DnDDDDDDDDDDnnnnDnDannDDDDaaDDDD ^tRsT^* UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARY D D D D D D D D D D D n D D n n D a D D D n naDnnDannnnDDaananaannnnDDDDDDaD r- "■■•/ V, 3 3 t5TABLI5HED 1661 0LDE5T BEE-PAPER IN AMERICA* One Dollar a Year. 56 Fifth Avenue, Chicago, Ills. FL^- • IHEJiSflZfO DS^ian^Up -Jis p£AKso«n it.CAi AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. ^^wdm'm,ia^^^,_^ ■V.-, GEORGE W. YORK & CO, A.t One Dollnr a Year, 56 Fifth Aveuiie, CHICAGO, II.I.S. Entered at the Post-Office at Chicago as Second-Class Mattero Postage to all Countries in the Postal Union is 50 cents extra. To all others, $1.00 more than the subscription price. 8^^ Hebblewhite&Cc, 369 George Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, are our authorized agents. Subscription price, 6 shil- lings per annum, postpaid. TO CORRESPONDENTS. Til© Be© JToxiinal is sent to subscribers until an order is received by the publishers for its discontinuance, and all arrearages are paid. A. Sample Oopv of the Bee Journal wili be sent FREE upon application. How to Send 2lI^oTie-v^.— Remit b/ Express, Post-Offlce Money Order, or Bank Draft on New Tork or Chicago. If none of these can be had. Register your I^etter, affixing Stamps both for postage and registry, and take a receipt for it. Money sent thus, IS AT OUR B.ISK; otherwise it is not. Do not send Checks on Local Banks— we have to payi^o cents cach.toget them cashed. "Sever Send Silvef in letters. It will wear holes in the envelope, or may be stolen. Afa7c© all JiXnney Ordei-s Pavafile at Chicago, 111.— not at any sub-station of Chicago. Pr-stae-eStampsof any denomination may be sent for auy fraction of a dollar; or where Money Orders cannot be obtained, stamps for any amount may be sent. Subscription Creriits.— The receipt for money sent us will be given on the address-label of every paper. The subscription 13 paid to the END OF THE MONTH indicated. /_>o Tiot "W^rit© anything for publication on the same sheet of paper with business matters, unless it can be torn apart without interfering with either part of the letter. Kmerson Binders, made especially for the AMERICAN Bee Joitunal, are convenient for preserving each weekly Number, as fast as received. They wili be sent, post-paid, for .')(> cts. each. They cannot be sent by mail to Canada. r.ost Xt/rubers.— We farefully mall the Bek .TointNAL to every subscriber, but should any be lo!Iarket, Including the production and care of comb and extracted honey. A chapter from Bees and Honey. Price, 10 cents. Bee-Piisturagre a Necessity. — This book sug gests what and how to plan It Is a chapter froBf. Bees and Honey. Price, 10 cents. Sivariniiigr, OivUlins and Feeding.— Hints to beninners in apiculture. A chapter from Bees AND Honey. Price, 5 cents. Bees in "Winter, Chaff- Packing, Bee Houses and Cellars. This is a chapter from BEES AND Honey. Price, 5 cents. The Hive I Use. Ijy G. M. Doolittle. It details his management of bees, and his methods for the •Production of honey Price, 5 cents. i^^ We will send the above 5 Pamphlets postpaid for 25 cts.; or club them with the Bee Journal for one year for $1.15; or we will give them as a Premium for sending one New Subscriber to this journal for a year. CI.li»»irVCi} L.1ST. AVc Club the American Bee Journal for a year, with any of the following papers at the club prices quoted in the ■..ASM' column. The regular price of both is given in the first column. One year's subscription for the American liee Journal must be sent with each order for another paper : Price of both. Olub. The A merican Bee .Journal 81 00 anc* Gleanings In Bee-Culture 2 00 175 Bee-Keeiiers' Review 2 00 175 Canadian Bee .lournal 2 00 ... 175 The Apiculturist, 175 165 Progressive Hce-Keeper .. 150 130 American Bee- Keei)er 150 140 Nebraska Bee- Keeper 1 50 1 35 The 8 above-named papers 6 25 5 25 Have You Read page 31 yet ? Weekly, $1 ebale.— Here is what Friend McEvoy says about the pro- posed "Foul Brood Debate:" I am very much pleased to see that in the coming year, the editor of the American Bee Journal is going to let us all have a great debate over all the disputed points on the whole foul brood question. Every bee- keeper in the world should subscribe at once for the Bee Journal, so as to learn all about the cause and cure of foul brood, as they don't 'know the time the disease might break out in their apiaries, and soon destroy them if they did not know all about the disease before it made its appearance in their bee-yards. I am going to write up the whole foul brood question more fully for the Bee Journal than I have yet done, and prove three great things that I discovered, viz : 1. That the rotting of uncared-for brood is the only true cause of foul brood. 2nd. When bees rob a foul -broody colony they carry the disease in proportion to the amount of dixeasid honey they convey to their own liives, that in all such cases the honey is the only criminal, and that the disease is 7iev€r carried on the feet of the bees. 3rd. That my methods of curing foul brood are by far tlie best of any known. Woodburn, Ont. Wm. McEvot. It looks as if the foul brood question is to be thoroughly aired. It needs it, surely. All who have valuable facts and experiences to give, are invited to take part in this gen- eral debate. 1^= With what little light I have on the matter, I do not care to have more than about 100 colonies in one apiary, although I do not know for certain that 125 or 150 in a good year would fare much worse. — Dr. J/iUer. Bees aiKl Fruit aref receiving much just attention these days in California. Fruit-growers are rapidly coming to recog- nize the fact that in the bees they have a great friend and helper, and that they had better cease their war upon the bee-keepers and their pets. Here is what Mr. C. H. Clayton, of Lang. Calif., says on the sub- ject: Friend York: — Observing a letter from Geo. W. Brodbeck. about bees and fruit, in the Bee Journal of Dec. 14th, I wish to place before the public the experience of a large fruit-grower, who was a member of that convention. 1 have his full permission to use this. By way of introduction, I w-ill state that he is Horticultural Commissioner of Tulare county — one of tlie inland counties hereto- fore noted for grain-production, but of late years the fruit industry has made rapid strides, and at an early date will'- no doubt rank as one of the leading fruit counties of the State. In a personal note to me, dated Nov. S, 1893, he has this to saj' : ■' Bees and fruit go together. I can't raise fruit without bees. 8ome of the other ••cranks" say I'm a crank, but I notice there is a pretty good following after me, hereabouts, and tliey ' keep a-eomin\' •• Yes, sirree; I liave bees all about my big orchard. Two years in succession I have put netting o\er some limbs of trees, and while they blossomed all right, • nary fruit;' while on the same tree w'here limbs were exposed to the aid of bees, plenty of fruit. C. J. Bekrt." I will state that the '• big orchard " men- AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 9 tioned by Major Berry, contains only 440 acres at present, but is being constantly enlarged, and is only one out of many or- chards in that prolific region. Yours truly, C. H. Clayton. Hurrah for the bees ! Yes, hurrah for the sensible fruit-grower ! May his kind in- crease, until all shall recognize the inval- uable aid of bees in the production of fruit. li;^^ I^eekeeping is a science, having for its object the attainment of a correct knowledge of all that pertains to the habits and instincts of these wonderful insects; and a practical art which regards all the attainments thus made as the only reliable basis of successful bee-culture. — Newman. Xo J^liniiesof a Bee-Keepei-s. — The fifth annual convention of the Minne- sota State Bee-Keepers' Association will be held in the Lumber Exchange, corner of Fifth and Hennepin Aves., Minneapolis, Minn., on Wednesday. Thursday and Fri- day, Jan. 10, 11 and 13, 1894. In the announcement sent out, we find these paragraphs: In behalf of this Association we extend to you a most cordial invitation to attend this meeting, which promises to be one of great interest to all who are in any way interested in apiculture. If you are follow- ing this branch of industry in a professional way. we urge you to be present and take an active part in the proceedings. Amateurs will find this meeting a great aid in acquiring valuable knowledge, as the question-box will be one of the main features of the meeting, and all want to come prepared to fill the box with such questions as they wish to have answered. The Horticultural Society, one of the best associations in the State, commence their annual meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 9th, and will continue until Saturday. Every owner and cultivator of a single rod of land can- not afford to stay away from this meeting. By an agreement with the railroad com- panies, a reduction to IX rates will be given on the certificate plan, viz. : You pay full fare to Minneapolis and get a re- ceipt from the ticket agent, showing that you have paid full fare to the meeting; the fare back will be one-third rate, provided 250 have attended the meetings. The following is a part of the bee-keepers' programme, excepting the Question-Box : President's annual address — J. P. West, of Hastings. Bee-diarrhea, its causes and cure — C. C. Aldrich, of Morristown. Reports of each member of losses in the winter of 1893. Number of colonies in the spring, increase and production of comb and extracted honey and beeswax in 1893, and kind of hive used. Come prepared with a written report, and if not present send it to the President. Reminiscences of bee-keeping in Minne- sota— Hon. J. W. Thompson, of Lester. The honey exhibit and items of interest at the Columbian Exposition — C. Theil- mann, of Theilmanton. Keeping two queens in one hive — Barnett* Taylor, of Forestville. Loose against tight frames — J.W.Murray, of Excelsior. Thur.sday afternoon it is expected that the bee-keepers will meet with the Horticul- tural Society, at which time interesting matters in connection with the Columbian Exposition will be presented. An interest- ing session is promised. On Friday morning there will be a union meeting with the Horticultural Society, and an address by their President, J. M Underwood, of Lake City. Adulteration of honey — J. P. West, of Hastings. Report of committee on apiculture — J. W. Murray and Barnett Taylor. Increasing the white honey crop, and finding a market for it — Barnett Taylor, of Forestville. The advantages of the honey-bee to the horticulturist — Wm. Urie, of Minneapolis. A. K. Cooper, Sec. J. P. West. Pren. 'I'lie HiOitg' '^Viiitcr Eveiiiiig;s is just the time to " read up " on bee-keeping. Look over our book list on the 31st page of this number of the Bee Journal, and then order one or more books when renewing your subscription. Our book clubbing of- fers are found on page 799 of this issue also. Look it over now, before you forget it. It will pay you. CouTention I^otice««. VERMONT.— The 19th Annual Convention of the Vermont Bee-Keepers' Association will be held in Burlington, Vt., on Jan 24 and 25, 1894. Programmes later. All interested in apiculture are invited to be present. Whether you live in Vermont or outside, come to the Burlington meeting. H. W. Scott, Sec. Barre, Vt. NEBRASKA.— The winter meeting of the Nebraska State Bee-Keepers' Association will be held at York, Nebr.. on Tuesday and Wednesday. Jan. 23 and 24, 1894. Interest- ing essays will be prepared by those competent to interest. For particulars, address the Sec- retary. ^1. D. Stilson, Sec York. Nebr. R.ead our great offers on page 31. 10 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. ANSWERED BY OK/. O. C. 1^I3Lj3LiH3K. Marengo, Ii.l. In this department will be answered those questions needing immediate attention, and such as are not of sufficient special interest to require replies from the 20 or more apiarists who help to malie "'Queries and Replies" so interesting- on another page. In the main, it will contain questions and answers upon mat- ters that particularly interest beginners.— Ed. Piping of a Q,ueen — Stingless Bees. 1. I was standing by one of my bee- hives last summer, looking for the bees to swarm, and I heard a noise inside the hive — a sound as if some one was in there trying to scare me off — like a bumble-bee in a log when you punch it with a straw, but louder than I ever heard before. When I was a boy, I was always " deviling " them up, and you have perhaps done the same, and know the sound they make. 'What was it ? 2. Are the stingless bees any good ? Where are they to be found ? Will they work in the apiary with other bees ? Bankston, Ala. M. W. G. Answers. — 1. The next time you have a swarm, from a strong colony, see if you can't hear the same sound again, by going and putting your ear to the hive, in the evening, seven, eight or nine days after the swarm has issued. It is the young queen piping, and your descrip- tion of it is decidedly amusing. I never "deviled" with bumble-bees in a hollow log when a boy, but as I recall the noise made by bumble-bees when their nest in the grass was disturbed, it was by no means unlike the piping of a queen. Sometimes an old queen pipes, but not often. If the second swarm does not issue the next day after you hear the piping, you will probably hear it stronger the next evening. You may also hear it at any time of the day, but it can be heard more distinctly in the still of the s evening. Besides the piping, you may also hear the quahking of the other ^ young queens that have not yet left their cells, if the bees do not contemplate swarming again, you will probably hear no piping. Piping is not heard before the issuing of first swarms— only before after- swarms. 2. Don't fool away time with stingless bees. They're no good. Get a hive full of bumble-bees lirst. Feeding Rye Meal to Bees. To what extent would it be profitable to feed rye meal to bees ? H. 0. F. Strawberry Point, Iowa. Answer. — There are some who are so situated that their bees have opportunity to store more pollen than tliey need, and it becomes a nuisance, cramming the combs that are needed for brood or honey. In such a place there might need to be care about feeding rye or other meal to bees. Generally, how- ever, bees get no more pollen than they need, and even if some substitution is fed in the spring, they will take no more than is profitable, It seems to be a good thing for the bees to gather pollen in the spring, and even if they have a good deal stored in the combs, it seems to stimulate them to new activity in the way of brood-rearing, if pollen is brought in from outside. The result is the same, so far as can be readily seen, if instead of natural pollen some substitute is brought in. Harm might be done in all cases, if there were no limit to the amount of rye meal that bees would take. But just as soon as they can get natural pol- len from any kind of flowers, your rye meal will be deserted by them. So un- less you are in one of those places where so much pollen is gathered that it is never all used out of the combs, I should say that you might profitably feed rye or other meal to any extent that the bees would allow. '*A Modern Bee-Fsii*iii and Its Economic Management." is the title of a splendid book on i)ractical bee-culture, by Mr. S. Simmins, of England. It is 5%x8X inches in size, and contains 2~0 pages nicely illustrated. ;iad bound in cloth. It shows •• how bees may be cultivated as a means of livelihood; as a health-giving pursuit ; and as a source of recreation to the busy man." It also illustrates how profits may be ''made certain by growing crops yielding the most honey, having also other uses; and by judgment in breeding a good working strain of bees." Price, post- paid, from this office, $1.00; or clubbed with the Bee Journal for one year, for $1.60. AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 11 No. 63 —nomas &. Newman. We thought it very appropriate to be- gin the new year, in this department, with a sketch and picture of Mr. New- man, the well-known ex-editor of the THOMAS G. NEWMAN. American Bee Journal. It would be quite unnecessary for us to offer any formal introduction of Mr. Newman to his and our old readers, but to many of the new ones his name and labors are not so familiar. For nearly a score of years Thomas G. Newman owned and edited the Bee Journal, until June 1, 1892, when we purchased it, since which time he has devoted his energies to the management of the National Bee-Keepers' Union and the bee-supply business. Thomas Gabriel Newman was born on Sept. 26, IS'SS, at Chedzoy, near Bridg- water, Somerset, England. When 10 years of age, he became fatherless ; and with the whole family, of mother, one sister and three brothers, was " turned out upon the wide world" in poverty. His father was considered " well-to-do," but had been induced to indorse some bank paper for a large amount, and it took all the property the father left at his death to satisfy the demands of the banks; the family was therefore finan- cially ruined. The boys all had willing hands ; and though Thomas G. was the youngest, and not yet quite ten years of age, he helped to support the family, as much as he could, and worked so hard and so many hours (nights and mornings when out of school), that his growing powers were checked, and though his brothers were quite tall, he is only 5 feet and 4>i' inches in height. At about 11 years of age he left ^school and went to work in a printing office. This was before many modern inventions in the printing line had been made, and he worked an old-fashioned wood hand-press, before even the use of " rollers" was invented for inking the type. Then wooden balls were used, covered with leather, and packed inside with cotton batting, for inking the type. Two of them were used, one in each hand ; some ink placed on one of them, and by striking them together scores of times, the ink was " distributed." Then they were used in the same manner on the type before being " pressed." In those days, to print 100 impressions per hour was good work; but now with modern inventions fifty or more thou- sands impressions are taken in the same time. So much "progress" and "improve- ment" have been realized within the brief space of one lifetime, that Mr. Newman takes pride in telling his friends of the magnificent strides of in- ventive genius, in this one industry, within his own recollection. Thomas G. was delighted with the art of printing, and during his apprentice- ship of seven y^ars, he learned every part of that trade, as well as book- binding. At the age of 20 he married Miss Eliza Powell, and with his mother (of whom he was then the only support) and his wife, he started for the United States of America, to " grow up with the country." 12 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAj He first settled in Rochester, N. Y., and there became Interested in the doc- trine of the Millennium, and after a few years purchased the Millennial Harbin- ger, which he edited and published for ten years, at the same time he regularly preached the Millennial doctrines to several congregations in Seneca Falls, Palmyra, Syracuse, Rochester, etc. At the close of the War he moved to Harvard, McHenry county, Ills., and in connection with his religious periodical, he started the Harvard Independent, which is still in existence. In 1866' he sold out all his publishing interests, and took his wife and three children (two daughters and one son) with hi.m to England, where his wife's mother was very ill. She continued to get worse, and in 1868 she died. This tie being severed, the whole family re- turned to America, and this time settling in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where Mr. N. started the daily Observer, which now lives as the daily Repvhlican. After the great fire Mr. Newman moved to Chicago, and purchased the Amekican Bee Journal, then edited by, the Rev. W. F. Clarke, Mr. Fred. Grabbe being the Business Manager. Before this he had been much interested in the pursuit of bee-keeping, and he soon had an apiary of about 100 colonies estab- lished in Chicago, where now it is thickly inhabited, between Madison and Monroe streets, and Western and Oakley aven- ues— only a block from where be now resides. As this locality became more densely Inhabited, the bees invaded the grocery stores, and as a result were moved out of the city. Another reason for the re- moval of the bees, was the fact that the dirt and "flying soot" of the city not only darkened the color of the honey, but affected its taste as well. At the meeting of the North American Bee-Keepers' Association at Philadel- phia, Pa., during the Centennial Exposi- tion, Mr. Newman was elected its Secre- tary, and at the meeting in New York, in 1878, he was elected its President by a unanimous vote, and upon being con- ducted to the chair by Dr. E. Parmly and Prof, llasbrouck, he gave an ad- dress recommending co-operation, con- cert of action, and unity among bee- keepers, which received hearty applause, for many of the years previous had been spent in discord, divisions and disputes. The published report of that conven- tion states that " tbe President was ap- pointed to represent this society at the meetings of European bee-keepers dur- ing the following summer, and to en- deavor to open up a European market for our honey crop." He accordingly went to Europe at his own expense, attended to the matters deputized to him by the society, and to the next meeting he reported that, in accordance with the instructions of the last convention, he had attended three bee and honey sIjows in England, one in Scotland, one in Switzerland, and one in Austria; had visited many of the most prominent apiarists of England, Scot- land, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Ger- many and France ; had endeavored to remove the [irejudice existing against American honey, and oelieved that many avenues had been created for the dis- posal of the surplus honey crop of America. This report was referred to a commit- tee of three, who reported as follows : liemlved. That this Association has lis- tened with much pleasure to President Newman's report of his trip to Europe, and hereby expresses its high appreciation of the able and successful manner in which he has represented the interests of American apiculture at the honey shows and apiarian meetings of the Old World. It heartily ap- proves of the efforts he has made to dis- seminate broad views as to the cheap pro- duction and enlarged consumption of honey, and thereby aided in securing a larger market for this important product. In view of the fact that President New- man's tour was wholly at his own expense, the special thanks of this Association are due, and are hereby tendered to him for the eminent service he has performed. Bcmlved, That this Association rejoices in the cordial and enthusiastic reception ac- corded to President Newman by the apicul- tural societies and leading bee-masters in Britain and on the European continent, trusting that the harmonious feeling evinced may always be ciicrished by the bee-keep- ers of the world towai'ds each other. This Association hopes that the friendly visit which has been maile. will ere long be re- turned by some one or more of prominent apiculturists of Europe, to whom it will be our pride and pleasure to extend as hearty a welcome as that given to our representa- tive. Mr. Newman was unanimously re-elec- ted President, and at the following meet- ing Mr. Williamson offered the following resolution, .which was adopteil : Rewired, By the North American Bee- Keepers' Society, in convention assembled, that the thanks of tlds Association are due, and are hereby tendered to Thomas G. Newman, Esq., our retiring President, for the zealous, untiriuji and successful manner in which he has conducted the affairs of this Association; and we further thank him for his great liberality in traveling through Europe in the past year at his own expense, thus being the means of opening up aven- AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 13 ues of trade for American honey, and ad- vancing the interests of American apicul- turists in a manner tliat could not be reached by any other method. Mr. Newman has been elected an hon- orary member of 14 bee-keepers' asso- ciations in America, as well as the Na- tional apicultural societies of Italy, Switzerland, Germany, England and Scotland. In 1885 the National Bee-Keepers' Union was formed, and Mr. Newman has been eletced by an almost unani- mous vote as its General Manager at every annual election held since its or- ganization. This shows the apprecia- tion of his services in that capacity — the Union having been victorious in every lawsuit but one, during its existence. Mr. Newman takes great interest in fraternal and insurance societies, is at present a member of about ten of such, and has been honored with many of their highest offices. He is now serving his eighth year as Grand Commander of the State in the American Legion of Honor, and has been a member for four years of the Supreme Council of that Order. Much of his time has been devoted to these societies during the past quarter of a century, but having had repeated attacks of "la grippe," he is now com- pelled to forego the pleasures of these associations, and leave to other hands much of the work he has heretofore done. In the spring of 1892 Mr. Newman's health was so poor that he consented to dispose of the American Bee Journal, to the present proprietors. When an- nouncing the change, he feelingly wrote as follows, showing what a great trial it was to relinquish the position he had held so long : We feel like many fathers and mothers have felt before us, when their loving and faithful daughter marries. It is a struggle ; there are many heartaches, and many tears, as the event is consummated. It is hard to give her up — but it is necessary for her welfare and the prosperity of the race. They bow to the inevitable, and take all the comfort they can from the " good prospect ahead," and pray for " long life and hap- piness." Just so it is to-day with us. Our " child of promise " is grown to "mature age," has been "wooed" and "won" by an ardent lover, and to-day the marriage is celebrated. With throbbing heart and tearful eyes we lift our hands to Heaven and pray for "usefulness and prosperity" — for long-continued and successful exis- tence. Our benediction be " upon thee and thine, forever !" Mr. Newman is still editing and pub- lishing the Illustrated Home Journal, a monthly which is now in its ninth year, and in its issue for October, 1893, he gave the American Bee Journal this kindly notice : Friend York's energy is fully sustaining the reputation of that "Old Reliable" weekly. As a " child " which we tenderly cared for, for 20 years, we are proud of its success in its " wedded life," and wish it unbounded prosperity. The Bee Journal unites with Mr. Newman's hosts of friends, in wishing him yet many years of happiness, still more honors, and finally a resplendent and eternal crown of glory. CONDUCTED BY MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY, Beeville, Texas. Gathering the New Honey Crop. The bees have just begun (Dec. 25th) gathering a new crop of honey from wild currant, which is just beginning to bloom. We have had no cold weather — 80^ in the shade to-day. Jennie Atchley. More About Transferring Bees. I believe I have told before that it was a good plan when combs were heavy with honey, to give them to colonies that will clean them up at once. Well, this works so well that I thought it would not be amiss to tell it again, as we have made another new discovery, and that is, if we do not give the drip- ping transferred combs to other colo- nies, we now place an empty comb or two between the transferred combs. This gives the bees some place to unload, as bees always load themselves while transferring is going on, and if they have no clean empty combs to place their loads, they are in a bad shape to clean up their combs, much less to take care of the dripping honey. But when 14 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL-. coDveuient, just give the dripping combs to good, strong colonies, and the clean combs you take out to the transferred colony, and see how nice it works. There is only one drawback, and that is the dripping combs will excite the bees, and robbing will be the order; but we guard against this by close watching and prompt action, and it is best to give the combs, or make the change, just about nightfall, and all is well, as the dripping combs can remain in the trans- ferred colony until nearly night. But some colonies become discouraged and swarm out if left too long. Jennie Atchley. Big Honey Yields, Etc. I know it is the disposition of bee- keepers usually to be a little slow in re- porting a large yield, as this has often come up in our conventions; but this is w^rong, and hereafter I shall report a colony giving 500 pounds of surplus honey just as soon as one giving 2,5 pounds : and if the truth hurts the bee- business, let it suffer. However, I think vi^e should report the " downs " as well as " ups " in the busi- ness. Still, I know we feel more free to report a good thing. And now, dear friends, as the end of the honey year has come, send in your reports, large or small, and let us see what you are doing. Some people look upon bee-keeping as a lazy job ; but put one of these critics down at it, and he soon turns his tune. I tried one. I tell you now that if you wish bread with your honey, you must hustle. Bee-keeping experience is not picked up by the bushel ; it is like the gold-dust, which, picked up by little mites, and run together, makes something valuable and lasting. Jennie Atchley. Bees in Texas in December, Etc. Bees are at this date (Dec. 15th) working like Trojans, bringing in honey and pollen. I noticed yesterday and to- day that the pollen is white, so I suspect that new bloom is open. I shall investi- gate soon and see, as I shall keep close watch of the plants that furnish pollen and honey, as I will have this to do be- fore I can run my bees to the best ad- vantage. There are some box-hives that we get full of a very nice, clear and rich honey, and we are anxious to tind what pro- duces it. This is the honey that A. I. Root pronounced very fine. We are ex- pecting several new shrubs to bloom soon, and then we will have work to do. I noticed to-day drones flying from some colonies, that they have reared during the last month without any stim- ulation, and some old-time bee-keepers say that the bees have drones all the time hero. I will see about it next year. We are very anxious to " learn all the ropes" about this country, then I will be able to tell you more. Oh, yes ; I remember another friend asked about game. Yes, there is plenty of deer, turkey, quail, rabbits, squirrels, raccoon, opossum, skunks, wild-cats, wolves, wild hogs, armadillo, and lots more too numerous to mention. When you come down, the boys can show good hunting ground, as Charles has now gone out with a crowd of preachers from North Texas, to show them where to find game. Jennie Atchley. The Weather in Texas, Etc. At this writing (Dec. 12th) the mer- cury stands at 50-' at sunrise, and runs to 70^"^ at noon. Fruit trees are bloom- ing, oranges ripening, bees gathering honey and pollen, and things have a real spring appearance. Some are asking more about Texas and the honey resources, etc., of this part. I am not prepared, as I wish to be, to give my opinion of this as a honey country. You see I am nearly 500 miles south of my old home, and I must be here a year before I can say posi- tively about many things, and may be two years or more, as we might have a bad year or two. But circumstantial evidence proves this a fine honey coun- try. Yes, I will toll you more of Texas as I go along, an 3 will try to interest you with truths regarding this country. In the meantime I refer you to the ad- vertisement of the T. J. Skaggs Real Estate Co., on another page. Jennie Atchley. Xlie I^atlics^ Slomc Journal, of Philadelphia, Pa., and the Bee Jouknal— both together for one year for only f 1.65. The first-named journal is the grandest monthly for the home that is published in the world to-day. ^'ew or old subscribers to either journal can take advantage of the low rate of §1.65 for the two papers. This ofler expires on Feb. 1, 1894. Send all or- ders the to office of the Bee Journal. ^iMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 15 WMl AlMffie Queen ? Query 90-4.— In Julj-, 1892, 1 examined one of my nuclei, expecting- to find a young- laying queen. On finding- no eggs, I hunted out the queen; she showed signs of being impreg- nated, by a caudal appendage which any bee- master- would pronounce the organs of the male. I had seen her before, when she did not have the attaclimont. I let her alone about a week and found no eggs ; she still had the appendage. 1 removed it from her -with the point of a knife and a dry plug came away easily. I examined again in a week and found no eggs, but the quei'u was smart and lively. I then killed her. What do you say ailed her ? —Kansas. I don't say. — A. B. Mason. I do not know.— M. Mahin. I give it up. — J. H. Lakkabee. I don't know. — Eugene Secor. I don't know. — James A. Gkeen. I don't know. — J. M. Hambattgh. Defornaed queen. — S. I. Freebokn. I do not know. — G. M. Doolittle. I do not know. — Emerson T. Abbott. Imperfect fertilization. -^ P. H. El- wood. I don't know. 'What was it ? — C. C. Miller. Every answer will be a guess. — Da- DANT & Son. I have never known of such a case. — Jas. a. Stone. I give it up. Ask me something real easy. — C. H. Dibbern. I don't see that it makes any difiference what ailed her.— Mrs. L. Harbison. That is not an infrequent occurrence. I suppose proper fertilization is pre- vented by some malformation. — R. L. Taylor. If I could have that queen on my dis- secting board, I could tell you what the trouble was ; as it is, I don't know. — H. D. Cutting. Imperfect development, no doubt; perhaps caused by rough or careless handling of the queen-cell from which she came. — Mrs. J. ,N. Heater. Some organic defect, or abnormal con- dition in the queen ; or it may have been in the copulating organs of the drone. I have frequently met such cases. — J. P. H. Brown. Possibly the queen had mated with a drone from a laying worker or virgin queen. We have yet to see the evidence that such drones are of any value. — G. L. Tinker. Here is a question for the "doctors" to disagree upon — if it be worth their while. Things do not always prove to be what they seem ; but the world wags on. — Will M. BarnuxM. It is impossible to say. She was prob- ably in some way Imperfect. All other females are occasionally ailing, and im- potent. Why should not the same be true of the female bee '? — A. J. Cook. It sometimes happens that th§ queen meets the drone, bringing home the male organ, which for some reason does not cause impregnation. Why, I know not. Who can inform us? — J. E. Pond. I don't know what ailed her. I would have kept her another week longer than you did. I think she v/ould have been all right, if you had given her a little more time to regain her natural condi- tions.— E. France. I would rather believe she failed to become impregnated — though she really met a drone. It would be a wonderful exception to the rule in animal economy, if the queen honey-bee 7iever failed, when she met the male. If you had kept her long enough, I think she would have finally laid drone-eggs only, if she was not injured. — G. W. Demaree. We often have queens that never lay after being mated. I have taken away these appendages, and the queens lay O. K. ; and probably your queen would have begun to lay if more time had been given her. But the mating must have been imperfect, and the fault was likely all with the queen. She was weak, and not a well-developed one. — Mrs. Jennie Atchley. When Renewing- Your Subscription, why not send along one or more new sub- scribers, and take advantage of our liberal premium noffers on page 3 of this copy of the Bee Journal ? You certainly can easily secure the subscribers, if you will shovv them that they also receive their choice out of several free premiums. Try it, and see what you can do. 16 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. BestforBng Colonies for tot Season. Written for the American Bee Journal BY G. M. DOOLITTLE. Query 895, on page 559 of the Bee Journal, for Nov., 1893, is answered by 23 persons, all of whom are supposed to know what they are talking about, and yet when we come to classify the answers we have to make five grades or classes of them. Two persons — Mrs. Atchley and R. L. Taylor — hardly express an opinion on the subject pointed enough to guide any one seeking light, hence go in a class by themselves. Seven of the 23 say, in substance, that it makes no difference whether a colony consumes 5 to 10, or from 20 to 25, pounds of stores during the winter, as to the amount they will accomplish in honey during the next honey harvest ; these seven being Mrs. Harrison, and Messrs. Larrabee, Abbott, Pond, Cook, Mason and Demaree. This we will call class two. In class three we have but one — Mr. Cutting. I was almost tempted to put him in the first class, as the answer he gives points out no special light on the subject, but as he takes the ground that " All conditions [may be] being equal," and have such a disproportionate con- sumption of honey, I could not do it, as the first class would hardly allow that such was a " mutual ground," especially R. L. Taylor. Class four is composed of seven, name- ly : Messrs. France, Brown, Hamburg, Miller, Barnum, Dibbern and Mahin. All of these convey the idea that the stronger colony, or the one that con- sumes the most, will secure the most honey during the coming season. Of course few in any of the classes word their reply alike, but the general idea amounts very nearly, if not quite, as given. Next comes the last class, number five, with 6 in it. This class is composed of Mrs. Heater and Messrs. Secor, Green, Freeborn, Elwood and Dooliitle. Sum- ming up what they think, and we have this : The colonies consuming the least stores during the winter, are those which are likely to prove the best colo- nies for gathering honey the next season. I wish I had the other five of this class (to which I belong) where I could ask them for further particulars regarding their belief, for then I might give a more modified view of why I believe as I do, than I may now ; but as I do not have their "ear," I must give my reasons for believing that the colony that consumes the least will be the best the next sea- son, without being biased by theirs. All will note by turning to this query, that the one asking it lives in Minnesota — a State having a cold climate during winter, hence I understand that the word "winter" means wi?iter, not win- ter and spring, as some interpret it. R. L. Taylor hits the nail squarely on the head when he says : " No healthy col- ony would require 20 to 25 pounds for winter alone ;" and had he reasoned from that stand-point, in his usually clear way, there would have been no occasion for this article. It is just the reason that hundreds of colonies do consume from 20 to 30 pounds of honey during winter, and thus fall into an unhealthy condition, that I answered, in substance, that the colonies consuming the least stores are the best colonies for honey the next season, and I believe that this was the point the questioner wished brought out, although I have not the least idea who he or she may be. To illustrate what I wish to get at, let me give you a bit of experience. One winter, along the middle of Janu- ary, I found one of my colonies (which I supposed of average strength in the fall) occupying fully the space between eight ranges of comb. As this was when I was quite young in our pursuit, I thought that in this colony I had a bonanza, hence kept watch of it with more than ordinary interest. About the first of February, upon going to this hive, I found the bees ready to fly out on the snow as soon as one corner of the quilt covering them was raised, while the hive was apparently full of bees. A few days later, whefl a chance for a flight occured, I opened the hive and found brood in four combs, much to my delight, for I figured from this how many bees there would be hatched in 21 days, and so on till the time of fruit- bloom, when I would have a hive over- flowing with bees ready for swarming, or rolling in the honey till a pile of sec- AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. IT tions would be filled. I noticed that a large amount of the 27 pounds of honey (which this colony was said to have in late October the fall before) was gone, but this [ cared little for, as I could afford to feed, should they be short in the spring. Without going into all the details familiar to all who have had colonies die with diarrhea and spring dwindling, I will say that before March 20th this colony was dead, and had consumed all but about l}-2 pounds of the stores it had in the fall. By the side of this colony stood one that I thought a small coiony when I first found the one spoken of occupying eight spaces, and I noticed that on the day of flight spoken of above, this small colony flew but very little, so I jarred the hive to wake them up so they would fly more. When spring opened, this apparently little colony had con- sumed but about six pounds of the stores it had the fall before, and had only a little brood in one comb, but as spring advanced it proved to be any- thing but a small colony, for by the time warm weather arrived, the hive was filled with brood and bees, and at the end of the season it scored 298 pounds of section honey as the result of Its labors, only two others in the whole apiary giving a better result. Since then, I have found scores of col- onies more or less like these two, and wish to say that I never yet have had a colony consume a large amount of stores during the winter, unless it was injured to a greater or less extent as to its use- fulness. If it lived through to see the next honey harvest at all. I should like to hear from others on the subject. Borodino, N. Y. " Ainlier " Honey FoolisMy So-Callel. Written for the American Bee Journal BT THOMAS G. NEWMAN. There is no doubt about the matter. Rules for " grading honey" would be a great convenience, if they could be made general. In order to be of any value at all, they should be universally adapted and uniformly adopted. Then honey could be bought and sold by "grade," and samples (which are often so difficult to transport to long distances) would be wholly unnecessary. When the matter of " Grading Honey" was before the late North American convention, Mr. demons submitted four grades for comb honey, two of which were, he said, " for white comb, and two for amber comb." Of course he meant the first two for white comb honey, and the latter for that not so white, but of a straw color, for clean combs are all of the same color. To use the word amber, to designate any color, is very indefinite and ambigu- ous. If the reader will consult Web- ster's Unabridged Dictionary, it will be readily understood that such a term is wholly unsuited to the classification of honey. Webster says, when defining the word amber : "In color it is white, ash-gray, yellow or black," and often variegated like marble." While "amber" represents any color from white to black, manifestly it is totally unfit to use as a term to desig- nate the color of honey. The word "straw" denotes the color sought to be named by Mr. demons in his suggestions about " Grading Honey," and it is definite. The use of such ambiguous term as "amber" only makes confusion worse confounded. Chicago, Ills., Dec. 11, 1893. HemaBliroUles Amoii^lie Hoiiey-Bees. Writteyi for the American Bee Journal BY PROF. A. J. COOK. Animals and plants are said to be hermaphrodites or monoecious, when both sexes are included in the same in- dividual. The term is also often used when an animal appears to be of both sexes, but in reality is not. This last peculiarity is often found among verte- brates and insects, though neither of these two groups of animals are ever true hermaphrodites. On page 434 of the Bee Journal for 1893, Dr. Elisha Gallup, formerly one of the ablest and most prolific writers of the several bee-papers of America, men- tions a queen-bee which very closely re- sembled a drone in form and general ap- pearance. If I remember correctly, he did not keep this queen very long, and now regrets that he had not made a more careful study of the subject. I re- gret that he did not keep the specimen, as such cases possess no little scientific interest. These so-called hermaphrodites are not very rare among insects, and indeed are quite common among bees. I, myself, have several specimens which I have AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.. preserved, o^ these mal-fornied bees. They are usually worker-bees, which in part resemble tiae drone; thus I have specimens vs^ith the head and thorax, and appendages of these parts, which are entirely like those of the usual worker, while the abdomens are as clearly like those of the ordinary drones. In other cases the reverse is true— the anterior part of the body is that of the drone, while the posterior is like that of the worker-bee. I have one case where one side of the body seems to be a worker, and the whole of the other side drone. I have dissected several of these cases, and always find that the animals are only hermaphrodites in appearance. The sex in nearly, if not every, case is that which would be indicated by the abdo- men of the specimen in question. Thus, if the abdomen is like that of the drone, dissection would determine the specimen to be male, while if it was that of a worker, dissection would show that the sex was female. It is to be presumed that the specimen referred to by Dr. Gallup was really a drone, and so, of course, could never lay eggs. I feel quite certain that this was true, if, as I remember, the abdomen was in appearance that of the drone. It is to be hoped tliat bee-keepers will be on the lookout for these freaks among their bees, and will carefully preserve the specimens, and send them to me, or to some other scientist, that a close ex- amination may be made, and the speci- men preserved for further study and comparison. The specimen in my collection which seems to be drone on one side and worker on the other, is a very curious and un- usual specimen. I should like very much to dissect it, that I might really determine what the sex is, but I have re- garded it as too valuable a specimen to destroy. I have known a few cases where several of these so-called hermaph- rodites have been found in a colony, and they seem to come as the result of some disease, or at least peculiarity, of the queen. As I have known two or three such cases, I would suggest that any who find these so-called hermaphro- dites in a hive, would carefully look further, and see if there are not others in the same colony. Of course, it requires close attention on the part of the bee-keeper to detect these bees, for though the peculiarity is quite striking when possessed by an in- sect*so small as a bee, it is not very ob- servable. While this subject possesses but little practical importance, it is a matter of no small scientitic interest, and there- fore I make no apology in calling the attention of bees-keepers to it, Clareraont, Calif. Bees from a Horticultural StanS-Point. Jiead before the Jmrn HortirnUaral Sorletij BY HON. EUGENE SECOR. It is an old and true saying that noth- ing was ever created without a purpose. If we do not always discern at first glance the purpose of the Creator, it is because we do not understand His ways. The adaptation of means to ends is beautifully illustrated in Nature. Plants and animals arc dependent upon each other for the highest development of both, or either. Our nutritious grasses illustrate this truth. Bluegrass is only found in its perfection where cattle feed upon it and spread its seeds in Nature's way. And the noble short-horn is only possible where such rich grasses abound. One of Nature's laws, which, like those of the ancient Medes and Persians, never changes, is, "Thou shalt not in- ter-marry." In-breedlng is as repulsive to inanimate life as to civilized society. Bui plants are unable to travel and seek their consorts in remote family connec- tions. Insects, however, do travel, and since the pollen-dust which is provided in the blossom as the life-giving element to other flowers, is just the food needed to develop the larval insect, the bee, as well as all pollen-eating insects, while in quest of the natural food for the young of their kind, in passing from flower to flower, carry the fertilizing dust on legs and bodies, and unwittingly act as agents in cross-fertilizing the plants which they visit. A bee, in obtaining the load which it can carry on its legs to the hive, prob- ably visits on an average fifty blossoms. Oftentimes these are growing quite re- mote from each other. Hence the chances are increased that some of the dust adhering to the bee's legs or body will be rubbed against the receptive pis- tils of plants so distantly related that in-breeding is prevented. It is well known too, that in many plants the stamens and pistils do not arrive at that particular stage of devel- opment when fertilization takes place,' at the same time. This is another of Nature's plans to prevent too close in- breeding, and another reason why bees and other insects are necessary to the AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 19 complete fructification of the fruits as well as the highest developmeut of plant life. But bees do not always live on the nitrogenous food which pollen-bearing plants furnish. Mature bees live on honey. This is the only proper food for them after maturity. Hence the nectar in the flowers. It tempts the bee to enter, with the hope that some of its pollen-dust may be carried to a distantly related plant, or that some already ad- hering to its body may be brushed against its receptive pistils. The primary object of nectar in flowers was not to furnish man a dainty and delectable sweet, but as an inducement to insects to visit the plant and accom- plish for it what it could not, unaided, do. The fact that man has learned by observation and experience that bees will gather and store more honey than they need for winter, and has turned the instinct of this industrious worker to his own advantage and profit, does not prove that this is not a secondary object in their creation. Bees are as necessary in the economy of Nature as birds. They take no life from the plant which they visit, but give life through fructification, and in the added vigor which comes from cross- fertilization. The drop of nectar is of no advantage to the plant, if not appro- priated, for it soon evaporates and is wasted. Bees, therefore, while perform- ing a valuable service to the farmer in the fertilization of clover, to the horti- culturist in assisting him to a full crop of fruit, to the florist and market-gar- dener by constant and friendly visits, add another resource to rural economies, which, without their aid, would be scat- tered to the four winds of Heaven. Bees never injure sound fruit. Al- though this charge has been laid at their door, all creditable expert testimo- ny exonerates them. In the first place, they cannot if they would, bite through the skin of sound fruit. Their man- dibles are not made for cutting, like those of the wasp and hornet. Where they are thought to be guilty, it is generally found, on investigation, that some other insect or bird is the depreda- tor, or that the fruit is decaying from other causes. In the second place, the stuff that bees get from fruit is not only worthless as food for them, but is positively injuri- ous, showing that Nature never in- tended the juice of fruit as food for bees. They never use it or gather it, except when natural and proper sup- plies are exhausted. There is therefore no reason why the horticulturist and bee-keeper should not be friends. There should be a reciproc- ity of acknowledgments between them. The one cannot live and prosper with- out the other. Both avocations may follow side by side without prejudice, and with mutual advantage. The same spirit that outlaws the bee because, for- sooth, we think some one else is reaping where he has not sown, would regard jealously the acquisition of any property or other desirable thing by any other person, no matter if we through lack of industry or ability fail to acquire our- selves. Forest City, Iowa. The Bee-Escape a ValuaWe Iinpleineiit. Written for the American Dee Journal BY CHAS. DABANT & SON. We were among the late ones in trying the bee-escape. We have always been of the opinion that many implements were made that were only a nuisance to the bee-man — a catch-penny, and noth- ing 6lse — and we had at the first glance ranged the bee-escape among them. In the spring of 1892, seeing so many favorable comments upon the escape, we concluded to give it a trial. We were astonished at the result, and after two trials, we decided to experiment on a larger scale. So we ordered 30 dozen of the Porter escapes. Owing to the bad crops both in 1892 and 1893, only about one-third of these escapes have been put to use, but here is the result : In an apiary of 80 to 90 colonies, we put on the escapes from 4 to 24 hours before removing the supers. The labor of placing them on is but a short job, though it usually requires two men to do it fast. We smoke the bees lightly, pry the supers loose, and while one man raises them off, the other puts the honey- board, containing the escape, over the brood-frames. The supers are then put back on the hive, and we go to the next colony. It takes but little more time to do it than to write it. Usually in four or five hours most of the supers are about empty. Much, however, depends upon the weather and the time of day and the season, when this is dpne. But in the great number of cases, there are not more than two or three dozen bees left in any super after 24 hours. Some are entirely deserted by the bees. The advantages of the escape are sev- 20 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. eral. Among these, the saving in time and the prevention of robbing are the leading benefits. If there are any burr- combs between the brood-chamber and the supers, with the least honey in them, this honey is lilcely to attract robbers, if the hive is left open any length of time. When the escape is put on, the bees are so little disturbed that robbers have no chance, and when the super is removed a few hours later, all traces of leaking honey have disappeared, and the colony need not be disturbed any more than enough to keep the bees from stinging while the work is going on out of their reach. Undoubtedly this method is still more advantageous to the comb-honey producer than to the extracting man, but it is of much greater benefit to us than we had anticipated. There are only a few instances when the use of escapes might be objection- able ; for instance, when the weather is exceedingly hot, and the hive is ex- posed to the direct rays of .the sun. The The closing up of the ventilation, by putting on the escape, might cause the combs to break down in the super, from heat. One should also be careful not to leave the super in such shape that rob- ber bees may find their way into it, for after access from the hive to the super has been cut off by the escape, and the honey-board that holds it, the bees of the hive are powerless to protect the stores that are thus put out of their reach. On the whole, we consider the bee- escape as a valuable addition to the bee- keeper's implements. Hamilton, Ills. Tlie Orip of Foul Brooi. Written for the American Bee Journal BY J. A. GKEEN. I believe that Mr. Cornell has mis- quoted me on page T60 of the Bee JouKNAL for December, 1893, and he is certainly in error in saying that I have " repeatedly " made such a statement. However, I will not stop now to look the matter up, but will define my posi- tion anew. I do not believe, as one might infer from the quotation attributed to me, that bacteria are always the result, and never the cause, of disease. At the only time I remember making any such state- ment, I expressly stated that I was not attacking the germ theory of disease. It is too firmly established to be affected by argument. In the main, I believe in it thoroughly. I also believe, and in this belief I am only the follower of at least a " respectable minority," that the fact that bacilli are to be found in diseased tissue is not in itself a proof that that particular form of bacillus is the cause of the diseased condition. It also seems to be a fact that very careful experiments have sometimes failed for a time to show the distinction between cause and effect. For instance, a newspaper item recently stated that late investigations had decided that the "comma bacillus" — the discovery of which caused such a sensation in the scientific world — was not the cause of cholera, but merely a companion of the disease, the real cause of which must be looked for further. I did not pursue the subject further, so I cannot say how much of the truth there may be in the report, but it serves to illustrate my position, that it is very easily possible for the bacteriologist to jump at conclu- sions, and hastily decide that the microbe so plainly in evidence in the matter un- der investigation and in his subsequent cultures, is the very one for which he is looking, the cause of the diseased con- dition, when perhaps some other microbe, more minnte or elusive, is the real cause. I have never questioned Mr. Cheshire's discovery of bacillus alvei. He may ap- pear to have succeeded perfectly in its isolation and culture. What I claim is, that there is room for a reasonable doubt that this bacillus is the cause of foul brood. I base this doubt upon the well proven fact that those who have at- tempted its cure along the lines laid down by the bacteriologists, have met with almost uniform failure, while those who have discarded their teachings, and followed methods which presuppose another cause for the disease, have met with as uniform success. It appears to be simply a case where the facts do not fit the theory. It is said that a French theorist, upon being told that the facts did not agree with his theory, replied, "Zen so much ze worse for ze facts." I regret to say that some of the writers on this subject seem to have considerable of the same spirit. It is my opinion that the real cause of foul brood is yet to be discovered. In saying this, I will readily admit that I have not my myself made microscopical investigation of the disease, and that my training in bacteriology has been some- what limited. There are few, though, that have had a larger practical experi- ence with foul brood than I. All that AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 21 experience has gone to show that Che- shire's conclusions are incorrect, and that the methods of cure advised by him, as well as all similar methods, are inefficient, unsatisfactory, and unre- liable. The disease is generally, if not in- variably, transmitted by means which the theorists have considered unlikely to transmit it, while those things they have pronounced most likely to transmit it have utterly failed to do so. Mr. Cornell has spent much argument in the attempt to make bee-keepers believe that wax made from foul-broody combs was dan- gerous, as liable to transmit the infec- tion. Granting his premises to be well- founded, his conclusions, according to bacteriologists, are quite correct. As a matter of fact, though, I have made many hundreds of such combs into foun- dation, the use of which did not cause the disease in a single instance. No evi- dence has ever been brought forward to show that any of the thousands of pounds of such wax used for this pur- pose has ever caused foul brood. It may be that the cause of foul brood is a bacillus yet undiscovered, or it may prove that bacillus alvei is really the cause, and that its investigators have simply been mistaken in regard to its manifestations, and the best manner of dealing with it. In either case, I. see no reason to doubt that the disease may have its origin in decaying brood, whether killed by chilling, starving, drowning or suffocation. Do not understand me as saying that I believe in the spontaneous generation of life of any kind. The experiments of Tyndall settled this question conclu- sively in the negative. But before he could make these experiments conclu- sive, he had to go to the pure air of the upper Alps, away from the contaminated and germ-laden air of the lower earth. These, and other experiments, have proven that living germs innumerable float in the atmosphere, undeveloped until they fall upon a substance favor- able to their" growth. Some of these germs are exceedingly common, while others are extremely rare. There might be hundreds of square miles, for in- stance, in which none of the germs of foul brood could be found. ■ In such places no case of dead brood could ever develop into foul brood. In other places, the air might be full of its germs, and every case of putrefying brood, occurring under the proper conditions of heat, moisture, etc., furnishing a favorable soil for its growth, might become a start- ing-point of infection. However this may be, I doubt very much that the disease is ever communicated to healthy colonies except through the medium of infected honey. Ottawa, Ills. LiffM-Coloreil anil Extra-Lane Queens. Written for the Ame7ica7i Bee Journal BY DK. E. GALLUP. On page 631 of the Bee Journal for 1893, Mr. Chas. White seems to be hurt a little, but I guess not badly. If I had not tried the plan I should have so re- ported. I tried the plan in Wisconsin years ago, for my own satisfaction, but I am aware that one swallow does not make a spring, by any means. Our friend can rear qeeens as black as crows from pure Italians, by taking a pint of old bees, put them in a 6-inch square box, give them eggs from an Italian queen, etc. But all that that proves is, that the embryo lacked nourishment warmth, etc. One can rear such queens under such conditions at any season when he can rear queens at all. Lots of queen-breeders reared and sent out queens that were entirely worthless, just from the above cause. The first Italian queens that I ever received were reared on the above plan. I discovered by starting in, in that manner, that all was wrong, in short order. Still, one breeder that had been in the business some eight years, argued that for that very reason he always compelled his nuclei to start queens from larvie six or seven days old, in order to get a better size and color. I tried as hard as I knew how to rear light-colored Italians, and keep up their prolificness and extra- working qualities, but failed entirely. Read carefully the article by Chas. Dadant, on page 499 of the Bee Jour- nal for 1893, and also the article on page 437, by Adam Grimm, and see how far we three disagree. Also my last remarks on page 662. Now, un- derstand, I do not say that it cannot be done, by any means. Now I wish to tell what I know about bees improving themselves in a state of nature, as it were, and perhaps I may have to make this article quite lengthy. Old Mr. Well Huysen (the man that I got my first insight from, as to how to rear bees in box-hive times), held that queens reared under proper conditiocs were long-lived, and that their workers ^2 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. were longer lived than those reared un- der improper conditions. When I first started in Wisconsin I could not purchase any bees, but by lots of talk I induced a neighbor that had 5 colonies in extra-large box-hives, to let me have them on shares. He had kept them several years, and got neither in- crease nor honey. I moved them home, cut down the hives to a size to suit me, and got both increase and surplus honey. Now those bees had superseded their queens, and rearing new ones in such strong, large colonies, they were extra prolific and grand workers, and I thought the bees were extra-large com- pared to what I was used to in Canada. Then I helped to take the bees and honey out of a house built on purpose, about 6x-i feet, and 6 feet high. Here was a very powerful colony. They had been in the house several years, and of course must have superseded their qneen, perhaps several times. They had become so troublesome in the neighbor- hood by robbing neighbor's hives, and pitching into kitchens where the ladies were making preserves, etc., that the owner determined to stop their fun. Those bees were extra large, and I thought then that the queen was the largest by one-half of any queen that 1 had ever seen. The first season after moving to Iowa I had some horses to stray away, and in looking for them I came across a Mr. Drake, just at night, about 10 miles from home, who had a few colonies of bees ; so, Gallup like, I asked if I could stop over night. Well, in our conversa- tion (of course about bees) he said that he had an old log, and if any one could get the bees out, he would give $5.00 for the job. The log was about 6 feet high, and crotched at the top, as it stood in the yard. One prong was sawed off into the hollow, and a board nailed on. The body of the log was at least 2 feet across the hollow, with a shell about 2 inches thick. It was a powerful colony. I smoked them, and then drummed out a good, strong colony into a box, but no queen — the queen went up into the closed prong. I went to a movable- comb hive, hunted out the queen, and gave her to the box of bees. We then turned down the log, sawed it in two in the middle, turned the top part bottom up, and drummed out another good, strong colony. This time we got the queen, so I hived thpm. This queen was extra-large, but where we sawed off the log we found some six sealed queen-cells — two in the upper half, and four in the lower half, and as large ones as I ever saw in my life. I made a milk-weed queen-cage, cut out a slot in one side, inserted a cell, plugged up the top end, placed a small piece of honey in the lower end, plugged that up, and placed it in the hive that we had taken the queen from ; and all this time I was explaining when, why and where- fore to liberate this queen ; when and how to transfer the combs and bees from the two pieces of log after their queens and the most of the brood had hatched, etc. I gave the man a lesson that he remembered as long as he lived, for he had no previous knowledge or experience in the business, and all I charged him was keeping self and six horses over night, and until after dinner the next day. Now here was certainly an improve- ment, and the foregoing were all black bees. Mr. Drake informed me that he had grand success in transferring, and all turned out as I informed him it would, and the four colonies that he got from that log at that time were the most prosperous colonies he had, by a long odds. The colony that I gave the queen to was no better than the others, but the one that I gave the large cell to was an extra-good one. Well, Mr. Editor, I have so much more to tell on this subject, that this will have to be continued next week. Santa Ana, Calif. CONVEWTIO]^ DIRECTORY. Time and place of meeting. 1894. Jan. 5. — Indiana, at Indianapolis. Ind. Geo. P. Wilson, Sec, ToUgate, Ind. Jan. 10-12.— Minnesota, at Minneapolis, Minn. A. K. Cooper, Sec, Winona, Minn. Jan. 23, 24.— Nebraska State, at York, Nebr. L. D. Stilson, Sec, York, Nebr. Jan. 24, 25.— Vermont, at Burling-ton, Vt. H. W. Scott, Sec, Bai-re, Vt. In order to have this table complete, Secretaries are requested to forward full particulars of the time and the place of each future meeting. — The Editor. North American Bee-Keepers' Association Pres.— Emerson T. Abbott St. Joseph, Mo. Vice-Pkes:— O. L. Hershiser.... Buffalo. N. Y. Secretary— Frank Benton, Washing-ton, D. C. Treasurer— George W. York... Chicago, Ills. National Bee-Keepers' Union. President— Hon. R. L. Taylor.. Lapeer, Mich. • Gen'l Manager- T. G. Newman, Chicago, 111. 147 South Western Avenue. AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 23 ■^ ■^ ^ ■'^ ^ Ai N. E. OHIO and H. W. Pa. CoiiYenlion. REPORTED BY GEO. SPITLER. The 14th annual meeting of the Northeastern Ohio and Northwestern Pennsylvania Bee-Keepers' Associatian was held at Union City. Pa., on October 25th and 26th, the Pres. E. S. Crooker In the chair. After the usual prelimi- nary business, the program was pro- ceeded with, the first topic being HOW TO BEST ADVANCE OUR INTERESTS AS BEE-KEEPERS. It was urged that a larger attendance at our bee-conventions would do much to advance our interest, because much would be learned that would help in securing a good honey crop. Plans could also be arranged for making sale of the crop when produced. As the con- dition now is, many small producers who have a little honey will rush it to mar- ket, taking no note as to whether it is ripe or whether there is a demand for it. Co-operation among bee-keepers for the sale of honey was urged as being impor- tant, as thereby better prices could be realized, and honey would be sold when there was a demand. BEE-KEEPING AS AN AVOCATION. It was urged that in time those who produced our honey would be specialists, not that they would make bee-keeping their only business, but they would pre- pare themselves by studying the subject so as to do the work in hand thoroughly. Success can only be attained by learning all the details ; first by reading up on the subject, and by experience. No person should keep more than two or three colonies to commence with. In- crease of colonies, if proper care is taken, will come with experience ; with- out a large amount of knowledge and experience, success would be impossible. It was urged that all farmers ought to have a few colonies of bees, because the study of bees and their manner of work- ing had a good influence; besides, in these times, when we are importing millions of dollars' worth of sugar from foreign countries, and at a time, too, when large numbers of our people are pressed for the money to buy it with, it would be well to consider whether or not much of this money could be kept at home, which could be done by having the bees gather the sweets which are wasted " on the desert air." Honey, it was urged, is a much health- ier sweet than the purest of sugar, and could be had with but little cost. The idea was advanced, that without bees, fertilization of fruit - blossoms would often be a failure, which often resulted when there was rain while fruit trees were in bloom, so as to keep bees from the blossoms. Farmers would benefit themselves as well as others, by keeping bees. It was the general opinion that at this time and in this vicinity it was not ad- visable for a person to depend upon bee- keeping alone for a living, butf=make it one branch of mixed farming, so as not to have " all the eggs in one basket." The bee-keeper, to meet with the great- est success, must have a liking for the pursuit. In a family there would be one of its members, either boy or girl, who IS especially adapted to bee-keep- ing. Let that one take the care of the bees, making a specialty of it, while the others attend to the other branches of farm work. DIFFERENCE IN HONEY-YIELDS. " Why some bee-keepers secure a fair yield of honey in a poor season and others none," proved an interesting top- ic. There were many reasons suggested. Among the most important was the fact that in poor seasons, unless extra care is given to the bees, so that brood-rear- ing is kept up at the right time, enough bees are not in the hive when the honey- flow (Joes come. "With a good, prolific queen in the spring, and plenty (not too much) of honey in the hive, a colony is almost sure to be strong by the time white clover blooms. Bee-keepers were cautioned to see that there is no dearth of honey in the hive between fruit-blossoming and white clover bloom. Feeding, if short in stores, will stimulate the queen and bees to renewed exertions, so that the hive will be full of bees at the right time. Even where stores are abundant, bees want looking after, to make sure that the queen has room enough for deposit- ing the eggs. Another reason why fail- ure to secure a honey-yield occurs, is 24 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. that bees are not given the supers (sec- tions) at the right time. The Question Box proved a source of much interesting information, as fol- lows : FEEDERS AND FEEDING. Mr. Sutton explained the construction of an entrance feeder. It was a blocli of wood so fitted that an inverted fruit- can, filled with syrup of some kind, was accessible to bees in the hive, and could not be reached by those from outside the hive. Others inverted the fruit-jar right over the colony inside the hive. The last method of feeding was especially urged when feeding to stimulate the queen to laying. For feeding where a colony is short of stores for winter, es- pecially if late in the season, feed as quickly as possible (twice feeding, if properly done, will do) so as not to start the queen to laying, as late brood-rear- ing is not desirable. SMALL COLONIES — HONEY-BOARDS, ETC. Mr. Dewey asked, " What would you do with a very small colony in the fall '?" If not too late, feed it up. If too late, unite with some other colony. It is too late to feed at this time. "Are queen excluding honey-boards necessary?" Not in an ordinary Lang- stroth "hive, or any hive of ordinary depth frame. Where a shallow frame is used, as in the Heddon hive, it was thought necessary to keep the queen out of the sections. A member declared that he had not one section in 1,000 spoiled by the queen going up among the sections to deposit eggs. A question as to whether bees needed to be fed a substitute for pollen was answered, " Scarcely ever, unless all new comb." CARING FOR COMB HONEY, ETC. The first topic for Wednesday efening, " Best method of securing and caring for comb honey," was of interest, but resulted in repetition of methods famil- iar to bee-keepers. It was advised to keep honey in a cool, dry place, but not where it v/ill freeze. One member kept his in a room where plants grow well, with good results. " If too warm, millers will likely give trouble," was urged, but most who gave their experience had no trouble with the bee-moth working at honey, even if kept in a warm place, a condition desirable for best results. But few had experience in extracting honey, but those who had practiced it thought it paid full as well as comb honey. " What have I learned in 1893 ?" gave an opportunity for stating experi- ences. One man had experienced trouble with robber-bees, which he kept away with tobacco spit. They left in disgust. Another found alcohol, or anything with a disagreeable scent, to answer. "WINTERING BEES — DIVIDING COLONIES. " How do you winter your bees ?" was asked. Some wintered out of doors, others in cellar or cave. By either method some succeeded while others failed ; it depended upon the man, gen- erally. ^ " Does it pay to divide colonies for in- crease ?" Where colonies alone is the object, yes ; but it must be properly at- tended to. Generally, natural swarming is the best. This was the concensus of opinion. A member had increased from 10 to 42 colonies by dividing in one season, but the season was an extra good one. PREVENTION OF SPRING DWINDLING. "How can spring dwindling be pre- vented '?" The causes of spring dwin- dling were stated to be very numerous. If known, prevent it. One cause is starting into the winter with all old bees, which are sure to die before young bees are reared in the following spring. Cold, windy days in the spring cause dwindling. Keeping the entrance shad- ed to exclude the light will help. Keep- ing bees packed until late, will also help. On Thursday morning, Corry, Erie county, Pa., was selected as the place of next meeting. Ofticers were then elected as follows : President, J. McGonnel, of Mill Village ; Vice-President, C. D. Free- man, of Blystone ; Treasurer, D. A. Dewey, of Columbus; Secretary, Geo. Spitler, of Mosiertown ; and a Vice- President for each county represented. The President, Treasurer and Secre- tary were chosen as .the executive com- mittee to attend to the arrangements for next meeting, and D. A. Dewey to secure a place for meeting, and make local ar- rangements. After this the programme was taken up. BEE-KEEPING AT STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES. "Bee-keeping at agricultural colleges should be encour;iged." It was gener- ally thought best ihat more attention be devoted to apiculture at such institu- tions, as but few bee-keepers have the time to devote to a scientific study, had they even the proper qualifications, AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 25 which but few have. The subject is worthy of attention. Michigan was cited as having done much for apiculture by the much respected Prof. Cook, as teacher of apiculture at its agrcultural college. THE BEE-KEErERS' UNION. " The Bee-Keepers' Union ; what it is, and who should belong to it ;" was dis- cussed with much interest. The Union is a national organization of bee-keep- ers, banded together to defend its mem- bers against malicious prosecutions, etc. It has already done much to make it respected by bee-keepers and others who respect the rights of man. A reso- lution recommending all bee-keepers to become members of the Union was unan- imously adopted. VAEIOUS SUB.JECTS DISCUSSED. "What are the best frames to be used for rapid and profitable work in the apiary?" The general opinion was that the hanging frames of any of the Lang- stroth or modified Langstroth variety is as good as any. if not better than any other. One member uses the Heddon frame, a few use the Hoffman frame, all with good results. The question, "Should the govern- ment aid in apiculture, and to what ex- tent?" received some attention, but it was thought as long as a lawyer who does not seem to have much love for tiie farmer, but more for railroad corpora- tions, is secretary of agriculture, time in considering the subject was wasted. All were mindful and thankful for what had. been done by the government through the efforts of the former secre- tary of agriculture. " How to begin right in the apiary." To begin right is first to know what you are going to do. l!et but a few colonies — better just one. Read bee-books and bee-papers, and work with some one who has made bee-keeping a success, for a full season, after which a beginner can commence in a small way with hopes of succeeding. " Who should keep bees and why the farmer should be a bee-keeper," was dis- cussed, but resulted in a repetition of what had been said on other topics. " Self-hivers — are they a success ?" No person could tell from experience. Bee- escapes had been used by several with good satisfaction. "Re-queening — wlien necessary, and best method of rearing and introducing queens." Always re-queen when you know you have a worthless or old, played-out queen. Most bee-keepers let the bees do their own re-queening. Re- queen when you want to improve your stock by new blood. The safest way to introduce a queen is to take a frame or two of hatching brood, put into a hive the same as for a nucleus, and insert the queen. After the bees hatch, unite with another queenless colony. A resolution was introduced and passed, requesting the State Board of Agriculture for the counties represented at this convention to have the subject of apiculture placed on the program at each farmers' institute the coming sea- sou. A committee of one from each county represented was appointed to confer with the member of the State Board and notify him of the request of tjie convention. The 14th annual session was not largely attended, but better than the three previous sessions. The interest from first to last was good, and those who attended were well paid for time and money spent. The convention adjourned to meet in Corry, Pa., in the fall of 1894. George Spitler, Sec. [For years, bee-keepers have felt that they owed the Rev. L. L. Laug-stroth— the Father of American bee-culture— a debt that they can never very well pay, for his invention of the Movable-Frame Hive which so completely revolutionized bee-keeping- throug-hout all the world. In order that his few remaining- years may be made as happj' and as comfortable as possible, we feel tliat we should undertake a plan by which those bee-keepers who consider it a privilege as well as a dutj% might have an opportunity to contribute something- toward a fund that should be gathered and forwarded to Father Langstroth as aslig-ht token of their appreciation, and regard fell for him by bee- keepers everywhere. No amount above $1.00 is expected from any person at one time— but any sum, however large or small, we will of course receive and turn over to Father L. All receipts will be ackuowledg-ed here.— Ed.] L,ist of Contributors. Previously Reported $77 70 Edw. Smith, Carpenter. Ills 25 C. Klock, Pearsall, Tex 1 00 W. J. Finch, Jr., Springfield, Dls 1 00 Total $79 95 A Binder for holding a year's num bers of the Bee Journal, we mail for only 50 cents; or clubbed wit! the Journal for $1.40. 26 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. From "The Stinger.' It pleased me to see that Mr. J. H. Martin (Rambler) recently undertook to read the Managers of the late World's Fair a lesson for the manner in which they treated the bee-keepers of California when the latter asked for a small sum of money to defray the expenses of a suitable honey exhibit. The Rambler hopes that the bee-keepers of the Golden State will be enabled to make a good showing at the Midwinter Fair, which opened in the Pacific metropolis on the first of January. The Stinger believes that California can make'as good a honey exhibit as can any other part of America, but he does not be- lieve that the bee-keepers of that State can doit unless they get some aid from the Fair Managers. It is to the interest of the Fair that California should make a fine ex- hibit of its products of the bee-hive; the honey of that State has a world wide fame, and visitors from abroad will want to see such an exhibit. From the way the State mentioned was represented at the World's Fair, I will venture to say that California will be '■ in the soup " again, as far as its honey interests are concerned. Ye California bee-keepers, get after those Midwinter folk, and see if you cannot wake them up. Do not let them try to debar your sweet product by compelling you to pay $2.00 a square foot for placing your honey on the floor of the Fair buildings; on the contrary, the Fair should offer you a bonus to make a display that will be a credit to the Sunset State. Mrs. Atchley has been complaining of skunks bothering her bees, and that she would like some one to give her "the best or shortest way to get rid " of them. I should think that the best way to get rid of them is to kill them. That is what I have done when they came in my way. But it is not always an easy thing to get a chance to have the fun of killing the nasty little things. Were they to pester a bee- yard, as they have the apiary of Mrs. Atchley, I think I would try to catch them in a trap. As skunks are fond of honey, I would place a comb of honey in a box, which should have an ojjening sufficiently large to let the marauding animals pa.ss iii. Have a steel-jaw trap set near the small comb of honey, in such a way that his skunkship cannot get to it without stepping into the trap. After the skunk has pressed the button, you can do the rest, Mrs. Atchley, without any directions from me. The lievirw has the poetry craze the worst of all the bee-papiTs. I am glad that I did not get the malady bad, or perhaps I could not succeed in getting the Bee Journal out of the rut that it has gotten into, too. , "The honey show at the World's Fair " is the subject of some interesting editorial correspondence in the November Jievlew. In this article Editor Hutchinson tells how he captured the views of the honey exhibits he gives to illustrate the aforesaid article. I should like to have been there when Hutchy was getting these pictures, for he must have made a bigger show of himself than even the Fair was. For shame, my boy ! There seems to be a disposition among many bee-keepers to " tickle " one another whenever they liave anything to say of brother bee-keepers, especially when writ- ing to the bee-papers. I like the spirit of brotherly love that appears to be mani- fested by such a disposition ; yet it strikes me that this desire to tickle brother bee- keepers does not come altogether from a spirit of friendliness — is it not more to " keep on the good side " of apiarists who have some influence, etc.? " You tickle me and I'll tickle you "' may be "good policy " for those who have an ax to grind; as The Stinger has no ax to grind, and does not believe in such a man- ner of keeping in the good graces of any one, he will treat all alike. Therefore, when he thinks a jierson worthy of com- mendation, he will gladly bestow what praise he can upon such a person ; but when he finds that anybody in the bee-keeping world merits just rebuke, he will go for him with his stinger. Ye evil doers and hypocrites, take warning, for you might wake up and find yourselves in a hornets' nest. Here is something I find in the November issue of the Bw-Ka liens' Itevieiv, and I would ask that some bee-keeper in California call the attention of the Midwinter Fair Mana- gers to it. It was written by the editor of the magazine mentioned: "The next ca«e had a very meager showing of honey from California. It seems strange that such a great honey-producing State as this should not have had a better display There was some comb honey, but it was not first- class in appearance."' The Jieview records the fact that Califor- nia had some curiosities in one corner of its case at the World's Fair ■• in the way of enormous clam shells and the shells of ostrich eggs in which the bees had been in- duced to store honey." Well, that is doing pretty well; but cannot those California bee-keepers do even better ? They might take an elephant out in one of the bee- ranges, and kill it, and after it has dried up or mummified, scoop out the inside and then induce a swarm of bees to fill it with AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 2T honey. It would be a curiosity that would beat the oue mentioned in the Bible. Editor Hutchinson regrets that the honey exhibits at the World's Fair were scattered over the grounds in the various buildings. Of course it is to be regretted ; the men who managed the Fair forgot to take a les- son from the methodical bee ; a bee would not attempt to store the honey it was col- lecting, in the various hives of an apiary. The managers of the Fair could have been likened to a bee, if they could have had all the honey that was brought upon the Fair grounds stored in one place. In Prof. Cook's valuable article in the November limew, I notice that he for- got to speak his couple of lines ere he launched out upon the subject he proposed to deal with. These lines at the beginning of an article remind me of the boy at school who did not appreciate "declamation day," and got out of it, when his turn came to get up on the platform and speak his piece. He did it by rattling off — " Speaking is hard and tough : I've spoke two lines and that's enough." azzzxzzzzzxzzzzzzzzzxzzzzxzzzszz; fsy~ Bo not write anything for publication on the same sheet of paper with business matters, unless it can be torn apart without interfering with either part of the letter. Bees Had a Merry Christmas. The bees have been having a Merry Christmas. Yesterday was warm and balmy, and the bees had a ''picnic." They celebrated the shortest day in the year by a splendid flight. Bees, thus far, have been doing well upon the summer stands. I leave for the " Land of Flowers and Bun- shine" on Wednesday, Dec. 27th, and hope to be at home New Year's Day," at " Loney St. Andrews by the Sea." Mrs. L. Harrison. Peoria, Ills., Dec. 25, 1893. The Past Season in Texas. Bees wintered well last winter, as far as I have heard, but it was a very poor year for swarming. I got n swarms from '2>i col- onies, spring count, but took off 1,300 one- pound sections of fine honey, and some- thing over 100 partly-filled sections, which I have on hand for feeding in the spring. The honey-flow stopped suddenly the first of August, from dry weather. All the honey gathered since then came from broom-weed, so-called here — a very small yellow flower, growing about IS inches high. It is very sprangly, and stands the dry weather well. My bees got plenty of honey for winter, and are in fine condition. The weather is splendid, but it is terribly dry. We have had very little rain for four months. I can't say what effect it will have on next year's honey crop, but if it does not rain soon, we will have no wheat crop, surely. Honey sold here for 12^ .< cents per pound. The mercury is 73 degrees in the shade to- day. A. BiSHER. Baird, Tex., Dec. 11, 1893. Bees in the " Italy of America." Bees are now daily on the wing, and jiollen is coming in. The mercury to-day is 76 degrees above zero — quite warm enough for " winter weather." Tourists are more numerous at this date than last season. The Italy of America is Florida, only better, as we Americans try to better everything, you know — and do. Dr. Jesse Oren. Daytona, Fla., Dec. 2(5, 1893. Bees in Fine Condition for Winter. My 35 colonies of bees went into winter quarters in fine condition, and I will be surprised if I lose any. I have them all well jjacked in leaves, with ground cork and old carpet on top, the same as I have wintered them for the last four winters without loss. Wir. B. McCormick. Uniontown, Pa., Dec. 19, 1893. Getting Better Prices for Honey. Why could not the bee-keepers club to- gether, and agree not to sell any honey for less than a certain price, the price to be governed by the season '. There is so much honey put upon the market by those who will ■• take what they can get " for it. and this is ruining the market. If the bee- associations could club together as the coal and sugar companies do, it seems as if they might get a good price. They could buy the honey of those who are going to sell for less. I would like to hear what some others, and more experienced, bee-keepers have to say on this subject. Chas. B. Allen. Central Square, N. Y. Bees Seem to he Wintering Well. We have had pretty steady winter weather here for over a month, and good sleighing for the past ten days, with about 10 inches of snow on the level. Bees in win- ter quarters seem to be contented, with 40 28 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. above zero. That pleasing, low murmur can be heard with satisfaction by the experienced bee-keeper, for his bees are all right so far. Bees in this part have never gone into winter in better condition. They had plenty of bees, and abundance of the very best of winter stores. The prospect is that bees will come out in good condition next spring. C. Theilmann. Theilmanton, Minn., Dec. 22, 1893. Wintering Very Well So Far. My bees are wintering very well so far. As yet there has not been niuch cold weather, but it may come yet and freeze some of them out, who knows ? My crop of honey this year was 250 pounds of comb and extracted. I sold .$19 worth this year. A. C. Babb. Greenville, Tenn., Dec. 23, 1893. Results of the Past Season. Honey sells here at CKj cents for best clover, or about 5} o cents net. I am only offered 3 cents a pound for buckwheat, or 2 cents net. I got 9.000 pounds of honey from 150 supers, and 300 pounds of comb honey from 8 hives, run for section honey. R. F. Whiteside. Little Britain, Ont., Dec. 16, 1893. lXXXX^XXXXXSS.XXXXZXXXXXXXXTXXXTXXi Honey & Beeswax Market Quotations. Rules for Orading:. The following rules for grading honey were adopted by the North American Bee-Keepers' Association, in Washington, and, so far as possible, quotations are made according to these rules : Fancy.— All sections to be well filled ; combs straight, of even thickness, and firmly at- tached to all four sides; both wood and comb unsoiled by travel-stain, or otlierwise; all the cells sealed except the row of cells next the ■wood. No. 1. — All sections well filled, but combs uneven or crooked, detached at the bottom, or with but few cells unsealed; both wood and comb unsoiled by travel-stain or otber- wise. In addition to this the honey is to be classi- fied according to color, using the terms white, amber and dark. That is, there will be " fan- cy white." •• No. 1 dark," etc. CHICAGO, III., Dec. 4, 1893.— There were but few shipments of honey to this market last week. The cold wenther started business up, and honej' moved some better than here- tofore. Fancy and No. 1 is getting scarce, and prices are on the upward tendency. Fan- cy, 16c. ; No. 1 white, 15c.; lair, 14c. Ex- tracted is moving slowly with plenty to satisfy demand. Beeswax, 20@22c. J. A. L. ALBANY, N. Y., Dec. 2:2.— Honey market is verj' quiet and dull. All prices are nominal and demand very light. We look for abetter demand after the Holidays, but the past mouth has been the slowest honey trade we ever saw in this market. H. K. W. CINCINNATI, O.. Dec. 19.— There is a good demand for honej' in the small way, while de- maud from manutacturers is still slow. Ex- tracted honey brings 5@8c. Comb honey, 12 @16c. in a jobbing way for fair to best white. Beeswax is in fair demand at 20®23c, for good to choice yellow. C. F. M. & S. CHICAGO, III., Nov. 1.— Fancy white comb honey brings 15c. per lb. Grades not grading first-class are not selling at over 14c., as there has been quite a quantity of California honey received here, and is offered at 14c. The quality is superior to most of that we receive. Dark comb honey sells slowly at 12(3»13c. Extracted ranges from 5@7c., according to color, quality, flavor and style of package. The trade in honey has been large this season. Beeswax, 22c. K. A. B. & Co. NEW YORK. N. Y., Dec. 22.— Our market for comb honey is unusally dull and shows no activity whatever. The supply has been large, while the demand has been very light, hence the stocks have accumulated. We quote: Fancy white. 1-lb., 12@13c.; off grades, lie; buckwheat, 10c. It is necessary to shade even tliese prices to effect calls for round lots. Extracted is in fair demand with plenty of suppl> of all grades. We quote: White clover and basswood, 6c. : California, 5'/i@6c. ; Southern, 55@60c per gal.; buck- wheat, no demand. Beeswax, is in very good demand at 25@26c. for good average quality. H. B. & S. CHICAGO, III., Nov. 23. — The Chicago market has plenty of honej'. and 14c. seems to be the outside price obtainable. Anything that will not grade strictly No, 1 must be sold- at 12@13c. Large quantities have teen sold, but the supply is at present in excess of the demand. Extracted finds ready sale at 6@ elector Northern honey; Southern, in bar- rels, 5c. Beeswax, 22@24c. S. T. F. & Co. KANSAS CITY, Mo., Dec. 21.— The demand for comb and extracted honey is not as good as we would like to see it. We quote : No. 1 white 1-lb. comb, 14(^15c. ; No. 2 white, 13® 14c.; No. 1 amber, 13@13i4c.; No. 2 amber 10®12c. Extracted, white, 6®7c.; amber, 5® 51/^c. C.-M. C. Co. List of Honey and Beeswax Dealers, Most of whom Quote in this Journal. Cliitago, Ills. J. A. Lamon, 44 and 46 So. Water St. K. A. Burnett & Co., 161 South Water Street New York, N. Y. P. I. Sage & Son, 183 Reade Street. HiLDRETH Bros. & Segelken. 28 & 30 West Broadway Chas. Israel & Bros,, 110 Hudson St. Kansas City, JVIo. Hamblin & Bearss. 514 Walnut-Street. Clemoms-Mason Com. Co., 521 Walnut St. Albany, N.Y. H. R. Wright, 326 & 328 Broadway. Hamilton, Ills. Chas. Dadant & Son. Cincinnati, Ohio. C F. MuTH & Son, cor. Freeman & Central av8 AV«>pU1v l a i^ear. j^ y^ Bee-Cui mmlm . < Sample Copy Free. VOL. XXXIII. CHICAGO, ILL, JAN. 11, 1894. NO. 2. Xlie "Weaf lier, up to Jan. 5th, here in Chicago, has been more like fall than winter. Reports seem to indicate that bees are wintering well, so far. Mr. .Foliii Hag'er, Ji-., of Arabi, La., has sent us a box of specimens of honey-plants now in bloom in his locality, among them white clover and golden-rod. We wish to thank Bro. Hager for his kind- ness, as it is something unusual for us to see blossoms of honey-plants in the month of January. Louisiana, as well as the other States in our Sunny Southland, ought to be a Paradise for the bee-keeper and his bees. Doubtless it only needs a little more push and energy to wonderfully develop the bee-industry in that region of almost perpetual sunshine and blossoms. Fariii and Its Economic Management," is the title of a splendid book on practical bee-culture, by Mr. S. Simmlns, of England. It is 5^x8)^ inches in size, and contains 270 pages, nicely illustrated, and bound in cloth. It shows " how bees may be cultivated as a means of livelihood; as a heelth-giving pursuit ; and as a source of recreation to the busy man." It also illustrates how profits may be "made certain by growing crops yielding the most honey, having also other uses; and by judgment in breeding a good working strain of bee^." Price, post- paid, from this office, .$1.00; or clubbed with the Bee Journal for one year, for fl.GO. From "The Stinger. Only a bee ! Only a bee, as it flew through the air, And tried to hum the sweet elfin air. Only a bee ! Only a bee, and yet when it stings. The air with loud cries of pain loudly rings. Only a boy ! Only a boy, on mischief bent, Only a boy who was not content. Only a grave ! Only a grave on yonder hill. Contains a corpse both cold and still. The man who wrote that "poem " must have thought himself funny ; to The Stinger he was a — I don't think I shall say fool this time, but I hope the next time he tries his hand at rhyming, he will give us something with more sense in it. No bee has yet driven a boy into an untimely grave; the boy of these times cannot be killed so easily as the writer of the above lines would seem to imply. However, The Stinger would say to all boys bent on teasing the bees: Keep away from tlie dear little insects until after they are fed, or they might hurt you. In casually looking through the November number of the lici'ifw, I saw the name of Mr. H. A. Burch mentioned along with that of James Heddon. 