The hives are neatly ■ ^^inted, and the Tie» t» sC' very iavicinc, one can hardly : id w^sntinr to mii in arnd have x "bee talk." HaTie bees the pcwer i after fillins tbemselres with bcn- -Ti cscofiirolias the prodactioQ qI^tli?- Ii wax is not prodoced, ii h ti becomes oi the maierial provided r M. Medina. Ohkv Xov. :^^ch. 1>7<5. IWio wia aas wer • We •«-oald sussesl. that if they do at* w^it to aeereie wax. they simply hold the hooey na- lil needed ior food, as wJieu ibey aa* dosteaii^ out on e troni of tbe hivie before svamuB^. for ijistaoce-Z Will coiBmoa brown sosar do to manniactnre into ..ndy to feed bees - P. W. Keller. York Ana. Pa. _<>tir experiments in'iicate a lishi colorci brosm sagajr perfecUy safe for wintering, bat we should fear lo give ihem any very cheap sugar. Will some one who has had experience, please answer. We have used f<» all of oar candv. onlv straight A coffee sazar.I Is there any easy wsy in which taBow can be detected -J bees wax r I havie hoosht sDme which is very mticfa 3-;Aer than our wax. 1 boasht it to have comb fdn. nukde fn«n it, and do cot want to send it if adulterated. Can :ie separated :- Geo. M. Dale- 3<»der PMns. Iowa. Sot. lith, ISTS. IWe Icnow of i» better way, than to tee off a piece and chew it. If it has even a little talijw. it win. make "gum," and can be chewed indefinitely ; the pure wax, cmmUes ataaoet rmwpdHilv. separates in small iHts, and will not rsake gum ai alL We are inclined to think soaie wax is lUBch softer tfaazi other lots, even ii both are por^ ani this B3ay make scaoe diSeraiee in tbe »i>AJflg of the fdn. Howeva', we hav« as yet fomid uoae to wort badly in cor apiary. The lollowiii^ wmy gh« some light :j^ Yoa are profaaUy awaze thai wax freshly melted is Qoiie soft and pJiaUe, while that which has not been melt- ed lor 5x to twelve months, is quite hazd and luirtle : Bioiw the query to me is, wiH comb iosndation Bade this y€9B^ be as aeeeptafafelbo bees nexi seuon as that newly ni*de : pntvided of eoorse it is kept dean. We too, ob- >erTed that oar qneens wobU sddo^ ase ihfm lor brood, led have Dot bees able to A-i*u liiip wheOer the size of cdL or the sshstaace was at Eanlt. J. H. Xellis- Cazsajohazie, y. T. S^ov. 15th, 1876. I^Whai wax is exposed to the air in thir! sheets it seans to lose soaae elmnjit thataafcesit soft, as in the case of UieaefaiiK: h^ the ^d, or white wax, can be worked jas« as w^ as the new, fcy hxfisg the room a Hitle warm- er. Daring the waratest weather, we were obhred to dip the sheecs of yellow in ice water, beEore we ooold roll then safely, while the while woiied niedy at fl»e t«n- pexatitre of the air ; we suspect that some portkn of the wax passes <^ into the air, whai exposed to it far aoase ti^ie in thin fleets.] WhicJ» i3 ttie best seed to sow for bee pasltirage ^lone, aad which for fodder or hay as well as bee pasturage, of the following: meUlot, Inceme, borage. migiKMiette, Roeky motmtain bee plant and rape ;- Pleaise aasver through GLEAJfiSGS. I have alsike cloTer. Socae say it is very fine for bee pacturage, c4herB that it is not ? A. Fahxestock. Toledo, Ohio. Xot. 15th, 1j?76. ^Of the plants yoa mentioned, only rape z- ' - - — - are of valne aride from the honey they : we hare never had a direct report sho— . . : .. ■3-oiild pay to raise any one of them for this purpose alone. Loeerae we i^elieve is not well adapted to onr laHtade, and therefore we shonld consider rape, the only one safe to try on a large scale. Kape seed will always bring enough to pay alJ e\i>ense of onltivation. and the hotiey. for both quality and quartity. is e»iaal lo any ot the plants raises^ for honey alone, so far as we can learn. Alsike is we believe rather bettar than either white or red c'over, but a= it comes in bloom at near'y the same time, is not as desirable ^s rape or buckwheat cominjx later in the season." Last Thtirs«iay I called to see Mr. L. "W. Floyd, of Mu Healthy. O., who has the bee fever very bad}y. On the first of Oct. he found a swarm of bees hanging on a fence. He kept them in a candle box for 3 days, and then traded five turkeys for a frame hive and empty comb : a neighbor helped him put the bees in the frame hive and he fed them 25 lbs. sugar. Last Thnrsme- thing to eat. He will winter ihem after my plan. Putting the hive in a larae box. arching the entrance over and covering with saw dust, and covering with earpft insteaa of honey boar i over the frames. Please send him a sample copy of vour Gi-eani>"G!