1 remember the time when the name of Mr. Bui-ch figured quite prom- inently in the pages of our bee-papers. It was he, I believe, who used to furnish the delightful series of " Walks and Talks" for the earlier volumes of the old Bee-Keepers'' Magazine. These "Walks and Talks," with some other articles that appeared in the 2fagazine, gave it a tone that I do not find in any of the bee-publications of this later day, I am sorry to say. It seems, that although we have some very good writers on apiculture pure and simple, still we have none of those classic writers of a number of years ago. My taste may be somewhat vitiated, and I am unable to recognize the beauty of style of the leaders in apicultural literature of the present time. If I remember correctly, it was the same James Heddon that J just referred to, that found fault with the writings of " these literary fellows." Yet it is this same critic who has secured no less a writer than the Mr. Burch I have mentioned above, to as AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 5T sist him in building up his (Heddon's) news- paper. While complimenting Mr. H. on hia good taste in securing such an eminent writer as Mr. Burch, I must say that he was a little too severe on a class of writers who did much to make apiculture what it is to-day. It was such •■ literary fellows " as Lang- stroth and others who did much to give us some books on bees that rank high as liter- ary productions. I am inclined to think that Mr. Heddon did not really intend to cast any reflection on writers like those I have been mention- ing, but he wanted to head of such writers as the Rambler and the Somnambulist. It was these, and nothing more ! The Stinger is not very well disposed toward those people who have the running of the Agricultural Experiment Stations in the United States. He believes that these Stations are, in the majority of cases, man- aged by persons who are not in all cases fitted for the places they are assigned to. There is a good deal of humbuggery about these matters; it is too often that they are used to give some political fellow a berth where he can draw down a good salary. What I would like to see, is some way of making these Stations more useful than they now are. Not all the men who are in charge of them are competent to fulfil the duties assigned them. A correspondent writes saying he was in hopes The Stinger would be put into winter quarters and not taken out again until the spring. The Stinger thanks the aforesaid correspondent, and would say that he re- grets that the witless correspondent did not sign his name to the letter, that I might pay my respects to him in a way that would make him sorry for his impertinence. The Stinger is not the kind of a bear that has to seek some den during the winter months; nor is he exactly like the bee that has the misfortune of living in a cold clime. The Stinger is out every day in the year, and if he does not come your way often, do not feel you have escaped a pestilence. It is generally the man with a guilty con- science that fears to have his misdeeds ventilated. A correspondent has written me to know what he should do with his surplus honey. The way I do when there is any surplus honey in our house, after we have brought home a jar of honey, and it is not all con- sumed at the first meal, is to put it aside until the next meal, when the surplus will surely disappear. Never kick a hive of bees when you are down ; wait until you ai'e up and can run away. Why is killing bees like a confession ? Because you unbuzz 'em. — Ex. fpW Do not write anything for publication on the same sheet of paper with business matters, unless it can be torn apart without interfering- with either part of the letter. Wintering Finely — The Stinger. The bees are wintering finely so far. They had a good cleansing flight on Dec. 23rd and 24th. Last year was a very poor one for honey here, on account of the severe drouth, but we hope for a boomer next year. Say, do not let " The Stinger " sting so hard. He might lose his sting, and die like the bees. G. E. Nelson. Bishop Hill, Ills., Dec. 30, 1893. Bees Did Fairly Well. Bees did fairly well here the past season. The bees in this neighborhood are nearly all blacks, and are mostly kept in round and box hives, and but very little atten- tion is paid to them. Mine are Italians and hybrids, and are in good condition for win- ter. I am well pleased with the American Bee Journal. A. T. Mull. Knob Creek, N. C, Dec. 12, 1893. Cherokee Strip No Good for Bees. I will say for the beneflt of Mr. Spencer, of Farmersville, Mo., that I am well ac- quainted with the Cherokee Strip south of Hunnewell, Kans., and I have kept bees here (due south of his location about 60 miles) for the last three years, and although I have a better location for bees, my bees haven't made their own living, nor do I think they will more than one year in five, and my advice to all Strip settlers is, to let bee-keeping for profit severely alone for the present. Rufus Williams. Crescent City, Okla. Ter., Dec. 25. 1893. Had a Good Flight — Late Introducing. Bees had a good flight on Dec. 11th. It was a beautiful day, and they enjoyed it to its fullest extent. They are in good condi- tion for winter, after some feeding. I will remove to my own place in the spring. It is a 40-acre farm, in a tolerably good bee- locality. I will then make bee-keeping my main pursuit. I got a queen from Texas when the ice was an inch thick here ; there was not a 58 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. dead bee in the cage, and I introduced her safely while the thermometer ranged from 20 to 25 degrees above zero. I have Italianized nearly all my bees, and won't I just enjoy manipulating those yel- low beauties next spring ? If any of the bee-keeping friends will do us the favor to call at Crystal Spring Farm Apiary, they will be most cordially welcomed. Edw. Smith. Carpenter, 111., Dec. 15, 1893. Got Honey of Fine Quality. One of my bee-friends calls on me very often for instructions. His apiary is on the roof of his building. We had a good honey season. We have had a very fine quality of honey in this locality, no dark honey at all. My bees gave me a better average per colony than any that I have heard from. I guess I have read every word in the American Bee Journal this far, and have found some interesting points. Some are not in accordance with my experience, though. J. H. Brown. Rochester, N. Y. Did Very Little the Past Season. My bees did very little this year. I got about 20 pounds of comb honey per colony. I had two colonies of Italians, and they did nothing in the supers, nor did they swarm. They are the meanest things to rob I ever saw. They kept me in " hot water" all summer. I am tired of the yellow rascals. Bees didn't work any on white clover, and very little on buckwheat. The season was very dry here. I had some Alsike clover, and the bees worked on that for about three weeks. S. M. Robertson. Grey Eagle, Maine, Dec. 23, 1893. Inventing New Things — A Frame. I read Query 893, and was somewhat sur- prised at some of the answers given by the 25 expert apiarists ; and yet I am glad that the great majority have not yet out-lived their day. The answers of some of them sound like the arguments that I heard of- fered by old men (when I was a very small boy) against the introduction and use of the double-shovel plow, and the reaping and mowing machines, etc. Yet those that were satisfied with the utensils then in use, soon fell in line, and were as loud in prais- ing the new as they had been in condemn- ing them. But we have to admit that there have been a great many bee-hives and other fixtures patented that have proven to be detrimental, or an out-right humbug, and, after all. this does not prove that there is nothing left for the inventor to invent, that will be as useful as anything now in use. We have quite a variety of frames now in use; each one has its good or bad quali- ties, according to the way it is used. Having this in view, last spring I invented a frame that will always hang perpendicularly, re- gardless of the position of the hive; will never warp or sag, and cannot be eaten by the moth-worms. The queen cannot hide on it anywhere. It will last a lifetime, and then will be just as good as new. It can be used with or without comb foundation, the same as any other frame. I tested nine of these frames the past summer, and got nice, straight combs, with the center of the comb on the center of the frame all the way around. I have extracted 7 '4 pounds of honey from one frame. The summer problem has beeu solved to my satisfaction. Now if the bees winter on these frames all right, and I think they will, then I will ap- ply for a patent. I pack the hives in chaff under sheds 14 feet long, with nine hives in each shed. W. H. Burkey. Very Mild Winter So Far. The winter has been very mild so far, and bees are in fine condition. We expect a fine spring crop of honey, as we have had some nice rains of late. We have had hardly any ice yet, and the bees fly freely almost every day. W. H. White. Deport, Tex., Dec. 22, 1893. How I Managed the Bees. I put my bees on the summer stands on April 2. 1893, and found them in bad condi- tion. I had to move them about 12 miles over the rough roads, and that didn't help them. We had a cold, wet spring, and the queens kept dyiug. I tried to rear some queens, but when they would fly out to get mated, it was so cold and wet that they never returned. I sent to Illinois for some queens, but they reported the same results, and my colonies kept dwindling down, till out of 35 I lost all but 19, and they were weak. I covered the hives at night with old carpet, and put boards around them, and in the daytime I removed them to dry the hives. As soon as it was settled weather, and they commenced gathering honey, I opened the hives, spread the brood- nest, and put in one frame between. I waited a few days, and spread again, and this, time put in two frames between. My hives being 10-frame Langstroth, that makes 5 frames of brood that we have. I waited a few days and spread again, this time I put 3 frames in between, and that made 8 frames of brood. I waited a few days longer, then I put on a top hive, took out 5 frames of brood from the lower hive, and put in the upper hive. I put in empty comb below in their place, and filled the balance of the top hive with empty comb. I waited about two weeks, and then took another hive, put in 5 or 6 frames of brood from the lower hive, and filled in with empty combs as before, and took the top hive and raised it, setting this empty one under it. I waited a tew days, then I extracted from the top hive, and raised the lower one and put the top one under it. I run my hives three stories high, and this way 1 had as high as 20 frames of brood in one hive. We had a splendid white clover flow, but AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU 59 basswoood did not amount to much — it was too wet iu the forepart of the season, but it turned dry in the after part, and the blos- soms dried it up. We got no fall flow on account of the drouth. I extracted 3.500 pounds of honey by the above method, and didn't have a swarm. I kept the brood-nest disturbed, and gave them plenty of room, and oh, what strong colonies ! 1 had to raise my hives and slip inch blocks under the covei's to let the bees pass in and out. About the first of the second week of bass- wood I commenced to make nuclei. First I made one of my strong golden Italian col- onies queenless. and let them rear queens ; when they were about ready to hatch, I formed the nuclei. I went to a colony and took out 2 frames of hatching brood, and put into a hive. I put in one empty frame and took out some frames of bees just hatched, from the mother colony, and shook all in the nucleus. The reason I took young bees was, they will stay, but old bees will go back. I waited a few days and gave them two more frames of brood. Three days after I formed the nucleus, I took a queen-cell from the colony I made queenless. Now my colony is completed. In this way I wasn't bothered with swarm- ing, and increased from 19 colonies to 50 — all good, strong colonies, and took 3,500 pounds of nice, white honey. John Boggs. Cazenovia, Wis., Oct. 23, 1893. Very Lig'ht Crop — A Hive-Cover. My honey crop was very light the past season, being only 250 pounds, but it does not discourage me. I have 80 colonies in fine condition for winter. I send a model of a hive cover that I like very much, and all bee-keepers who have seen it think it is good. The zinc is crimped over at each end ^.s of an inch. It makes a very light cover — weight 43^ pounds, and it is strictly water proof. I will give a short description of the hive- cover. I call it •'The Favorite." The zinc is 17x21 5-16 inches; the ends of the wood frame are 4>.£xl4JJ4 ; sides, 20 5-10x2io inches; thickness of lumber, % inch. Ship- laped all around ^4 inch deep, which makes it lap on the hive so the wind will not blow it off, and it will not leak. This size is for 8-frame hives. Simplicity style, but it can be cut to fit any size hive. I think this cover will suit Dr. C. C. Miller, as he likes a very light one. If I have not made it plain, I will tiy again later. J. E. EXTART. McFall, Mo., Nov. 30, 1893. Another "Bee in the Ear." That acccount of the editor of the Pro- (/rensive Bee-Kee/ter having trouble with a bee in his ear (page fi40), sent a convulsive shudder over me. Three years ago. w-hile working in the apiary, a few bees got inside of my veil. I paid no attention to them until one started with a firm determination to go through my head by way of my ears. Just how near she succeeded I would no.t like to say, but it ■seemed as if she had ac- complished half her journey, and was still going further. Well, to say I was scared the worst I ever was in my life, is putting it mildly. When I tell you I take delight in robbing ordinary yellow jackets' nests with my naked hands in the hayfield, with a crowd of men looking on at a safe dis- tance, you will know I am not very timid around bees, either. My first thoughts were to run to the house, but I had taken but a few steps when I realized that I would not be any better off there, as my wife and family have never materialized yet. As a last resort I turned the smoker in my ear full blast, and the bee came out, or I believe I would not be here to tell the story. No person has any idea of the great ter- ror it brings over one, without a trial. Who will be first among the many bee-keepers, to bring forth an invention to slip over the ears, having a screen in order to not inter- fere with the hearing ? I will give up all my part, and only ask that the inventor deal liberally with his customers. Lockwood. N. Y. J. H. Axdre. Look Before You Leap. This is the leisure season, and people gather around the warm stove to '"cuss" and discuss the merits and demerits of different sections of our great country, some favoring one State and some another, some favoring 'South, some East and West — any place but cold Minnesota. I spoke of Texas. One of our townsmen spoke in regard to Texas, something after this style : You don't know what you (as a Northerner) are talking about. Just after the War closed, there were eleven families that left Osakis for Sherman. Tex., and all came back that could. I tell you a person from the North has no business down their. I left here in January, and got back in June, and I have located on a farm here for life. The cemetery at Sherman has three little graves marking the resting-jjlace of our three little children, all being taken from us in three weeks. My wife being sick, she thought it advisable to go North again ; she barely survived to get back, but soon re- covered, and three more children blessed our home, which are with us, plump and healthy ; while children in the extreme South resemble calves reared on "'skim- milk." W. T. Osakis, Minn., Nov. 29, 1893. Extracted Honey for Farmers, Etc. The past year has been one of the poorest of all the poor years of the past, in my locality. The bees were so weak from poor wintering, and the cold, wet, backward spring made it imjDossible to get them ready for the harvest from clover. The flow from clover was very good ; basswood was only fair, the bloom not being very profuse. At the close of the basswood season a long and 60 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. protracted drouth set in, which " done up " everything brown. Bees here are very light in stores. I worked a part of my colonies for ex- tracted honey the past season. I used up all my empty combs that were vacated the past winter and spring. It was my first experience with extracted honey. I think it is just the way when the bees are not up to the required pressure for comb honey. If the farmers who keep bees would use the extractor, and give their bees plenty of combs at the right time, they would get more from their bees than they do. It re- quires a specialist to make a success at comb honey. My best colony gave me 150 pounds of extracted honey, and my average of comb and extracted was about 20 pounds per col- ony, spring count. The increase was about 25 per cent. I have some of the extra-light colored bees, and I like them. My queens are pro- lific, their colonies are just as populous as any of my dark ones — they are rustlers to work. If honey is left exposed, they will find it first, and get the lion's share, too. I think they are just a little inclined to steal from the blacks. They are very easy to handle, stick right to the combs, and pro- tect them from robbers. If they prove to be hardy to winter, I will requeen all my colonies in the spring. C. P. McKlNNON. Bangor, Iowa, Nov. 30, 1893. A Beginner 65 Years Old. I am 65 years old, though a young bee- keeper, and have never happened to be where many bees were kept. I have had a great deal of bad luck the last two or three years. I had my safe blown open, and robbed of nearly $2,000 of the town's money, which used me up financially. But I believe my little busy bees are going to help me out soon. I traded my watch, last winter, for 3 col- onies of bees, and I think they have done well this season. After cleaning the sec- tions and sorting the partly-filled ones. I had 330 sections of honey, 7 new colonies of bees, making me 10 to put into winter quarters on Nov. 25th, with plenty of honey to winter, with the exception of one small colony that I fed for a week ; it had not very many bees, but it may come out all right in the spring. I think the above is doing pretty well for a greenhorn ; and I also think I should have made a grand failure of bee-keeping if I had not subscribed for the American Bee Journal. I traded for the bees last winter — aV)out a year ago — and subscribed for the Bee Journal, and became a little posted by spring. It paid me ten times the amount of the subscription price. I wish we had another Mrs. Jennie Atchley here in the northwest. Daniel Smbthurst. Seneca, Wis., Dec. 4,1893. Read our great offers on page 62. Honey & Keeswax Market Quotations. Rules for Orading^. The following rules for grading- honey were adopted by the North American Bee-Keepers' Association, in Washington, and, so far as possible, quotations are made according to these rules: Fancy.— All sections to be well filled; combs straight, of even thickness, and firmly at- tached to all four sides; both wood and comb unsoiled by travel-stain, or otlierwise; all the cells sealed except the row of cells next the wood. No. 1.— All sections well filled, but combs uneven or crooked, detached at the bottom, or with but few cells unsealed; both wood and comb unsoiled by travel-stain or other- wise. In addition to this the honey is to be classi- fied according to color, using the terms white, amber and dark. That is, there will be '" fan- cy white.'' •• No. 1 dark," etc. CHICAGO, III.. Bee. 4, 1893.-There were but few shipmeuls of honey to this market last week. The cold we ither started business up, and honey moved some bettt r than here- tofore. Fancy and No. 1 is getting scarce, and prices are on the upward tendency. Fan- cy. 16c.; No. 1 white, 15c.; fair, 14c. Ex- tracted is moving slowly with plenty to satisfy demand. Beeswax, 20®22c. J. A. L. ALBANY, N. Y., Dec. 22.— Honey market is very quiet and dull. All prices are nominal and demand very light. We look for a better demand after the Holidays, but the past month has been t he slowest honey trade we ever saw in this market. H. R. W. CINCINNATI, O.. Dec. 19.— There is a good demand for honey in the small way, while de- mand from manufacturers is still slow. Ex- tracted honey brings 5@8c. Comb honey, 12 @l6c. in a jobbing way for fair to best'white. Beeswax is in fair demand at 20®&23c, for good to choice yellow. C. F. M. ii S. NEW YORK. N. Y.. Dec. 22.— Our market for comb honey is uuusally dull and shows no activity whatever. The supply has been large, while the demand has been very light, hence the stocks have accumulated. We quote: Fancy white. 1-lb., 12@loc.; ott' grades, lie; buckwheat, 10c. It is necessary to shade even these prices to effect calls lor round lots. Extracted is in fair demand with plenty of supply of »11 grades. We quote: White clover and basswood. 6c.: California, 5'/2®6c. ; Southern. 55@60c per gal.; buck- wJiCat. no demand. Beeswax, is iu very good demand at 25®26c. for good average quality. H. B. & f^. CHICAGO. III.. Nov. 2;?. — The Chicago market has plenty of honey, and 14c. seems to he the outside i)iice obtainable. Anything that will not grade strictly No, 1 must be sold at I2@i:ii\ Large quantities have teen sold, but the supply is at present in excess of the demand. Kxtracled finds ready sale at 6@ bV4c, tor Northern honey; Southern, in bar- rels. 5c. Beeswax, 22@24c. S. T. F. & Co. KANSAS CITY, Mo., Dec. 21.— The demand for comb and e.vtracted honey is not as good as we would like to see it. We quote: No. 1 white 1-lb. comb, 14@15c. ; No. 2 white, 13® 14c.; No. 1 amber, 13@13i4c. ; No. 2 amber 10@12c. Extracted, white, 6@7c. ; amber, 5® 554c. C.-M. C. Co. W«'«'klv r. A. a. Jflason, we are sorry to learn, has been suffering from an attack of the "grippe." We had about a month of it the latter part of October and first of November, 1893, and know how to sympa- thize with the Doctor. We are glad he is better again, though we presume that a man who pulls teeth for apart of his living, wouldn't complain much if he had to endure a little pain himself. But then, we are sure Dr. Mason doesn't " enjoy " poor health or pain, any more than one who is less in- clined to be jovial and good-natured. Bees never make an attack while in quest of honey, or on their return, until they have entered the hive. It is only in the hive and in its vicinity, that we may expect them to manifest this irascible dis- position. — Quiuby . Bees and Pollenization. — Califor- nia fruit-growers are rapidly coming to their senses in the matter of the value of bees in the pollenization of fruit-blossoms, and thus insuring an abundant harvest. Prof. Cook, writing from there on Dec. 21st, has this to say about it : Friend York: — I see by the papers that some of the leading horticulturists of Cali- fornia are becoming aware of the value of bees in the work of pollenization of plants. Some of the leading fruit-growers in the annual meeting of the State Horticultural Society expressed themselves very heartily in favor of the bees. Mr. E. A. Gammon, of Courtland, Calif., (who has charge of Mrs. D. D. Gammon's fine fruit-ranch, and who secures the very highest prices for his fruit, having sold the product of about 40 acres of bearing or- chard for as much as $16,000 in a single sea- son), has become convinced that he loses much from the fact of imperfect poUeniza- AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. tioU. aiui so he has arranffe^l to have a lary^ apiary niov«?e a jTixxi vlay for California api- arist* and fnut-.cn^vvors aliko. whon all learn, of a trvuh, of tho jrrt>at valuo of Ives >u this iniwrtaut servic>\ Then th«^ fruit- meiii will foster the l»ee-keopins industry. inste<\d of persjeoutiuji tlio l>ee-keev>ers, A. J , Cook. The foresx^iiig testimony oivfi;ht to be heraldeil thri>ujrhont the farming world. Every newsvv»|^>er and farm journal should ».»py its and thus inform their readers on this \mpt^rt!»nt snl\io*^>t. The above truth would l>e worth an untoW sum to farmers and fruit^rviwers. in the increased* yields of their orchaixis. Friends, why not call the attention of your local papers to it. and g*t them to publisli it for your Iwnefit, and for the information of everyKxiy. Bee- -fceepers should take uix^n themselves to see that all possible kuowlwlgie of l>ees. like the above, is spread abroad. It will pay yt>»< to do it, and is well worth being known by all. A 'roiiipor-anoo Siray Stitov we find amoui: th^vse that Dr. Miller sent in for li^Mmlnffs for Jan. 1st. Heiv it is : Nebraska has its State convention at York, the home of the .WMj.-sivi ii^-Korr>rr. where there isn't a saKx>n in the county. The otlier York has plenty of saloons in easy reach, but he doesn't v^tronire them. You're just right. Doctor, tliis York ''doesn't {VHtronize tl\em :" and if he could have his way. there w-ouldn"t lie any liquor saloons anywhere for anybody else to pativnize. There isn't a single gxx>i fea- ture al»ut them. Think of the 6.1XXI sa- loons— gateways to j^erdition, and t^atan's best heljiers— right here in the one city of Chicago; May God have mercy on the saloon-keejwr's jxwr soul, and also deal gently with those who h< tiny wvry help to continue his dauiual^e business ! Itr<«». K. '%l'Kilc<»inl>. of Friend. Nebr.. was recently .sttaokeni by two high- Twrajnien. and onlere»l to -deliver." at V»:0i1 p T!i . wbile on his way home from tlie post- his w^eefcly newspaper, the Friend Bro. W. says tliis of the affair : Thinking at the time that it was only a ro'Kt ^^ t rtsv'ondeii. -Bovss you may cafry - "" Simu1tane<^^usly Wo re- rust in our face. wh«i we V j,c..c^i .,, r " .;h an ■• American Bull Dog," ^s^ich x^^ were carrying in our hand. Both returne*! the fire with two shots each, none of which did any danuige. One of their shifts entere^i and went thi-ough two i>ass- iKH^ks which wo o.irrieil in an upper vest- {Hvket. and over t).e heart. .\s we fireti the scvMud shot, both ran away If " foot- iv»ds ■ im.'Vgine that we are gv^iug to l>e tamely " hold up "■ on tlie streets without resisting, they aro terribly mistaken. We should think Bro. Whit^"<>mb had a pretty narrow oscape. When foot -pads want to attack any one, they'd l>ettor not begin on an old soldier like " Whit." for he's likely to 'Whit-tle" them rather severely. We're glad he wasn't either seriously hurt or frighteneti. I. Root must have l>een " off" just a little bit when ho intimate*!, in GJeitMhtffs for Deo. loth and .Ian. 1st, that l>of. Cook had recently l>eou writing more articles about sugar-honoy in the agricultural papers. The Prv^fessor has not written for the agricultural iv\i>ers for mouths ; and as to the sugar-houoy question — why. he (?»»j>j)n7 that entirely — did it long ago. Although we were severe in our denuncia- tion of the sugar-honey suggestion, we want to see all treated fairly, and don't think that Bro. Rix>t ejcercised his usual gooil care in publishing the intimation as to Prof. Cook. Xlie Iniliana t'oiivenlion. held on Jan. .'^th. was or.o of profit and interest. We likely will have the rej^ort for publica- tion in the Bkk .\nRSAt.. w-hich doubtless will rival the one we published last year of the same assix'iation. The following were elected as ofiicers for the ensuing year: President — W. S. Ponder, of Indianapolis. Yice-Presidents— J. M. Hicks, R. S. Kit- ley and GeH.irge F Wilson. Secretary — E S Pope, of Indianapolis. Treasurer — Miss Olive McCurdy. of lu- dianajx^lis. The new President, Bro. Ponder, is a pushing, energetic young l>ee-keeper — also a dealer in l^ee-supplies. If he follows in the footsteps of ex-Pre>sident Russell, he'll do well. 'I'Kc Amerionn lt«H"»l«Leoper pro- poses to publish a list of its delinquent sub- scribers soon, and others who owe them, so that all may know just who are careless about laying what they owe. We shall be glad to see how many, after being notified. AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 73 ■will permit their names to appear in such a damaj^ing list. The plan niaj- be a good one, but we should prefer not to have our name in it. We'd pay up quickly rather than be represented there. We hope that we shall not have to resort to any such means, though sometimes it is pretty hard to tell what is best to do to secure the payment of ifWERf:D BY Marengo. Ilf,. In this department will be answered those questions needing immediate attention, and such as are not of sufficient special interest to require replies from the 'ZO or more apiarists who help to make ''Queries and Replies" so interesting on another page. In the main, it will contain questions and answers upon mat- ters that particularly interest beginners.— Ed, A "Word With You Q,uestioners. Editor York has invited you to snow me under with questions, and I think I can see mischief in his eye as he thinks how many times he can get me to say "I don't know." Well, that's all right, come on with your questions, the more the better, but I want to give you a hint that may be of use to both of us. Suppose a man writes, " I have 13 colonies and No. 5 is the weakest of the lot. What shall I do with it ?" What answer can I make, other than to say, " I don't know ?" I'm not told a thing aboat it, only that it is weaker than the others. I might make a lot of guesses. and say, "Give it a queen if it is hope- lessly queenles.s. Break it up if it is so weak it isn't worth saving. Burn it up if it Is about gone with foul brood," and so on. Another man gives me all the particu- lars, and gives them so fully that I can almost see the bees before me, and then I can perhaps answer nearly as well as if I could look the bees over. That saves me time in answering, for I need not answer a lot of questions that I guess at, and he doesn't care anything about having answered ; and it also gives him a chance to have a fuller an- swer to the particular question he does want to know about. So, friends, when you send questions, give full particulars. They cannot well be too full, for I can leave out any part that has ho bearing on the case, but I can't .«upply the lacking points that do bear on the case. If your question is not properly understood, be sure to ask again C. C. Millee. Feeding at the Hive-Entrance. Will you please answer through the Bee JouRJfAL, how to feed bees at the entrance of the hive ? F. N. G. Guthrie, Okla. Ter. -AxswEK. — There is little difiBculty in feeding at the entrance of the hive at any time when bees are daily flying, but coming at this lime of year I suppose the question is meant to apply to bees in winter quarters. The easiest answer is to say the thing can't be done, and in general that's the best answer. For at a time when bees are standing out in a zero atmosphere, they may as well starve to death as to be frozen to death by get- ting them out at the entrance. Even then, however, there may come warm days when they can fly, and a comb of honey can be laid at the entrance. But bees from other hives have as good a chance to get it, and even better, for if a colony needs feeding badly the bees will not be as brisk about flying as the bees of a strong colony well supplied. Feeding at night will prevent others robbing, but it will equally prevent the bees coming out that you are trying to feed, for it will almost surely become so cool at night that the bees cannot be in- duced to come out. You might have a little box attached to the entrance so that bees could get into it only from the inside : then If a warm day should come, the bees could take honey without the risk of robbing. There are feeders specially made for 74 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. entrance feeding, of which the Gray Simplicity Feeder is one, and there is a better one whose name I cannot recall. If you try this entrance feeding, you will do well to pound on the hive and stir the bees up thoroughly on the morn- ing of a day when bees commence flying. But you'll only do mischief if you try to stir them up when they can't fly. What Ailed the Bees? I put 7 colonics into good winter quar- ters, examining all when packing them away, and they were in good condition. I packed them with straw at the back and sides, and with chafif cushions on top, leaving a bee-space between the brood-chamber and cushion. In three weeks I found one colony dead, with plenty of bees and a queen; also 35 pounds of honey. One week ago to-day (Dec. 23rd) I found my best colony dead. It had a beautiful 5-banded queen that I introduced last spring, and a good supply of bees and 40 pounds of honey. I can see no cause for their dying in that way. I commenced with two colonies last spring, and obtained 140 pounds of comb honey in one-pound sections. Akron, Ind. S. R. Answer. — I don't know, and anything I could say would only be a guess. If the two colonies were increased to seven, after giving 140 pounds of honey, they may have been too late in building up and too weak for winter, but that may have nothing to do with the case. It is also possible that both were queenless, or had bad queens, even though you did give a fine queen to one of them. It seems a little strange to have them die so early as before Christmas, whatever the trouble may be, and I shall be glad if any one can help us out. Hootl^s Calenda^r fbi* 1894 is out, and, like its predecessors, will be welcome in any home which it enters. A happier combination of calendar, of beauty and utility, of art and advertising, has seldom been produced. To be appreciated it must be seen, the beautiful head of a girl, just '• Sweet Sixteen," being lithographed in many delicate colors, while the pad in plain figures is pi'inted in harmonious and pleas- ing colors. Get a copy of your druggtst, or send fi cents in stamps for one, and 10 cents for two copies, to C. I. Hood & Co., Lowell, Mass., proprietors Hood's Sarsaparilla. Xliese Folk.s Aavertise.— The fol- lowing letter explains itself — read it, all ye who want customers, and desire to build up a good business : Editor Bee Journal. Bear Sir: — The small advertisement we placed in your paj)er a few days ago, has brought us more replies than we had bar- gained for. At first we endeavored to re- ply to each by letter, as well as printed matter, answering in detail each question asked, but they are piling in so rapidly that we are compelled to ask all correspondents in the future to bear patiently with us for a few days, until their turn comes. We will promptly mail printed literature on receipt of the inquiry, and will, in addtion, reply by personal letters as soon as possible. Appreciating the manifest large circula- tion of the American Bee Journal, we are, Yours respectfully, Jan. 5, 1894. T. J. Skaggs R. E. Co. The constant advertiser is the one who profits most by his investment. Why not order your advertisement in right away, if. you want to get your share of the approach- ing season's trade. We are here to help you ; but you must first help yourself. Illinoii^ I>airyinen's Meeting". — The 20th annual meeting of the Illinois State Dairymen's Association will be held in Dixon, Ills., on Feb. 14, 1.5 and 16, 1894. Dixon Is in one of the finest dairy sections of the State. The invitation to go there is from the Rock River Farmers' Club. Dixon entertained the association a few years ago in the best manner possible, and undoubt- edly will do so again. W. R. Hostetter, of Mt. Carroll, 111., is the efficient Secretary of the association. Agi'lcnltiiral Advertising' is the name of a new monthly just started by Mr. Frank B. White, The Rookery, Chicago, Ills., who is a very ," white " man. The first issue is a splendid one. It should be in the hands of all publishers of farm papers, or those who advertise in tliem. Price, .fl.OO a year. Capons and Capoiiizingf, by Edward Warren Sawyer, M. D., Fanny Field, and others. It shows in clear language and illustrations all about caponizing fowls ; and thus how to make the most money in poultry-raising. Every poultry-keeper should have it. Price, postpaid, 30 cents ; or clubbed with Bee JouitNAL one year, for $1.10. AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 75 No. 65 -J. F. MicliaeL The subject of this sketch was born on Aug. 27, 1847, near the present site of Tecumseh, Darke county, Ohio. At the age of two years he moved with his parents to Randolph county, Ind., J. F. MICHAEL. which, at this time, was very thinly set- tled. His mother died when he was eight years old. His life from 8 to 14 years was that in common with other boys of that age. When 14 years old, he engaged to Mr. Perry Fields, a very estimable gen- tleman, doing farm work in summer, and attending school in the winter. He worked the first season at $6.00, and the second at $8.00, per month. Mr. Fields taught him many lessons in morals as well as farming. At the close of the second season he returned to Darke county, 0., where his home has been ever since. In order to break the monotony of farm life, Mr. Michael joined the Fed- eral Army at the age of 16 — "sweet sixteen " — making the memorable " trip" up the Shenandoah Valley, in 1864. The War closed, and no further ser- vice being needed from him, be returned home with a vivid impression upon his mind that "there is no place like War." He resumed farm work, this time farm- ing "on shares." Mr. John Fogle, the landlord, gave him one share, while he (Fogle) took two. He spent the winter at school, and in the spring of 1867, with a mind made up to be a college boy, he entered the once famous Liber College, in Jay county, Ind., under fhe instruction of Prof. Tucker. Securing the necessary qualifications to teach, 12 years were devoted to that occupation. In 1881 Mr. Michael commenced the mercantile business where he lives, and in connection with the store business he has made queen-rearing a special work, devoting much time and money in this line. Queen-rearing and keeping store make life spicy, he thinks, as but a few queens are looked after without some one wants a pound of coffee or 25 cents worth of sugar, and in a great hurry at that ! His present number of colonies is 70. He winters them on the summer stands, using boxes and protectors. Forest leaves constitute the packing. He uses sealed covers, and winter losses are small. Mr. M. never attended a meeting of bee-keepers without feeling that he had been made better by associating with a class so kindly disposed. He seldom writes for the bee-papers, preferring to leave this work to others better qualified. Mr. Michael's family consists of his wife and the following children : Leon- ard (19 years), Vida (16), Vernie (11), and Cyula (8). In religion he is a New 76 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAj Light ; in politics, a Prohibitionist, hav- ing been placed upon his party's ticket as candidate for Representative. We had the pleasure of naeeting Bro. Michael just before the North American convention last fall. He is one of the substantial and practical men in apicul- ture, and one that should let his light shine more, whether it be an old light or " New Light." In our business dealings with him we have ever found him prompt, pleasant, and always ready to do the right thing. CONDUCTED BY MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY. BeeviIjLE. Texas. Two Foul-Brood Propositions. On page 301, of the American Bee Journal for Sept. 7, 1893, a request was published to send me specimens of foul brood for microscopical examina- tion ; this request was made by Mrs. Jennie Atchley, whose desire it was to have the subject thoroughly investi- gated, trusting to me, entirely, the course to be pursued. This was the means of furnishing me with specimens of foul brood from sev- eral sources, from which I have made more than one hundred cultures. For the benefit of bacteriologists, I will state that the culture media employed were potato, gelatine on plates and in tubes, and stab cultures in agar-agar. Proposition I. — That the queen does deposit eggs in cells containing the dark, coffee-colored dried mass, resulting from the drying of the viscid, ropy remains of foul brood, which, though tougher than the wax, yet easily dissolved in water, contains the germs of foul brood with sufficient vitality to produce the disease. Proposition II. — That honey is stored by the bees in these foul brood cells, and sometimes capped, thereby retaining the germs of foul brood as long as the comb lasts; that the honey in these cells is not detrimental to the vitality of either the spores or baelili which are produc- tive of the disease, and that in such cells the spores and bacilli are found sus- pended in the honey still retaining their vitality. I received from Hon. R. L. Taylor, of Lapeer, Mich., Sept. 11, 1893, the first specimen of foul brood, which contained brood five to six days old up to sealed brood. On careful examination, it was found that the youngest brood was dis- eased, and in a few cells there was the brown, dried mass of foul brood which attracted my attention, and cultures were made from these dried masses, and also from those found in the empty cells, and besides bacillus alvei, other micro- organisms were found, which I shall merely mention here. The next important specimen was re- ceived from D. D. Johnson, of Summit Mills, Pa.; this was interesting, as many cells contained the dried mass, the re- mains of the foul brood, though the cells were empty ; besides, dead sealed and unsealed brood. This was received on Sept. 19, 1893. From C. P. McKinnon, of Bangor, Iowa, on Sept. 27, 1893, I received a very foul specimen which was found to contain the same as the first. Cultures were made from each of these specimens. No one up to this time had sent combs containing honey, which I hoped to re- ceive, so I wrote to Wm. McEvoy, of Woodburn, Ont., asking him to send me combs of foul brood with honey in the adjacent cells ; and not receiving word from him in due time, I addressed him a second time, stating explicitly what I wanted. He sent me two combs, six by eight inches, containing brood of all ages, foul brood in all stages, and honey stored by the bees in the adjacent cells, some of which were capped or sealed. It was the foulest mess I ever saw, and the foulest smell I ever smelt. Of this specimen I sent to Mrs. Jennie Atchley, of Beeville, Tex., a piece four inches square, out of the worst, and in a few days received the following regarding its character: "It is sure enough foul, and as dangerous as yellow fever." :rn The work of dissecting these combs revealed the same facts as before in re- gard to the young brood in the foul cells; and further, in regard to the honey very few of the cells were sealed. In nearly all of the unsealed cells was found the hard, dark coffee-colored mass of de- cayed foul brood, containing the spores and bacilli of foul brood. To make sure AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. T7 that I might not be deceived, I carefully examined the cells, every one, which were capped by the bees, and in nearly every instance was found the same hard mass of old foul brood ; these were care- fully dissected out and examined, and found to contain both the spores and bacilli, from which cultures were made. With these I had less trouble in obtain- ing pure.cultures, as I had fewer other micro-organisms to contend with, which was as I had anticipated. My next move was to take the honey dipped out of these cells, without disturbing the cell- walls, and examine with the microscope, which revealed both spores and bacilli suspended, from which pure cultures were obtained. After communicating these facts to Mrs. Jennie Atchley and Mr. Wm. Mc- Evoy in detail, they urged me to make known at once the results of my investi- gations in this line. Not wishing to be in too great haste to rush into print, I carefully went over my work again, taking extreme precautions that no error might be made ; I arrived at the same conclusions as before. In making these last cultures from honey, twelve were on potato, six on gelatine plates, both excluded from oxygen, and eight stab cultures in agar- agar, each giving satisfactory results. I am now preparing the manuscript for the entire report of my investiga- tions, to be published in pamphlet form, in which these experiments are given more in detail, bringing to light many more important facts regarding the biology and histology of the bacillus of foul brood, and its pathological relations to the disease, which, when fully under- stood, will greatly simplify its eradica- tion. Appended to this report will be given a review and free examination of the theories held by the writers of the day, in which each one will be treated fairly and honorably, without bitter person- alities, but from a scientific stand-point, and should I differ from any one, I am willing to go over the ground with them and let future demonstrations prove the right. (Dr.) Wm. R. Howard. Ft. Worth, Tex., Dec. 28, 1893. Extracting-Supers in Winter, Etc. Mrs. Atchley : — In recent copies of the Bee Journal I note several ques- tions. In reply to them I would say : To the correspondent from Florida, that extracting-supers are safely wintered on the hive. I often tier them up two high, and leave them until needed in the spring. Bees will frequently move up- stairs, but the combs below are all cared for. Italians and hybrids will keep free of moth three sets of combs, provided the queen is strong and vigorous. I have never seen moths doing any injury where the bee-master was competent, and I have them gay and festive (the moth) and plentiful here. This old-fogy talk of moth killing out a colony is sheer nonsense — neglect or ignorance kills. If it is desired to keep up the number of colonies, re-queen all where the queen has begun to decline, as occasion re- quires, and as late' as your season will allow; when all is safe until the new season opens. DESTROYING BIRDS IN TEXAS, ETC. To the correspondent from Texas: Get a good shot-gun, and give the birds cold lead, and keep at it ; thus improv- ing your marksmanship, and sweeten your temper, for what is more aggravat- ing than a string of 20 birds eating at least 50 bees twice a day ? I often pop off two or more at a shot. I believe this is the only remedy. If, however, the birds are granivorous, try wheat or some small seed soaked in a solution of strych- nine, and put about in small, shallow boxes — out of reach of chickens and small boys, of course. In your climate, give bees from 30 to 50 pounds of stores — the more the bet- ter, to the extent of all they will use of it. How is this for a truism ? No bees without honey ; no honey without bees. Give a good queen 50 pounds of honey for stores, and note what you get for spring work. No winter protection is necessary, except to keep the water out. GETTING RID OF SKUNKS AND TOADS. About those skunks : The strychnine egg is the medicine, in fact it is a spe- cific. Have your eyes "out" for that fat, innocent-looking toad, that hops about your door-yard, or sleeps under some building all day long, but at night fills himself at the expense of your pet bees. My conscience allows me to crack them on the head, every one. You will know of their presence at the apiary, as they leave a mass composed of masti- cated bees and bugs. GETTING BEE FROM BUILDINGS. I have never been so wicked as to rob a church, but I have taken bees from every conceivable position in buildings and trees. Perhaps I could give the 78 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi^, boys some points. I have on two occa- sions found two swarms so near tliat the comb of one intersected that of the other. But a pretty sight was a swarm which had built four lines of comb, 4 inches deep by 2}>4 inches, and 10 feet long, including brood and the lower end of old comb. It was built between the studding of a cheese-factory. Bakersfield, Calif. W. lXXXXS.XTXXTTXTXXXXXXXXXJ.TXTXXTXZXi Sf arming Witliout Haying Bulll Cells. Query 906.— Bees often swarm ■without queen-cells after the apiarist has cut them out. but do they ever swarm without having built queen-cells previously ?— Bee-man. Perhaps not. — Eugene Secor. Yes, but very rarely. — P. H. Elwood. Very, very rarely. — J. H. Larrabee. I don't know. Possibly not. — C. C. Miller. Yes, but hardly ever. — Mrs. J. N. Heater. Yes, sometimes, but not usually. — Dadant & Son. Very seldom, unless they are starving. — C. H. Dibbern. I have never had any do it that I knew of. — J as. A. Stone. Yes, I have known them to do so many times. — J. E. Pond. Yes, I have known thera to do so fre- quently.—James A. Green. I have seen several cases when they have done so.— H. D. Cutting. It has never come under my observa- tion that they did. — S. I. Freeborn. Yes, they do if they have much Italian blood in their veins. — R. L. Taylor. Sametimes bees will swarm without any cells being started. — E. France. Oh, my ! yes ; lots, and lots, and lots of times, Mr. Bee-man. — A. B. Mason. Not unless it is from starvation, or some abnormal cause. — J.M.Hambaugh. Occasionally, when the swarming fever is on, but not often. — G. M. Doolittle. Yes ; but such is abnormal, and in- variably has its cause. — W. M. Barnum. I have had bees to swarm without having started queen-cells at all. — M. Mahin. So far as I have observed, the queen- cells always precede normal sWarming. — A. J. Cook. Italians do, sometimes, when there is a fine flow of honey, coming suddenly. — Mrs. L. Harrison. Bees may swarm without having built queen-cells previously. It is not uncom- mon.— G. L. Tinker. I have never known a natural swarm to leave a hive until after queen-cells were sarted, at least. — Emerson T. Ab- bott. Sometimes a colony will swarm when the queen-cells are just in the incipient stage — a condition not always observed by the ordinary bee-keeper. — J. P. H. Brown. Yes, it has been reported that bees have swarmed naturally without any preparation, but I never saw such a case. Pauper swarms come out without any start toward cells, but I have always found Cdlls started in ati natural swarms. — Mrs. Jennie Atchley. Yes, mine do sometimes. I have often noticed that a sudden honey-flow will, sometimes, "turn the heads " of a few colonies in a large apiary, and thus make thera act abnormally — swarm with- out having previously started cells. There is no mistake about it. — G. W. Demaree. Xlie Parliament ofKcligions. — We take great pleasure in announcing to our readers the publication of a work interesting and valuable to all, " The Par- liament of Religions" at the Columbian Exposition. It is now issued complete in one large octavo volume, and is a very careful compilation of all of the proceed- ings—at once a fascinating story and a book of universal value. A narrative of the grandest achievement in modern re- ligious history. The book contains origin of the Parliament of Religions ; proceedings of every meeting of the Parliament; speeches delivered and papers read at every session of the noted gathering ; the beliefs of the various religious denominations ; opinions of eminent divines in regard to the Parliament; influence of the Parlia- ment upon the religious thought of the world. Published by F. T. Neelv, Chicago. 1000 pages. Price: Cloth. |:3. 50; Full Sheep. $4.00. \MERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 79 From "The Stinger." Dr. Miller was read an open letter in Oleanings ot Dec. Ist. It is " fired " at the Jo-cund Doctor by no less a person than Emerson T. Abbott, the new President of the North American Bee-Keepers' Associa- tion. What called forth this letter was a " straw " that had the name of the city where the next meeting of the association is to be held spelled " St. Jo," instead of St. Joseph. That's right, Mr. Abbott, just •• go for " those people who abbreviate unnecessarily. I am glad to see that you did this, for I, too, have been after the same kind of folk. I wonder if "The Kicker" will get after you for having the "• nerve " to attack any one, especially so well-known a bee-man as Dr. Miller, for spelling a word in an out- landish manner. Mr. Abbott was a school teacher once upon a time, I believe, and for that reason I think he is just the man to take the Doc- tor in hand and teach him how to spell. Of all the writers for Gleanings, the Doctor is the worst speller of the lot. Just look at that " poem " he has on page 877 of that paper, and see if I am not right. Yes, Docktor Millher, your spelling is aweigh off kuler. Jake Smith could do better, it seems to me. " Poetry " has run riot in the issue of Gleanings I have already referred to. It is used to embellish the department devoted to home and Christian topics, the bee- columns and "Stray Straws." "Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast;" but such poetry as is sometimes used pro- miscuously through a paper, is more than my " savage breast" can stand. This is not said as any reflaction on what appears in the journal alluded to above; on the contrary. The Stinger has a high opinion of the literary and musical taste of Gleanings^ editors. I notice that Hasty does not like jokes. Can this be on account of the fact that so many persons have taken too much liberty with his speedy name. Go slow. Hasty, and don't trouble about the punsters ; they are a bad lot, any way ; and as they are said to be not far removed from pick- pockets, you will find yourself the better off for having nothing to do with them. I shouldn't wonder but Mr. Doolittle feels as does Mr. Hasty in this regard. Some one in a recent issue of Gleanings hints that the sage of Borodino should be called " Doomuch,'' as he is able to accomi^lish so much. As a rose would smell as sweet if it were called by any other name, I do not suppose it would make any great difference to bee-keepers if Mr. Doolittle's name should be changed. Wt would like him just the same. After having said such a disagreeable thing about punsters, I suppose I should not fall into the habit myself. But a chance has just presented itself where I cannot re- sist the tempation. Gleanings has had some discussion between several of its corres-- pondents regarding the proper width of the spaces in perforated zinc. The question is about narrowed down to a hair's breadth. I will not say that there is any Root to the evil of such zincs, but the subject has been ably "Tinkered" in the early December Gleanings by two doctors — a Tinker and a Miller. Asa result of this "Tinkering" with the matter, we have about arrived at " the exact right size " for the holes in ex- cluders to keep the queen from getting into the upper stories of a bee-hive. It is really pleasant to have doctors agree upon some things. CONVEIVTION DIRECTORY. Time and place of meeting. 1894. Jan. 23, 24.— Nebraska State, at York, Nebr. L. D. Stilson, Sec, York, Nebr. Jan. 24, 25.— Vermont, at Burlington, Vt. H. W. Scott, Sec, Barre, Vt. Jan. 24, 25.— California, at Los Angeles, Calif. J. H. Martin, Sec, Bloominglon, Calif. Feb. 7, 8.— Wisconsin, at Madison, Wis. Dr. J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec, Madison, Wis. In order to have this table complete, Secretaries are requested to forward full particulars of the time and the place of each future meeting. — Thb Editor. North American Bee-Keepers' Association Pres.— Emerson T. Abbott St. Joseph, Mo. Vice-Pres — O. L. Hershiser — Buffalo. N. Y. Secretary— Frank Benton, Washington, D.C. Treasurer— George W. York... Chicago, Ills. ITational Bee-Keepers' Union. President— Hon. R. L. Taylor. .Lapeer, Mich. Gen'd Manager— T. G. Newman. Chicago, 111* 147 South Western Avenue. Please Send TJs the Names of your neighbors who keep bees, and we will send them sample copies of the Bee Journal. Then please call upon ihem and get them to subscribe with you, and secure some of the "premiums we offer. 80 AMERICAN BEE JODRNAL. Me Real Source of Formic Aciil in Honey Tratishctcd for the ^'■American Bee Jourmil,'' BY FRANK BENTON. After I had shown in two articles in Nos. 5 and 6 of the Sclnveizef'ische BieiienzeituiKj for 1898, that tlae formic acid of honey is derived neither from nectar nor from the poison gland, and also not from the air of the hive, the question arose : Whence does it come, then*? There remained hardly anything else than to look for the source of this substance mi the bee itself. I was con- siderably strengthened in this view by the excellent articles of Schoenfeld in Nos. 45 and 46 of Gerstung's Allge- meine Deutsche Bienenzeitung for 1891. ScRoenfeld makes there an effort to lift this mysierious veil, and calls on chem- ists to enter the intrenchments which he has traced for the capture of this for- tress. I will cite from his article the most striking portions, which serve to limit the question, and which give the desired support to my explanations. He says regarding Muellerhoff's viev/: " His supposition that the bees before sealing the cell deposit in it, by means of the sting, a small drop of formic acid, certainly appears to be very natural, and to explain the question in a nut- shell, but it is doubtless incorrect." The reasons then follow. For the proofs on my part I refer to my article cited above in No. 5 of our Swiss bee-journal for 1893. Schoenfeld further says : " Whether now the formic-acid at- mosphere actually works so energeti- cally upon the honey that the acid forms a chemical union with the honey, is still completely unproved." Thus Schoenfeld ascribes a prob- lematic share to the air of the hive as the source of the formic acid, whilst granting to it its full value as an antisep- tic. Schoenfeld says also : " Formic acid is a product of the de- •composition of sugar, of rubber, of starch, etc., and besides being found in the venom-sacs of bees and ants, is also in many leaves of pines, in nettles and other plants, and in the animal organism in perspiration, in urine, and in blood in small quantities. Undoubtedly it is as certainly found in the blood of the bee in greater or less quantity, or at least in its elements," says Schoenfeld further, "as that it acidifies the whole body of the ant. Otherwise, how would the poison-gland be able to store it up and collect it in the poison-sac, since, as is well-known, ail secretory glands form their secretious from the blood of the animal organism, in that either as sim- ple filtering machines they only draw to themselves and bring to the surface the secretions already formed in the blood, or are themselves really active in the preparation of the product, and only take from the blood the elements which are necessary to the secretion ? But," continued Schoenfeld, "by our declar- ing as physiologically certain that honey could receive its portion of acid during its preparation within the body of the bee, it is not in the least proven that such is in fact the case, nor in what manner the acid gets in the honey, which really only remains a short time in the sucking apparatus and honey-sac of the bee before it is stored up in the cells as the finished product. To bring forward these proofs is a matter for the chemist to undertake." Thus far Schoenfeld goes. The chemist has heard the call and will obey. Then to the front with chem- istry ! How should I proceed ? The blood of the bee must furnish the start- ing-point. The acid must have its place of origin in the chyle-stomach, and by the latter be furnished to the blood-cir- culation. How could the blood be ob- tained ? Dr. K. Fiedler, instructor in zoology, at the Zurich high schools, un- dertook this work with a skill only equalled by his patience. I got for him successfully several hundred bees, which were caught at the flight-hble, killed, and then, one by one, stuck fast head first in paraflfine. By means of very finely drawn-out capillary tubes, which were introduced into carefully made openings in the forward part of the back of the abdomen, one could some- times draw from the insects a trace of blood, which, in order to avoid any volatilization of formic acid was spurted into a slightly alkaline water-solution. Only wholly colorless blood secured without injury to the inner organs was saved. Finally the collected material was dissolved in a larger quantity of AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL-. 81 water, slightly acidified in order to set the formic acid free, and in small re- torts subjected to distillation. The pro- duct of this distillation when tested was acid, and with nitrate of silver gave the unmistakable reaction of formic acid. Thus the proof of the presence of formic acid in the blood of the bee was brought. Even if on account of the weak reaction Indicating this (due to the extreme difficulty in obtaining ma- terial), doubts could arise as to 'the original presence of formic acid in the blood,' its much more plentiful appear- ance in the salivary glands of the head and thorax leaves no doubt that those glands — as well as the glands of the poison-sac — are able to produce formic acid from its elements in the blood, and furnish it ready for use. What is there further ? The addi- tional question was as follows: "Does the formic acid get from the blood into the salivary glands of the head and thorax, and from these into the honey?" To answer this the secretion of these salivary glands must be examined. I proceeded with this as I did in the pro- duction of the bee-ferment, which method I described at the time. The heads and thoraces of a couple of hun- dred bees were cut off and crushed in a mortar containing water which was then filtered. This filtrate gave an acid re- action. It was then distilled, and the distillate, like that of the blood, was found to be acid, and far more strongly so than the latter. With nitrate of sil- ver it indicated unmistakably the pres- ence of formic acid. Thus formic acid exists also in the salivary glands. How does it get there? Schoenfeld has previously expressed his opinion of this. The blood, which streams through the whole body, reaches also the salivary glands, by means of which the formic acid and at the same time the ferment having inverting powers, is secreted. From there both of these substances are given off into the cavity of the mouth. This takes place through the common duct leading from the salivary glauds of the head and thorax, which opens into the cavity of the mouth. Every swallow of nectar which is brought to the honey-stomach through the mouth cavity receives its addition of saliva, that is to say, anti- septic formic acid and inverting ferment — of course probably in minute and very highly diluted traces. r- Formic acid is then proven to exist in the salivary glands also. How is it to be followed further, that is, into the cell ? If the contents of the honey- stomach are examined, they are found to be acid. But nectar is not so. The presence of formic acid in honey I have already proven. The last act in connection with the honey consists in its deposition in the cells. Here it remains until on the average its proportion of water is 20 per cent., whereupon, furnished with the label, "ripe honey," it is sealed over. The honey has now been changed to the miraculous balsam in which form we know it. Fitted out with nearly a dozen sub- stances it supplies* valuable material in the shape of plastic and respiratory elements. Its keeping quality has be- come, so to say, unlimited — its healing powers are endless. Last year, perfectly preserved honey from the fifteenth cen- tury was found in the buried cellar of a city hall in Dresden. If, finally, a glance at the preceding presentation of the subject be taken, the thought would naturally occur, of placing the source of the formic acid of honey where I found it — in the blood. The difficulties lay only in tracing the proof. These have been overcome — the fort has been stormed and, as I venture to believe, the proof brought of the origin of the formic acid in the blood. Dr. Adolf v. Planta. Note. — The foregoing article we re- gard as an exceedingly valuable work. In the first place, through it is furnished the scientific proof, lacking up to this time, of the correctness of the views which Pastor Schoenfeld expressed in Nos. 11 and 12 of the last volume of our journal, concerning the poison-gland of the honey-bee, and which he only based on physiological grounds. Then the excellent investigations of von Planta also furnish at the same time, in conjunction with Schoenfeld's represen- tation of the subject, incontestable proofs that the great value which has ever been placed upon honey, especially by physicians, rests upon no exaggera- tion ; that no artificial product can re- place honey ; that its keeping qualities are unlimited, its healing properties endless. Our learned investigators have thus done much for us bee-keepers. Let us now do our part also, that is, let us build diligently on, since we now stand upon a firmly-established basis, so that the great worth of our product will con- stantly become plainer to the public, and thus its consumption increased more and more. — C. J. H. Gravenhorst. — Gravejihorxfs lUustrwrtf I])'e)ie7izeitun(/. 82 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.. A Few Holes From a LaJy Bee-Keeper. Written for the American Bee Journal BY MRS. L. C. AXTELL. I am writing this before daylight this morning, as ray husband got up very early and went for coal, to the bank near our out-apiary. There is a rush for coal now (Dec. 5th), as the snow is a foot or more deep. He forgot to lean a board up in front of the hives at the out- apiary when fixing them for winter; we think this very important, to keep them from clogging the entrances, and it has the appearance of being a warm day, and melting snow, and warming hives, so they need the board ; also to keep the entrance dark, so the bees will not be so apt to fly. Many bees are lost in cool and cold weather by flying out ; not that they need to fly, but are attracted out by the bright rays of the sun shining into the hives. We got scarcely any surplus honey the past season, the least we have had for many years, yet we did not have to feed any, except a few weak colonies in the fall. I think if bees have to be fed at any time, fall feeding is preferable, be- cause it causes them to fill up with young bees for winter, but those young bees should be reared so early as to get a good flight before putting the colony into winter quarters ; not so essential perhaps when wintered out-of-doors, as in this locality they generally have sev- eral flights through the winter. We had but two swarms the past sum- mer, and those we returned to their hives after removing some of their brood and destroying the queen-cells. We do not need to bother ourselves about pre- vention of swarming in this locality, as we would be pleased to see swarms once again. We never had excessive swarm- ing, except one year we failed to get the surplus chambers enlarged fast enough ; we gave but small room at first, they filled that with a rush, seemingly all at once; since then we have given more room at the beginning of the honey harvest. SEPARATOKS IN THE SURPLUS ARRANGE- MENT. We think this causes bees to swarm worse than when not used, as it cuts their honey receptacles up into small apartments. We find no use for them, because we can easily dispose of what few bulged combs we get, at home, and if the starters are put in straight, so the point or bottom of the starter points to the center of the section below, and the hive level, they will nearly always build straight comb, unless the honey is com- ing in very slowly, and then they will bulge them by building out one side, first lengthening the cells too far, but in that case, if the separators were in, they would put much of the honey in the brood-nest. BROOD-NEST CROWDED WITH HONEY. This is a sight I am getting to be de- lighted with. I am not certain but the bees know better than their owners, when it is best to store as much of their honey as possible below, as the average bee-master seldom cares to feed even if he robs the thrifty little creatures of tons of honey. If we could feed back with as much pleasure as we take away, our bees would oftener be in a fit condi- tion to store honey. I have noticed this in cellar-wintering — if anything causes a colony to be un- usually active, they winter poorly, and generally die in the spring. It seems to make the bees unhealthy — probably they eat too much. The more quiet the better in winter, both out-of-doors and in the cellar. rambler's CALIFORNIA PICTURES. From Mr. Rambler's pictures, I con- clude California is a very rough country, even the towns are pictured to look like our backwoods towns — not up to the times — a place that is in need of mis- sionaries badly. I suggest to Mr. Mar- tin that he cease rambling and turn missionary. The impression 1 get from reading his laughable sketches is, that people leave their refinement in the East when they go West, and live at home a good while and make money — something like we feel when we go to our out-api- aries— we just live as we can for the day. My old uncle and aunt, who were traveling in California, remarked that they did not like the looks of the coun- try— too brown, barren and rough, ex- cept in localities where irrigated, and then it was beautiful. Roseville, Ills. Xlie I^adio!!*^ Home .Toiirnal, of Philadelphia, Fa., and the Bee Journal— both together for one year for only f 1.65. The first-named journal is the grandest monthly for the home that is published in the world to-day. New or old subscribers to either journal can take advantage of the low rate of *il.(w for the two papers. This ofLer expires on Feb. 1, 1894. Send all or- ders to the ofliceof the Bee Journal. AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 83 Tlie House-Apiary anil Small Hiyes. Written for the American Bee Jownal BY B. TAYLOR. The building here shown is 8x16 feet in size, and 8 feet inside in the clear. The walls are of %-inch pine, 12 inches wide, with the cracks neatly battoned as shown. The hives rest on shelves prop- erly placed in the inside. The door is in the west end, hidden from view. The only window is in the east end, as seen in the illustration. The hinged open 17th) contains 38 colonies, 16 on each of the sides, and 3 in each gable, with entrances for 7 more at the top on the north side. These are intended for tem- porary use only. The hives used are made especially for house use, but are equally good for out- door use. They are 16 inches square outside, and 7 inches deep, and hold 10 frames 6xl3j^ inches, inside measure. The 10 frames contain 800 inches of comb space. Two hives are used for a brood-nest when needed. Any side of these hives mav be used for the front. The House-Apiary of Mr. B. Taylor, of Forestville, Minn. part is of wire-cloth, and is opened from the Inside. Two bee-escapes are visible over the window to let the bees out when the window is closed. A sliding sash with glass makes all tight when needed. The general plan is clearly seen in the engraving, and needs no des- cription. The plan of the entrances is easily un- derstood by the picture. They are made to receive the swarm-catcher, several of which are seen in the view. The photo was taken when the yard was equipped as in swarming time, when the catchers are scattered over the yard, ready for instant use. On the right the entrance to the winter- ing cellar is seen. The house now (Sept. They are as cheap and simple as it is possible to make a good frame hive for extracted as well as comb honey. I be- lieve them to be near perfection. The second colony on the left hand at the bottom, with the smoker near it, took the first prize this year for the greatest yield of comb honey — 250 pounds. All the bees for this great yield were reared in one section of these small hives. I had about one-half of the colonies in the house-apiary in two hive sections up to swarming time. The re- sult in white section honey was in favor of the single hives. The colonies that had double hives filled the top hive solid full of honey, and seemed to have reared no brood there, and they stored far less 84 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. honey in the supers previous to swarm- ing than the colonies in single hives. Doolittle said long ago that 800 inches of comb space gave room enough for any queen, and my experience confirms his judgment. The colonies with two sections gave no larger swarms than those with one. I do not recommend small hives to those that give but little attention to their bees, but for the scien- tific apiarist, to get the most ivhite comb honey, they are indispensable. I must say something more about the colony that produced the 250 pounds of honey. There has been a great deal said in the bee-papers about the impor- tance of always removing inferior queens, and filling their places with good ones. My experience had led me to suspect that the bees could attend to this about as well as us big, smart fel- lows. However, I last fall resolved to give this fine point more attention in the future, so I went to such hives as my judgment had determined had poor queens, and wrote on them plainly — "Poor queen. Re-queen this," intend- ing to attend to it in the spring. I placed the colonies on the summer stands in the house, and upon examining them I found the one that afterward made the big yield was marked for re-queening, and this was the reason the hive was not given an extra section. It increased the task of finding and destroying the bad queen, but other work pressed, and the job was neglected. If I had got my intentions carried out, I should have Mlled one of the best queens that it was ever my fortune to possess, as she kept the hive boiling over with bees during the entire season. Forestville, Minn. More Aliout Oranp County, California. Written J or the American Bee Journal BY DR. E. GULLUP. There are so many asking about Cali- fornia, that I shall have to answer some of their questions through the American Bee Journal, by the editor's permis- sion. There is this about California: The longer a person stays here, the better he likes it, and that is almost universally the case. Some get homesick, and go back East, but six months or a year of Eastern weather cures them completely, and if they can get back to California they stay. I have been here almost 15 years, and could not be hired to go East to live. I lived in this State five years before concluding to stay in any place permanently, but finally chose this part in preference to any other, on ac- count of locality and advantages of pro- ducing a greater variety of productions than any other part of the State, and its mild, salubrious and healthy climate, and advantage of water transportation, as well as railroad. I enclose a clipping from the ofBcial organ for the World's Fair, showing that I was not deceived in my selection. The country is but a small proportion developed, as there are so many large ranches owned by stock-raisers ; but as the land becomes too valuable for herd- ing stock, it is being cut up in small lots of 10, 20 and 40 acres, and sold on reasonable terras to actual settlers. And here I will remark that the actual set- tler— the man that is not afraid to put his shoulder to the wheel and help de- velop and improve the country — is what is wanted, and the growth of the coun- try is astonishing even to old settlers. Eastern people can form no idea, for they have never seen anything to at all compare with the marvelous growth of trees, vines, etc. It is often said by newcomers that this is no country for a poor man, when it is actually the finest country for the poor man that is able and willing to work, on the face of the globe. For he has no winter to provide against, and it costs him almost nothing to clothe himself and family until he can clothe himself to suit, and he can work almost every day in the year. Right here I wish to correct an Easterner's error. He thinks that our rainy season is dripping con- stantly, when it is, if anything, the most pleasant part of the year. To-day (Dec. 7th) it is clear, warm, balmy and delightful. We have already had two inches of rain, so the whole country is covered with a mantle of green. Ripe oranges, lemons and Japanese plums in blossom, and will ripen in April. Aus- tralian peaches ripen in February, and strawberries nearly the entire year. About firewood — one can raise it in an astonishingly short period. There is a coal mine 12 miles from Santa Ana, with coal at the mines $5.00 per ton. All the fire I use is for cooking purposes in the morning. At noon and night I light the gasoline stove so as not to heat up the house. September and April are usually the hottest months in the year, for then we are not sure of the cool breeze from the ocean all the time as we are in summer. The country is overran with people that AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 85 want to get a living without work — lawyers, doctors, clerks, etc., still there is plenty of room at the top of the ladder. Potatoes, tomatoes, melons, castor beans, etc., become weeds here when once planted in this wonderful soil and climate. Now I must tell you a story : Three years ago I met an old gentleman on the cars. He said : " A few years ago one of my sons, which I brought up a good, truthful boy, strayed away from Maine to California, and he wrote back such abominable lies about the country and its products, that I sent out another son to see why the first one had become such an abominable liar, and, behold, the sec- ond one wrote back bigger lies, if pos- sible, than the first ; so I came out to try and reform the boys. I have been here one year, and now I am on my way back to Maine to dispose of my property, and move into God's country to spend my days, and I am not going to tell the people back there what I have seen here, and what a paradise this is in compari- son to Maine, for I do not want to be called a liar to my face." Even I myself did uot dare to write to my son the particulars, so I asked him if he would come out and pay me a visit, providing I forwarded him the money and paid all his expenses both ways, and he came, and I showed him the country for three weeks. I then said: "You have seen and heard enough. Do you now think that you can go back East and live contented ?" His reply was, "No, father, I know that I never can." He and his family have just got back to God's country after spending three months at the World's Fair and in Wis- consin and Iowa, with friends and rela- tives. I have been writing to a cousin up North, to induce her to leave that coun- try. She is in Saskatchawan, North West Territory. She says it is almost impossible for them to believe my stories, but they are coming to see in the spring. So, now, friends, do not ask me any more questions, but take my advice — come and see for yourselves. There is no possible chance for a lightning-rod peddler here, nor for an agent to insure against tornadoes or blizzards. As to earthquakes, some one that has been in the country a long time will have to tell you that there was an earthquake last night, or you perhaps will not know anything about it. Still, I have felt quite a perceptible jar once in 15 years. Some find fault because we do not have more manufacturing establish- ments, but I was a pioneer in Wisconsin, and also in Iowa, and as nearly as I can recollect we did not find such establish- ments in those States, when the first settlers went in. The United States is the greatest country on earth when everything is considered, and California will rank as the greatest State in the United States — so think all Califor- nians. The developments in the next ten years must be marvelous. Sant Ana, Calif. [The "clipping" referred to by Dr. Gallup is as follows : — Ed.] ORANGE COUNTY AT CHICAGO. Orange county, the smallest of the South- ern California counties, having an area of 661 square miles, and a population of about 30,000, has a greater variety of products than any other county in the State. Its display of deciduous and citrus fruits at the World's Fair, brought it prominently be- fore the public as a fruit-producer. Its ex- hibits of fruits in glass Is the largest of the six southern counties, while its exhibit of vegetable products discloses the fact that it is one of the leading counties in the State in raising marketable vegetables and lux- uriant grains. Its large beets, squashes, celery, cucum- bers, corn, oats, etc., have attracted univer- sal attention, and its peat soil in the ex- hibit has been the subject of universal comment during the Exposition. Its ex- hibit of nuts, notably its English walnut display, disclosed that Orange county is a great nut-producer, and the home of the English walnut. Besides having such an excellent display in the California building, this county makes exhibits in several other departments at the Fair. In the horticultural, agricultural and mining buildings she co-operates with other portions of the State in showing the diversity of her productions. Various Bee-Matters anci Experiences. Written for the American Bee Journal BY MESSRS. TODD & ARNOLD. October 10th found our bees all packed in double-walled hives, on the summer stands, in as good condition as we ever had them in the last 17 years. Our honey crop is all sold. We com- menced to ship honey to Dakota, Ne- braska and Kansas shortly after we be- gan extracting. We got about half a crop of white honey the past season. The prospect for white clover is not very good for next year, as the fall was so dry. We are close to lots of linden, and 86 AMERICAN BEE JOURiNAj hope for a lino bloom and good weather with it tho coming season. QUKKNS NOT INJURED IN MAILING. We were surpri-sod at Rev. W. P. Faylor's experience in roeoivinar qneens by nuiii. llis experience has been just tiie opposite to ours. We have received bees by full comb colonies, also by ex- press in imported cages, and ten times as many by mail as by express. Those sent by mail have proved just as good as could be desired, and liave done good laying into the fourth season. We run our apiaries for extracted honey on the Dadant system, iuiving from six to nine Quinby frames in each hive during the breeding season. It does not take us long to lind out how prolific a queen is. THE YKM-OW HKKS PRKFERRKD. In regard to the color of bees, tho yellow bees have always given us tho best satisfaction, both for honey and gentleness in handling. What we mean by " yellow bees," is any of the yellow races — Italian, Syrian or Holy Laud. When the Cyprian boo first began to be talked up in the bee-papers, we paid $10 for an imported queen. She was a No. 1 layer, and her progeny fine honey- gatherers. We reared a number of qneens from her, but on account of their cross disposition, we could not do much with them, only in the middle of the day, when the sun shone hot and bright. We liave had a few black colonies, but did not keep them long, that could equal any Cyprian colony, we thinlc, that was ever on the American shores. Friend York, it is our desire to add a word in memory of Mr. D. A. Pike, whose biography was given recently. We bought the first queen of him the season of 1S78, and bought his queens almost every season up to his death. Every queen was always sent by mail, and gave good satisfaction. As for us, we can say, he surely was an honest man. Kalona, Iowa. Mailing Diieeii-Bees Long Distances. Written for the American Bee Journal BY W. A. I'RYAL. (Contiuucd from page 49.) There is no doubt in my mind that bees crossing our great, hoi deserts re- quire water; we all know that bees are very fond of water, especially during the heated time of the year. As we cauuot put much wioisture in the candy without making it too soft, the thing to do, then, is to try and doviso some way of giving them suHicient water during the trip. This question of giving bees water while in course of shipment, is no new thing. It lias been spoken of many times ; the trouble is, it has been consid- ered too expensive by the leading breed- ers ; besides, they have becojue so wedded to the candy idea, that they are reluctant to try anything that seems to branch oiT from such a well-trodden path. I have never yet received a queen dead, that was shipped in a cage that had a reservoir for water. No matter how hard the candy may have become through heat or otherwise, the bees would manage to eat all they required of it, if they had water handy. Queens that were confined in a cage that con- tained a supply of water seemed to be healthier when reaching their destina- tion than those that had none. I have noticed thai queens that come in cages with soft candy are healthier than those queens that are provisioned with a hard candy. The past year I received a queen from Texas that came in a cage provisioned with honey, after the manner used be- fore the " Good " candy came into vogue. The plan worked pretty well, but, still, I do not consider it satisfactory. One queen I received from a Texan breeder came with all her attendants dead. She herself was in a weak condition when she reached me. I had to intro- duce her by placing several just-hatched bees in the introducing cage with her. This queen is now one of the most pro- lific queens 1 have. In an issue of Glcmiings last summer I noticed that the editor recommends much care in making the candy ; that much elbow-grease must be expended in order to get the candy to the right con- sistency. He thinks that women are not strong enough for this sort of work. I am afraid that the young women that he had tried to do this work were not of the muscular kind we have here in this State, or like those that are found in Texas. I learn that one of the most successful breeders in that State, or for that matter, in the wliole country, uses woman-power exclusively to knead the sugar-honey dough that is sent out with all her queens, and that she has about as good luck in sending queens as any breeder in the country. I do not think the manner of mi.xing the so-called candy, or the power used to knead it, makes any material differ- ence. If the candy is put in a cage that AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 87 soaks up all the moisture from the candy, or the cage is shipped through a part of the country where the Sun is doing his best to burn everything up, and the air is as hot and dry as if it came out of an oven, then, I say, such candy will be as hard and dry as the very rocks of the de.sfirt through which the unfortunate queen is obliged to pass. To make all candy of the greatest pos- sible benefit to the queen and bees, the compartment, as I have already said, should be waxed so that the honey will not be absorbed by the wood. One thing I would do if I were mak- ing a business of shipping bees to this part of the country from the East or South during the summer and a part of the spring, would be to have my ship- ping-cages contain a small phial so corked that the bees could sip out as much water as they required. Such cages could be constructed for very little more than they now cost. I think if they were made in the right way, that they need not weigh over an ounce when provisioned and ready to ship with the queen and bees. When so constructed, such a cage would not require so much candy, which would make it lighter; then some of the wood could be bored away to make room for the phial. I re- member that a cage something like the one I have in mind, was made and used some ten years ago to some extent by Eastern breeders. Instead of the water receptacle being made of glass, it was made of tin. That these cages did not come into general use for shipping pur- poses I attribuie to the fact that they were made too shallow. I think if our queen-breeders will not construct their shipping-cages with water reservoirs in them, or if they can- not make a "candy" that will remain perfectly soft for six or ten days with- out either becoming too soft or too hard, so that a small cage need not weigh over one ounce when ready to drop into the post-office, then they should demand in their advertisement that when queens are to be sent to distant places (say 2,000 miles or across the continent to points on the Pacific coast), the pur- chaser should add enoug^h more to the listed price to pay for the cost of extra- sized shipping cases and provisions. I think that 10 cents would be a fair price to add for this extra cost. This would allow the shipper to use an export cage, or one of those reservoir cages containing water. A little more liberal- ity on the part of both purchaser and breeder would be the means of saving the life of many a queen-bee ; it would also be the cause of saving the breeder replacing a good many queens that die when being shipped to a distant point, and the purchaser would be saved a good deal of annoyance, as he would not have to wait, as I have had to do on more than one occasion, before getting a live queen. I have always felt sorry for a breeder whose queens die en route to the purchaser ; it makes me feel that I would like to share the loss with him when such queen was sent to me. It was my intention to give the names of the several persons in the East and in the South, that I carried on my ex- periments with, but the present nature of this article will, I think, make that entirely unnecessary ; besides, as some of these persons were queen-breeders, some of my readers might think that I was endeavoring to give them a free advertisement. In leaving this subject, I would again impress upon the breeder who is about to ship a queen to this part of Califor- nia, or for that matter, to any part of this State, to be sure that the candy he intends to provision his cage with, will remain in a nice, soft condition during the entire trip, and that the ventilation be ample during the summer and limited during the spring, as during the latter time the bees may have to pass through a mountainous country much colder than the region where they were reared. Do not think that because your queen is going to California she is going to get into Paradise the moment she leaves your hands. There may be a very severe purgatorial period before her, and, perhaps, this probationary spell might be so severe upon her that she might be obliged to go to a worse place than to California. North Temescal, Calif. * ' A ;?Ioderii Uee-Farm and Its Economic Management," is the title of a splendid book on practical bee-colture, t>y Mr. S. Simmins, of England. It is .5%x8>^ inches in size, and contains 270 pages, nicely illustrated, and bound in cloth. It shows "how bees may be cultivated as a means of livelihood; as a health-giving pursuit ; and as a source of recreation to the busy man." It also illustrates how profits may be " made certain by growing crojjs yielding the most honey, having also other uses ; and by judgment in breeding a good working strain of bees." Price, post- paid, from this office, SI. 00; or clubbed with the Bee Journal for one year, for J1.60. 88 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. The Eastern Iowa Conyeiitlon. Written for the Americmi Bee Journal BY FRANK COVERDALE. The Eastern Iowa Bee-Keepers' Con- vention was called to order at 2 p.m. on Dec. 13, 1893, with Vice-President F. M. Merritt in the chair. The meet- ing was of unusual interest, and from beginning to end, rapid discussions were the order of the day. THE WIDTH OF SECTIONS. " What width of sections shall we use for dollars-and-cents results ?" Mr. Hines — I prefer 1%-inch sections, because they are nearer Nature's way. Mr. Bryan — I would have 1^, rather than wider. Mr. Merritt — We only get money for 'each pound, when we ship to the com- mission men ; this being the case, where would we gain by using narrower sec- tions ? Frank Coverdale— I think that nar- rower sections will be finished up nicer by the bees, and while being built they are capped sooner because the honey ripens quicker. Then, again, many grocery - men will give 16 cents per pound, and sell them over the counter at 16 cents a piece, and make a good profit. Mr. Merritt — There is certainly one good point, that thin combs in these narrow sections will be. ripened much quicker. EIGHT OR TEN FRAME HIVES — WHICH ? The convention was divided on this subject. However, rather more pre- ferred only 8 frames. SELF-HIVING ARRANGEMENTS. " Can a self-hiver be invented that would be a success ?" Mr. Head — Mr. Dibbern, of Illinois, claims to have a hiver that is a success. Mr. Hines — It seems that the experi- ment stations have condemned them. and that none have been invented that are a success. Mr. Merritt — I don't think that I want any of the present self-hivers. Mr. Hines — I would not discourage in- vention, for who knows what may yet be accomplished? Frank Coverdale — If 4 swarms are on the wing at once, and one queen gets through the perforations, and the api- arist away, all 4 swarms will perhaps fly away. Mr. Merritt — I would advise clipping the queens' wings, and this is ray prac- tice. Mr. Bryan — Do you lose many queens by clipping ? Mr. Merritt — I have lost none that I could trace to that practice. THE USE OF QUEEN-EXCLUDERS. " Shall we use queen-excluders over the brood-nest?" Mr. Kimble — Brood-frames should not be used for extracting when a fancy article is wanted. Mr. Bryan — We have not excluded the queen from the upper chamber, and I can't see any difference in the color of the honey. Frank Coverdale — Zinc honey-boards seem to suffer since the onward march of wide and deep top-bars, although I think it very agreeable to find no brood in the extracting chamber. Mr. Kimble — I think the zinc excluder a hindrance to the bees. Mr. Merritt — I find no use for them. Frank Coverdale — When ray new swarms are hived, they are hived on starters below, and the wood-zinc honey- board placed on top of the new hive, and full sheets of comb foundation are used in the sections with all the unfinished sections from the old hive on top of the queen-excluder. All is done at the time of hiving, and great forces of workers rush for the unfinished sections, and the combs that are built below are occupied by the queen as fast as built. Is not this a desirable state of affairs ? Mr. Head — I put my sections on at the time of hiving, and use no excluder. I have very little bother with queens going above. FLOWERS AND NECTAR. " Would there be more profit for bee- keepers at large, if the flowers would yield more nectar?" Mr. Hines — In 1886, when we had such a flow of nectar, nice section honey- went begging at 8 cents a pound at Anamosa. AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 89 Mr. Merritt — We haven't bees enough to gather what nectar there is. Supply and demand rules this, the same as in other products of the soil. Frank Coverdale — He that "doeth all things well," has attended to this mat- ter, and our part is to keep plenty of bees and manage them wisely. I think the bloom yields about right. Mr. Bryan — Sugar is a staple article — honey will not be. SHALL WE PAINT THE HIVES ? Mr. Hines — I believe that they should not be painted. Unpainted hives throw off the moisture through the pores of the wood. Mr. Kimble — Hives should be painted to keep the joints close, and covers from warping. Mr. Hines — Won't the wax attend to that all right? Mr. Kimble — Open joints increase chances of moth and robber-bees. All hives should be painted white — a non- heat condensing color. If a hive is to be porous to carry off moisture, raise the cover or raise the hive up from the bottom-board. Mr. Hines — That is a different kind of ventilation. Frank Coverdale — Bees winter best in hives that are not painted. Mr. Merritt— I agree with the ma- jority, that for wintering, the hives should not be painted. However, I like to see nice hives. COMB HONEY AND SWARMING. " Can we secure more surplus comb honey by allowing one prime swarm ?" Mr. Hines — All the time that it takes to build a new set of brood-combs is lost, and I would rather keep them at work in the sections. Mr. Benton — I would rather my bees wouldn't swarm, for in so doing the comb honey crop is decreased, in my location. Mr. Kimble — I want one swarm from each colony, because then I will have two colonies for the latter part of the clover crop, and two colonies to gather the fall crop, and the two will gather more than the one. Frank Coverdale — I can't prevent swarming, and so I have to do the best I can with swarms. My method is to run all the working force into the new swarm for 14 days after hiving, then double the increase for the fall crop, and much nice comb honey will likely be the result. Mr. Merritt — New swarms build much nicer combs. SECOND DAY. The election of officers resulted as follows : President — F. M. Merritt, of Andrew. Vice-Presidents — D. Benton, of El- wood, and T. Hines, of Anamosa. Secretary — Frank Coverdale, of Wel- ton. Treasurer — Wm. Kimble, of DeWitt. Anamosa was chosen as the place for holding the next meeting. WINTERING BEES. Mr. Bryan lays a good, full frame of honey on top of the frames, then packs well on top. He loses about one-fourth of his bees. Mr. Kimble — I have changed my mind somewhat of late years, and think best to keep it cool in early winter especially, even below zero wou't hurt if it is dry. Warm up towards spring. Frank Coverdale — A dry cellar is good for bees in winter, even if the tempera- ture does run low, but it is better to keep it at 42°; and to make them winter still better, build a fire every two weeks — a quick fire — that will make summer for a little while — 80° — and you will see all dead bees rolled out, and all made dry as summer, much the same as when put in. Eight years of this treatment has saved my bees. Mr. Benton — I like artificial heat in my cellar. I never lost any bees when a fire was built each week. Mr. Hines — My bees wintered quite well in the cellar at 38°, but I think it too low. Mr. Petch builds a fire in his cellar, and the bees near the top of the cellar winter rather the best, but all winter well. Mr. Benton — Forty colonies of my bees were wintered outside in chaff last win- ter, all in long boxes, each holding 12 hives. The covers were left sealed tight, and six inches of chaff packed snugly all around them, and the en- trance to the south. Not a single colony suffered in the least, and all came out very strong. Frank Coverdale — Aren't these discus- sions tending toward keeping bees both dry and warm for the best results ? Mr. Merritt — Never did I see bees winter better than did two of my colo- nies upstairs by the stove-pipe, where a buzzing was kept up all winter. A screen box was set in front for them to play in. Frank Coverdale — I put three colonies close to the stove-pipe upstairs, where they buzzed all winter on account of heat at times ; but they wintered per- 90 AMERICAN BEE JOURMAl-. fectly. A screen box was set in front of each. A committee was appointed to draft resolutions — Messrs. 'Benton, Hines and Bryan, after which the programme was again taken up. ARRANGEMENT OF HIVES. "Which way should hives face, how high from the ground should they be placed, and how many in a group ?" Mr. Hines — I find it is well to have hives well up from the ground. This malies it easy for my back, and weeds can be cut handier around them. Mr. Benton — I think that when tier- ing up, one can do better with a hive within 4 inches of the ground. Mr. Coverdale — I practice clipping the queens' wings, and must have the hives close to the ground ; and during the clover harvest, with five section crates on top, that's high enough. Mr. Hines — Facing hives when carried from the cellar is of vital importance. I would like to have them in groups of four, but when I so treated the bees in those facing south, they spring dwindled very badly. Mr. Merritt — I like mine to face the south. Mr. Coverdale — Much depends when they are taken from the cellar. If early, south facing will work more harm. It is the chilly breezes that chill them after the sun has tempted them out. I much prefer north facing of hives. Among the things on exhibition was a bee-hive made from plaster of Paris. Mr. Bryan, the exhibitor, claimed that bees did well in them, and that 50 cents was the cost of molding one. The following resolutions were adopted unanimously : Resolved, That the Eastern Iowa Bee- Keepers' Association tender our thanks to the Mayor and people of Delmar for the use of their city hall, and for all favors received during the meeting. Resolved, That we also tender our most heartfelt thanks to Mr. Frank Coverdale, our Secretary, for reporting our past meetings so faithfully, and for all the many favors he has rendered during the various terms that he has been Secretary of the association. Resolved, That we thank those who displayed supplies and fixtures for the benefit and instruction of all persons present at this meeting. W. E. Bryan, l Thomas O. Hines, [■ Com. DiLLMAN Benton, j The convention then adjourned. Frank Coverdale, Sec. tW Do not write anything- for publication on the same sheet of paper witn business matters, unless it can be torn apart without interfering with either part of the letter. Turpentine for Bee-Stings. For bee-stings, extract the sting and apply one drop of spirits of turpentine, and no swelling and no pain will be felt in one minute. Mark Tovell. Guelph, Ont. Large Crop of Honey Expected. We have had glorious rains, which prophesy a larger crop of honey than last year in tliis section of Southern California. H. SONTAG. Cucamonga, Calif., Dec. 28, 1893. Bees and Berries. We are having fine weather for bees to winter. Mine are on the summer stands in chaff hives. They had a nice flight on Christmas. I am new in the business, with 9 colonies, spring count. I increased them to 17, and took off 503 pounds of surplus comb honey, which I sold for 15 cents per pound, by the aid of the American Bee Journal. I want to increase them to 100 colonies. My wife says I have got the bee- fever. I hope so. I have four acres of berries, and peddle berries and honey. The bees help the berries, and berries help the bees. H. L. Goodrich. Stockbridge, N. Y. Glucose With a Little Honey in It. If the editor will allow me, I will try to explain J. H. Martin's protest, on page 819, to part of Mr. Newman's reply to my arti- cle on page 698— "But in California he seems to be making it almost pure glucose." This has reference to P. H. Hunt, of Red- lands, Calif. When I wrote the article, I told all I knew about it at the time, and of course left wrong impressions with the readers of the Bee Jouhnal. Since then I have found the man who used his little steam boiler, and helped mix the honey with the glucose, right here in St. Paul. I am sorry wrong impressions got out, but I could not help it, and beg the pardon of Mr. Martin, and all the other producers and sellers of pure honey in California. St. Paul, Minn. J. A. Holmberg. AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 91 Will Make a Bee-Keeping a Specialty. I have not been very successful with my bees the past season — they have just about paid expenses. I comiuenced the season with 85 colonies, and increased them to CO, all of which are in the cellar, and are win- tering well so far. I am going to make a specialty of the bee-business in the future. I have been in the business six years, com- mencing when I was 15. I am going to stick to it until success crowns my efforts. G. F. Tubes. Turtle Point, Pa., Jan. 5, 1894. Fine Weather for the Bees. I find the Bee Joukxal a great help to me, and would not do without it as long as I have bees. The weather is fine here at present. The bees were out for a flight for three days at Christmas time. Hamilton, Ont. James Somerville. Seem to Be Wintering Well. The winter here has been a mild one so far, and bees seem to be wintering well. The mercury at no time has been lower than 10 degrees above zero. White clover promises well, and with favorable spring weather we anticipate a good honey crop for the year 1894. F. H. Coleman. Sneedville, Tenn., Jan. 1, 1894. Farming, Poultry and Bees. My bees are wintering well so far. They are quietly humming in the cave. We have had 10 inches of snow this winter so far. I have a 40-acre farm, and had $200 worth of corn, 1200 worth of honey, |135 worth of stock, bees .fl5, and poultry $50. Total, $600. This is what I sold the past year. I was not out any money for hired help. Anthon, Iowa. Geo. W. Nance. Moving Bees in Winter, Etc. Last winter, when the mercury was be- low zero, I moved my 40 colonies of bees from Moberly to this place (4J-^ miles) in a farm wagon, with a foot of straw under them to take the jar ofl". I wrote to the Bee Journal, asking what was thought would be the result, and was told that prob- ably the bees would suffer much damage, and requested me to report results. Well, I am happy to say that every colony was alive and in good condition on March 15th. At that time I went to St. Louis and re- mained until in July. The spring turned out to be very cold and wet, and my wife (she and her sister remained in Elliott to attend to the bees) removed the packing too soon, and failed to feed some colonies that needed it, and the consequence was, that when I came back I had 26 colonies in- stead of 46. There was an abundance of white clover bloom, but it yielded no nectar, and as it was too cold and wet for the bees to get anything from fruit-bloom, they got barely enough from other sources to "keep up running expenses." In July I wanted to sell out, and move to St. Louis, but though I offered 26 colonies and an extractor and other supplies for $100, I could And no purchaser, so I con- cluded to stay here and tend to the bees myself. I just pitched in, and by Spanish- needle bloom, I had 23 colonies of Italian bees just booming, and though the bloom only lasted eight days, on account of dry weather, yet I got 810 pounds of magnifi- cent extracted honey, which I let the bees ripen and cap over, and 32 pounds of comb honey. The extracted I sold for 123^ cents, and the comb for 20 cents. The Spanish- needle did not yield well. I now (Dec. 15th) have 23 colonies in Heddon hives, with a wooden butter-dish lengthwise across the frames, and 3 inches of dry sawdust above them, and straw packed around the hives, which set 3 inches apart in two rows, back to back, and the whole thing covered with boards. I have bought 167 acres of land, and I in- tend next year to attend to my bees and farm it. In season, I shall do nothing but attend to the bees. Two years ago, when I first commenced with 60 colonies of bees in Heddon and dovetailed hives, I said through the Bee Journal that I did not like the Heddon hive. I now desire to apologize to Mr. Heddon, and will say that I would not h^ve any other hive on my place. It is easy, quick and convenient to manipulate; the best to move, on account of having shallow combs, and I can contract or expand the brood-nest in half a minute. It is best in every way for both comb and extracted honey. F. H. Richardson. Elliott, Mo. The Last Season a Poor One. The past season was so poor that we are discouraged. My bees set out to do some- thing, but they did well for two or three weeks, and swarmed as long as they could get an ounce of honey. By July 10th they were through. There were then about 100 colonies in all, and quite a number left their hives, or died, and I doubled up until I had 68 to put into the cellar. I think they were in good condition for winter. This is my 76th Christmas. A. F. Crosby. Sheffield, Iowa, Dec. 25, 1893. A Busy Lady Bee-Keeper, I will explain how I came to take up the bee work. My husband's health failed, as well as his inclination to attend to the bees, and he has now been confined to his bed since Feb. 10, 1893, with both legs bent up by disease, a hopeless cripple. I have 71 colonies of bees, and alone have done all the work about them, as well as the work of the house, for a number of years, but I took time to visit Chicago and the Fair in October. Mrs. O. W. Barker. Nunda, N. Y., Dec. 28, 1893. l__J 92 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL,. Bee-Keeping' in North Dakota. I am in the far West, in an Indian Indus- trial School, teaching the girls to sew, but I think I much pi-efer being at my home — Alexandria, Minn. — among my bees, but my husband got employment here, and of course I came, too, but I long for the time when I can be at home with my bees. I do not think this part of Dakota is good to keep bees in, as there is not a continuation of blossoms for them to work on. There are plenty of late fall flowers, but not early spring flowers, and the winters are so long and cold. Mks. J. W. Blackwell. Ft. Totten, N. Dak. Unfavorable Season Last Year. The past season has been discouraging, as a severe drouth set in the latter part of June, and continued all summer. Bees did well in June and the forepart of July, but after that time they did very little. Bees are in bad condition for winter, but have wintered well so far. The outlook is not very good for next season, as the main source for honey — white clover — was badly injured by the drouth. I have about 30 colonies not in the best condition. J. Seiboli). Homer, Ills., Jan. 4, 1894. Sweet Clover and Alfalfa. To our friend at "Williamsburg, Ivans.. I would say that it is all a mistake, about the honey of sweet clover being dark. There is no finer honey gathered in the United States than that from this same sweet clover. More, it will yield honey from the time it blooms until frost. It will do this in almost any climate, but I am in doubt about it not '-spreading rapidly." The hills of this city are covered with it, and it all came from a few plants in gar- dens. I saw acres of it at Union Springs, N. Y., that spread in the same way in a very short time. But why sow sweet clover in Kansas, where alfalfa will make a fine crop, and produce " tons of honey " of the very best quality ? Not only this, but it makes good hay, fine pasture, is just the thing to bring up "rundown" land; and, therefore, is a very profitable crop to cultivate. Emerson T. Abbott. St. Joseph, Mo. Suggests that Bees Do Hear. On page 205 of the Bee Journal for 1893, it is asked — Do bees hear ? and the writer refers to G. M. Doolittle's opinion. Careful reflection will (unless bees are exceptions to other air-breathing insects and animals) do much to solve that query. There are probably no insects or animals which, as a rule, do not hear. The ability to make any noise implies an object or ap- preciation of sound. No one would ques- tion that a rattle-snake, though naturally of a quiet and retiring disposition, is cog- nizant of its own music. Bee-keepers readily recognize the buzz of a bee — whether angry or peaceful — as it sports before his eyes, watching every movement. If the keynote is high, the ex- perienced bee-keeper moves slowly until smoke softens the key. Is it to be presumed that a bee does not. like the rattle-snake, hear its own song '. Who among bee-keep- ers has not seen a young queen moving rapidly among her subjects, and piping as she went ? Why did she pipe, if there were none to hear ? What instinct taught her to do a useless thing ? T. F. Bingham. Abronia, Mich. Queens Lost in the Mails. I have only 9 colonies — I had 10. but I lost 2 queens, then I sent for 4 tested yellow queens, but when I received them, 2 were dead, and another one nearly so. The next morning it was dead. So I just united the 2 colonies that were queenless, and gave them the remaining queen. There had been a very cold snap about the time they crossed the mountains, and they were in the post-office three days ere I got them. Their attendant bees were nearly all dead, too. Geo. H. Stockdill. Alturas. Calif. He Thinks Bees Also "Strike." In a recent issue of the Bee Journal, the " Random Stinger ", hints that it is only men'" vat go on shtrikes." But I would inform "The Stinger" that bees some- times go on strikes, too. and that it is just as inconvenient and unprofitable to have them do so as to liave strikes of any kind. Last June we had 14 colonies with undip- ped queens, that showed signs of swarming, and thinking there was not time to clip those queens just then, we put on the Alley queen-traps in the morning, and at noon two colonies were at work as usual, while 12 were virtually on a strike —not one bee at work — and the fronts of the hives, traps and all. were completely cov- ered. The objectionable traps were re- moved, and every queen in the yard clip- ped in a very short time, but it took the 12 colonies three days before they went to work with the same " vim "' as before the trouble. I may state that honey was com- ing in freely at the time. Wm. Russell. Minnehaha Falls, Minn. ''Xlie Iloiiey-Uce : Its Natural History, Anatomy and Physiology." is the title of the book written by Thos. Wm. Cowan, editor of the British Bee Journal. It is bound in cloth, beautifully illustrated, and very interesting. Price. $1.00. post- paid; or we club it with the Bee Journal one year for ^1.(5.5. We have only three of these books left. weekly, $1 a Year. \ °^^°^^''.^^^^^^^eV-''<5^Ure. \ Sample Copy Free. VOL XXXllI. CHICAGO, ILL, JAN. 25, 1894. NO. 4. "^^ GEORGE W YORK.%s^ Ilecs"*vnx, so it is said, is formed by one equivalent of starch changed into fat by losing one equivalent of carbonic acid and seven equivalents of oxygen. Xlic Oliio Convention will be omitted this winter. So we are informed by Miss Dema Bennett, the Secretary of the association. She says that the Execu- tive Committee has so decided, but will hold one next winter. Due notice of time and place will be given in the Bee Journal. Bi'O. €!eo. '^N. Brodbeclc, of Los Angeles, Calif., has been appointed chair- man of a committee to secure and put in place the bee and noney exhibit at the Mid- winter Fair now being held in San Fran- cisco. It is proposed that a •• honey pyramid," consisting of comb and extracted honey, be built, six feet square at the base, and 15 feet high. It is thought that 1,500 pounds will be required, and that this will exceed the famous Egyptian pyramids — in sweet- ness. California bee-keepers are invited to help make the display, which, no doubt, they will do in a handsome manner. JSi-o. Cw. M. l>ooIittle is writing a series of semi-political articles for the Fne Press of Skaneateles. N. Y. The first is on " The Tariff Wrong in Principle."' Another will be on ' ' The Tariff for Protection Wrong;" the next on "The Tariff for Revenue Wrong;" then will come two articles on "The Liquor TraflBc," which will probably be followed by one on the finan- cial situation of our country. If the reader desires to see all these articles, send 25 cents to the F'ree Press for three months subscription, asking the publisher to begin with Bro. Doolittle's first article, then you will have them all. For ourselves, we can say that we are always interested in what Bro. Doolittle may have to say, whether it be on bee-keeping, or anything else. Bees never puncture fruit, and un- less the skin has been broken by other in- sects or birds, they never molest it. — Neiv- man. ISii!!iii$ of Honey-I*retIi<'tions. — Finally, we think we have learned upon what basis certain honey-prophets base their prophecies about honey crops. It ap- pears to be something like this: The more rain and snow in November and December, the more honey there will be the following season ; and if there is no rain or snow in the two months mentioned, there will be no honey. The predictions are made upon the re- ports of the State Weather Bureaus, or the Weather Bureau reports in Washington, D. C. All who wish to test the reliability of such a basis for a honey-prediction, should get the weather reports, and begin to foretell for themselves, and thus not be 104 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. required to await the movements of some so-called "honey-prophet." We believe the above rule for prophesy- ing is for linden, sourwood, and white clover honey. Who knows but this may be the secret to which the Tennessee honey-prophet, Sam Wilson, has been so tenaciously hanging on? We shouldn't be a bit surprised if it should prove to be that very secret. If so, every bee-keeper can now be his own " honey prophet " — whether he gets any honey or not. Jllr. ]\. \¥. MclL..ain— once in charge of a United States experiment apiary, and an apicultural writer — has been visiting recently at Mrs. Atchley's home. Mr. McLain's address is Hinsdale, Ills. I'Ue lotvii Iloiiey Kxllil>ii at the World's Fair, we have pleasure in illus- trating and describing this week. No sep- arate appropriation was made for the ex- hibit, but the Iowa Columbian Commis- sion, recognizing bee-culture as one of the many agricultural pursuits of the State, desired that a creditable exhibit of honey and wax should be made in connection with their agricultural exhibits, and for that purpose appointed Bro. E. Kretchmer, of Ked Oak, Iowa, on Jan. 14, 1893. This being too late to secure suitable honey for an exhibit from the crop ot 1892, only enough was placed in the case at the be- ginning of the Fair to retain the space. There being no money to buy the honey for a suitable exhibit, Mr. Kretchmer, by issuing several circulars, and making sev- eral personal visits to prominent apiarists, enlisted the aid of the Iowa bee-keepers, and nobly did they respond by loaning the honey that was exhibited in the Iowa case. Believing that much credit is due those who thus generously loan honey for exhi- bition purposes, we give the names of those who aided thus, and also what they con- tributed : E. J. Cronkleton, of Dunlap — 100 pounds of nice comb honey. F. A. Beals, of Salix — 480 pounds of ex- tracted basswood honey, and 544 pounds of comb honey. R. B. Arnold, of Foster— -20 pounds of white clover comb honey. T. C. DeClercq, of DeSoto — 60 pounds of extracted clover honey, (50 pounds of ex- tracted basswhod honey, and 105 pounds of comb honey. L. G. Clute, of Manchester — 20 pounds of very nice comb honey, an(i this was hon- ored with an award. A. J. Duncan, of Hartford — 50 pounds of extracted basswood honey. F. Furst, of Adair — 40 pounds of comb honey. Oliver Foster, of Mt. Vernon — 30 pounds of comb honey, and 60 pouuds of extracted honey ; which also received an award. Thos. O. Hines, of Anamosa — 91 pounds of comb honey. Thos. Johusou. of Coon Rapiuunds of extracted honey. Iowa Exhibit at the World's Fair. Noah Miller, of North English— 48 pounds of wliite clover comb honey. J. H. Stanford, of Cherokee— 20 pounds of aster honey, gathered in October, 1892. J. L. Sti'ong of Clarinda — 100 pounds of comb honey. J. H. Stephens, of Riverton — 60 pounds of extracted basswood honey, and 43 pounds of comb honey. Mont. Wyrick, of Cascade — 100 pounds of extracted honey. E. Kretchmer, of Red Oak — 100 pounds of alfalfa comb honey, which received an award ; also 200 pounds of extracted clover honey, which also received an award, and 175 pounds of clover comb honej-. Win. Kimble, of DeAVitt — o be the reverse, all queen-breeders are advertising the Gold- en Italian bees and queens. The Holy Land and Cyprian bees seem to have gone out of fashion ; so also the Albino. I see that the Carniolan race is not much advertised in the bee-papers any more. Well, I shall pin my faith to them for awhile yet, until I find some- thing better. A cross between the Carniolan and Italian race of honey-bees, makes won- derfully energetic bees; they protect their hives well, and are marvelous honey-gatherers. There has been a greater interest manifested in bees this season than for a long time, and I contemplate, from now on, that a great many will engage in this industry in the Sierra Nevada mountains. I am pleased to see that the Amekican Bee Journal is improving so steadily. Later on I shall give you some bee-notes for its columns. Grizzly Flats, Calif. Daiiier in ClimMiis for Sw arms, Etc. Written for the American Bee Journal BY LEWIS K. SMITH. As a caution to my brother bee-keep- ers, I will say : Don't climb unless you are sure of your footing. On the 26th of last May, I was called on to hive a swarm of bees that had settled high up in an apple tree. Having been a great climber from childhood's days, I bounded up to the top of the tree, and sawed off the limb containing the swarm while I stood on a limb below. The additional weight of the bees and limb split off the one on which I stood, and down came Smith, bees and all — a distance of 22 feet. That it did not kill me I am hum- bly thankful to Him who holds us in the hollow of his hand. For nearly two days I was partly paralyzed, and was finally relieved by the application of an electric battery, and other means ap- plied by two eminent physicians who were unremitting in their attentions day and night. Do we sufficiently appreciate th6 ar- duous labors of those men of science, working day and night with both mind and body, taxing every energy, and en- listing every sympathy of their being ? Is it wonderful that they wear out, break down, and die suddenly? When- ever I think of those terrible hours of suffering, when my digestive system was completely paralyzed, and my life was wavering in the balance, my heart goes out in thanksgiving to a merciful Provi- dence, and I treasure the faithful minis- trations of my physicians and friends. DRUMMING BEES FROM A HIVE WITH CROSSWISE COMBS. Let me add one suggestion to the in- structions to F. M. L., on page 716 of the Bee Journal for Dec. 7, 1893, relative to drumming bees out of a hive with cross combs, into a box above. If he will go to some hive having nice, straight comb, and get a frame or two 116 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. with unsealed brood, and put in the up- per box or hive, I am of the opinion his bees will go up more readily, and stay better contented. Then, too, it will be much easier to find the queen if he de- sires to supersede her. RESULTS OF THE PAST SEASON. From 66 colonies, spring count, some of them nuclei, my crop of section honey was between 400 and 500 pounds. This surplus was stored by a few extra- good colonies — one of them filling 78 sections, and not swarming. The queen of this colony was reared in 1892 from an imported Italian mother. Another that did well, was a cross be- tween the Italian and Carniolan stock. On the whole, I find the Carniolans much less desirable than the Italians. It may be that my Carniolans were not pure, but they are extra-good fighters, vindictive, and often pounce on me without provocation. So I've been su- perseding the queens for two years. Gainesboro, Tenn. Brace-Cofflls— Cause aiiJ PreYeullon. Written for the American Bee Journal BY E. J. CRONKLETON. Brace-combs and bees must be studied in connection, in order to arrive at cor- rect conclusions about brace-combs. I think I will be able to convince every well-informed bee-keeper — one who has well learned the nature, habits and in- stincts of the bee — that there is some truth in my theory, or at least it will cause him to do a little thinking, and that is healthful. We all know how irritable the bee is, especially by a jar — the least little jar will bring a response from every bee in the hive. Well, suppose it does, what of that? Well, nothing particular, only we learn something by it. Suppose the frames are loose at their bearings, rest- ing on metal bearings for your conven- ience, and a perfect torment to the bees — torment because they cannot glue them down at the ends, and their walk- ing over the combs causes them to trem- ble, and a bee cannot stand that — it is a constant annoyance. What is the re- sult? Why, brace-combs are the in- evitable result ? They go right at it, and brace up and strengthen those combs, just as long as there is the least jar or tremble about them. Years ago, when I was taking my first lessons in the art of bee-culture, I had but few brace-combs ; but the metal-bearing craze was sprung on me. I had considerable trouble prying the frames loose from their bearings, so I thought this will be nice — I can just pick the combs out — it will be a pleasure indeed. The result was just as fine a lot of brace-combs as any one ever saw. The bees literally filled the spaces be- tween the top-bars up, only leaving here and there a hole to pass through to the section. Well, I looked at them as I examined hive after hive, and I thought I was un- done entirely. It looked very much as though my elegant scheme had mis- carried, while the bees had made a per- fect success of theirs, though I, at that time, had not the remotest idea what caused the bees to interlace the combs in that manner. I could easily see that I would better fall back on first principles, which I did, and brace-combs have disappeared ever since, with me, in proportion to the pains that I have taken to have the combs well fastened in the hives. I have no scheme for fastening the frames, just so they will not tremble and shake when the bees travel over them. Mr. Heddon's thumb-screw business would be just the thing. The Hoffman frame can be used to advantage. Suit yourselves, and use your own judgment, and your own resources. I have said nothing about burr-combs, from the fact that I am not certain that I know anything about them. I see a difference, but I think their mission is the same. Try this, and I am satisfied you will see that I am right for ouce. Dunlap, Iowa. CouTeiition IVotices. WISCONSIN.— The Wisconsin Bee-Keepers' Association will meet in Madison, Wis., on Feb. 7 and 8, 1894. An kiterestiug- meeting is expected. It is earnestly hoped there may be a full attendance. J. W. Yaxce, Cor. Sec. Madison. Wis. Kansas.— There will be a meeting of the Southeastern Kansas Bee-Keepers' Associa- tion on March 10, 1894, at the apiaries of Thomas Willett, 5 miles northeast of Bron- son, Bourbon Co.. Kansas. All are invited to come. J. C. Balch, Sec. Bronson, Kans. A Binder for holding a year's num- bers of the Bee Journal we mail for only 50 cents ; or clubbed witb the Journal for $1.40. AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 117 ^'.^'.^^' Tie MlcMEaii State ConYeution. BpporU'd for the •• Aincriean Bee Journal "' BY W. Z. HUTCHINSON. The Michigan Bee-Keepers' Associa- tion held their 28th annual convention on Jan. 2 and 3, 1894-, in the Common Council Chambers in the city of Flint. The convention was called to order by President Taylor, and the following members paid their dues : M. H. Hunt, Bell Branch. L. A. Aspinwall, Jackson. Hon. R. L. Taylor, Lapeer. Wm. Anderson, Imlay City. H. D. Cutting, Tecumseh. W. Z. Hutchinson, Flint. August, Koeppen, Flint. Earl Post, Atlas. E. M. Miller, Swartz Creek. M. S. West, Flint. H. Webster, Byron. H. L. Hutchinson, Mayville. E. G. Grimes, Vernon. Byron Walker, Evart. Chas. Koeppen, Flint. Andre Torry, Flint. M. McWain, Grand Blanc. L. H. Root, Prattville. Jas. Cowe, Imlay City. Juo. Cowe, Imlay City. Pres. Taylor then read the following essay, entitled, Apicultural Work at Experiment Stations. If I appear to any to go into devious paths in a brief treatment of the topic assigned me, it is owing to the latitude which the topic itself gives me. And first I ask, do bee-keepers want it ? that is, do they want that sort of work at the stations? I am sometimes in doubt about it. I judge somewhat from the course of my own feelings in the matter. Before I became connected with the work and began to study into it, I was not inclined to esteem it over highly, but now if I were to express my thoughts and feelings freely, you would no doubt think me on the verge of the domain whose inhabitants are called cranks. Such is the effect of contact and acquaintance. Now, while the great body of bee-keepers has not the enthusiasm which close contemplation begets, yet if called upon they would vote pretty unanimously in favor of the work. Then the question suggests itself, why would they vote for it? Provision has been made by the general government by which the agricultural college of each State is to receive annually a cer- tain sum of money to be devoted to the support of an experiment station in the interest of agriculture and kindred pur- suits generally. This sum was to be in the first instance, as I understand it, $15,000, and after that to be increased by the sum of $1,000 each year until the amount of 250,000 is reached, which is then to remain fixed at that point. That is, that is to be the course of affairs, unless the ideas of economy of the present administration at Wash- ington require that this money be kept in the general treasury. This is a con- siderable sum of money, and apiculture is equitably entitled to all and more than it is now getting in this State. Now is it simply because they are equitably entitled to it, that the bee- keepers would claim a just share to be devoted to apicultural work, like a school-boy unwilling that his fellow should use his sled whether he wants it himself or not? Or is it because they feel it is not only their right, but to their advantage? Have they such a lively faith in the probable value of results that they will scrutinize and study them ? That bee-keepers should have an active interest in these matters is of the utmost importance if the work is to go on. Those in authority are generally quite ready to be directed by the will of those they serve, if they can learn cer- tainly what that will is. Can the work be made of real value? Take one item. For myself, I have be- come more and more impressed with the importance of a thorough knowledge of foundations designed for use in sections for the production of comb honey. Much has been guessed, but so far as I can learn little is yet known on this subject. In the experiment of which I recently gave an account, one of the objects aimed at was to determine, if possible if there was a difference among themi and, if so, what kind was of such a nature as to enable the bees to work it down most nearly to the thinness and character of natural comb. To me the 118 AMERICAN BEE JOURiSiA^. results were very satisfactory and en- couraging, and this not because one kind was sliown to be better than another, but because it appeared that a method had been hit upon by which the relative value of foundations could be practically determined. But this, it seems, is only a beginning. Now that a door is open, many other questions come up at the very threshold and press for a solution. What makes the difference amung foundations? Is it the character of the machine used in making, or the character of the wax? or is it the method of dealing with the wax? Then, if comb from foundation is made as thin as the natural comb, is it still more tenacious, or is it equally friable and tender? Again, it is well understood that the natural comb is not composed entirely of wax, but that other substances are com- bined with the wax. Can anything be done to imitate the natural comb in this, and so make foundation even less subject to the charge of being an adul- teration than it is at present ? This suggests the matter of economy of wax in the use of foundation thus : What is the per cent, of wax wasted, not to say worse than wasted, when so made into foundation that the septa of comb re- sulting is 60 per cent, thicker than the septa of natural comb? or, to put it in another way, if foundation whose septa the bees will work down to a thinness of 90/10,000 of an inch is worth 60 cents, what is that worth whose septa the bees will work down to a thickness of 60/10,000 of an inch ? Probably from 25 to 40 per cent. more. If a man uses much foundation, this should touch him at the tenderest point. i try not to be carried off my feet by enthusiasm, perhaps, nevertheless, I may be. What do bee-keepers who stand off at arm's length think of the value of such investigation ? It will not do to say it is better not to agitate these and such like questions, it will only call the attention of consumers to the defects of comb honey as now produced, and injure its sale. It can hardly injure the sale of honey for con- sumers to know that we are trying earnestly to improve its quality, but if on eating it a heavy wad of wax forms in the mouth, that will do the work though the eater may hardly know ex- actly why. Nothing finds so ready a market as goods that give a fine sensa- tion to the palate in every particular. We are bound to make our comb honey equal in every respect to that produced by the bees unaided by foundation, if we can. I can think of nothing that would have a greater tendency to popularize the work of the station, and to excite the interest of the bee-keeping fraternity in it, than to enlist as many as possible in the matter of making suggestions as to subjects and methods of experiment, but more especially as to methods. Sub- jects are plentiful and easily discovered, but simple and satisfactory methods are often slow to suggest themselves. I meditated upon the matter all summer before a practical plan for the compari- son,of coaibs made from different foun- dations presented itself ; to another mind the first thought would have been the right one. Now, I am at work endeavoring to discover a method of procedure for de- termining the cause of the wintering trouble. I want it to be so plain that every one will recognize it as the right one, and be compelled to accept its ut- terances as final. It is hardly necessary to say that it is still undiscovered, but perhaps our own journal, the Review, might furnish us the key by means of a symposium of numerous brief articles addressed to this one point. Finally, as a closing paragraph, I want to take this opportunity to make a suggestion to the apicultural journals of the country. I am no journalist — I make no professions of knowing how to conduct a journal, and, I am not going to offer any advice on that point, but I wonder if some of them without detri- ment to themselves could not give a little more active assistance in sustain- ing the work by an effort to create a more general interest in its behalf. For that purpose, probably nothing could be better than candid criticism. R. L. Taylok. At the close of the essay Pres. Taylor remarked : " I suppose it is known that no appropriation has been made to con- tinue this work for more than one year, and whether it is to be continued will depend somewhat upon the action taken by this meeting. It would also be well to have a committee appointed to decide in regard to the line of experiments that are to be conducted." M. H. Hunt — In regard to the experi- ments of foundation, I would suggest that there is a great difference in wax, and this alone might account for much of the difference reported. Pres. Taylor — I know that there is a difference in wax, but I could have all of the foundation made from the same AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 119 batch. I could make some from it, and then send some to you, some to Dadant, and to others. Wm. Anderson — There is a great need of experiments in regard to wintering. There is no drawback so great as this, here in the North. L. A. Aspinwall — I have experimented for 20 years with machinery, and the profits for the last five years have paid for all the experiments. If we could learn how to successfully winter our bees, there would be a saving of thou- sands of dollars. Upon motion of Mr. Hunt a commit- tee of three (W. Z. Hutchinson, L. A. Aspinwall and Wm. Anderson) was ap- pointed to draft a resolution expressing the views of the convention, in regard to the desirability of having the experi- mental work continued, the selection of a man to do the work, and the appoint- ment of a committee to decide in regard to the line of work to be done. Next came an essay from the Hon. Geo. E. Hilton, on the Advantages of Northern Michigan for Honey-Production. That Northern Michigan has advanta- ges over the southern or older portions of the State, none familiar with the pro- ductions of honey can deny. But to know the advantages of any locality one must be familiar with the flora. The first advantage to be derived from these newer localities is the early flow. In springs following winters of deep snows our bees are bringing in pollen and some from the willows before the snow is all gone. The soft maples soon follow, then the hard or sugar maple, from which we get large quantities of honey. I have said" that I believed were the bees in as good condition to store honey as during the bassv/ood flow, it would come in nearly as fast. The honey very much resembles maple syrup. I think, how- ever, that it gets its color from the mix- ture of dandelion that comes in at the same time. As I prefer to have this all used in the brood-nest, I do not put on the surplus cases until the raspberry bloom opens, but I have extracted from the stronger colonies' brood-nests to give the queen room, and fed to the weaker ones, and if you have never tried it you would be surprised at the results with the weak colony. From what I have already written, you will readily see that our bees are in the very best possible condition to store surplus at the opening of the raspberry bloom. The blackberry comes before this is gone, and lasts until clover, and clover lasts until basswood, so you see it gives a continuous flow of white honey from berry bloom to close of basswood. Some years ago one of the oldest honey-producers in the State (one who lives in the village where they keep the in- sane and raise celery, and who wintered his bees in a damp cellar, and brought them out in the spring reeking with mold, and declared they wintered splen- didly), came to make me a visit during the berry bloom, before clover was in blossom. We went into the yard, and he remarked that my bees seemed strong. " Oh, yes," I said, " they are doing very nicely." I raised the cover to one of my chaff hives — "What!" he said, "got siirplus cases on f " Oh, yes," I said ; and step- ping to the next hive 1 showed him one tiered up, and the top one nearly finished. " Well, if that don't beat me ! Why, I had not thought of putting on a super ' yet," he further remarked. On looking further, he admitted there were more bees in one of my hives than in any three of his. That year I took 1,500 pounds of berry bloom honey from 65 colonies, but I never knew blackberry to produce so much honey as in that year. My aver- age, that year, was 80 pounds per col- ony, comb honey. Two years ago last September, I was sick the entire month. As soon as I could safely get out, I commenced a trip among the bee-keepers, partially for a visit, but principally to buy honey. The most promising fields I found were in Mecosta, Clare, Isabella, Montcalm, Osceola and Lake counties, and the honey I found, as a whole, was of the best quality I ever bought. At Martiney, in Mecosta county, I found a fine lot produced by a young lady. In Clare county I found nice lots, also in Osceola county. In all these counties they get their honey principally from raspberry and willow-herb. The willow-herb com- ing soon after the berry bloom, and last- ing until frost. In all these counties I did not see a section of dark honey, and here comes the sequel to their successful wintering — the brood-chambers are well filled with this white, well-ripened honey, and very little pollen (the willow- • herb produces but little pollen) ; the bees breed -up so fast, and the hives are teeming full of good, healthy bees. In these counties, in the spring and early summer, there are thousands of acres of wild berries, and in the latter 120 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. part of the summer and fall just as many of the willow-herb. In Lake county there was less timber, and the golden-rod predominates in the fall, and there is not so much willow- herlj. From Baldwin north there are acres and acres of golden-rod, that re- semble fields of wheat. If I could be with you, I could tell you much more about this country than I can write, and it is the first time, I think, in 14 years, that I have missed a State con- vention. I wish you all a pleasant and profit- able time, which I know you will have. Geo E. Hilton. Byron Walker — I have been in the locality of the willow-herb one year, and it did not yield honey that year. I be- lieve it is considered a sure producer of honey. In Clare county there are many asters, and bees have died in the winter. Perhaps the yield was light. Chas. Koeppen — I believe that more depends upon ventilation than upon the stores. The foul air and moisture must be carried off. I have two apiaries — in one there was a good yield, and in the other but little. H. L. Hutchinson — I have not had a .failure with golden-rod in ten years. E. G. Grimes — Alsike furnishes the most honey in my locality. Mr. Koeppen — Alsike is like other plants. Sometimes it furnishes honey, and sometimes not. H. Webster asked if there was any foundation in the assertion that some bees gathered honey from red clover while others did not. W. Z. Hutchinson — I one year had 1,000 pounds of honey from red clover. It was the result of a drouth that short- ened the tubes of the blossoms. I had Macks, hybrids and Italians in the yard, and they all gathered honey from red clover. August Koeppen said that it would pay to move bees to some other locality only when there was nothing that could be gathered at home. Migratory bee- keeping is largely practiced in Germany. (Continued next week.) ''I'lie Honcy-ISee : Its Natural History, Anatomy and Physiology," is the title of the book written by Thos. Wm. Cowan, editor of the JJritixh JJee Journal. It is bound in cloth, beautifully illustrated, and very interesting. Price, -SI. 00, post- paid ; or we club it with the Bee Journal one year for .$1.6.5. We have only three of these books left. From "The Stinger.' The " Stinger's " a poet,i Knows a sheep from a goa-et. And he stings at random all day ; He thinks he's a honey. Because he's so funny — For reference see A. B. J. — Progrexsivc Bee- Keeper No, I'm not a poet, Neither did I know-et, Nor do I sting all the livelong day ; Once a week I've some fun Making you folks jump and run — So, what more do you wish me to say ? A certain editor reckoned without his host when he tried to heap more accom- plishments upon Editor York than the latter was entitled too. Though Mr. York is a hard working man in the office of the Bee Jouknal. he is saved the task of doing the stinging; which is, at times, hard work, for some of the people and things that "The Stinger " has to punctuate are pretty tough. I think the reason why Editor York is not a " Stinger " is because he has not had much to do with the Panics. If he linew from practical demonstrations what those bees were, he would probably become a stinger, too. This is not intended as a joke on somebody's bees. Rambler was hurt at last. For a time he was confined to the hospital, wliere I send all those who have been hit with my darts. He announced his injury in th'e Bee Jour- nal for Dec. 7', 1893, page 730, and he thought the wound inflicted by me must have been produced by a ramrod out of my gun. If he had been hurt as badly as he admitted he was, I am surprised. When my sting penetrated his thick liide he must have seen stars, consequently, at the same time, he had no trouble in magnifying a sting into the proportions of a ramrod. I would say in a fatherly way: My dear Rambler, keep your nose from rambling around in the loose way that you have been letting it stray about, and there will be little danger of its running up against the sting of The Stinger. Rambler says he smiled a " smole "' when his nose came in contact with my " stinger." Stings seem to liave the same efi'ect upon him that laughing-gas has upon a patient in a dentist's chair. Rambler, beware, for have you not heai'd that " laughing often comes to crying ? ' The next time we may AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 121 hear from you, you may be sitting in a corner crying, because the sting got into your nose a little below the tip, and it is hurting, you in a way that a sting never troubled you before. The mission of The Stinger is to reform the bee-keeping world. (Did I hear you say that that is impossible, dear reader?) There is no man in the world that needs reforming more than the Rambler, and so his threats to expose me if I do not cease troubling him, fall upon me as uselessly as if he had never uttered them. For shame, on you, Rambler! to intimate that you will silence my pen. You might as well try to melt the snow on the tops of the high mountains away back of where you live, with that genial smile of yours, as to keep The Stinger from performing his mission. Rambler, beware of the day when I shall meet you in battle array. Some one has sent me a copy of the De- cember number of the Cidiforida (■idtmdor fnul Poultry Keeper. It is a nice publication, but I do not see how it manages to live un- der such a load of a name. As it has a well edited apiary department, I imagine that the publisher will some day add Bee- Keeper to the already long title. A correspondent writes to know if The Stinger is a woman ; she says she thinks The Stinger must be a female, because males do not sting. I would inform the fair writer, and all other persons who have doubts as to the sex of The Stinger, that he is a male ; this male stings, if other males do not. What is the difference between a swarm of bees and a sewing bee ? None, as far as buzzing is concerned. — Kx. Charlie — "Papa, why is it that honey, money and funny rhyme ?" '•I don"t know, unless that it is often very funny to get honey out of a bee-hive when the bees are all about your head, and because it is worth all the money one gets for it to get the honey from the bees. I heard a man say that he would not take honey from bees at any price."' Charlie — "Well, that's funny."" Student in apicultural class at agricul- tural college — "Professor, why is it danger- ous for a person with the blues to go into an apiary ?" Professor (perplexed) — "I do not know; the text-books do not say anything on the subject." Student (with much glee) — Because bees are said to have a preference for blue ! " To be or not to be stung," might have been written by Shakespeare instead of all that stuff about shuffling off this mortal coil, that school boys are so fond of spout- ing on declamation days. If he had said that about the bees, and a little more too, we might now be classing the Bard of Avon as something of a bee-keeper ; and pei'haps we would be having a peep into his immor- tal works through the pages of our friend, Oleanings. Mr. Maybee — I have read that a professor in one of our agricultural colleges says that there is considerable difference between the sting of a wasp and that of a bee. Mrs. M. — I am not willing to take that learned man's word for it, as I was stung by both, and did not see the difference; both are too hot for me. [For years, bee-keepers have felt that they owed the Rev. L. L. Langstroth— the Father of American bee-culture— a debt that they can never very well pay, for his invention of the Movable-Frame Hive which so completely revolutionized bee-keeping- throughout all the world. In order that his few remaining years may be made as happy and as comfortable as possible, we feel that we should undertake a plan by which those bee-keepers who consider It a privilege as well as a duty, might have an opportunity to contribute something toward a fund that should be gathered and forwarded to Father Langstroth as a slight token of their appreciation, and regard felt for him by bee- keepers everywhere. No amount above $1.00 is expected from any person at one time — but any sum, however large or small, we will of course receive and turn over to Father L. All receipts will be acknowledged here. — Ed.] Lrist of Contributors. Previously Reported $79 95 Margaret Swain, Pendleton, Ind 50 Ed. Weidner, Earlville, Ills 1 00 Scott LaMont, Jarrett, Minn 90 Wm. Kittinger, Caledonia, Wis 1 00 Total $83 35 CL,UBBII¥«} I^IiiX. MTe Club the American Bee Journal for a year, with any of the following papers at the club prices quoted in the MjAS'I"" column. The regular price of both is given in the first column. One year's subscription for the American Bee Journal must be sent with each order for another paper : Price of both. Club. The American Bee Journal 81 00 — ant" Gleanings In Bee-Culture .... 200.... 1 75 Bee-Keepers' Review 2 00 175 Canadian Bee Journal 2 00 ... 175 The Aplculturist 175.... 165 Progressive Bee-Keeper .. 150 — 130 American Bee- Keeper 150 — 140 Nebraska Bee-Keeper 150 — 135 The 8 above-named papers 6 25 — 5 25 Ma-ve You Read page 101 yet ? 122 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.. __^-=5^( "iirii!iii[iiii„ .f. '^ iy.'''L-i ®^^^M^flffr-~J}''W-^Ci&i3' ^fW Do not write anything- for publication on the same sheet of paper with business matters, unless it can be torn apart without interfering with either part of the letter. The "Bee Journal" a Great Help. There is so much valuable information in the Bee Journal that I cannot afFord to destroy them, .but will bind them and keep them as a book of reference. Really. I dou't see how I could do without the Bee Journal, or some other bee-paper that would come up to its standard. Last year I produced 1,500 pounds of comb honey, while in former years I never got over 400 pounds. Of course the extra flow last year accounts for much of my better success, but I also attribute very much of it to the ••Old Reliable." Myself and sou have now 55 colonies in winter quarters, all apparently doing well except one colony that I think is queenless. Our success last year would have been much greater had the dry weather not cut the basswood flow short. A. H. Snowbekgek. Huntington, Ind., Jan. 5, 1894. Had Plenty of Good Flights. I had 5 colonies, spring count, and in- creased to 11. They did very well the fore- part of the season, but it was too dry to grow buckweat, or any other honey-plant. The bees went into winter quarters in good condition, and are all right up to date. They have had plenty of good flights so far. but the worst is to come yet. In the spring, if the weather stays warm, they consume more than when it is cold. Beew were rather scarce last spring. VV. F. RiNi'K. West Alexandria, O., Jan. 1, 1894. A Good Report — See Manag-ement. My 18 colonies of bees came through the winter in good condition last spring. They gave me a surplus of 2.000 pounds of white and sweet clover honey. 1,400 pounds of ex- tracted, and fiOO pounds of comb honey. The former sold here at §1.00 a gallon, aiid the latter at 13 cents a pound. I run 5 colo- nies a different way for extracted honey, and those o gave a surplus of 800 pounds. It was done as follows: I watch until they prepare to swarm, and the honey-fiow is close. I take out all frames from the brood-chamber, except the one the queen is on, which I put in the cen- ter, and fill the chamber with new frames of full sheets of comb foundation. I then take a full slieet of Root's perforated zinc, with i4-inch bee-space between the frames and zinc, and put it over the brood-cham- ber. I then put a chamber on top of the zinc, and put the frames with the bees and bi'ood in this top chamber, and cover it up. Now I have a laying queen and lots of room for brood below, and as fast as the brood hatches above, they fill it with honey if the flow is here. It was here this year, for they filled the top chamber, after the first extracting, in four days — 6 frames two-thirds capped. My increase is from 18 to 25 colonies, which are in double-walled hives, and in as good condition for winter as I ever had them. Henky Bohlmann. Defiance, O., Jan. 1, 1894. Uses of Perforated Zinc. In reading the short item by Mrs. Jennie Atchley, in regard to the different uses of Dr. Tinker's perforated zinc. I thought I would add a little of my experience to those already given. 1st. In hiving young swarms, I have found it to be excellent to place over th e entrance to keep them from leaving or re- turning to the home hive. 2nd. When four or six swarms issue at the same time, and cluster together. I have found it to be of the greatest value to me. I look the bees over, find my queens, and place them in separate hives, and put on the zinc over the entrance; then I take a large dipper and dip the bees from the place where they alighted, putting them in front of the difterent hives, when the bees will separate, each swarm going into its own hive. In using the zinc, some might misunder- stand me. I only leave the zinc on the en- trance from two to four days; if the queens are young. I only leave it on two days, so as to give them a flight. With old queens I leave it on longer. Andrew M. Thompson. Canaseraga, N. Y. Something: from Central California. Being a Califoruian, and having not as yet crossed the State line, it is with great pleasure that 1 read the reports from other ytates or localities throughout the United iStates. I was pleased to see in the Bee Jt)uuNAL a report from Kern county — a county joining Tulare county on the south — of my neighbor realizing nearly 300 pounds per colony. Now I have reasons to believe that bees will produce a great (jeal of honey per colony in Kern county, as I own a small ranch containing ViS5 acres down there, and am quite familiar with the country. We have the largest alfalfa fields in the world in Kei'u county, Calif. We have a man in Kern county who owns in one body almost 1,000,000 acres of laud. I have seen the time that all the counties AMERICAN BE] rOURNAL. 123 in the San Joaquin valley, consisting of Kern, Tulare, Kings, Fresno, Modara, Merced, and Modesto — all were joined in large tracts, and had their herds after hei'ds of bellowing cattle roaming over its one level plain, as the Wan Joaquin valley is level, not one elevation 50 feet high in a valley that is 75x200 miles in size. Our Senator, Tom Fowler, who owned cattle all along the coast from San Fran- cisco to Los Angeles, used to say: '• I own the cattle that roam ou a thousand hills." I am the same old 7ti. Tom and all of his bellowing herds are no more. The •' 76 ranch," which is located in Tulare county, was Tom's head-quarters. It has been cut up into small farms, all the way from 20 up to 2.000 acres, and there are thousands of happy and beautiful homes, school houses, churches and towns, instead of the mustang and its master. Our part of the State is not generally known, as this is central California, and the cities north and south try to claim us as theirs. Feed M. Hakt. Traver, Calif. A Little Experience with Bees, Bee-keeping has about " gone to seed " in this part of the country. If a person un- dertakes to keep bees on modern principles, he is considered a crank. They think '• pa " knew it all. " Pa " kept 15 or 20 colonies, and would get 20 or 25 pounds of honey from one colony. '"Pa" would take care of his bees ; he would put little blocks or nails under each corner of the hive, and then moths would not bother them ! I have read Quinby's book, " A B C of Bee-Culture," G/mviiiy.s for two years, the Bee Journai, for one year, also '• Bees and Honey," and with my practical experience, I feel that I am just beginning to learn my A B C's. My experience is not very extensive. I ran one colony this year for increase, and made 10 colonies from it, and they only cast one natural swiirm. I got the idea of artificial increase from " Bees and Honey." That alone has been worth ten times the price of the Bee Jouuxal to me. Those 10 colonies of bees could not be bought for $20. People will say " times are too hard — I can't spare the money." I can't close without telling how much I enjoy "In Sunny Southland." That alone Is worth the price of the paper. Long live the American Bee Journal! C. L. Doyle. Fayette Corners, Tenn. ' Half a Crop—Golden Italians, Etc. The common vei'dict regarding the honey season in this locality is but half a crop. A cold, wet and late spring left the colonies in such a weak condition, that were they not stimulated, they would have been in no condition at all when the honey-flow came. We had a splendid flow from honey-locust, altbLOUgh there were such high winds and continual rains during the bloom, that the bees could work scarcely a day at a time. Right here I want to say one good thing for those golden 5-banded Italians, which race almost every one wishes to condemn. They were working almost every day, while the others did not dare venture out. This shows them to be very strong on the wing, but as to their superiority as every- day honey-gatherers, over the leather-col- ored variety. I am not prepared to say. For a hardy strain, long livers, and a busi- ness class of bees, give me uniformly marked leather-colored Italians, every time. To return to our honey-resources : White clover was almost a total failure, as a severe drouth existed during the bloom, and it did not secrete much nectar. Smart- weed was our main stand-by. with golden- rod a close second. They yield an excellent honey. My style of marketing is three one-pound sections in a frame, for which I had no trouble in obtaining 60 cents. Extracted brings 123.< cents, although there is com- plaint of adulteration in our market. Our bees are in fine condition for winter, and we have hopes for a better season next year. J. C. Wallenmeyer. Evansville, Ind., Dec. 17, 1893. Good Season in 1893, Etc. A queer winter we are having thus far. The forepart of December was cold, the mercury reaching zero a number of times, with very little snow. The middle of De- cember it warmed up, the snow all disap- peared, and on the 22nd it was 70 degrees in the shade; on the 25th it was 00 degrees, and I let my bees have a flight. They were not as thick as in June. The last season was a good one in this locality. I never saw white clover so thick before. We had a heavy wind and hail storm in buckwheat bloom, which was a complete stop to the buckwheat flow, which started in well. Golden-rod and asters did not yield much. There were a good many runaway swarms the past season, quite a number being found on the lake shore. I got four. The lake takes oft" one-half, or nearly that, of my pasture (being situated ou the sbore). We have about S inches of ice now, and have had very good ice-boat- ing so far. S. H. Eastwood. Cicero Centre, N. Y., Jan. 8, 1894. Won't Winter on Sorghum. On page 559, of the Bee Journal for 1893, there is an item concei'ning sorghum for wintering bees. Mrs. Atchley suggests that I try it and report, which I will do with pleasure. I can only report failure. Mrs. Atchley reports that she could not get her bees to take hold of sorghum. I had 5 colonies which I fed ou it last October, sufficient to carry them through the winter. They are now all dead but one colony, and that one is reduced in numbers to a mere handful of 124 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.. bees. They all had plenty of sealed stores when they died, and fell down on the bot- tom-board. All of my other colonies are wintering well, that have honey stores. Now, if Mrs. Atchley wants to try sor- ghum next winter, I think if she will go to jSome of her colonies of bees in warm, dry weather in October — some that have plenty of bees and not much honey — and rai.se the front end of the hive a little higher than the back, and pour in the pure sorghum just a little for one or two evenings, to get them started to eating it, then increase a little more, feeding every evening, I think in a week or so her bees will have plenty of sealed stores to last them through the win- ter—if they should live that long. But I don't think they would. I don't wish Mrs. Atchley to feed her bees on sorghum, nor any one else, unless you want to lose your bees, for that you will do if they are fed on pure sorghum. Some Northern bee-keepers may think there is a disease among my bees, but such is not the case. There never was any dis- ease among bees in this country, that I know of. N. E. Cleveland. Decatur, Miss., Dec. 33, 1893. Getting- Statistics on Bee-Culture. I notice on page 743 of the Bee Journal for 1S93, under heading of ''Comb Honey in the United States,'' a request for all manufacturers of honey-sections to report all sales of sections to Dr. Miller, for the purpose of ascertaining the amount of honey produced, etc. That would be one way to guess at the amount, but I don't think it would be very much of a guess. It appears to me that there is but one way to get at the amount of honey pro- duced in the United States. Every assessor has a long list of questions provided on purpose to get at the statistics of the coun- try. When these statistics are finally com- piled, they are sent out all over the coun- try, and we can see at a glance just how much wheat, oats, corn, etc., each State has produced the previous season. Now, I don't think it would require very much persuasion on the part of the bee-fraternity to secure the placing of two or three more questions on that list, viz. : 1. How many colonies of bees -did you have, spring count, on June 1st, last year ? 2. How many pounds of comb honey did you produce ? 3. How many pounds of extracted honey? This would bring out a full report of the amount of honey produced in the United States. It would also show the number of colonies of bees kept by the States. Kasson, Minn. C. H. Pond. Value of Bee Papers and Books. There is little use trying to keep bees, either for pleasure or profit, without at least one live bee-paper to awaken interest and enthusiasm, and keep the apiarist abreast of the times. When we see an apiary that shows neatness, taste and pros- perity, we need not be told that the owner or manager has access to bee papers and books; and wben we find a bee-yard with hives huddled together regardless of order, distance or taste, with many of the colo- nies dead and dying, we are sure that the knowledge, skill and enterprise that come from the study of apiarian literature, have never reached that desolate and forlorn spot. Of course the bees are black, but no darker than much of the filthy comb and honey inside the hives. By neglect, much of the worker comb has become unfit for brood-rearing, and hence drones are reared in superabundance, and these deteriorated male bees fill the air for miles in all direc- tions, to vitiate the pure blood of all well- kept apiaries. But the inielligent, careful, painstaking apiarist will find encouragement in the as- surance that all bees kept by such slipshod methods are doomed, and on the principle of "the survival of the fittest" must go, and the sooner the better for all concerned. Bees in this section did well last season, and went into winter quarters in excellent condition. The recent warm spell gave them a fine airing (those on the summer stands), and now they should winter with but little loss. S. S. Butts. Wyalusing, Pa.. Dec. 28, 1893. The Season of 1893, Etc. I read the Bee Journal with much pleas- ure, for my bees are almost all the comfort that I have left, as I have no family now. My wife died last February. I have two daughters, but they were married years ago. I have a comfortable home, and enough of this world's goods to live on, but what matters that, when the ties of love are forever broken ? Well, the last season was not very good for the bee-man in this part of the State. The dry weather set in just as the basswood came into bloom, and cut it short. It was just a little cool for white clover, so our crop was short. I have always worked for comb honey, and for that reason I have never had very heavy returns. My bees came out of the cellar in fair condition last spring. I put away 20 colo- nies, and lost 4 through my neglect (the breaking up of my family unnerved me for business). The bees increased to 30 colonies, which are now in the cellar, as that is my method of keeping them. They are heavy with winter stores, and so far are doing well. They were put in on Nov. 22nd. I want to say a few words in favor of the yellow bee, as I have both. They stored nearly all the surplus. In a good season the blacks will do just as well, but when the crop is short, the yellow bees are the best for me. I have sold 500 pounds of honey, and have 100 or more of uncapped honey left. D. C. Wilson. Viola, Iowa, Dec. 19, 1893. Great Premium on page 101 AVeekly, $1 a Year. [ ^^'^^^^^^^iro^^^i^yS^VRE. { Sa»»P»« «<>Py ^"«- VOL. XXXIII. CHICAGO, ILL, FEB. 1, 1894. NO. 5. Bro. Holtermanii, in the January issue of his journal, out-did himself in the picture business. Why, he had 17 of the most representative and leading members of the Ontario Bee-Keepers' Association all in one number ! Now. don't think that 17 are all the big bee-keepers they have in Canada, for they have just lots more of them that were not represented. The 17 are a fine lot, but would have been just a little finer if Bro. Holtermann's picture could have been there also. But, then, Bro. H. had a good reason for not adding his, though doubtless many of the readers of his paper would have been pleased to see his portrait. Prof. s' ? If we intend to leave only J^-inch space be- tween the top-bars, it seems to me we will have to make the top-bars wider, or it will crowd the brood-combs too nar- row. If the width of the natural brood- comb is l}i inches through, it looks to me as if we ought to have the top-bars the same width, as the brood would be in the frame below. Also, what is the depth that will an- swer the purpose of thick toy-bars ? Will %-inch thick answer just as well as % or ]4 ? Which of the three do you prefer? G. D. L. Tacoma, Wash. Answers. — The dimensions of top- bars belong to some extent to matters that are unsettled. The tendency for some time has been to have them nar- rower than formerly, and with my pres- ent light I should prefer l}^. Some say that this is too close, and that bees will fill such a space in an objectionable manner sooner than a wider space. I should explain that with a top-bar 13^, spaced 1% from center to center, there is i-i space between top-bars. From careful measurements I have found that ii inch is the space that bees leave be- tween two surfaces of comb when filled with honey and sealed over, and also the space they leave between the surface of a section and a separator. I have also tried top-bars with the ^ inch space between them, and so far with success. It is just possible, however, that on further trial — that is, on longer trial — 1 may find the bees filling in wax or propolis. But I build a good deal on 138 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL, the natural preference of the bees for the J^ inch space. No, brood-combs are not IH inches through. A new worker comb is %- inch thick, and with increasing age it slowly increases in thickness. The old- est combs I ever measured were about 25 years old, and they were one inch thick. I have reference now to comb that is used for brood-rearing ; that which is used for storing honey varies greatly in thickness. The bees like a space of % to J^ inch between the combs where the brood is, but only 14 where the honey is. I prefer a top-bar %-inch thick, and I ijotice the Roots are changing to that thickness. Honey Candied in the Comb. I send you by this mail a half section of something that I bought for honey at our grocery last night. The grocer had perhaps a half dozen combs of it, that had been taken out of the sections, and they were all like the sample I send you — entirely solid — candied through and through. To me it tastes like brown sugar. What do you think of it, or Dr. Miller ? Such honey (?) as that put upon any market, is certainly enough to ruin it. I believe the grocer said it came from California, or at least the sections were so rubber-stamped. Please answer in the Bee Journal. D. S. Blackwood, Ills. Answer. — Bro. York sent the honey to me after he had made a meal of it, (I don't think it took a very big lot to sat- isfy his appetite,) and I must say I think I have produced better honey my- self. On the other hand, I must confess I have produced a good deal worse, for one year, a good many years ago, I pro- duced some of the blackest, vilest stuff I ever saw gathered by the bees. The present sample is not very dark, with a reddish cast, most of it candied, but one spot which was not candied was clear and of fine consistency. Tasting a very little of it, one would say it was almost without flavor, but a larger sample shows a flavor which, while it is not very strong, is decidedly distinct — a flavor that I don't think I ever met in honey before. If you call it medicine, I should say it was quite easy to take, but if you call it honey, I am not at all hungry for honey. I should hardly have thought of its having a brown-sugar flavor, still, if you slowly roll it around in your mouth in a meditative manner, and think brown sugar real hard, you may recognize something in that line. I doubt, how- ever, if there is anything like brown sugar in it. I don't know what it is, but I think very likely there may be a plant somewhere that produces just that sort of honey. But I'm not anxious for any of the seed. After all, there may be some who like the flavor. You know the Austra- lians take it in high dudgeon because the Londoners say that eucalyptus honey is not fit for the table, although it is val- uable for its medicinal qualities ; while the Australians thipk the flavor wonder- fully fine. Tastes differ. Purifying Beeswax with Acid. I purified some very dark combs vyith the sulphuric acid process given on page 8, of Vol. 32 of the Bee Journal. It worked highly satisfactory, giving the wax a nice straw color, as we were as- sured it would be. As my market is direct with founda- tion manufacturers, I am curious to know whether bees will accept comb foundation made from such wax, as readily as that rendered without a for- eign substance. This is a question which comes very close to both the manufacturers and user of foundation, and I would be pleased to hear about it. N. S. H. Henderson, 111. , Answer. — If I am not mistaken, foun- dation manufacturers have distinctly said that such wax is as good as any, and I don't remember to have seen any report to the contrary. If any bee- keeper has had an unfavorable experi- ence, by all means let it be given ; and it might be well to hear from those who have had experience, no matter what the result. It is somewhat reasonable to suppose that the acid does not hurt the wax. You may remember that our grand- mothers used to make beeswax corks for their oil of vitriol bottles, and oil of vit- riol is only another name for sulphuric acid. Lacking glass corks, beeswax was about the only thing they could use that the acid wouldn't eat up or burn. The wax cork was not in any manner affected by it, and when acid works on the " slumgura," why should it do any more than to burn out the foreign mat- ter, leaving the wax untouched? AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL^ 139 No. 67. -Hon. H. F. Coleman. During the past year a somewhat new apiarian writer appeared in the columns of the Bee Jourxal. Although his H. F. COLEMAN. name seemed new to the bee-fraternity at large, yet his writings on the subject of bee-culture showed that he was not a stranger to the practical care of the little honey-gatherers. Further than a pleasant "correspond- ing" acquaintance with the subject of our picture and sketch this week — Hon. H. F. Coleman — we are unable to say in regard to him as a man, as a friend, or ad a bee-keeper. But through the' kind- ness of a friend both to Mr. Coleman and to the Bee Journal, we are per- mitted to present to our readers the fol- lowing entertaining life story, written by Prof. H. J. Bostic, Principal of the McKinney High School, at Sneedville, Tenn.: A large man, finely proportioned, with a most graceful carriage and self-poise, and withal handsome — thus has nature endowed Henry F. Coleman, who was born in Hancock county, Tenn., on May 13, 1847. As a lad, Mr. Coleman was trained in public schools accessible to him, at an early age ; in fact, he says he does not remember a time when he did not know the alphabet, or how to read in small primers used in the schools of his day. His father was a well-to-do farmer, but his wealth was consumed by the Civil War, at the close of which my sub- ject was in poverty, and thrown out on the broad waves of stern life to pilot his ship over its unfriendly seas and adverse circumstances, with his health some- what broken. In time of the War, he enlisted as a private in 11th Tennessee Federal Cav- alry, and in a few days from his enlist- ment, while in battle, was thrown from his horse, receiving injuries from which we date the turning point of his career. He, from his youth, had been fond of books and reading, but these now be- came his constant companions. At the age of 21 he y^as elected mag- istrate, and became an active member of the county court of Hancock county, doing much and permanent good for his county. He exhibited such a desire for tlie right in these courts, that at the age of 25 he was elected tax assessor — a very important position for one so young. About this time he began the study of law, and after completing the course, was admitted to the bar, and almost at one bound went into the first ranks of attorneys, which position he still occu- pies. It is said that he has appeared as counsel in as many, if not more, murder cases than any other attorney of his age in the State of Tennessee, and perhaps any other State of the Union ; and as a land lawyer, he has few peers; he is also well versed inequity jurisprudence. He was elected to the State Senate in 1880, and became noted, while a mem- ber of the Senate, as a constitutional lawyer, and made a good reputation otherwise. The pay of only $4.00 per day, allow- 140 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL ed as State Senator, he thought did not justify him to stay away from his other business, and consequently one term in the Senate is all he asked of his friends. He is now United States Commissioner, and Secretary and Treasurer of the Powell's Mountain Mineral Railroad Company, and has a controlling interest in a mercantile establishment. It is difficult to see how any one man can do so many things, and at the same time be a successful bee-keeper, but his suc- cess in this line is beyond that of any other person in this county. His success in all his undertakings is the result of energy, industry, and method and tact combined. He has always been a lover of the honey-bee, but by reading the writings of Mrs. Ellen J. Tupper, about the year 1866, he became an enthusiast in bee- culture, and his enthusiasm has never abated. He has owned bees at times since 1869, but never found himself in a position, as he thought, to make a specialty of bees until the last few years. He now has two apiaries. His home apiary of 60 colonies is a model of beauty and convenience, and is well equipped with all the modern appliances. If there is one thing that he delights in more than another, it is his apiaries. His love for books and study eminently fits him for this industry, and he some- times expresses a wish to give up every- thing else and work with his bees alone. Mr. Coleman now enjoys the conscious- ness of having come up from poverty to where he can count his thousands of well-earned dolldfrs, but his efforts now are not so much to make money as to build up and make better the conditions of'his fellow man. He is charitable almost to a fault, but he claims that there is a pleasure in giving to the needy that is never rea- lized or understood by those who do not give, and that those who do not give in cases of real charity lose much of the pleasures of life. Mr. Coleman is a ready writer, and for 20 years or more he has been a constant contributor to the literature of his coun- try. His writings, whether on bge-cul- ture, politics, education, or anything else, are always well matured, and fondly sought by those who know him. He is the author of no books, but per- haps no one has written on a greater variety of subjects with such unsur- passed success. It was through his efforts that the East Tennessee Bee-Keepers' Associa- tion was organized, which institution promises to do much for the bee-keepers of East Tennessee. He is now its Secre- tary and Treasurer, which positions were forced upon him, but he gives theov their deserved attention. Let us conclude this short life-story by saying that Mr. Coleman has risen from poverty to distinction; he is a capable man — capable of filling the very highest place in the estimation of hi* friends, and his great social nature makes him respected and loved by all. A careful perusal of his life will enable one to understand the elements and principles it takes to make a success in bee-keeping as well as anything else in life. H. J. B. uczzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzxzzzzzxxzzzxzx CONDUCTED BY MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY. Bekville, Texas. Queenless Nuclei, Cyprian Bees, Etc. Mrs. Atchley : — In the Bee Journal you say that you let your nuclei remain queenless for three days, and then the bees will be sure not to tear the cells down. I wish I could say as much and tell the truth. Whenever I put in a lot of queen-cells without protectors, no matter how long nor how short a time the bees have been queenless, I always calculate on at least 25 per cent, of them being torn down, and I hardly ever fall short of the mark. You also say that you keep your best breeding queen penned off on three combs, and only let her lay enough to supply you with larvce for rearing queens. I have tried keeping prolific queens confined to a small space, and in every case where they were confined to any length of time, from one to a dozen eggs could be found to the cell. 1 have also tried keeping them in upper stories with half-depth combs with an excluder between, and the result would be the same. CTPRIAN BEES. In another number of the Bee Jour- nal, for Sept. 28, 1893, you say if any- AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 141 body has a bad, fighting Cyprian queen, to just send her to you. If I could go back five years, I think I could give you satisfaction about Cyprian bees. I have tried them, and never expect to try them again. I never found but one real, good point with them, and that point was near their tail ends I Mrs. Atchley, I can handle any bees that can be handled at all— in fact, I have never seen any bees that I could not perform any operation with, that 1 wished to, but if I had to go back to the Cyprians, I would surely quit the field, unless I should do like A. I. Root says — keep them away off in the woods. I have seen colonies of these Cyprian bees so vicious that all one had to do to start them was to get within about a rod of their hive, and stamp on the ground. They would do the rest. They would come like shot — not just a few, but by the hundreds, and if you did not make quick your retreat, they would come by the thousands. CONDEMNING SOUTHEKN QUEENS. I have noticed in the bee-papers of late, several articles condemning South- ern-bought queens, which I think is very damaging to Southern queen-breeders that rear good queens. I know, and so do you, that as good queens can be reared in the South as can be reared elsewhere, and that there are some breeders at least that rear such. Now as the majority of the Southern- reared queens go to the North, I think if such articles must be published, it would be better to give the breeder's name as well. I do not mean to say that every time a customer complains that the breeder's name should be put before the public — some will find fault, no matter how the queens are. James Cleveland. Decatur, Miss. Friend Cleveland, I do not wish to eonvey the idea that every cell was saved, but the greater part of them. Some cells are injured and never hatch. We do not now use any cell-protectors — they proved a nuisance to us. We keep our breeders penned off, but we use their eggs, or a greater part of them, in graft- ing, and keeping up nuclei, and always have at least one comb for her to lay on. I have not noticed two eggs in a cell of any of my breeders for. a long time. It is owing to how you keep them, about that. Yes, I am in love with stinging bees. I had Cyprians ten years ago that would run cattle off the prairie 200 yards from their hives. I had no trouble in handling such bees, and I always found a well-filled hive at harvest time. I have not had any Cyprians for nine years, but I am sorry that I discarded them. While the Italians are superior for almost all purposes, I will take Cyprians for honey. They are bees that always take care of themselves, and if properly handled they are not bad stingers. Jennie Atchley. Drones from Fertile Workers, Etc. Are drones from fertile workers cap- able of fertilizing queens ? From careful observations made sev- eral years ago, I claim that they are just as much so as drones from any queen, and for the benefit of those who think differently from myself, I will here give the facts in the case that led me to think as I do. Several years ago I had nothing but pure Cyprian bees, and, as all know who have had them, they are very apt to have fertile workers when from any cause they become queenless. So, late in the fall of 1885, I believe it was, I had a very strong colony that became queenless. I at once sent for a queen, but failed to introduce her, and fertile workers set to work at once, and soon had the combs filled with drone-brood. I thought to myself, "Now will be a good time to see if these little 'Bantam' drones are capable of fertilizing queens." So I gave them a frame of brood from a good queen, and they at once started queen-cells, and just before they hatched I put a division-board in the hive, and gave each portion a cell, and in due time they both had queens; but, mind .you, these little "Bantam" drones were hatching by the thousands some time be- fore these queens hatched, and I posi- tively know there were no other drones in my apiary but these little fellows, and there was no one else in the coun- try at that time that had any yellow bees but me — a very few bees of any kind were in the county, as I lived in a very poor place for bees at that time. Now for the result of these two queens : They both took their wedding flight Christmas week, and showed signs of having met the drone. (It was a very mild and open winter up till and after Christmas awhile), and early the next spring these two queens went to laying just the same as other queens, and their bees showed all the markings of pure Cyprians. Now, how could these 142 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL-. queens have met any other but these little drones? THE FIVE-BANDED BEES. r^ I see that some of the big guns keep giving the 5-banded bees ''down the country." Now I have no " ax to grind," as I have neither bees nor queens for sale, but I have tried both strains for the last two years side by side, and, candidly, I can see no difference as to their working qualities. And why should there be ? Some say they have been bred in-and- in so long that they have become weak, and are not hardly like others. Others say they have been bred for beauty until their business qualities have about all been bred out of them. I admit that the latter statement sounds more reasonable, but I hardly think such is the case, at least not with the ones I have been test- ing. As to in-and-in breeding, who will say that the Cyprians are not a hardy and an energetic race V And ihey have been bred in-and-in for perhaps thousands of years, on the small island of Cyprus. We all admit that in-and-in breeding is detrimental to most, if not all, of our domestic stock, but I don't think such is the case with bees, at least the evi- dence we now have doesn't seem to point that way ; and if the so-called 5- banded Italians have a good share of Cyprian blood in them (and I believe almost all of our best authorities agree that they have), I would rather think that they would be a superior race to the common 3-banded Italians, than to think they would be an inferior race, as some are now claiming them to be. I have uot written the above as a fling at any one, but have only tried to pre- sent the case as it appears to me. CUBING BEE-PARA.t,YSIS WITH SALT. I wonder how much longer this rem- edy is going to be recommended in the different bee-papers. I know that it won't cure the nameless bee-disease or bee-paralysis we have here in Texas, for I have tried it in every way that I have seen recommended In the different papers, but all to no effect. I have tried putting dry salt on the bottom- boards for weeks at a time ; also feeding honey or sugar syrup strongly tinctured with salt, for a month at at a time; then I tried sprinkling the bees and brood with salt water, and giving the bees salt water to work at all the time, but all to no effect. I also tried chang- ing the queens, but that, too, was a fail- ure with me. I have found but one way that it can be cured, and that is, by taking all the combs and brood from the affected bees and giving them a new hive and frames, and letting them build new combs. This has not as yet failed to cure them, but the trouble is, they will not stay cured. Now, who can help us out ? I am very sure that bee-keeping will soon be a thing of the past in this part of the country, if we don't get some remedy that is effectual and sure, for I am con- fident that more than % of the bees in this country have died from that cause alone, in the last three years. Lometa, Tex. L. B. Smith. DmSlng Colonies for Increase. Query 908.— 1. Which is the better plan in dividing swarms, to leave the old queen in the old hipe, or move her into the new one ? 2. How early in the spring would you commence to divide ?-L. W. 1. I prefer leaving her in the old hive. — J. M. Hambaugh. I have had the best success to let them alone and not divide. — H. D. Cutting. 1. Move the queen. 2. When the hive is full of bees and brood. — Dadant & Son. 1. Leave the old queen where there are the most workers and the least brood. — M. Mahin. 1. I would put her into the new hive. 2. Just before the time for swarming. — Eugene Secor. 1. Move her to the new hive. 2. In Michigan, about June 13th, if running for increase solely. — J. H. Lakrabee. 1. Remove the old queen to the new hive. 2. Not until the bees would com- mence to swarm naturally. — C. H. Dib- bern. 1. I do not khow as it makes any dif- ference. 2. That would depend upon AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU 143 whether I wanted bees or honey. In either case, however, 1 should wait until the hive is full of bees.— Embrson T. Abbott. 1. Leave her on the old stand. 2. About the time the bees make prepara- tions for natural swarming. — C. C, MlLLGB. 1. Better move her into the new one. 2. When the colonies are on the eve of of swarming, and drones flying. — J. P. H. Bbown. 1. I always put the new queen with the old bees, leaving the young bees to take care of the newly-hatched queen. — J. E. Pond. 1. Move her into the new hive. 2. The best brief answer would be : About the, beginning of the swarming season. — E. L. Tatlob. 1. I prefer to move the old queen to the new location. 2. Not much, if any, before bees begin to swarm naturally. — James A. Gkeen. 1 Leave the old queen with the old hive on a new stand. 2. I would not "commence to divide" at all. I don't believe in it. — G. L. Tinker. 1. Leave her in the old hive. 2. When the hive is well filled with bees and brood, and honey is coming in from the fields. — G. M. Doolittlb. 1. Move her to the new one ; but a better way is to let them do their own dividing. 2. I wouldn't divide as a sub- stitute for swarming.— A. B. Mason. 1. Take the queen to the new loca- tion, and introduce a queen at the old stand. 2. In my location, during fruit- bloom is the best time. — Mrs. J. N. Hbatbb. 1. I should move her, if I practiced dividing ; but I have no doubt that it is better to let the bees swarm. Dividing takes time and gives a less return in honey. — A. J. Cook. 1. I now leave the old queen on the old stand. 2. Not much earlier than natural swarming time ; if you do other- wise you may experience heavy loss. — Mbs. Jennie Atchley. 1. I think I would place her in the new hive, though it probably makes little difference. 2. As a rule, I do not practice division, preferring a natural swarm. — Mrs. L. Harrison. 1. That depends upon what method of increase you adopt. Very many bee- keepers now put the queen into the new hive. 2. About the time bees swarm naturally. — P. H. Elwood. 1. Move her to the new stand. 2. When numerous enough to fill the hive, and cover the combs well and start queen-cells, thus showing that they are in condition to soon swarm if left to themselves. — S. I. Pbeeborn. 1. I would give her to the new hive. It is the natural way. 2. No definite answer can well be given. It depends upon the condition of the colony. It should not be attempted, however, until the white clover harvest is well under way. — Will, M. Barnum. 1. Leave the queen in the old hive. 2. Never divide a colony of bees as long as there is room for them to work to ad- vantage in the one hive. When the hive is crowded for room, then take combs of brood and bees, but don't draw on them too hard at any one time. — E. France. 1. I have done both ways, but I do not know from experience that it makes any difference, but I prefer the old queen in the hive that appears to have the less of the brood. 2. I am governed entirely by the strength of the colony to be divided, as soon as the drones have appeared. — Jas. A. Stone. 1. You may practice either plan, but if you want to secure a honey crop, you will succeed best by leaving the queen at the old stand where most of the field workers adhere and make a working- force that can secure a fair yield of sur- plus honey. My experience teaches me that it must be an extra-long and good season if both divisions can be made to gather surplus. — G. W. Demaree. Xlie Parliament of Religions.— We take great pleasure in announcing to our readers the publication of a work interesting and valuable to all, "The Par- liament of Religions " at the Columbian Exposition. It is now issued complete in one large octavo volume, and is a very careful compilation of all of the proceed- ings—at once a fascinating story and a book of universal value. A narrative of the grandest achievement in modern re- ligious history. The book contains origin of the Parliament of Religions ; proceedings of every meeting of the Parliament; speeches delivered and papers read at every session of the noted gathering ; the beliefs of the various religious denominations; opinions of eminent divines in regard to the Parliament; influence of the Parlia- ment upon the religious thought of the world. Published by P. T. Neely. Chicago. 1000 pages. Price: Cloth, $3.50; Pull Sheep, $4.00. • — < ^ > — • Have You Read the wonderful Pre- mium offer on page 133 ? 144 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. ^■^'^^■^^■^■^■'^■^■"^■^ Non-Siaraiiii: Strains Of Bees. Written Jor the American Bee Journal BY J. E. ARMSTRONG. It seems to me that Mr. S. E. Miller, in the Bee Journal for Dec. 28tb, does not quite present the question fairly. In the first place, there is not necessarily an inseparable connection between in- crease and swarming ; that is, the two instincts, while intimately associated, do not advance with equal pace. We speak of a swarming-fever when several swarms issue from a hive in quick suc- cession ; tte second and subsequent swarms issuing under the migratory fever. We also recognize that these two instincts vary when we speak of a race of bees as being more liable to swarm than some others, as the Carniolans; and another as more prolific and less apt to swarm, as the Italians. I do not believe that many bee-keepers will ad- mit that Italians are as liable to swarm as the common black bee, while all ad- mit the former are more prolific than the latter. These are simply two of the instincts of the bee. Now does Mr. Miller wish to maintain that instincts cannot be changed? If so, let him explain the peculiar instincts of the various breeds of domestic pigeons. All these varieties have been produced from one parent stock, but man has taken advantage of seeming accidental variations of struc- ture and instinct to perpetuate these variations by selective breeding until the desired peculiarity has become fixed. He asks further, "why all birds build nests, lay eggs, hatch ani rear their brood each spring ;" and then answers it by saying, " Because they are built that way." Now, I do not suppose I am telling Mr. Miller anything new when I say that they are not built that way, for some birds do not build nests and rear their young. The cow black bird and the European cuckoo lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, and so do not take the trouble of rearing their young ; while the domestic canary has lost the instinct of weaving a nest even when set a liberty in its native land. If man has bred out the desire to root from swine, and the desire to sit from the domestic fowl, why not the desire to, swarm from the bee ? It is not that man has tried to produce a strain of fowls that would produce only pullets, but non-sitters, and this has been well done. Now in the same way we do not wish to produce a strain of queens that will lay no drone-eggs, but will lay few drone-eggs, show the least or no desire to swarm, and yet lay an abundance of fertile eggs. If we could control the mating of queens as we can the breeding of stock or poultry, it would be an easy task to take adv^antage of the various peculiari- ties of queens and perpetuate them. No wonder we soon " lose sight of the non- swarming strains of bees," for although that peculiarity has often shown itself among strong and prolific queens, yet it scarcely runs to the second generation, because we are practically helpless when it comes to mating. When the gaunt, ungainly swine, sheep and cattle of thirty years ago have had their very bones and hoofs bred into monstrosities of fat " lean ;" when the scratching, crowing, ever-sitting biddy of a few generations ago has been changed into a plump, handsome fowl that lays "two eggs a day and three on Sundays" — (if I am wrong in this, Bro. Miller can cor- rect me) — leaving her eggs to be hatched by steam, and the chicks to be reared by electricity ; when the seeds have .been bred out of grapes and oranges, leaves that never unfold bred into the cabbage, and monster roots bred into the turnip and the beet, why should we not expect to breed out the swarming-fever from the honey-bee ? As I said, the one drawback is the fact that we are as yet unable to control the mating of the queen, and so cannot develop peculiar traits or instincts — but is it impossible ? Queens have mated in confinement, or within the hive in rare cases. May it not be that some one will succeed in developing this into an in- stinct by a little patience and repeated effort? If this can be once established; there is no limit to the possibilities in selective breeding, running out into the various lines of utility and beauty, but until this is done, all breeding of bees will be a matter more or less of chance. Here is a great field for experiment, and the mau who solves this problem will confer as great a boon upon the art of AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 145 bee-culture as Father Langstroth did when he gave us the movable frame. About the same time that our Creator gave ihe command to living things to " be fruitful and multiply," He also said to man, "subdue and have dominion over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." If I understand this, it means to breed out undesirable in- stincts and breed in desirable ones, so that all these creatures shall better serve him and contribute to his well-being and happiness. Englewood, Ills. SomeMni Alioul Beiinnini Bee-Keepini WHtten Jor the American Bee Journal BY MRS. B. J. LIVINGSTON. " I wish to make some money that my husband will have no business with ; think bee-keeping will be just the thing. Please tell me how you began." This and more like unto it. Dear Madam, I judge from your whole letter that you are inclined to flaunt the red garment they use in Spain to stir up the animals. Don't do it. Bee-keeping needs the cheerful co-opera- tion of the whole family more than any other business I can think of. With a little indiscretion on your - part, your men folks would soon regard every bee that passed them on the wing, or lit upon their watering-trough, as a natural- born enemy. Another thing puzzles me — how are you going to separate yoi^r own interests from those of your family '? If you can do it, you have a better head for arith- metic than I have. No one could'have a stronger desire than I had, to do it all myself. Not from a selfish motive, but because my family had care enough on their hands. When my first and only pure Italian swarm came out and settled 40 feet from the ground on a limb of a giant oak, that projected out over our heads, I was helpless, and would joon have been pure-queen-less, had it not been for the harvest hands. I'll not tell how many of them were how long in trying to throw stones to hit the limb to jar or unsettle those bees. Finally, one shot a bullet through the limb between the bees and the tree. Soon another threw an iron with a cord attached, over the limb, when a rope was drawn over, and the limb violently agitated until it broke where the ball had weakened it. Thus we often get left if we try to be too independent. 1^^ We saved that swarm. Bees are liable to do very unexpected things, especially with a novice. As to how I began, is it not all written in the books. One thing was in my favor — I had nothing to unlearn. One could not have been more ignorant of bees than I was six years ago. I never saw a section of honey until I took it off my own hives. I wonder how many could sympathize with the feeling that prompted me to go to the room again and again to look at that honey, It was not its financial value I thought of, for the extent of my ambition at that time was to have honey enough for the family, and perhaps a few pounds to present to friends to whom I was in- debted for many kindnesses. My beginning is too long a story to write here, only to say that I read up, just as a lawyer or doctor would, before setting out to practice. You really can- not succeed if you depend alone upon what you can pick up from mouth to mouth. You would soon be in a worse fix than the man who had a bad cold, and concluded to try every remedy that syrapatizing friends offered. Buy at least one good standard bee- book, and subscribe for at least two bee- papers. Of course you will need two colonies of bees to stir up once in awhile, so as to learn to bear bee-stings with equanimity. Centre Chain, Minn. Lonieyity Of Bees— PiiUeil Queens. Written for the American Bee Journal BY CHAS. H. THIES. In reading Mr. Bellamy's article on page 755 of the Bee Journal for 1893, I thought I would give a little of my experience in regard to longevity of bees. I noticed this a number of years ago. My attention was first called to a colony that at all times contained but little brood. At that time I reared queens for my own use only, consequently I was not so particular in keeping a record of their age. Of course I thought she was failing, and my intention was to soon re- place her ; but as the honey-flow was poor, I lost a little interest in the bees for the time being, consequently I neg- lected to re-queen this colony. But when the time came to prepare them for winter, this colony was the the strongest in my apiary of some 100 146 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAl^ colonies. Jfc had plenty of honey, more than any other colony, yet as before but little! brood. The next season this col- ony was to be noticed closely. They started in the sanoe as before — when other colonies had their hives well filled with brood, this colony had per- haps enough brood to well fill four or five frames ; but when the honey-flow c^me, they were in splendid condition — in fact, they stored more honey than any other colony. I then decided to use this queen for breeding purposes ; while I had queens that produced better looking bees, yet I thought that the other good qualities of this queen would more than overbalance the looks, as large crops of honey are usually wanted first, then looks may be considered. Now while the bees of this queen lived longer, they not ©nly had from five to ten days more to gather honey in, but all the honey that was saved in rearing l^ss brood than other colonies did, went in with the surplus, which surely should be considered ; besides, there were less bees required to stay in the hive ior feeding larvae, etc. Now, if these bees did not live longer, why was it that they were "at all times strong, with but little brood at any time, and always stored a surplus when any was to be had ? 1 myself was satisfied that they lived longer, before I ever read a word on this subject. DR. miller's pulled QUEENS. In regard to Dr. Miller's pulled queens, I will say that I have practiced pulling queens to a considerable extent, and with good results. Of course, care should be taken not to pull them too soon — if pulled while quite white, I have no use for them, yet I prefer to let them pull themselves. A queen-cell will often be accepted when a pulled queen will not. Suppose you have a colony that has been made queenless an hour since. You find you have an extra queen-cell — one that is just about ready to hatch ; if this cell be placed in the queenless colony, it will most likely be accepted, while if you pull the queen and place her in the colony, she will more than likely be pulled out at the entrance. As I have other business besides bees to attend to, I have often neglected to cut out the cells soon enough. I don't believe in cutting out queen-cells as soon as they are sealed, or a little after, but prefer to leave them in the hive where they were built, as long as pos- sible. I ofteti cut them out at tvirp or three different times — this I do as fol- lows : Take out the frame having the cells ; hold it before the sun, or a light, then cut out all cells in which you see the queen moving. Replace the frame, and in an hour look them over again. As above stated, a queen-cell will often be accepted, where a pulled or a virgin queen will not. When it does occur that five or six queens hatch out before the cells have been disturbed, I often catch the queens, put them back into the cells, and cover the point of the cells with a thin piece of wax — not too much wax should be used, neither should it be made airrtight. These cells may be distributed, and will be accepted as though the queens had never been out of the cells. Of course these methods are used mostly when no honey is coming in. When plenty of honey to be had, almost any kind of a queen or cell will be ac- cepted by a queenless colony. Steeleville, Ills. Wintering Bees in Orepn, Etc, Written for the American BeeJcnmml BY J. H. BERRY. As this climate is warm and damp, wintering bees here properly is quite different from that of a cold climate. The important thing is to keep them dry, and the way I do that is by placing burlap on the brood-frames, then set the top story on, and fill it full of dry saw- dust, and the bees come through dry and nice, with the loss of but very few of them.. They commence brood-rearing in January. FEEDING BEES IN WINTER. The best way I have yet tried to feed bees in the winter, is as follows : • Make thick syrup of granulated sugar, and fill a 3-.2-gallon fruit-jar, tying a piece of thin cloth over the mouth of the jar — such as flour sacking is good. Spread a burlap cover over the brood- frames, and cut a piece % out and turn it up, then set the fruit-jar of syrup bottom side up on the frames where the hole is in the burlap. Have the hole just large enough for the can. Then put on an empty story and fill it with dry loaves, sawdust or chaff. The bees will cluster on or close around the jar, and will winter as well as they would if they were in a hive full of AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 147 honey. The syrup must be good — not watery and thin. Feed them more the same way in the spring, or they will be likely to get out of stores and starve, or be slow to start up brood-rearing. PREVENTION OF BUKR-COMBS. Use brood-frames with a top-bar 3^ inch thick and IJ^ in width; spacer- inch between them, and you will not have very much trouble cutting brace- combs out. That has been my experi- ence with them. Dr. Miller reports about the same in Gleanings. I cannot get as nice combs built on frames made of %-inch lumber as on those made of IM inch. THE 5 -BANDED ITALIANS. I would like to hear about them from more of those who have tested them as honey-gatherers. 