> and oblige. " W. STCMP. Cincinnati. O.. Nov. 20th. "76. [Very likely the fever will rage considerably in friend Hill's viciniiy, since his c ton crop of honey. Give the patients gtrnile treatment, anl keep them well protected from patent bee-hive men. and they V 111 generiliy ccme oat all right.; In iwird to the honey Mr. He»ldc»n scild. it was in Icmta I saw it. I hirdly snow huv ?>SAV. The Centennial commirtee of the Xorthefstem Bee- keeper's Assocjaiion appointed as s committee of judges on the essays. J. P. Moore of Xew York, H. Alley, Esq. of Mass. and J. S. HilL Esq. of Ohio. The cc'mmittee con- vened and performed their duties on Thursday evening. Ociotjer 36th. Fc-ur essays (rere presenteJ. ail very use- ful and instructive papers. The gientlemen why sent the essays are Rev. E. L- Briggs. of Iowa. Dr. W. B. Rush, of la., Wm. H. S. Grout, of Xew York, and Prof. A. J. Cook, of Mich. After doe consideration, tbe commitee awarded the prize to Prof. A. J. Cook of Mich. This seemed a worthy deciaon. We can only rtgret that low finances restrain- ed o»jr giving a prize to each worthy competitor. We can bttt hope that the unsuccessful may appreciate their re- ward in the gccd done the mass of Apiarians who have failed heretofore, in mnterinz their bees. J. H. Xellis. Secy, of tbe Xorth Eastern Bee Keepers Assseiatioti. Canajoharie, X. Y. Xov. 3±nd. l*7fi. Cinciimati Honey Market. SCTTH'S SELLtSG PEICE. White rVwier honey in fuU packages, (a bbL . m cases ol same. f^U.f'O. The same ini: . .-- -■-. 1 doz. jirs in a ri- ■ - ' ^ -•. 1* case- : -i_- S'-i.tij. Linn or Bi-- .-inal par-;:--- --- ?•- if-.'iiir. ¥■ -inal pec: - ' '-' ■"■ r>.,-. . .iinal pa'- — varieties in ■ _ I'^c. Tm L.r^ JJ-. -r-. -- ilra- Comb ■bat the;, u- a^ain to ' rtiTTje to my stTERi:vG Ox past iiH, reai -estriaetfs iS? UKaes, urstexaoi $Z2 Ha€ II^iD 5': , j^?a ;k tee Piil SZV£5 TEAES. -J* I'SE thel,. bjjre wKh portico, anl moaldiEg ^ei T stigp aroBixI near ibe iev«ied. so that a, one-hatf &nch boferfi jrlll fit -"lUKler the KwiMing. By this a.r- -r.-tngeeteat tfee -hire is -f ouWeH, wKh one-JiaK inch -iumberte break of cold vriads from the atoa hive. a haT« « Jact- dnfr; tfeentay sScks across the tops of the frames and -,-ut on a vet'len blanker, inOiia that there may be no coM current of air under ; be cluster. Ibavea\ hc5e bored in the ceocer of e.be Kve under ibi? portico, to which hole I hav« a atch made of h inch lumber put on with a sonew. so 'hat it covers the hole, or by luming it op leaves tlie iioleopen or j-aruy *o. as J «^ish, accordias to the ^1 caihcc. In the lower side of the latch cut a box or ■ ■."nity, i by \ inch, beveled v.p \ icch. s« that v5 hen it is down over the hole i: excludes all excessive iighi ji-om tiie sen shining on she snow, and the bees *iave sure ventilation that c^nnoi get stopped by slee* ■ 'u the outside nor irom de*>;l bet-s <»: cappings in the tn?ide. and the bees bare plenty of rocm to get ont at any time. It Is innpciTtant that there t>e sosbe ventilation above -he packing; this may be seecred by boring holes in "•ppoiite sides or Ly d^i^ing thick headed tiic&s ia top "f upper story so as to leave a crark under the cever. I ".earned that in ISr^ and *t5; 1 lost 6 hives that wio- "cr. and I *con noiiced in the sj.iing thai the hives ^^h^ch were the closest above the packing were in the -vorstcc-oditicn. and those that were most open above ihe packing were in the best condition. I hav« not k«s; a hive wistering since >5- and "5. The raoisiure : !Oia the bees does not congeal iiniil it cowes in c-on- I let n iih a cold stnfacc, Oi^iiaies in cold weathe^r the trost will be an inch deep on top of the packicg. bat ; elow it the jiacking is dry. acJ when there comes a wai-m, sunshiny day, it is well to take the covers off ind let the :op of the p-ackicg dry. I have examined I'fs mornings during a.l the coldest weather we have i:vre. and dave revcr found fios; on any ot the combs-. ;! ihoKsh 1 havesvcn someia ccracrs ci hives and in -he rabbets the frames hang on. J. S-. HlLi- Mt. Healthy. O.. Xof. 34. 