1 have tried a queen of that strain, or that claimed to be such, but only 3-banded, and they did not swarm the first year, but did the second, and then the queen died. But they proved to be the best of honey- getters. They would get sweets as long as any were to be had, but they were only 3-banded. I have 5-banded ones from Missouri. Gale's Creek, Oreg. B8e-Stiiis[s anil Rliemnatism Apln. Written for the American Bee Journal BY DR. E. GALLUP. When I lived in Ventura county I went down to the city to get some bee- hive lumber, and stopped at a hotel kept by a widow who was also boarding the county poor. The first night there was such screeching, screaming and groan- ing that no one could sleep in the house. I found out in the morning that the noise was made by a young man who was suffering with rheumatism. I told the landlady to have a boiler of hot water when I came in at night, and 1 would stop his yelling so we could all have a good night's rest. Well, at night I gave him a hot bath and a good, strong massage, with Swed- ish movement, and he slept until 9 o'clock the next morning. When I left, I told him T should be down with a team for my bee-stuff in two or three days, and then I would take him home, cure him, and he could work for me to pay for board and treatment, as I should want a hand in the apiary. I took him tip according to agreement. Well, the season turned out a poor one, but he stuck to his crutch and aped lameness, for he was having too good a time to leave. I was debating in my mind how to get rid of him, for I hated to send him off with no prospect of his getting work, and he was entirely desti- titute of means, and nearly destitute of clothes. One day I set him to hoeing up some weeds in the apiary. I told him to be careful and not hit a hive, and the bees would not molest him. I was sitting in the shanty facing the apiary and writ- ing. He was hoeing very lazily, and leaning on his crutches; when all at once I saw the hoe flying through the air in one direction, the crutches in another — and his hat and bee-veil in another — and Upton came tearing for the shanty. He never turned out for a hive, but jumped over them, never stopped to unlatch the door, but burst it open, threw himself in the middle of the of the room on the floor, and all the time crying as loud as he could bawl ; tearing his hair and sweariag at the same time. I laughed until my false teeth ached — or, rather, fell out of my mouth. It turned out that he hit an old-fash- ioned Langstroth hive a good, smart rap with his hoe, and at the same tinie pulled out the stick that closed the back ventilator. The hive contained a strong colony of hybrids, hence the result. As soon as he cooled down a little, he said : " Why, Doctor, do you know that bees bite with their hinder cend ?" As soon as I could reply, for laughing, I said : "Well, Upton, you have made a discovery and so have I. You have discovered that bees bite with their hinder "t;end," and I have discovered that bee-stings are a sure cure for rheuma- tism. You have been playing 'possum for a long time. You have never de- ceived me one particle, but I have had compassion on your destitute condition, and so have said nothing. Yesterday there was a man here looking for some one to drive a team. Now, leave your crutches and go to work for the man. Earn some clothes and support yourself like a man." Now that is how I know that bee- stings are a sure cure for rheumatism. I have been thus explicit in giving all the particulars and circumstances, so that others can apply the remedy in the same manner, or it might not have the same effect. The hot baths, massage and Swedish movemehts are only for the purpose of satisfying the patient that there is something being done. It sttdo 148 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. satisfies his mind until you can get his system in the right condition to apply the final remedy. Santa Ana, Calif. P, S. — The reader may think that the preliminary treatment was what cured the man, but I know it was the bee- stings, for I saw the result with my own eyes. — Dr. D. G. '■^^■^■^■^■^^^^■■♦■■^^■^■^■^■^■^it^OI Tlie MlcMgan Slate Conyentlon. Jfeportedfor the " American Bee Journal " BY W. Z. HUTCHINSON. (Continued from page 120.) Mr. M. H. Hunt next read an essay, on the Future of the Supply Trade. The manufacture of bee-keepers' sup- plies has kept pace with the wonderful increased demand for them. To do this, special machinery has been invented, and a number of large, well-equipped factories have been built. The years necessary to do this, have also developed a number of skilled workmen, in this special line, who can turn out almost perfect work. An order for a carload now can be shipped as promptly as a small order could a few years ago. During this time a large number of small factories have sprung up, adver- tised their wares, flourished for a time, and dropped out, and why ? Principally, I think, on account of the imperfect work done; for it is not possible, with poor and limited machinery, to compete with the larger institutions. Neither can they turn out goods as cheaply as those who buy and work on a much larger scale. Sometimes it is true the less freight helps the small concern, but usually this inducement is more than over-balanced by the work done. In the future the small manufacturers, I think, will turn t-heir attention to sell- ing the products of the larger ones, and find it fully as profitable, for their sales will be increased by the liberal advertis- ing the goods will have, which their own limited products could not pay for. When this comes about, we will have more uniformity in all we use, better and cheaper goods, more prompt ship- ments, and less liability to mistakes, which are so annoying when in a hurry for goods. The man who starts a small factory almost always has an inventive turn of mind, and imagines his hive, frame, or whatever it may be, to be very superior, and often convinces the novice so that he buys, and starts out with something^ he will regret later on, especially when at some time he needs more, and finds his enthusiastic supply dealer has gone out of business, and he has to pay 20 per cent, extra for an odd size or special construction. A few years ago there were hundreds of small cabinet shops scattered over the country, making furniture by hand or with light power, but they have all disappeared, so far as manufacturing is concerned. The large factories are doing it all, and we now get better and cheaper furniture. I predict the same future for the bee-supply trade. M. H. Hunt. L. A. Aspinwall — A small, illy-equip- ped establishment cannot compete with the large, well-managed concern. In the matter of sections, we may yet have to look for something cheaper than wood to use in their construction. Although not exactly in this line, I wish to say that I have experimented since 1888 in controlling increase. With other domes- tic stock we control increase, why not with bees ? I can control increase with wooden combs by preventing the rearing of drones. The only difficulty is that all of the colonies in the yard must be supplied with wooden combs, because the drones, and the bees imbued with the swarming fever, mix in from the other hives. The wooden combs are costly, and I am now at work upon a plan whereby I hope to succeed without their use. Next came an essay by Mr. H. D. Cut- ting, entitled, Advantages that Bee-Keepers May Expect from Bees and Honey Hav- ing Been Exhibited at the World's Fair. The subject assigned to me by our Secretary is "Advantages that bee- keepers may expect from bees and honey having been shown at the World's Fair." I will pass the bees by stating that it simply demonstrated the possibility of AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 149 exhibiting them at such a place for such a great length of time as they were on the Fair grounds. But with honey it was different. The large and beautiful exhibit of honey was like an open book — a silent educator to the vast multitude of humanity that saw it so often. Such exhibitions will always popularize the use of honey. I was in daily attendance (Sundays excepted) for nearly four months, and had every opportunity to study the dif- ferent phases of the benefits of honey exhibits, and am well satisfied that to make the sale of honey popular, you must exhibit it in an attractive manner as much as possible. In many cases persons bought honey that said they never bought a pound before. In five different cases parties bought a single section, and came again and bought in 12 and 15 pound lots. In my own case, I bought 300 pounds of what I considered the finest extracted honey on exhibition, and it is selling at 16 cents, and I can buy plenty of honey here at 7 cents that has not been at the World's Fair. In Chicago, at the close of the Fair, comb honey went begging at 11 cents in several instances, when several lots that were on exhibition have brought from 15 to 20 cents. During the Fair honey sold in the majority of cases at 20 cents, the buyer willing to pay this price be- cause it was on exhibition. Several merchants that never handled honey before, were induced to buy honey to keep on sale, because it was so well exhibited at the Fair. In spite of the terribly depressed labor market, mer- chants informed me that they were sell- ing more honey than ever before, and said much of it was attributable to the fine display of honey at the Fair, their customers always speaking of the ex- hibit. Visitors at the Fair had an oppor- tunity to see the different grades and test the quality of the many varieties on exhibition. It was one grand object les- son to all interested honey-producers. The many different grades, the manner of putting up, the different opinions in regard to grading, will not soon be for- gotten. It showed to any observing per- son that the grades that had been adopted were " away off." Two differ- ent lots on exhibition were above any established grade. We should have an "ideal" grade — one that we should strive to work up to, then the producer that can put up that grade of honey on the market will get some extra pay for his knowledge. I think it will be consuming valuable time for me to enumerate the many in- stances that would go to show the bene- fits of making large, beautiful and at- tractive exhibits of honey. H. D. Cutting. The foregoing essay was reaji at the home of the Review, and there was no formal discussion following it. Mr. Hunt mentioned that his sales had been greatly increased by his exhibitions at the Fairs. The meeting here drifted into a social chat, and after sampling the California honey, the members said good night, to meet again in the morn- ing at the usual place. SECOND DAY. The first thing on the programme when the association came together on the morning of the second day, was an essay from Mr. S. Cornell, of Ontario, Canada. It was entitled. Moisture in the Bee-Cellar ; What It Can Do and What We Can Do. In the Bee-Keepers' Review for No- vember I mentioned the fact, that when honey is consumed, a quantity of water is produced, which, when added to the free water in the honey, is equal to about % of the weight of the honey used. That is, 100 colonies, each con- suming one ounce per day, or at the rate of about two pounds each per month, will produce over 4)^ pounds of water per day. In summer we often see small drops of clear liquid discharged by the bees, while on the wing. It is, I believe, gen- erally agreed that these drops are the excess of water, either from the nectar gathered, or produced from the con- sumption of food. Bees have urinary organs which separate water from the blood, and carry it to the intestines to be discharged. But while confined to the hive in winter, they must depend wholly upon the evaporation which takes place in the breatjgng tubes, and at the surface of the body, to eliminate the superfluous water. The efiQciency of evaporation for this purpose depends upon the dryness of the air breathed. If it contains not more than % of the quantity possible for it to contain at a temperature of say 45°, the heat of the cluster will probably make it greedy enough for moisture to take up, in the form of vapor, the water from the blood of the bees, as fast as it is produced. If the air in the hive is already saturated, the evaporation will be too slow, and 150 AMERICAN BEE JOUHiNAi^. the blood will become overloaded ; the urinary tubes will carry the excess of water to the lower bowel, and then we shall have what has been well named "abdominal distension." The saturated air in the hive conducts the heat from the cluster much more rapidly, causing a larger consumption of honey to keep up the warmth, and this in turn aggravates the evil by pro- ducing more water, of which there is already a greater quantity than the air is capable of taking up. There are other evils, such as the thinning of the honey by absorbed moisture, causing it to ferment, and the germs of fermenta- tion have been found in the intestines of diarrhetic bees, finding their way there, doubtless, in the honey. Although the tendency is to cause the bees to have a decidedly dropsical ap- pearance. These efliects are not pro- duced all at once. Under the most un- favorable conditions signs of disease are not noticed for some time after the bees are put into the cellar ; but when the above causes are acting continuously, day in and day out, for months, it is not to be wondered at that the bees become diseased. The remedy is to allow the moist air to pass out of the hive as fast as it is produced, and to replace it with dry warm air. I know that moist air may be got rid of in a downward direction by diffusion, but it will pass off at the top of the hive much more readily, be- cause the breathed air is warmer, and therefore lighter, and because the specific gravity of the vapor with which it is saturated is only .6235. The usual objection to upward venti- lation is that it carries off the heat too rapidly, but there is no necessity for keeping a cluster of bees enveloped in their own breath to keep them warm. When putting my bees into the cellar a few weeks ago, I placed the bottom of the upper hive over the uncovered frames of the lower one, slipping it for- ward so as to leave about a quarter of an inch of the^ds of the frames bare, to allow the vapor to pass out readily. Last winter we had steady cold weather from start to finish. The best wintered lot of bees in these parts were in 43 hives, each of which had an inch auger hole in the end, half way between the entrance and the upper edge. About half the number were in single-walled hives : these were placed in an ordinary cellai*. The remainder were in chaff hives, and were wintered on the summer stands. On the 15th of June 41 out of the 43 were alive, and 40 of these were in good condition for the harvest. I had a chance to know, because I worked them on shares. This is an old method, but, I believe, one which has been gen- erally successfully. For a covering to place over the frames there is nothing readily available which is better, as a transmitter of moisture, and at the same time a retainer of heat, than a good quilt of sheep's wool. I have used this, as well as other material, for years, and I know whereof I speak. I shall not repeat what I said In the Review as to the rapidity with which the air in a cellar may become saturated with the moisture thrown off by LOJ colonies of bees, as it can be readily re- ferred to if necessary. I wish to emphi- size the fact that a Mason hygrometer is necessary in order to know anything re- liable about the condition of the air as to moisture. In my own little cellar containing 60 colonies, so far this win- ter, the dry bulb has not gone below 43°, with the wet bulb a degree and a half lower, indicating a relative humidity of 88, which is too damp, I think. Ttie air came in through the sub-earth pipe at 42°, when the outside temperature was 17° below. The incoming air will be four or five degrees lower tovvards spring, owing to the gradual cooling of the ground around the pipe. The remedy for damp air in the cellar is the same as for damp air in the hive, namely, change t for dry warm air. When writing myartice for the Review, I had in mind a cellar beneath an ordi- nary dwelling, to coQtain not more than about 100 hives. Perhaps the greatest defect in the ventilation of sucti cellars is that the air is not drawn out fast enough. When the number of hives gets well up in the hundreds, such cel- lars are out of the question, and for in- door wintering a house should be built specially for the purpose. One thousand hives could probably be piled so as not to occupy much over 2,000 cubic feet, displacing not much over 1,500 cubic feet of air, but if the apartment were only just large enough to contain the bees, I fear that in ventilating it prop- erly, the bees would be injured by cur- rents. To avoid this, the cubic capacity of the apartment should be at least three or four times as much as the space occupied by the hives. To any one contemplating building such a house, I would most strongly recommend that he communicate With Isaac D. Sraead & Co., of Toledo, 0. They will furnish plans and speciflea- tions for carrying out their method 6t ventilation. I have lately had cori^es- AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 151 poDdenoe witb the branch of the Qrm doing business iu this country, and I leftrn that the cost for furnaces and at- tachments would be about $75. I shall not take up time speaking of the success of their system of ventilation and vvarm- ing. That can be learned on inquiry. For this system the house should be two stories high, or one story and a base- ment. The bee-room would be on the second flat. Suppose the room were 25x40x9 feet— this would give 9,000 cubic feet. Such a building might have a workrshop and store-rooms below, and store rooms in the attic, also. The bee- room would be a grand place for evapor- ating honey, either extracted or in the comb. It would be far ahead of any curing-room yet recommended. To an extensive bee-keeper the cost of such a wintering house should not be an ob- stacle. Farmers whose profits on the capital invested are perhaps not greater, are obliged to build more expensive buildings in which to store iheir pro- duce, and protect their stock. Such a wintering house would require daily observation and attendance, but warming and ventilation for 1,000 hives cannot be made automatic, with the best results, in our Northern climate. The plan recommended will place both tem- perature and change of air under con- trol, and will insure success if anything will. S. COBNEIL. Several members mentioned that the Smead system of ventilation had not always been satisfactory ; that the odor from the closets sometimes entered the rooms. It was thought, however, that this trouble might arise from a lack of fires in the furnaces, and this condition would not arise in the ventilation of bee- cellars. L. A. Aspinwall — The great amount of water that is found in the systems of the bees in winter, comes, I think, from the absorption by the honey of the moisture of the atmosphere. This is especially the case if the honey is un- sealed. One difficulty with cellar-win- tering is, that there is so much trouble and attention required in keeping the temperature at the proper point. Pres. Taylor — I think that cellar-win- tering causes much less labor and trouble than that of any other method. L. A. Aspinwall —It may be so now, but we may yet have a better system of out-door v/intering. Wm. Anderson — I think the question of food has more to do with safe winter- ing than has that of moisture. If we keep aw^y the nitrogenous food, the bees will be all right. Prea. Taylor^There are some things that make me doubt the importance of moisture in the wintering problem. For instance, I have had bees winter well when the inside of the hives were drip- ping with moisture, and the combs cov- ered with mold. Then, again, my cellar is well ventilated. The chimney ex- tends down to th^ cellar bottom, and there is an opening at the bottom of the chimney. Usually the bees winter well, but they have not always done so.* So far as I have been able to discover, the conditions of moisture and ventilation have been about the same each year. I do not think that the conditions in this direction have been sufficient to account for the difference in the wintering of the bees. W. Z. Hutchinson — The difference in the food and the difference in the weather, or the temperature, of differ- ent winters account in great degree for the varying success in wintering bees in- doors and out. Suppose the food is of an excellent character, and the winter severe. The bees in-doors will winter in an excellent manner, while those out- of-doors will suffer from the severe weather. If the winter is "open," those out-of-doors will have frequent lights, and come through the winter in the best possible condition. If the stores are poor, and the winter severe, those in- doors may pull through with some losses, while those out-of-doors will be almost entirely swept away. In a warm winter, with unsuitable stores, the bees out-of- doors may come through almost as well as with the best of stores, the frequent flights preventing the over-loading of the intestines. jThese two factors — dif- ference in stores and difference in the temperature of winters — explain a great many of the vagaries in wintering. Wm. Anderson — I think spring dwind- ling ought to be considered. There are more bees lost from this than die jn the winter. Pres. Taylor — I think spring losses are the result of imperfect wintering. The bees retain their feces until they are weakened thereby, and then comes a chance to fly, and they are apparently healthy, but soon die as the result of the tax that has been placed upon their vitality. This is called "spring dwind- ling." L. A. Aspinwall — I think we over- work our bees. Instead of going into winter with young bees in the full vigor of life, we work them until they are 152 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. just ready to die, and then expect them to winter well. Wm. Anderson — I think bees that work best winter the best. Pres. Taylor — I notice Mr. Cornell speaks of seeing the bees eject water when flying from their hives. I have seen the same thing, but I question whether it is always water that has been taken from the system by means of the urinary organs. For instance, I have fed bees thin sugar syrup towards even- ing, and they would fly soon after and discharge this water. It seems to me that they flew too soon to have had time for the water to have entered the system and passed through the urinary organs. (Concluded next week.) From "The Stinger. The new engraved heading that OUanings has hoisted over Dr. Miller's "Stray Straws' ' is in a bad tangle ; the spider-web arrange- ment that is used to hold the straws to- gether, seems to have encountered a West- ern cyclone. What a heathen Oleanings is getting to be ! In the last issue of that paper for the year so recently ended, is a short editorial which thoroughly astonished me. I expected to see the editor of that magazine wish his readers a "Happy New Year." But he did not do it ; it really seems that the editor has queer views on the custom of wishing one's friends and neighbors the usual com- pliments of the season — "stereotyped plati- tudes of the season," he calls them. The good old times when everybody and his neighbor tried to be merry and happy are passing away, and instead we are having a period where the motto seems to be, "Hustle for yourself and leave me alone." It is no wonder that the country is seeing such dull times. If things keep going from bad to worse, as they have for some time past, it is hard to tell where we shall land. Nothing helps to buoy up a disheartened brother more than a kind word spoken to him at that season of the year when the whole Christian world rejoices in the birth of a Saviour, and the ushering in of a n^\v year. Oleanings In its improved form is fair to look upon ; a sweet maid of sixteen could not be more charming. There is yet one thing about it that does not suit the eye of "The Stinger," and that is the ugly head- ing that is used for the title of the magazine at the beginning of the reading matter. I prefer plain, modest type, something after the style of the Review. And the American Bee Journal is guilty of the same crime, in my eyes. Discard . that cumbersome engraved title, and use plain type. Take Scribiier's, The Cosmopoli- tan^ Harper''s or the Century for a model. How much neater the headings of these magazines look, than engraved ones. Nuf sed. I notice that Dr. Miller is still "pulling" those queens through the columns of the bee-papers. Keep on. Doctor, and they will be well "pulled" by the time you get through with them — they will not even have any hair upon them. Rambler is getting to be a paragrapher, and his first attempt in that line is given in the first issue of Oleanings for this year. He calls them "California Echoes." I think it would have been better to have labeled them "Rambling Echoes," as they do not seem all to come vibrating upon the air from o'er the Sierras or the Rockies, but rather from various quarters. OUaymigs has an article on "Apiculture in Chile," in the last issue that has reached me. I have never eaten any Chile honey, for the reason that it is gathered during our winter months, and I am afraid that it would make me chilly to eat it. I want my honey so that it will not make my teeth go chit-a-chatter. Colorado honey is about right for me, though I can stand Eastern honey very well. A correspondent of Gleanings tells of the "oldest bees in the world." They were found wrapped in the winding sheet of a mummy— one of the Pharaohs. I suppose the bees were "laid to rest" with "the late lamented" king, so that they might sting him and keep him warm. But I have heard of a frog that is older than those bees. It was found away down in the bowels of the earth in Oregon. When the poor old fellow was released from the earth that had been his home for 30,000 (?) years, he hopped out as lively as a cricket, and winked at a pretty girl that stood not far off. Now, trot out your bees that have been hibernating as long as that frog was, and I will take pleasure in going several thousand miles to see them. Jake Smith is at it again in Oleanings. That funny f ulosofer has been foolin with beez agin, and I do declare if he does not look out for his self, he will find his self in a lunytick asilum. I haint no dokter, but I no what I am talkin of. W. P. Root's ancient bee-books are going to get a set-back by the editor of Oleanings. That's too bad; I wanted to see the poor old books get ample justice done them, and Mr. Root was doing all he could to give AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 153 them a final send-off. I think I shall have to say "R. I. P.," as they say on the grave- stones. A. I. Root evidently intends to bring a suit for slander or libel against certain persons in southern California, for making certain damaging statements about him. I hardly thought Mr, Root would have had recourse to the law in such a matter, for some of us mortals have come to think that he would be more likely to forgive his enemies. Though I am inclined to be as Christian-like as possible, I think there are times when a man is justified in giving his trad ucers "a good licking." Howl would like to see Uncle Amos trounce one of those burly fellows who have been unduly in- juring his good name! (See Gleanings^ page 943.) ^^ff~ Do not write anything' for publication on the same sheet of paper with business matters, unless it can be torn apart without interfering with either part of the letter. Bees Booming in Texas. Bees are booming to-day— Jan., 21st. They are gathering pollen on elm for the first time this year in North Texas. Tioga, Tex. Edwin Cook. Melilot or Sweet Clover. I am surprised that some bee-keepers have so little knowledge about melilot or sweet clover. I have raised this clover more or less for over 20 years, and will say to-day, take it away from me and I would quit bee-keeping. I have had but two fail- ures in 20 years, that is, it has always yielded honey every year except in two years. It is like all other honey-plants, it yields more in some seasons ; and as to the quality of the honey, it is good honey — not of the very light kind, but good. Mr. M. M. Baldridge had a sample of the honey (extracted) at the convention in Chicago last October ; it was of the very best, good, heavy honey, and light in color. As for stock eating sweet clover, they will do it readily, after they get used to it. There is no plant that can stand the drouth equal to it. There is no plant that can be sown that will fertilize the land equal to it. It has been tried in England, and has been given the preference over all the plants to fertilize the ground. As an experiment, the Ohio station took a piece of land that had been stripped of all the good land at a brick-yard, or where the good land had been taken to get at the clay to make brick. They sowed two or three crops of melilot on this clay, then sowed it to wheat. At the same time they sowed the same amount of good land to wheat right beside the brick-yard, and the clay ground beat the good land as to the amount of pounds of wheat. This clay could not have raised anything if it had not been for the melilot or sweet clover. The time is not far off when it will be sown more extensively to enrich the land. I have ten acres growing on my place now. Compton, Ills. R. Milleb. Famer Jones' Bee-Notes. Thar's one way of preventin' swarmin' I aint seen in the papers yit, an' that is, keep your bees in a cool, dark cellar. Of course you don't git much honey that air way, but then I tried takin' away brood from mine las' summer, an I dunno but what I got about as much honey as I would if I'de kept 'em in the cellar. The trouble about takin' away brood is, you dunno when to begin ; but if you've got some yellar blood in 'em, you generally know when to stop. I live purty high ; that is, on a hy hill, but nobody ever called me " stuck up " un- til I got ter italianizen my black bees. I'll have ter confes I am stuck up a good eel nowdays. I notiss ever sense I got that testy queen (I think that's what they sed she was) that mos' all the bees that cum out to the feeled to sting me have considerbul yaller on 'em. I spose that's why they call 'em "testy queens." My wife says she beleeves the bee-books ud be all rite if they wouldn't teech so much artifishul swarmin'. She says natrul swarmin' is enough for her without goin' an makin' 'em swarm artiflshuUy. I yuster think if a queen was yaller enuff she was a pure italyun. I alius sposed pets was inclined to git lazy, but they say you can pet these here italyun bees as much as you're aminter, and they'll move around lively. HiBRED Jones. Another Skunk Remedy, Etc. It is decidedly amusing to me, at least, to read of the various methods prescribed for "Mrs. Atchley's skunks." I would smile to see the writer under the heading of " Ran- dom Stings," dispose of his Skunkship after said skunk la ad " pressed the button." At the same time I would want a deodorizer convenient. I would not use the words of Lincoln's assassin — " Sic Semper Tyran- nus," but as I have noticed, "Many pre- scribe, but few take the medicine." Now let me add my mite to the general fund, and I hope the lady will not be of- fended at my weak criticisms. 'I am a trapper of 30 years' practice, and I think I 154 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAx-. have killed more of the " vartaints " than Stinger ever saw. My plan is to take a small lump of lard, about the size of a filbert (if the nights are not too warm to melt it; if so, take tallow); cut the piece in halves, hollow out the center, and put about the full of a gem cap of powdered strychnine in the cavity. Press the halves gently together, and place the " pill " on a board in front of the hive. But keep the dog, cat, and chickens housed up until you can take up any that is left in the morning. A skunk will not go 50 yards until he goes to rest, and you need not "press the but- ton " either, nor yet need the atmosphere purified. The above dose will kill a fox before he goes 100 yards. For the past two weeks there have been only a few days that the bees did not fly more or less. I have one colony, appar- ently in good condition, that has drones flying — a thing I never heard of in this county at this season. All appear to be doing well. Bees are flying now. I heartily agree with Mr. McEvoy in re- gard to his foul-brood theory on page 8, and its increase is by carelessness. •' Should the farmer keep bees ?" I say " No." My experience among the farmer's bees leads me to this conclusion. For years I have been called to 5 or 10 miles to attend to a farmer's bees. I invariably find them in the worst condition possible. A man with an ordinary-sized farm usually has enough to do in spring-time (the season when bees need to be looked after) without looking after the bees. I don't think there is One farmer in fifty that would profit by keeping bees. I do iiot know any of them, at' least. T. C. Keia,t. Slippery Rock, Pa.. Jan. 8, 1894. Not Very Encouraging. I invested $.80 last spring for bees, hives, etc., and never got a pound of comb honey — the worst season in this part of Kansas in eleven years. I had 26 colonies on July 1st, but the dry weather and hard winds played havoc with fall resources, so I doubled back to 16 colonies, 8 of which were fair, and the remainder needed feeding through the winter. W. Emmett Potts. Edna, Kans. The Season of 1893. I may say, as nearly as I can tell, the average for the honey product has not been over 25 pounds per colony, spring count, the past season here. Our bees just more than rolled the honey in the last of the six months (or June), but near the mid- dle of July nectar seemed to dry up, and that was the end of the honey-flow for this year. Last spring, in the last of three months. 1 lost a queen. I found her dead on the bot- tom-board. I sent $5.00 to Texas for a daughter of kn imported queen, and on Aipril 22nd I received her. She came through a snow storm in Michigan, with instructions how to introduce her. Aftfer five days I opened the hive and found her accepted and laying. On May 22nd she had brood hatched, and lo, the golden bees ap- peared ! I tell you she is a beauty, though much smaller in size than the queens I rear. She had a fair colony of bees to com- mence with. I concluded I would let her alone and see what she would do. The lit- tle thing filled a 10-frame Langstroth hive full. Two combs on each side of the hive were full of honey. I weighed a similar comb, and it weighed 8 pounds. The other six combs were nothing but bees, brood, and honey. This was in September. They had 10 pounds in sections, sealed and in good condition. If we had had a fall flow, I think I would have gotten 30 pounds of section honey. This was doing pretty well, I think. I am now closing up my sales of honey. I have sold my crop at 15 cents per pound, and 123^^ cents for extracted. I wish I had a ton of my own pi-oducing— I could easily dispose of it. People in this part of the city are a little averse to granulated sugar called " honey." Jacob Mooke. • Ionia, Mich., Dec. 15, 1894. A Little Bee-Experience. As I talked with several of my neighbor bee-keepers, or so-called bee-keepers, as I call them, I asked one the other day how his bees did last summer, and in answer he said: "Idon'tknow. I haven't looked yet to see if they had any honey or not." Then I asked him how he was going tO manage them if they didn't have stores enough to winter on. "Why," he said, "let them starve, because it don't pay to feed them.'' I asked him why it wouldn't pay, to which he replied, " Because bees and honey are both too cheap." But that's just where those fellows miss it ; and then in the fall, when Jack Frost is on hand, they sneak around their hives to see if there is any honey or not, and if they do get a few pounds, they rush it to market and sell it for a few cents — and it really isn't worth very much, because it's in all and every shape except the proper way. Then they ruin the market for something that is first- class. As it is not paying to feed bees if they haven't enough stores to winter on — why don't these same folks turn their horses out during the winter, and in the spring of the year go and round them up, slap the har- ness on, and go to work on their crops ? But I suppose they wouldn't get along very far in the world that way. It's just like this: They don't read any bee-books or papers, and consequently they don't know any more than to keep bees in the old box- hives or mouse-traps ; but if one talks with them they know it all, and you can't con- vince them, either. I asked some of them to subscribe for th* American Bee Journal. I told them that it costs only $1.00 a year for a weekly paper ; but they said : ' You might jUSt as AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 3 55 well throw that $1.00 out in the middle of the road." There is only one bee-brother in my locality (Mr. E. J. Weakley) who gets any results from his bees, but he and I are among Mrs. Atchley's ABC scholars. In regard to the brace and burr comb trouble, I think if bee-keepers would use the Hoflfman fixed frames altogether, they would get rid of brace and burr combs. Another great thing they wduld get rid of, and that is the honey-boards. The bees in this locality were a fizzle the past year; that is, as far as surplus honey is concerned, but they had plenty of winter stores; that is, those that were stimulated a little through brood-rearing, and that were strong. I winter mine in the cellar. The " Old Reliable " is a welcome visitor every week. I think the Bee Journal is worth its weight in gold to any beginner. Washington, Kans. J. H. Rupp. Something' About Marketing Honey. Dr. Miller, it seems from his writing on page 817 of a December number of the Bee Journal, cannot get a good price for his honey, or at least he so stated it. Let me say that 24 cents per pound is a little high for extracted honey, besides 10 cents for the 5-pound pail, but it must be remembered that when you go to the store, or any place else, to get a pound of honey in the comb, you generally get a 434'x4^ section. Such a pound generally weighs from 14 to 15 ounces— sometimes less. Now, Doctor, when you go again to sell extracted honey, if you produce any. or all who do produce and sell it, do not forget to tell those customers that when they buy the section honey they do not get a pound of honey, besides about one ounce off for the useless box. Do not forget to tell them that it is not "strained honey," but extracted with a machine made for that purpose ; it does not contain any jwllen, and is not boiled or heated to give it any bad taste. Wax is not digestible, therefore not wholesome, and it is another good point in favor of selling extracted honey. I get from 15 to 20 cents per pound, and sometimes more, for extracted honey. With me, the best packages for selling ex- tracted honey are the Mason pint and quart jars. I find it hard to sell comb honey at the same price per box as I get per pound for the extracted. Theodore Bender. Canton, O. Rearing Extra-Large Queens. On page 31, Dr. E. Gallup appears to think that Charles White was not badly hurt about what he (Gallup) sai(#about the light-colored bees. No, indeed, Doctor ; in- stead of being hurt, I am well pleased. The article you speak of, on page 631, was in- tended to make you talk on queens, for I did not think you practiced what you wrote, and to see how near our ideas are alike, was the object of my reply to your artlple ; tor I ttm ready to agree that the color of the bee has nothing to do with it^ working qualities, and very little with its disposition. We can breed in, any good or bad qualities at our pleasure. I have claimed for a long while that we could beat Nature in producing fine queens. It is asserted that there are uo queens as good as those reared under the swarming impulse, while I claim that there are better queens reared artificially than those reared by natural swarming. A colony of bees that has cast a swarm is not in the best possible condition to rear young queens, or, in other words, it is not in a " normal con- dition," as the colony should be to have the best results. Of course there are excep- tions, but as a general rule there is too much excitement among bees that intend to swarm. Now let us see how near the Doctor and I agree on this statement. The Doctor says, on pages 21 and 22, that the queens that he I found in the hives where the old queen had been superseded, were very large, and very prolific, and their bees appeared to be larger. Now why should those bees rear finer queens and larger bees than the Doc- tor was used to seeing in Canada ? For this reason — that the bees were in a normal condition, and not excited as they would be if they were preparing to swarm; there- fore, I claim that we can prepare a colony of bees for queen-rearing that will beat natural swarming, rearing fine queens, either light, dark, gentle or vicious, good workers, or loafers, just as we make our selections of eggs or larvae. Aurora, Nebr. Chas. White. OouTention IVotices. WISCONSIN.— The Wisconsin Bee-Keepers' Association will meet in Madison. Wis., on Feb. 7 and 8, 1894. An interesting meeting is expected. It is earnestly hoped there may be a full attendance. J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec. Madison. Wie. Kansas.— There will be a meeting of the Southeastern Kansas Bee-Keepers' Associa- tion on March 16, 1894, at the apiaries of Thomas Willett, 5 miles northeast of Bron- son, Bourbon Co., Kansas. All are invited to come. J. C. Balch, Sec. Bronson. Kans. Honey as Food stud Medicine is just the thing to help sell honey, as it shows the various ways in which honey may be used as a food and as a medicine. Try 100 copies of it, and see what good 'sales- men " they are. See the third page of this number of the Bee Journal for description and prices. A Binder for holding a year's num- bers of the Bee Journal we mail for only 50 cents; or clubbed with the JOUBNAL for $1.40. IXaTe ITou Read page 133 y«t ? 156 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. Uoney & Beeswax Market Quotations. CHICAGO, Tli... Dec. 4, 1893.— There were but few shipments of honey to this market last weeii. The cold weather started business up, and honey moved some better than here- tofore. Fancy and No. 1 is getting scarce, and prices are on the upward tendency. Fan- cy. 16e.; No. 1 white, 15c.; fair, 14c. Ex- tracted is moving slowly with plenty to aatisfy demand. Beeswax, 20@'2'2c. J. A. L CINCINNATI. O., Jan. 18.— Demand is slow. Supply is plentiful. We quote: Comb honey, 12®15c. for best white; extracted. 5@Sc. Beeswax is in fair demand, at '20@'23c. for good to choice yellow. Supply is good. C. F. M. & S. ALBANY, N. Y., Jan. 14.— The honey market is in a slow and unsatisfactory condition. Very little demand for any and large stocks of both comb and extracted. Quotations would be only nominal. H. R. W. CHICAGO, iLii.. Jan. 25.— While the volume of trade in honey is not large there is an im- proved tone thereto. We obtain 15c. for the best grades of white comb and our stock of this is not large. Grades not quite so good Hre selling at 14c., with buckwheat and other dark honeys bringing ll@12c. The weather has been too sevei-e recently to permit of shipments being made. Extracted honey we quote at 5@7c. per pound according to quality and style of package. Beeswax, 22c. R. A. B. & Co. NEW YORK, N. Y.. Jan. 24.— There is no change in our market. Trade remains dull with plentj- ot stock ou hand of both comb and extracted honey. Beeswax is selling on arrival at 26@27c. H. B. & S. CHICAGO. III.. Jan. 18.— The ruling price for fancy white comb honey seems to be 1 3c. Other grades of comb will bring from 10@12c. Extracted is selling at 6c. Hard times cause restricted demand. S. T. F. & Co. KANSAS CITY. Mo., Dec. 21.— The demand for comb and extracted honey is not as good as we would like to see it. We quote : No. 1 white 1-lb. comb, 14@15c.; No. 2 white, 13® 14c.; No. 1 amber, 13@13i4c.; No. 2 amber 10@12c. Extracted, white, 6@7c. ; amber, 5® 5'/4c. C.-M. C. Co. *'A MoclerM JBee-Parni and Its Economic Management." is the title of a splendid book on practical bee-culture, by Mr. S. Simmins, of England. It is 5%x8>^ inches in size^ and contains 270 pages, nicely illustrated, and botmd in cloth. It shows '• how bees may be cultivated as a means of livelihood; as a health-giving pursuit ; and as a source of recreation to the busy man."' It also illustrates how profits may be "made certain by growing crops yielding the most honey, having also other uses; and by judgment in breeding a good working strain of bees.'' Price, post- paid, from this ofiice, 11.00 ; or clubbed with the Bee Journal for one year, for J;1.60. List of Honey and Beeswax Dealers, Most of whom Quote In this Journal. Chicago, IIl8. J. A. Lamon, 44 and 46 So. Water St. R. A. Burnett & Co., 161 South Water Street. New York, N. Y. F. I. Sage & Sc^, 183 Reade Street. HiLDRETH Bros. & Sbgelken. 28 & 30 West Broadway. Chas. Israel & Bros,, 110 Hudson St. Kansas City, mo. Hamblin & Bearss, 514 Walnut Street. Clemoms-Mason Com. Co., 521 Walnut St. Albany, N. If. H. R. Wright. 326 & 328 Broadway. Hamilton, Ills. Chas. Dadant & Son, Cincinnati, Otiio. C F. MuTH & Son, cor. Freeman & Central avs. Catalog-ue^i for 1894 are on our desk from the following : J. M. Jenkins. Wetumpka, Ala. Jos. Nysewander, Des Moines, Iowa. E. T. Flanagan. BelleviUe. Ills. H. M. Orr, 8elma, Calif. Jennie Atchlev. Beeville, Tex. W. H. White, Deport, Tex. F. N. Johnson, Knoxville, Ills. J. D. Givens, Lisbon, Tex. Edwin Cook. Tioga. Tex. John Nebel & 8on. High Hill, Mo. J. D. Goodrich, E. Hardwick, Vt. Capons and Caponizingf, by Edward Warren Sawyer, M. D., Fanny Field, and others. It shows in clear language and illustrations all about caponizing fowls; and thus how to make the most money in poultry-raising. Every poultry-keeper should have it. Price, postpaid, 30 cents ; or clubbed with Bee Journal one year, for $1.10. One-Cent Pos>tag:e i^tanips we prefer whenever it is necessary to send stamps for fractions of a dollar. By re- membering this, you will greatly oblige us. Advertlsemeiits. "Dead Ripe" Heney ! Je^.teWosti? Linn and Clover. I will sell 2 Cans. 120 lbs., for $8.50. samples. 7 cts. OLIVER FOSTER, 5Alt Mt. VERNON, Linn Co., IOWA Mention the American Bee Journal. weekly, $1 a Year. ' DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY To Bee-Culture. ( ] Sample Copy Free. VOL. XXXIII. CHICAGO, ILL, FEB. 8, 1894. NO. 6. ^'■^■'■^■^^.'■^■^^■^^■'■^'■^■'■^■'■^■^^^^^^^^^^Amk^^-^^-'-^-'-^-^^-^^-'-^-tt^^^^^tJkM lie Assurecl, once for all. That no step is in vain Which is made against wrong. In defence of the right ; And that every true thought Is a tangible gain Toward putting the legions Of error to flight. Then continue to hope, While you do what you can For the progress of truth And the glory of man. — Selected. World's Fair Pictures — did you read about them on page 165 of this number of the Bee Journal ? Xliree "^Velconie Visitors favored us with their beneficent presence one day last week. They were Dr. C. C. Miller and "the two blessed women'' that help to make his life so happy — Mrs. Miller and her sister, Miss Emma Wilson. What a joyful trio they are ! And it's hard to tell which of the three enjoys this life most. The Bee Journal not only invites them to come often, and stay longer, but wishes them all long life and Heaven's best bless- ings. Xlie j^tiiiger and Rambler. — These " conumberfums " are sent us by Bro. C. H. Pond, of Kasson, Minn., for the benefit of "The Stinger" and "Rambler:" Why is the American Bee Journal's "Stinger" like the American hedgehog? Ans. : Because he carries a back load of stings. Why is a "kid" playing in front of a hive of bees like Gleauings^ Rambler ? Ans. : Because if he doesn't keep quiet, he is sure to get stung. I*rof. Coolc is the new President of the Calfornia State Bee-Keepers' Associa- tion. That's a mutual honor, deserved by both Association and Professor. Rambler was re-elected Secretary, and Bro. Geo. W. Brodbeck, the retiring President, was elected Treasurer. That's a strong set of officers. The report of the meeting held on Jan. 23rd and 24th, will appear soon in the Bee Journal. Xo I»rotc'et Bee-Meepers. — At our last meeting of the Illinois Bee-Keepers' Association, th^ following was adopted, relative to the petition following, etc. : That each member be requested to send a copy of the petition to his various members of Congress, soliciting their assistance in hav- ing it enacted into law : To the Honorable — the Senate and House of Sep- re-sentatives of the United States : — The Illinois State Bee-Keepers' Associa- tion, in meeting assembled, by unanimous vote petition your honorable bodies to make and enforce laws forbidding the sale of any article under the name of " honey," unless it be the natural product of flowers and plants, naturally gathered by the bees from the plants themselves, and marked with the name and address of the bee- keeper. Your petitioners further beg leave to state 168 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. that the Conger " Pure Food Bill," as pre- sented at the last session, is in accord with the wishes of the Association. Jas. a. Stone, Sec. The Illinois Association, at its last meet- ing, also instructed the Secretary to send out return postal cards to each of its mem- bers, on or before the 15th day of May, July, September and October, with the following questions : 1st. The number of colonies. 3nd. The prospect of a honey crop. 8rd. The amount of honey gathered to date. 4th. Is the honey gathered No. 1 or not ? The returns are then to be published each month in the bee-papers. In order that this move be made highly beneficial, there should be a large member- ship, that they may receive their return cards; and also their dollars are needed to bear the expense of issuing the cards, and to have them printed ready for issuing. In this way it can be known all over the country just the condition of bees and the prospect of the honey crop. Just join the Illinois Bee-Keepers' Association, and then read the bee-papers. Address the Secretary Jas. A. Stone, Bradfordton, Ills. — for any further information desired. I>eslroying- Aiit!>>. — The following remedies for getting rid of ants may be a help to some bee-keeper. We don't guar- antee them, but they may be worth trying. Here they are : You can destroy any kind of ants in their nest by pouring in about a table-spoonful of bisulphide of carbon through the en- trance, and then stopping it up. A druggist, much annoyed by ants about his soda fountain, found a combination that destroyed them — a powder of equal parts of sugar and tartar emetic, made into a thick paste with glycerine. Xlie Amende Honorable. — A few weeks ago we felt called upon to correct a statement made in GJeaMvu.f/s, by Bro. Root, and here is the graceful explanation and apology we fully expected would follow. It appeared in Oleaniugs for Feb. 1st, and reads thus: r Bro. York, of the American Bee Jour- nal, calling attention to the fact that we said that Prof. Cook had been writing more sugar-honey articles for the agricultural papers, says Prof. Cook has not written for such papers for mouths. That we did see articles on the subject of sugar honey. signed by Prof. Cook, we are certain ; but we now think they must have been reprints of old articles not credited, that friend Cook wrote a year or "so ago for the api- cultural journals. We have mislaid the papers, so that we cannot now refer again to them. You see when a thing once gets started, it is hard to stop it. We accept the correction with thanks, and hereby tender our apology to Prof. Cook. We are glad that no more articles will soon appear in favor of sugar-honey. But it will take a long time to undo the dread- ful influence of those written a year or so ago. Verily, 'tis harder to stop than to start an unwise thing. Open I^ig'lit Bee-Escape. — Mr. Jas. H. Davis, of Danville, Ky., has sent us one of his metal bee-escapes. He calls it an "open light bee-escape " — a device that he uses in controlling swarming. It is also used as an admitter, ^s well as an escape. The use of something the bees can see through introduces a new element into es- capes, and it may be of value; but you never know how a new thing may be in practice when the bees test it. The "ad- mitter " part is not quite understood. Per- haps Mr. Davis will explain it for the bene- fit of our readers. Sonie^vliat Mixetl.— The St. Louis .Tourtud of Jyriciilture has been getting things a little mixed. Here is the item that shows someone was a trifle "off" when writing it for that paper : Excellent vinegar and wine can be made from honey. Dr. Miller says, in the Ameri- can Bee Journal, that if barley were $1.50 a bushel, honey would be used largely in brewing. The idea of Dr. Miller suggesting the using of honey in brewing ! That's a pretty good joke on the Doctor, who writes " tem- perance 'stray straws.' " The fact is. that at the North American convention. Dr. Miller said: "You can make excellent vinegar with honey." And Bro. Muth followed with this remark: " You can also make excellent wine from honey. If barley were $1.50 per bushel, honey would be used largely in brewing." That's the " long and short " of it — Bro. Muth being the " long " (or tall), and Dr. Miller the "short." Visit f lie IVorltl's Fair for only 2a cents. See page 165. AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU 169 answered by Marengo, III. In this department will he answered tliose questions needing immediate attention, and such as are not of sufficient special interest to require replies from the '~!0 or more apiarists who help to maiie "Queries and Replies" so interesting on another page. In the main, it will contain questions and answers upon mat- ters that particularly interest beginners.— Ed. E.earing Queens for Home Use. Can you give an easy method of queen- rearing on a small scale, for 20 to 40 queens In a season ? I wish to rear about 30 queens to Italianize my apiary, and would like to do it beforie the honey- flow in the spring, if possible ; but I don't know how to do it, or if it can be done. G. D. L. Tacoma, Wash. Answer. — If you want to supply all your queens before the honey-liow in the spring, perhaps the easiest and sur- est way will be to send south and buy queens. For good queens depend much upon season and weather, and you need not expect to succeed in rearing them in advance of the honey-flow. If it were otherwise, you would not find the most expert queen-breeders complaining that they could not iill orders in time because the season was against them. Study up thoroughly in the books, or in some one good book, the general principles of queen-rearing, and then you will still find you have something to think over to know just how to make them a^pply to your particular needs. Candy for Winter Feeding. I have several colonies in the cellar — some rather light in stores. I wish to place candy on top of the frames under the quilts. 1. How can I make the candy for cellar feeding V I have Phenix E sugar — will that do '? 2. Would it be better to use part honey in making candy ? If so, what proportion ? I have just been looking over the last two volumes of the Bee Journal, but I do not find what I wish. But believing this an age of improvement, I would rather hear the advice of the present time. c. B. H. Wellsville, N. Y. Answers. — 1. Any brand of pure granulated sugar is 'good, and, on the whole, probably nothing is cheaper. That's for making hard candy, which needs no honey, and is made by boiling, like any candy. 2. Of late, what is called Scholz or Good candy, is much used. I quote from Root's ABC instructions for making, as follows : "Take good, thick honey and heat (not boil) it until it becomes very thin, and then stir in pulverized sugar. " After stirring in all the sugar the honey will absorl), taUe it out of the utensil in which it is mixed, and thoroughly knead it with the hands. The kneading makes it more pliable and soft, so it will absorb, or, rather, take up, more sugar." Lots of kneading seems to be very im- portant, and when it is done you' will have a stiff dough. After standing, however, it doesn't always stay just the same, and it wouldn't 'l^e a' bad plan before giving it to the bees for you to let it stand a day or two in the same atmos- phere the bees are in. If it remains without change, all right ; but if it gets thin, you can knead in more sugar. Several Hives in One Box. I have my bees in long boxes, each holding 10 colonies, and room for chaff over and around them. I placed them in these boxes early last fall, and ever since I have noticed an undue amount of dead bees at the entrance. We have had a very light winter so far, bees have flown almost every day, and should have wintered well, as they have plenty of sealed stores. 1. Do bees, when placed as above, all using one general entrance, get in the wrong hive and get stung? If so, could I remedy this by making a long box wide enough to take the frames, this box to be placed in the larger box, and the box to be placed in it and separated only by queen-excluding division-boards? 2. Would the bees, on being suddenly turned together, fight and kill each others' queens ? If so, could I prevent this by using wire-cloth division-boards until they became of one scent ? If not by this means, by what other means could it be done ? I wish to leave them in this box all summer. I will remove the sides and 170 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. ends and the roof will act as a shade. Later, when Spanish needle blooms, and the nights become cool I will replace the sides and chaff, so that comb building will not be retarded for want of heat during the night. A. M. T. Bronaugh, Mo., Jan. 24, 1894. Answers. — I think I can answer your questions more satisfactorily to answer them all in a lump. If I understand you correctly, you have one general entrance for all the colonies. That will hardly do. When the bees are busy at work in the fields they may stand mix- ing up in alt sorts of ways, but at other times it isn't so safe. Neither do I be- lieve it best for you to have them so the bees of any two colonies can mix, out- side of the working season. I know that a good deal is being said just now, especially across the water, about hav- ing two colonies together, and it may do to try it carefully on a small scale, but I wouldn't run the risk of mixing several colonies and queens. I think your idea is to have the advan- tage of the heat of several colonies to- gether, and it looks reasonable that much should be gained by it. But you never know till you try, what the bees themselves will think about it. I would advise you to have your colo- nies entirely separated, perhaps by board partitions, and these may be only a quarter of an inch thick, then let each one have an entirely separate entrance, by some kind of a tube as a passage from the colony to the outer air. Posts or boards, or trees, anything to make the entrances unlike, will be a help. Be sure to let us know how your ex- periment turns out. A Scheme for Swarming-Time. Will you kindly give me your opinion as to the probable success or failure of the following scheme? We will suppose it is swarming-time, and a swarm issues. I remove the parent colony to a new location. I then hive the swarm on the old stand in a hive containing starters, and one frame of brood with queen-cells from the parent colony. I at the same time secure the queen as the swarm enters the hive, and return her to the parent colony. Now I query: 1. Will the swarm " stay put?" 2. Will the queen stay in her former home, or will she go looking for the swarm ? 3. Will it be necessary to remove queen-cells from the parent colony ? 4. Suppose the plan, as outlined above, works all right thus far, will there be any advantage in it, aside from the more rapid building up of the parent colony ? J. L. M. Clark's Corner, Conn. Answers. — 1. Yes. 2. She'll stay where you put her. 3. I think not. 4. I don't believe you'll like it. The swarm will be a week or more without a queen, and during that time will not make rapid work building comb, what they do build being drone-comb princi- pally. (I dont believe I would use start- ers, anyway, for even with a queen you will get more drone-comb than you want. Use full sheets of foundation.) There is no brood to hatch out except the one comb, and the young queen will not be laying for two or three weeks. All that will interfere materially with your honey crop, and, remember, it is your swarm that you expect to do the storing. ConTemtion IVotices. WISCONSIN.— The Wisconsin Bee-Keepers' Association will meet in Madison, Wis., on Feb. 7 and 8, 1894. An interesting meeting is expected. It is earnestly hoped there may be a full attendance. J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec. Madison. Wis. Kansas.— There will be a meeting of the Southeastern Kansas Bee-Keepers' Associa- tion on March 16, 1894, at the apiaries of Thomas Willett, 5 miles northeast of Broa- son, Bourbon Co., Kansas. All are invited to come. J. O. Balch, Sec. Bronson, Kans. Texas.— The Texas State Bee-Keepers' As- sociation will hold their 16th annual meeting at Greenville, Tex., on Wednesday and Thurs- day, April 4 and 5, 1894. Everybody Invited. No hotel bills to pay. We expect a large meeting and a good time. Don't fail to come. Beeville, Tex. E. J. Atchley, Sec. Houey a« Food and 9Iedicinc is just the thing to help sell honey, as it shows the various ways in which honey may be used as a food and as a medicine. Try 100 copies of it, and see what good 'sales- men " they are. See the third page of this number of the Bee Journal for description and prices. A Binder for holding a year's num- bers of the Bee Journal we mail for only 50 cents; or clubbed witb the Journal for $1.40. Have Tou Bead the wonderful Pre- mium offer on page 165 ? AMEJRICAN BEE JOURNAL. 171 The Ohio Honey Exhibit.— This week, instead of our usual bio- graphical department, we have a large picture of the Ohio honey exhibit at the "World's Fair, with its capable and genial pearance in the picture is very appro- priate.) The following interesting description was furnished for Oleanings by the Doc- tor, which will doubtless be read with Ohio's World's Fair Honey Exhibit, with Dr. A. B. Mason on the Left. Superintendent — Dr. Mason— shown at the left. (Of course, the Doctor belongs with the exhibit, else he wouldn't form such a conspicuovxs part of it. But as Ohio can boast of no " sweeter " man in her ranks of honey-producers, his ap- much pleasure by all, whether they were permitted to see the exhibit or not : The frames, or honey-stands [inside the case], as we called them, were made of inch gas-pipe, four pieces on each side, and one between at each end mak- 172 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAj ing ten risers, or supports, in each stand. Each support had a cast-iron bottom to rest in, and the tops were screwed into brass pieces that held them in place. On these supports were iron rests that could be fixed at desirable heights, on which were placed glass shelves on which to display both comb and extracted honey. There were two of these stands, each 4 feet wide at the bottom, 4 inches at the top, and 6 feet high. They were 8 feet long at the bottom, and about 5 feet at the top. One end of each of these honey- stands was placed about 22 inches from the ends of the case, leaving about 5 feet in the center between the inner ends of the stands. In the center of this space was an iron standard 6X feet high, with iron supports for nine glass shelves. The shelves were eight square, the lower one being about 3 feet across, and the upper one a foot across. On this center pyramid were displayed comb and extracted honey, fancy pieces of beeswax, and about 30 varieties of honey-plant seeds — most of the seeds being furnished by A. I. Root ; the rest were furnished by myself. The beeswax was part of about 40 pounds produced and loaned to the exhibit by Milo George, of Bowling Green, and was admitted by all to be the finest wax on exhibition. It was just as it came from the solar ex- tractor, not having been clarified in any way. It received an award. The comb honey on the side of the pyramid shown in the picture, was a portion of 100 pounds in 96 one-pound sections, produced and loaned to the exhibit by Vernon Burt, of Mallet Creek, about three miles from Medina. The sections were well filled out to the wood, the 96 sections containing 100 pounds of honey, the combs being even and white. They received an award. Mr. Burt also loaned to the exhibit a very fine, strong colony of bees ; most of the bees, however, were smothered on their journey. The comb honey, on the opposite side of the pyramid from Mr. Burt's, was a part of about 650 pounds produced and loaned to the exhibit by C. E. Boyer, of Ainger. When I called on Ohio bee- keepers for honey, etc., for the exhibit, Mr. Boyer was the first to respond, with an offer to loan from 300 to 400 pounds of comb honey, which he afterward in- creased. The honey was in nice, white four-piece sections, some of them being almost perfectly filled to the wood. Most of the comb was very white, and all was evenly capped, some of the sections be- ing among the most perfect, if not the most perfect on exhibition. Most of the comb honey in the Ohio exhibit was from Mr. Boyer, and received an award.^ Evidently Mr. Boyer had " an eye " on the Exposition, for I learned from him, when he was at the big show in October, that some of his honey was produced in 1891, and saved for the Ohio exhibit. J. B. Wilhelm, of Saint Stephen, do- nated a few pounds of comb honey — all he had when my call was made for honey. It was light colored, and the- sections were well filled. Louis Schumm, of Willshire, loaned the exhibit 32 pounds of dark comb honey in two-pound sections. About 75 pounds of white comb honey was purchased, and, all together, made about 900 pounds for the exhibit. F. J. M. Otto, of Sandusky, donated a few pounds of extracted honey, nicely candied in glass jars, that was produced in 1891. In the front end of the case were three small pyramids of extracted honey, very light in color, and of fine quality. The center pyramid was 16 inches square at the base, 6 at the top, and about 3 feet high, surmounted by a glass globe about 5 inches in diameter, filled with white candied honey, and labeled, " This pyra- mid of honey is part of 24 pounds, pro- duced and donated to this exhibit by Samuel H. Bolton, of McComb, Hancock Co., Ohio." In the right-hand corner was a smaller pyramid, labeled, "This pryamid is part of 120 pounds produced and loaned to this exhibit by C. E. Boyer, Ainger, Williams Co., Ohio." The pyramid in the left-hand corner was of the same size as the last, and labeled, "The honey in this pyramid is part of 80 pounds, donated to this ex- hibit by Vernon Burt, Mallet Creek, Medina Co., Ohio." On these pyramids were several small wax rabbits, made from Mr. George's beautiful beeswax. About forty of these wax rabbits were squatting down in dif- ferent parts of the exhibit, and called forth many exclamations of pleasure from sight-seers, and not a few had " cheek " enough to ask for "just one as a souvenir." Several buckeyes, known to many as " horse-chestnuts," were also on these pyramids; and Ohio being the Buckeye State, and the buckeye being- a honey-producing tree, made their dis- play very appropriate. In the center of the case, at each of the four corners of the square in which the central pyramid before described stood, were four smaller pyramids of extracted honey, one of which was labeled, "The honey in this pyramid is AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 173 part of 60 pounds, produced and loaned to this exhibit by Milo George, Bowling Green, Wood Co., Ohio." He also loaned the exhibit some samples of sweet clover and raspberry honey in Muth bottles. Another of these pyramids was labeled, "This pyramid of honey is part of 60 pounds, produced and loaned to this ex- hibit by Lewis W. Hershiser, Fayette, Fulton Co., Ohio." Lewis is about 15 years old, and his honey received an award. In the rear end of the case were two small pyramids of extracted aster honey in pound, half-pound, and dime Muth honey bottles, all labeled with Mr. Muth's labels, and loaned to the exhibit by Chas. F. Muth, of Cincinnai, as was also another pyramid of honey in large Muth honey bottles, placed in ihe^ center of the front honey-stand ; and another pyramid of about 100 pounds of bees- wax, and some of Mr. Muth's honey with it, in the center of the rear honey- stand, all loaned by Mr. Muth for this exhibit. A goodly number tasted of Mr. Muth's aster honey, and all were of the opinion that, if eaten on bread or warm biscuit, no butter would be needed, because the honey had such a buttery flavor. Mr. Muth had also on exhibition two bee- hives, two of his extractors, and two of his honey-knives. In the front end of the rear honey-stand was a good-sized pyramid of extracted honey, labeled, "This pyramid of honey is part of 100 pounds, loaned to this exhibit by Chas. W. Frank, of Fairlawn, Summit Co., Ohio." It was a mixture of buckwheat and heart's-ease. It was a beautiful dark amber color. C. Lamson, of Pierpont, loaned the exhibit 24 pounds of very nice extracted golden-rod honey. Unlike the honey from some other sources, it did not candy. In the back end of the case, between Mr. Muth's pyramids of honey, was a well-proportioned and nicely made monu- ment of beeswax, about 30 inches high, made for and loaned to the exhibit by D. E. Jacobs, of Longley. When put in place last spring it was of good color; but standing where the morning sun shone upon it, it became somewhat bleached before the close of the Exposi- tion. Miss Maria L. Doming, of Watertown, near the southeast corner of the State, loaned the exhibit about 40 pounds of a dark-colored honey, that no one who tasted was able to tell what flowers it came from. W. O. Titus, of Toledo, Lucas Co., loaned the exhibit about 50 pounds of beeswax, a portion of which was shown at the rear end of the front honey-stand. In the back end of the rear, and at the front end of the front honey-stands, were two pyramids of extracted honey in two, one, and one-half pound and dime Muth honey bottles, which I loaned to the exhibit. Some of the honey had candied and been drained, so that it looked very much like sugar. Other portions were partially liquid and par- tially candied, much of it looking like very fine coral. In the front end of the case were some honey-jumbles that were made in 1888, many Ijarrels of which were sold in five and ten cent lots in the Apiarian Build- ing at the Ohio Centennial at Columbus, O., in the autumn of 1888, by those in charge of A. I. Root's exhibit. I brought these from Columbus at the close of the Centennial. I gave several a taste of them at the World's Fair, and they said they were as fresh as new ones. Nearly all of the comb honey was ex- hibited in crates with glass on both sides, holding but two . sections each. The extracted, with the exception of that already mentioned as being in Muih bottles, was shown in a large variety of sizes and styles of glass jars, with either nickel or glass tops, and holding from one ounce to one gallon. All of the shelves on which the dis- play was made, and the pyramids built up with, were of glass. For a few weeks I had a strong colony of Italian bees on exhibition in a nice glass hive. A colony of bees or a nu- cleus with a queen will attract more at- tention than any or all other things in an apiarian exhibit, especially if there is a bee-keeper to talk to visitors about them. There were 16 exhibitors from Ohio in the apiarian department, and 8 awards were made on their exhibits, so far as heard from. I believe I have named them all, except that I received an award for " display of honey in mark- etable shape." A.B.Mason. I would advise ali who receive queens that do not seem as prolific as they would desire, to rear queens from them immediately, or as soon as any of their brood is old enough for that purpose. In this way the buyer gets a fair return for his money, even if the queen bought does not prove to be all that he expected or desired. — Doolittle. 174 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAx.,. CONDUCTED BY MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY. Beeville, Texas. A Touch of Northern Weather. Whew : my ! what a blizzard struck us this morning — Jan. 24th. The mer- cury fell from 70-' down to 20- in a few hours. The gardens are ruined. Peaches OQ the trees as large as small marbles, and mulberry trees leaved out in full with a load of berries — all killed as dead as can be. We fear that orange trees are injured, as this is the coldest it has been since 1865, so say those that have lieen here since that time. Ice is an inch thick. Our hydrant froze tight, and we could not get any water until we warmed it up. We were not expecting such a change, and were not prepared for it. We had just been planting out an orchard of oranges and figs the evening before the blizzard came, and all worked until night; and the next morning the con- trast was so great that we could scarcely 3)ear to go out-of-doors a minute. All the family concluded to huddle around the one fire-place, and the boys take it toy turns to build fires. We were cook- ing on the fire-place, in sure-enough camp fashion, and we were going to eat only potatoes, milk, butter and honey, as it was too cold to go to the kitchen, when lo, and behold ! just as we were gathering around the frugal meal, up came a bee-keeper from St. Louis — Mr. Sigel Brantigan. And weren't we in a fix? "'"Now, friends, I don't think it is fair to run right up on a person without warn- ing. We would always be glad to re- ceive a postal card from visitors when they expect to pay us a visit; but Mr. Brantigan enjoyed it all the same, as he was used to camp life in California. He will remain with us a week, and then pursue his journey. He has worked for the Leahy Mfg. Co., and other firms, and is looking up a situation for a bee-hive factory. Later. — It is now Jan. 25th, and it is warmer — up to 48° again, but every- thing has a sure-enough midwinter ap- pearance, and the whole country is thrown back at least a month. But just in advance of the blizzard came a good rain, and with fine weather vegetation will soon revive ; but it does teok as though the North and South had swapped places. Jenxie Atchley. The Best Hive for the South. As I have watched the bee-papers with eagerness to see an article on the hive most adapted to our part of the country, and I have failed to see any, I thought I would offer a few ideas in preference for the 10-frame Langstroth hive. A fevf years ago, when I commenced bee-keeping, I selected this hive ; not that I was competent to judge the su- perior qualities, but because it was the most common in use. Since that time I have thought a great deal about the hive most suited to our locality. While I dif- fer from some of our best bee-keepers, or at least urge a slight difference at present, as I have not bad a thorough practical experience with the 8-frarae hive, yet I can hardly help being a little skeptical as to its being the best hive for our locality. Situated as I am, where our honey- flow is so gradual, with but an occasional sudden heavy honey-flow, and in order to secure the best returns with our slow flow of nectar, we are compelled to keep the most powerful colonies that we can secure the season through, from the blooming of the elm in January and February, to the last blooming of the cotton and aster in November ; conse- quently, to secure this larger working force, and hold it so long, it is necessary to have a larger brood-nest, either by a large single story, or tiering-up smaller ones, which means too much unneces- sary work, for about nine frames are as much as a good queen can support, and eight frames for an average one. "Well, why not use the 8-frame hive?" says Bro. Root and others who support the 8-frame hive. Not wishing to wage war with Bro. R. nor any one else, but to give my ideas of the hive best suited to us, I will say that our pasturage yields a great deal of pollen, and in order to have storage room for it we see the necessity for the extra frame or two ; and the extra frames give more room for bees in the nest, which tends to keep down the swarming fever. This in it- self is a considerable item. In order to satisfy myself in regard AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL- ITS to the hive, I purchased several small hives last season, but it being a very sorry season, the results proved very unsatisfactory. I expect to test them more thoroughly the coming season, and will report the result. Now, fellow bee-keepers, I would like to hear from some of you on this sub- ject. I mean you in the South who have pasturage similar to ours. Deport, Tex. W. H. White. Something' New Discovered. I have proved to my own satisfaction that young queens do not lay drone-eggs In worker-cells at first, and then turn out and lay 0. K. Neither do I believe that all old queens lay drones in worker- cells, as some claim. I have an old breeder that stopped laying altogether last fall, and I kept her up (or her col- ony) by giving brood from black queens. Well, after the bees hatched out and new pollen began coming in, I noticed eggs in two combs. Later on I discov- ered the brood was all drone. I mur- mured out, " You have laid yourself out. Old Lady, and now lay all drones." But when the drones began to hatch they were all black, so I " caught on " that laying workers did the work with the old queen with them, as her drones were as yellow as gold, and I knew that would not do. So here is a plain case where laying workers are present while they yet have a queen, but the queen was not laying any at all. But if I had not taken particular notice of this, I might have concluded the old breeder laid all drones in worker-cells. But the truth is, she did not lay any at all, and the workers, some of them, laid the eggs. Now, when we rear a queen in a hive that has been queenless some time, or introduce one just as the conditions come right for the young queens to be- gin to lay, the laying workers also be- come ready and go to work with the queen, and after a time said workers die or disappear, and the queen goes on with her duty, and all worker-eggs in worker-cells is the result. But while the laying workers were with her, the brood was partly drones in worker-cells. Now, this is not always the case, but is often so. I say that if a queen begins to lay drones in worker- cells, it is a sure sign of weakness, and she never quits it, and soon dies. But, on the other hand, when the laying workers cease, the queen gets full con- trol, and no drones in worker-cells. Do you see the point ? I know this to be true, as I have tested it thoroughly be- fore mentioning it in print. Now, I know that some will criticise me on the above, but when you test this matter as I have, you will decide wtth me. I am going to test several other things that I have " caught on to," then I wil) give you all the benefit of it, and I want you to get me down in your scrapbook, that a young queen that lays drone-eggs in worker-cells to any extent never gets over it, or quits it. She's " no-good.*' Jennie Atchley. Another Way to Catch Skunks. Mrs. Atchley : — I notice that you want a way to catch a skunk, so here is the best : Take a barrel, and make fast a piece of comb on the side well down to the bottom. Now put something under the front edge so as to raise the barrel about half way up, and put a wide piece of board in front so that the skunk can get in, and when he goes to get the bait he turns the barrel up. CD You want to set the barrel so the comb will be on the upper side of the barrel when set. cz; We have three feet of snow here now — Jan. 8th. Bees are put in about Nov. 15th, and put out about April 1st. They consume about 9 to 12 pounds while in. Fredericton, N. B. J. McManus. Honey Usel In ProJocing Bees. Query 909. — How much honey Is con- sumed in producing a given number or amount (say one pound) of bees ?— Ohio. I don't know. — E. France. I don't know. — C. C. Miller. I do not know. — J. A. Green. I don't know. — H. D. Cutting. I don't know. — J. M. Hambaugh. I don't know. — Will M. Barnum. 176 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. I don't know. — Mrs. J. N. Heater. I have no means of knowing. — Eugene Secob. T have no means of knowing. — M. Mahin. I wish I knew, but I do not. — R. L. Taylor. I should judge about 20 pounds. — G. L. Tinker. That is closer than I am able to figure. — J AS. A. Stone. I cannot tell, having never tested it. — Mrs. L. Harrison. Were I to answer, it would be a guess, so I quote, " I doji't know." — A. J. Cook. Not having experimented "on this line," I win say " I don't know." — C. H. DiBBERN. I do not know, and if I did know, I do not know what benefit it would be to know. — Emerson T. Abbott. A good question — and it is a question, too. I wish I had time to write an arti- cle on that subject. — J. H. Larrabee. We would like to know it ; honey is not the only food used — nursing bees want pollen and water also. — Dadant &S0N. Who can tell ? I can't, for one, and doubt if any one can. What benefit would it be to learn the facts, anyhow ? —J. E. Pond. This question could only be answered by " guess-work ;" not even an approxi- mate answer could be given, because there are too many "depends." — J. P. H. Brown. It would be hard telling. It is esti- mated that it costs 60 pounds of honey to carry a colony of bees through the year, but considerable of this is con- sumed when there is no brood in the hive. — G. M. Doolittle. I guess it takes over a pound of honey and beebread together to make a pound of bees. I have thought it took a sheet or comb filled with honey and bee-bread to fill the same with brood. In cool weather, more honey is used than in warm.— P. H. Elwood. I have never experimented in this line to determine the exact amount, but I know from a long experience that where a large amount of brood is being reared in early spring, before honey can be gathered, that the hives decrease in weight very fast. — S. I. Freeborn. There is no way to find out a matter of that kind. Some person, or persons, have made some effort to approximate, bv feeding bees artificially. But like the attempt to find out how much honey it takes to produce a pound of beeswax by feeding, no reliable conclusion has l)een reached. At best, it is an unsatis- factory guess, and is likely to stay in the middle of a doubtful bad fix. — G. W. Demaree. This is something I have often thought al)out, but never knew how to get at. But to satisfy my own mind, I have thought as the bee is reared upon honey that it must surely take as much as her weight in honey to bring her through, but I will let some of the "Hasty" bee- keepers answer. — Mrs. Jennie Atchley. CZZZZX2XZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZX3 Rinenliig Honey— Wliere to Keep It. Written Sor the American Bee Journal BY C. W. DAYTON. On page 663 of the Bee Journal for 1893, Mr. Geo. F. Robbins says that on pages 470 and 496, in my article, I " miss the mark " as to the proper care of honey, and ti^at I "seem to think that honey should be left on, or in the hive, in order to become best ripened and flavored In the case of the honey that soured, the error was not in extracting when one-third sealed, but in the after treatment." By some study of the above-mentioned articles, it will be seen that Mr. Rob- bins favors an artificial plan of ripening, while our intention was to wait until the honey was entirely ripe before ex- tracting, thus making the bees do all the labor. But the trouble was inti- mated in my first article — we did not wait long enough. That is where they all " miss the mark." That one-half of the honey was ripe enough to remain sweet when sealed up in screw-cap cans, shows that our method was good where it was well fol- lowed. The artificial way of ripening is good, but if we had been ripening all the honey artificially in pans or stone- jars, we might then have extracted when AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 177 it was too "green." Then, again, we might have been a little short of jars, and emptied it out too soon in order to receive a new filling. Some who ripen honey thus artifically adopt some special length of time for its exposure, and there comes some weather when evapor- ation is slow, but unnoticed by the senses. It turns a little cooler, the honey appears to be as thick as some that was canned up on a hot day pre- viously, and again the mark is missed. The "spec" of difference lies In whether we shall allow the bees to do their work alone, or we are to turn in and assist them. One is a ques- tion of hives, combs and bees ; the other, buildings, vessels, and time of the api- arist. We may have plenty of bees, combs, etc., and still not be able to fore- go the expense of constructing buildings or .the purchase of ripening facilities. In Illinois a building would be absolutely necessary, and in California an equally expensive platform in order to keep the honey from ants. In Iowa, my former location, ripening-pans might be used without danger. Here, in fifteen min- utes, ants will find it, and by an hour's time, they will move into it by platoons. In fact, the California apiarist's mind is pretty thoroughly taken up with ants, spiders, gnats, dust, weeds, brush, rocks, stings, melting, heat and dilapidated hives and frames, and freight bills, and if hi| honey-house is as good as a cloth tent without a floor, he feels blessed. When the Eastern bee-man comes here and looks at an apiary he invariably says, "How soon I would construct hives of planed lumber and paint them, build a honey-house, grub out the brush, and introduce order." One or two trips in a rocky canyon shakes this superflu- ous energy out of him. He may jostle along a bit, as a second effort, but he soon settles down into the smoothly worn rut pursued by the majority. He avoids everything but the absolutely necessaries, and leaves the labor as much to the bees as possible, and trans- fers the honey from the combs into the receptacles in which it is to remain by the easiest and quickest possible plan. If it is extracted before sealed it is to save labor of uncapping. This country is far ahead of the East for ripening honey artificially — being rainless and hot all through the summer season. Notwithstanding this, I saw, the past season, in a single apiary where evapor- ating facilities were in use, several tons of honey which had the tart of unripe- ness. It was at the apiary, in the shade of a tree. It needed a little hauling in the sun to make it foam. More of the same sort was added to the pile ; sealed, boxed, stamped, ready for shipment. Called, " extra fine." Some bee-keepers get so well up in the art of extracting before sealing, that they begin to shirk the ripening in a corresponding measure. The practice of one seems to lead to the neglect of the other, and while they are so in haste after quantity at the expense of quality, never looking back at their wake of dis- satisfied consumers, we almost wonder that they do not contrive some plan to snatch the nectar from the blossoms be- fore the bees. Mr. Robbins quotes rightly in that I " think comb honey should remain on the hives long enough to become travel- stained." That is not expressing any particular liking for the stain. I be- lieve travel-stain is nothing less than propolis and dirt. For combs to become travel-stained requires a considerable lapse of time. During this time it is covered with bees, which keeps it warm and dry, and in a ripening condition. The honey departs from a raw, watery consistency. How much stain there is upon it will depend upon how far it is situated from the entrance. The nearer the entrance the more stain, the same as a carpet in a room is worn most nearest the door, yet it may be just as warm and pleasant back in some corner where feet seldom go. So with combs of honey, which may be situated as to receive lit- tle travel-stain, and still receive a bene- fit from the warmth of the bees. The greatest warmth is high up in the hive — the most travel-stain, low down. In the case of the beef which was hung up until it began to smell before being ready to eat, there is misapplica- tion. The meat was simply spoiled. If we wish to spoil honey, hang it in the damp cellar. For a long time after the honey harvest the bees continue to oc- cupy and protect the whole hive space, which may include two supers of sections or an extracting story. Pull the lid off the top, and we find bees at our fingers' ends. About the first of September, in Illi- nois and Iowa, or Colorado, the brood diminishes, the bees gather into clusters lower in the hives, and on cool mornings we find the upper combs being deserted. Honey should be removed before the bees desert it, as outside the clusters the con- dition is the same as in the cellar. The clusters of bees are warm. The sur- rounding air and combs are cold, and the condensation of moisture and sweat- ing is the result. The honey upon which 178 A.MER1CAN BEE JOURNAL^ the moisture rests will be spoiled, and the wood mildewed. In Iowa I used to pack the bees for winter before this time came, and the extra combs of honey were stored in the honey-room, and as I scraped the honey down to the septum with a pocket-knife all through the winter, I often wished my marketable honey tasted like that. In overhauling the hives in early spring, and where there were 10 or 12 combs in the hive with the bees clustered on three or four, on tasting the honey in the comb far from the bees, it was watery and rancid, or flavorless. Fol- lowing up each comb successively, they were found alike until that within the clnster was reached, and found to still retain its original rich, oily flavor. In colonies afflicted with diarrhea it was watery, and rancid even inside the cluster, so we are led up pretty close to the cause of the disease. The keeping of honey in the condition afforded by the bees would be compared to hanging the meat in the smoke-house with a smoldering cob-fire underneath. There is a need of judgment throughout the affair, as it may be as easily over- done as underdone, Colorado and Califor- nia not excepted. Pasadena, Calif. Getting Bees to BuM Straliht Comls. Written Jor the American Bee Journal BY C. E. MEAD. In reply to F. M. L., of Langlois, Oreg., who asked a question on page 716 of the Amekican Bee Journal for 1893, I would say that I have had to fix hives for others, and a very little for myself, that were in the same condition his were. The first thing necessary to have the bees build the combs accurately in the frames, is to have them spaced accurately from cen- ter to center — not over IJ^ inches, or less than 1%. If the queen is a young one, 1% will do. If the frames are too far apart, or too near together, the bees cannot follow the frames, and are com- pelled to build crosswise. As the combs would be too thick or too thin to be utilized for brood-combs, it is best to use a guide of foundation or wax. To put on a wax guide, take two pieces of board the exact length of the inside of the brood-frame, and 1/16 inch less in thickness than K the width of the top-bar, and 2J^ inches wide. Nail the edges of these together so they will lap J'a inch, which will leave 2 inches outside of the lap. Now soak them in warm water. Have some melted beeswax ready, wipe all the adhering water from the sticks, place these boards inside of the frame — one under, and the other against the top-bar ; hold the 2- inch part parallel with the end-bars, one end of it slightly raised. Now pour a spoonful of wax on the board at the highest end, and have it deepest next to the top-bar. It will stick to the dry top- bar, and not to the wet form. It will make an edge of wax from % to 13^ inches wide. A few trials will enable you to do this as fast as you can dip the wax. You can make three of these, and keep two soaking if you have much of it to do. Any adhering wax must be scraped off. Foundation guides fast- ened to the top-bars answer as well, and no better. Now place the frames in the hive, and space them accurately. Take two thin pieces of wood the exact length of the inside of the hive crosswise of the frames, and put a little glue on each frame, near the ends and straight across. Now lay on the sticks, and let the glue harden. Turn the hive over and paste or glue a strip of manilla paper on the bottom of the frames, and on the edges of the hive. Now your frames will stay in position after your bees are hived. See that the hive is perfectly level cross- wise of the frames, and raise the back end the width of a brick, and if ^our queen is any good, your combs will be all right. Drum up as directed on page 716 of the Bee Journal, for Dec. 7, 1893, and place them on the stand where the old hive stood. Smoke the bees from the sides of the hive, and cut the combs off with a long knife or saw. Slide a board over the top of the hive. Invert the hive, and lift it off of the frames and combs. Take it where the bees will not try to rob, and transfer according to directions in any good book on bees. Brush any bees that are in the old hive in with the drummed-up bees. Scrape all wax and propolis off the in- side of the old hive, and as fast as the combs are transferred put them into the old hive. Any bees that are among the combs and in the way may be brushed down into the transferred combs. Keep a sharp lookout for the queen at all times. If found in the combs, put her with the drummed bees. After the combs are all transferred, place on the old stand and hive the drummed bees in the transferred combs. Do not transfer until the bees are strong enough to keep AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 179 the brood from chilling, and honey enough is coming in so there is no dan- ger from robbing. If the bees do not fill the hive, put in a division-board to confine the bees and heat to the brood-combs. Move the other hives away from the one to be transferred. Italian bees or hybrids vi^ill take care of moths. Chicago, Ills. Best FouMallon for Use In Sections. Itesults of JSxperiments at the Michigan Apiary. BY K. L. TAYLOR, APIARIST. Ever since I first began to use it ex- tensively, now fifteen years ago, comb foundation has been to me a matter of much interest and thought. I have often noticed that much interest is taken in the best methods of extracting the wax from old combs, and in machines that will make the thinnest foundation, but that little care has been exercised with regard to the best methods of ma- nipulating wax to be used in making foundation so as to secure the readiest acceptance and the most thorough ma- nipulation on the part of the bees; and that to the interrogatory — Does the thin- ness of foundation bear any relation to the thinness of the septum of the comb made from it ? — I have heard hardly an inquiring answer ; neverthe- less I have all along felt a great interest on these points which experiments con- ducted in a small way had served greatly to increase, so it was but natural that when I found myself in a position where I could afford to do it somewhat exten- sively, I became interested in the forma- tion of plans calculated to bring out, if possible, the truth on these and kindred points. The plan adopted was to procure a conveniently large variety of founda- tions made for use in sections by procur- ing from several makers samples of each kind made, and comparing them by put- ting them into cases alternately with no separators, and giving them as thus ar- ranged to the bees to work out and fill. It was thought that results might be obtained in two ways : First, it seemed reasonable to suppose that those sorts that were most acceptable to the bees would be drawn out first and most rap- idly, and consequently when capped would contain the most honey, and that the preference of the bees could easily be detected by weighing the finished sec- tions ; secondly, by measuring the thick- ness of the bases of the cells of the comb produced, it seemed clear that if any sort were to • any considerable extent better adapted to its purpose than the others, that fact would be clearly re- vealed. For the purposes of the latter case I have so far been unable to see that the plan pursued could have been improved, but in the former case there is some de- gree of disappointment, from the fact that it gradually became evident that the plan pursued was defective so far as the purpose sought was concerned in at least two particulars, viz., in attempting to compare too many kinds at once in» one and the same case, for it is evident if three sections containing foundation equally good were placed side by side, and the trio was flanked on either side by sections with inferior foundation, the two exterior ones of the trio would de- rive an advantage on the side of the inferior ones which the central one con- taining equally good foundation would be deprived of, and then sections of the usual width, seven to the foot, were employed in the experiment which it be- came evident in the progress of the experiment were too wide to yield to the full the natural effect of difference in the foundation, for I saw in several cases that the bees worked out some kinds of foundation sooner and more rapidly than others at first, but when these reached about the thickness re- quired for brood they were delayed to some extent, and more force was put on the kinds that lagged, to bring them up, so that in this way the results sought which would perhaps be abundantly re- vealed by the use of thinner sections were, to a large extent, concealed. The remedy which should be applied in further experiments of this character seems to me to be evident; each sort of foundation which it is deemed desirable to compare with others, should be com- pared with each of them separately, and the sections should be so thin that the usual thickness of comb desired by the bees would a little more than fill the section's proportionate amount of space. I have been asked whether in publish- ing the results of these experiments I should give the names of the manufac- turers of the different foundations used. The object of the experiments is to ob- tain for the use of bee-keepers generally as much new and valuable knowledge with regard to their tools and business as possible, and it is evident that in the particular experiments of which I now write the value of the results depends almost entirely upon a knowledge of the 180 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. names of the makers of the several vari- eties of foundation used, and I believe I should be doing injustice to any maker of foundation to suppose that he desired his name withheld, for are we not bound to believe that each one desires and is endeavoring to make, foundation that shall yield the greatest possible profit to the user, and that if he fails in any respect he desires to know it, that he may apply the remedy? So I think I cannot do otherwise than give all the knowledge I possess in the matter. Not that I think there is anything so far that can very injuriously affect any tnanufacturer, but I hope there is what may prove an entering wedge to make a way of escape from the domain of the- ory, and an entrance to the domain of fact in this matter of foundation, and lead to an effort to make it to please the mandibles of the bee instead of the eye of the purchaser. There may be some- thing to learn yet about the manipula- tion of wax as well as about the peculi- arities of foundation machines. In the experiments now under consid- eration eight varieties of foundation were employed, of which the sources ta) were cut out and sent away for the measurements hereinafter explained. The foundation was cut to the same size, 3%x3% inches, and after being fastened in sections were placed in Hed- don cases alternately, as already stated, so that each kind appeared seven times in each pair of cases. In all, eight cases were thus prepared, but misfortune at- tended them in other ways than indicated in the foregoing; some were not well filled, two contained more bee-bread than I ever found, I think, in any other two cases, and there was only one pair that was filled to my entire satisfaction, so that the material that could be fairly used for comparison by weighing was comparatively meagre, and consisted of ■five of each sort from the two cases that were well filled, four of each from two other cases, and three of each from still another pair. The cases were selected with a view to their giving an opportu- nity of selecting well filled sections of each sort from the same relative posi- tions in the cases, and the sections com- pared were so selected. The following figures give the results in pounds and ounces: 5 each sort- 4 " •• - 3 '■ " - -4-13.5 3-13.5 -a-14 4-11.5 3-1 2.0 2-14.5 4-13.5 3-13.5 2-14.5 3-15 2-15.5 4-15 .3-15 2-15 4-15.5 4 3-00.5 4-14.5 3-15.5 2-15.5 H 4-15 3-15.5 2-15.5 Total 11-9 11-6.5 11-11.5 11-14.5 11-13 12 11-13.5 11-14 and other distinguishing peculiarities are sufficiently indicated in the follow- ing table : A Dadant's Thin, Sheets 12x4 in., 15 to Va lb.— 10 ft. to the lb. B Dadant's Extra Thin, Sheets 12x4., 18 to Vi lb— 12 ft. to the lb. C Van Deusen's Flat Bottom [procured of A. I. Root], Sheets 161/^x3% in., 16 to ^ lb.— 13?^ feet to the lb. D Root's Thin, Sheets 16^x3=!^ in., 12 to }4 lb.— 10.31 ft. to the lb. E Root's Extra Thin, Sheets 16i/ix3M in„,14 to Vt lb.- 12.03 ft. to the lb. F Foundation made on Given Press, Sheets 15x3 13-16 in., 12?i to Vi lb.— 10.09 ft. to the lb. G Foundation made on Given Press, Sheets 15x3 13-16 in., 12 to '72 lb.— 9.37 ft. to the lb. H Foundation three years old, made on Giv- en Press, about 9 feet to the pound. Each variety of the foundation was designated by a letter of the alphabet as indicated, and were used for marking the sections to indicate the sort of foun- dation each contained, and also as labels to distinguish the septa of combs made from the foundation when they (the sep- This indicates pretty clearly what I have been aiming at, as well as the course with the modifications already suggested, which I think should be pur- sued in making further investigations in this line. Of course it would be rash to claim any very definite result from the experiment so far, but the totals here given will be found very interesting matter for comparison with the weights and measurements given further on, which were procured with the expecta- tion of evolving something that would assist in the solution of the general problem under consideration. I suppose it would not be denied by any one, that so far as the amount of wax contained in comb honey is con- cerned, we must take the amount of wax contained in natural comb when used as the receptacle of honey as the standard of perfection. How near does comb produced from foundation pre- pared for use in sections approach that standard ? And do combs produced from all sorts of such foundation ap- proach equally near to that standard? AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 181 It was with the purpose of making a be- ginning, if possible, at answering these and similar questions that 1 undertook the experiment with section foundation. It first occurred to me that samples of honey made from natural comb might be submitted separately to several care- ful individuals, experienced in the pro- duction of honey, for comparative tests, with the hope that the reports of such tests would give the light sought. With further thought, that hope gradually grew dimmer, until the committee of the North American Bee-Keepers' con- vention to whom the septa cut from comb made from the several foundations were submitted for comparison with a view to a report, gave the matter up in despair, when it went out altogether. (Concluded next week.) xxxzxxTzxxxTxyrxTya Tie MicMiaii Stale Conyeution. Reported for the " American Bee Journal '■ BY W. Z. HUTCHINSON. (Continued from page 152.) Next came an essay by Mr. James Heddon, entitled The Future of Bee-Keeping, I wish you all a happy New Year, and being well aware that financial success in any honorable calling does a full share in promoting happiness, I will en- deavor to do what little I can to add brilliancy to the torch of apicultural learning. As in the past, I shall en- deavor to state what-I believe to be the truth, and that, too, with gloves ofif, wholly regardless of how such con- ceived truths may affect interest or rep- utation, letting the chips fall where they may. I hope you do not imagine that I can foretell the future of our loved pursuit, and as we all know such can only be guessed at, I shall endeavor to present only such facts as I think materially aid us all in guessincj what the future of our pursuit is to be, guiding us in trim- ming our sails accordingly. I believe that intelligent bee-keepers have finally abandoned the theory that our product, in any form, may become a staple. As very much of the future of bee-keeping hinges upon this point, some 15 years ago some of our friends who had various apicultural commodi- ties for sale (none of which were honey), seemingly inveigled themselves into the pleasant belief that our product would very soon become a staple commodity, and apropos to the foregoing endeavored to instil] the same erroneous opinion into the minds of other bee-keepers. I believe it to be fatal to success in any business, to harbor accommodation theories in the place of cold, solid facts. I want to know the truth about commer- cial things, at least, and then if those truths do not "set me free," they cer- tainly will have a strong tendency to set me on my feet. The opinion of a man who believes, or thinks he believes, something because he wa7its to, is of no value whatever. But I presume I am knocking at a man of straw, for I doubt if any of you fancy that honey is to become a staple. With this belief in view, you will see the necessity of maintaining the character of our product as a luxury — a fancy arti- cle. To this end we should take the utmost pains in grading our honey, keeping the different varieties separate, and with all of them we should see to it that the honey is thoroughly ripened be- fore removed from the hive, and if ex- tracted, carefully strained from all sedi- ment, and put up in attractive packages. If in the comb, there is still greater need of attractiveness in appearance, as well as taste. The sections should be neat and clean, the honey completely capped, put up in handsome little crates wholly free from leakage, and shipped in such way as to remain so, clear to the. end of the deal, or into the hands of the con- sumer. Now lastly, but not leastly, in fact mostly, we as bee-keepers should do all in our power to maintain the reputation of our fancy product in all that which passeth show. 1 now have reference to that nonsensical suspicion abroad among consumers, that our product is adulter- ated. Many consumers did suppose that honey from the hands of packers occu- pying secluded basements in large cities, was adulterated. United States Chemist Wiley told them so in the various news- papers of the country, and they believed it after they had read what Prof. Wiley had said, and that hurt honey-producers materially. Admitting t^at Mr. Wiley's pleasantries were more or l*s true, the 182 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. damage was the same, for it is a com- mercial condition, and not a moral theory which I have been invited to dis- cuss. In these pleasantries the Professor demonstrated to us how much he could hurt our business, and how little he knew, after making his chemical tests, whether honey was adulterated or not, as is proven by reports of honey put up by Chas. F. Muth. Mr. "Wiley earned and received the bitter opprobrium of American bee-keepers, and yet it has been left for certain bee-keepers and supply dealers to extend this nonsensical cry to an extent which, if not stopped immediately, will damage us to an amount which will almost exonerate Mr. Wiley in his pleasantries. The Bee-Keepers' Union was organized for defense of bee-keepers, and it did its work nobly, but last year a few believed it to be best that the Union should at- tack its own members, with the cry of " adulteration." It would seem to me that any bee-keeper with any foresight, could readily perceive that in no case could the Union, nor any other organi- zation, or any person do ought but make trouble and expense, at the same time damaging the interest of honey-pro- ducers to the exact extent of their work. I believe the above would be true even if it were a fact that honey-producers were adulterating hbney. If it were a fact, it would be one which we couldn't afford to have heralded to the public, as would result from public prosecution. If my neighbor bee-keeper is adulterat- ing honey, he will very likely injure himself far more than me, for nothing does so much good, nor aids him so much in his business, as to always place upon the market a first-class article. The converse of this proposition is true. Now if my neighbor's adulterated article doesn't "injure Ms trade, it will not in- jure mine, only to the extent that his work increases the supply, and I haven't heard any bee-keeper, whether he be- longed to the Union or not, endeavoring I to prevent increase of supply, by object- ing to the encouragement of persons to go into the " bee-business." I am not afraid of my pursuit being injured by the practice of any individual member, said practice damaging the in- dividual first and most. But waiving this part of the argument, all the dam- age that has been claimed, or that can be conceived, is nothing as compared to that produced by Inflating the mind of consumers with the idea that our pro- duct is generally adulterated. Mr. Wiley advertised that idea very thor- oughly, as related to that honey which goes to the consumer through the hands of the city dealer, and that which is in the comb was not excepted. While we received immense damage from Mr. Wiley's writings, that professional gen- tleman had the kindness to leave one avenue uncontaminated, viz.: that chan- nel passing directly from producer to consumer. It has been left to the envy, jealousy and hatred of supply dealers and their followers, to announce to the honey-consuming world that the label of "the producer is no guarantee of purity." This they have done by in- citing arrests in isolated places, by writing letters to private individuals who would spread false reports, by writ- ing articles in bee-papers which are be- ing eagerly copied in newspapers, and last, by publicly changing the Constitu- tion of the Bee-Keepers' Union so that it may have the right to attempt what in no case could it have the power to accomplish, and which' can and does end in nothing but casting suspicion upon our product. All the bee-keepers' unions this side of fairy-land couldn't stop one little honey-producer from adulterating all the honey he might be fool enough to attempt to adulterate in 300 years. Manager Newman, an intelligent man with lots of worldly knowledge, cor- rectly declares that the present state of the art of chemistry is not sufficient proof of adulteration, and that the laws in different States, where there are any laws at all, are so varied that the Union finds it impossible to cope with the sup- posed practice ; and I believe he might have added that in his good, sound judg- ment, the best thing the Union can do, as it can do no good, is to do no harm by spending its time and money, and blaz- ing to consumers that everybody — pro- ducers and all — are adulterating our product. Mr. Newman suggested that the Union might succeed if we could have a "na- tional" law, but he must have forgotten what many others have done, in speak- ing of this same subject, as applied to various articles of food, that this gov- ernment is the United States of America; that they are united for certain jiur- poses, and that as long as the unity, that is, the general government, doesn't punish its citizens for the crimes of mur- der and stealing, it will not be very apt to pay any attention to the adulteration of honey, as long as it doesn't receive a national revenue from that commodity. I have spoken upon this subject thus at length, because I believe it to be, above all others, the one just now con- AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 183 fronting the fnture Success of bee-keep- ing. One more point, and I will leave all the rest to my able peers. With ours, like all other pursuits, the price of our product will be a medium between the maximum and minimum cost of produc- tion with a reasonable margin added. It follows that whoever produces honey at maximum cost will fall, while those who produce at an average and minimum cost will succeed. With our pursuit, as with ail others, whether producing or manufacturing, nothing is so helpful as the best Implements and fixtures — those which will turn out the best products in the shortest time, and with the least labor. America is noted for possessing these, and more noted for inventing them for others. The nations of the earth do much copying from us ; one of the causes of our superiority in this line, is the extra inducement held out by our beneficent patent system. Every bee-keeper who opposes that system, as connected with our pursuit, is a mal- efactor, whether he knows it or not. The bee-keeper of the future must em- ploy such implements, fixtures and methods as will enable him to secure his product with much less labor than formerly, or he will fall by the wayside in the race. This subject is too broad" to admit of going into details in this already long essay. I look for very much in this line to come from the experimental work of our most valued contemporary, Hon. R. L. Taylor. I regret that I cannot be with you as I had intended, and wish you all pros- perity in our chosen pursuit. James Heddon. Wm. Anderson — I do not "expect that honey will ever become the staple that butter is, but by producing it more cheaply it will become less of a luxury. I will admit that in some cases too much has been said about adulteration, but there is no doubt that it exists, and it does not seem to me that we as bee-keep- ers can afford to ignore it. Chas. Koeppen— I think that something might be done by having a detective to trace out cases of adulteration, secure proof, and place it before the guilty parties, and -threaten to prosecute unless the practice is stopped. I would have the Union do this; it could be done quietly. W. Z. Hutchinson — Have their been no calls for the Union to prosecute? Pres. Taylor — Yes, there have been complaints, but no prosecutions, because there has been a lack of proof. Next came an essay by Mr. R. F. Hol- termann, editor of the Canadian Bee Journal, upon Preparing- the Apiary for Winter. There is no question in bee-keeping at the present day which can be dis- cussed before bee-geepers generally with as great profit as " Preparing the Api- ary for Winter." Many of us are satis- fied with our methods, simply because we are not educated to something better. We winter bees and bring out the hive with life in it, and are satisfied. If the hairs of the bees would only turn grey with age, they would tell a different story ; however, there is another index, and that is to compare our honey crops from year to year with that of our neighbor — herein the grey hairs are manifest; better preparation for winter, and better wintering would very much increase the net profits to be derived from bee-keeping. Preparation for winter begins very early in the season. Our aim should be to have strong colonies for winter, with bees in the full vigor of life ; that is, bees not old and yet fully matured. The queen should also be perfect, and in the full vigor of life, and plenty of whole- some stores for winter. The careful and successful bee-keeper must, after he has increased his colonies sufiBciently, have more bees than he cares to handle the following spring. It then becomes a question of wintering and selling, or de- stroying the bees. At the present price of bees in the spring, there is no money in selling bees at that season. The hives, the honey they consume, the room they occupy in winter, and the work connected therewith, to say noth- ing about percentage of mortality, make it undesirable (unless in exceptional cases) to winter bees for the purpose of sale. There is another important advantage to be derived from destroying a number of colonies each fall — we are able to se- lect the very best for wintering, and by such a selection much can be accom- plished towards successful wintering. Other things being equal, colonies hived in supers will not be as strong as those hived on full sheets of foundation or combs ; these hives are also likely to contain the old queen. In selecting the colonies which are to be wintered, we should look as much as possible for young queens from colonies which have shown desirable character- 184 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. istics, more marked queens of desirable strains and strong colonies. SufBcient honey should be kept back to give each colony natural stores, un- less the bee-keeper is in an exceptional locality, and natural stores are injuri- ous— of this latter I have no experience. If combs of honey have been kept, they can readily be given as soon as the brood hatches from the brood-chamber ; if not, I take one of the strongest colonies I intend to destroy, place upon it two up- per stories, and feed it a syrup prepared from granulated sugar, pure water, and a little honey ; and feed this as rapidly as possible. No better method can be derived than to feed from beneath the brood-chamber. Bees when not gathering settle down to a quiet condition, during which there is very little wear and tear of the sys- tem. This quiescent condition should not be broken in any way avoidable. By making the bees you intend to destroy do the storing, there is no loss in this way. Next there will be less waste of stores and vitality all around. Even should you have no colonies to destroy, by disturbing a few instead of many, it is extremely likely much will be gained. Again, by means of such feeding win- ter stores are sealed, and in much better condition. The best method of feeding combs of honey, is to prepare the stores in a hive, place this under the old brood- chamber, and shake the bees down. A few moments, and the work is done. I am no advocate of uniting bees at any time unless it be just before the honey-flow. After having left the prac- tice of contracting the brood-chamber according to the strength of the colony, I return to it and advocate that bees should fairly well fill their hive. I would contract by means of a close division-board. I am (for cellar-wintering) an advo- cate of sealed covers, with packing above, to keep the moisture from con- densing on the surface of the quilt, and raising the rear of the hive from the bottom-board. R. F. Holterma.nn. The chief discussion following this essay was whether we could afiPord to winter bees to sell. One man could buy bees at from $2.00 to $4.00 per colony in the spring, and at such prices it would not pay to rear bees to sell if the risk of wintering must be taken. Another re- ported that a Mr. Robertson once made a specialty of rearing bees for sale. He secured as much as .$5.00 per colony in the spring, and wintered his bees almost invariably without loss. He sometimes had as many as 300 or 400 colonies to sell in the spring, and often asserted that there was more profit in rearing bees for sale than in producing honey. The next meeting is to be held in Detroit, and the following officers were elected : President — M.H.Huht, of Bell Branch. Vice-President — H. D. Cutting, of Tecuraseh. Secretary — W.Z. Hutchiason, of Flint. Treasurer — Wm. Anderson, of Imlay City. The committee appointed to draft a series of resolutions in regard to experi- mental work at the station, reported as follows : Whereas, The State Board of Agricul- ture during the past year made provision for the establishment of a sub-station to be devoted to experiments in the interest of apiculture, and placed the same under the supervision of Hon. R. L. Taylor, of La- peer; and Whereas, Though less than a fyear has elapsed, giving opportunity for scarcely more than such experiments as may be properly conducted during the summer sea- son, yet the results of the experiments made at the station during that time, es- pecially those relating to self-hivers, non- swarmers, comb foundation, etc., which have been so practically set forth by the State apiarist, have inspired tliose most familiar with the business and necessities of apiculture with confidence - in tlie api- arist. Mr. Taylor, as well as in the value and importance of the season's work, so far as known ; therefore, Jiexolved, That it is the unanimous sense of the Michigan State Bee-Keepers' Asso- ciation— 1st. That the apicultural work of the Ex- periment Station ought to be continued, both for the verification of results hitherto attained, as well as for the solution of other practy3al problems, and the State Board of Agricultui-e is hereby respectfully requested to continue to sustain the same. 2nd. That Mr. Taylor should be continued in charge of the work. 3rd. That the subjects for experiment be determined by the apiarist on consultation with the Executive Board of the Michigan State Bee-Keepers' Association ; and Whereas, It is desirable that a Bulletin containing the results of the work already completed, and to be soon completed, should be issued as early as possible in the coming spring for the use of bee-keepers during the coming season — which would not perhai)S be practicable if the work is not to be continued another year — as other work to be completed at the end of the year would hardly be suflScient for another Bulletin ; therefore. Jiesolned, That it is deemed desirable by the Michigan State Bee-Keepers' Associa- tion, that the Board of Agriculture take early action with reference to the con- AMERICAN BKji JOURNAL.. 185 tinuance of the work, that the propriety of the preparation of an early Bulletin may be decided upon. The above resolutions were unani- mously endorsed by the convention. The regular committee on resolutions reported as follows : Jiesolved, That we the Michigan State Bee-Keepers' Association, in session as- sembled, hereby extend to Bro. W. Z. Hutchinson, the genial editor of the Bee- Keepers^ lieview, our most cordial thanks for his interest in behalf of the association^ 1st, in hospitably entertaining us at his home, and giving us an opportunity of sampling the fair nectar of the California orange blossoms ; 2ud, in securing reduced hotel rates, and a comfortable hall in which to hold our sessions. J^esoh'ed. That we extend our thanks to the Proprietor of the Dayton House, for his kind reduction in rates to our members. Hesolved, That we most heartily thank the civic authorities of the city of Flint, for the generous use of the Council Chambers. H. Webstek,- 1 M. McWain, V Com. Wm. Anderson, j After the reading of these resolutions, the convention adjourned to meet at the call of the Executive Board. W. Z. Hutchinson, Sec. [For years, bee-keepers have felt that they owed the Rev. L. L. Langstroth— the Father of American bee-culture— a debt that they can never very well pay, for his invention of the Movable-Frame Hive which so completely revolutionized bee-keeping throughout all the world. In order that his few remaining years may be made as happy and as comfortable as possible, we feel that we should undertake a plan by which those bee-keepers who consider it a privilege as well as a duty, might have an opportunity to contribute something toward a fund that should be gathered and forwarded to Father Langstroth as a slight token of their appreciation, and regard felt for him by bee- keepers everywhere. No amount above'fl.OO is expected from any person at one time— but any sum, however lurge or small, we will of course receive and turn over to Father L. All receipts will be acknowledged here.— Ed.] L,ist of Contributors. Previously Reported $83 35 H. Dupret, Montreal, Quebec 50 Dr. Jesse Oren, LaPorte City, Iowa.. 5 00 J. W. LeRoy, Rio, Wis 1 00 Total 189 85 Great Pretuiuni on page 165 ! —==^1' 1 ^^ Do not write anything for publication on the same sheet of paper with business matters, unless it can be torn apart without interfering with either part of the letter. - ■»..—■ ■♦^ ■«»■ ■« Wintering Well. Bees are wintering well in the cellar. John Roller. Richwood, Wis., Jan. 20, 1894. Bees in Fine Condition. Bees are in fine condition. We have had no winter so far. J. D. Givens. Lisbon. Tex., Jan. 20, 1894. Paid to Move the Bees. The past year has been the poorest for bees in this locality for at least 10 year.s — not one pound of basswood honey was gathered in this county (Wright). The bloom was entirely destroyed by the worms, and basswood being our main de- pendence for surplus, it looked really dis- couraging to the bee-keeper who is trying^ to earn at least a portion of his bread and butter by keeping bees. Well, seeing the situation, I loaded up three teams with all the bees we could haul, and moved them some 30 miles. We started on July 15th, traveled all night, and got the bees un- loaded and relieved before sun up. The first day one colony on the scales gathered 18 pounds, so I got a fair yield of honej^ at last. F. B. Jones. Howard Lake, Minn. The Shallow-Hive Question. I am going to experiment more carefully than ever before on wintering and other unsolved problems. My apiary will be an experimental station, whether a State one or not. I see the question of shallow hives is still receiving attention, also the best manner of making and using closed-end frames in full brood-chambers. The so-called Hoff- man frames, I made long before I heard of Mr. Hoffman. It is the only way I ever used a closed-end frame, that I could tol- erate in a full brood-chamber. These frames can be taken out easily, kill no bees, and are simple and cheap to make. The shallow sectional hive is nearer per- fection than anything I have yet seen, all things considered. I have used them largely 186 AMERICAN BEE JOURNA^. for more than 35 years, and can think of no improvement to-day. Each section of my hive has a bee-space on the top and the bot- tom, whether single or tiered two or ten high, without any strips oti the bottom- boards, following boards, or other loose parts. The bees winter in these hives to perfection, and nothing will give such good results in combs or extracted honey, with so little work. For extracted, nothing is needed but plenty of hives. Forestville, Minn. Barnett Taylor. Wintering Exceedingly Well. The winter here still remains open and pleasant. A year ago at this time the mer- cury was below zero, and now it is from 50 to 60 degrees above. I have just examined my bees, and find that they have consumed less stores than usual, and are wintering exceedingly well. The only fear now is that brood-rearing will be under headway too soon, and that we will have a wet. cool spring. H. F. Coleman. Sneedville, Tenn., Jan. 18, 1894. Bee-Keeping in Washington. On page 27, Mrs. L. Harrison speaks of bees having a "Merry Christmas" at Peoria, Ills. I can say that mine had a good flight Christmas, but have not been out any to speak of since. Bees from all appearances are doing nicely so far this winter. I am in hopes to get more through this winter than last (18 lost out of a total of 41). My bees are in better condition, both as to quality and quantity of stores. I have also packed them better on top of the frames. Remember that I am in the north- west corner of the United States — 49th parallel. We have a man here that claims to be a bee-keeper, who talks about the "king bee," and says he knows that the old queen stays in the hive when they swarm, the young queen going out. He has kept 125 colonies at one time in frame hives. J. B. Ramage. Blaine, Wash., Jan. 9, 1894. The Past Poor Seasons. The bees in this part of Iowa, the past two or three seasons, have not been very encouraging; especially after so many good years. In the spring of 1892 many apiaries were very much reduced. The cause being, I think, from the want of proper breeding during the fall of 1891, thus dying of old age. My own 60 colonies, put into the cellar in good condition, dropped down to 8 (both in the cellar and soon after putting out). Want of young bees seemed to be the principal cause. The spring of 1893, as far as I could learn, found the bees in pretty good condition, but the late, wet spring and dry July and August were against our honey crop of 1893; therefore, almost all report a short crop, especially where working for comb honey. 1 began with 18 colonies, increased to 40, working almost all for extracted honey, and took over 700 pounds. I put 40 colonies into the cellar, of which 10 may re- quire some feeding before spring, or when put out, at least. The 5 colonies I worked for comb honey were almost a failure ; as were also others that were worked for comb honey in this section. LeGrand, Iowa. J. W. Sanders. Packing Bees for Winter, Etc. I notice that several have written about how bees should be wintered. I am trying an experiment this winter with my bees. I had last fall 45 colonies, some of which I put heavy felt paper over, and some I put on oats chaff, making a box to fit the top of the hive, and tacking cloth on one side. I I laid two corncobs about 4 inches from each end, and that gives the bees room to cluster above the frames. On part of the bees I used cork-dust, just the same as I did the oats chaff, but I think that cork-dust is the best. I got about 800 pounds of nice white honey last year, the most of it being lin- den, and if it had not turned so dry it would have been the best honey season we have had for some time. John Patterson. McLean, Ills., Jan. 11, 1894. Report for 1893, Etc. My report of the honey crop for 1893 is this: From 26 colonies, spring count, I took 4,000 pounds of honey. My best col- ony gave me 415 pounds. They were Ital- ian bees. I have moved my bees to Nolan county, 100 miles north of my old location. I moved them on a wagon. To any one who expects" to move bees on a wagon, I would say, do not hitch mules to it, for if they happen to get stung, they will run ; at least that was what they did for me. There are a great many honey-plants here that I dont know any name for. Where can I send them so as to find out ? T. W. Wheeler. Hylton, Tex.. Jan. 12, 1894. [You might send specimens of flowers to Prof. A. J. Cook, Claremont, Calif., who doubtless would name them for you. Be sure to enclose stamps for reply. — Ed. J Almost Harmed Harmer. As it seems to be in order to tell one's experience with bees in the ear, I will re- late mine. One day in the summer of 1892, just after I had paid a visit to a cross colony of bees, I was standing not far from an open win- dow, in the house, when a bee flew in and stung me in the ear. When trying to get it out, it marched'on into my head. Well, it seemed as if it was losing no time in building its nest out of pieces of wire about half an inch long. It was not a very pleas- AMERICAN BEE «IOURNAL. 3 87 ant feeling, but I was not much frightened, as it had left its sting outside, and you know bees never injure ripe fruit, and I thought my head was tougher than ripe fruit, but I was not so sure about the dur- ability of the drum of my ear to stand the kicks of those sharp little toes. I tried different ways, but nothing would coax it out, until a neighbor, who was there, thought of and procured a hairpin which I inserted in my ear, when the bee came out head first. You see it had room to turn around in there, or perhaps I turned her around with the hairpin. I did not know there was such a hollow in my head ; but I now know why I have not mastered the winter problem. Next. Manistee, Mich. W. Harmer. Bees Wintering' Finely. I looked at one colony of the .55 in my api- ary; they had three Langstroth frames of brood and eggs, and are wintering finely. We have not yet had any snow here, and the weather is fine to-day. We had a poor season last year. I got 800 pounds of ho^y, and I secured 22 cents per pound for it six miles from home. B. P. Beheler. Jumping Branch. W. Va., Jan. 8, 1894. Another Test (?) of Adulteration. Procure at a drug-store a dram of nitrate of cloride of burium ; dissolve in a few spoonfuls of water, then dissolve some of the honey in warm water in a clear, clean vial; add some of the burium solution, and shake it. Set it aside for half an hour. If a white powder appears at the bottom of the vial as a sediment, it contains sulphuric acid, and should be rejected. Indianapolis, Ind. Frank Burkhart. Absconding Swarms, Etc. I have at present 5 colonies of bees, all in good condition ; 4 are packed in dry hickory forest leaves, in a bee-shed, open to the south. I lost all of my first swarms. The first came out on July 3rd, and clustered on an apple tree, and as soon as they were dis- turbed they started for the woods. I fol- lowed them up, and they only went half a mile and clustered on a wild cherry tree about 40 feet from the ground. They stayed there about three hours, then went in a very large oak tree at least 50 feet from the ground. I would give a premium of $5 if anybody could get them down unharmed. Wm. Kittinger. Caledonia, Wis., Jan. 16, 1894. The American Italian Bees, Etc. We had a poor honey crop in 1893. From 90 colonies (Italians 50, and hybrids 40) I averaged 50 pounds to the colony, or a total of 4,500 pounds, mostly extracted. I have the beaultiful, gentle 5-banded American Italians (Italians are 3-banded). Well, I just reared them — I did not know it until some one reported 5-banded bees. I dropped my Bee Journal as quickly as a dog would drop a hot potato. I knew that I had bees with 4 bands, and thought that was all they could carry. But imagine my surprise, when I went to see if there was any room for more yellow bands on my beauties^- The first colony that I examined were 5-banded. I do not a want a free ad- vertisement. Let me tell you right now, I have no queens for sale — no, never ! Yellow vs. mongrel bees. They are gentle, more beautiful, store more honey, and spend less time pottering around building brace and burr combs. You can raise the combs right out without using a smoker; and save 10 to 30 per cent, in time. 'Rah for the beautiful yellow American bees! A. M. Hoyle. Daphne, Ala., Jan. 10. Bees in Good Condition. I have kept bees for 40 years. At present I have 105 colonies on the summer stands, and in good condition. The winter, so far, has been mild. I am interested in bees, and keep them for profit. Within an area of five miles, we have a number of bee- keeper novices who usually fail in getting honey. M. J. Kistler. Collingwood, Ind., Jan. 15. Mild Winter— Bees All Rright. This has been a mild winter here so far. Bees have had a flight every week or two. To-day was a beautiful day, with a hot sun, and the bees made the most of it. I looked them over, and found them all right. The most of them had a little brood and eggs in the center of the cluster, and I wish to re- mark that I believe there is almost always some in winter, unless there is a long, cold spell of a month or two, which we don't often get here. Last summer my bees did very well, both in quantity and quality — the nicest ex- tracted honey I ever had. Thos. Thurlow. Lancaster, Pa., Jan. 15. Wintering Bees in the Cellar, Etc. Our 97 colonies of bees have been in the cellar two months. We got them in just as it commenced snowing, moving them very quietly. They are under the part of the house where fire is kept most of the time. The temperature has been from 46 to 50 de- grees—a little higher than we usually like to have it, but as the bees were very quiet, I concluded to let it remain there. They are covered with quilts, and some with straw board, as an experiment. All are wintering alike good. The cellar has a pipe from the bottom to the highest part of the roof, and a window in each end, covered- with shutters inside and out, but no glass in yet. This has been suflicient to keep the temperature as above here in our mild climate of Michigan. I looked over the bees in November, when preparing them for winter, that is, 188 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. seeing that all had good queens, and plenty of bees; and where they did not, they were either broken up or united with others. Where deficient in stores, or faulty combs, these were taken away, and good combs of sealed stores given them until we were sure that all had enough. I observed that the bees had no pollen. The long, severe drouth had not been favorable for pollen production, and they had used up appai'- ently about all they had on hand, in rear- ing what young bees they had reared, and that was not many. So I predicted then that the bees would winter well, as they had nothing but white clover honey in the hives. So far they seem to be wintering the best we ever had them. I looked at them this afternoon, and there was not a spot on one of the hives, and I have not swept up four quarts of bees, all told. What will the harvest be? There is a fine showing for all the fruit-blooms, hundreds and hundreds of acres of apple, peach, plum, pears, cherries, and other fruits, with probably 50 acres of raspberries, in reach of the bees. This is also the basswood year, and there will be some buckwheat, as there was none last year, as Nature rarely ever does the same thing twice. The clover was profuse, but, alas, the protracted drouth, I am afraid, knocked it all out, but there was an enormous crop of seed ; that may come on if the weather is favorable; if not, our hope will have to stretch over into another year for it. J. A. Pearce. Grand Rapids, Mich., Jan. 8. Nice Winter So Far, Etc. We have had a nice winter so far. The mercury was 75 degrees to-day at noon. The bees are all right as far as I can see. A good many are playing out-doors in the sunshine. I winter them on the summer stands, 4 hives in a bunch — 2 faced east and two west. I have a box about four inches wider around it, and this space packed with fine straw. In the top, across the frames, I lay about four corncobs, and then put on chaff cushions. On the east side of the house I placed 7 hives with straw packing around them. Last year I wintered my bees all right in that way, and I hope to do so this winter, too. d. Rademacher. Bennett, Nebr., Jan. 31. Fine Winter for the Bees. We have had a fine winter so far. My bees seem to be enjoying themselves first- rate. I put 58 colonies into the cellar after a very poor year, only having taken 300 pounds of honey from 53 colonies, spring count, and the honey was badly contami- nated with honey-dew, which spoiled it very much, but I shall try again. I do not believe in giving in for one or two poor years. I look for a good honey-flow next summer, and if it does not come, I will be disappointed, although I am not a prophet. The Bee Journal is always a welcome visitor, and I would not like to be without it. O. P. Miller. Glendon, Iowa, Jan. 15. Scarcely Any Increase — No Surplus. Bees did very poorly the last two seasons in our locality. I lost lots of bees last spring, had scarcely any increase, and no surplus honey. They had a small quantity and poor quality for winter unless fed. Later I will give my mode of transferring for beginners. I am well pleased with the Bee Journal, and think that any one keeping bees, if not more than one colony, should take and read it. M. W. Laikd. Milford, 111., Jan. 13. CLiJUKsrvo Liiiix. >Ve Club the American Bee Journal for a year, with any of the following papers at the club prices quoted in the LAS'F column. The regular price of both is given in the first column. One year's subscription for the American Bee Journal must be sent with each order for another paper : Price of both. Club. Th^American Bee Journal $1 00 aoc* Gleanings in Bee-Culture.... 2 00.... 175 Bee-Keepers' Review 2 00 175 Canadian Bee Journal 2 00 ... 175 TheApiculturlsi 175.... 165 Progressive Bee-Keeper .. 150 135 American Bee- Keeper 150 140 Nebraska Bee-Keeper 150 135 The 8 above-named papers 6 25 — 5 25 ** A Modern JSee-Fariit and Its Economic Management," is the title of a splendid book on practical bee-culture, by Mr. S. Simmins, of England. It is 5%x8>^ inches in size, and contains 270 pages, nicely illustrated, and bound in cloth. It shows '• how bees may be cultivated as a means of livelihood; as a health-giving pursuit ; and as a source of recreation to the busy man." It also illustrates how profits may be ' ' made certain by growing crops yielding the most honey, having also other uses; and by judgment in breeding a good working strain of bees." Price, post- paid, from this ofiice, $1.00; or clubbed with the Bee Journal for one year, for $1.60. Capons and Caponizingf, by Edward Warren Sawyer, M. D., Fanny Field, and others. It shows in clear language and illustrations all about eaponizing fowls ; and thus how to make the most money in poultry-raising. Every poultry-keeper should have it. Price, postpaid, 30 cents ; or clubbed with Bee Journal one year, for $1.10. Have Vou Read page 165 yet ? Weekly, $1 a Vear. Devoted Exclusively J «am..i^ «p««x^ wv<.« To Bee-Culture. 1 *»™Pie Copj Free. VOL. XXXIII. CHICAGO. ILL, FEB. 15, 1894. NO. ■^ ■»■ ^ -^ ^ ■*■ ■^ ■■ Sweet Clover Honey.— Bro. M. M. Baldridge, of St. Charles, Ills., called on us last week, with a sample of sweet clover honey gathered where he lives. This honey was referred to by Mr. R. Miller, on page 153, and is indeed a fine specimen. In color it is scarcely as dark as white clover honey, and in flavor — well, we don't want any- thing finer. It is simply exquisite, and Bro. B. says he would much rather have one acre of sweet clover as bee-pasturage than 25 acres of white clover, to depend upon year after year. During the next month or two the Bee Journal will con- tain something interesting in regard to sweet clover, both as a honey-plant' and as forage for stock. Xliat Convent ion Report was finally mailed to the members of the North American about two weeks ago. We hinted some time since tliat in appearance we thought it would be a little ahead of any previous Report, and from the following appreciative acknowledgement it seems we were not far out of the way : Bradfordton, Ills., Feb. 5, 1894. Friend York: — Again I am under re- newed obligation. You must be more careful, or you will get a bigger load on me than I can relieve myself of. I refer to the Report of the proceedings of the North American. I do not know when I have re- ceived anything that I prized more highly. It is just invaluable, especially to those who spent the summer at the World's Fair; for we can have our visits all over again, when we see the faces of our friends in this report. And if I were speaking for some bee- keeper who did not have the pleasure of visiting the Fair, and the convention, per- haps I would be compelled to say that it is better for those who did iwt, than for those who did, see those things of which it re- ports ; as one who reads the Report gets for 25 cents what the other paid largely for. Your Report, Bro. York, would be cheap at 50 cents. Yours fraternally, Jas. a. Stone, Sec. III. B.-K. AasociatioH. Bro. E. F". <|nig-ley, of Unionville, Mo., is now Associate Editor of the Pro- grexsive Bee-Keeper. No wonder that paper is moving forward so rapidly, when Bro. Leahy has such an efficient helper. The Bee Journal and the Beview are still going on in " single blessedness," as it were. But then, if either of them were connected with a supply business, no telling how soon an extra editor would be needed to help ab- sorb the profits. Guess Bro. Hutchinson and ourselves will still continue to be happy and contented, and try not to get very lonesome. lIcil«1on and Adulteration. — Last week we published an essay written by Mr. James Heddon for the recent Michigan con- vention. Having I'ead a resume of the es- say in the January Beview, Bro. Root, in Glcaninffs for Feb. 1st, utters these ringing woi'ds, after having briefly outlined the es- say, and especially calling attention to Mr. Heddon's idea that, " if we cannot 2}revent 200 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. adulteration, the best thing we can do is to keep still:" This is about the same line of argument he presented a year ago at the same con- vention; and after the opposition that was raised at the time, the reiteration of such teaching makes us wonder what he expects to accomplish. Does he not know that this, coming from a representative bee-keeper, will give comfort to glucose-mixers ? This idea in one way seems plausible, and we are sorry to see that one or two good men agree with him. Saloon-keepers do not like temperance agitation, because they fear it will damage their business — if not immediately, at some future time. Honey adulterators would like nothing better than to feel that their fabrications could not be detected from the genuine ; and when we talk about ways and means by which they can be found out, they don't like it. Apathy, and a Keime of our helplessness, is just what these evil-doers most desire. There is a way to fight this evil of adultera- tion, and we can stem the tide of it, even if we canH put it down all at once. If we can- not prosecute, we can give the names of the adulterators such wide publicity that the sale of their mixed goods will stop. We affirm that the art of chemistry has now reached that state whereby satisfactory analysis for glucose can be made. We have only to point to the tests which Prof. Cook made upon three of the best chemists in the United States, with the result that they successfully detected every glucose sample ; and we pointed out on page 63 of our last issue, the simple alcoholic test; and the test by tasting is pretty reliable. We happen to know that there is a con- siderable amount of adulteration, and it is being fostered by just such sentiments as Mr. Heddon gives expression to. This glu- cose-mixing is becoming more and more common under the apathy and sense of helplessness on the part of the bee-keepers, and the pure product of their honest toil has to compete with stuff so cheap that good honey has but little show, and so vile in quality that consumers say if that is honey they will never buy another drop. Now we leave the question with our readers. If they want us to stop this " hue and cry " against glucose, drop us a line to that effect. We are quite willing to re- fer this question to the mass of our intelli- gent readers. The foregoing editorial is in such exact accord with our own ideas, that further comment from us seems almost unnecessary. We wish, however, with Bro. Root, to know whether the readers of the Bee Journal desire us to "let up" on the agitation against the adulteration of honey, or if we shall continue to denounce the practice and the criminals themselves, as we have, always done heretofore As for ourselves, we believe in giving honey-adulterators and other iniquitous workers no rest, night or day. We believe in letting them know that honest producers are "after them," and mean business, too! The Bee Journal stands ready all the time to publish those who adulterate honey, upon sufficient and satisfactory proof. We don't want to mi.sjudge or do anything hasty in the matter, but when it is unques- tionably shown that certain persons are practicing adulteration, we believe all the bee-papers should unite in giving them lots ot free advertising, thns warning the public, so far as we possibly can. The only excuse we can offer for publish- ing Mr. Heddon's essay, is this: We wished to put him on record, as we did a year ago, so that bee-keepers may know just what they have to deal with right in their own ranks. Awhile ago we referred to a statement in the JReeieiu, wherein Mr. Heddon said he was " going back to apiculture in old-fash- ioned style;" and that he was "going iuto the old work both mentally and physically, heart and hand." We want to say if that portion of his essay referred to, in any way indicates what we may expect hereafter from his " heart and hand," it would be a thousand times more beneficial to honest honey-production if, instead of ' ' going back to apiculture," he were "going" a million miles away from it. More EJiectital Proof-Reading' has been arranged for on the Canadian Bee Journal. Lately we have not prided our- selves very much upon the work of our own proof-reader, but really there could be no excuse for some of the poor work recently done in that line in the Canadian. We are glad Bro. Holtermann will endeavor to work a reform in this matter, for poor proof-reading is no credit in any way you look at it. Keep ^Viifeli of tlie Bees. — The rroyrtssive Bee-Kecpcr for February, gives the following advice, which should be heeded : We want our readers to make prepara- tions for a cold, wet spring. Our line weather isn't going to last much longer. If there is a warm spell in February, and any of your bees need feeding, look after them promptly. The month of March promises to be very bad. So be prepared by having everything done that will save the lives of your bees or other stock. AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 201 Xlie Sfiiig:-Xro'»vel Theory, which •was so unwisely given out by Mr. W. F. Clarke, is now sent to the rear with the rest of the heap of exploded theories. The article on page SO (which was translated by Mr. Frank Benton for the Bee Journal) showed quite conclusively that the real source of formic acid is in the honey. Re- ferring to this, Dr. Miller has the following "straw " in Gleanings for Feb. 1st, inviting Mr. Clarke to " ackuowledge the corn " like a man, instead of permitting the theory to be republished, to the evident detriment to the more intelligent American bee-keepers: Now that Bro. Clarke's " drop by drop " theory is exploded, will some one demon- strate that a sting can't be used for a trowel ? Or why cau't Bro. Clarke be can- did enough to arise and explain that there never was any basis except a vivid imagi- nation for the " sting-trowel theory?'' Xlie Bee-Keepers' Unioit. — The election of officers for the ensuing year closed on Feb. 1st, and the result is shown in the following from General Manager Newman, which indicates the confidence bee-keepers have in the old officers, all of •whom were re-elected : To Members of the National Bee-Keepers' Union: The canvass of all the votes received, up to the time of closing the polls this morning, shows that 212 were recorded, as follows : For President— Hon. R. L. Taylor, 169; Hon. Eugene Secor, 7; Hon. James Heddon, 6; G. M. Doolittle. 6; Dr. C. C. Miller, 5; A. I. Root. 4: Dr. A. B. Mason, 3; Capt. J. E. Hetherington, 1; W. Z. Hutchinson, 1; C. F. Mutli, 1; Byron Walker, 1; blank, 8. For Vice-Presidents— G. M. Doolittle, 185; Dr. C. G. Miller. ISO; A. I. Root, 174; Prof. A. J. Cook, 158; G. W. Demaree, 157; Hon. Eugene Secor, 13; Hon. R. L. Taylor, 12; George W. York, 11 ; Chas. F. Muth, 9; Hon. James Heddon, 9; C. P. Dadant, 8; Mrs. .Jennie Atchley, 7; W.Z. Hutchinson. 5; Ernest R. Root, 4; Mrs. L.Harrison. 4; Hon. J. M. Ham- baugh,4; P.H. Elwood, 3; J. H.Martin (Rambler) 3; R. F. Holtermann. 3; T. F. Bingham, 3; Jos. G. Banning, 2; J. F. Mclntyre, 2; Dr. A. B. Mason, 2; Hon. George E. Hilton, 2; R. C. Aikln. 2; A. F. Randall, 2; S. I. Freeborn, 1; S. E. Miller, 1; C. ■¥?■, Dayton. 1; J. W. Le Roy. 1; G. 'W. Brodbeck, 1; •W. B. Stephens, 1; Frank Benton, 1; C. H.Dibbern, 1; A. N. Draper. 1; H. R. Boardman, 1; C. Theil- mann, 1; E. Hasty, 1; F. Wilcox. 1; H. P. Langdon, 1: Hon. C. Grimm. 1; B. Taylor, 1; Capt. J. E. Hetherington. 1; T. G. Newman, 1; L. C. Axtell, 1; E. J. Baxter, 1. nFoR General Manager, Secretary and Treasurer— Thomas G. Newman, 211; blank 1. All the Officers for 1893 are therefore duly re-elected. Thomas C Newman, General Manager. Chicago, Ills., Feb. 1, 1894. The good work done b}- the National Bee-Keepers' Union in California, is attested by Mr. Fred M. Hart, of Traver, Calif., when sending his Dues and Vote for Officers, dated January 4, 1894. He says: The fruit raisers of this locality have been very peaceful since the Union gave them such a dose of medicine two years ago, by the distribution of the decision of the Supreme Court of Arkansas determining that the keeping of bees was a legitimate pursuit, and cannot by law be considered a nuisance. The Union has been a grand success in Central California, assisting bee-keepers to maintain their rights, as well as in showing the fruit raisers that the bees are their best friends instead of their enemies. I hope it will be as successful everywhere else. I know that my 175 colonies of bees do not injure my fruit, and I have some 20 varieties of fruit on my 20 acres of land. It would take considerable to induce me to entirely move away my bees from my fruit farm, for I do not believe that my fruit would be any way near as productive. Am Unusually Brisk: Business. — Bro. Root says: "This year's business is starting out unusually brisk. In fact, we have been obliged to add more help, new machines, new blower, more line shift- ing, etc."' If other supply dealers are also rushed now, what will be their condition later on ? Those who will likely need any supplies for the coming season, would do well to send in their orders early. They will find the advertisements of many reliable dealers in the Bee Journal, and should soon place their orders for goods. When the honey-flow is on hand, it pays to also have the necessary supplies ready. Don't "get left." A Question.— Mr. R. McKnight, in the CayiaiUan Bee Journal for February, after glorying in the large number of awards Ontario honey captured at the World's Fair, asks Dr. Mason a rather long question, even if it is not such a very hard one. Here it is: Will Dr. Mason now admit what we aforetime affirmed, and what he denied, that "in color, flavor, and high specific gravity, Ontario honey beats the world ?" Our contention has been established in competition with the best product of his own laud, and under his own nose. With the slight exception that the On- tario honey did iiot at all compete with United States honey at the Fair, Bro. McKnight's closing sentence is quite true. It pays to be posted before speaking quite so dogmatically or boastingly. 202 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. l^'otices I^eedins" Coi-rection.— We find in Gleanings for Feb. 1st, an adver- tisement offering a certain extinct periodi- cal "fromnow until Jan., '95 {16 months) for 50 cts." It must be we are going to have shorter months hereafter, if 16 are to be crowded into the rest of this year. Also, the Mei'iew's advertisement in the T7-ogressive Bee- Keeper contains this sentence, ■which evidently was written the latter part of 1893: "New subscribers will receive balance of this year free." At a casual glance, one might think that Bro. Hutchin- son, since going into the photographing business, intended to publish the Heview for free distribution. Ome-Cent Postage Stamps we prefer whenever it is necessary to send stamps for fractions of a dollar. By re- membering this, you will greatly oblige us. Flie Cliaiiipion Iiicii1>atoi*s and Brooders are made by the Famous Mfg. Co. of Chicago. Their Catalogue, which is " a thing of beauty," will be sent free upon application. The firm is entirely reliable and able to give satisfaction. Send for their artistic Catalogue. Xlie Biogi-apliical Sketcli and picture that we had depended upon to use this week, failed to arrive in time to ap- pear in this number. But as we are very much crowded with other, and exceedingly interesting and timely, matter, we think our readers will excuse the occasional ab- sence of the biographical department. " Random Stings " has also been crowded out for a time. But this will perhaps give "The Stinger " a chance to provide himself with a good supply of " formic acid " with ■which to "preserve" or "pickle" things later on. Tisit tlie IVorld's Fair for only 20 cents. See page 197. Xlie Ontario Apiarian Exliibit at the World's Fair, we take pleasure in describing and illustrating this week. This exhibit comprised about 4,500 pounds of extracted and comb honey. 50 pounds of beeswax in various forms, samples of brood and section foundation, bee-hives and su- pers, section press and foundation fastener, reversible honey extractor, improved bee- smoker, swarm catcher, etc. The exhibit was contributed by 50 exhi- bitors from various parts of the Province of Ontario, who loaned their respective ex- hibits to the Ontario Government, which assumed all expenses of transportation, ex- hibition, sale, etc. The honey exhibit was installed in a large glass case (of which the accompanying is a representation), in jars, bottles, tubes, globes, tins, bell glass, cases and crates. The glass ranged in capacity from two ounces to 65 pounds, and the crates from two sections to 12. The honey included linden, white clover, Alsike clover, thistle, raspberry, golden- rod, boneset, sumac and buckwheat. The Ontario exhibit took 17 awards, as follows : Allen Pringle. of Selby, for the Province of Ontario, award on collective exhibit of extracted and comb honey ; and award on collective exhibit of extracted honey. The Goold, Shapley & Muir Co.. of Brant- ford, award on comb honey of 1892, award on comb honey of 1893, award on honey extractor, and award on brood foundation. S. Cornell, of Lindsay, award on comb honey. R. McKnight. of Owen Sound, award on linden extracted honey. J. B. Hall, of Woodstock, award on comb honey of 1892, and award on comb honey of 1893. Geo. Wood, of Monticello, award on lin- den extracted honey. Abner Picket, of Nassagaweya, award on linden extracted honey. Geo. Harris & Son, of Dungannon. award on clover extracted honey. A. E. Sherrington, of Walkerton. award on linden extracted honey. D. Chalmers, of Poole, award on thistle extracted honey. J. Newton, of Thomasford, award on clover comb honey. J. B. Aches, of Poplar HUl, award on clover comb honey. At the conclusion of the Exposition the Ontario honey was .sold in Chicago, with the exception of a few hundred pounds sold to the Dominion Government, to be sent to the Antwerp Exposition (which opens in Belgium next May), and three or four ship- ments to Minnesota, Nebraska and Wyom- ing. After paying all expenses, including two to three cents to customs, the honey netted the Ontario producers 7 to 8X cents per pound for extracted, and 133^2 to 1*X cents for comb honey. Bro. Allen Pringle as we have several AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 203 times stated in these columns, had charge of this exhibit at the World's Fair, and to say that he faithfully and wisely looked after Ontario's best interests, would be to put it very mild indeed. He was the first apiarian superintendent to reach the Fair grounds, and the last to leave. He labored from the beginning to the end to show the world that Ontario can " get there "' when it comes to honey production, as was clearly shown in the large number of awards cap- tured by this exhibit. We often met Bro. Ontario Honey Exlubit at World's Fair. Pringle in the apiarian deparment of the Exposition, and felt that in him we had found a gracious gentleman, a wise and pleasant bee-keeper, a firm and faithful friend — yes, a man whom all apiarists delight to honor. Honey sis Foo<1 and JVIecliciiie is just the thing to help sell honey, as it shows the various ways in which honey may be used as a food and as a medicine. Try 100 copies of it, and see what good 'sales- men " they are. See the third page of this number of the Bee Journal for description and prices. answered by Marengo. III. In this department will be answered those questions needing- immediate attention, and such as are not of sufDcient special interest to require replies from the 'JO or more apiarists who help to make "Queries and Replies" so iuteresting on another pag-e. In the main, It will contain questions and answers upon mat- ters that particularly interest beginners. — Ed. Knowing when Bees Prepare to Swarm Is there any way of knowing when bees are preparing to swarm, without looking for queen-cells ? A. W. S. Sheltein, Neb. Answer. — I don't know that there's any infallible way of telling in advance that a swarm will issue. Even by looking for queen-cells, you can't always be certain, for bees seem to change their minds some- times, and give up swarming after starting queen-cells, and again they will swarm — at least some say they will — before they have made the least start toward queen-cells. In the old box-hive times, the hanging out of a colony in tbe midst of the honey harvest was counted a sign of intended swarming, and it was pretty reliable. Some allowance must, however, be made for conditions. If the hive be roomy and well ventilated, there may be no hanging out at all before swarming. If. on the other hand, the hive be small, with little chance for the admission of air, the heat and the lack of room may crowd the bees out and make them hang in clusters when they have no notion of swarming. Then, too, the position of the hive makes a difference. Let a hive stand where the least breeze that stirs gives a refreshing coolness, the hive standing in a good shade, and bees will not hang out as they will in a hive that stands directly exposed to the sun's rays, but walled around to prevent the con- stant admission of fresh air. Po-ssibly you may be able with experience to distinguish between the hanging out of a colony from other causes, and the sulky demeanor of a lot of bees that have made up their minds they must have a new home or "strike." Drones — Finding Black Queens. 1. In using Alley's queen and drone-trap, how many drones would you leave alive — that is, return to the hive ? (All the drones but about a dozen I usually kill.) 204 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL, 2. How can you tell best and quickest, without looking over the combs very long, if possible, if a colony is queenless in winter or spring, whenever warm days allow the examination of the hive 1 3. As it is hard to find a black queen preparatory to introducing an Italian queen, can you give me any ways and means to find her best and quickest ? Subscriber. Answers.— 1. That depends altogether upon circumstances. If your drones are no better than those of your neighbors within half a mile, you needn't be to the expense of saving any of them. In general, I should say kill off all drones, or prevent their being reared, in all colonies except one or two of your best, preferring to rear queens and drones from different mothers, so as to have them not nearly related. 2. Brood-rearing begins very early, and if you will pull a comb out of the middle of the brood-nest any time after February, it will take you a very short time to see whether there is any brood present. Even if the queen has not yet commenced laying, a strong force of bees with no appearance of anything wrong may leave you hopeful that all is right. But why bother about anything of this kind until late enough for the queen to be laying for certain ? If they are all right, you will not do any good to stir them up, and if they are all wrong, you can hardly help them any till "flying weather" comes. 3. Strain the bees through a queen-ex- cluder. It may take a longer time than looking over the combs, and it may take a good deal shorter time, for in looking over the combs you may find her first thing, and you may not find her at all ; but the strain- ing process makes a sure thing of it. A Question on Management. I am engaged somewhat in bee-keeping, in partnership with my son, and would like to have a little information on some points. We have 55 colonies on the summer stands, mostly in good condition. Hereto- fore we let them swarm mostly at will, ex- cept that we restrained after-swarming as much as possible; but now we don't care so much for increase, but want to work more for honey, yet we do not want to pre- vent swarming altogether. We have a few Italian and a lot of hybrid and black colo- nies ; in some, the queens are several years old. We want to rear some queens during the coming season, and re-queen all hybrid and black colonies. I want to clip all queens' wings in the spring. Now what I want to know is this : If 1 let those old queens alone until swarming time, and then take them away and thus keep them from swarming, or let them come out with a swarm and then destroy them, and let the swarm go back, then at the proper time give them an Italian queen- cell, or a virgin queen (or a fertilized one, if I have it), will the colony work as well and store as much or more honey than the swarm and old colony would have done had I let them swarm in the regular way and prevented after-swarming? Which would be the better plan — to take the queen away before they swarm, or let her come off with a swarm and then kill her? and how soon, and in what way, would you introduce a cell, or queen, if either kind ? In any way, I suppose all queen-cells would have to be destroyed. Huntington, Ind. A. H. S. Answer. — It isn't very easy to answer your question as to whether you can get as much honey from an old colony and its swann as from the old colony alone if it does not swarm. Some will answer you one way, and some the other. It depends a good deal upon circumstances. In places where there is a big yield of honey late in the season, there may be a decided gain ta have the swarm. Throughout the North, however, most beekeepers look upon swarm- ing as a damage to the honey crop. It must not be forgotten, however, that a colony that refrains from swarming, of its own will, is one thing, and a colony that is pre- vented from swarming by some bungling intermeddling is quite another thing. I don't see anything you would gain by letting the old queen come out with a swarm to be killed, letting the swarm re- turn. It will be full as easy to find her and kill her before swarming, providing the bees don't get the start of you. In your case, I'm not sure but the follow- ing plan might suit you : Suppose A has an Italian queen and B, C, and I) have queens that you want to kill. Encourage A to swarm first, by giving it brood or by early stimulative feeding, al- though the brood may be the best, and it doesn't matter if the brood is black. When A swarms, hive the swarm on the old stand and put A in place of B, setting B on a new stand. The flying force of B will all join A, making it again strong, and in a week or so from the time the first swarm issued it will send out a strong second swarm ; hive this on the stand from which it issued, and set A on C's stand, setting C in a new place. In a day or two another swarm will issue, when the process will be repeated, and A set on D's stand, and this may continue as long as swarms issue. Thus all swarms have queens from A. "A Modern Bee-Farm and Its Economic Management," is the title of a splendid book on practical bee-culture, by Mr. S. Simmins, of England. It is 5%x83^ inches in size, and contains 270 pages, nicely illustrated, and bound in cloth. It shows •• how bees may be cultivated as a means of livelihood; as a health-giving pursuit ; and as a source of recreation to the busy man." It also illustrates how profits may be ' ' made certain by growing crops yielding the most honey, having also other uses; and by judgment in breeding a good working strain of bees." Price, post- paid, from this ofiice, $1.00; or clubbed with the Bee Journal for one year, for fl.60. AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 205 The Lmmb ofBmierem conducted by Oldenburg, Grosshekzogthum, Germany. Is Pollen Fed to Larval Bees ? Doolittle gives some gxiess-work about this matter in Oleanings. Two years aero Dr. von Planta stated the following by careful chemical and microscopical re- searches: Analysis of Larval Food (jelly), which is prepared of honey, pollen and water in the chyle-stomach, showing the percentage : inclined to believe that the real cause is want of food. Nearly all bees in Germany are win- tered on the summer stands. The walls of the hives are double, and filled with straw. In many parts of Germany the old-fashioned straw-skep prevails. A colony in one of my straw-skeps gave me two swarms, and at the end of Sep- tember the weight of the colonies in the three skeps together was 216 pounds. That is sufiScient, and shows that good results can be had even in "box-hives." No Wire-Cloth. Before the Entrances. If the hives are placed into the cellar or under ground, no wire-cloth is used to keep out mice, as the mice not finding the possibility to enter, begin to gnaw, Albuminous matter 4.5.14 Fat 1.3.55 Sugar 20.39 -5" fp OS •7 f^ dd CO 8 os be ^2 is «5 P M be «H a MS o -c rs >^,-^- "— ^-^ '— Y-^ — ^r-^ —— r— — '-y^^ 55.91 31.67 43.79 53.38 27.87 40.62 11.90 4.74 8.32 8.38 3.69 6.03 9.57 38,49 24.03 18.09 44.93 31.51 Drone-bees and worker-bees, after the foui'th day, receive an addition of pure honey, therefore the suddenly higher percentage of sugar, viz.: 9.57 to 38.49, and 18.09 to 44.93, and the tZrone-bees as well as undigested pollen. We see by this analysis that only the royal-jelly is constantly the same, and the richest and best, and that the drone and the worker-bee larvae, during the first four days, get still better food, as far as albuminous matters are con- cerned, than the queen. Wintering Problem No Masterpiece. The wintering problem has been set- tled for a long time in Germany, and we very seldom hear of heavy winter losses, even from those countries having a bad climate and a long and severe winter. Dzierzon thinks that the cause of the heavy losses, which are so of ten reported by American bee-papers, are caused by the impractical construction of the American hives — loose* covers, single hives instead of twin hives ; but I am and besides spoiling the hives or skeps, the bees are constantly disturbed by this gnawing, and the damage done by that is greater than the harm of eating some honey, etc. H. Reepen. CouTentlon rVotice$i. Kansas.— There will be a meeting of the Southeastern Kansas Bee-Keepers' Associa- tion on March 16, 1894, at the apiaries of Thomas Willett, 5 miles northeast of Bron- son, Bourbon Co., Kansas. All are invited to come. J. C. Balch, Sec. Bronson, Kans. Texas.— The Texas State Bee-Keepers' As- sociation will hold their 16th annual meeting at Greenville, Tex., on Wednesday and Thurs- day, April 4 and 5, 1894. Everybody Invited. No hotel bills to pay. We expect a large meeting and a good time. Don't fail to come. Beeville, Tex. E. J. Atchley, Sec. A Binder for holding a year's num- bers of the Bee Journal we mail for only 50 cents ; or clubbed with the Journal for $1.40. Haire Yoi;i Read page 222 7e.t ? 206 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi_. CONDUCTED BY MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY. Beeville. Texas. Distance Apart for Combs. I have been requested to measure the combs in box and log hives while trans- ferring, to get the exact distance the combs are placed from center to center. We transferred the bees from a wagon- load of box-hives a few days ago, and by careful test we found the combs to aver- age, as nearly as we could get at it, 1% inches from center to center. These combs were all straight, and in good condition. I do not believe that it is any use to be so particular about it. I think any- where from 1 ?8 to IVi inches will do; but should you wish to be exact, put them 1% from center to center, and you will have the combs as nearly a natural distance apart as it will be necessary to get them. Information About Southwest Texas. Mks. Atchley:— I am trying to in- form myself in regard to Southwest Texas, from Galveston west. How can I, with the least expense, do so ? How about malarial diseases? How about mosquitoes and various kinds of poison- ous insects and reptiles ? Give us, straight out and out, some few of the most objectionable features of that country, that would be brought against it by Northern parties settling there? Please answer through the American Bee Journal. E. Liston. Virgil City, Mo. Friend Liston, I will answer your questions as nearly to the point as I can, and as T see these things. The country from Galveston west for 50 to 100 aailes is very flat and level, and is a fine fertile, black loamy soil, suited to most kinds of fruit and vegetables suited to a semi-tropical climate. But I do not consider it nearly so healthy as this part (Beeviile and vicinity), as here we have no local cause for sickness ; the lay of the land is hills and valleys— not hills like we see in the old Eastern States, but a country that lies .just right to drain itself, and to furnish nice places of eminence enough to be fine building locations. During the wet seasons they do have some mosquitoes in the low lands of Brazoria, Galveston and Fort Bend coun- ties. We have no mosquitoes here, and no malaria. We have some rattlesnakes that live in waste places. There are spiders and lizards here, but no one fears them. There are some few cen- tipedes and copperhead snakes, but no more than in other new Southern coun- tries. I think the best and cheapest way to satisfy you, and to inform your- self, is to come and see the country for yourself. I do not know what would be raised as an objection by Northern peo- ple. It gets very dry here in the fall, but not so hot as in Missouri, as we have a refreshing breeze, and our nights in the summer are delightful. We have good water, the best of society, schools, churches, etc., and really I am at a loss to know what objections might be raised by Northern people. Land is cheap, good, and timber and stuck plenty. My neighbor has 1,000 bushels of corn now in his barn that he raised on 30 acres of ground last year, and has fed his stock all winter from it, besides. He only lives 400 yards from me, and has lived here 45 years, and has not missed a crop since he has been here. I heard him say yesterday, that he used to think this a fine stock coun- try and no farming country, but says now he has turned the scale, and finds it a fine farming country and no stock country, as it takes an abundance of rain to produce grass and keep it grow- ing, while it does not take so much to make a crop of corn or cotton, etc. Now, this is straight out and out in- formation, and all this evidence stands right here to be seen when your come. I saw some time ago, a letter from some one in Minnesota, in the Bee Journal, that came to Texas many years ago, and lost his family or his children, and that all the children looked as though they had been fed on skim- milk. Now, this friend made a mistake and settled in that black, waxy region of north Texas, and near the Red river, where it is sickly, and not a desirable place for one seeking a healthy locality. Now please remember that Texas is a big State, and that we are 500 miles \MER1CAN BEE JOURNAL. 207 from Sherman, and in an altogether different country ; so please do not con- demn all Texas on account of one or two sickly counties. Bee-Keeping in North Texas. Mes. Atchley: — Will you kindly give such information as accords with your experience, on the following points re- garding the apiarian business in North Texas ? 1st. When should horse-mint sprout and take root in order to furnish nectar abundantly the following season ? So far our winter has been unusually dry and warm, with no signs of horse-mint growing. Will the spring rains bring it up? If so, may we expect it to yield a good honey supply? 2nd. Would you attempt to get sur- plus honey by putting on sections any time before the advent of horse-mint — say during fruit-bloom ? Or would you look more to increase, and wait for a honey harvest later? I mean, of course, first swarms, no after swarms. 3rd. As a dearth of honey-plants usually exists in the latter part of April and most of May, how should feeding be done in order to get the bees in proper trim to gather the June nectar, and yet not excite the swarming fever? C. FiSHEB. Denison, Tex., Jan. 15, 1894. Friend Fisher, in answering your question regarding horse-mint, I will say that it is a winter plant. I mean by that, it should come up in the fall and winter over, and take root, and when spring opens it usually springs up fast like wheat, and bears a crop of seed and honey about May 20th to June 20th in your latitude. I have never seen mint furnish honey to amount to anything that came up in the spring. I am rather inclined to think you may be mistaken about its not being up already, as it is rather small, and lays flat on the ground through winter, and springs up quickly in the spring, and it usually germinates and gets root about September, or at the first fall rains. Of course, when there are no fall rains, you have no horse- mint. There are two kinds of horse-mint. In the timber around Denison, you likely have the yellow bloom, while on the prairies it is a blue or purple blossom. I think probably you have both. In your county you may some seasons get con- siderable honey from rattan-vine, that blooms the last of April and the first of May, and by watching closely you might some seasons get a case of comb honey per colony from that source. You will not likely get any surplus from fruit- bloom, as the bees are usually low in stores at that time, and it takes fruit- bloom to get them well started off. Stil!!^ if frost does not interfere at your plac®,^, you may get some red-bush honey, as iL comes right in after fruit-bloom. If you desire increase, I would look to that end clear through until May 1st, we will say. The best way to feed to prepare bees for the mint harvest is to feed them just enough to keep brood-rearing going nicely, and should the bees show a dis- position to swarm, cut their food off, and it usually stops it. Hang in a frame of comb, one side filled with syrup,, twice a week, at sundown. Size of Hive for Comb Honey, Mrs. Atchley : — Will you please tell me how many square inches of comb you think best in a hive to produce comb honey in our latitude ? We have had very fine weather the past fall and this winter until to-day,, and it is sleeting now, Leonard Cowell. Fort Worth, Tex., Jan. 10, 1894. Friend Cowell, if I were producing comb honey, I would rot use a hive smaller than an 8-frame Simplicity, or say 8 Langstroth frames. When I quit producing comb honey, ten years ago, I was using a 10-frame hive, and I had such good results that I should use it again if I were to produce either comb or extracted honey. Your latitude is good for honey, and If you push your bees at the right time to have hives overflowing with bees at the beginning of horse-mint bloom, you will reap a good harvest. Capons and Caponizing^, by Edward Warren Sawyer, M. D., Fanny Field, and others. It shows in clear language and illustrations all about caponizing fowls; and thus how to make the most money in poultry-raising. Every poultry-keeper should have it. Price, postpaid, 30 cents ; or clubbed with Bee Joxjknal one year, for $1. 10. 5^^ The gossip resembles the bee, in that she is always busy, and carries a sting in her tale. — Exchange. 208 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. Clipiiig ttie Winis of Queens. Query 910.— 1. Do you clip your queens' •wings? 2. What are the advantages or disad- vantages of the practice '-'—Illinois. 1. No ! — Dad ANT & Sox. I do not clip them. — J. P. H. Brown. 1. No. 2. Too long to answer here. — J. H. Larrabee. 1. No. 2. I leave this for others to answer. — J. M. Hambaugh. 1. I do. 2. It saves time and loss, and I know of no disadvantages. — A. J. Cook. 1. I do not. 2. Ask some one who has practiced clipping. — Mrs. L. Har- rison. 1. I do. 2. The principal advantage is that they cannot go to the woods. — M. Mahin. 1. No. 2. But I would do it, or use drone and queen traps if I lived near timber. I should prefer to use the traps. — G. L. Tinker. 1. Yes. 2. It prevents her leaving with a swarm ; and after practicing clipping for many years, I find no dis- advantages.— A. B. Mason. 1. No, I do not. 2. I do not think there is any advantage in so doing, and the disadvantage of losing a clipped queen is great. — J. E. Pond. 1. No. 2. I prefer to use a drone- trap, so I know nothing about the ad- vantages or disadvantages of clipped queens.— Emerson T. Abbott. 1. No. 2. Read any good bee-publi- cation, and you will see the many ad- vantages and disadvantages published from time to time. — H. D. Cutting. 1. Yes. 2. It prevents the loss of swarms that come out unexpectedly. They also usually return to the hive from which they came. — P. H. Elwood. 1. I do not clip my queens' wings. 2. There is no advantage to me, and it is not worth the trouble, and, in fact, I do not want them clipped. — Mrs. Jennie Atchley. 1. No, 1 don't practice such barbarity as tliat. I use queen and drone traps and self-hivers, and it would be entirely useless to also clip queens' wings. — C. H. Dibbern. 1. I have done so at times. 2. Ad- vantages— 1st, Age of the queen more certainly known ; 2nd, swarm more easily hived. The disadvantages — 1st, trouble to hunt and clip. — EugeneSecor. 1. Yes, when working for comb honey. 2. The swarms are hived with more ease. There is no danger of their going off, and the queen is more readily found, are among the advantages. — G. M. Doo- little. 1. No, not of late years. 2. Aside from the trouble and danger of killing them, they are liable to be superseded by the bees, and at swarming-time are very likely to be lost. — Mrs.' J. N. Heater. 1. Yes. 2. The advantages are that swarms are managed with much less care and labor, and by no chance can any swarms elope with a clipped queen. There are no disadvantages except the slight labor of clipping them. — R. L. Taylor. 1. Yes. 2. I like to have my queens marked so they can't be changed with- out my knowing it. A clipped queen can't fly off with a swarm, and that may save the swarm from going off. The others will tell you the disadvantages. — C. C. Miller. 1, Yes, we clip our queens' wings. 2. The advantage is, if they swarm when we are not there, we don't lose the swarm, as the bees will go back. We may lose the queen, but save the bees. The bees at that time are worth more than the queen. — F. France. 1. Yes. 2. The greatest advantage, and it is a big one, is that it saves lots of absconding swarms, especially in out- apiaries where they are not closely watched. It also is a great help in keep- ing swarms separated where several is- sue at the same time. — S. I. Freeborn. 1. Yes, most certainly. 2. It would require a long article to set forth all the advantages and disadvantages of clip- ping queens. It ought to be sufficient for this department to say that most practical bee-keepers have decided that it pays to keep their queens' wings clipped. — Jajies A. Green. 1. I have never practiced it, but think it a good plan. 2. No swarms are lost under this practice. (And yet, some- times, a good queen is.) The queen can AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 209 generally be found in front of the hive ; an empty hive, with a comb or two of brood, should be placed on the old stand, and the quoen introduced ; the swarm will soon return, and in the majority of cases, all is well. Do not clip the queen's wings until after she has commenced laying. By so doing, you would have an unfertilized queen. — W. M. Barnum. 1. I have often clipped their wings, but took care in such a case to have a good, clear spot in front of the hive, and a board on edge for them to get from the ground to the hive in case they drop off in trying to fly out. 2. The advantage is, they cannot leave in swarming. The disadvantages I do not know, as I have never experienced any. — J as. A. Stone. 1. Yes, it has become necessary with me. 2. The advantages are : It saves me a great deal of hard work, and saves several good swarms every year. Let me illustrate : Last spring I had one queen that I intended to supersede, and therefore did not hunt her up and clip her wing. The result was, while I was at dinner, or absent for some cause, she ran off with the swarm. There are no disadvantages that I can name.— G. W. Demaree. uzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzxxzzzzzzzl Sellin£ Extracted Honey at Retail. Written for the American Bee Journal BY DR. C. C. MILLER. I want to call your attention, Mr. Edi- tor, to the article on page 111. After reading it over carefully, will you please tell me if you think you are entirely fair with me? You made certain disclosures as to the possibility of bee-keepers in general obtaining something like double price for their honey, and bee-keepers would naturally be interested to know how the thing was done. I asked you about it, and instead of giving me any answer, you open your columns to have a page occupied by H. M. Melbee, not in giving the information I asked for, but in something that approaches at least toward mud-slinging. I asked bread and you give me a stone. Is that fair '? From the fact that in your former de- liverance you used the name Melbee as a fictitious one, I have the right to sup- pose that H. M. Melbee is not a real name. Now granting that the delight- ful occupation of throwing mud is a legitimate one for your correspondents, is it entirely fair, after letting him have his fling at me, to let him hide behind a fictitious name so that I can't see where to throw ? You see, I've no means what- ever even to make a tolerably fair guess at anything that may be amiss in his dealings with his bees or his fellow men. Perhaps, however, it was kindness on your part, not desiring to get me into evil ways. Mr.. Melbee says, "I do not think the Doctor desires any instructions that would insure him 24 cents per pound," etc. Honest Injun, Mr. Editor, I do de- sire that very thing. You show me how to dispose of extracted honey at that figure, and see how quick I'll drop pro- ducing comb honey. Why, bless your heart, Mr. Editor, don't we all desire to get as big a price as possible ? But working on the principle that no one de- sires information, Mr. Melbee has care- fully refrained from giving any light all through his article, with a single possi- ble exception. That's where he talks about the difference between honey in sections and extracted honey. I haven't the slightest desire to say a word to weaken the force of any argument in fa- vor of extracted honey. Possibly I might go farther than Mr. Melbee, for if two dishes were standing side by side on the table, one extracted and the other comb, the honey itself being exactly the same in each, I'd take the extracted every time. But I think you will see, Mr. Editor, that Mr. Melbee has made some mistake in his figures when he talks abont a customer getting only % of a pound of honey when he supposes he is buying a pound. Looking at the account of the last shipment of section honey I made, I find that I sold 2,915 sections, weighing 2,754 pounds. The wood in the sec- tions weighs K of an ounce each. A lit- tle figuring will show that for every pound of that shipment there should be deducted an ounce for wood, instead of 4 ounces, as Mr. Melbee puts it. Even if each section should be sold for a pound without weighing, the deduction should be less than Hi instead of 4 ounces. In reality there should also be a little de- duction for the wax, for that's a dead 210 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL- waste just as much as the wood. But even if Mr. Melbee's figures were all straight, the question remains unan- swered as to how so much more than usual prices can be obtained. Can you tell, Mr. Editor, how people that can buy extracted honey at the groceries for 12 or 15 cents a pound shall be willing to give 24 for it ? In the imaginary talk with that imag- inary lady, Mr. Melbee thinks I made a rather poor "out" of it, and hints that if I were working for him, I'd have to eat my victuals without salt. Well, I did the best I could in the way of replies, and if it's so easy as he seems to think, why don't he tell us what replies would silence her ? I don't know how to do it, but I'm willing to learn. Mr. Melbee thinks he has the right to infer that I am exceedingly wealthy from the sale of my honey crops. That might be a proper inference if my main object in life was to make money, or if that was the reason of my giving up other business to keep bees. As a mat- ter of fact, I don't think I can make more money at bees than at any other occupation," but I think on the whole I can have a happier life at it and do more to make others happy. I am frank to say that money is not my chief aim in life. But will you kindly tell me, Mr. Editor, what in the world that has to do with the subject in hand ? We're trying to find out how to get those big prices, and what has my wealth or poverty to do with it? I think I can see how Mr. Melbee's financial condition may have something to do in the case, for as you have held him up as an example for imi- tation, his success, less or greater, has a direct bearing. Just one more thing about what Mr. Melbee says: I'd like to ask, Mr. Edi- tor, what possible bearing on the case one passage has, which reads as follows: "Not many years ago the doctor stated publicly, if my memory is not at fault, that he could not produce first-grade comb honey under a special classifica- tion, whereas there were others who thought they could. And, judging from what was shown at the World's Fair houey exhibit last year, it was plain to see that the Doctor was right in what he thought he could not do in that direc- tion." Now suppose the honey I sent to the Fair was candied and leaking; every comb cracked, the honey the color of New Orleans molasses and the comb to match, with worms crawling over every fifth comb, will you tell us what that has to do with getting 24 cents a pound for extracted honey ? Fortunately for me, I do not depend for the sale of my honey upon those who regularly read the bee- papers, so this expose by Mr. Melbee may not do me a great deal of harm. Incase, however, that inquiries should come to you, it might be best to have you fully informed. At any rate, I'd just as soon tell you about that honey. You know that the two men that had in charge the Illinois exhibit were the ef- ficient President and Secretary of the Illinois State Bee-Keepers' Association — nice men, too. Early in the season one of them asked me to make some prepar- ation for the Fair, and suggested some- thing in the fancy line for me to under- take. Between being very busy and having no desire to have anything to do with what then promised to be a Sunday- opening affair, I made no extra prepara- tions whatever. But toward the last the way seemed clear, and I sent a few cases of as good as I had. Unfortunately it miscarried, and was a long time get- ting to its destination. About the last of the time for receiv- ing honey for the exhibit I got a tele- gram, "Can you send us a thousand pounds of honey?" Without knowing whether they wanted to beg, borrow or buy it, I said "Yes;" (I may say in parenthesis, they paid me very promptly a good price for it), and they told me to send by express. I sent in regular ship- ping-cases, and the honey was just about what I had for my regular trade, perhaps sorted a shade closer. One of them wrote me that it was the best lot of honey they had received, and the other endorsed the opinion, and I be- lieve Messrs. Hambaugh and Stone knew a thing or two about what good honey ought to be. So if my honey was the best, or even among the best of the Illi- nois exhibit, I don't feel greatly worried about finding a market for what I can produce, even if I can't "produce first- grade comb honey under a special classi- fication." I believe, Mr. Editor, that's all I want to say about Mr. Melbee, unless you are willing to tell me whether he's a man or a woman, and if a man, how much big- ger than I: and if you think it would be safe for me to meet him on a dark night on a lonely road. Now, Mr. Editor, I come back to you, as needy as before, and ask if you will tell how. You see, it's no use to tell us a thing can be done, and then leave us without giving us any hint as to how it can be done. I will say to you in all honesty, that while I am skeptical as to putting your plan in general practice, AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 211 yet if it can be done I am sincerely de- sirous to know how. Will you please tell •? Marengo, 111. [Oh, dear, dear Doctor, what a regu- lar (luestion-mark you must be turning into ! We think we'll have to admit that Mr. Melbee's article on page 111 didn't con- tain just the kind of information that is most desired; but now that he has had his "say" in the way he did, perhaps in his next article he will "get down to business," and tell us just how he man- ages to sell honey at the price he gets, and keep on doing so. Your honey. Doctor, is all right — in quality, at least. We know, for we were fortunate enough to get a 24-pound case of it after the Fair closed. No one would ask for finer looking honey, either. But, as you say, that has nothing to do with the question under consideration. Melbee, is a man — not any heavier than you, Doctor, though perhaps a lit- tle taller; and we think it would be per- fectly safe for you or anybody else to meet him on the darkest night on the loneliest of roads. He's not at all a dangerous character, though perhaps he might seem so to one who was indiffer- ent about purchasing honey when Mel- bee wanted to sell some. Melbee would most certainly sell the honey if anybody could. Now, we hope Mr. Melbee will at once devote himself to the task of tell- ing Dr. Miller, and others, all about hoiv he is able to retail extracted honey at 24 cents a pound. That's "the next number on the program." — Ed.] Againsl Renlering Beeswax witli Acids. Written for the American Bee Journal BY C. p. DADANT. I wish to take exception to the item on purifying wax with acids, as given on page 138. We do not believe in this practice unless it is absolutely necessary, owing to the wax being mixed largely with residues after having been improp- erly rendered. Combs may be rendered into wax just as well without the use of acids — at least we can, and always do, render all our combs with only pure water, and always succeed in getting bright yellow wax from them even if they are dark. Although the acid does not practically deteriorate the wax, it so completely re- moves all other substances that it takes away all its perfume, and the honey and bee odor which is so pleasing and attrac- tive to the bees. We have, hundreds of times, smelled the odor of the honey in foundation. Such would not have been the case, had these cappings been rendered with acid, but, on the contrary, there would in many cases be a little sour smell remaining. Every one of the hands in our shop remembers the fine perfume which pervades our shops when- ever we have a chance to handle a ton or two of Southern California capping-wax. At a meeting of some local Michigan association, a few years ago, some one made the remark that we must use honey in lubricating the rolls of our mills, because our foundation smelled so sweetly of honey, and was so readily ac- cepted by the bees. The credit of this sweet smell did not belong to us, but to the parties who had rendered this wax. All our credit in the matter consisted in preserving this good flavor as much as possible. If the practice of rendering combs with acid becomes universal, the quality of the wax will be greatly lowered, and we can assure Mr. N. S. H. that bees will not accept comb foundation made from such wax as readily as when it re- tains the bee and honey smell. If much of acid-rendered wax should come on the market, we should certainly offer less for it than for the other grade. We will gladly, free of charge, give directions for rendering combs with water in a satisfactory manner, to any one who may desire them. Hamilton, 111. [As the information that Brother Da- dant could give about rendering wax with only water would doubtless be in- teresting and helpful to all our readers, we suggest that he send us the directions for publication in the Bee Journal. Being the largest comb foundation mak- ers in the world, whatever comes from the pens of Chas. Dadant & Sqn on this subject could be implicitly relied upon. —Ed.] 212 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. Causes of Stiort-Liyeil Queens. Written for the American Bee Journal BY J. F. MICHAEL. The reason why so many queens placed upon the market find an early death, is chiefly from two causes. One is, the larvEe used to rear queens is not of the right age. The demand for cheap queens has been so great that many have been induced to go into the busi- ness and rear queens by any method, the cheaper the better in order to supply the demand. The bees when preparing to swarm will construct queen-cells, and the queen will deposit eggs in them. This larvae receives royal food from the very begin- ing. Should the larvtB be three days old when transferred to the queen-cell, three days this larva^ has been fed worker-bee food instead of royal food. If a queenless colony is given larvae in all stages, a queen some times hatches in ten days, showing clearly that larvte too old has been used. The larvae should be used as soon as the naked eye can dis- cern it in the bottom of the cell. The other reason is, queens reared out of season. If queens are reared before the swarming season is on, the colony caring for the larval queens must, by some means, be placed in a normal con- dition. The colony must have plenty of sealed brood, bees emerging from the cells, and old bees which carry honey from the fields. A few old, worn-out bees will not rear good queens under the most favorable circumstances. There are other things which tend to lengthening out the life of queens. The class of queen-breeders who look only at the easiest way to take in the dimes, will sooner or later find their occupa- tion gone; while the careful breeder, who cares for his patrons, will find his prospects brightening. German, Ohio. Best FouiMon for Dse In Sections. lies tilts of Experiments at the Michigan Apiary. BY R. L. TAYLOR, APIARIST. (Continued from page 213.) My next resource was mechanical in- struments for fine work in measuring and weighing. I knew there were such instrumeats at our agricultural college, and in speaking of the matter with Mr. E. R. Root he informed me that his house possessed a micrometer, and gen- erously put it at my service. To the septa of the foundations I added one from natural comb which I designated by the letter " I." I at once gave Mr. Root a set, and measurements of them were taken by C. C. Washburn, of his establishment, who is skilled in such work. These measurements appear further on. To procure samples of comb for the purpose of the weighing test, I took two sets of sections of the several varieties and extracted the honey as thoroughly as possible, then after filling the cells with water, I plunged them in a large vessel of water where they remained 24 hours, when they were further washed and then thoroughly dried. To get pieces of exactly the same size I shaved off the comb from both sides to bring all to an equal thickness, about one-half inch. To accomplish this, I began by cutting away the section-box within a little less than a fourth of an inch of the septum, making the opposite sides per- fectly straight and parallel ; then using these sides as guides, with a long, straight, sharp knife all portions of the comb jutting out were shaved off, leav- ing a perfectly flat surface of comb. As guides ifor shaving off the other side, two straight pieces of wood of even thickness — about half an inch — were nailed to a smooth, flat board, and after cutting away the other edges of the sec- tion-box sufficiently, it was laid on the flat side of the comb between these and fixed firmly with wedges, when the superfluous comb was shaved away as before. After this process was com- pleted, a circular piece to be used for the purposes of the experiment was cut from each with a rim of tin a little more than 2}i inches in diameter, used after the manner of a cake-cutter, thus leaving in each case the septum with a portion of the cells upon each side. The first set I thus prepared came short of perfection to such an extent as to be unsatisfactory, so I made use of the other set only. These were taken to the college, and after having them weighed I cut each sample in two, giv- ing one part to Dr. Beal of the college for measurement, reserving the others and afterwards sending them to Mr. E. R. Root, to secure another set of meas- urements from Mr. Washburn, so as to get them from two capable persons, of the same comb as nearly as practicable. As it turned out, Mr. Washburn was ill when these reached him, and a sub- stitute was found in Mr. Hnbbell. As will appear in the summary, he took a AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 213 varying number of measurements of the samples — from once to five times — while in the other cases these measurements were taken in each instance. The weighing was done by Mr. Frank S. Kedzie, adjunct Professor of Chem- istry, with the following results in grams : time before using has but a slight disad- vantage, if any, as compared with that freshly made. The slightly greater thickness of the septum of comb made from " H," as compared with that made from "G," may well be accounted for by the fact that H was heavier than G. •ith. Granting that different methods Weight in grams- A -1.93 B 2.2398 C 2.093 D 2.2349 E 1.9664 F 1.8482 G 1.8886 H 2.083 I 1 .6321 If any one has a curiosity to turn the results into grains, he can do so by mul- tiplying by 15,482, the number of grains in a gram. The measurements of the thickness of the bases of the cells now follow in their order in ten thousandths of an inch : washbubn'b UEA8UBIUEXS. 