1^75. With this .irtide \re «xp-ected to rive an engrsving of inepd Hills af*.irr. but a mistake at the last minute iit4ays it uuiil «.>*ir Janoarv Xo>.> We foFEOt lasAj that Boolittte'^-Tfirie'wax ^was fizst im off wirb our w-_- ^- ^T _.-- ----:■' worth ihe pric< asked for them- MITH 5 ADVERTISEMENT. HOXET JARS! One paiei>t. per gross 17 00 Labels for-same. " ** 65 A thoesana labels aOB5iKe parties will be inserted i» either <:< the foil owing depart»efits- at a unifona price of Kc ea each, tinder the following C'MKliiions-T Ko guarantee is to l-e &s» saaierted queen moth- If wjinted bv mai'. send ItV. extra. *G. W. Dean. River styx. Medina Co.,0. *J. Oatman A Co.. Dundee. 111. Srf •E. W. H.^;e. W irt, C. H.. West Va. 6^ ♦J. M. C. Tavlor. Lewiston. Fred. C.-'.. Md. Itl Miss A. Davis. Holt. Insham Co., Mich. 5-1* *Aaron 1. Weidner. Bisler. Adams Co., Pa. 6-13 •Dr. J. P. H. B.-own, Auarista. Ga. 9tf *W. P. Irish. New Portage, O. 7-l« We, whose names spjiear below, irree to tumtsh bees as follows : A two frMue nurleus, fiJi or brvxxl sr.d bees, with tested queen, for €0-*', c-r the same with Si.W qoeen for 54.W. Where five axe ordered at one liaie, sitO kss oa each nucleus ; * names use only imported tzKiheis. •J. M. C- Taylor, Lewiston, Fred. Co, Md. 7-1 Hi"ve >ranu:faot:ui«er])er, (^Uieen rearing by JI. (Jiiinby, iiktruc- tion for beginners etc., sent free with the Magazine, on trial, ^J raonths for 59 cents. Agentb wanted -cash eomnoission and pernaanent cnfjplovm'ent. j^ddress A. J. KING & CO., &1 Hudson St., N. Y. Mass S. E. Fl'S.B^ER, DESIGNING AND ES- GRAVING OX W001K'ir> Moml St., Koom No. ;j, N. Y. AH'avded. Medal of Merit at Vienna Esi)0si- tion, 1873. OKiers by mail promptly executed at reas- on able rate J. from sis etches c-r i>hotographs. Elec- trotypes snpplred. OUR Bee .Inurnal of the Southern States. Issued moDtlily at H 60 per year, ftam-ole copies free. A. F. MOON & CO., Rame, Gi. Italnin queras fnrni'sbcd ih'^ ^ coming set^son at the lollowiiig ji rices: I tested ."lUeen >.'i t' « •- •• 1.") il; I nnlested fiueen 1 ti" C, •' ' '• ,'i on Full Ko'.onies in Langstroil; hivfs . - . VI .'I- D-^.Safe arrival of a'f queen • guaranteed, ■aia Purchasers must as.sume a!!! ri>k is the transp&rSation oU' Jail colonies. ; .Ss prompt altf nlioii as possrhte will be gfvea to a' i 1 orders, and S'ltiffiici'iftn rfiia-ranfe!''! \ 7tf-v "UUFU.S MORGAN'. Old Fort, N. C. r" CASH roa 6EES-WAX> i We ftro pa> ing ?,f) .".ent-! iii»y poiTiiil for jctJo^w b( (■.• I wax, in lots of fro!» 50 to 5,CW) or more pounds, deli\ • I cretJ at Syra(■l^se, or 31 eenta, if cscbaHgod 'inr whiu- I wax. If yo» liave a?iy wax on hand, and ean defivi ■• t it at the above iirjce, p-lease do s^, and vrn will ir'm ; i you ostr cliock otj receipt of ihi> sani'>. ECIvEKMAN & WILE. ! 7-7-'77 Was -bleachers Syracuse, N. Y. BJritisIi 33ee »Toxinial. fs {\ larao. beautilnlly |irintf'i» .-i, SSoviiiLS^Ja- «'llill«J.'-i c'C JOnH'fj- «L.ilMIS yaiu; and whenever n ehdi is voaelu'd, we will cridit Ii:ic.< Iho amount previ'nivly .'^ont us in excess c( tin club rates. In ihis way any of the Articles Mentioned on our PRICE LIST may be Secured as PEEMIUMS. Plcaso nienti'iii wh;-t\ Tiaaies are intended for chibs. An ackn iwl^d-'cMUf-nt will b ^ s Mit in .all ri< --^ on rec.M,)l o( money— for any purpo.se whrite\er— by return mail. Vcli.mes 1 an 1 11 at 75c. i':icli, or Volume 1^ ;i'. •-. l.OD m ly b-.' couati^d on the .same tQiaris as we have ;v Large Snp'oly of BilOK t^-UMSEBB Provided fornewb^gla'aers. not take the space in future luimbers lo ^o over the s.i-.nc ground a:5a!!i, and Volume I coir.a'c.s the ctiti:'' 1 Principles and