1 A B 1 C D E F 6 1 H 1 ! 95 1 >a 86 90 85 93 z 86 -96 V» 7U 9i 75 7S ! 06 75 SW 15 j 82 57 57 • Total,, r.-.- ....|3,5 261 26r 883 2« aaa j aas 171 Avengo — ....| 105 87 «7 ■>, 91 1 80 .71 1 79 57 DB. BFAl-'a MEASOBEMENTS. 1 A 1 B ^' D 1 E 1 F G. H 1 7(1 110 1. lOO 65 1 80 100 65 70 70 ISJ 1 70 60 UK 1 100 60 .-0 J 90 80 60 60 SO 60 60 50 50 50 / To'.il..-r,: '. «0 275 a.5 ■M i 260 20O 180 200 150 Average .. . . 1 83 1 92 68 ,m 1 87 67 60 ■ 07 M MB BtlBBELl,' MBA9VJEEMEKTS. A B C I> E 1 F G H I 95 80 no 90 70 ^l '.5 70 62.5 50 90 65 75 50 Total -J A..-: Uerage .*.*>.. 415 m 140 HO 183 95 ■ 89 65 "TT 70 04.5 — 70 6-2 r, A B C ■> E ^ G U 1 W;ifihbani b A» l*»iil'ii Averwe. . HubbellB A» 105 83 95 i 87 S5 » 9, 87 70 80 67 6-2 5 60 70 79 67 70 62 5 TotoJ 2.«3 «S ■m 269 251 2.5 •201 216 lOS.S A\erfu(e 94 89 73 3 me 838 60-8 68 72 56 5 All this work, it seems to me, has been very satisfactory, for while there has not been particular uniformity — a thing which could not be expected — there has been general uniformity. I must close this article, already too long, by mentioning some of the appar- ently tenable inferences which may be drawn from these tests : 1st. No comb made from foundation quite equals in fineness the natural, though in some cases it approaches it very closely. 2nd. In foundations of the same make the thinner has but very slight advan- tage over the heavier in point of produc- ing comb of lighter weight. 3rd. That foundation kept for a long ordinarily in use of manipulating wax do not make a difference in the char- acter of foundation made from such wax, that foundation made on the Given press has a pretty decided advantage over that made on the roller machines. If tlese investigations lead manufac- turers to strive to learn the best methods of manufacturing wa.\-, and to find out what peculiarities characterize the best foundation machines, they will not have been made in vain. Lapeer, Mich. MarMin^Eilracteil Honey In Cities. Written for the Amerino.n Bee Journal BV W. O. TITUS. I am glad to see so much interest taken in the marketing of honey, even if we cannot all get the big price for it that Mr. Melbeegets. I would like very much to know where he finds a class of customers that are willing to pay 24 cents per pound, and that, too, in 5- pound lots, right along, year after year. I have been in the trade since 1881 ; have sold in Pittsburg, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D. C, New York, Brooklyn, Newark, N. J., Detroit, Mich., Toledo, Columbus, Dayton, Cin- cinnati, Louisville, Ky., Ft. Wayne, In- dianapolis and Chicago, and I have al- ways had a uniform price from the be- ginning, viz.: 18 cents per pound, or six pounds for $1.00 for light extracted honey ; my dark honey I sell at 15 cents per pound, or eight pounds for $1.00. I have no use but for two grades — light and dark. I always take the honey along with me in a tin pail that will hold 36 pounds, and allow the people to sample it before buying; then when I have sold out I take the street-car back to where I have the honey stored, for a new sup- ply. I find that cheaper than going over the road first with a sample, and 214 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. then to deliver it ; besides, the custo- mers are then sure that they are getting just what they sampled. My home market (Toledo) I go over twice a year — late in the spring and early in the fall, while I can put in a part of the time with the bees. This year I was late in getting to my custo- mers there, and another had been around and supplied quite a number of them, but as he had held up the price — selling his at 20 cents— I am not dis- posed to kick. Why should I, any way ? There is plenty of room for all that want to engage in the trade. We will never get the world too sweet ! I am inclined to think there might be a greater amount of honey sold by the producers right to the consumers, at fair, paying prices, if they would make an effort, and were not so delicati about being called a "peddler." After all, I believe there is an art in selling honey, and I do not believe I could tell any one just how to do it, if I were asked to do so. Delaware, Ohio. Are Queens Injured In Mailing Them ? Written Jor the American Bee Journal BY DB. E. GALLUP. In reply to Rev. W. P. Faylor's ques- tion (page 616, 1893)— "Whoever saw a good laying queen after she had gone through the mails " — I will state that I have. Understand that I only reared queens for my own use, but occasionally I used to send a good, prolific queen to a friend who would report that she did not prove prolific with him. So, to test this matter. Dr. Hamlin and myself agreed to exchange, and did exchange, several queens through the mails. I had an impression about the dilHculty, and so stated it to him, and when we found that when we selected one-year- old queens, or queens that were breed- ing up to their .full capacity, their pro- lificness was affected badly, but when we selected young queens, as soon as their first working progeny appeared, their prolicness was not impaired. In no case did it affect their longevity whatever. But understand that we both advoca- ted and practiced rearing queens either in the natural manner, under the swarm- ing impulse, or in an overflowing full colony of nursing bees, under all the natural conditions we could bring to bear — such as having them started from the eggs or larvae just batched ; abundance of warmth, and large quanti- ties of royal food, etc. In a former arti- cle I gave my method of rearing arti- ficial queens. By both of these methods we could rear five and six year old queens almost invariably, when reared from the proper stock ? Now, Mr. Faylor, are you sure that the longevity of those queens was af- fected by passing through the mails? Or, rather, was it not a fact that they were reared under unnatural conditions, such as lack of warmth, insufficient nourishment, or from being started from larvae too far advanced, and fed as a worker, either of which will produce short-lived queens almost without an exception ? Understand that Dr. Hamlin lived near Nashville, Tenn., and I in northern Iowa, which was a sufficient distance to test the matter pretty thoroughly. My theory was this : When we selected queens that were breeding up to their full capacity, and oldish queens, the thumping and pound- ing that they had to undergo with their large, distended abdomens, and perhaps the sudden stoppage of the large and constant supply of the proper food, was the cause of their prolificness being im- paired. Who is positive about this mat- ter ? We were both satisfied, yet others may not be. Mr. Faylor also says that not one in a hundred of those light-colored queens are reared under the swarming impulse — the only sure way to get extra-good laying queens. Now, I tried them pretty thoroughly, both in Iowa and two sea- sons in California, under the swarming impulse, and so did Adam Grimm and Dr. Hamlin, but not one of us ever was satisfied with them, so far as their work- ing qualities and prolificness were con- cerned ; and as I have before stated, being a prominent writer, I received some dozens of them from different queen-breeders who were very anxious that I should recommend their queens, even Mrs. Ellen Tupper sent me two, and not one of those light-colored queens or their progeny came up to my stan- dard. It would take from two to three queens to keep a colony as populous as one of my own stock, or the stock re- ceived from either Dr. Hamlin or Adam Grimm. They were extra-nice to handle, and beautiful to look at, but the profit was not there. Those queens were sent gratis, and I was anxious to succeed with them, but did not. Now do not, by any means, understand me as saying that others cannot or liave not. The reader will understand, after AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 215 becoming acquainted with Gallup, that if any one is hit, it is good-naturedly, and for the purpose of drawing some one out, and getting at facts, if possi- ble. I have bred from a light-colored queen and her progeny by natural swarming, up to 24 colonies; (of course I couM not select drones ; as they were kept in an apiary with 100 other colo- nies) ; and not one of the 24 colonies came up to over one-half the product of the standard colonies. But my stan- dard is away up, perhaps above the standard of a majority of bee-keepers. Santa Ana, Calif. Extra-LiiM Colorel Bees. Written for the American Bee Journal BY C. D. DUVALL. I am glad to see, on page 21, that Dr. Gallup does not think it is a hopeless task in trying to get light-colored bees that will compare favorably with the dark strains. I have read with interest the articles in the bee-papers against and in favor of light-colored bees, and several times I have been tempted to write something on this subject, but my time is so much taken up with other things that I have never done so before. I am compelled to believe there is con- siderable prejudice existing against light-colored bees, and no doubt with good cause; but the trouble seems to be, and where the injustice comes in, all light-colored bees seem to be classed as the same. It must be remembered there is as much diiference, and probably more, between the different strains of light-colored bees, as between the dark strains of bees. Now, I believe we are all looking for the best bee — the one that will store the most honey, and also possess the other desirable qualities — and those who are in it for the dollars and cents, will not care whether this bee is black or white, light or dark. But other points being equal, any one will prefer a light-colored bee, for several reasons, viz: The queen is more readily found; the bees are prettier to look at (and we all admire beauty); and other reasons which I might mention. Solne years ago I was as much opposed to extra-light colored Italians as any one, simply because I could not get any equal to the dark bees as honey-gather- ers; and yet, the dark imported queens that I could get did not please me as a rule, although I went to much trouble and expense to import extra-fine queens. In 1885, and also in 1888, I had Mr. Frank Benton to select for me some good queens of the dark leather-colored Italians, from the mountain regions of Italy, and mail them to me. While I secured a good working, hardy strain of bees, coming from that part of Itaiy, near the line where hybridizing with blacks takes place, hence the type was not as fixed as might be, consequently they were too much inclined to shade off into hybrids. It is a well-known fact that black and hybrid bees do exist in Italy, and this is where our dark Italians come from. I soon came to realize that the queens I reared in my own apiary were far supe- rior to any imported queens I could get. My next step was to try to improve our American Italians, so I sent to most of our prominent breeders for queens — all that had desirable qualities. I kept and crossed with my best stock, and have kept on selecting the best every year since. The result has been that now I have a strain of extra-light col- ored bees (five-banded, if you prefer to call them that) which are gentle, and superior honey-gatherers. I believe if Dr. Gallup would try them, he would find they would compare favorably with the best dark bees. They have been thoroughly tested by practical honey- producers. (See the Review, page 352). I could say much more, but it is not my desire to praise any particular strain of bees, but simply to show the unfair- ness of those who have written so much against extra-light colored bees, and in many cases they have only been tested in a comparatively small way. « It must be remembered that some of the strains of light-colored bees of to-day are not to be compared to the light-col- ored bees of ten years ago. Montgomery Co., Maryland. Some Mista!(es of Dan in. Written for the American Bee Jonmal BY REV. L,. J. TEMPLIN. While I have never been able to follow Mr. Darwin in many of his speculations in regard to evolution, still I have ad- mired him for his pains-taking researches and the vast array of facts in natural history that he has placed on record. But I find that with all his profound knowledge of nature he occasionally makes a slip that inclines one to think 216 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. Mr. Darwin took some of his alleged facts at second-hand, and impresses one with the thought that he is not a guide that is to be followed implicitly. While reading "The Origin of Species," I met with the following statement: "All vertebrate animals, all insects, and some other large groups of animals, pair for each birth." Chap. IV., sub- head, "On the Inter-crossing of Indi- viduals." As I understand it, every egg that is laid and hatched is a birth. If this is correct, it is evident that Mr. Darwin is "away off" from the truth; for every in- telligent person knows that bees, wasps, and some other insects do not pair for each birth. And in the case of partheno- genesis, which Mr. Darwin calls "a curious exception not well understood," there is certainly no pairing at all though there are innumerable births. Then in some fowls— the turkey, for in- stance— breeders say one copulation suf- fices for a whole clutch of eggs. Again, in Chap. VIII., and under sub- head, "Cell-making Instinct of the Hive- Bee," we have the following: "The work of construction seems to be a sort of balance struck between many bees, all instinctively standing at the same relative distance from each other, all trying to sweep equal spheres, and then building up, or leaving un- gnawed, the planes of intersection be- tween these spheres." Now every one who ever saw bees building comb, knows that the above is a purely fanciful sketch drawn from the imagination of the great naturalist. All of which goes to prove that it is better to use ones brains and eyes than to be blin0 for $1.50; 100 for $2.50; 250 for 85.50: 500 for $10.00; or 1000 for $15.00. When 250 or more are ordered, we will print the bee-keeper's card (free of cost) on the front cover page. Weekly, $1 a Vear. [ °^^°^^°-?^TO^Be\^-^Culture \ ^^™Vi^ *^oPy ^"e. VOL XXXIII. CHICAGO, ILL, FEB. 22, 1894. NO. 8. A <]>reat iTIeeting' is what Prof. Cook says they had last month at the California State convention in LosAngeles. He further wrote: "I assure you, apiculture is by no means dead in California. I never was in a more wide-awake meeting of any kind." Prof. Cook is now the President of the California State Association, and we may expect to see apieultural things boom out there. He has kindly sent some very in- teresting comments on their recent conven- tion that we will publish soon. liVliere Honey Comes From was the subject of an address given by Mr. R. McKnight before the Ontario Bee-Keepers' Association last month. He argued that it originally comes from the atmosphere, the leaves of plants and trees "breathing" it in. We hope soon to be able to give the main portion of Bro. McKnight's entertain- ing address, which showed that he had given the subject much study. Coml> Honey in tlie IJ. S.— Some time ago we announced a scheme proposed by Gleanings, through which it was thought that a pretty correct estimate could be made of the amount of comb boney an- nually produced in the United States. It now seems that the scheme could not be made to work, as some manufacturers de- clined to give their annual output of sec- tions ; and Bro. Root also thinks, after all, that the " result " might be " but little bet- ter than a good guess." So thought we at the time the scheme was suggested, and yet we felt that probably in helping it along, there might come out of the effort a way in which something reliable could be derived. But now it seems the only way to get at the facts in the case, will be to have the information secured through the township assessors, as suggested by Mr. C. H. Pond, on page 134. Adnlteraf ion— Sontliern Qneens —Bro. J. P. West, President of the Min- nesota State Bee-Keepers' Association, wrote us as follows on Feb. 5th : Friend York : — I wish to thank you for the notice you gave of the meeting of the Minnesota Bee-Keepers' Association, which was held in Minneapolis on Jan. 10th, 11th, and 12th. We had an excellent meeting, there being about 30 members present, and the Horticultural Society, which was in session all the week, had the best and most enthusiastic meeting they ever held. I inclose a copy of the law passed last winter by the Legislature of Minnesota in relation to the adulteration of honey. By an unfortunate oversight the State Dairy and Food Commissioner was not aware of the law, until you published Mr. Holmberg's letter in the Bee Journal, in relation to Mr. Hunt's action, but since that time the Commissioner has been doing good work. The action of Mr. Hunt in adulterating honey at the wholesale house of Smith & Austrian, in St. Paul, has aroused the bee- keepers of the State. Our association does not believe in adulteration of honey, or any article of food. The law will be amended next winter, so that such fellows as Mr. Hunt can be brought back to the State, after leaving it, like other criminals, 232 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. and punished. Hunt doesn't stand in Min- nesota any better than any other person who has violated her laws, and we believe it is our duty to protect the community from such dishonest practices. The law also needs to be amended so that the Dairy and Food Commissioner can " seize " the adulterated honey, as provided in the laws in relation to other adulterated articles of food found in the State. Any one desiring any information about Mr. Hunt's transactions in the adulteration of honey in St. Paul, can get a few pointers from me ; and I will say that a man who will do what we know that he has done in Minnesota, will need watching wherever he is. The question came up in our meeting as to the comparative merits of queens reared in the South and North, and was thoroughly discussed. It was unanimously decided that queens from the South, as a general thing, do not compare with Northern reared queens for hardiness. It was the advice of all the old bee-keepers present to purchase queens as far North as possible, for Minnesota. Yours truly, J. P. West, Pres. Minn. B.-K. Association. It seems to us that the question of South- ern-reared queens being less hardy than Northern ones, ought to be settled one way or the other, as there would be injustice done to our excellent Southern queen- breeders if it were not true. We should be pleased to have reports of experience in this matter, for we certainly do not want to be unjust to those who rear fine queens in the South. What is your experience " along this line," friends ? For the aid and guidance of those who are attempting to get State legislatures to pass an anti-adulteration law in the inter- est of honest honey, we here reproduce the Minnesota law, as sent us by Pres. West. It is as follows : CHAPTER 21, GENERAL LAWS OF MINNESOTA FOR THE TEAR 1893. _______ An Act in relation to the sale of honey compounded or adulterated, and to pre- vent fraud, and to preserve the public health. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the IState of Minnesota : Section 1. It shall be unlawful for any person or persons within the State of Min- nesota, to ofifer for sale, or have in their possession with intent to sell, sell or cause to be sold honey compounded, manufac- tured from, or mixed with glucose, sugar syrup of any kind, or any substance what- ever, not the legitimate and exclusive pro- duct of the honey-bee, unless the package containing the same is so marked and rep- resented as such, and bearing the label upon the package printed thereon in heavy Gothic capitals, 18 point, the name of the person or persons having compounded, manufactured or mixed the same, and the name of the substance or material from which it is compounded, manufactured or mixed with. Sec. 3. It shall be unlawful for any per- son or persons within the State of Minne- sota to ofifer, or have in their possession for sale, sell or cause to be sold honey which has not been made by the bees from the natural secretion of flowers and plants, but which has been stored or made by the bees from glucose, sugar syrup or any other material or substance fed to them ; unless the same is marked, represented and desig- nated as such, and bearing a label upon each package printed in heavy Gothic capi- tals, 18 point, thereon, the name of the per- son or persons who fed, or caused to be fed, the substance or material from which the said honey is stored or made. Sec. 3. Any person or persons violating Sections 1 and 2 of this Act, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon convic- tion thereof, be punished for each oflfense by a fine of not less than $15, or more than $100, or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding 30 days, or both such fine or imprisonment. Sec. 4. The having in possession by any person or persons or firm any honey com- pounded, manufactured or mixed as here- inbefore described, or any honey stored or made by the bees as hereinbefore described, and not labeled as provided in this Act, shall be considered jyrima facie evidence that the same is kept in violation of the pro- visions of this Act. Sec. 5. It shall be the duty of the State Dairy and Food Commissioner and his as- sistants, experts, chemists and agents by him appointed, to enforce the provisions of this Act. Sec. 6. The said Commissioner and his assistants, experts, chemists, and others by him appointed, shall have access, ingress and egress to all places of business and buildings where the same is kept for sale. They shall also have power and authority to open any package, car or vessel containing such articles which may be manufactured, sold or exposed for sale in violation of the provisions of this Act, and may inspect the contents therein, and take samples there- from for analysis. All clerks, book-keepers, express agents, railroad agents, or officials, employes or common carriers, or other per- sons shall render them all the assistance in their power, when so requested, in tracing, finding or discovering the presence of any prohibited article named in this Act. Any refusal or neglect on the part of such clerk, book-keeper, express agent, railroad agents, employes or common carriers to render such friendly aid, shall be deemed a mis- demeanor, and be punished by a fine of not less than $25, or more than $50, for each and every offense. Sec. 7. In all prosecutions under this Act, the costs thereof shall be paid in the manner now provided by law, and such fine shall be paid into the State treasury. Sec. S. All Acts and parts of Acts incon- sistent with this Act are hereby repealed AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 233 Sec. 9. This Act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage. Approved April 17, 1893. Now let there be a general effort made to have such a law as the above enacted in every State where now no such law exists ; and then let bee-keepers see to it that the proper ofl3cers enforce it to the very letter. Every bee-keeper should help in doing all that can be done to put a stop to the adul- teration of their product, and, in fact, all food products. **Xlie Best Foundation — How to Make It," is to be the "special topic" of the March Bee-KeeixriP Review. The Febru- ary issue of that excellent monthly, is de- voted principally to the discussion of the cause and cure of foul brood. Hon. R. L. Taylor covers the ground pretty thoroughly in his article on "Foul Brood — Its Symp- toms and Cure." As this article comes un- der the head of "Work at Michigan's Ex- perimental Apiary," and is another of Mr. Taylor's interesting "reports," we will soon give it a place in these columns. So far we have endeavored to give Bro. Taylor's valuable reports of experiments as wide a hearing as possible ; all of them, ■ however, having first published in the Re- view, by reason of a previous arrangement between Bros. Hutchinson and Taylor. Bee-Keeping; sls a, Study. — At last the University of California is to have a class in apiculture. We learn that it is to be under the direction of Prof . Woodworth, and the first class is to have four pupils. This is not a bad beginning ; it is to be hoped that with a practical bee-keeper as instructor, along with the teachers in the entomological department of the Univer- sity, the students in bee-culture will make rapid strides in the science, and be a credit to the State where bees are supposed to be as thick as flies in summer. While we are pleased to know that the University of California is to do something for apiculture at last, still, we feel that that institution did not do anything in this direction until Prof. Cook located in that State, and announced that he was going to keep a few colonies of bees at the college where he is engaged to teach, in the south- ern part of the State. The action of the recent bee-keepers' convention in Califor- nia, which adopted a resolution asking for the establishment of an apicultural experi- ment station in the State, and that Prof. Cook be recommended as a suitable person to take charge of the same, may have had something to do with hurrying the State University to start its class in bee-keeping. However this may be, the bee-keepers of that State will hail the " innovation " with pleasure, and exclaim, " 'Tis better late than never!" Xlie Ontario Convention was held in January, and a very profitable meeting it was. The following are the Officers and Directors elected for the ensuing year : President— A. Picket, of Nassagaweya. Vice-President — R. F. Holtermann, of Brantford. Secretary— S. Cornell, of Lindsay. Treasurer— Martin Emigh, of Holbrook. Foul Brood Inspector— Wm. McEvoy, of Woodburn. Sub-Inspector— F. A. Gemmill, of Strat- ford. Auditors— J. Alpaugh, of St. Thomas, and S. T. Pettit, of Belmont. DIRECTOES. District No. 1.— W. J. Brown, Chard. " " 2. — J. K. Darling, Almonte. " " 3.— M. B. Holmes, Athens. " 4.— Allen Pringle, Selby. " " 5. — S. Cornell, Lindsay. " " 6.— Wm. Couse, StreetsvUle. " " 7.— D. Chalmers, Poole. " " 8.— F. A. Rose, Balmoral. " " 9.— J. B. Hall, Woodstock. " 10.— R. McKnight. Owen Sound. " " 11.— John Myers, Stratford. " " 13.— E. O. Jones, Kertch. " " 13.— R. H. Smith, Bracebridge. Stratford was chosen as the place for holding the next meeting. I>iscussing- Bee-Papers at con- ventions is an idea mentioned in one of the January Review^s editorials. Here is what Bro. Hutchinson thinks about it: Bee journals are seldom discussed at bee conventions ; there being a feeling that it is not good taste — that the commendation of one journal is a reflection upon the edi- tors of the others. Hives, smokers, honey- knives, comb foundation of the different makes, non-swarmers, self-hivers, in short everything pertaining to bee-culture are freely discussed with no consideration whatever for the feelings of the inventor or manufacturer. Where is the consis- tency ? Then, again, one journal may excel in one particular, another in some other direction, and the bringing out of these 234 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. points might not be any disparagement to any journal, yet would aid bee-keepers m their choice of journals. The idea that a tiee-journal. or some feature of it, must never be commended, criticised, or dis- cussed in a convention is more a fashion than one of good sense. Now here's a chance for an honest differ- ence of opinion, and we dare say that Bro. H. stands almost alone in his view of the matter. Of course that's all right, we stand nearly alone sometimes, but this time we think the majority is with us. Judging from that Beview editorial, bee- papers would be fit subjects for experiment stations to test, the same as any other bee- keeping utensil or necessity. Now, we'll suppose all of them were sent to the Michi- gan station to be tested. Bro. Taylor would begin the work, and he"d find that the lie- view is the only one that publishes his re- ports of experiments, or those that do copy them won't give what he considers proper credit. Therefore, the Rndew is the best bee-paper— for Bros. Taylor and Hutchin- son. Certainly; no one would question that. Brethren, we are ready at any time to have the Bee Journal discussed with the rest, but what good would come of it ? You might as well discuss the character and reputation of John Jones, or Mrs. Grundy, but what would there be gained in so doing ? We regret that we must again differ from Bro. Hutchinson, but really we feel too modest to care for notoriety or adver- tising to be gained in that way. We prefer to let each reader think and act for himself in the choice of a bee-paper. If he doesn't know enough to know what he wants, why then he certainly wouldn't profit much by reading any bee-paper. *' Xlie Hoiiey-Bee : Its Natural History, Anatomy and Physiology," is the title of the book written by Thos. Wm. Cowan, editor of the British Bee Journal. It is bound in cloth, beautifully illustrated, and very interesting. Price, $1.00, post- paid ; or we club it with the Bee Journal one year for $1.6.5. We have only three of these books left. answered by Marengo, III. In this department will be answered those questions needing lmmediate attention, and such as are not of sufficient special interest to require replies from the 20 or more apiarists who help to make ''Queries and Keplies" so interesting on another page. In the main, it will contain questions and answers upon mat- ters that particularly interest beginners.— Ed. Honey-Boards and Dummies. I have been reading " A Year Among the Bees," and it seems to me the author is not definite enough in his details. He says, in putting on the T super, you put on the Heddon skeleton honey-board. Now what is the honey-board ? Tell how to make it, and out of what material. If there is a description in the book, I failed to see it. How much space should there be between the brood-combs and the honey-board ? Should the super rest on the honey-board ? Also, reference is often made to a dummy. What is it, and how is it made ? N. F. ■ Portage, Ohio. Answers. — When my book was written, slat honey-boards were a necessity. Now, however, better plans for avoiding brace and burr combs have been discovered, and I am getting rid of honey-boards as fast as I can. All that is necessary is to have the top-bars at fixed distances, li*^ from center to center, the depth of top-bars %, and the width l>g , and I4 inch space above. A dummy is simply a board with a top- bar, hung in the hive the same as a comb, so as to fill up the space. It may be }£ or % inch thick, and bung at one side of the hive so as to lift out easily and leave room to get out the first frame ; or two dummies, each an inch thick, may hang in the place of two combs, so as to make a 10-frame hive contain only eight combs. , A Binder for holding a year's num- bers of the Bee Journal we mall for only 50 cents; or clubbed Nvritb the JouKNAL for $1.40. Changing the Sex of Bee-Eggs. It has been argued by some writers on that vexing question of sex of a fertile queen's egg, that the worker-bees change the sex by sweeping off the sperm from an egg laid in a drone-cell, otherwise all the eggs of a fertile queen would produce workers, and therefore the queen has no power to change the sex. If the queen was taken from a populous hive in summer, and eggs from worker-cells transferred to empty drone-cells, and said AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 235 eggs produced drones, it would be pretty conclusive evidence that the queen has not the power to change the sex of an egg that she lays. My question is this- Do you know if such experiment has been tried, and what the outcome was ? Having been a bee-keeper for 20 years, and a subscriber to the Bee Journal for about that length of time. I have always taken a great interest in all obtuse ques- tions that have been discussed in its col- umns. T. T. Lancaster, Pa. Answer. — If my memory serves me cor- rectly, the experiment has been tried, of putting eggs from worker-cells in drone- cells, but always with the result that the eggs hatched out workers. Within the past year a good deal has been said about using drone-cells to rear queens in, but in that case I think larvae and not eggs have been transferred. Does it not appear a physical impossi- bility for the workers to aflfect the eggs so as to change the sex by " sweeping off " the spermatozoa ? For these minute beings are not on the outside of the egg, but enter through the micropyle, the very name of which indicates an entrance so small that a bee's tongue would not be likely to set up business inside. I think I can give another argument to give a strong leaning in the same direction, although it may not be entirely conclusive. I suppose you know very well that if all the drone-comb be taken from a hive, and every inch be filled with worker-comb, what frantic efforts the bees will make to build a few drone-cells in odd corners, and how the queen will go out of her way to lay in them. You know also that if a drone-laying queen lays eggs in worker- cells, that the bees will go on and rear drones in them, notwithstanding their be- ing in worker-cells. Now if all that is needed to change a worker-egg to a drone- egg is a lick of a worker's tongue, how do you account for the queen's going so much out of her way to lay in remote drone- cells ? And if the bees are so very anxious to have drones when there are no drone- cells in the hive, why do they not rear drones in worker-cells, seeing they can do so readily if the right eggs are there ? Putting Foundation in Hives, Etc. 1. When putting sheets of foundation in the brood-nest, should they be put between frames of comb, or on the outside by them- selves ? 2. If I should put frames containing sheets of foundation in an empty hive, and leave the entrance open so that bees could enter at will, would the wax-moth be apt to damage the foundation, where moths are bad ? 3. When bees are divided for the purpose of increasing, what proportion go back to the old stand ? For example, if about swarming time, I should take about half the bees and comb from a hive, and put them into a new hive, what proportion of bees should I shake from the combs left on the old stand in order to have them about equal after the old bees return. Oak Hill, Kans. J. K. Answers. — 1. Sometimes a hive is en- tirely filled with frames of foundation and no old combs, but if you have both in the hive, and want the bees to make the best work possible on the foundation, put a frame of foundation between two old combs. 2. I don't suppose the bees of other hives would keep the moths away, but if you could get a spider to occupy it, that might do. Better watch pretty close if you try it. 3. All the bees that work in the fields will go back to the old stand, some of them on the second day. If the change is made when the bees are having their play spell, the bees out at play will go back to the old stand. Perhaps you might shake off at the old stand the bees of one or two frames, then about the third day you can shake off more if they are needed. But look out not to leave so few bees in either hive where there is brood, so that the brood will be chilled. Keep in mind that bees will desert the new for the old stand, a day or two after the division. Combs Built Crosswise. I bought two colonies last spring, and got no increase and no surplus honey last year. The winter was mild up to Jan. 21st, but cold since then — 22 degrees below zero on the 24th. In one hive the combs are built crosswise of three of the brood-frames. What must I do with them, so that I can manipulate all the brood-frames ? Guy, Mo., Jan. 25. E. A. J. Answer. — Lift the other frames out of the way, then lift out the three frames to- gether, and then cut loose that part of each comb where it is attached to the wrong frame, and force it back into its own frame. Possibly the case is so bad that all the combs must be cut out and fastened in the frames as directed in the books for trans- ferring. Of course, it must be warm enough so as not to chill the brood, and so the comb will bend. The Increase at an Out-Apiary. In running an out-apiary for comb honey, in your opinion, what would be the best way to manage in increase, being with them a part of the time only ? Logan, Iowa. F. E. H. Answer. — So much depends upon the man and the circumstances that your ques- tion is hard to answer. If you have some one to watch for swarms, possibly it might be best to let them swarm naturally. But in an out-apiary you may not desire that. Possibly the nucleus plan might suit you best. You will find this described in the books, the main point being to start a 236 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAj nucleus with two or more frames of brood and bees, and a young queen or a cell nearly ready to hatch, then let them build up of their own accord, or give them addi- tional combs of brood if you think they will not have time to build up. Several Questions Asked. 1. Do mice eat live bees ? 2. Are combs that have some pollen in them, any good for breeding, if exposed to frost ? 3. Does frost kill the germs of the wax- moth ? A. B. Chippewa Falls, Wis. Amswers. — 1. Reports have been given where the legs were alive after the abdomen had been eaten. 2. Yes, they're good, frost or no frost. 3. Severe enough freezing will finish them. Caging Queens— Solar Wax-Extractor 1. I see in a back number of Gleanings, that you practice caging the queen at the beginning of the honey-flow. How would it do to remove the queen and allow each colony to re-queen, removing all queen- cells at the time when removing the queen, and all but one nine or ten days after, or give it a queen-cell from your choice queen ? If increase is desired, the queens removed can be given to nuclei, and built up during the season. Have you ever tried such a plan ? If so, how does it work ? 2. Which would be the best to use in a solar wax-extractor, tin or Russian iron, such as is used in stove-pipes ? If the iron is best, how would you fasten the screen in? I have tried the " shoe-string binder," and it gives excellent satisfaction. DeWitt, Iowa. C. H. Answers. — 1. After a full trial I did not like caging queens. I've never tried ex- actly the plan you suggest, but it could do no harm to try it. 2. Tin, by all means. Heating the Cellar for Bees. This is my first wintering bees in the cellar. Would it be good to heat up the cellar once in awhile, when the tempera- ture in the cellar is from 38 to 41 degrees ? The bees seem to be pretty quiet. I have all my bees in 10-frame Simplicity hives ; would it be good to take the covers off, if the strongest colonies and those close to the wall show a little dampness between the quilt and the cover, and if the outside frames are a little moldy ? I have 20 colo- nies in the cellar, and the cellar is under the house. I have made a good air-tight partition between the bee-cellar and the vegetable-cellar. The bee-cellar is 10 feet wide, 9 feet high, and 22 feet long, but I have no ventilation in the bee-cellar. For the last 5 years I have wintered my bees on the summer stands, but I thought to try cellar-wintering once. Minnesota. O. G. Answer. — Yes, it might be a good plan to heat up the cellar once in awhile. Don't be alarmed if it seems to stir up the bees a little at first, providing they are quiet afterward. You may find that the fire will help dry out the dampness, or you might put some little thing, like a nail, under the cover so as to raise it an eighth or a quarter of an inch. Bee-Stings for Bheumatism. Are bee-stings good for sciatica, alias neu- ralgia of the sciatic nerves, alias sciatic rheumatism, lumbago, and that tired and heavy feeling in the rear of the shoulders ? I have not had an attack for one year, but I am not able to do hard work, or to be on my feet more than a few hours at a time. I killed about nine bees last summer to get two to sting my legs, and I was a long time in doing this. Suppose a fellow would go to a hive with gloves and veil on, cut the drawers (by cutting a strip out) so as to cover only about three-fourths of the leg, and tie with lace ; then disturb the bees, what are the chances for the patient ? Cure or kill ? Is it too much of a risk ? J. K. Answers. — This is one of the questions upon which there is no settled agreement. Some say they have been cured of rheuma- tism by bee-stings, others say they are no good. If I were in your place I should try it. There is little chance that any harm could come of the plan you propose. CZZZZZZZZZZZZZXZZZZXZXZZZZZZZZZZZ3 Ho. 68 .-(}. R. Pierce. The subject of our sketch this week, Mr. G. R. Pierce, was born near the village of Bala, Wales. His parents came to the United States when he was a mere child, and settled in what was then the woods of Wisconsin, but which is now the site of the flourishing and beautiful city of Racine. His father, AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 237 Robert Pierce, died in a few months after reaching his Western home. G. R. was too young to retain any recollec- tion of him. His mother afterward married Mr. Thomas J. Evans, also from Wales, who proved to be a father de facto as well as de jure to young Pierce. In the early days of its settlement, the present site and vicinity of Racine was covered with a heavy growth of oak, maple, beecb, basswood, etc. As G. R. PIERCE. the settlers cleared the land about their cabins, they planted fruit trees, and in a few years apples, plums, peaches, etc., were to be found at nearly every home- stead. Mr. Pierce has often seen large, luscious peaches, just picked from the trees, sold in the streets of Racine for 25 cents per bushel ! Now all this fruit is brought from Michigan. Bees were not kept as now by special- ists, but nearly every settler who was not afraid to handle the frisky insects, kept enough colonies to supply the home wants, and if there was a surplus it was usually taken to town in a tub or churn. Mr. Pierce's first recollection of bees was when his step-father bought three colonies from Mr. Cram, one of the first settlers in Racine. As the abundant flora of forest and field furnished an abundance of nectar, these colonies soon increased so that their owners, in a few years, had more bees and honey than any one else in the vicinity. His experi- ence with bees in Wisconsin ended in 1861, when he enlisted in the 9th Bat- tery, Wisconsin Volunteers, with which he served until January, ] 865. After his discharge from the army, Mr. P. attended the University of Wis- consin for three years at Madison, spend- ing his vacations in Minnesota, to which State his parents moved ; here also they kept a large number of colonies, and one of his brothers, Thomas C. Evans, is still engaged in bee-keeping near the old home at Brownsville, Minn. His father and mother, after a residence of several years in Minnesota, moved to the old homestead at Racine, where they now live and still enjoy keeping a few colo- nies. During the past 20 years Mr. Pierce has lived at Blairstown, Iowa. He is a pharmacist by profession, but at present he is engaged solely in bee-keeping. He has devoted much time to the study of the cause, or causes, of bee-mortality in winter, the results of which are set forth in his book, entitled, "The Winter Prob- lem in Bee-Keeping, " mentioned on page 227 of this number of the Bee Journal. Mr. Pierce was married in 1877, to Miss Elizabeth French, and they have three children — Robbie, Ira and Llywel- lyn. The Amateur Bee-Keeper, is the name of a neat little pamphlet designed for the class its name indicates — amateurs and beginners in bee-keep- ing. It is written by Mr. J. W. Rouse, of Missouri, a practical apiarist and helpful writer. It contains over 60 pages, and we will send it postpaid for 25 cents ; or club it with the Bee Jour- nal for one year — both for only $1.15. 238 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi_. CONDUCTED BV MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY. BEEViLiiE. Texas. Bees by the Pound— Questions. Mrs. Atchley : — Will you kindly an- swer the following qiiestions? Uarabler once wrote this in the Bee- Keepers^ Review : " IJut even the loss of half of my bees during the winter would have but little terror for me, if I could get Ijees by the pound from the South at a reasonable price, say from 75 cents to .$1.00, according to quan- tity, and delivered by the first of May." Now, Mrs. Atchley, suppose a special- ist living in my latitude (northern Ohio) would lose his bees during a winter, what quantity of bees (by weight) will he need for each depopulated hive ? In what kind and size packages sent ? and how provisioned and shipped ? What would be a reasonable price per pack- age, and how far South will it be neces- sary to send ? When should they be here so that they will make strong colo- nies for the honey harvest, which com- mences here from the first to the middle of June ? Lastly, do you think the scheme would be feasible, and profitable as well ? Maumee, Ohio. L. C. Jaessing. Friend Jaesslng, I suppose I am in a position to answer your questions very nearly to the point, as I have been ship- ping bees by the pound north since 1880. If you wished to build up your bees rapidly, in your latitude, I will say two pounds of bees to the hive, and a good queen, would come very fast if your combs contained ample honey, which I suppose they would. You can build them up with one pound of bees, and likely get a good honey crop. The bees can be sent in any size pack- ages desired, from one to five pounds, but I would get them in just the size or amount of bees I wanted to put into each hive, and a queen with each. I now provision my bees with a comb of honey, or with honey enough to last them while in transit. The shipping- box should be very light. They always go by express. A reasonable price "in this country is $1.00 per pound, or 75 cents when a large lot is taken. It de- pends upon where you can get them, how far South you should send. I would get them as near you as I could to save express charges, but 25 cents per pound is about the charge from Texas, when a large lot is taken, and I suppose charges will be less the nearer home you get them. You should get the bees about 45 days before your harvest begins, in time enough for the second brood of bees to be ready for the harvest ; that is, I mean it will be 21 days before bees will begin to hatch, and of course they will be hatching all the time thereafter; but about 40 to 45 days will l)e required to get them up good and strong for section honey — it would take that long here. Yes, I just know it would be profitable if you are assured of a good honey year, as I have heard of a single pound of bees so shipped gathering 50 pounds of sur- plus the same season. I think, however, this depends largely upon the season and the apiarist, and what kind of queens you'get. I would be very glad to be one of two parties trying the scheme of sending bees from the North to this southern country to winter, and then send them back in May, to catch the white clover and basswood honey-flow. If some Yan- kee schemer will do the work at the North end of this scheme, I will under- take to be Yankee enough to do the work at this end. Liable to Starve with Plenty of Honey Mrs. Atchley : — We have had a severe cold spell in this part of Texas, which froze a good many bees out. Dur- ing the freeze I had occasion to remem- ber the reading of an article in the Bee Journal of last spring, that bees very often starved to death with plenty of honey in the hive. This reminded me that I had some colonies in just the con- dition to " pass in their checks." When I examined them I found that I was just about right — they had plenty of sealed honey along under the top-bars of the frames, but in order to keep warm the bees had clustered so low down on the combs that they could not reach the honey without leaving the cluster, which they did not seem disposed to do ; hence AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 239 these bees were in destitute circum- stances, with plenty of honey in the hives. To remedy this condition of affairs, I uncapped some of the sealed honey di- rectly over the bees. I then warmed up the hives, by putting hot rocks on the quilt that covered the frames. This moved the cluster up on the combs so they could have access to the honey, and they came through all right. I send these hints to the Bee Journal simply to remind some bee-keeper, who is not well up with the times, of what he is liable to suiler. From what has come under ray own observation during very long cold spells, together with what I have read about wintering bees in the North, I am led to the belief that a great many bees die for the want of food. C. B. Bankston. Chriesman, Tex., Jan. 30. Queens Uninjured in Mailing. Mrs. Atchley:— I see on page 44 that you have taken issue against Mr. Faylor's saying that no queens are any good after being transported through the mails. I will only say, so far as my own experience goes, that I have bought queens from many queen-breeders in this country — some from Massachusetts, some from Texas, and many other places, and have never received a queen in bad condition. They have been pro- lific and long-lived. The queens of some of the best colonies I have came through the mails. I rear hundreds of queens, but none of them are better than some I get through the mails. Bockville, Mo. W. A. McGee. **A 3Io«lerii Bee-Farm and Its Economic Management," is the title of a splendid book on practical bee-culture, by Mr. S. Simmins, of England. It is 5%x8i^ inches in size, and contains 270 pages, nicely illustrated, and bound in cloth. It shows ''how bees may be cultivated as a means of livelihood; as a health-giving pursuit ; and as a source of recreation to the busy man." It also illustrates how profits may be " made certain by growing crops yielding the most honey, having also other uses; and by judgment in breeding a good working strain of bees." Price, post- paid, from this oflBce, $1.00 ; or clubbed with the Bee Journal for one year, for $1.60. Space to Preyeiit Burr anl Brace Cooite Query 911.— 1. What is the correct space between the top-bars, so that the least or no brace-combs are built? 2. What is the cor- rect space between the tops of the frames and the upper hive-story, so that the least or no burr-combs are built ?— Minn. % of an inch. — Mrs. L. Harrison. 1 and 2. About Jit inch. — A.B.Mason. 1. U inch. 2. H inch.— P. H. El- wood. 1. B/IQ to ^ of an inch. — Eugene Secor. 1 and 2. 3€ of an inch. — J. M. Ham- BAU6H. 1. }{ inch. 2. Ji inch is exact. — J. H. Larrabee. 1 and 2. About X inch in both cases. — R. L. Taylor. Probably a bee-space — % of an inch. — Will M. Barnum. 1. 7/16 of an inch. 2. 5/16 of an inch. — G. M. Doolittle. I get plenty of brace-combs regardless of conditions. — M. Mahin. 1. ^ inch. 2. }i inch, or perhaps hardly that. — C. C. Miller. 1. 1}4 inches from center to center. 2. % inch. — S. I. Freeborn. 1. From }i to % of an inch. 2. About Ji of an inch. — J. P. H. Brown. 1 and 2. The orthodox bee-space, scant % of an inch. — A. J. Cook. 1. I suppose about }4 of an inch. 2. About M of an inch. — E. France. }4 inch is about the correct answer to both questions. — Emerson T. Abbott. X of an inch to both questions, pro- vided this distance remains invariable. — J. A. Green. We do not care for brace-combs. They are helpful in winter. See our answer to Query 903. — Dadant & Son. 1. There is no doubt that H inch is the correct space. 2. The correct space here also Is J^ Inch, and no more is 240 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. needed. My experience proves that there is more in these two points than in the depth of the top-bar. — G. L. Tinker. ^ 1. With the Hoffman frame, about % of an inch between the top-bars. 2. Not more than % of an inch. — Mrs. J. N. Heater. ^- If everything could be kept straight and true, I would say barely }4 of an inch. This answers both questions. — G. W. Demaree. 1. A bee-space apart is, in my judg- ment, the best distance. Some space wider, but I think my idea is about right. — J. E. Pond. 1. I think more depends, as to brace- combs, upon the strength of the colony, and the room they have, than upon the space between the top-bars. 2. % of an inch, rather less than more. — Jas. A. Stone. 1. About 5/16 of an inch, but unless you use the thick %-inch top-bars some brace-comb will be built in time. 2. A bee-space, which long experience has taught me, is about 5/16 inch. — C. H. DiBBERN. It will be a difficult matter to give the "correct space." I have had the best success with }4 inch, but not any under J^. With some bees 5\16 is just about right; with others 3€ is the thing. — H. D. Cutting. 1. It depends upon how wide your top-bars are. I pay such little attention to brace or burr combs that I am no au- thority on this question. I use common Simplicity frames % inch wide. I have no brace-combs to speak of. — Mrs. Jen- nie Atchley. Capons and Caponizing:, by Edward Warren Sawyer, M. D., Fanny Field, and others. It shows in clear language and illustrations all about caponizing fowls ; and thus how to make the most money in poultry-raising. Every poultry-keeper should have it. Price, postpaid, 30 cents ; or clubbed with Bee Journal one year, for $1.10. Honey as Pood and. medicine is just the thing to help sell honey, as it shows the various ways in which honey may be used as a food and as a medicine. Try 100 copies of it, and see what good 'sales- men " they are. See the third page of this number of the Bee Journal for description and prices. nnierstanlim a Locality IiiiBorlant. Written for the American Bee Journal BY G. M. DOOLITTLE. A few days ago I received a letter bearing on an old subject, thatof locality, from a bee-keeper having formerly lived in the North, but now removed to the South, telling how much different the seasons were there, etc., the writer clos- ing by saying, "I did not know nor realize before how much was dependent upon this matter of location." From the many letters of enquiry which I get, it would seem that the mat- ter of location, although an old subject, was a theme which is almost entirely ig- nored by the great mass of bee-keepers, or, at least, by the greater share of those who write to me asking questions. I had been contemplating, for some little time, writing an article for the American Bee Journal, on the understanding of a locality, and as the letter lately re- ceived has brouorht it fresh to mind,. I will venture a few words on the subject, hoping that all who read it will be led to look into their locality more closely. The writer of the letter says, "Differ- ent locations require radically different methods of management to obtain suc- cess." While all of the rest of his letter I think is sound, I cannot help thinking that this sentence is a mistake, so far as the time of commencing to prepare for the harvest is coucerned, for that should be done in reference to the blooming of the flowers which yield honey, no matter where we are. In nearly all localities where bees can be kept, there are certain plants or trees which give a yield of surplus honey at a certain time of year, while, aside from this, there is little more honey obtained by the bees than is needed to supply their daily wants. Some localities give a surplus at three stated periods, others at two, while the majority give only one such yield. Hence, it is apparent to all, that if such a honey-yield, or yields, pass AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 241 without a surplus, none can be obtained during the season. From this it will be seen that, in order to be a successful apiarist, a person must have a knowledge of his or her locality, whether they live in New York, Canada, California, Flori- da or Cuba, and also how to get the laborers (bees) in the right time, so they can be on hand at the time of the honey harvest. Failing to do this, there is no profit in apiculture, and I cannot see why this will not hold good in any sec- tion of the world, except in the time of commencing to secure the bees. First, then, we have the location. Here in central New York our honey crop comes mainly from linden or basswocd, which blooms from July 5th to the 15th, and lasts from five days to three weeks, according to the weather; while in other localities of this State white clover is the main crop, coming in bloom June 15th to the 20th; and again, in others, buck- wheat, yielding honey from August 10th to the 20th. Other States, without doubt, have as great a variation as to the time of surplus honey as has this, and it should be borne in mind that it devolves upon the reader of this to ascer- tain, by careful watching, just when and what is the source of their surplus honey crop, so as to work accordingly. After having determined just when we may expect our honey harvest, the next step is to secure the bees in just the right time for that harvest — not before or afterward; yet how few pay any at- tention to this matter, letting the bees take care of themselves, and thus they are generally produced so as to become consumers instead of producers. This is one of the reasons why so many per- sons who enter the ranks of bee-keeping make a failure of it. The queen is the mother of all the bees, she laying all the eggs which pro- duce them. She is capable of laying from 3,000 to 4,000 eggs a day, yet often she is laying only from 500 to 1,000 eggs daily, at the time she should be doing her best. After the egg is laid it takes three days for it to hatch into a larva. This larva is fed six days, during which time it has grown so as to fill the cell, when it is capped over and remains hid from view for 12 more days, when it emerges a perfect bee, making a period of 21 days from the egg to the perfect bee. This bee now works inside of the hive for 16 days more, doing such work as feeding the larvte, building comb, etc., when it is ready to go outside as a field laborer ; and at 45 days from the time of hatching it dies of old age, and another generation takes its place. From the above it will be seen that the egg must be laid at least 37 days before the honey harvest, in order that the bee have the opportunity of laboring in that harvest to the best advantage. Now, if fhe harvest is white clover, com- mencing to bloom say June 18th, the eggs for our laborers should belaid on or before May 2nd ; if basswood, blooming about July 10th, then the eggs should be laid on or before June 3rd, and so on, for any yield that may come in our local- ity, whether we are in Canada or Cuba. The principle is the same for all locali- ties where there is an intermittent flow of honey, and I cannot see where any "radical change" of this mode of man- agement can be made, no matter in what part of the world we may have our home. If there is a steady flow of honey all of the year, during which the bees are ac- tive, then we should aim to keep the bees strong in numbers all the time; but where one such place is found fifty oth- ers can be found that give large yields only at certain periods, when certain flowers are in bloom. Only as the local- ity is thoroughly understood, and the bees reared to apply to that locality, can we secure the best possible results. To keep the results obtained, just as few bees should be reared at all other times as is consistent with keeping the colony where it can be gotten in good working order when we wish it, so as to secure the harvest, otherwise we are supporting a horde of useless consumers. I know this is an old theme, but it is the one which has helped me to secure the results of the past, namely, that of securing a good yield of honey during all the past 2 1 years ; and if understand- ingly followed it will help others the same as it has me. Try it, brothers and sisters, and see if I am not right. Borodino, N. Y. Tlie Cause Of Brace-Coinlis. Written for the American Bee Journal BT H. E. HILL. On page 116, Mr. Cronkleton modestly observes that the sanitary condition of the fraternity would suffer no detriment through the moderate exercise of its mental faculties, and incidentally pre- sents a theory regarding the cause of brace-combs as subject-matter upon which to act, which theory, by virtue of its originality and creditable presenta- tion, is conceded "good," and if Mr. C. will say that the same bees, the same 242 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL-. top-bars, the same spaces between and over the frames, obtained after the in- troduction of the metal bearings, as be- fore their use, I will be interested to know what kind of bees and top-bars they were. Brace-combs are a nuisance that have long since ceased to annoy in the manip- ulation of my hives, though I use, and would not do without, the metal bearing, and have, during the past two years, had a strong colony at a window in a glass hive, in our dining-room, where, by the closing of doors, walking upon the floor and rapping upon the glass, they are jarred and disturbed almost every hour in the day, yet not a brace-comb has been built. Philosophically speaking, " the bees walking over the combs causes them to tremble;" practically, no. The hiw of gravitation would defeat the power of even a drone if applied to a five-pound comb. The solution of the brace-comb diffi- culty lies in the use of top-bars l}ix%, dressed on the top and the sides, with a space of 5-16 between, metal or no metal, though inasmuch as the frames will hang more true when the metal is in use, the advantage, if any, would be in favor of metal rabbets, and 1 feel sure that further experiment will prove to Mr. C. that "metal" has no "bearing" on the brace-comb difficulty. Titusville, Pa. Brool-Eearing anJ Increase of Colonies. Written Jar the American Bee Journal BY C. -W. DAYTON. Mr. Heddon says on page 261 of the Bee-Keepers'' Review, for 1898 : " The experienced well knows the great differ- ence in the working qualities of different strains of bees of the same race or races. All of you have noticed the im- mense difference in the storing-qualities of different colonies in the same apiary." A difference is just as apparent in their disposition to rear brood and build up in the spring, and also in the laying qualities of the different queens. Often we hear of an apiary where the colonies are generally weak, and there are a few colonies which furnish several combs of brood for the assistance of weaker ones. Where ordinarily prolific queens are able to fill 10 combs with brood, these extra- ordinary ones occupy 14 or 16 combs distributed in the lower and upper stories. In Iowa (my former location) where the spring nearly always hangs on late, rainy and cold, the colonies are at their lowest ebb about May 1st, at which time the brood increases from three or four small patches (not enough to fill one comb full) to seven or eight combs full by the beginning of clover bloom, about June 15th, a space of about 45 days. In California bees enter the most dor- mant state during October and Novem- ber, and from this I conclude that it is as well to put bees into the cellar in the month of October as to wait until late in November or December. If we begin about December 15th to feed one of those extra thrifty colonies in California, it would cause it to rear brood as rapidly as in the North in the middle of June. The great drawback in the North is the cold, rainy weather through the last of April, May, and the forepart of June, so that it is nearly im- possible to rear enough young bees to take the place of the rapidly-disappear- ing old workers. Here, in December and January, these old'bees are still young and in their prime, so that one of these extra-promising colonies may be easily encouraged to rear the 14 to 16 combs of brood in the 45 days from December 15th to February 1st. About this time it may be divided into eight nuclei, each containing two combs of brood and bees enough to make them decidedly better colonies than the average colonies in Iowa on the first of June. If we furnish combs, queens and feed again, each one of these colonies may be divided into three parts in 45 days more, or the 15th of March. By the same process we can divide each colony into three parts again on April 15th, June 1st and July 15th, when we will have 128 colonies, which, if allowed to run through the fall, will be able to gather their winter stores from tar- weed, flea-weed, pepper- trees, etc., which yield dark, bitter honey, every year through August, September and October. If the bees are in a willow or eucalyp- tus district, during January and Febru- ary they will be able to find their own feed. Then by moving them into the fruit-belt to pass March, April and May, they will feed themselves again. [HD In Iowa and Wisconsin there were only a few scattering clusters of willows along the streams, but here are localities where willow exists in a continuous, un- broken jungle several miles in extent. Orange and other fruit blossoms continue to open for three months or more, and every day as the weeks go by is a perfect honey-gathering day. AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 243 When the sages begin to bloom there as need of another move, and another for the fall crop. One colony, or even a dozen colonies, may do a thriving busi- ness getting honey from a single orange grove or a few willows, where a hundred colonies might starve. In Iowa there often came a cold, cloudy spell that last- ed all through fruit-bloom, and it was seldom there were three days at a time that the bees could visit the flowers, so that just about the time the colonies be- *gan to pick up a little the flowers were gone. To increase one colony to 128, in one season, may Involve more theory than most readers are willing to credit, but I assure them that what is described in the foregoing is possible up to March 15th, is precisely what I did last season, and what can be done again where queens, combs, weather and feed are a drug on one's hands. If the colonies build their own combs we should divide 128 by 3. If they also rear their own queens, then we should divide by 3 again. If we do not feed, divide again by 3, and what remains is about what a natural, unaided colony can do. In case it is questioned as to whether there can be the ascribed progress made in 45 days, I quote from Mr. France's report on page 744 oi Gleanings (1893), where it says: "On April 20 we had snow and cold weather. At that time the queens stopped laying, and do all we could, we could not get those queens to laying again for three weeks," (May 11th). "We commenced to extract the 19th of June, extracted very little after the 12th of July." Mr. France's bees built up from very weak colonies and gathered 120 pounds to the colony, all within 60 days. We often see big reports of increase, and of hundreds of pounds of honey, gathered by single colonies, and though it may mislead or deceive the inexperi- enced, the experienced always know that there is no telling how big the results until the attendant particulars are un- derstood. The inexperienced, who have only watched a bee-keeper manipulate bees a little, are easily amazed, take up reports and spread them unreservedly. Some six or eight years ago extracted honey sold here for less than 3 cents a pound. That was an amazingly low figure, and was so thoroughly reported that consum- ers are still expecting to get honey at that price, presumably because Califor- nia is an amazing country. When the experienced bee-man is of- fered 3 to 4 cents a pound for his honey. and the same is retailed at 10 cents a pound by the gallon, he begins to con- chide that it is better fun to amaze than to be amazed. Pasadena, Cal. TM Basis Of Hoiiey-Pretllctions. Written for the American Bee Journal BY F. M. MERRITT. I believe Bro. York has hit the nail (or Sam Wilson) squarely on the head, when he says in his editorial on page 103, under the head of basis of honey- predictions : " The more rain and snow in November and December, the more honey there will be the following season, and if there is no rain and snow in the two months mentioned, there will be no honey." And further on he says : "We believe the above rule for prophesying is for linden, sourwood and white clover honey." Now let's see how near Bro. York is correct in guessing "Sammy's" secret. I have taken down notes of the weather and temperature since June 12, 1892, but will have to draw some from mem- ory. Before giving these notes, we will go back over the winter of 1891-92. If my memory serves me rightly, the win- ter of 1891-92 was very mild. I be- lieve there was but little snow, though considerable rain and wet weather dur- ing the winter, at least my 36 colonies wintered nicely out-of-doors almost with- out a protection. So much for the win- ter, and now for the notes. June 12, 1892— Spring has been very cold and wet up to the present time. To- day it is very hot, with a temperature running up into the 90's. The white clover is begging to bloom now, it being about two weeks behind the usual time. The white clover honey crop seems to be favorable. June 19. — First swarm to-day. Light flow of honey from some source. Exces- sive rains. J une 26. — The past week has been one of excessive rains and violent displays of electric storms, causing the tempera- ture to fall to the60's. The white clover is abundant, and in full bloom, but owing to so much ra'.n the bees can hardly gain a living. No swarms this week. July 3. — The past week has been cold, with only one new swarm. No surplus honey has been gathered yet. Clover is in full bloom yet. July 10. — The greater portion of last 244 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. week was favorable for the honey-flow, with plenty of sunshine and continuous warmth. July 17. — The past week was cool. White clover is in full bloom. Basswood commenced to bloom on the 14th. Bees are bringing in considerable honey. July 24. — The past week closed the white honey season with me. It must be remembered that extreme rains and cool weather had something to do with this season. I had a nice lot of surplus honey that season. So much for the season of 1892. The fail of 1892 was dry and warm up to Nov. 17th, when our first heavy snow fell, and continued to fall during the winter of 1892-93. This winter every one remembers. We will hurry on to our notes for May 12, 1893, viz.: Bees wintered in the cellar in good condition. White clover is abundant. May 21. — The average temperature of last week was low, but was rising the latter part. Apple, plum and dandelion is in full bloom. Bees are gathering stores from these sources. May 28. — Temperature has been cool. Everything in good growing condition.:; June 4. — Bees gathering some honey from white clover. First swarm to-day. June 11. — Honey is coming in rapidly from white clover and wild blackberry. Warm and rainy. June 16.— There is a heavy flow of honey from the locust trees (of which there are many around our house), which gives a good quality of honey. July 6. — Bees are working hard on white clover. Basswood is coming into bloom, and the outlook is good. July 19. — The honey-flow from bass- wood and white clover has come to a full stop. As this practically ended my honey harvest for last season, I will not draw from my notes any farther, only to say that the bees gathered sufficient stores in the fall to winter on, the weather being too dry in the fall for the flowers to secrete nectar. The season of 1898 gave me more honey per colony than any season in the past six years. On Nov. 21, 1893, our first heavy snow fell, and a continuance of cold and snow up to about the 15th of December, then we had some nice weather mixed in with rains, up to the present time. I give these notes for what they are worth. If they prove nothing more than to be interesting to the casual reader, then I am satisfied. Andrew. Iowa. Mr.P. J. Matian— Soinetliliig Historical Written for the American Bee Journal BY C. J. ROBINSON. On page 814 (1893), appears an in- quiry as to the whereabouts of Mr. Mahan. The inquirer mentions that "Mr. Phineas J. Mahan left here (Phil- adelphia) in the latter part of 1859, for Texas." Evidently the inquirer, Mr. Wm. N. Huntington, is mistaken as to' dates. Mr. P. J. Mahan advertised Ital- ian queens for sale in the early issues of the first volumes of the American Bee Journal that made its debut in January, 1861, which was first pub- lished in Philadelphia, by A. M. Spang- ler & Co., who were publishers of the Farmer and Gardener. The lamented Samuel Wagner was editor of the Ameri- can Bee Journal, and Mr. P. J. Mahan was the prompter of the enterprise, and pursuaded the publishers of the Farmer and Gardener to undertake the venture into an unexplored field of periodical literature. Mr. Samuel Wagner, the brilliant scholar, possessing shining talents, resided at York. Pa., where he was cashier of the York bank. He was formerly a resident of Europe, and well versed in bee-literature of foreign coun- tries, particularly throughout Germany. Early in the summer of 1859, I joined with P. J. Mahan, who was an enthusi- astic bee-fancier, in an effort to get Ital- ian bees. Mr. Wagner had failed in two attempts to import from Dr. Dzierzon's apaiary — first in 1856, the bees having perished on the voyage. The years fol- lowing a few colonies were ordered by Messrs. Wagner and Colvin, but the captain of the ship refused to allow the bees on board, fearing for his passengers. The next attempt to import Italian bees was early in the season of 1859. Mr. P. J. Mahan and I conceived the plan, that is, to induce the Chief of the the United States Agricultural Depart- ment (then a branch of the Patent Office), to commission Mr. Mahan to go to Italy, and as Government Agent, to purchase bees in Italy and bring them to the Department to be tested. The official refused to send Mr. Mahan, but transmitted an order to Mr. S. B. Par- sons, who was acting as Government Agent in Europe, to send forward a few colonies of Italian bees. The attempt proved a failure so far as the Govern- ment was concerned, but Mr. Parsons got the bees— the "Parsons importa- tion " we have read so much about. See AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 245 Official Report of Agricultural Depart- ment of Patent Office, for 1859-60. Soon after Mr. Mahan was refused a commission as aforesaid, he sailed on a voyage to visit Dr. Dzierzon and the Baron of Berlepsch, and obtained Ital- ian queens of both these noted apiarists. On his return homeward, he shipped his bees and took passage in the vessel in which were a few colonies of bees for- warded by Dzierzon, as per order of "Wagner and Colviii. Mr. Mahan suc- ceeded in landing the first living Italian bees that ever buzzed on the Amerian Continent — and he was the first who bred Italian queens in America. He re- turned from Germany in September, 1859. The Wagner and Colvin bees did not survive the winter of 1859-60. Mr. Mahan continued to hall from Philadelphia until late in 1861, and I had relations with him as late, I think, as 1862. I lost sight of him while en- gaged in army matters, and have sup- posed that he died. Mr. Huntington, it must be, is also mistaken in his mention of Mr. Lang- stroth being a resident of New Jersey in 1859 — the year after he removed from Greenfield, Mass., to Oxford, Ohio. Mr. Langstroth mentioned In the American Bee Journal, page 82, 1881, that he "called upon Mr. Mahan on my way" en route from Oxford to Flushing, N. Y., via Philadelphia, "he [Mr. Mahan] be- ing joint owner with me of a large in- terest in my patent hive. He gave me a graphic account of his visit to the apiary of the Baron von Berlepsch, from whom he obtained a queen." He "obtained" a few queens, as I have said, of Ber- lepsch and Dzierzon. Be it ever remembered that Mr. Phineas J. Mahan was the first who made a voyage to Europe expressly to obtain Italian bees, and brought them hither — the first to land them on this continent alive, and the first who bred Italian queens in this country ; and he was the inciter of the undertaking in founding the current American Bee Journal. Eichford, N. Y. How to Destroy Burrowing Animals. Written for the American Bee Journal BY A. C. TYRREL. Mrs. Atchley desires to know how to "rid her apiary of skunks." Trapping has been recommended as the "best way," but every one knows, who has trapped or shot the " varmints," that the perfume emitted when they are thus killed is more pungent, penetrating and lasting than Lundborg's celebrated ex- tracts. If she knows where the animals burrow, asphyxiate them with bisulphide of carbon, which is the cheapest, sim- plest and most effective method yet de- vised for destroying the pests, and all other burrowing animals. The method of using it as recommended in the report of the Secretary of Agriculture for 1892, briefly stated, is as follows: "About three table-spoonfuls for prai- rie-dogs, or two table-spoonfuls for sper- mophiles, should be poured upon a bunch of rags or waste, which should be imme- diately placed within the mouth of the burrow, and the burrow closed. (Crude bisulphide is much cheaper and better than the pure article.) Care should be taken in using it, as it is both inflamma- ble and explosive. " Its efficacy depends on the fact that its vapor is heavier than air, and when introduced into burrows, flows like water into all the recesses. This fact should be borne in mind in using it on sloping ground or in cases where there is reason to suppose that the holes contain water, as unless the poison is introduced at the highest opening of the burrow, a certain part of the hole will remain free from it, and here the animal may take refuge. If the holes contain water, this may act as a water-trap, preventing the diffusion of the vapor." As to the above being an effective method of destroying prairie-dogs, I can testify of my own knowledge. A friend in two seasons succeeded in depopulat- ing a large "prairie-dog town" on his farm, and I believe there is not a dog alive to-day on the premises. This land now produces good crops, which but a few years ago was overrun by dogs and rattle-snakes. It has proved to be "a safe and an ef- fectual means of putting an end to the constantly Increasing inroads of the ground-squirrel upon the grain-fields of the State" (California), says Prof. E. W. Hilgard, of the University of California, who originated the bisulphide method of destroying burrowing mammals. Gardeners, bee-keepers and others in this State, who have had their gardens, orchards and vineyards destroyed by pocket-gophers, will find speedy relief if the remedy be properly applied — the B. Carbon route to the happy burrowing grounds will not fail. Farmers can kill prairie-dogs, wolves, rabbits and ground-squirrels much more 246 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. easily and cheaply than by poison ; try it and be convinced. Whenever rats burrow under corn- cribs, out-buildings or in cellars having no outside outlet, the carbon can be ap- plied most effectively, and no stench will be created. If, however, skunks are numerous in Mrs. Atchley's neighborhood, it may re- quire united effort on the part of her neighbors to destroy the animals ; but if they burrow on her premises, she can soon put an end to their depredations. Madison, Neb. WlnterlnE tlie Bee-Keeiiers, Not Bees. Written for the American Bee Journal BY ED. .TOLLEY. Other winters the problem of winter- ing the bees appeared to be uppermost in the minds of the bee-keepers, but now it is the wintering of the bee-keepers themselves, or, rather, what the bee- keeper can profitably take up in connec- tion with bee-keeping, so as to have win- ter employment as well as in summer. As bee-keepers are of different tastes, different classes, and different localities. It makes it necessary to air out a lot of odds and ends that will work with bee- keeping. As to bee-keepers, we will have to make about three classes. The first class will take in the bee- keepers of the learned professions, such as doctors, lawyers, ministers, etc., who keep a few colonies of bees for pleasure or recreation ; others, with a desire to study their natural history, and as they keep only a few colonies their work is from a scientific up-to-the-times object. It is this class who have carried the light into mysteries of bee-keeping, and have marked out the paths we are all trying to follow. Their experiences have been very valuable to the bee-keeper, and as they could spare the time from their professions in the summer to keep the bees, if they have as much time to spare in the winter how could they better spend it than by giving us a few good articles on bee-keeping, and its different branches ? The second class is composed of people (lady bee-keepers are included in this class) of nearly every avocation. They keep anywhere from two to twenty colo- nies, because they think they "work for nothing and board themselves." It was an unlucky day for the bee-keeping fra- ternity when this class joined them. They never have enough honey to sell to be of much advantage to themselves, but enough to be to the everlasting disad- vantage of the specialist who is trying to make his living by bee-keeping. They occasionally have a few sections full of honey travel-stained inside, and liberal daubs of propolis outside. They spend little or no time with the bees, and the cost of producing this honey is very small, and they can afford to take a very small price for it and still have more profit than the systematic bee-keeper ; thus not only establishing the low prices that are everywhere crippling the pur- suit, but disgusting the public against honey. To the above class I would say, by all means subscribe for one- or more bee- papers, and get some good standard work on bee-keeping, and post up yourselves a little. If you are going to be a bee- keeper, get into line, keep up with the procession, or abandon the business. If it was not for this class, the specialist would not be so much in need of some other employment to help him out. In the third class, I would include all not included in the others ; that is, all those who make bee-keeping their main business, other things being a side issue. To this class I would say, your tastes, location and means of taking advantage of what may turn up for you, ought to guide you in this matter. There are many things that work nicely with bee- keeping. Poultry-raising goes very nicely with bee-keeping, and where they are properly taken care of in the winter, there is money in the business. I notice that writers in the Progressive Bee-Keep- er advocate horticulture and small fruits. That is a very nice business, but, like bee-keeping, it is rather a sleepy job in the winter. We have a man in our neighborhood who does an extensive nursery business, and keeps about 100 colonies of bees. Another bee-keeper, who is a plasterer, and your humble servant is employed at an oil-refinery, but is going to adopt bee-keeping as his life-long job. But I think the majority of bee-keepers have about all they can do to dispose of their last year's crop, and get ready for anoth- er year. The winter is the proper time to order your supplies, put hives together, fold sections and fill them with foundation ; fill crates and get everything ready that you can for summer work. Repair every- thing about the place that is in need of repair, and then, if you have any time left, do anything that turns up, and do AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 24T it well; and, above all, keep yourself well informed on all that is goin^ on in the bee-keeping world, and on the cur- rent events of the day. Franklin, Pa. '-^— ■^■^■^■^^^^^^•^•^•afc*^*^^^^ Tie California Stale ConYentloii. Report sent to the American. Bee Journal BY JOHN H. MARTIN. The California State Bee-Keepers' As- sociation was called to order in the Chamber of Commerce at Los Angeles, on Jan. 23rd, at 10 a.m., by President J. F. Mclntyre. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. Upon motion by Mr. Brodbeck, an opportunity was given for the enrollment of names and the pay- ment of dues. Treasurer G. W. Woodbury then pre- sented his report, which was accepted. The Secretary reported in relation to the various matters upon which he was requested to correspond, and his report was accepted. Mr. Pryal, who was appointed at the last meeting to present the claims of the association to the State Legislature for State aid for the furtherance of our in- dustry, sent in his report, which was read by the Secretary. The report was encouraging for future efforts along this line. The President then appointed the fol- lowing committees : On Resolutions. — A. Barnett, G. A. Millard, W. T. Richardson. Legislation. — Prof. A. J. Cook, Geo. W. Brodbeck, Wm. A. Pryal. Marketing Honey. — J. G. Corey, L. T. Rowley, Robert Dunn. Transportation. — R. Touchton, M. H. Mendleson, L. E. Mercer. BEES AND FRUIT. The regular programme was then taken up, and an essay was read by Francis W. Blackford, entitled, "Is the honey-bee in California the fruit-pro- ducer's enemy ?" This was followed by a discussion. It was claimed that with proper pro- tection of drying fruit that the damage done by bees could be greatly reduced. It had been observed that there was a dozen yellow jackets to one bee in many instances, but the bee was the only of- fender to receive the blame. It had been demonstrated by repeated experiments, that bees were of more use in the ferti- lization of prunes than in the damage they could do to the drying fruit. Following this discussion Mr. Corey read an essay upon the topic, "Bees and Fruit-Drying." It was suggested by Mr. Brodbeck that the drying fruit should be covered with cloth. Mr. Mclntyre figured that it would take 4,480 yards of cloth to cover an acre, at a cost of $121, which was con- sidered as a little too expensive a remedy. Prof. Woodworth suggested that the bees be enclosed in a large tent. This remedy was pronounced impracticable by the experienced bee-keepers. AFTERNOON SESSION. A communication was received from the Los Angeles County Convention, upon the subjects of adulteration and the tare on honey-cases, which was re- ceived and put on file for future ref- erence. President Mclntyre then read his an- nual address, and touched upon several points of vital interest to the bee-keepers of the State, upon which action was afterward taken by the various com- mittees. An ordinance adopted by the San Ber- nardino Board of Supervisors, giving wide powers to its inspector of foul brood for the extermination of the dis- ease, was read by the Secretary. A res- olution was offered commending the Board of Supervisors of said county for their wise action, and a recommenda- tion that other counties follow their example. TARE ON HONEY-CASES. Tare on honey-cases was the next topic by Mr. Corey. Mr. Touchton spoke in favor of con- certed action in relation to establishing a uniform tare. Mr. Levering said we should allow tare only on the oases, and not on cans, for they were sold again for other pur- poses for full value. Dealers wanted three cents tare on cans that weighed less than 23^ pounds. This excess was unjust and unfair. 248 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. Mr. Mendleson figured that he lost 1,438 pounds on his crop of honey by this unjnst tare. Mr. Levering then presented some pertinent facts in relation to the utility of the bee in fertilizing the orange blos- soms. Specimen oranges were shown, demonstrating that the navel and Malta blood oranges were changed or mixed by this Interchange of pollen. The same effect is produced upon water-melons and pumpkins. Mr. G. W. Brodbeck presented an essay upon various subjects, reading his essay as "A Medley." Mr. Corey discussed the cost of the production of a ton of honey. Accord- ing to his figures the cost was near $250. HIVES AND BROOD-CHAMBERS. Mr. Corey vi^as called upon to describe the hive used in Ventura county, and which is a standard for that county. This hive contained nine Langstroth frames in the brood-chamber, and eight in the super. Mr. Touchton said he brought this hive into existence, and it is known as a modified Langstroth. The frame of this hive is of the following dimensions. Top has 19k, bottom has 173^, end has 8}4 inches. Upon a rising vote for the adoption of this hive by the bee-keepers of the State, 17 voted aye, with no opposing vote. Mr. Mercer advocated a shallow de- visible brood-chamber hive for comb honey, using a hanging frame 6 inches deep. Mr. Woodbury claimed that he lost many pounds of honey by using a large brood-chamber. The bees are deter- mined to fill the outside frames before going into the super, while with a shal- low hive the bees are compelled to go into the super to store their honey. He uses a hive 4% inches deep, or a frame that will take a 4j4:-inch section. Mr. Hatch preferred a large brood- chamber for comb honey. He inter- changes frames and spreads brood until he fills the hive with bees. Mr. Rowley spoke in favor of the Hed- don hive for the production of comb honey, for the reason that the bees would put all the honey in the super. Mr. Woodbury uses two of these cham- bers for brood, or even more, and thus escaped the use of handling frames; in fact, this system was called the handling of hives instead of frames. Mr. Compton, foreman of Mr. Hed- don's apiaries for several years, spoke in favor of the Heddon hive, and would use it in preference to any other. Mr. Corey preferred the good old way of examining frames, and he had no de- sire for these new fangled methods. Mr. Barnett preferred to use dummies to contract the brood-chamber of a large hive. The shallow-chamb-^r aivocates considered this plan as of too compli- cated a nature. BEE-ESCAPES AND HONEY-BOARDS. A question-box feature was then in- troduced, and the question, "Shall we use bee-escapes and honey-boards?" called out much discussion. Mr. Corey did not wish to use only one, and thought they were of not much use as labor-savers. He could brush bees off the combs quite rapidly. The Secretary used the escape and queen-excluder with success ; preferred to use it on hives having two supers above the brood-chamber. The escape was put on the hive at night, and the next morning the bees were usually all out; the hive could then be readily re- moved to the extracting-room, making the work through the heat of the day in the comfortable shade of the house. Mr. Barnett used a home-made escape, and used no queen-excluder. He never had queens get into his supers, but thought the escape a good thing to clean the supers of bees when working them for comb honey — the bees were not so liable to bite the caps of the cells. Mr. Powell believed that bees would not bite the cappings if the bees were driven out rapidly with smoke. His plan was first to smoke them down, placing an empty super under the one to be removed. When ftie most of the bees had gone down, the smoke was blown into .the under side, and all of the bees were driven out. He claimed that this method was very expeditious. THE GOLDEN ITALIAN BEES. The question of the merits of golden Italian bees was then taken up. Mr. Williamson called this strain of bees "red devils." Mr. Rowley claimed that this strain of bees capped their honey thinner than the black bees. Mr. Powell said black bees capped their honey so as to leave an air-space under the cap, giving it a very white appearance. President Mclntyre advocated breed- ing a superior race of bees, and always sought to find the best. He had ordered queens from all the noted breeders, and AMERICAN BKK JOURNAL. 249 held fast to that which is the best. He considered the Syrian crossed with the Italian as the best all-purpose bee. He believed In rearing lurge queens, and his bees were of such size that only one in 400 came through perforated-zinc honey-boards. His queens were reared from colonies that were superseding the old queen ; he selects one having plenty of cells and larvfe, uses the Doollttle cell-cups, and transfers a good quantity of royal jelly with the larvEe. The cells were completed while the old queen was still in the hive. The cells should be hung between combs filled with larvcG. Mr. Searles prefers Albino bees to any other for gathering honey. In Mr. Levering's experience, the Holy Land and Italian bees will fly farther for honey than blacks, and many times will work by moonlight. President Mclntyre had tried the Car- Diolan bees, and found them good honey gatherers, but as he had a good strain of Italians, he did not wish to mix the varieties. Mr. Brodbeck had reared queens suc- cessfully in the super above the queen- excluding honey-board. PKEVENTION OF ROBBING. Question — " Eow to prevent robbing." Mr. Barnett found that fresh paint daubed on the hive around the entrance was a preventive. Mr. Touchton used a handful of wet grass. Pres. Mclntyre used a trap, removed the hive that was being robbed, put in its place the trap, and caught all the robbers. At night the robbers were re- leased, and seldom commenced opera- tions the next day. Mr. Wilkins could usually pick out a queenless colony by noticing the robber bees that were prying around. (Concluded next week.) Honey as Food and Metlicine. THIS Is a little 32-page pamphlet that is just the thing needed to create a demand. for HONEY at home. Honey - producers should scatter it freely, as it shows the valu- able uses ol Honey for Food as well as for Medicine. It contains recipes for making Honey-Caljes, Cookies, Puddings, Foam, Wines etc. It is intended for consumers, and will be a great help in popularizing honey among the people everywhere, if the pamphlet is liberal- ly distributed. Prices, prepaid— Single copy, 5 cts. ; 10 cop- ies, .35cts.; .50 for SI. 50; 100 for $2.50; 250 for 15.50; 500 for $10.00: or 1000 for $15.00. When 250 or more are ordered, we will print the bee-keeper's card (free of cost) on the front cover page. 13P~ Do not write anything for publication on the same sheet of paper witn business matters, unless it can be torn apart without interfering with either part of the letter. Soiirce of "Water-White Honey. In the Bee Jourxal of Nov. 30th, Mrs. B. J. Livingston asks for the source of water- white honey gathered about Aug. 2oth. It is a pleasure to know where the honey comes from as well as where it goes. Thanks to Mr. Muth for his explanation of where the honey goes, as given in the Bee JouRXAL for Oct. 13, 1893. For two years I was at a loss to know where this water-white honey came from, but by following the bees the mystery was solved. I cannot give the botanical name, but it comes from a species of mint that grows about a foot in height, and usually in low lands. Here it grows near the bayous or old river beds, between the slough proper and the dry ground; also in the grass in many of the low "runs" on the bottom-lands. I have seen it on the accretions next to the Missouri river, where there were small trees and willows. Bees seem partial to this mint, neglecting most other sources while this yields honey. Glen Ellen. Iowa. L. M. Browx. How Can I Move the Bees ? I have something which at this time is perplexing me more than any problem I have met with since I commenced bee- keeping two years ago, and it is this: I have moved away from New Sedalia, Tenn., and now live at Shawanee, 30 miles from my old home. I have at my old place 14 colonies of fine Italian bees, in hives made after the fashion of Root's S-frame dovetailed hives, S good combs to the hive. They were in splendid condition when I put them away for winter. The frames hang on nails driven In the ends of the top-bars, and the bottom-boards project }{ inch on the sides from the hive, and 2 inches at the ends, and cover the same. Now comes the trouble with me : I want to move them to my new home, and it has to be done in a wagon, hack or something of the kind, and I have studied, and studied, and studied, how to manage them, and have never exactly studied out a plan that would suit me. Now can some brother bee-keeper help me out of my trouble, by suggesting a plan for me ? I 250 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. don't care how many may make sugges- tions— I will gladly listen to all. Yes ; I hear some one making this sug- gestion: "Sell your bees at New Sedalia and buy bees at Shawanee." Well, that would do very well if it suited me, but the fact is it doesn't exactly suit me at this time. I have four queens that I bought last spring, that I wouldn't give for half the bees in five miles of this place, and there are a good many bees around here, too. Another reason it don't suit me, I have my bees fixed up in a style that suits me, and I don't want to have to commence anew. Let me hear from several through the Bee Journal. C. H. Coleman. Shawanee, Tenn., Feb. 8. Methods of Cellar-Wintering. My first plan was top ventilation with ab- sorbents to receive the moisture. My sec- ond was tight tops with 3-inch ventilation at the bottom. My third was to cover the bottom of the cellar with leaves, and tier up just as I took the hives from the yard, leaving the entrance wide open. I have lost but two colonies in five winters, both the result of neglect. I have now 109 colo- nies in the cellar, tiered five high, just as I took them from the yard. Probably two quarts would cover the amount of dead bees in my cellar up to date. I am satisfied with this last method, and will experiment no further. John B. Black. Pattonsburg, Mo., Jan. 36. Cold "Weather — Basswood and Clover. As I write sitting by the fireside with plenty of good dry wood for fuel, we man- . age to keep warm. We bundle up well when we go out, for we are now having very severe cold weather— 10 to 25 degrees below zero, with plenty of snow for good sleighing. The bees are in the cellar (60 colonies) , and are, to all appearances, wintering well. They have good supplies of nice basswood and clover honey for food, for we are in one of the best localities for basswood and clover honey there is. I think I can safely say that I have taken nine pounds of clover and basswood honey to one of any other sort during the last ten years. A. C. Sanford. Ono, Wis., Jan. 34. Bees Wintering Well So Far. Bees are in good condition, and are win- tering well so far. I have packed seven hives with chaff, and the rest are without protection. The winter up to Jan. Ibth was very mild and warm, and there were but few days that the bees could not fly. The first rain we had since July 13th, to amount to anything, fell on Jan. lyth and 30th; it was the longest drouth we had for many years. Cisterns, ponds and creeks were almost all dry. January 34th and 25th were the coldest days we have had so far, the mercury on Jan. 34th was 15 degrees below zero, and 12 degrees below on the 34th. Like Mr. W. Z. Hutchinson, of Flint, Mich.. I am interested in photography. So I got a small camera and outfit this winter, and am now learning how to take photo- graphs. Bee-keeping and photography are good enough for me. The Bee Journal is indeed a very fine paper, and all progressive bee-keepers should read it. Frank N. Blank. Prairie Home, Mo., Jan. 37. Had No Bees to Gather the Nectar. Bees are wintering well, and are very- quiet in the cellar, with plenty of honey. The honey crop would have been very large the last season if we had had the bees to gather the nectar, but during the cold and wet month of May, almost all the colonies were killed, leaving a good many with no bees at all. It was the worst spring I have had in the last 33 years. Chas. H. Wiele. Stoddard, Wis.. Jan. 34. Bees in Fine Condition. The winter has been exceptionally fine up to date. Day before yesterday (Jaa. 17th) the thermometer registered 70 de- grees in the shade, at our apiary a mile south of town. Our bees are in fine condi- tion, on the summer stands. We examined a couple of colonies, and found a patch of sealed brood in one as large as a man's hand, and eggs and larvae in all stages. W. J. Cullinan. Quincy, Ills., Jan. 18. Honey Predictions for Iowa. As requested, I wiU give the bee-keepers of Iowa my predictions of the white honey- flow for this year, from linden and white clover. The flow won't be as good as last year. It will be better in the eastern part of the State, as a general thing. The worst failure will be in the extreme southwestern part. Let all bee-keepers watch, and see how close I hit it. By the way. I would like to know how " Coon Rapids " got along in getting honey last year. He said he would get 100 pounds, if my predictions hit as well as they did the year before. I would like to hear from Mr. Johnson. Sam Wilson. Cosby, Tenn.. Feb. 9. Best Crop of Honey They Ever Had. Our bees were in good condition on Jan. 30th. They had a good cleansing flight. We had 6 colonies, then 3 swarms came to us last summer, and they went into the hives as nicely as could be, and then went to work with a good will. The crop of honey was the best last year we ever had. My wife takes great interest in the bees with me. We run a small fruit farm, and think the bees do much to help fertilize the AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU 251 fruit-blossoms. We have some stock, but the chickens make such a nice part with all the others, and go with the bees nicely. We enjoy the Bee Journal so much, and think some of the writers are so good. We thought when reading Mrs. Atchley's ac- count of the preachers and bee-wagon, that when the preachers were playing lion there was a possible chance for a bear. We like the Chinaman's writing, also. Joel T. Hodson. Bangor, Iowa, Jan. 27. A Prosperous Year was 1893. Last year was a very prosperous one for me, as I secured about 4,000 pounds of honey from 43 colonies, spring count. If I do as well this year, I will be well pleased. I am very busy building now, enlarging my poultry business. I will probably raise 4,000 ducks this year, besides a large num- ber of chickens ; so with a farm and 75 col- onies of bees, I have my hands full to look after every thing. This has been a very warm winter so far, and my bees are win- tering finely. I have lost none so far. They had a good flight this week. The Bee Journal is always welcome. Edgar Briggs. Poughkeepsie, N. Y., Jan. 27. Poor Season for Bee-Keeping. » The bee-business has been very poor for the last three seasons in this part of the country, the last one being the poorest of them all. The springs have been cold, backward and rainy, so much so that the bees could not breed up in time to gather any surplus. We winter most of our bees on the summer stands, in double-walled hives. The colonies that are light in stores we winter in the cellar, with good results. M. Zahner. Shawnee, Kans., Jan. 28. Rough Weather in Southwest Texas. Our oranges and bananas have got the '• grip," and they have got it badly, poor things — victims of their own recklessness. Every well regulated ranchman out here has constantly on hand, during the winter, an extra suit of flannels, which he gets into immediately when Dame Nature gets on a tantrum, but they, unsophisticated, and not yet acclimated, insisted on keeping on their summer clothes, and the grip — Jack Frost — has got them sure enough ; that is to say, if there are any. I wrote a week ago that we had had nothing but spring weather ; there had not been a day until last Tuesday (Jan. 23rd) that bees did not get a little pollen — no honey. On Monday morning, the 22nd, we had a warm shower. After 10 o'clock it was clear and fine — 90 degrees above zero at noon, 70 degrees above at sunset, but just at dark a genuine "Norther" came down, and it came to stay. It filled the air with dirt, sand, and everything that it could lay its hands on, and at midnight it was down to 30 degrees above zero, and 22 degrees above at sunrise on Tuesday morn- ing, with half an inch of ice. It continued to freeze in the shade all day Tuesday, and Wednesday morning it was 20 degrees above at sunrise, and continued to freeze in the shade all day Wednesday, and Thursday morning it was down to IS degrees ahove, with 1^ inches of ice, and continued to freeze until Thursday after- noon. Well, it is fortunate for bee-men that it came as soon as it did. All of the earliest honey-plants were budding, and a few had a little bloom ; two or three weeks more of the warm weather would have brought all the flora forward so that the freeze would have made the honey-crop a complete fail- ure for the year, unless we should chance to have rains in the fall. January 27. Southwest Texas. Doing Nicely in the Cellar. Bees are doing nicely in their winter quarters. I have got 19 colonies in the cellar. I raise the hive 2 inches from the bottom-board, put a stick one inch thick in the center, sharp at both ends, across the brood-frames, and put on the cloth cover, then fill the top with clover chaff for an absorbent, and lift the cover up J^ inch by placing small sticks in under the covers. The mice bothered them some, but I put out some strychnine on pieces of cheese, and melted it in. If any of my brother bee-keepers have a better remedy than this, please let us hear from them through the Bee Journal. Frank Cole. Mecosta, Mich., Jan. 29. Gathering Honey in Florida. I am off on a bee-hunt to-morrow, in the cypress swamps, and later I will try to re- port our success. My colony left on my veranda last May, is still here, and has worked every day for the last four weeks. Peach and plum, jassemine and other flowers, are in full bloom, and honey is coming in fairly well. Bees are building up rapidly. One hundred quarts of strawberries were shipped out by express yesterday, by one man. It does not seem like winter here. The trees are full of oranges, and new wood 8 to 10 inches long. Grass is green, and mocking-birds and robins are singing. C. F. Greening. Orange Park, Fla., Feb. 6. He is Not Complaining. I have been a bee-keeper for about eight years, commencing on a small scale. I have learned to like the business, and would keep bees for pleasure if nothing more. Last spring I had a sale, at which I sold all of my bees and appliances, and inside of one month I had purchased about 80 colo- nies, mostly in Langstroth chaff hives, with all necessary appliances. I have both 8 252 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. and 10 frame hives. I rather prefer the 8-frame hive for comb honey. Last year was not a good one for bees in this locality. I got only about 800 pounds from 80 colonies, but considering that I got 20 cents per pound for most of it, they paid me fairly well ; at least do not understand me to be complaining, as I am living in hopes of something better next season. And then, I take the American Bee Jour- nal, you know ; that helps to tide a fellow over a bad season without becoming dis- couraged. U. G. Smith. Bardolph, Ills., Jan. 30. Past Season in Southwestern Ohio. We had an excessively wet spring last year, and no fruit-bloom honey, conse- quently an almost total failure of the fruit crop. We had a short flow of very fine honey the last of May, and a very rapid increase in weight of hives, which was stopped entirely by an excessive drouth early in July. There was very little fall flow of nectar. I left plenty of winter stores in the hives. I don't think my bees were ever in better condition for winter. The yield was 12 pounds per colony, spring count. I lost several colonies trying to make two colonies store in the same super. The colonies joined did not fight. My losses were caused by inability to attend to the united colonies at the proper time. This section is too highly farmed to be a profit- able location for the specialist in bee-cul- ture. Jas. a. Scott. Symmes' Corners, O., Jan. 28. Cyprian Bees — Prospects Good. Having noticed of late a good deal said in regard to the " Cyprian " bees, and their good honey-gathering qualities, as well as of their viciousness, I would like to ask if any of the Bee Journal have this " strain" of bees in their purity, or crosses ? If so, will they kindly communicate with me ? The prospects are good for the coming spring crop, and having access to early " forage " pasturage, bees are in excellent condition; many colonies having 4 and 5 Langstroth frames of brood, representing a force of 20,000 to 25,000 in brood stage. This means 40,000 to 60,000 bees to the col- ony for the harvest, which will be upon us in thirty days, and last two to three weeks. A. F. Brown. Glenwood, Fla., Jan. 31. Successful "Hibernation" Expected. Bees appear to be wintei"ing well. We are having comparatively mild weather, with a moderate snowfall, and the pros- pects of a successful " hibernation " are very favorable in this vicinity. J. F. Latham. West Cumberland, Maine, Jan. 29. Honey & Beeswax Market Quotations. CHICAGO, III., Feb. 17.— We are encour- aged by last week's business, disposing of considerable light honey in a small way at low prices— 13@14c. It is impossible to ob- tain higher prices at present. We quote: No. 1, 1.3@14c.; extracted, 5@6V^c. Beeswax, 21 @23c. We have inquiries for beeswax, with none to offer. J. A. L. ALBANY, N. Y., Jan. 14.— The honey market is in a slow and unsatisfactory condition. Very little demand for any and large stocks of both comb and extracted. Quotations would be only nominal. H. R. W. CHICAGO, III.. Jan. 25.— While the volume of trade in honey is not large there is an im- proved tone thereto We obtain 15c. for the best grades of white comb and our stock of this is not large. Grades not quite so good are selling at 14c., with buckwheat and other dark honeys bringing ll@12c. The weather has been too severe recently to permit of shipments being made. Extracted honey we quote at 5@7c. per pound according to quality and style of package. Beeswax, 22c R. A. B. & Co. NEW YORK, N. Y., Jan. 24.— There is no change in our market. Trade remains dull with plenty of stock on hand of botti comb and extracted honey. Beeswax is selling on arrival at 26@27c. H. B. & S. CHICAGO, III., Jan. 18.— The ruling price for fancy white comb honey seems to be 13c. Other grades of comb will bring from 10®12c. Extracted is selling at 6c. Hard times cause restricted demand. B. T. F. & Co. CINCINNATI, O., Feb. 8.— Trade is dull in all its branches, honey included. We quote: Extracted, 4@8c. a lb. on arrival; comb, 12@16c. for best white. Supply is good. Beeswax is In fair demand, at 20@23c. for good to choice yellow. C. F. M. & S. KANSAS CITY, Mc, Dec. 21.— The demand for comb and extracted honey is not as good as we would like to see it. We quote : No. 1 white 1-lb. comb, 14@15c. ; No. 2 white, 13® 14c.; No. 1 amber, 13@13i4c.; No. 2 amber 10@12c. Extracted, white, 6@7c.; amber, 5® 5!^c. C.-M. C. Co. List of Honey and Beeswax Dealers, Most of whom Quote in this Journal. Great Prexniuxu on page 229 ! Chicago^ Ills. J. A. Lamon, 44 and 46 So. Water St. K. A. BORNETT & Co., 161 South Water Street. New York, N. Y. F. I. Sage & Son, 183 Reade Street. HiLDBETH Bros. & Segelken, 28 & 30 West Broadway. Chas. Israel & Bros,, 110 Hudson St. Kansas City, JVIo. Hamblin & Bearss, 514 Walnut Street. Clemoms-Mason Com. Co., 521 Walnut St. Albany, N.Y. H. R. Wright, 326 & 328 Broadway. Hamilton, Ills. Chas. Dadant & Son. Cincinnati, Oblo. C F. MUTH & Son, cor . Freeman & Central avs . Weekly, $1 a Year. \ '^^^°'''^°J^TO®Be^e-^Culture 1 Sample Copy Free. VOL. XXXIII. CHICAGO. ILL, MAR. 1, 1894. NO. 9. ••Honey-Tea" is mentioned in one of Dr. Miller's " Straws '" in last Gleanings. He says that an octogenarian in Germany ascribes much of his good health to drink- ing that kind of tea — a table-spoonful of the best honey in a tea-cup of boiling ■water. The Doctor has tried it a good many times and finds it a refreshing drink. He says you may or may not like it, which is quite likely. But the idea of calling a little sweetened water tea I We just believe the only reason it is called " tea " is that it is made with '• a ^m-cup of boiling water. " Talk about " soft drinks!" There's a new one for you — which " you may or may not like.-' Later. — Why wouldn't that "tea " be a good thing for sour old-maids — kind o" sweeten them up, you know. Now don't think that we know any "sour old-maids," for really all the dear maiden ladies we know have only grown sweeter with the passing years. Bro. J. E. Pond, of North Attleboro, Mass., has been sick with "la grippe," we regret to learn. On Feb. 15th he wrote thus : Friend York: — I had "la grippe " for a New Year's gift, and, thankfully, I am get- ting over it just now. This is the fourth season I have "had it," and I must say " I am no hog " — I've had all I want of it. Let me say one thing for the American Bee Journal. There is no mistake about it. the infusion of " new blood " into it, has added life and strength to it. In saying this, I don't breathe or hint a thought against its former publishers, but simply say that the American Bee Journal has been constantly improving in matter and make-up ever since you took hold of it. Success to you. The Bee Journal is worthy of it. Yours truly, J. E. Pond. Many thanks, Bro. Pond, for your ex- ceedingly kind words, though we feel they are far from merited. By the way, we'd like, right here, to take this opportunity to say " Thank you " to all who have so kindly expressed their ap- preciation of the Bee Journal and our efforts, when renewing their subscriptions the past two or three months. Such thoughtful and encouraging words are in- deed most welcome to one who is trijbig to deserve them. Anotlter Experiment (Station. — We have just learned tbrough Bro. E. Whitcomb, of Friend, Nebr., that his State is to have an apiarian experiment station. Good for Nebraska ! Bro. W. wrote us as follows about it on Feb. 20th : Bro. York: — I am just informed that the Regents of our State University have ar- ranged to establish an apiarian experiment station in connection with that institution, with Prof. Lawrence Bruner, the State Entomologist, in charge; and the station will go in during the early spring. Prof. Bruner is a thoroughly Nebraska man, and is well up in his department. It was through his clear demonstrations that we were able, once for all, to settle the question in this State that bees did not, but 264 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. absolutely could not. injure fruit, but were the greatest friends the horticulturist had. We are feeling a little like congratulating ourselves on this step in advance, in bee- keeping, and in the fact that when our young men attend the State University to take a course in agriculture or horticulture, they may also return with at least a knowledge of scientific bee-keeping also. Very truly yours, E. WniTCOMB. No -wonder Nebraska bee-keepers ' ' are feeling a little like congratulating" them- selves, for well they may. We trust that their proposed station may not only be a a help and a blessing to Nebraska bee-keep- ers, but also to those in other States. But where are Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, and many other States, in this mat- ter ? Michigan, Vermont, Rhode Island, California and Nebraska have now " led off," and it ought to be easier for the rest to follow. Which State will be the next to report the establishing of an apiarian ex- periment station ? l*rof. Coolc is to have charge of the apiarian department in the monthly Rural CaUfortunn beginning with the March num- ber of that live magazine. It seems that those California folks are bound not to let the Professor have any rest at all. But it won't hurt him any to .work — so long as he don't owv-work. We believe Prof. Cook will agree with us, that it is " better to wear out than to rust out;" and to " wear out " one's self in a good cause like bee- culture, is certainly commendable. ISro. Root has been giving " scripture measure " in the contents of OlcaHutga the past month. In the number for Feb. 1st, he added 8 extra pages, and in the issue of Feb. 15th there are in all 52 pages. Gracious, what a lot of reading ! In the latter num- ber he devotes much space to a " Sympo- sium on Bees and Fruit," in which both pros and cons are presented. Of course, the weightiest part of the arguments is in favor of the bees as advantageous to the fructification of blossoms. We thought that was a fact almost too well established to admit of discussion. But Rro. Root has gotten up a very interesting symposium, which he will issue in pamphlet form, for the use of bee-keepers who wish to en- lighten their neighboring fruit-growers, who oftentimes imagine that bees are a detriment to blossoming fruits and plants. Xlie ]^ortl» Ainei-ican Report. — Gleaiungs for Feb. loth contains this much appreciated notice of the Report of the pro- ceedings of the Chicago convention of the North American, which we sent out in pamphlet form a few weeks ago : It is gotten up in fine style, and is pro- fusely illustrated with portraits of the au- thors and some of the leading bee-keepers of the country. It also contains engravings of a large number of honey exhibits at the World's Fair. Bro. York is to be con- gratulated upon its fine appearance. After supplying the members of the As- sociation, there were about 100 copies of the Report left, which we can mail at 25 cents each. Whatever is realized on the sale of the copies on hand, will be turned into the treasury of the Association. It is quite a souvenir of the Columbian Meeting. Speak quickly, if you want one. I>r. JVIfi!^on — our good friend in Toledo, Ohio — has been quite sick and helpless for some time, we are sorry to learn. On Feb. 19th he wrote: Friend York : — Until within a few days I have not been able to dress and undress myself alone, having been pretty nearly used up since Dec. 12th. You've done well with the Convention Report ; its gotten up in good shape, and well printed. Very truly yours, A. B. Mason. We are pleased to know that our jolly Doctor is recovering now, and hope he will soon be quite himself again. " La grippe " certainly takes a firm grip sometimes — almost too solid ahold to let go very easily. To think that McKnight would take ad- vantage of a man when he's sick and per- fectly helpless ! But like the little boy, "he [McKnightJ didn't know it was loaded!" Will tlic Queen Ke Ai»y <^oo(l ? — The following question and request has been sent to us : I have a query that I would like to have answered by Mr. G. M. Doolittle in the Bee Journal. It is this: I discovered a dead queen at the en- trance of one of my hives about Jan. 25th ; in about three weeks, as nearly as I can tell, I thought I would examine them. It was a warm day, and I took off the cover and raised some three or four frames ; on one of them I found two queen-cells — one was uncapped, the other was not. I then searched for the queen, and had hard work AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 265 to find her. What I would like to know is whether or not she will ever be of any ac- count. They had young bees, and also capped brood. ^L. C. Searights. Pa. Bro. Doolittle replies to the foregoing as follows: It is quite doubtful about this queen be- ing of any value, as she probably will be too old to become fertile by the time drones are reared in the spring. There is a possi- bility that some colony in the neighbor- hood may have a few drones wintered over, and in this case she may become fertile, and prove a good queen. I should not kill her at present, any way, but wait and see, giving the colony a frame of brood occa- sionally from other colonies, to keep their strength up. When spring fairly opens, if she does not lay worker-eggs, you can kill her and let the bees rear another, or send South and buy one to replace her. G. M. Doolittle. Adiiltera^tion ofH omey. — Mr. Jno. A. Holmberg, of St. Paul, Minn., has sent the following item, taken from the St. Paul Dispatch of Feb. 13th : The Food Commissioner of the State has received the report of the chemist upon samples of honey collected during the months of December and January. The result is not particularly gratifying. Dur- ing that time 38 samples were analyzed, and 35 per cent, of them contained adulter- ation. The list of grocers from whom the honey was obtained, contains the names of many prominent Twin City dealers, but they were, of course, in ignorance of the adulteration. The producers given by the commissioner were Hunt, Phillips & Co., Towle Syrup Co., Frank Moeser, Wood & Harris, and others unknown. Three arti- cles of adulteration are used, and none other was found in the samples analyzed, namely, glucose, cane sugar and other sugar. It does not appear that the honey is rendered less wholesome, but simply that it is adulterated with cheaper material, and therefore is an imposition upon the consumer. The above is certainly not a very encour- aging state of affairs for the producer of honest honey. We trust that the Minne- sota law against the adulteration of honey will be rigidly enforced, and thus compel the criminal practice of adulteration to cease, unless such mixtures are properly labeled and sold for just what they are. This would only be simple justice to those who labor to put a pure article of honey upon the market. Since the editorial published on page 200, we have received a number of strong en- dorsements of our position upon the ques- tion of honey adulteration. Here is one of them: Friend York :— Yes, do all you can to make it unpleasant for every one that adul- terates honey, and the Bee Journal will only be the better for it. Oshkosh, Wis. A. E. Manning. Another reads as follows : Friend York:— Keep right on fighting the adulterating business. We are all with you except Mr. Heddon. Yes, I agree with you and Bro. Root exactly. Agitate, agi- tate, and aggravate such business, is my ™otto. Orville Jones. Stockbridge, Mich. An Indiana subscriber writes thus in re- gard to the "crusade against honey adul- teration:" Friend York :— Let there be no halt in the crusade against honey adulteration. The advocates of sugar-syrup honey have already done bee-keeping immense damage, and our journals should speak in no uncer- tain sound in the matter. My son and I sold a good deal of honey in the city of Huntington last year, and often when we offered it, the first question asked of us would be, "What is it made of ?" and in some cases the suspicion of adulteration, imbibed by reading articles in papers on the subject, was so strong that parties would not buy. The idea of artificial comb, artificially filled, is very prevalent among some people here. Huntington, Ind. A. H. Snowbekger. An Illinois subscriber expresses his "hearty thanks" for the stand we have taken on this subject. Here's his opinion and advice: Friend York:— Allow me to express my hearty thanks for the editorial entitled, " Heddon and Adulteration," in the Bee JouKNAL for Feb. 15th. I endorse every word quoted from Qleaninc/s, as well as your own comments on the same. I do not think it possible for bee-keepers to denounce such ideas in too strong language. I think the last few lines of your "comments" will be endorsed by all honest bee-keepers. Probably not one bee-keeper in one thou- sand adulterates his honey in any way, but it is a well-understood fact that large quantities of adulterated honey are pre- pared in the large cities and sent broadcast over the land, and retailed from grocery stores as pure honey. I have seen several samples of such so-called honey here in Rockford, Ills. Many reliable grocers re- fuse to handle extracted honey simply be- cause it has such a bad reputation. It does not seem possible that such an intelligent man as Mr. Heddon could possibly be ignor- ant of this fact. I have tried for years to work up a trade in extracted honey, but find it almost im- possible except where I am well known. 266 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. Therefore I say, go on, and give the adul- terating scoundrels no rest. Rockford, Ills. S. H. Herkick. Bro. Pond gives his opinion upon this subject in words that have no uncertain sound. Read what he says below : Friend York: — I have just received the American Bee Journal for Feb. 15th, and note what is said in regard to " adultera- tion of honey." My own idea is this: •• Give it to them, tooth and nail;" give them "war to the knife, and the knife to the hilt!" Does '-Bro. Root" fight the Devil by keeping still and letting him gather up his victims where he can ? •' 1 trow not ;" why then let up in any fight against wrong and evil? Again I say, don't let up ! If we can't win the battle at once, we can keep up the fight, and by-and-by we shall see good re- sults follow. It is the part of a coward to •give up beat" in any advance against error and crime ; don't do it ! North Attleboro, Mass. J. E. Pond. The Bee Journal is ready to go on with the fight, and promises not to grow weary in service. Let every true brother and sister stand for Right till victory shall crown her on the throne, and Wrong shall be put down forever ! Oreat Music Oiler.— Send to Popu- lar Music Monthly, Indianapolis, Ind., the names and addresses of three or more per- formers on the piano or organ, together with eight cents in postage, and they will mail you one copy of the "Popular Music Monthly," containing ten pieces, full sheet music, consisting of popular songs, waltzes, marches, etc., arranged for the piano and organ. Catalogues ibr 1S94. are on our desk from the following: Goold, Shapley & Muir Co., Ltd., Brant- ford, Ont. John Nebel & Son, High Hill, Mo. W. S. Bellows, Ladora, Iowa. Geo. E. Hilton, Fremont, Mich. M. H. Hunt. Bell Branch, Mich. St. Joseph Apiary Co., St. Joseph, Mo. Oliver Foster, Mt. Vernon, Iowa. Phoenix Nursery Co., Bloomington, Ills. J. W. Bittenbender, Knoxville, Iowa. W. R. Graham Mfg. Co., Greenville, Tex. Edw. Smith, Carpenter, Ills. Chas. H. Thies, Steeleville, Ills. A Binder for holding a year's num- bers of the Bee Journal we mail for only 50 cents ; or clubbed with the Journal for $1.40. answered by Marengo, III. In this department will be answered those questions needing- immediate attention, and such as are not of sufficient special interest to require replies from the 'JO or more apiarists who help to make "Queries and Replies" so interesting on another page. In the main, it will contain questions and answers upon mat- ters that particularly interest beginners.— Ed. Fears the Bees May Starve. I purchased two colonies of Italian bees from a Mr. Fritt a short time ago, and I am afraid I have "got my foot into it. " I should have waited until spring. He moved them to my place yesterday (Feb. 2nd). He was lafraid they might die, or something happen to them, as two other colonies he had starved to death (so he said). I put the two colonies into my cellar. They are in Simplicity hives, and all right at present. I put two plates of sugar syrup, one in each hive, so if they do run short of honey, they can commence on the syrup, which is made of three pounds of granulated sugar to one quart of water, and I put in a pinch of tar- taric acid. Have I done right ? Please in- form me how to handle them until spring. Kendrick, Idaho. S. W. B. Answer. — There probably isn't much to be done but to try to keep them from starv- ing, and hope for the best. They may take the syrup all right, but candy as described in the text-books would be better, provid- ing you haven't honey to give them. There is danger that they will drown in the syrup, and you can help that by putting in shav- ings, bits of wood, or something of the kind. Another danger it that they may not come down to the feed at all. Candy on top of the frames would be safer and surer. Queen that Stopped Iiaying. Is a queen that stops laying in August any good ? In looking over a colony of bees last August, I found one with neither brood nor eggs, and I could not find tlie queen. I looked again in a few days, with the same result, so I concluded the queen was dead, and I sent for one, introduced her in the usual way, and after a day or two I found all the bees in the cage with AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 267 her dead, and I opened it a little more to help her ont. I found her dead at the en- trance of the hive the next day, so I sup- pose the old queen is still there. What can I do about it ? When I packed that colony for winter, the hive was full to overflowing, but many of them appeared to me to be old bees. Subscriber. Idlewild, Pa. Answer.— A good queen is not likely to stop laying in August. Such a thing might happen, however, if no honey was to be had. There seems to be nothing very certain in your case. I should have strong sus- picion that your colony was queenless. The simple fact that the new queen was lost, is no proof that another queen is there. Bees are freaky things, and may have concluded they didn't want that new queen, anyhow. Let them alone until spring, and if no brood appears when there is plenty in other hives, treat it as a queenless colony, and may be the best thing is to break it up and use the bees to strengthen a weak colony. Queen-Trap During a Honey-Flow. If the Alley queen-trap is put on during a honey-flow, will it discourage the bees to any great extent ? or will they work with the same energy as before ? A. B. B. Belle Vernon, Pa. Answer. — It troubles them a little at first, but they soon get used to it. Queen-Excluders — Queenless Colony. I saw in the Bee Journal what Mr. J. H. Rupp, of Washington, Kan., said in re- gard to the brace and burr comb trouble, that if bee-keepers would use the Hoffman fixed frames altogether, they would get rid of brace and burr combs. Another great thing they would get rid of, and that is the honey-boards, he said. WeU, I believe the former statement, but not the latter. Why? The simple reason is, if we as bee-keepers do as he directs us, how are we to exclude the queen from the supers ? 1. I think unless we use honey-boards or perforated zinc, the queen would go into the top story where the sections are, and then things would be in bad condition to get honey free from brood. Am I not right ? I have never had occasion to use honey-boards or perforated zinc, for the reason I have never had any call. I am going to work for comb honey altogether the coming season, and use the wood-bound zinc honey-boards, if it is necessary. What do you think would be the best policy ? 2. I have a colony of Italians which is queenless at present, and has been queen- less ever since I put them into winter quarters last fall. They are as strong as ! they were in the fall. Can I not rear a queen by feeding another strong colony syrup, say one glass full every night until I get the queen to deposit eggs, then after the eggs have hatched into larvae, insert a frame, putting it into the center of the brood-chamber of the queenless colony ? If so, how long will it need feeding ? and is it not just as good a plan to get a queen ? — that is, suppose a fellow has not the "gold- dust." p. p. Whitesburg, Tenn. Answers.— 1. A honey-board is not nec- essarily a queen-excluder. I have used the slatted honey-boards by the hundred, but without any excluder zinc, and have pro- duced tons of comb honey over them. There is nothing to hinder the queen going up into the super if she wants to, any more than she is hindered from going out at the entrance to the hive, but she doesn't seem to want to. It is possible that she may go up sometimes to explore, but she does not find things to her mind there, and it is so seldom that I find brood in the sec- tions that it would not pay to be at the ex- pense of having excluders. Last year I tried thick and wide top-bars with no honey-board, and had no brood in the sec- tions. 2. I don't believe you'll gain anything by trying to hurry up matters too much. If those queenless bees are allowed to remain quiet they may last a good while, and I don't believe I'd try to rear a queen before about the time the bees begin to get ready to swarm. If you force them much before that you'll not have a very good queen. After the bees begin to work on flowers, and you have a colony strong enough to spare it, will be time enough to give your queenless bees a frame of brood. You may lose more than you'll gain then, for as a rule a colony that had no queen in the fall isn't worth much fussing in the spring. Keeping Bees Near a Highway. Has a person, or persons, the right un- der the laws of Missouri, to operate an api- ary at or near a public highway ? If not, what is the penalty for so doing ? If there is a law, what distance does it require that an apiary shall be from a public highway, it being understood that the bee-keeper owns the land on which the apiary is located ? J. E. E. McFall, Mo. Answer. — I am not fully informed as to the laws of Missouri, but I suppose as in aU States, bee-keeping is a legitimate pursuit, just as much as keeping cattle. In various 268 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAj_« instances attempts have been made to pro- hibit the keeping of bees, but the National Bee-Keepers' Union has so far been tri- umphant. By paying an annual fee of $1.00 any one may become a member, and have the Union fight his battles for him, providing he is not in trouble when he ap- plies for membership, for it would be mani- festly unfair for the members to support the Union and allow others to have the benefit without bearing any of the expense until they had got into trouble. Mr. Thos. G. Newman, Manager, is the man to send the dollar to, and as no bee-keeper knows when he may need the help of the Union, it is wise for all to join. Mr. Newman's address is 147 South Western Ave., Chicago, nis. To keep on the safe side, I think I would not put bees nearer than a rod from the highway, or if I wanted to put them nearer I would build a tight board fence about eight feet high. In short, I would try not to have my bees disturb any one on the highway. Distance Between Hives — Swarming. 1. How far apart should hives stand (in the apiary) when in a row ? 2. Can a person tell the day before when the bees are going to swarm ? If so, how ? Portland, Oreg. W. H. R. Answers. — 1. If room is scarce, they will do if placed so close together that there is only comfortable room to work between them, say three feet between the hives. You can set them in pairs, the two hives of each pair almost touching, and then three feet from one pair to another. 2. I don't know of any sure way. Gen- erally they will swarm about as soon as the first queen-cell is sealed over, but they may swarm before or after that time. Moving- Bees — Crooked Combs. 1. I have 21 colonies, and I intend moving them from their present location, about 15 feet. What is the best time to move them, in cold or warm weather ? 2. I have 4 colonies on movable-frame hives, whose combs are so crooked that the frames cannot be moved. Would you transfer them into new hives ? If it was done, would they be likely to swarm this season '. Would they store as much sur- plus honey ? F. T. B. Brookewood, Va. Answers. — 1. For so short a distance it matters little about the weather, and I would rather move them before they get to flying. If no hives are left on the old spot, everything made to look as homelike there as possible, and boards set up before the entrances, there need be little trouble. 2. If I wanted to handle the frames I cer- tainly should have them straightened out. But why not straighten the combs and keep them in the old hives ? If rightly done, you will hardly find it makes any difference about the swarming or surplus. CouTeation JKotices. Kansas.— There will be a meeting of the Southeastern Kansas Bee-Keepers' Associa- tion oa Murch 16, 1894, at tlie apiaries of Thomas Willett, 5 miles northeast of Bron- son, Bourbon Co., Kansas. All are invited to come. J. C. Balch, Sec. Bronson, Kans. Texas.— The Texas State Bee-Keepers' As- sociation will hold their 16th annual meeting' at Greenville, Tex,, on Wednesiiay and Thurs- day, April 4 and 5, 1894. Everybody Invited. No hotel bills to pay. We expect a large meeting and a good time. Don't fail to come. Beeville, Tex. E. J. Atchley, Sfec. WISCONSIN.— You are cordially and ur- gently requested to attend the Southwestern Wisconsin Bee Keepers' Convention, to be held at Boscobel, Grant Co., Wis. at the City Hall, on Thursday and Friday. March 15 and 16, 1894. All topics relative to bee-keeping will be discussed and essays are solicited. There will be a Question-Box for questions to be answered. We shall endeavor to make you feel at home with us during this convention, providing places for each one as far as pos- sible. A. A. Arms, Sec. Hurlbut, Wis. Xhe Amateur Bee-Keeper, is the name of a neat little pamphlet designed for the class its name indicates — amateurs and beginners in bee-keep- ing. It is written by Mr. J. W. Rouse, of Missouri, a practical apiarist and helpful writer. It contains over 60 pages, and we will send it postpaid for 25 cents ; or club it with the Bee Jour- nal for one year — both for only $1.15. . Honey as^ Food an Com. R. Wilkin, ) The report of the Marketing Commit- tee was adopted, and a resolution passed directing the President to appoint a committee to correspond with the Cali- fornia State Fruit Exchange in view of having a representation to said organi- zation. The following committee was appointed : W. A. Pryal, J. H. Martin, and Geo. W. Brodbeck. AMERICAN BK^ JOURNAL. 281 The Committee on Transportation then made a short report, having inter- viewed the freight agents of the respec- tive railroads. They could only recom- mend further efforts along this line. The committee's report was accepted. Mr. G. B. Woodbury read a valuable essay upon "The Fruit Nemesis, or What Shall We Do to Be Saved '?" A special vote of thanks was given to Mr. W. for his interesting essay. Acting upon a suggestion in the essay, Messrs. Cook, Corey and others favored the appointment of Mr. Woodbury as a committee of one to select points from his essay in relation to the value of the honey-bee in the fertilization of fruit- blossoms, and that this be arranged and printed in pamphlet form for general distribution. A motion to that effect was adopted. The Executive Committee was authorized to use their judgment in relation to the number of copies to be published. Prof. Cook presented the claims of the Bee-Keepers' Union upon members of the association, and a few enrolled their names. Mr. W. T. Richardson then read a short essay on " How Can Bee-Keepers Best Advance their Interests ?" Prof. Woodworth then produced a hive of his own devising, the main prin- ciple of which was in being more divisi- ble than any hive heretofore invented. The brood-chamber and the surplus chambers were to be supplied with one- pound sections. The hive was consid- ered by the practical bee-keepers pres- ent as purely theoretical, and as imprac- ticable for actual use. Afterxoon Session. President Mclntyre introduced the subject of the Mid-winter Fair, and thought that members should ship honey to it for exhibition purposes. A resolution was introduced in rela- tion to a special committee of this Asso- ciation in San Francisco during the Mid- winter Fair, at such time and place as may be hereafter designated by the Ex- ecutive Committee. The following resolution was adopted : Whereas, We learn that the adultei'ation of extracted honey — happily comb honey is so exquisitely and delicately fashioned that it cannot be adulterated — with commercial glucose is extensively practiced in the city of San Francisco by the wholesale dealers of the Pacific Coast ; and, Whereas, It is well known that our Cali- fornia extracted honey, as also the honey of the Coast, is similarly treated by whole- sale dealers in many of the large cities of the Coast; and, Whereas, Such honey is sold as " honey," or more generally, as •' pure honey;" and.* Whereas, Such adulteration is a serious injury to the market of the genuine article, first, by crowding the market with an in- ferior article, and second, by causing a general distaste for honey because of this inferiority; therefore, Besolved, That we continue a committee on adulteration of honey, who shall make all possible effort to secure laws both State and National, which shall make it a crimi- nal ofi'ense punishable by both fine and im- prisonment to sell such adulterated honey, except under a label that shall state just what the article is. Hesohml, That the chemical department of the State Experiment Station be re- quested to aid us in this matter by perform- ing an analysis of suspected honeys, and by suggestions and advice. liesulved. That the Manager of the Bee- Keepers' Union secure the publication in the American Bee Journal of the laws of the several States. Benolved. That every effort be made to have the Paddock Pure Food law reintro- duced into Congress, and passed to a speedy passage. Prof. Woodworth said that the State Chemist, Prof. Rising, was anxious to take up any mixtures of glucose and honey and give an analysis. The Association then proceeded with the election of oiBcers, which resulted as follows : President— Prof. A. J. Cook, of Clare- mont. Secretary — J. H. Martin, of Bloom- ington. Treasurer — J. F. Mclntyre, of Fill- more. Vice-Presidents — G. P. Woodbury, of Los Angeles county; W. T. Richardson, of Ventura county ; R. B. Herron, of San Bernardino county ; R. Powell, of Riverside county; W. A. Pryal, of Ala- meda county. Executive Committee— R. Wilkins, of Ventura county ; G. W. Brodbeck, of Los Angeles county. A resolution was adopted to compen- sate the Secretary for his services, to be regulated by the Executive Committee. B. F. Brooks, a buyer of honey, then addressed the Association, giving his methods of buying and marketing honey. Mr. Archer, of Santa Barbara, ex- hibited his bee-hive and fixtures, and also had some of the famous bean honey upon exhibition. B. S. K. Bennett, hive manufacturers, had supplies upon exhibition. Honey-cans were also on exhibition from Tay & Co., offering cases of two 60-pound cans at 70 cents each. They 282 AMERICAN BEE JOURMAi^. also manufacture cans containing from one to ten pounds. , Wickson & Co. exhibited the Cowan extractor and samples of Root's supplies. John Schuyler & Son also exhibited T tins, etc. Charts illustrating the bee and its most important parts were placed before the Association, and were much admired and studied. Upon motion of Mr. Brodbeck, a vote of thanks was tendered to the officers of the Association for their efficient ser- vices. The Association then adjourned to meet in Los Angeles, at such time and place as may be designated by the Ex- ecutive Committee. J. F. McIntyre, Pres. John H. Maktin, Sec. ^F~ Do not write anything for publication on the same sheet of paper wltn business matters, unless it can be torn apart without interfering with either part of the letter. The Poppy — Bees as Fertilizers. Are poppies honey-producers ? For a certain purpose, and as an experiment, we had two colonies of bees sent to us last spring. About the first thing the bees would alight on in the morning was the poppy bed. It seemed that the poppy was very attractive to them while the dew was on in the morning, and after a shower. Whether they were gathering honey, pol- len, or merely sipping the water, or whether they had imbibed the opium habit, is a question. The poppy is so easily raised, that if val- uable for bee-food, we would be glad to know it. Perhaps some of the readers would like to know what became of the two colonies of bees. Well, they lived, and each one cast a swarm. One of them filled and capped 56 one-pound sections, and the other one-half that amount. One of the new colonies filled six or seven sections, and capped them, and then they all stop- ped storing honey, although they were still lively, but the flowers had become too dry. The four colonies were put into the cellar on Nov. 11th. The rest we can tell better next spring. The winters are so long here that no one will ever be likely to make a fortune in the bee-business. The purpose for which we got the bees was to fertilize pumpkins, squashes, etc. Bumble-bees will effect the same purpose, but they were not plenty enough here to depend upon them, and there was not a honey-bee in this vicinity previous to last spring. Bathgate, N. Dak. F. A. Willson. [Last year we had a short illustrated article on the poppy, by Mr. W. A. Pryal. of California, who said that it yielded pol- len almost wholly, and that as a honey- plant it would likely never prove valuable. — Ed.J Two Doctors and Two States. On page 84 is an article from Dr. E. Gal- lup, singing the praises of California as the "greatest State in the United States." Now this may all be true — we make no ob- jections to the enthusiasm, only this: It all applies to one other State of the Union, with these modifications, viz. : Our Florida Japanese plums are now ripe — ripen from December to May. Oranges and lemons ripen and hang on trees all winter. Our firewood costs us, delivered, ^1.50 per cord — only the cost of labor. Our rainy season is June, July and August. Our winters are dry and warm. Good artesian wells flow- ing 30 gallons of pure water out of a 1}4 inch pipe, costs from .^40 to .$75 each. No irrigation is needed here in Florida. No week's travel, either, to reach Florida — only 48 hours from Chicago or St. Louis. You see, Bro. Gallup, we are both from Iowa — you from Mitchell and I from Black Hawk counties ; you are ahead on the honey har- vest— we take off' our hat to you on honey, and ask you to take off yours on climate. Jesse Oren, M. D. Daytona. Fla., Jan. 32. Prevention of After-Swarms. I read with much interest Frank Cover- dale's article on page 113. A few words of his in the Bee Journal a year or so ago, in regard to using a bee-escape to prevent after swarms, was of great benefit to me last summer. It worked like a charm. Being young in the business, I had never seen a bee-escape, but with a few wire cones I soon manufactured several that answered every purpose, without boring holes in the hives. While waiting on a customer in my store, one of my colonies swarmed. An Alley queen-trap kept them from leaving, but be- fore I could spare the time to attend to them, they had returned to the hive, leav- ing the queen and a few bees in the trap. Old bee-keepers would have known what to do, but, as I said before, I was young in the business, and for a moment I was non- plussed. How was I to get that swarm to come out and join the queen and her few companions in another hive ? Frank Coverdale's idea flashed through AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 283 my mind at once, and I proceeded to carry- it ont thus: Taking the trap with the queen and its few bees — about a pint— I lifted the top of the empty hive standing by the parent colony, and shook the bees into it, and placed the trap at the entrance to prevent escape of the queen. I now put my bee-escape on the old colony, and in 48 hours I had a fine swarm hard at work, and though late coming out, it stored 50 nice one-pound sections of honey. That one little bit of information from the American Bee Journal paid the cost of its subscrip- tion several times over. Other bee-keepers probably have other ways of doing the same thing, but I don't see. how any could be easier or more sim- ple. I leave the escape on about six days, and then move the old colony to a new stand, and never have after-swarms. Brookewood, Va. F. T. Brooke. Mild "Winter — Feeding Dried Fruit. The winter has been very mild so far. We have had only two skiffs of snow so far, but we may have some more yet. My bees have done vei-y well so far. I had to feed about half of them last fall, and they are all alive yet. The first pollen is coming in to-day. The log-hive men has lost a large num- ber of colonies around the mountains. One man is feeding cooked dried fruit with honey over it. I don't know how his bees will come out. I will say more about it later on. I would like to know how Dr. Miller thinks they will winter on dried apples. I would be glad to see a good honey crop here next summer, as we have had almost a failure the last two years. Cosby, Tenn., Feb. 1. R. A. Shultz. Transferring— Light Colonies— Skunks I see on page 13, that Mrs. Jennie Atch- ley, in transferring bees, is troubled by robbers. Now I have a sure cure for rob- ber bees— one that has never failed with me. When bees undertake to rob. they will seek an entrance everywhere but at the regular entrance. When robbers at- tack a hive, take the paint brush and paint all around the cover, and any other crack or place they may get in. Just under the cover is the place mine first try to effect an entrance. In real bad cases I close the front and paint it. If they continue to bother after the paint dries, I paint the parts again. Just simply paint the crack or entrance, not the whole box. I thought some time that I would report the above, but felt that pei'haps almost all the bee-keepers knew it. I agree with Mr. Doolittle, that often our light colonies in the fall are the best ones the next season, provided we winter them in the cellar. I have noticed this particu- larly where there was a young queen in the colony. I consider if I have a moderately light colony — as much as three Langstroth frames of honey, a young queen and a dry cellar — I have a good colony for next sea- son's work. Mrs. Atchley wants the best and shortest way to get rid of skunks. Polecats have always bothered me more" th mi skunks, and not only the bees, but thepoiuiry. In fact, I did not know that they troubled the bees. But a good shepherd dog will rid the place of both kinds of varmints. If the shepherd dog kills the first one he comes in contact with, he is all right, for he will never leave one until he kills it, or sees it done. Glendon, Iowa. O. P. Miller. Bees Too Old for "Wintering "Well. Bees did well here last season until July 15th. and then the drouth set in and every- thing stopped. I got from 20 colonies 600 pounds of fine comb honey, while others got no surplus. I think that the bees are not going to winter well here, from the fact that they went into winter quarters with nearly all old bees. I winter my bees on the summer stands, and have been rea- sonably successful ; and I owe my success to the American Bee Journal. Cason, Ind., Feb. 1. Wm. G. Cory. Home Hoaiey Market— Taxing Bees. Bees did very well here the past year, but they are getting to be quite scarce in this locality. I found a ready sale for all of my honey at 10 cents for extracted, and 12 cents for comb honey, in my home trade, which I think is better than putting it on the market, as the home trade is cash with no commission, freight or risks of breakage, etc., to stand. My bees are wintering nicely so far. I winter them in the cellar. I put them down about the middle of November, and leave them in winter quarters until the first warm, sunshiny day in April, and I have never lost a colony yet in wintering that had plenty of honey. I also believe that they can be wintered with a third less honey in the cellar than it would take on the summer stands. Until recently I had been keeping bees in northern Illinois, where I always read and acknowledged the fact that bees were not taxable property ; but imagine my surprise when the Hawkeye assessor called on me and put down my bees for $1.00 per colony. I would like to know if there is any move that we Iowa bee-keepers can make to stop this taxing bees. For a collection of in- sects which belong to anybody that can catch them, and are liable to leave their owner in swarming time, I for one don't see how they can be taxed any more than a flock of pigeons, for instance. R. C. Hatch. Central City, Iowa, Jan. 24. Have You Read the wonderful Pre- mium offer on page 285 ? 284 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. Honey & Beeswax Market Quotations. CHICAGO, III.. Feb. 17.— We are encour- aged by 'ast week's business, disposing of considerable light .honey in a small way at low prices— 13^14c. It is impossible to ob- tain higher prices at present. We quote: No. 1, 13@l4c. ; extracted. 5@6i/ic. Beeswax. 31 @23c. We have inquiries for beeswax, with none to offer. J. A. L. ALBANY, N. Y., Jan. 14.— The honey mariiet is in a slow and unsatisfactory coi dition. Very little demand for any and large stocks of both comb and extracted. Quotations would be only nominal. H. K. W. CHICAGO. III.. Jan. 25. -While the volume of trade in honey is not large there is an im- proved tone thereto We obtain 15c. lor the best grades of white comb and our stock of this is not large. Grades not quite so good are selling at 14c., with buckwheat and other dark honeys bringing ll@12c. The weather hHS been too severe recently to permit of shipments being made. Extracted honey we quote at 5@7c. per pound according to quality and style of package. Beeswax, 22c R. A. B. & Co. NEW YORK, N. Y., Jan. 24.— There is no change in our market. Trade remains dull with plenty of stock on hand of both comb and extracted honey. Beeswax is selling on arrival at 26@27c. H. B. & S. CHICAGO. III., Jan. 18.— The ruling price for fancy white comb honey seems to be 13c. Other grades of comb will bring I'rom 10@12c. Extracted is selling at Go. Hard times cause restricted demand. S. T. F. & Co. CINCINNATI, O., Feb. 19.— Demand from manufacturers is exceedingly slow for ex- tracted honey. We quote 4®8c. on arrival. Demand is lair for choice comb honey at 12® 16c. in the jobbing way. Beeswax is in good demand, at 22@25c. for good to choice yellow. C. F. M. & S. KANSAS CITY, Mo., Dec. 21.— The demand for comb and extracted honey is not as good as we would like to see it. We quote : No. 1 white 1-lb. comb, 14@15c. ; No. 2 white, 13® 14c.; No. 1 amber, 13@13^c.; No. 2 amber 10@12c. Extracted, white, 6@7c. ; amber, -o® 51/2C. C.-M. C. Co. List of Honey and Beeswax Dealers, Most of whom Quote in this Journal. Cliicago, Ills. J. A. Lamon, 44 and 46 So. Water St. K. A. Burnett & Co., 161 South Water Street. New York, N. Y. F. I. Sage & Son, 183 Reade Street. HiLDRETH Bros. & Segelken. 28 & 30 West Broadway. Chas. Israel & Bros,, 110 Hudson St. Kansas City, JTIo. Hamblin & Bearss, 514 Walnut Street. Clemoms-Mason Com. Co., 521 Walnut St. Albany, N.Y. H. R. Wright, 326 & 328 Broadwaj. Hamilton, Ills. Chas. Dadant & Son. Cincinnati, Oblo. C F. MiJTH & Son, cor. Freeman & Central av8. Bee-Keepers, Just Listen To this unasked-for testimonial : Mrs. Atchley:— I bought 3 Pounds of Bees and 3 Queens from you last year. One Pound of Bees now has to represent it 4 large colo- nies, and 168 pounds of Comb Honey. I bought Bees elsewhere and they are nothing compared with yours. Frafk Anorews. Espanola, New Mexico, Aug. 16, 1893. Who says the 5-Banded Bees are no good ? I have one straight Merchandise Express rate on Bees, lowest in the U. S. Bees by Found. $1.00. I ntei^tcd Queens, $1.00. Nuclei and Full <'oloiiies. All kinds ol'supplies Dovetailed Hives, etc. Send for Catalogue. JENNIE ATOHI.EY. 7Atf BEEVILLE, BeeCo., TEX, frME MY mm 1 AND BUY YOUR kBEEJPPLlES Tiiomas 0. Newuiin, 147 So. Western Ave., CHICAGO. 1: 1 Illustrated Catalogue free upon application. Tvtentwti tiie A.iiiencaii Bee Jounuti. CHEAP LANDS ! In Soutiiwest Missouri. Farm Lands never so low: trreat opportunity for the Homeseek- er and Investor; no lands to rent. Send stamp for farm list and information concerning the best corn, hog and fruit country. Address 7A13t HILL «& HILTON, Appleton City, Missouri. ITALIAN QUEENS. Tested. 1150; three for $4.00. Extra Select Breeders, $2.00 ; 3 for $5.00. Untested, $1.00 ; 3 for $2.50; 6 for $5.00; 12 for $8.00. Queens ready April 1st. Safe arrival guar- anteed, by mail. Orders booked now, and pay when you want Queens. Address, C. F. UECKEY, MANITOCJ BEACH, Lenawee Co., MICH. 7 A26t Mention the American Bee JoumdU Weekly, $1 a V ear. [ ^^^^^^''-^^TO^BeV-^Dulture { Sa»«Ple Copy Free. VOL XXXIII. CHICAGO. ILL, MAR. 8, 1894. NO. 10. Foul ISrood. — On page 310 will be found an interesting report on the subject of foul brood, by Hon. R. L. Taylor, of the Michigan Experiment Apiary. Bro. Root, in speaking of Bro. Taylor's report, said this in Gleanings for Feb. 15th : After having read it over carefully, we do not hesitate to endorse every line of it. It is surprising how closely it agrees with the statements we made last year, respect- ing this disease, and yet Mr. Taylor's con- clusions were reached over a different route. We feel now more than ever, as touching this disease, that what we know we know. The "statements"' referred to by Bro. Root, as having been made by him last year, will be found on page 374 of the Bee Journal for Sept. 21, 1893. Soiitliwest. XexJis. — On page 300, Mrs. Atchley pays her compliments to a certain writer who has given unfavorable reports about Southwest Texas, and es- pecially Presidio county. Upon referring to the map of Texas It will be seen that Presidio is one of the extreme western counties of the State, and over 450 miles west of Beeville and the county in which Mrs. Atchley lives. Beeville is almost in the southeastern part of the State, and near the Gulf of Mexico, so that its climate and general productiveness of soil is quite different from the barren, deserted county of Presidio. We give the foregoing explanation in justice to Mrs. Atchley and the T. J. Skaggs R. E. Co., both of whom are en- deavoring to find good homes for those who are seeking them. We understand that the firm mentioned is composed of honest, up- right men, who wish to help their fellow- men in a praiseworthy and straight-forward way. Their advertisement will be found on another page of this number of the Bee Journal.- While on this subject, let us say that we think that no one should rush off to a strange part of the country, intending to locate permanently, without first having thoroughly and personally investigated the advantages and disadvantages of the new place. We believe in people trying to bet- ter themselves if possible, but we also feel that every right-minded person will agree with us in urging deliberation upon those who expect to make a permanent move. Ontario Honey at tlie Faia*. — Bro. R. McKnight, whom we felt it a duty to •'take to task " a little on page 201, sends the following explanation of his position in the matter, which we think in fairness to him should appear in the Bee Journal: Owen Sound, Ont., Feb. 22, 1804. Friend York: —In your issue of the 15th inst. (which has just come into my hands), I find you gently take me to task, because of what I wrote in the Canadian Bee Journal for February about the prizes taken by the Canadian exhibitors of honey at the World's Fair. In your comment you say: "With the slight exception that Ontario honey did not compete with United States honey at all," 296 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. etc. Again, "It pays to be ]>otitrd before speaking quite so dogmatically and boast- ingly." Here you assert (dogmatically, too) that Ontario honey did not compete with United States honey. My reply is it cer- tainly did. It surely was brought into com- petition as to its quality, or no prizes would have been awarded to it or any other honey. Quality in honey, like beauty in the world of Nature, is a thing of compari- son. If there were no xiivulard for either, there could be no degree of excellence in either. I did not assert, and I do not now say, that the Ontario exhibit came into competition with the Illinois or any other exhibit, or that the individual contribu- tions in any of these came into competi- tion with one another, in the popular sense ; but I do say that every collection and every individual exhibit in these collective exhibits was judged, and awards granted or withheld, just as they came up, or failed to come up, to an ideal or real standard of quality previously fixed by the Judge ; and, under the circumstances, this was the fair- est test that could have been adopted. Now this standard was the touch-stone to which both Canadian and United States honey was brought, and by this standard they were judged; and being judged by this standard, they certainly came into competition. Whichever came nearest to this standard, in their greatest relative quantities, or in the greatest number of their individual contributions, might fairly be pronounced the best. If Ontario stood at the head of the list (as it did) in this test, then its comparative merits were the greater, and it must be considered as rank- ing highest in the competition for prizes, and it is neither dogmatism nor bombastic to say so. Is it correct, then, to say (as you say) that Ontario honey did not come into competition with United States honey? I agree with you "that it pays to be ported before speaking dogmatically or boast- ingly." I have never made a practice of writing at random, or indulging in glorifi- cation without cause. Yours respectfully, R. McKnight. It seems in the foregoing that Bro. Mc- Knight has drawn quite a fine distinction in the matter of honey competition or comparison. Of course, we intended to claim (and do yet) that, as it was generally understood, Ontario honey did not com- pete with United States honey at all, though it may have had to measure up to a certain " standard " fixed in the mind of the apiarian judge by which to decide upon the merits of all the honey exhibited. If we are wrong in our ideas about this, we are certainly willing to be set right by Hon. Eugene Secor, who recommended the awards on honey at the World's Fair, if he can say anything on the subject without being drawn into any controversy against his wishes. Perhaps, however, something on the subject would help to straighten us all out, and thus avoid any unnecessary discussion. Experiment $$tation«>«. Etc. — Prof. Cook, in referring to the annual support State experiment stations receive from the general government, says: Mr. R. L. Taylor is mistaken in the asser- tion that the experiment stations get an in- crease from the government each year. The amount is .$15,000 each year, and only that. The increasing appropriation was for Agri- cultural Colleges. About the prospects for a honey crop this year in California, Prof. Cook wrote this on Feb. 19th : California has now had 11 inches of rain. They say that 15 inches insures a good crop of honey. Importsince of Bee-Keeping'. — At the late California convention Mr. Francis W. Blackford, in an essay on bee- keeping, among other facts said that the annual value of honey in the United States is close upon .§100,000,000 ; and the number of colonies of bees kept by apiarists equaled about one-fifth of the number of sheep in the United States. This would place the number of colonies of bees at 9,000,000, which, at an average value of only .$3.00 a colony would represent an investment of $27,000,000 in bees alone. It seems to us that if these flgui-es are anywhere near the truth, bee-culture is deserving of a great deal more recognition than it is now re- ceiving at the hands of the National and State governments. Xo Oetect Ci)liicose Adulteration — On page 136, in commenting on Bro. Root's remarks on detecting adulterated honey by the taste, we said that if he would only furnish an " easy formula " he would " see how quickly we'll print it;" and also that "for once wanted him (Bro. Root) to come out ahead." Well, in reply to our editorial, here is what we find on the sub- ject in Gleaninys for Feb. 15th : Bro. York, replying to our editorial on page 63, wherein we criticised Veteran for not making his glucose test thorough, calls our attention to the fact that the directions that Veteran went by differed from those that we had ; that Veteran's test was thor- ough, according to //« directions. And now AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 297 Bro. York asks how we may be able to de- tect glucose by the taste, and asks for a simple formula for detecting adulterations in honey. Why, bless you, Bro. York, we thought we did ; but as we did not, per- haps, make ourselves clearly undei'stood, we will explain more fully. THE TASTE TEST FOR GLUCOSE. Such glucose as is used in commerce has a disagreeable, rank, metallic taste, very pronounced : and one who has tasted such pure glucose can easily recognize the stuff when mixed in honey ; that is, providing the proportions are not less than 25 per cent. This can be done as easily as the good housewife can tell whether salt has been put into an oyster-stew. In fact, we believe toe could tell quicker, ourselves, glucose in honey than salt in the stew. It is impossible for us, of course, to set forth in language just how the glucose tastes in honey, so we have sent to Bro. York a sample of the finest glucose we could buy on the market — that is, such glucose as is used commercially for adulterating. It is called " Crystal A," the very best. Now, if Bro. York will take a liberal dose of this glucose, and, later on, get his better half, or somebody else, to introduce, " behind his back," proportions of }i, %, and % into variously numbered samples of honey, we think that, when they are placed before him, together with samples of pure honey, he will be able to separate " the sheep from the goats." We ought to say, in this connection, that there is glucose from which the rank, dis- agreeable, metallic taste has been almost entirely eliminated, and the use of which in honey might not be detected. We have had small samples here, but we cannot get it for less than 5 cents, and this would be more expensive than sugar syrup. If this is true, we have, therefore, practically nothing to fear from glucose of this quality. It is only the rank, disagreeable stuff cost- ing about 3% cents, which we have sent to Bro. York, that is used commercially. As to Veteran's experiment with the use of alcohol, we have to acknowledge that his formula was not the same to which we re- ferred. In looking over the test which he followed, we find it to be a sort ■ of corrup- tion, evidently taken from the alcohol test which we took from the Bicncn- Vaier. That test reads as follows : "Take a table-spoonful of honey to be tested; pour into a small bottle, and then add three spoonfuls of pure spirit, and shake the whole together thoroughly. In about a quarter of an hour there will form in the bottle a cloudy, whitish sediment; and from this one may be sure the honey is adulterated." This, if carefully followed, will, we be- lieve, give quite satisfactory results. We did not mean to say, on page 63, that cdl forms of adulteration can be detected ; but we desired to convey the idea that it was our belief that ordlnarii (jlucoxe mixtures of honey could be recognized by the ordinary bee-keeper. The principal, and only adul- terant of honey, is probably glucose. Sugar syrup is used rarely if ever. In conclusion we would say that the only way to detect glucose (that is, the commer- cial article) in honey by the taste is to get a small sample of the stuff, and learn how it tastes. P. S.— Since writing the above we have learned that a number of glucosed samples of honey, together with other samples of pure honey, werie placed before Prof. Cook at the Los Angeles convention, recently held in California. The Professor recog- nized each one by the taste. Well, Bro. Root, the sample which you so kindly sent us, of the " rank, disagree- able stuff," was duly received, and we have just been making the tests as per your sug- gestions, as follows : We had some excellent basswood honey, and mixed the glucose in samples in the proportions named by Bro. Root, and then tasted. We could easily recognize the dif- ference in taste between the 34' and the % glucose, but not so easily between the X and %. We also could discern a certain mildness and castor-oilyiness of flavor in the 14: glucose sample, and really we would prefer the taste of pure castor-oil to that of the disgusting glucose that Bro. Root sent us. If that is a fair sample of the "vile stuff" used by honey adulterators, we feel sorry for the people who are de- ceived into buying the nauseating com- pounds. We don't want any more of it ! In our opinion, it surely would require an educated taste to detect a 35 per cent, glu- cose adulteration of honey, and we doubt very much if people in general will take the trouble to acquaint themselves with the "rank, disagreeable, metallic taste" of commercial glucose, so as to be able to de- tect its use in the honey they may pur- chase. Of course, we may possess a very poor "tasting apparatus," still our " better half," judging from our alertness in detect- ing anything out of the ordinary in eat- ables, thinks that we have either a good taster or else a very strong imagination. This, however, is only her opinion, as we may possibly have neither. It seems to us that the only practical and reliable method of detecting honey adul- teration must finally come from chemical tests, and when once it is satisfactorily shown (and that time may now be here) that chemistry can be depended upon to detect the adulteration of honey, the adul- terator can then quickly be located, and promptly prosecuted under the National law that must soon be enacted for the pro- tection of all honest producers of food pi'oducts. 298 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. answered by Marengo, III. In this department will be answered those questions needing immediate attention, and such as are not of sufficient special interest to require replies from the UO or more apiarists who help to make "Queries and Replies " so interesting' on another page. In the main, it will contain questions and answers upon mat- ters that particularly interest beginners. — Ed. Are All 3-Banded Bees Italians ? Are all bees Italians that show three dis- tinct yellow bands ? My reasons for asking are these : I got a swarm from the woods from which I reared n colonies, and all had three yellow bands, the bees being a dark leather in color. Last fall I got two Italian queens from a breeder in Kentucky, and the bees from these are a very little lighter than the ones I got from the woods. I enclose one of the latter, thinking you might tell whether it was a black or Italian. All our wild bees here plainly show the thee bands. Langlois, Oreg. P. M. L. AxswER. — If all the bees of a colony have three yellow bands, that's considered proof of purity. In the first cross between blacks and hybrids, you will have some with three yellow bands and some with none. It is not so easy to judge from a dead bee, but I should not call the specimen sent a pure Italian. As nearly as I can tell, the edge of the bands is yellow, but the whole band should be yellow. Look at the living bees, and if all the bees have three bands that are yellow their whole width, then call them Italian. Why Do Bees Rear Several Cells ? Why do bees rear several queen-cells, and as soon as the first one hatches, the bees or queen destroys the balance of cells imme- diately ? That is the general rule taught, I believe, with a few exceptions, although contrary to my short experience, as I have given queenless colonies a frame of brood and in three or four day's after they had started queen-cells I gave them a young virgin queen, and they would accept her all right and finish up or seal the queen-cells as though queenless ; but as soon as mated they would destroy all cells unless caged. I suppose the extra cells are for a purpose. What is it ? M. W. L. Answer. — Nature seems to have a way of being rather lavish in her preparations. Hundreds of drones are reared where only one is needed. Most of the blossoms on an apple-tree fail to produce fruit, and, if all should set, the tree could not support it. I suppose it is a matter of safety to have a number of queens started and reared. I've seen many a cell with a dead grub in it. If that had been the only one in the hive the bees might be in bad shape, especially if they had no old queen. Sometimes the bees let more than one queen hatch, then the queens fight it out, and the fittest sur- vives. I think your experience is not exceptional. You see you were varying the usual pro- gram. Usually there will be a number of young queens all nearly of the same age, and in your case the princesses were all much younger than the one you introduced, and she was not very jealous of such young things. Besides, it is possible that the bees didn't feel quite so sure of a princess that had so suddenly appeared in their midst, and thought it the safer way to keep the younger ones going till they found how the older one would turn out. Rape and Simpson Honey-Plant. How are rape and the Simpson honey- plant for honey? Is their honey good, and of ready sale? M. S. Brentwood, Ark. Answer. — At one time much was said about the Simpson honey-plant, but I'm not sure whether anyone ever got enough honey from it unmixed with other kinds to tell much about it. In Europe rape is valued as a honey-plant. I tJiinA- rape honey is dark and the other light, but I may be mis- taken. If you get the honey, I think the market will be all right. Bees that Had Tempers. In the spi'ing of 1893 I had six colonies of black and hybrid bees that had been win- tered on the summer stands. I took 440 pounds of extracted honey from them, and kept a number of combs unextracted. One colony swarmed once, and the swarm got away, as I happened to be away from home at the time. I then divided them, making six more colonies, and gave each of them some of the combs full of honey, and some of the empty ones. The latter part of the summer and all of the fall was very dry, so the honey was almost all from white clover and sweet clover. These blacks and hybrids of mine are busy workers — but oh, they have most terrible tempers ! I don't mind that myself, but unfortu- nately, the bee-yard is within 50 feet of the house our tenant lives in. and every time I had occasion to disturb the bees, they would pitch on to the folks whenever they came out of the house for a week after. They did not complain, but i disliked see- ing my bees annoy them so much, and see- ing the advertisements of queeu-breeders stating that their golden Italians were as AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 299 gentle as flies, I sent for seven golden Ital- ian queens last August, and introduced six of them successfully, as they had yellow bees flying before cold weather set in. It was so late befoi'e I noticed that the seventh one was queenless, that I got a cheap mis- mated Italian queen for it, and intend to get six more golden Italian queens as early in the spring as it will be safe to get them. Then I hope all my bees will be yellow next summer. But, do you think they will be gentle enough, to leave the bee-yard where it is? It is in a nice sheltered place on the south- east side of a clump of evergreens. The 12 hives are in pairs, and each pair has a frame-work of boards around them except in front, with hay packed between the boards and the hives. They are also cov- ered, with hay and boards, so they are all quite dry and snug. I dislike disturbing them in cold weather, but I am afraid if I leave them until spring, and then move them beyond the evergreens, a hundred feet from their present location, a good many bees will get lost. But of course, I would rather lose a good many than have them molest any one, as they did last sum- mer. How would it do to take advantage of a mild day and carry the hives into the cellar, then put them out on the new stands next spring? J. B. Bristol, Ills. Answer. — With gentle bees there ought to be no trouble at a distance of 50 feet. But if you want to move them, the plan you propose will work all right. Take them into the cellar on the evening of the day they have a flight. But if they're win- tering in good condition where they are, I believe I would let them alone till spring. Then move them late enough in the day so they will not fly. Take away all the stands and make the old place look as strange as possible. Put a board up before each hive, so that the bees will bump against it when they fly out, and that may make them mark the place of their new home. Dividing Colonies for Increase. After reading ''Bees and Honey, " also "ABC of Bee-Culture, " in regard to di- viding bees for increase, I must say that it don't suit me, for there is too much work about it. Why couldn't I take a frame of brood with the queen and put in an upper story with a queen-excluding honey-board between, and on the 10th or 12th day set the old hive on the new stand, and by doing that way I would not have any colony queenless ? What I want to know is, if I can get a good crop of honey if I divided that way in the spring. I know it will work to a charm for I tried it last season after the white clover honey- flow was over, without asking the consent of Bro. Root, for he says a novice had bet- ter not try any experiments. A. E. B. Hammond, Wis. Answer. — I hardly suppose Bro. Root means to say you shall never try any ex- periments, for he's about the last man in the world that would consent not to make any. But I suspect that you will find out it is not best to experiment on too large a scale till you know your ground pretty well. I suppose you're a good bit like my- self: when you think you've got a good idea, you want to try it on your whole apiary. But it's pretty safe to go by the books as a rule, and let your new plans be the exception— at least till after you've proved them. You say of your plan, '•! know it will work to a charm, for I tried it last season." Yes, but are you sure it will work just the same way next time ? I suppose the bees started queen-cells in the lower story as soon as you put the queen above, and then in 10 or 12 days a young queen was ready to hatch out. They've done that thing for me all right, and then the very next one wouldn't rear a queen at all. But I think they might be more likely to do it near swarming time. But I wouldn't do it in the spring. I think you'll gain it to wait till about swarming time. For if you divide too early you'll weaken both parts so much that you'll not get so much honey. I think there may be something in the plan, at any rate it's worth trying, but I wouldn't try it on too large a scale, and I wouldn't divide much before the time of natural swarms. Be sure and tell us how you come out. "Driving" Bees in Transferring. I am wintering my bees this winter in a long box covered with glass, which I cover with straw according to the severity of the winter. I have given them two or three good flights so far this winter, and they seem to be doing well. I have some bees in box-hives which I wish to transfer into Langstroth hives as I have adopted that hive. In transferring, had'nt I better kill the old queens and give the transferred colo- nies select Italian queens, and leave the box-hives queenless for 21 days, with drone- traps on them? And in the last drive from the box, give them these select queens again, and put in their places queen-cells which I will rear and keep the drone-cells cut out of all the movable-frame hives ? T. H. Uoncaster, Ont. Answer. — If I understand you, your plan is driving rather than transferring. I don't altogether like the plan. As you are evi- dently planning for more than one drive, why not leave the old queen with the first drive, and then you are sure of a strong colony with her, leaving the drive on the old stand, and setting the queenless box- hive on a new stand ? A day or so later the bees in the box-hive will very readily accept your new queen, and then you will be able to drive that in its turn. If you read up well in the text-books you may change your whole plan. Unless you are two miles or more from other bees, it may not make much differ- ence about keeping down drones in your own hives. 300 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAj CONDUCTED BY MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY, Beeville, Texas. Much Interested— Cruelty to Animals. Mrs. Atchley : — My husband wishes me to say to you that "he is very much interested in your department, which, by the way, I enjoy myself. He also wishes to know if you are going to keep that man standing there all the time spraying that swarm of bees ? Does he not get tired ? And is not the swarm rather patient to remain and take such a "ducking " all the while ? Thank you for the long Texas moss. Mrs. Edw. Smith. Carpenter, Ills. Dear Mrs. Smith, I am very glad in- deed to know that you and your husband are interested in ray department. I know that it falls far short of what it should be, as I am too busy to give it the thought I ought to, but I shall try to devote more time and attention to it soon, and try to make " In Sunny South- land" more and more interesting. Thanks for kind words. I shall accuse Bro. York of using "cruelty to animals" in punishing both the man and bees in the heading of my department. Jennie Atchley. Preparing Bees for Shipment. Mrs. Atchley : — I wish to know how to prepare bees in chaff hives to ship by railroad with household goods and stock from Nebraska to Texas. Would they not smother unless the brood-nests were raised up to allow ventilation ? Pawnee City, Nebr. C. H. Hare. Friend H., I must confess that I never saw a chaff hive — I have only seen them pictured and talked about. But if you move before warm weather, say March 15th to April 1st, your bees will move all right by just closing the entrances with wire-cloth. If the weather is warm, you would better take the covers off, and use wire-cloth on the top, and it is best to leave an open space above the frames ; or if the bees are strong and heavy with brood, take out every alter- nate frame and place empty ones be- tween, placing the brood you draw out in an upper story with empty frames be- tween also, and wire-cloth on top, and all will transport safely, if you see to the hauling yourself. I move bees any time of the year I wish to, but I keep the temperature down with water, and am careful to place the hives in the car in such way that the frames are lengthwise of the car. Jennie Atchley. Southwest Texas — The Other Side. I notice that on page 218 some friend comes out under the above heading, and leaves the impression that some one has been giving only one side. If my friend means that, he is giving only his side of Texas, or his end, rather, as he is just about as near out of the world in Pre- sidio county as one can well get, and is about 400 miles west of Beeville. But as he says all of southwest Texas is like Presidio county, I presume he thinks I have been over-picturing this region. But I suppose, as our friend is writing in or about Presidio county, he means west Texas, as that is where Presidio county lies ; and I think he is very much mistaken when he says all of southwest Texas is like Presidio county. I love to use common courtesy always, and by my saying that I know all of southwest Texas is 7iot like Presidio county, I trust It will not offend the good friend in question. Right here I wish to state that I have nc '* ax to grind," and looking for some one to turn the stone, as I have no land for sale ; nor do I think I ever shall, nor am I in anyway connected with any one that has land for sale. But what I am after is this : We have a fine, rich country here in this part of Texas, and tons and tons of honey going to waste annually, and I am not one bit selfish about it — I want bee-keepers to come and occupy these fields and save the precious sweets that evaporate upon the gentle sea breezes. I received orders last year for two carloads of honey more than I could fill, and the honey is here, if we had the bees and bee-keepers to harvest it. Our friend (" One Who Has Seen It " AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 301 is all the name I know for him) should use his eyes to loolf beyond the horizon of Presidio county, and not be content to reconcile himself to the mistaken. idea that Presidio county is all of southwest Texas. I am perfectly willing to be- lieve, with him, that in his county peo- ple may live on beef and beans at times, but he may have a shiftless people, as such are usually content to use a rock for a pillow, and use the open canopy of heaven for a covering ; but this is not the kind of people we have here, nor is it the kind we are wanting. We need people that are willing to work for a living, and not to be a burden upon the community in which they live. If such people that are without homes, or those wishing to come to aflne Southern coun- try, I am not ashamed to invite you to this part; and if ever you find a single family living on jerked beef and beans alone, then tell me I have overdrawn this country, and I will take it all back. In fact, we have not got them ! But, on the contrary, we have a peo- ple that are doing well and making money at farming, and money is easier to-day in our county than in Chicago. No business failures, of 20 or 25 mer- chants here ; our banks have plenty of money, and let the people have it at 10 per cent, per annum, and confidence is good, as they are pleased with the future of the surrounding country. I had a bee-keeper visit me yesterday — Mr. P. M. Roby, of Chanute, Kans. — and I took him to an orange orchard, and he plucked oranges — not from paper, but from the trees — and says I have not nearly pictured this country as large as I ought. Others have been here and looked out locations, and are making ar- rangements to bring their bees and their all to this county. You know I have been very careful about giving my advice to those wishing to come ; but I feel it my duty to tell a brother bee-keeper all about the country when he asks me to do so, and any time our readers are tired of such reading let me know, and I will stop. But I must tell you that this is the finest bee-coun- try I ever saw, and I have seen a good many different places. I am now, in this letter, giving both sides, as there are thorns here along with the roses, and you need not expect to find the honey pond and the fritter tree here, but you can produce the honey and the fritters if you are willing to work ; otherwise you would better stay where you are. Jennie Atchley. Railroads, and Demand for Honey. Mks. Atchley : — Will you tell me if you have good railroad facilities at Bee- ville ? Is there a demand for honey in your country ? I would like to go to a place where there is not so much drouth and dust as we have here in Illinois, and where I can sell my honey, and where it is a better place for bees than here. John A. Wilmont. La Prairie Centre, Ills. Friend Wilmont, I do not know whether you would benefit yourself or not by coming to this part, but we have two railroads that lead out to all parts of the world, and we have what we call a good honey market at home. Ex- tracted sells here at 10 cents per pound, and comb honey at 123^ to 15 cents, in sections. I feel satisfied that this is a fine honey country, and the honey of this particular part of Texas will rank along side of any honey in the United States. But we have some drouths here, too, but it does not hurt bee-keepers like it does in countries where the honey is mostly gathered from plants, clovers, weeds, etc. Our honey comes from trees and shrubs, and is not aflfected by drouth as weeds are, consequently we get some honey every year, as Nature has placed trees and plants here that can withstand the drouths. We actually need dry weather in this country in the fall and early vs^inter, as we do not have any cold weather to check the growth of vegeta- tion, and run the sap down in trees, etc., and the dry falls serve for the same pur- pose here as winter does north of us, and we must have it. But we seldom have a drouth until all farm crops are made, so the farmers have a delightful time to harvest. Jennie Atchley. Honey as Food and ]?Iedicine. THIS Is a little 32-page pamphlet that Is just the thing needed to create a demand. for HONEY at home. Honey - producers should scatter it freely, as it shows the valu- able uses ol Honey for Food as well as for Medicine. It contains recipes for making Honey-Cakes, Cookies, Puddings, Foam, Wines etc. It is intended for consumers, and will be a great help in popularizing honey among the people everywhere, if the pamphlet is liberal- ly distributed. Prices, prepaid— Single copy, 5 cts. ; 1 0 cop- ies, 35cts.; 50 for $1.50; 100 for$2.50; 250 for $5.50; 500 for $10.00; or 1000 for $15.00. When 250 or more are ordered, we will print the bee-keeper's card (free of cost) on the front cover page. 302 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.. Winlerliig In a Cave— Suiar for Bees. Query 913.— 1. Can bees be kept over win- ter, to good advantage, in a cave or out-door cellar, with a 3-inch tiling pipe for ventila- tion, etc.? 2. It has been recommended that light brown or standard A sugar be led to bees. I have always fed mine granulated sugar, as that cannot be adulterated like the light brown. Now which of the two is the better to feed ? or is there any difference?— Subscriber. 1. I think they can. 2. I nse granu- lated.— J. P. H. Brown. 1. Yes. 2. The granulated is by far the best. — Dadant & Son. 1. Yes. 2. I use and prefer the granulated. — G. M. Doolittle. 1. I don't know. 2. I have fed the granulated with good results. I never fed any other brand. — E. France. 1. Why, of course, with the tempera- ture humidity and purity of the air just right. 2. Granulated. — J.H.Lakbabee. 1. Yes. 2. Never feed brown sugar for winter in the North. Granulated sugar is the best that I know of. — H. D. Cutting. 1. Yes. 2. The better grades of light brown sugar can be fed for winter stores, but they are not so good or cheap as the granulated variety. — C. H. Dibbern. 1. Yes, but a 3-inch pipe isn't all that's needed to keep bees well over winter. 2. I believe granulated sugar is the best at all times. — A. B. Mason. 1. Yes, if well constructed and not overstocked. 2. We feed granulated when we feed. Standard A does very well, but has more moisture. — P. H. Elwood. 1. Yes, if the temperature can be kept at the right point. 2. For winter stores granulated sugar should always be used in preference to anything cheaper. — R. L. Taylor. 1. That depends. T could tell better after I had tried it. 2. I've always fed granulated sugar, and it appears to con- tain chemicals when boiling water is poured into it. — Mrs. L. Harrison. 1. Ask Doolittle. He makes it a suc- cess. 2. I think the American Bee Journal has always recommended gran- ulated, and it's the best. But I don't feel so sure it cannot be adulterated. — C. C. Miller. 1. I think that would be just the same as a cellar ventilated the same way, and we have heard they were suc- cessful. 2. I prefer the granulated, though only because I have always taken it for granted. — Jas. A. Stone. 1. How many colonies ? A few can, undoubtedly, but 100 ought to have more ventilation. 2. If for winter stores, in confinement, I would use only the best refined. When bees can fly it will probably do to feed cheaper sugar. — Eugene Secor. 1. I can testify to having wintered a good many colonies in out-door cellars with the right temperature (45"^) and good honey. There is nothing to pre- vent their being successfully wintered in such receptacles. I should prefer to risk the granulated. — S. I. Freeborn. 1. I knew a man in Lansing, Mich., Mr. Abner Brown, who kept kees in such a cave very successfully for years. 2. Except for winter use, the brown is all right. For winter in the East I would use only granulated. Any kind would answer here in California. — A. J. Cook. 1. I do not know. I have never had any experience, but I do not think I have any use for any kind of a cave to winter bees. 2". For winter food I should use nothing but granulated sugar. The brown may do in the spring, when the bees can fly. — Emerson T. Abbott. 1. I have had no experience, but I learn from reading that it has been done with success. 2. Don't feed anything but the "best A No. 1" granulated sugar. None other is safe for winter stores. The brown sugar may be fed in spring and summer for stimulating. — J. E. Pond. 1. I have no experience in wintering bees in cold climates. 2. I feed the cheapest cane-sugar I can get, regard- less of color. We get it pure here right at the sugar plantations. I prefer brown open kettle to any other sugar, and think it is best for me. — Mrs. Jennie Atchley. AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 303 1. Yes, in very cold localities. 2. I have used standard A sugar for feeding, with good results in wintering. I prefer the granulated, as it makes more syrup, pound for pound, than the coffee A sugar. I think there is no difference, but I never used light brown sugar for wintering. — G. L. Tinker. 1. Yes, and in most, if not all cases, no special provision for ventilation is necessary. 2. It is not safe to feed brown sugar for winter. "Standard A" would probably do if pure, but it is often adulterated. Granulated is best for winter stores. For spring feeding the others will do. — J. A. Green. 1. I should think so, providing there was no dampness about the cave or cel- lar. I would put in two 8-inch venti- lating pipes — one on each side of the room. 2. Standard A sugar has always answered very well with me. Granu- lated will do — I would prefer it to light brown ; but A is the "standard." — Will M. Barnum. 1. I have no experience along this line. My bees winter in their summer homes. 2. I used to feed coffee "A" when I had to feed sugar to save my bees. The standard " A " that I used to buy was white and pure. I would not use the pale yellow article. Perhaps there is not a pound of pxire sugar on our markets. Best granulated is the safest. — G. W. Demaree. 1. Yes! and no! It all depends upon conditions that are not named. Some caves and out-door cellars with the ven- tilation you mention, would do very well, and others would kill all the bees put into them. 2. You are mistaken in saying that granulated sugar cannot be adulterated. Much of it is. I regard a good article of A coffee sugar as super- ior to any granulated sugar. It does not granulate in the cells. — M. Mahin. Tlie Amateur Bee-Keeper, is the name of a neat little pamphlet designed for the class its name indicates — amateurs and beginners in bee-keep- ing. It is written by Mr. J. W. Rouse, of Missouri, a practical apiarist and helpful writer. It contains over 60 pages, and we will send it postpaid for 25 cents ; or club it with the Bee Jour- nal for one year — both for only .$1.15. Great Premium on page 285 ! Coiiiments on tlie California Conyention. Written for the American Bee Journal BY PROF. A. J. COOK. The recent California State conven- tion was one of the best bee-meetings I ever attended. The hall was crowded all the time — a thing we do not often see at our National meetings in the East. Nor was the quality inferior to the quantity. Such men as Martin, Brod- beck, Mclntyre, Woodbury, Corey, Wil- kins, etc., are enough to make a rousing bee-convention were they not inspired by numbers. Give them the inspiration of a large gathering of eager, intelligent bee-keepers, and you can well imagine what a feast we had. CALIFORNIA A GREAT BEE-COUNTRY. Beyond question, California is by all odds the greatest apiarian district in the United States, if not in the world. From statistics gathered at the meeting, from several who had been in the actual work for years, we learned that while an en- tire failure was rare, they could count good years for two in three, and that a good year meant about 300 pounds of honey per colony for the whole apiary. With such facts before us, we may read- ily see that this is the very "Garden of Eden " for the bee-keeper, or perhaps I would better say, the very "Promised Land." Here the business warrants at- tention, interest, enthusiasm — not sim- ply for its fascination, but for the money that is in it. So the industry must flourish more and more here. BEES AND FRUIT-GROWING. One of the questions discussed was the relation of ))ees to fruit-growing. I put all the emphasis I could upon the TRUTH, that bees are a very important factor in Pomology, which is a tremen- dous industry here. Now the fruit-men look askance at their neighboring bee- keepers, and some of them even op- 304 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. pose and try to drive the bee-keepers away ; but the tide is turning ; even now a few fruit-growers are openly ad- vocating the securing of bees in the orchards. Some are getting bees to in- crease their fruit, while a few are around with startling statistics showing that bees increased the fruitage of es- pecially plums and pears astonishingly. Thus the trend of sentiment, even with the pomologists themseJves, is in the right direction. We propose this year to demonstrate some truths that will be eye-openers. So we hope to in- crease the leaven. When we show the fruit-men of California that the bees are their friends, and no enemies, we will have won over to the advocacy of apiculture in California a large body of the most intelligent and progressive men to be found in any State or Nation. Mr. Woodbury, in his very able and carefully prepared essay, among the many other good things said : In Italy, where bees and fruit are alike impor- tant industries, and have been for gen- erations, there is not only no discord, but the utmost harmony between api- arists and pomologists. They have learned at least that they do not antago- nize each other, even if they do not recognize their reciprocal value to each other. Who shall state correctly the future of bee-keeping in Southern California, when a general appreciation of the value of bees to fruit-culture is secured, and comes to help the natural adapta- bility of this region to the business of bee-keeping in making the importance of apiculture understood '? We shall work untiringly to bring this happy con- summation about speedily. So, very soon, California will be known as widely for its bee-keeping as for its gold, its fruit, its marvelous salubrity, and its wondrous beauty and unparalleled cli- mate. FOUL BROOD IN CALIFORNIA. The matter of foul brood is of impor- tance here, when it was introduced by purchasing honey to feed. Thus Che- shire's idea that honey does not contain the germs of this fell malady are again disproved. Excellent laws are in force, and with the general intelligence and enterprise everywhere present in this region among bee-keepers, we need have little fear even of this terrible microbe disease. It came in for discussion, as of course it should, but there seemed no tremor of fear, and so this one enemy — for wintering here is assured — brings really no serious disquietude to the bee- keepers. MARKETING AND TRANSPORTING HONEY. The marketing and transportation of honey is a live question in California, and called forth much earnest discussion, and some suggestive resolutions. The fruit-men have already organized in a way to make marketing more simple and satisfactory. It is hoped that the honey-producers may gain admittance to their association with great benefit. Freight rates arc enormously high on honey. The question of reasonable re- duction will be pressed, and favorable action will without doubt be secured in the near future. HIVES AND MANIPULATION. Many matters of methods and ma- nipulations were also considered. It is very evident that in skill of handling and arranging the apiary California is not a whit behind her sister States of the East. Prof Woodworth, of the State Univer- sity, was present, and explained a sort of knock-down hive, which he feels may be advantageous. In this hive there are no frames, but the common one-pound section is used in the brood-chamber as well as for extracting and surplus comb honey. The hive goes together without nails. It should be put to actual prac- tice when the propolis of the bees and the ease of manipulation could be stud- ied, before it is recommended to young bee-keepers. Claremont, Calif. Diyiiini Colonies for Increase. Written for the American Bee Journal BY H. F. COLEMAN. I have been interested in the replies to Query 908, on page 142, as to "which is the better plan in dividing colonies, to leave the old queen In the old hive or lAove her into the new one ;" and I de- sire to give my opinion with reference to it. I have had considerable experience in dividing colonies for increase, but unless an increase is desired beyond what is ob- tained by natural swarming, I would not divide at all. Natural swarming has been the most satisfactory to me, but in case division is desirable, I think it is much the best to leave the old queen on the old stand. Nearly all of the field bees return to AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 305 the old stand, which means but little, if any, accession of stores to the new stand, until the young bees themselves become workers in the field; and my experience is that the queen, if taken to the new stand, lays but little during this time. In fact, I have had queens to cease laying entirely at ■ such times, which is quite a loss if we are wanting an increase of bees. Upon the other hand, if the queen is left on the old stand, the increase of stores in excess of the demand, as compared with what was coming in before the division, seems to give her a new impetus, and she in- creases in laying instead of diminishing. Besides, I find it much easier to intro- duce a queen to the young bees on the new stand than to the old bees on the old stand. I have sometimes found it quite difficult to introduce a new queen to the bees on the old stand. Sneedville, Tenn. Aljsoliile Prevenlion of Afler-Sw arms. Written Jor the American Bee Journal BY W. HAKMER. The numerous articles which still ap- pear in our bee-papers on the subject of controlling and preventing after- swarms, as well as the pitiful stories I am told of bees flying away, clearly show the need of some absolutely sure way of preventing their issue. So many are trying cures which, to my mind, surpass the disease in trouble and ex- pense. The opening of hives and cut- ting out queen-cells is a trouble, and not a cure. The double hive or swarm- catcher is a trouble and expense, which, after being placed in position, may not be needed, so they are not perfection. Traps will not do, either, as there is often a young queen ready to become fertile, and in apiaries where hives are numbered, the jumping plan and turning hives partly around involves too much labor and recording, especially where several swarms are a daily oc- currence. Why, a fellow would need to be perfectly crazy-proof to come out all right after trying to follow all such work with side hives, traps, and swarm-catch- ers, automatic, plutocratic and other- wise; the jumping and moving hives partly around, opening hives and cut- ting out queen cells after you think you have found them, and moving hives in just so many days after swarming, as isir. Frank Coverdalo tells about on page 113. Now, Frank, don't your young queens ever take their wedding flight out through those escapes ? and don't you lose a percentage of them b}- so doing ? or perhaps you have queen-excluders over the base of the escape ; but, any- way, would you not sooner do away with all this work and fixings if you could positively prevent the issuing of after- swarms by a little manipulation at the time the prime swarm issued ? Would it not be money in your pocket instead of out of it? Well, if I tell you, you must promise not to tell, for you know there is " millions in it " dor the world). I have never seen my system in print, although the part of it we have been dis- cussing is very simple, and can be writ- ten in about three lines. It is simply this : Clip the queen's wing, hive the prime swarm on the old stand, and re- move all brood and eggs. Just this, and nothing more. Now, if you ever have an after-swarm with this plan (your bees and profits flying off to the woods), please let me know it. You see, I don't have to control what I never have. But to make the system plain in re- gard to increase and the disposition of these combs of brood without bees, I would say that I follow the Doolittle plan of cell-rearing, making nuclei when the means permit, which represent my increase and stand in a row or rows at one side or end of my apiary, and are given cells with larvae from my best queens. As soon as a young queen is laying, her wing is clipped, and, with the aid of these combs of brood, is built up into a strong colony in a week ; and as I work for extracted honey, I help to fill up the top chambers with these combs of brood, which are a great help in getting ready for the honey-flow. You can get rid of a lot of brood in this way, and draw on your oldest nuclei to form more, instead of from your honey apiary or colonies. I do not number my hives, but the position of the stands (which I place perfectly straight in rows of 10 or 20, and are 4 inches high) or stand, indicates the number of the colony recorded, so that it can be seen at a glance what number each colony represents in the book without the trouble of walking around a certain hive to look for the figures. Another good thing for this system, is that I do not have to introduce queens to queenless hives as we are so often told to do. Why, my dear brothers, the queen has got to come from another hive, and it seems to me to be like rob- bing Peter to pay Paul, and taking a 306 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL- great deal of trouble to do It, too. I pimply jump the queenless hive with a built-up nucleus that has a laying queen; this has always worked well, and is all done at one time, instead of re- peated visits, as in the old way of intro- ducing. For the introduction of cells, I use the West cell-protector. The claims of advantage I make for this system are these : 1st. I never have any but prime swarms, or swarms with a clipped queen, so that I never lose my profit by bees leaving my apiary. 2nd. I seldom have to introduce a queen. 3rd. The introduction of cells and at- tending to the increase is all done in a small space, or on one or two rows. I am in northern Michigan, and after my winter and spring loss and sales, I took 2,000 pounds of honey from 33 colonies, and no fall honey, as a drouth came in August, with frost killing the buckwheat and other bloom. The sea- son of 1892 gave me 4,000 pounds of honey from 46 colonies, which I could not have had if I had allowed my bees to go to the woods. Manistee, Mich. Is Yellow Jasmine Honey Poisonous ? Written for the American Bee Journal BY MRS. C. L. RICE. I have seen the several articles in the Bee Journal and Oleanings, about the poisonous yellow jasmine honey of the South, and thought I would give our ex- perience with it ; but after seeing Prof. Cook's answer, I thought further com- ment useless, until another article in Oleanings for Jan. 15th, asking for in- formation on the subject, and Dr. Brown's article in the Feb. 1st number, I concluded to write what I know about it. In 1883 we cut out comb from our hives, which was filled with pollen (or bee-bread), with a few cells of honey in- terspersed. Five of our children ate freely of this " bee-bread," as it is called by old bee-keepers. In a short while they became so weak that they could not stand, and complained of blindness. In alarm we sent for a physi- cian, who pronounced it an overdose of yellow jasmine. We were beginners in those days, and had only one story to our hives, and squeezed the honey. Now we use two and three stories, and extract, and so we never get the pollen and honey mixed. At the time our children were pois- oned, other members of the family ate of the honey alone, and were not in the least affected. We now use extracted honey without fear of the result. Is It not possible that all cases of honey-poisoning could be traced to tha pollen ? I know many old bee-keepers advise eating the "bee-bread" with the " bee-honey," consequently some are made sick, especially by honey taken from the tree at the famous bee-tree cutting picnics. The yellow jasmine grows plentifully around us, yet we never have had any sickness, as the result of eating extracted honey. The flowers open in the very early spring, before the orange, and I should think the honey would be used in rearing brood. Dr. Brown says, in Oleanings, that it kills the bees ; but why does it not kill all ? I rather think the disease mentioned in Oleanings, ^s bee-paralysis, for it is not the whole apiary that becomes affected — only a few colonies, wherein will be found a quantity of sealed honey from last year's harvest. With due respect to the experience of others, I submit the foregoing, hoping to see the subject sifted to the utmost limit. Ramsey, La. Bee-Keepini in Orange County, Calif. Written for the American Bee Journal, BY DR. E. GALLUP. I am going to try to give a sort of pen-picture of bee-keeping and its sur- roundings in Orange county. There are a few apiaries located in the Santa Ana river canyon that I know nothing about. Our first start will be up the Santiago canyon. Leaving Santa Ana, we pass Orange, connected with Santa Ana by two railroad lines, also a street car line three miles from Santa. Here is a pleas- ant and prosperous community, with churches, school-house, stores, fruit- ranches, etc. The next place is McPherson, on a branch railroad where a large raisin packing establishment is located. Then comes Elmodena, with its settlement of Friends or Quakers, church, stores, school, etc. On the left is Villa Park, with its orange groves, fruit-ranches, raisin vineyards, post-office, etc. These AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 307 two last-mentioned places are irrigated by water piped from the canyon, and owned and controlled l)y the land-owners. Soon after passing into the canyon we pass a large bee-ranch owned by people living at Orange. The next place of interest is the Picnic Grounds for the whole Santa Ana valley, where every May day several thousands of people congregate and enjoy themselves. Those grounds are covered with large spread- ing and majestic live-oaks, festooned with wild grape vines pending from the oulf-spreading branches and forming the most perfect natural arbors that one could wish to sec ; skirted with the sparkling and pure mountain stream. We next pass near the Santiago coal- mines, 12 miles from Santa Ana. We then arrive at the branch of the creek. Up the north branch is another coal- mine and four bee-ranches. The south branch is called Shrewsbury canyon. Up this we first pass Mr. Carpenter's bee-ranch, then arrive at Madam Mod- jeska's beautiful villa. She is a world- renowned actress, and selected the site for its reminding her of the Alps — her former home. Here the stream branches again. Up the left is Mr. Harding's bee- ranch. He keeps stock and bees, culti- vates a small piece of ground, and lives there because both himself and wife were invalids, but have good health in their mountain home. Here he showed me a colony of bees camped out on a live-oak bush. He found them three years previous, and left them there to see how they behaved themselves when enjoying California climate. They had quite a large mass of comb, were strong in numbers, and had this advantage, that they could pass out and in at either the top, bottom or sides without hin- drance. Up the right branch we arrive at Mr. Pleasauts' bee and stock ranch. He is a typical Californian, and an old timer ; the President of our County Agricul- tural Society, etc. Here we are about 18 miles from home, and we have pass- ed over the finest road that one could wish to, and the rise is so gradual that one would scarcely believe that he was so far above the valley. We have also seen the natural and beautiful groves of live-oak and sycamore trees on the route, and the grandest mountain scen- ery, something to admire and remem- ber. Mr. Pleasants is at the head of the canyon. Besides the keeping of cows and cattle, he has quite a herd of An- gora goats. Stock of all kinds thrive the entire year on the natural feed, wild oats, burr clover, alfilaree, etc. When the feed ripens it is made into hay right on the ground, and when the first rains come it springs from the seed right into the richest kind of feed again. I have seen acres of wild mountain oats, of such rank growth that it was quite diffi- cult to walk through it. I will here re- mark that there is no rain or dampness to injure this natural feed for months right ou the ground where it grew. Think of that, you who are pitching hay into barns one-half of the year for the sake of pitching it out the other half. Now we have to take you back to Santa Ana, and take a fresh start in a southeasternly direction. We pass through Tustin, three miles from Santa Ana, consisting of a wealthy class of in- habitants, with their well-kept orange orchards, walnut groves, and other fruits; two stores, three churches, school-house, blacksmith shops, bank, large hotel, etc. Here a few years ago Kansas people sent out an agent to "spy out the land ;" he bought a tract, and it was subdivided into 2^^ and 5 acre tracts or ranches, on each of which is located a prosperous and contented fam- ily. They stuck down a grape and fig cutting, and in two years they could literally sit under "their own vine and fig-tree," and there is none to make them afraid. A street-car line connects the place with Santa Ana. They also, have a branch railroad, depot, fruit shipping house, etc. Passing Tustin, we come to, or pass through, a barley field, where they raised the past season 800,000 sacksjof barley, a part of it being shipped to Ger- many for brewing purposes. This is all raised without irrigation. Eight steam threshers are at work for three months. The lowest wages were $2.00, and from that to $5.00 per day. We next pass into the hills, and near the Miner boys' bee-ranch, where they obtained their 20 tons of honey the past season. Winding among the hills over into the Aliso canyon, at the head of which we pass one or two bee and stock ranches combined. On the route we pass flocks of sheep which produce two crops of lambs and two crops of wool per year. We now wind up over a spur of the •mountain and down into Live-Oak Can- yon, where we pass three more bee and stock ranches. At the mouth of this canyon we pass a mountain school-house, located in Trabuco canyon. Up this canyon is located several more bee and stock ranches. Crossing this canyon we climb up on to a plateau of several hun- dred acres of level land (called here 308 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. "mesa"). On this is located Mr. Rob- inson, a young man with his family. He combines stock-raising, blooded-horse raising and bees. Passing here we move on up, then down and up again, over into Bell canyon, where Mr. Joplin is located. He combines stock, bees and fruit. He sold $600 worth of fruit to our World's Fair committee, put up in glass in the most attractive form. He was also the Manager of our county ex- hibit at the World's Fair. The fruit was raised on a very small piece of ground. He raises the finest kind of oranges, and all kind of fruits. The next is Mr. Miller, who a few years ago at one time shipped out of Santa Ana 95 tons of honey of his own producing. He raises fruits of the finest kinds, and also raises stock. Two miles from here, away up, is Mr. Fox, with stock and bee raising com- bined, also raising boys, for here we could see four little chaps on a gentle horse or mule every morning, loping away over the mountains five miles to the Trabuco school and back again at night. The horse would be staked out to feed on the natural grasses through the day. The largest proportion of these people were in straightened circumstances, and out of health, when they went into the mountains. They are all now, with- out an exception, in excellent circum- stances financially, and enjoying excel- lent health. From Mr. Fox's we can go over the mountains on a mule trail into the Hot Springs canyon, where two bee-ranches are located. Hot Springs is a fiimous resort in summer for invalids and health seekers. The road from this place comes down into the valley at old San Juan Mission, 25 miles from Santa Ana. There are two more bee-ranches located high up above the San Margarita stock ranch. There are three more located in Laguna canyon, on a road leading from the valley to Laguna and Arch Beach Bath, quiet summer resorts for people from Riverside and San Bernar- dino counties. In another article I will tell what I know about California bee-keeping. Santa Ana, Calif. Getting Bees to Work In tlie Sections. Written for the American Bee Journal BY A. M. TOWNER. Honey as food andl IVledicine is just the thing to help sell honey, as it shows the various ways in which honey may be used as a food and as a medicine. Try 100 copies of it, and see what good 'sales- men " they are. See the third page of this number of the Bee Journal for description and prices. Allow me to say something on Query 899, and give my method of getting bees to work in sections. First, the hive I use consists of two shallow brood- chamber sections, each holding eight shallow frames. It is called the " Alter- nating " bee-hive. It uses supers the same size as the brood-case. Now, instead of using both sections over one bottom, I have a bottom and cover for each section. I have a queen and small colony in each, placing them side by side, both facing east. Each of the sections are equal to five Langstroth frames. You will see that by stimulat- ing a little I can cause each queen to fill these small combs almost solid with brood. I stimulate a little from a month to six weeks before the expected honey- flow. Hold on, I think I hear some one say, '■' Don't your bees ever swarm?" The truth is, I am not troubled with swarm- ing at that time of the year (July) when the stimulating is done. The reason I have assigned for this is its being out of the natural swarming season, and bees are then slow to get the swarming fever, as our swarming season is in May, if there is any nectar at that time, and there seldom is. Our main flow is from Spanish-needle in September. I watch the bees closely, and as soon as the combs begin to whiten, I take one of these colonies and turn it half way around. I then lift the other off the bottom and set it on the ground, placing a super in its place. I now shake the bees, queen and all from this last section in front of the super, and place these combs over the colony first re- moved. Now the bees in the super with the addition of field-bees from the col- ony first removed, makes them so strong that they at once commence drawing out the foundation, which I use in full sheets. In 24 to 48 hours I raise this super and place a brood section under, filled with eight of the most solidly capped brood-frames to be found in the whole 16, shaking the bees off so as to be sure not to get the queen. Then I turn this small colony gradually around beside the one with the super, then suddenly back again, causing the bees that hatch- ed meanwhile to join the colony with the super. I have tried the above plan the past AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 309 two seasons, and I am highly pleased with it. Although the past two seasons were almost failures, I have realized fair returns for my labor. The bees having commenced to work in the super, they will not stop when the brood is given back, but the queen will go down in the brood-case, and I am never both- ered with brood or pollen in the super. I write this that others who have not been successful in getting bees to work in the sections might profit by my ex- perience. The above plan may not work so well in other localities. Last season my bees averaged 28 pounds per colony, or per double colony, rather, and I do not know of any one else in this locality that got a pound of surplus honey. Our main flow is from Spanish-needle, is of excellent quality, and never^andies : in fact, I never knew any of our honey to candy. Bronaugh, Mo. A Bee-FeeJer for Siirini Use. Written for the American Bee Journal DR. O. S. BKOWN. In this part of Ohio, all successful bee-keepers are compelled to feed more or less every spring to stimulate brood- rearing, and to supply the needful food for the bees during the long, cold rains which occur every spring. I have had much annoyance in using the various forms of feeders described by our lead- ing apiarists— all those feeding in the surplus chamber necessitating the dis- turbing or removing entirely of the ab- sorbents over the cluster; while those feeding in the brood-chamber compel the removal of one or more brood-frames, provided you have a full colony. After much thought and many fail- ures, I at last made a feeder, from which I have much satisfaction in using. It is not patented, neither do I manufacture it for sale. Thinking it might interest the readers of the "Old Reliable" to have a description of it, I give herewith a cut of it, with full directions for its manufacture. It is better to make it of some soft wood, such as pine, poplar, etc. For the bottom, get out a block 8 inches long by 5 inches wide by >^ inch thick. Now get out a strip 26 inches long by IJi inches wide by % inch thick. This is for a rim, which is to be nailed edge- wise upon the bottom block. If you want to do a nice, neat job, cut the strip in lengths for the sides and ends, using a square miter at each corner, like a picture frame, and nailing each way. This rim should be of the exact size of the bottom. Nail fast by nailing through the bottom into the strips. Lastly get out a block 2 inches hy \M inches by %-inch (I usually take a piece of one of the blocks which I saw off the rim, for this), and nail it flat-wise in the center of the bottom on the same side the rim is nailed. Be certain to nail in each corner of the block ; then bore a hole through its center and bottom with a %-mQ,h. bit. This is for the bees to enter the feeder. Cut a piece of wire cloth, (such as is used for fly-screen) 8x5 inches, and turn li inch down on each side, so that it will the better hold the tacks. Tack this over the rim upon the top of the feeder. Heat some beeswax, or paraffine, quite hot, and at the same time heat the feeder until it feels warm to the hand ; now pour the wax, or paraffine, (paraf- fine being the best) into the feeder, and slowly turn it until every part of the interior is in thorough contact with the hot material. Pour out all that is not held by the wood, for future use. A feeder thus coated will neither sour nor leak the syrup, which is very essential in sprinir feeding, as the feeder is much more liable to sour in spring stimulative feeding than in fall feeding for winter stores. To place the feeder upon the hive, I remove the chaff cushion, and with a sharp pocket-knife make two V-shaped incisions in the burlap or oilcloth, each incision being about one inch long, and the two being separated about %-inch at the widest point. Turn back the flap thus made, and place the auger-hole in the feeder directly over it. This open- ing should, of course, be directly over the cluster. To fill the feeder with syrup, I use an ordinary tea-pot of large size, having a long spout. It only takes a moment to lift the cushion, pour in the. hot syrup through the wire-cloth, and replace the cushion and pass to the next hive. It is surprising how soon one person can feed 25 to 50 colonies in this way, and speed is not the only feature. You disturb 310 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. the boos but vory little ; you aro uot troubled by stray l)oos ooniing out at the top of the hive; ueither do you admit the cold air into the cluster to chill the brood : and yet you have the feed Just where you waut it for comfort and ease of access for the bees. Londonderry, Ohio. 1mm Bees— ReiileriiiE fax. Written for the Amo^lcan Bee Journal BY I.»W. BECKWITH. Mr. C. H. Coleman, on page 24:9, does not tell us what trouble he anticipates in moving his bees, but I presume he wants to know how he can hold the combs rigid. Take ^i-inch wire-nails (those with large heads are best), and drive one into each corner of the frame so as to come between this and the adjoining frame, letting the heads project far enough to hold the combs apart the required dis- tance. Now close the hive-entrance secui'ely, take off the cover, and tack on one of wire-cloth, and if you do not have springs to haul on, fill the wagon bed nearly full of straw, place the hives on this, and drive ahead ; and should the weather be warm or cold, your bees will carry all right. BEESWAX RENDERING. I expected to find Chas. Dadanfs method of rendering wax in the last issue of the Bee Journal,, but as it was not there, I will tell how I do it, and get yellow wax every time. I heat the comb in any vessel except iron or rusty tin, with plenty of water ; stir frequently, and see that the comb does not burn on the bottom of the kettle. When the wax is all melted, and while quite hot, I put the pumice into a strong cloth strainer and press as hard as the strainer will bear. As each cocoon cup is likely to be filled with wax, a consid- erable pressure is necessary. A hand cider-press would be just the thing for this work. I then return the wax to the heating vessel with plenty of water, and when it is all melted I keep it hot a considerable time without boiling, and what impuri- ties there were in the wax which gave it the dark color, will settle into the water or form a layer on the under side of the wax, which may be shaved off when cold. If I should burn the comb on the bot- tom of the kettle, it would give the wax a stain, which I could not wash out. Any dark wax may be cleansed in this way if it has not been scorched, or stained in an iron kettle. Fort Lupton, Colo. Foul Brood— lis Syiimlouis aiil Cure. /i'lsiilts of Expcriineutti at the J/ic/u)jaii Apiary. BY. R. L. TAYLOR, APIARIST. During the season I have given con- siderable attention to the disease known among bee-keepers as foul brood, wtich from its insidious, highly contagious and deadly character, is the one disease of the hive to be greatly dreaded by the apiarist. It no doubt attacks^nd great- ly curtails the life of the mature bee, but it is in the case of the bee in the larval state that its destructive effects are most evident. Like many of the diseases to which the human family is subject, it is in- duced by bacteria, to which in this par- ticular case the name " bacillus alvei " is given, and such is its malignity that when once present, unless proper meas- ures are taken to keep it in check, in the course of three or four years whole apiaries are swept away. I am inclined to think that it is often present where not suspected, and that often the de- struction ascribed to the severity of the winter should be assigned to it. How to detect the presence of the dis- ease and how to effect its cure are the practical points to which my attention has been chiefly directed. My experience with it is not confined to the past season, but runs back over the past seven years during which I have cured more than 100 cases largely dur- ing the first two years of the period, but I became so interested in the study of the disease and so certain that I could control it that I was not anxious to be entirely rid of it, preferring rather at some risk to get as thorough and prac- tical acquaintance as possible with its pe- culiarities and with the best methods of dealing with it. HOW FOUL BROOD IS CONVEYED. It would be important to know, if pos- sible, all the ways in which the disease is conveyed from one colony to another. Whether the bacteria may be carried in the air to a new hive, or whether a bee from a diseased colony may carry them out on its feet or body, and in gathering AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 311 nectar deposit them on the flowers so that they may become by chance attach- ed to another bee from a healthy colf)ny in its visits to the same flowers, and thus become the means of spreading the dis- ease ; or whether a bee from a diseased colony will convey the disease, if on re- turning from the field with a load of nectar it enter a hive not its own, I know not ; but there are numerous ways by which the disease may certainly be spread which should be familiar to every bee-keeper. They all depend upon the principle that the incorporation of the bacteria with the food to be given the larval bees will start the disease afresh. Some of the more common ways in which this is done are the following : 1st. The "swarming out" of bees from a diseased hive and coalescing with a healthy colony. 2nd. The artificial uniting of a mass of bees from a diseased colony with a healthy colony. 3rd. The giving of a comb from a dis- eased colony, or even a very small piece of such diseased comb to a healthy col- ony. -ith. The robbing of a diseased colony by bees from a healthy colony. 5th. The feeding of honey taken from diseased colonies to healthy bees. When it is known that the disease is caused by bacteria, it would be readily granted that it would be contracted from comb containing diseased larvse, but it may be questioned, as it has been, whether it could be contracted from honey taken from the combs of a dis- eased colony ; but when it is considered that the bees are continually traveling back and forth over open cells contain- ing the putrid remains of the diseased larvas to the open cells of the honey, and that they endeavor to remove from the cells the glue-like mass with their tongues, and then insert their tongues into the cells of honey to obtain their food, it must be admitted that it would be very strange if the honey were not thoroughly contaminated; and that it is so, and that the life of the germs is pre- served in the honey, seems abundantly shown by an experiment I made with oO colonies to which I fed honey, not to ex- ceed one per cent, of which was taken from diseased colonies. The result was that within two weeks 29 of the 30 colonies were badly diseased. Honey may be safely considered the great source of danger, because under all possible circumstances it is greedily taken by the bees and conveyed to their hives and their own stores thereby con- taminated. It is to the last degree im- portant, therefore, that whenever the disease is known to exist, or its existence suspectcid, extreme care be taken that the bees have no opportunity to get a taste of contaminated or suspected honey. SIGNS OF THE DISEASE. Now as to the signs by which the pres- ence of the disease may be certainly known. So far as I have been able to discover there is one symptom, and one only, by which the average bee-keeper may deter- mine without danger of error whether the disease is present, and that is found in the character of the remains of the larvaj before, in the course of time, they become dried up. Brood dies from several causes — per- haps from other diseases — but there is always a plain distinction to be observed between the appearance of the larvae dead from foul brood and of that dead from other causes. The substance of the former (foul brood) is homogene- ous throughout, that is, all parts of the mass in a given cell are of the same con- sistency, that of the latter generally varies in consistency, one part being watery, another more or less solid; the former is of a solid color, brownish like coffee prepared for drinking by the addi- tion of milk, the latter is usually of dif- ferent colors, often partly white and partly black but if in the grub stage it is nearly white; the former is without form like a drop of glue, or becomes so on being touched, the latter in all cases retains its shape with more or less per- sistency; and lastly the former is always viscid, the latter never. This character- istic alone, I believe, always furnishes a sure test. Take a sliver, match, or straw and in- serting one end into the dead matter in a cell withdraw it ; if the matter proves to be sticky or ropy as shown by following out the straw in a string you have foul brood, otherwise not. So far as is now known if the above rules are carefully applied there never need he any doubt as to whether the disease exists or not. 'However, unless one's attention is es- pecially directed to the matter, one is not likely to discover the presence of the disease until it has practically destroyed the colony, and perhaps also been con- veyed to other colonies, hence it is im- portant as an assistance in the discovery of the disease to bear in mind the follow- ing facts: The life of the larva may be destroyed either before its cell is capped or after. 312 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. and in the former case it is not capped at all. As soon as the larva is dead, perhaps before, it loses its natural glistening pearly whiteness. The capping of cells containing the dead larvte have an unnatural appear- ance,— they are generally more or less sunken, sometimes perforated, and often darker in appearance than is natural. By fall, if the colony is still strong, such cappings are all, or nearly all, re- moved. After some time, at least by late fall, the dead larvaj becomes dried down to a thin, dark-brown scale attached to the lower side and extending almost to the entrance of the cell. They are then al- most imperceptible except to the exper- ienced eye when held in a favorable light. When the disease has made consider- able progi-ess it is attended by an ex- tremely unpleasant odor which may be preceived by holding the nose to the comb affected; sometimes it may be felt even when the cover is raised in opening the hive. After the disease has obtained a firm foot-hold the strength of the colony gradually declines and a suspicious and increasing listlessness is shown in its efforts to collect pollen and nectar, until, at length, unless the apiarist interferes, it becomes the prey of robber bees, and the disease is widely disseminated. The time required for the destruction of a colony varies from one to three or more years, owing to the amount of in- fection and to the virulence of the dis- ease in the particular case. The disease seems gradually to wear itself out, if I may use that expression. Seven years ago in some cases in three weeks from infection nearly one-half the brood was dead ; during the past season in two colonies which each showed sev- eral cells in May, not a single cell could be found in September. METHODS OF ERADICATING THE DISEASE. So far I have set forth the signs by which the disease is known, almost in mere outline indeed, but sufficiently, I think, so that any intelligent person using care and attention cannot go astray; and now it remains only in the same brief way to explain the methods which have been discovered by which the disease may be banished from the apiary, but first let me warn every one except as an experiment, and at his own risk, not to place any reliance for a cure upon any of the drugs which have been recommended for the purpose. I have tried phenol or carbolic acid and salycilic acid in numerous cases, but in no single instance did it appear that even the first step was made toward effecting a cure. There is a heroic method recommended by some and that is the destruction of hive, combs and bees by fire. I have never tried it but no doubt it would be effectual so far as the individual colony is concerned, but whether it would be as to healthy neighboring colonies would depend on whether it were properly done, and whether it wore properly done or not would depend on whether any of the bees were allowed to escape — if they were, the disease would probably be spread rather than circumscribed. The process is evidently one requiring ex- treme care and only to be recommended to one who is sure of his plans. In the method which I recommend and which I have thoroughly tested in a liun- dred cases or more, without a single fail- ure, so far as I know, one must be pre- pared to disinfect the hive and all its belongings, except of course the bees, by a thorough boiling. My rule is to boil each part fifteen minutes. The combs are of course destroyed but the wax is saved. Having provided as many hives as there are colonies to be operated on — the hives to be furnished with frames, either filled with foundation or with starters of foundation — combs will not do at all — proceed as follows: Select a time when some nectar is being gathered and an hour of the day when the bees are not flying, then move the first colony a little to one side and place the new hive, which should be like the old in outward appearance as nearly as possible, upon the spot where the other stood, then as rapidly as possible take the combs from the colony and shake or brush all the bees upon the ground in front of the new hive, of which they will at once take possession, and then remove the combs and hive to a place of safety, to be disinfected, being careful not to break the comb so as to let any honey get upon the ground or elsewhere for other bees to gather up. In like manner treat the other colonies, but if any of the combs contain brood which it is desirable to save, they may be given to one or more of the infected colonies which are then to be removed for treatment as soon as the brood is hatched. This course will insure a cure. If the bees were given a hive contain- ing comb they would be sure to carry the disease with them. During the past season I treated two colonies as an experiment, when there were no flowers from which to gather AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 313 nectar and by carofnlly feeding them for two weeks just sullicient to keep them fi'om starving, they were afterwards found to be free from disease, but this course requires great care, or at least is not to be recommended without further experiment. In all cases it is desirable to place a queen-trap at the entrance of the new hive to prevent the bees absconding. Lapeer, Mich. •■■^^■^^■^^■^' ■■■*■■■»■ -^ •—■-*■ ■■ Tie Kova Scotia Conyenlion. Written for the Avierican Bee Journal By E. F. BEELEK. The annual meeting of the Nova Scotia Bee-Keepers' Association was held at Wolfville, on Jan. 18, 1894, with Pres. J. B. Davison in the chair. The reports of the Secretary and Treas- urer for the past year were read and approved. The President's address was listened to with a great deal of interest and enthusiasm, and upon request he gave his consent to its being published. The following oflScers were elected for the ensuing year : President — J. B. Davison. 1st Vice-President — A. J. Woodman. 2nd Vice-President — J. E. Woolover. Secretary and Treasurer — E.F.Beeler. Mr. S. C. Parker, Secretary of the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers' Association, was present, and spoke of the desira- ability of uniting the Bee-Keepers' Asso- ciation with the Fruit Growers' Associa- tion, and a committee consisting of E. F. Beeler, C. R. Pineo and C. A. Patir- quin was appointed to confer with the executive of the Fruit Growers' Associa- tion, in regard to a basis of amalgama- tion, to be considered at their next meet- ing. The following questions were dis- cussed : BEE-KEEPING AS A BUSINESS. 1st. How does bee-keeping compare with other pursuits, upon which to de- pend for a living ? The impression expressed by several members was very favorable, and in this locality especially so. THE BEGINNER WITH BEES. 2nd. Should a beginner purchase bees in box-hives and transfer them ? If so, how many, and how to transfer? The general expression on this ques- tion was that a beginner should pur- chase one colony in movable-frame hive. LOCATING AN APIARY — SPRAYING. 3rd. What are the essential points in locating an apiary ? This was discussed at some length. Prof. Favell, of the Horticultural school, spoke in condemnation of spray- ing fruit-trees while in bloom, as it was injurious to the fruit as well as the bees. It was decided that Mr. R. W. Starr and the President act as a committee to arrange for suitable prizes to be offered for a honey display at our next Provin- cial Exhibition, to be held in Halifax next autumn. The convention then adjourned. E. F. Beelee, Sec. Wolfville, N. S. Tie Cortland Union Conyenlion. Written for the American Bee Jonrnal BY C. W. WILKINS. The Cortland Union Bee-Keepers' As- sociation met in Good Templars' Hall, in Cortland, N. Y., on Feb. 27, 1894. The meeting was called to order by Pres. M. R. Wood, after which the min- utes of she last meeting were read and approved. On account of the small at- tendance, the election of officers was postponed until the afternoon. The President addressed the meeting in a very kind and fatherly spirit, on the negligence of humanity in improving opportunity for increased knowledge from the experience of others, when it could be had gratis. He applied this es- pecially to the bee-keeper, and doubly emphasized his statements by referring to the small attendance at our apicul- tural gatherings, when our county con- tains enough in the profession to triple the attendance. " Knowledge and strength," said he, "have been said to be ' The two essential requisites of suc- cess,' but ahead of them all I would place ambition. Without it, what good is learning ?" The meeting was next opened for questions and free discussion. 314 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. THICK TOP-BARS. This subject was mentioned with the remark that it was believed by some that these bars wouid prevent the build- ing of brace or burr combs. It was soon apparent from the remarks that all the benefits to be derived from this style of frame, in the judgment of the "old veterans" presept, was to prevent the sagging of the comb and its support, which thus enlarges the space between the top-bar and the super, and conse- quently causes the bees to build their "ladders." It was believed that the T- shaped top-bar would perform all that was claimed for the thick bar, without the waste of valuable space, and the de- barring influence on the bees in entering the boxes so far remote from their brood- nest, which must follow from the use of the thick bars. The convention then adjourned until 1:30 p.m. Afternoon Session. The meeting was called to order by the President, and the roll was called. The election resulted in the re-election of all ofScers, as follows : President— M. R. Wood, of Cortland. Treasurer — T. T. Barrows, of Groton. Secretary — C. W. Wilkins, of Homer. stopping swarms with noise. The meeting opened for discussion with the question, " Through what rea- son is it probable that bees alight, on swarming, by drumming on tin pans, ringing bells, etc., if they do, as used to be believed?" Some thought it must be through con- fusing the queen and bees by the un- usual noise until they would alight to rest. Others believed it was the like- ness to thunder, which made them be- lieve a storm was approaching, and to avoid a soaking and possible drowning, they cluster to be prepared. tiring out the bees. This is the way Mr. W. Houglin fixes them. When he is on hand, and a swarm commences to issue, as soon as a part of them are out he closes up the entrance and tires out those in the air before allowing the next installment to come forth. He then allows a part of those in the hive to join the truants, when the remainder are again subjected to close confinement. He next allows the remainder to decamp. His theory is, that they will alight when part are tired, and that so few of a large swarm are not apt to abscond, provided " her majesty " made her ap- pearance with the first issue. But as the last condition is unusual, that point could not be depended upon. Several other questions of varying in- terest followed, closing with one on wintering bees under snow. "Do bees winter as well under deep snow ?" was asked. It seemed to be the general opinion from experience and observation, that the less snow around the hives the bet- ter for the welfare of the colony ; al- though the point was strongly main- tained that snow in very cold weather is beneficial. At the request of Mr. W. Houglin, of McLean, it was decided to hold the spring meeting at his residence, upon the call of the Secretary. The convention then adjourned, sine die. C. W. Wilkins, Sec. Homer, N. Y. CONVENTIOJV DIRECTORY. Time and place of tneetirig. 1894. Mar. 15, 16.— S.W.Wisconsin, at Boscobel,Wis. A. A. Arms, Sec, Hurlbut, Wis. Mar. 16.— S. E. Kansas, at Bronson. Kans. J. C. Balch, Sec, Bronson, Kans. Apr. 4 5.— Texas State, at Greenville, Tex. E. J. Atchley, Sec, Beeville, Tex. !I^~ In order to have this table complete, Secretaries are requested to forward full particulars of the time and the place of each future meeting. — The Editor. North Amsricau Bee-Keepers' Association Pres.— Emerson T. Abbott. St. Joseph, Mo. Vice-Pres.— O. L. Hershiser Buffalo, N. Y. Secketary— Frank Benton, Washington, D. C. Treasurer— George W. York... Chicago, Ills. National Bee-Eeepers' Union. President— Hon. R. L. Taylor.. Lapeer, Mich. Gen'i^ Manager— T. G. Newman. Chicago, 111. 147 South AVestern Avenue. Capons and Caponizing^, by Edward Warren Sawyer, M. U., Fanny Field, and others. It shows in clear language and illustrations all about caponizing fowls ; and thus how to make the most money in poultry-raising. Every poultry-keeper should have it. Price, postpaid, 30 cents ; or clubbed with Bee .Iournal one year, for $1.10. AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 315 ^P~ Do not write anything for publication on the same sheet of paper witn business matters, unless it can be torn apart without interfering with either part of the letter. Cold Weather for the Bees. A "norther" reached here on Feb. 15th; the -wind was brisk, and this morning we find the snow 4 inches deep, with a bright sunshine. We hope it will not injure the bees much. I wonder if Mrs. Atchley did not see snow about the 12th or 13th. The mercury here was about 15 degrees above zero this morning. R. A. Shultz. Cosby, Tenn.. Feb. 16. Rearing- Good Queen-Bees. On page 212, Friend Michael makes some good points about rearing queens, but isn't he a little forgetful when he speaks about a larva three days old being unfit to make a queen ? Is it not generally stated that tho food of worker larvfe for the first three days is the same as royal jelly ? The inter- esting table given on page 205, if it does not show it exactly the same, shows not much difference, the advantage in albumen, as Herr Reepen abserves, being in favor of the worker larvae. Only after the fourth day does the worker larva get an in- ferior diet, so according to that, a young queen emerging not less than 10 days after the bees commence to give it full attention as a queen, ought to be all right, providing all other conditions are favorable. Marengo, 111. C. C. Miller. Experimenting on Wintering Bees. I have just examined my bees with refer- ence to how they have wintered. I winter them on the summer stands, and this sea- son I have experimented a little so as to ascertain if possible the best method of wintering. I packed all of my weak colo- nies with a chaff division-board on each side, with a cushion over the brood-nest, and of these I have lost nine. Some of the stronger colonies I put up with a division- board in the north side of the hives, with a cushion on top of the frames ; others I put up without any division-boards, but with cushions on top of the frames. Of the last two classes, about an equal in number, have not wintered well. By my experiments, 1 have learned some very important lessons. One is, that it makes iiu difference how large a colony of bees you have to winter, it is best to put chaff division-boards on both sides of it. And another is. if you have but one divi- sion-board to the hive, it is best to put that on the south and not on the north side of the hive. The reason of the last is appar- ent. In the winter the bees will cluster to the warm or south side of the hive, and if your hive is thin — say % of an inch, and you have no division-board — the bees freeze more or less every cold spell, until by spring they are greatly depleted, if not en- tirely destroyed. My hives face the east, and in cold or cool weather I always know where to find the bees ; they are on the south side, and as close to the wall as they can get ; and to keep them from freezing, they should be kept away by a division-board, or by some other means. H. F. Coleman. Sneedville, Tenn., Feb. 10. He Likes the "Bee Journal," Etc. I must say that I do like the American Bee Journal ; and as I read of the differ- ent bee-keepers, and especially the lady bee-keepers — what they have done and are doing, the thermometer seems to rise to almost 100 degrees. I would like to meet with all in convention sometime, and speak face to face, and have a good shake of the hands. W. S. Walton. Scarboro Junction, Ont. Had a Good Honey-Flow, Etc. Last winter and the spring following were hard ones on bees in this part of Wis- consin, many losing all. Mine kept dwind- ling until in May, when I had 7 colonies left out of IS, 4 of which were fair ones. I in- creased them to 31 colonies again, with plenty of natural stores, and took about 600 pounds of extracted honey. We had a splendid honey-flow here from white clover. Basswood was a failure. Bees seem to be wintering nicely so far, in the cellar. Louis George. Oakwood, Wis., Feb. 15. The " Admitter" Part Explained. I see from your notice of my bee-escape on page 168, that you do not understand what I mean by the "admitter." In my hive, which is adapted to local and migra- tory use, are two trap doors, one on either side, which has two holes in each, two being for the transmitter, and the others for the admitter and the escape. When preparing to move, the glass end of the device is In the hive, and the bees from the field come to the hive and can go in and none come out. When used as an escape the glass is out- side. It is sometimes used in conjunction with a piece of perforated zinc as a drone- excluder, and is also a great time and labor saving invention when used as an escape- hoard, being very fast and effective. It is with this little device and transmit- ter that 1 can draw bees from any kind of 316 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. hive and convey them to another, or to a surplus apartment away from the hive where bees of different colonies work to- gether in perfect harmony, without dis- turbing the comb or injuring the bees. Having made this discovery, I am enabled to have my colonies of a uniform strength, form new ones, and control swarming. The old plan of getting surplus honey over a queen is an uncertain trust, as experience has proven. Jas. H. Davis. Wood- Ashes for Winter Packing. A good material to fill chaff hives is dry wood-ashes. I have used it for two winters with good results. The ashes, being a non- conductor, they will also preserve the wood, and no vermin will hatch in the fill- ing. The ashes ought to be perfectly dry when put in, and about II4 inches thick will be sufficient. No ashes should be used for winter protection on top, as I lost one colony last winter on that account. -I think that dry sawdust on top is the best. I have 14 colonies this winter, and they are wintering all right so far, on the sum- mer stands. Wm. Brimmer. White Creek, Wis. Haphazard Bee-Keeping. I like the Bee Journal very much, as it gives the experience of practical bee-men, such information as all bee-keepers need. I have 19 colonies of hybrid bees, and would like to Italianize them, but they build their own comb, and it would be a hard matter to change the queens. Some of my neighbors have bees, but they take very little interest in them. They let them go haphazard like, and if they store honey, all right; if not, they curse them and say they are not worth keeping. But not so with me ; I take all the care I can of them, and if so unlucky as not to have enough stores to keep them, I feed them until they can supply themselves. Last year was a poor honey year here, and not so much honey, especially late. My bees are all right now. Jett, Ky., Feb. 12. J. L. Crutcher. Dividing Colonies of Bees, Etc, My bees are in fine condition. I winter them on the summer stands. I have kept bees for over 50 years, but am learning still. The American Bee Journal helps me out a good deal. Mu('h has been written about dividing bees, but I will explain my way of dividing two colonies into three. I take two colo- nies, and will call them No. 1 and No. 2. No. 1 I drum into a new hive containing frames with starters ; when all are in, I examine them by putting the hive on a black cloth ; when tlie queen is present she will lay eggs on the cloth in 5 or 10 min- utes—the sooner she lays, the better tlie queen. Then 1 put them back on the same stand, but keep them cool a couple of days by covering them over. I then take No. 2 and remove them to a new location, and put the drummed-out hive, with all the brood and honey, in the plase of No. 2. The most of the working- force will go to the old location. I give them a young queen. By this method all three colonies are about even in strength, and all right for the honey-flow. Thayer, Ind., Feb. 10. A. Roorda. Bees Wintering Well. The bees are shut in just now by a cold spell. They are wintering very well. I have not lost any so far. I will move them next week to Crystal Spring Farm Apiary, where I will do a more extensive business than I did formerly. Edw. E. Smith. Carpenter, Ills., Feb. 18. Later. — March 1st.— I moved my bees on Feb. 26th, and lost several queens. We have had fine weather every day since, and the rest seem to be doing well. E. E. S. Alone, but Contented and Happy. I have been entirely alone since Dec. 28th. It keeps me busy all the time looking after and attending to everything around the place. I milk two cows, feed my horse and harness it when I want to drive, attend to fine poultry — 88 in 10 different yards, houses, etc. ; and do all my house-work. My friends come to see me almost every day. I don't know another place in the whole world at which I would feel as safe and secure from harm or molestation, as in our own beautiful, quiet little village of Salado. I have never seen but one tramp at my home since I have lived here (now going on 19 years) , and that was seven or eight years ago. Mrs. S. E. Sherman. Salado. Tex., Feb. 20. Moving Bees — Wintering Tip-Top. In answer to C. H. Coleman's inquiry on page 249, I would say: First secure the combs by notching two slats and dropping the same at each end of the frames. Then raise the cover and bottom 1-1(3 inch, and secure it by boring three holes in i.^-inch strips the length of the depth of the hive — one screw in the top board and one in the bottom, also one in the middle of the hive ; use 1-inch screws. Cover the entrance with wire-cloth, and place the hives in a wagon and go ahead. Place the hives lengthwise of the wagon. Bees are wintering tip-top. We had a very short season last 3 ear. yet they did well for the time they were at work. July 20th closed the honey season in this vicinity, and but very little honey came from linden or basswood. I know of no reason why basswooil did not yield, as the trees blos- somed well. Bees paid but little attention to it during l)loom. My yield was a little over .')0 pounds to the colony, spring count, lam well satisfied. A. Y. Baldwin. DeKalb, 111., Feb. 20. weekly, $1 a Year. \ ^^''^''^^l^ij-'i^'^^^y^^ Sample Copy Free. VOL. XXXIII. CHICAGO, ILL. MAR. 15, 1894. NO. 11. 1 GEORGE WY0Ri^^7 ^Vliere Honey Conies I'^roni. — On another page of this number of the Bee Journal will be found the promised inter- esting address delivered by Mr. R. Mc- Knight, at the recent Ontario convention. Conil> Honey !* Years Old.— Hon. Eugene Secor, of Forest City, Iowa, sent us the following on March 3rd, about a box of comb honey that had been kept for eight years, and still was well preserved : We have just finished eating a 3-pound box of comb honey that was eight years old. It has been kept, too, under unfavor- able conditions a part of the time, having been moved from kitchen to garret several times, and last summer, while we were building, it was exposed to all the changing moods of climate for three months out-of- doors. But it would not stand everything. In handling it somehow got broken, began to leak, and we were obliged to eat it to save it — as the lion protects the lamb. The honey was all right. No one at the table suspected that it was old. It was nbt gran- ulated in the cells, and I think never has been. This is no remarkable afifair, I suppose. Probably most bee-keepers know that honey can be preserved almost indefinitely if properly taken care of. By the way, I believe I have now an almost ideal place to keep honey in — an attic where it will al- ways be dry and warm — under a tin roof. Eugene Secok. Bees and Fruit is the title of a 16- page pamphlet just issued by A. I. Root, of Medina, Ohio. It shows the important part played by bees in the fertilization of blos- soms, giving the evidence pro and con,. It is the "Symposium on Bees and Fruit" that we mentioned on page 364, put in pamphlet form for handy distribution by bee-keepers among fruit-growing neighbors who think that bees are detrimental to their interests. Prices are : Single copies, post- paid, 2 cents each ; 25 copies, 40 cents ; 50 copies, 75 cents; and 100 copies, *1.25. ]lfot Swpply Healers. — Our subscrib- ers will please remember that we are ?iot dealers in bee-supplies ; so do not send to us for a catalogue — send to those who adver- tise supplies in the Bee Journal, and they will be glad to accommodate you. ^Vintering" ^Vell. — So far reports seem to indicate that bees are wintering quite nicely all over the country. Now if they will only " spring" equally well, bee- keepers will be prepared to harvest a large crop of honey — providing the flowers " give down " the nectar. Prof. Cook and His IWeM' Home. — As many of the friends of Prof. A. J. Cook will be pleased to know just what he is doing in his new home at Claremont, Calif., it gives us a great deal of pleasure to make the following statements : He is Professor of Zoology and Ento- mology at Pomona College — precisely the same position which he held in the Michi- gan Agricultural College. Pomona College is a denominational in- stitution, like Oberlin, Amherst, Olivet, etc. 328 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. The teachers are all earnest Christian men, and nearly all the students are Christians. Prof. Cook writes that the spirit in the college is delightful. It is, he says, entirely safe to send young gentlemen or ladies there. The influence is such that no one can experience it without being inspired to good work and pure life. Such a college must be just such a leaven as California, or any other society, needs. The President of Pomona College is not only a broad-minded Christian man, but he is also eminently practical. He saw that California was pre-eminent for its fruit and bee interests, and so he was desirous to secure a practical entomologist, and a person able to teach bee-keeping; so he lured from Michigan (where Prof. Cook had taught for 37 years) the person who has perhaps done as much to aid the science of entomology, especially in its economic trend, as any one in the country. Prof. Cook is delighted with his new home and work. He writes: This is a delightful country, with a cli- mate that is unsurpassed. The fruit is wonderfully varied and delicious. The people are temperate, wide-awake, and mostly Christians. The college is almost ideal, with nearly 200 of as earnest, wide- awake students as one can find anywhere. The first class graduates the coming sum- mer, and will number twelve. Each one of them bids fair to become a power for good in the State. A. J. Cook. We are indeed glad that Prof. Cook has gone to such a grand field in which to work and be useful to his fellow men. The Bee Journal wishes him abundant success, and many, many years full of rich and honored labors for himself and all humanity. Bro. Will. .1. Kllidioii, who lived near Catchall, S. C, died on Feb. 9, 1894, at the age of 45 years. He was a prominent queen-breeder, and an old-time bee-keeper. The Watr/immi. and Sonthroii, a local news- paper, speaks tenderly and highly of him, as follows: William J. Ellison was a man of educa- tion and intelligence, good character, and highly respected. He came of a family that for several preceding generations has lived in the Stateburg community, esteemed and respected by the people of both races. He was a devout member of the Episcopal Church, and leaves a widow and four chil- dren, all boys, to mourn his death. He was ill for a long time, but bore his sufferings with Christian submission and unwavering faith. As an apiarist, he was, perhaps, the best informed man in the State, and his queens were in demand all over the coun- try. He regularly every year made an ex- hibition of his bees and other products at the State Fair, taking many premiums. As a man and citizen he will be missed in the community, where his influence was always for good. What higher tribute can be paid to the memory of any man than the foregoing ? No nobler monument than deserved praise and loving remembrance can be given to mortals. To live well means to die well. Let us all try to merit the plaudit " Well done," when life shall have ended. The Bee Journal extends sincere sympa- to the bereaved family, and trusts that they may also live so that a blessed re-union may be assured on the " other shore." IJnfbi'tiiiiiite H£i]>peiiing'»«. — Last fall a bee-keeper in one of the lower honey counties of California shot and killed a man, both being at the time under the in- fluence of liquor. On Feb. 17th another shooting afl'ray, in which bee-keepers figured, was enacted in Orange county. As we learn from the telegraphic dispatches, a Mr. Louis Emerson, a young gentleman of hitherto unblemished character, along with his brother took up some claims to Govern- ment lands in Santa Argo canyon, some 20 miles from Santa Ana, where the brother named lives ; and when the brothers went to the place, which they use as a bee-ranch, they found it in possession of a half-breed Mexican, who set up a claim to the property. The squatter was ordered off, but instead of surrendering possession, he started to attack Emerson's brother, and would have probably killed him had not the younger brother pulled his gun and shot the Mexi- can dead, several shots being flred into his body. The brothers drove into Santa Ana, and the one who did the shooting was taken in charge by the sheriff, he delivering him- self into custody. One 4|ispatch states that the Mexican took possession of the claim during the brothers' absence, and upon their return attacked the older brother with a club, hoping to drive him off, when the younger brother shot him to save his brother's life. Verily, the life of a bee-keeper in the wild canyons of California is not always one round of sweet and giddy pleasure. AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 329 Xlie Standard l>ictioiiai'y.— A work of exceptional interest and impor- tance is the " Standard Dictionary of the English Language," issued by Messrs. Funk & Wagnalls, of New York city. The work will be complete in two volumes ; and the first volume, covering the alphabet from A to L, has been received. It is a superb volume, the illustrations are finely ex- ecuted, and the colored plates are a marvel of clear and elegant printing. In the prep- aration of the work, there have been some interesting particulars. The outlay in money will be nearly $1,000,000. There have been engaged upon the work since its beginning, four years ago, about 250 office- editors and specialists, many of whom are scholars of international reputation. Dr. I. K. Punk, the editor-in-chief, had asso- ciated with him Prof. March, the well- known philologist, as consulting editor; and John D. Champlin, Rossiter Johnson, and A. E. Bostwick as office editors. The feature which distinguishes this dic- tionary from others in common use, is the order of definition. If a word has two or more meanings, the most common meaning has been given first ; that is, preference has been given to the " order of usage " over the historical order. The aim has been to remove everything that stands between the vocabulary word and the meaning most generally sought after by the average reader, and, in this way, to enable him to get the information desired with ease and certainty. The obsolescent and obsolete meanings and the etymology are given last. The value of such an arrangement for busy people will be appreciated by none more than by those who have occasion to use dictionaries most. The vocabulary will be found extraordinarily rich and full, and — although the rules for exclusion of use- less words and phrases that have been fol- lowed are most exacting — far exceeding that of any dictionary that has preceded this. The following will show to what pro- portions the language has grown. The full number of words and terms in our standard dictionaries for the entire alphabet is as follows: Johnson, 45,000; Stormonth, 50,- 000; Worcester, 105.000; Webster (Interna- tional), 135,000; Century (six volumes, complete), 225,000 ; Standard, nearly 300,000. The German double-hyphen is used throughout to distinguish compound words from divided syllables. As to spelling, the editors have manifestly decided in favor of the phonetic principle wherever that was practicable. When two ways of spelling the same word are used by recognized au- thorities, preference has been given usually to the simpler form. Altogether the distinguishing features of this work are so marked and so well de- veloped that the work will have its value even where the most elaborate lexical ap- paratus is in use. -, Dr. C. C. Miller, of Marengo, 111., so well and favorably known to bee-keepers every- where, had the distinuguished honor to be selected to furnish the apiarian terms and definitions for this dictionary ; so it ought to be more correct in our line than any other dictionary now published. It is to be sold by subscription only, and will appear in one and two volume editions. The two volumes bound in leather will cost $15 ; in full morocco, $20 ; one volume in leather, $12 ; in morocco, $16. answered by Marengo, III. In this department will be answered those questions needing immediate attention, and such as are not of sufficient special interest to require replies from the 'JO or more apiarists who help to make "Queries and Replies" 80 Interesting- on another page. In the main, it will contain questions and answers upon mat- ters that particularly interest beginners.— Ed. Most Desirable Hive and Frame. 1. Which is the most desirable hive for out-of-door wintering '? 2. Which is the most desirable size of brood-frame for comb honey. F. J. J, Clayville, N. Y. Answers. — 1. Perhaps the old-fash- ioned straw hive. Among frame hives, perhaps the chaflf hive. 2; I'm not sure that will ever be en- tirely settled. At least not so that all will agree upon it. The fact that after a great many sizes have been tried a very large number to-day prefer about the size first settled upon by Father Langstroth, seems to indicate that it is at least as good as any. Perhaps it doesn't make much difference. The original Langstroth frame was 17 %x 9}'s. To accommodate the use of one- pound sections, the frame was made JC inch shorter and called the "Simplicity" frame. Transferring — Introducing — Poultry. About 10 years ago I was with my uncle who run a large apiary in In- diana, and I learned something about bees then, but it has been so long, and without any practical experience, I for- got almost all that I learned then ; but I caught the bee fever, and it has been growing on me ever since, in conse- 330 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. qnence of which I have pushed off my little barque with a determination to stay with it until I am thoroughly con- vinced that there is no profit in the busi- ness. Last fall, about Nov. 1st, I purchased 23 colonies, said to be Italians, but they are a cross between Italians and blacks. They were in boxes of almost all shapes and sizes. Eight of them were late swarms, with very little honey ; 15 were old, ranging from 1 to 4 years, with honey ranging from 40 to 75 pounds to the colony. I moved them home, and started in transferring the bees and honey into movable-frame hives (the same kind that my uncle used). I trans- ferred the 8 late swarms first, thinking that if they died I would not lose much, as they only cost me 25 cents apiece. I drove 2 swarms Into one hive, putting the 8 swarms into 4 hives, and fed them until they had 20 pounds of syrup and honey each. They went right to work, and stuck all the comb fast to the frames, and cleaned up every thing, and in a short time had one or two frames nearly filled with brood. (The weather is warm here in the valley, so that bees fly nearly every day in the year.) They did so well, as I thought, that I trans- ferred 3 of the old ones. They have done about the same as the first ones ; they have kept up their brood-rearing until the last two weeks they have slacked up on that business. 1. What shall I do next — feed them some more ? 2. What would you advise about the others — transfer now, or wait until later in the spring ? The last that I trans- ferred was Dec. 14th. If I transfer now, I would lose but little if I did not transfer the brood, as they have but very little. They will begin to gather pollen in about a month from now. 3. When is the best time of the year to introduce queens ? 4. I am thinking very strongly of going into the poultry business in con- nection with bees. What is your advice in regard to that ? Bees do well in this country, and there is always a good market for poultry. T. E. G. Oregon City, Oreg. Answers. — 1. If they are getting enough from natural stores, or if they have enough in their hives, there is no need of feeding. ii. By the time this reaches you, it will probably be so late that you will gain nothing by waiting longer. 3. There is less danger of loss in in- troducing any time when bees are stor- ing. They seem better natured during prosperity than when hard times come. 4. Bees and poultry go well together, especially if you crowd the poultry busi- ness so as to have most of the laying and sitting over by the time the busy time of bee-work comes. At least that's the case in the region of Chicago, but it is possible that winter layers may not be best In your climate. Bees Sting Each Other. When one bee stings another, or a queen, does the sting usually prove fatal ? When one queen stings another, does she lose her sting? Did you ever see one queen sting another ? In introducing a queen last fall, she was stung just under the wing, where it joins the body. The stinger was well inserted, and was removed with some difficulty. I expected to find her dead in the morning, but was very much as- tonished to find her alive and all right. The part where she was stung did not swell in the least. F. E. H. Logan, Iowa. Answer. — It is a rare thing that one bee stings another without the sting being fatal. Yes, I have seen one queen sting another, and in that case I think the sting is always fatal, and that the victor never loses her sting. A queen thrusts her sting into the breathing holes, if I am not mistaken, making it easily drawn out. But I have seen a few cases in which workers left their stings in other bees. What is Wrong ? — Cleaning Combs. 1. W^hat is wrong, and what shall I do with these bees ? We had a week's warm weather and the bees gathered some pollen, and then there came 3 or 4 days of freezing weather, and my bees began to die, or three colonies at least — two weak ones, and one of the best hybrids I had. They began to bring the dead out by the hundred, and some of them would be still moving but unable to crawl. I opened two of the hives, and there was about a hat full of dead bees on the bottom-boards. The combs and hives were clean and nice, and with plenty of nice, sealed honey. The bees that were alive appear to be all right. There was plenty of honey around the cluster, which was in a dry, warm place, and one of the colonies was extra large. I haven't looked into it yet. One of the two that I examined was queenless, and AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 331 the other one had a laying queen and about a frame of brood and eggs. Those three colonies stand together. 2. I have some combs containing honey, and have no extractor. I would like to save the combs, and would like to let my bees empty them, but I would not like to put them on top of the hives, as the weather is likely to change from warm to freezing, and then the hives would be too large. Can you give some plan that is safe outside of the hives ? Would it do to put them one or two hun- dred yards off from the hives, and allow the bees to clean them? M. W. G. Bankston, Ala. Answeks. — 1. It is a pretty hard mat- ter to guess straight at such a distance. The queenless colony may be explained by its queenlessness, the bees all being old. The few days of warm weather would stir them into unusual activity, and then the freezing weather would be too much for them. Sometimes a cold snap coming suddenly after a warm spell catches a lot of the bees away from the cluster and they are chilled to death. Sometimes it will seem as if bees are dying off very fast, when it is only the bees that have been gradually dying from old age all winter, and the bees carry them out when the weather allows. There is a bare possibility that there is something unwholesome about their stores, but very likely all will turn out well just as soon as the weather allows them to fly every day. 2. Set them 50 yards or more from the bees, and close them up in such a way that only two or three bees can get in at a time. If you leave them entirely open, the bees will tear the combs to pieces. Leave them standing a few days after the bees are through with them. If you take them away before the bees are quite done with them, there is some danger of robbing. Eyes of Bees, Southern Queens, Etc. Will you please answer the following questions in the Bee Journal : 1. What is the use of the three little eyes in the shape of a triangle on the head of a bee ? 2. Does transportation through the mails affect a queen in any way as to prolificness and longevity ? 3. Will a Southern bred queen and her progeny be as hardy in our Northern climate as one bred here ? 4. Which facing is the best for hives in winter and early spring ? 5. Is there any foundation manufac- turer making drone-comb foundation ? 6. Have you ever seen a queen depos- iting eggs ? ^ It is snowing here today. Our winter is just beginning to set in, and the Ohio river is rising very rapidly ; it is prob- able we will have a late spring in this locality. J, C. W. Evansville, Ind., Feb. 14. Answers. — 1. The general opinion seems to be that the three single eyes, or ocelli, are for vision at short range. I think it is Grimshaw, an English authority, who suggests that they may be for the purpose of producing a sort of phosphorescent light by which bees are enabled to work in the dark. 2. Certainly it does in some cases. There seems to be a general agreement that if a queen in full laying is mailed, she is injured thereby as to her laying qualities, but not as to longevity; while a young queen just beginning to lay, or a queen that has been taken from the hive for two or three days, is not injured by mailing. I've had a number of queens that had been shipped from Italy, and they seemed to be all right. 3. The general testimony is that she will. 4. I don't know that it makes any difference. At times the bright rays of the sun shining directly into the hive seems to do mischief by enticing the bees out when too cold for them to fly, in which case a northern exposure might seem preferable, but a board or screen of some kind in front of the hive would act as a safeguard with a southern or eastern exposure. A western exposure would seem objectionable where west winds prevail. 5. Not that I know of. Some years ago A. I. Root made foundation with 43^2 cells to the inch, but it did not meet with favor. 6. Many a time. Lift out the frame the queen is on, at a time when she is laying heavily, and if you do it quietly an Italian queen will often keep right on laying. ConTention IVotices. Texas— The Texas State Bee-Keepers' As- sociation will hold their 16th annual meetkigr at Greenville, Tex., on Wednesday and Thurs- day, April 4 and 5, 1894. Everybody invited. No hotel bills to pay. We expect a large meeting- and a good time. Don't fail to come. Beeville, Tex. E. J. Atchley, Sec. Haire You Read page 351 yet ? 382 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAj CONDUCTED BY MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY3 Beeville, Texas. He Struck a Key-Note . I think Mr. B. Taylor strikes one of thft key-notes in his closing paragraph on page 218, when he says : " Friends, there is plenty of room for our pleasant calling. The flowers will no doubt con- tinue to yield nectar. We must produce better goods, market them more wisely than heretofore, and we shall easily find room for a greatly increased product at fair prices." This is one thing that will no doubt apply to all countries alike, and is a say- ing well worth rehearsing. Jennie ATCHLEY^ Interested and Instructed. Mrs. Atchley : — I feel almost ac- quainted with you, from having read your writings for the past few years in the American Bee Journal. I find your letters very interesting and instructive, and would like very much to become better acquainted. I have 110 colonies of bees. C. M. Elder. Ennis, Tex. Advantages of Dividing for Increase. We will suppose that our bees are ready to swarm March 1st. Now let us place half of each of the colonies on new stands, leaving the old queens on the old stands, but taking most of the brood with the part set off, as it has no queen. Have a queen-cell ready to hatch to give each new colony or division, and these colonies will all get ready for the first real honey-flow May 15th, and we will get about the same surplus from all alike, thus dispensing with all the risk of losing swarms, and the time lost in watching and hiving. You may say it will do Just as well to give the old colony a queen-cell ready to hatch after a natural swarm issues, but the difference in labor and having things just as I want them, is an item with me. Then in September, when our last good flow comes from broom-weed, we can, if we wish increase, divide all strong colonies in the same manner as above, and they will all likely fill their hives for winter. This plan will give the keeper a chance to reap a good har- vest, and also increase his bees 3 to 1, and can easily and safely be done if caution and good bee-keeping judgment is used. This is the plan that I shall run an out yard on this year, and I will be sure to tell you of my success or fail- ure at the end of the season. Now, I am not giving this as the only plan, mind you, or the only plan I use, but if properly followed out by one who knows how to take advantage of things — bees, flowers, etc. — it will be almost certain to result in success. Jennie Atchley. A Letter of Thanks. Mrs. Atchley : — I feel that I never can thank you enough for your kind letter which gave me information that I have not found in " A B C of Bee-Cul- ture." A. P. Lake. Batesburg, S. C. Hive for the South — Moving Bees. In answer to an article about hives, on page 174, I would say that I have been a practical bee-keeper for 9 years, and have experimented with 7 different kinds of hives, and have given them a fair test. I am in love with a hive 12x14 inches in the clear, with 9 frames. I have tested the Simplicity- Langstroth, both 8 and 10 frames; a modified Langstroth hive 8 inches deep, with 10 frames; and a shallow hive 12x22 inches in the clear, and 6 inches deep. I find the last a good hive for comb honey, but I can secure more honey from the first hive mentioned. The brood-nest is nearly square, and the bees breed up early in the spring, and winter better. The best yield of comb honey was from a hive 12x14 inches, with 9 frames in the brood-nest. I took 248 one- pound sections of nicely sealed honey from one hive, and made 2 nuclei from it in early spring ; and one of the nu- clei gave 48 one-pound sections nicely filled and sealed. Now, Mr. White, I think if you will AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 333 experiment more thoroughly, you may find a hive that you will like better than the Langstroth hive. I have now 7 hives in my yard, but I will transfer all my bees into the square hive this spring. About hauling bees : I notice a friend in Tennessee that wanted to move his bees 30 miles. I have just brought 25 colonies 20 miles. I nailed the bottoms and tops on, and put about 3 inches of straw in the bottom of the wagon, and hauled them home without breaking any combs down, over a very rough road. Please try it. J. W. Taylor. Ozan, Ark., Feb. 2i. Drones from Imported Queens. Mrs. Atchley : — Should the drones from an imported queen show 3 yellow bands, or should they mark more yellow than that? If not, how should they be marked ? A. P. Lake. Batesburg, S. C. Friend Lake, in answering your ques- tions as best I can, I will say that the drones from imported queens are much like the drones from home, or domestic reared Italians — more or less mixed. The drones do not seem to be as fixed in their markings as the workers. Some imported queens produce drones almost black, or of a dark brown color, and some produce drones mixed, some show- ing yellow bands, and some none. When I am selecting a breeder, I choose queens producing both drones and bees as nearly uniform as possible, other good qualities combined, etc.; and es.pecially a queen that will duplicate herself in her daughters. It is a nice job to select our breeding queens, when we are look- ing after the improvement of the stock for both markings and honey, prolific- ness, and I will add, vitality, gentleness, •and long life. Jennie Atchley. Burr, Brace, and Ladder Combs. Burr-combs are the fault of the bee- keeper, and not confined to a certain strain of bees. What I term "burr- combs," are those little burry or rugged combs built on top of the top-bars, and these can be dispensed with by not al- lowing too much space between the top- bars and cover, or upper story. The way most hives are made, the top-bars do not come up even with the top of the hive by }i inch ; this I know is intended to protect the bees from being mashed when the cover is placed on, and when a quilt is laid over the frames the bees begin to build a little comb up against the quilt, and it gives way, or is pushed up by the bees, and the burr-combs fol- low until the quilt reaches the cover, and a great lot of ugly burrs is the re- sult. I have my top-bars to come up within }i inch of the top of the hives, and a quilt laid on. No bees are killed to amount to anything, and no burr-combs. Then we sometimes have what we call " brace-combs." I find these more com- mon where the frames are spaced a lit- tle too wide, and the top-bars too nar- row. If the spacing is about IJjb inches from center to center, and the top-bars full % to 1 inch wide, we do not have many brace-combs. Then we have what we term " ladder- combs." These we find often where the frames are too high from the bottom- boars, or where the bottom-bars do not go low enough down. The bees build knots or ladder-combs to assist them in reaching the bottom-bars. Then, again, we find these ladder- combs between the upper and lower stories, where the top-bars of the bottom part and the bottom-bars of the top part are too far apart. A little less than % of an inch space is one that suits me be- tween stories under bottom-bars, etc., and but few knotty combs are found when so arranged. A hive properly made to admit of only a little less than % of an inch spacing or openings, is the one that suits me best. When I was producing comb honey I used a space about 5/16 under the cases, and under all bottom-bars, and I seldom had any trouble with ladder combs. I am going to try one out-yard for honey this year, and will watch after this matter here, as different localities give different re- sults. Jennie Atchley. Introducing' Drones and Workers. We have found out by experiment that drones or workers are just about as hard to introduce to a colony of bees as a queen would be — I mean to a colony that has a laying queen. But a few workers or drones can be introduced by the candy plan to such colonies (those with laying queens) as queens to colonies just de- prived of their queens. Jennie Atchley. Have You Bead the wonderful Pre- mium offer on page 350? 334 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.. Slartini Early Brooi-Eearlng. Query 914.— 1. Supposing the bees have more honey in the hive than they can con- sume, can brood-rearing- be started earlier, or can it be increased by teeding 'i 2. If so, when is the best time to feed ? 3. What is the most simple and easiest method?— Utah. 1. It would not pay. — A. J. Cook. 1. I have not experimented on this enough to know. — Jas. A. Stone. 1. In such cases it Is useless to feed. Simply uncap an outside frame. — J. P. H. Brown. 1. I would not be to the trouble of feeding if the bees had plenty of honey. — E. France. 1. Your conclusion is not necessarily dependent upon your premises, but such may be the case. 2 and 3. Bee-books will tell you. — J. H. Larrabee. 1. If bees have more honey in the hive than they can consume, they will begin breeding as soon as it is best for them, and do not need any stimulating. — M. Mahin. If the bees have plenty of honey I should not feed them. This extra early brood-rearing is a disadvantage, gen- erally, rather than an advantage. — G. M. DOOLITTLE. 1. I think so. 2. Long enough before the honey harvest to secure an army of workers to gather it. 3. Use an en- trance feeder, and feed only a little each evening. — Eugene Secor. 1. Shave off cappings, and leave the combs in the hive, as the best means of stimulation. 2. In early spring, as soon as the bees begin to fly freely. 3. See answer to No. 1 above. — J. E. Pond. 1. Sometimes. 2. Only after brood- rearing has started, and there's good weather to gather, but nothing in the fields to be gathered. 3. There are dif- ferent ways. Thinned feed with a good feeder is one way. — C. C. Miller. 1. It can be, to both, but it may not be desirable. If spring feeding is meant, I would not feed. 3. Place combs of sealed honey in the hive after having broken some of the cappings. — A. B. Mason. 1. Yes. 2. That depends upon the lo- cality. In Central Illinois, if there is a dearth of honey in the interim between fruit-bloom and white clover. 3. The "simple and easiest" is in the open air, feeding always in the same place. — Mrs. L. Harrison. 1. The more honey they have, the better they will breed ; but feeding will still increase their laying. 2. Feed but little at a time, and not before warm days, when they can fly. 3. We use the Hill can-feeders over the cluster. — Dadant & Son. 1. Yes, earlier and somewhat in- creased, but I do not think it profitable with us. In some localities, where there is a lack of early honey and pollen, it may be different. 2 and 3. I have not had enough experience. to answer these. — P. H. Elwood. 1. Speaking from experience, I have no hesitation in saying, no ! I do not mean by this that a colony of bees can- not he forced to breed by feeding thinned honey, but I mean to say that bees need no forcing if they have plenty of stores. — G. W. Demaree. 1. Under certain conditions you can start them, but when they have plenty of honey in the hive, they will attend to brood-rearing in time. 2 and 3. When I do feed in the spring, I use an outside feeder, 'fitting the entrance so that no outside bees can enter the feeder. — H. D. Cutting. 1. I think it can be increased to some extent. 2. The best and only time to feed for this purpose is on the advent of weather warm enough for bees to fly freely nearly every day, at times when they are gathering little or no nectar. 3. By using a cheap open feeder, at the entrance. — R. L. Taylor. 1. Yes, but if they have plenty, I do not believe it is profitable to feed. 2. If feeding is done, the best time is about a month before the harvest begins. 3. Feeding out-of-doors. This is not prac- ticable if there are many other bees in your neighborhood, but it is by far the best and easiest when it can be done. — James A. Green. 1. Brood-rearing can, no doubt, be accelerated by feeding, but with plenty of honey in the hive, I should let Nature take her course. If I did anything, I AMERICAN BEE JOURNAI.. 335 would cut the cappings on the outside combs, and let the bees carry the honey and place it in the combs around the brood. 2. The best time to feed is when the weather is warm enough for the bees to fly every day. 3. I prefer a couple of oval wooden butter-dishes that can be bought for about one cent each. — Emerson T. Abbott. 1. I think brood can be stimulated by judicial feeding, though the bees have abundance of stores. 2. Feed in the evening when the weather is good. Early feeding in spring had better be done at the top of the hive. 3. A tin can with a hole in its bottom, through which is placed a wire nail. — C. H. Dib- BEBN. 1. If bees have more honey than they can consume, I consider it surplus and remove it. You can uncap honey and it will stimulate the bees as well as feed- ing. 2. The best time to stimulate is when warm weather has come. 3. The most simple and easiest way that I have found to feed is to give frames of honey, or sugar syrup, at nightfall. — Mrs. Jen- nie Atchley. 1. Where a colony has plenty of stores and are moderately strong, they will do quite well to be left to feed themselves. I am firmly of the belief that they will increase some faster if fed in the open air. 2. The best time would be when the season is far enough advanced so that bees can fly with safety, and are of their own accord commencing to rear brood. 3. If you are feeding comb honey, uncap and hang in the hives, spreading well where it is easily accessi- ble to the bees. If extracted, put in shallow dishes — hive-covers will do if tight ; put in floats to keep the bees from getting drowned or daubed. — S. I. Freeborn. 1. Plenty of honey in the hive is cer- tainly a favorable condition for early brood-rearing. 2. Commence about the last of March. 3. Bruise the cappings of the sealed honey. Utilize the par- tially filled combs, etc., left over last fall ; or pour in the syrup upon the clus- ter and combs. This answer has refer- ence to the climate of Utah. In more Northern States, it is a question with me if it is advisable to induce early brood- rearing. Another point — if the feeding is overdone, the bees will fill up the cells and retard the very object you seek. It also brings about a sort of abnormal ex- citement— some of the bees may leave the hive, and if the day is cold, " they will never come back." Go carefully. — Will M. Barnum. 1. There is no question about stimula- tive feeding in spring increasing the amount of brood reared even where the colony has plenty of stores. Still, pro- tection has a great deal to do with the extent of brood-rearing, and the facts laid down in my book upon this subject are strictly correct. 2. The best time to feed is any time when the bees can fly. 3. Cutting's entrance feeder is the best for stimulative feeding, but if the stores are very short, I prefer the butter- dish feeders over the brood-frames, and give 3 pints at a time of thin syrup un- til about 9 pints are given. The feeders are enclosed in a rim made to fit the top of the hive, and 2}4 inches deep. The cover of the hive is put over it. The narrow sliced-wood butter-dishes are best, but must be made water-tight at the ends with melted wax, using a short camel's-hair brush for the purpose. — G. L. Tinker. Bee-Pasturage— Depenience of Success. Written for the American Bee Journal BY DR. J. p. H. BROWN. When we take a retrospective glance at what bee-keeping was 50 years ago, and then follow it up to the present, no one can say that it has not made gigan- tic strides up the hill of science. In- stead of the old log-gum and the straw skep, we have now movable frame hives which enable the bee-keeper to secure the honey, if he chooses, in nice, beauti- ful comb, or he can sling it out free from extraneous substances, by means of a machine. Experiment stations are now established not only to test the latest apiarian appliances, but to ascertain the most profitable application of apiarian skill and science. The knowledge of the economy of the hive and the natural history of the honey-bee is far in advance of what it was half a century ago ; in fact, it has attained a degree of thoroughness that 336 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. would seem to leave but little more to learn. While all this is true, have the returns to the bee-keeper in surplus honey been commensurate with the progress made in implements for the apiary, and in their modes of application ? Every bee- keeper of any extended observation and experience knows that this question can only be answered in the negative. Lo- cations that formerly yielded large crops of honey 4give now only moderate re- turns, and very often chance years for that. Does the white clover, that is the "stand-by " with many bee-keepers, give as many certain yields of surplus as it did years ago? The mellifluous trees and shrubs that abound in the swamps and along the water-courses of our Southern States, seem to fail of late years to produce those large honey crops that they did in past times. As every effect has its cause, the question naturally arises, what agencies have wrought these changes? No doubt in many cases the woodman's axe and the agriculturist's plow have curtailed the forage, but in other locations such has not been the case. We must look for other causes. I have nothing positive to offer towards the solution of these problems, and very much fear that no one else has. We all have the privilege to offer conjectures. A theory unsupported by facts is a "baseless fabric." Pomologists of long experience tell us that there is more uncertainty in secur- ing good yearly crops of fruit now than in former years. The causes they as- sign are (insects aside) meteorological and deprivation in the soil of certain ele- ments necessary to the perfect develop- ment of the particular fruit. It may be one or both of these causes, Reasoning from analogy, I infer that these same causes that are recognized in the pro- duction of fruit, are the same that in- fluence the secretion of nectar in the flowers. While the bee-keeper may not be able to control the atmospheric con- ditions bearing upon the secretion of honey, he may be able, by studying the thermal lines to his section of country, to select locations that are less subject to late frosts — that may be less affected by drouth than others, etc. In the production of fruit we know that the character of the soil elements affect its development, its time of ripen- ing, its color, and its flavor. The same cause no doubt affects the secretion of the nectaries of the flower. It is to be hoped that our apiarian ex- periment stations and our bee-keeping scientists will take hold of this subject, and diligently prosecute it until some tangible results are obtained ; for upon the abundance of the nectar secretion depends the amount of money in the bee-keeping industry. Dovetailed hives, sections, foundations, golden Italians, and the whole catalogue of apiarian supplies cannot make bee-keeping a pecuniary success without plenty of pas- ture that yields honey. Augusta, Ga. TieAtontapsof tlie"HanilFHiYe.' Written for the A.merican Bee Journal BY B. TAYLOR. I see by the discussions in the bee- papers, that the question of the " ideal " hive is not yet settled ; so I concluded that I would give the readers of the American Bee Journal a discription of the " Handy hive," that I have used continuously for more than 34 years, during which time I have given extend- ed trial to nearly every hive presented for public approval ; and now, as age is creeping on, and a glimpse of the coun- try on the "other side of the range" comes in view, I begin to feel less like experimenting, and more in need of quiet rest. The question of what hive is best for all practical purposes, in practical honey production, as a means of earning our bread with the least labor, presents itself for dissection, and the answer comes with a resistless force — the Handy hive. This hive was the result of my first effort in inventing a hive. Early in my experience I realized the need of some means of holding the frames in the hive the proper distance apart, and at the same time leave them as movable, or more so, than the loose hanging frame ; and I began experiments to that end. I invented the wire end frames, as now AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 337 used in the Handy hive, and so perfect are they in practice that I have never been able to add the slightest improve- ment. As being in the fullest sense a frame w^ith fixed distances, and which a blind man can use, and get each frame in its exact place, and yet remove any single frame from any part of the hive without disturbing the other frames, far easier than the common hanging frame. These frames are always the exact dis- tance apart (1^^ inches) at both top and bottom, when in position. The top of the frame is kept in place by the wire ends of the frame resting in a shallow notch in the edge of the tin rabbet, and the bottom is held by suitable wire sta- ples driven into the ends of the hive- body. These frames are plain and easy to make, the wire ends being 6 penny wire nails driven into the top ends of the frame. The hives are cheap and simple to make, and have no loose parts, and may be tiered to any hight for extracting, and the proper bee-spaces (J^ inch) al- ways be maintained. Any style of super may be used for comb honey ; for ex- tracted, the same combs as used for the brood-nest, thus avoiding extra-sized ex- tracting combs. It is right to record a good thing, and in this spirit I recommend the Handy hive. I do not recommend it because I invented it. I commend it because after 25 years' experience with it on a large scale, and in competition with all the best hives in use, I know it to be the handiest and most profitable hive in use, for either the keeper of a few colonies, or the professional apiarist who numbers his hives by the hundred. Both fixed frames and the old well-tried hanging frames have each their special merit. The frames used in the Handy hive com- bine all the good qualities of both fixed and loose hanging frames, and without the bad features of either ; for while they are in the true sense a fixed frame, they are far more movable than even the hanging frames. The slotted top-bar used in these frames is of great value, as with it the tops of the frames always keep entirely straight. This keeps the bee-space be- tween the brood-nest and supers always right, which almost entirely prevents that great nuisance, burr-comb, while it entirely abolishes the necessity for a slatted honey-board. The Handy hive is perfect for either comb or extracted honey, and I warrant that no bee-keepers will be led astray by adopting it, as they frequently are, by buying new and highly-praised hives. The top-bars ere slotted (see illustra- tion), which entirely prevents sagging; the weight of the combs being supported by the lower half of the top-bar, the upper part always remaining straight, thus always keeping just a bee-space be- tween the brood-frame and supers, or between two or more hive-bodies for ex- tracting. This almost entirely prevents that great annoyance,, burr-comb. I also assert from actual experience that these double top-bars, as used in this hive, render slatted honey-boards en- tirely unnecessary. What I term " lat- eral movement," so desirable in hand- ling frames, and which played so impor- tant a part in giving the hanging frames their great reputation, and lacking in all other fixed frames that have as yet made their appearance, is most complete in the double top-bar wire-end frames. You can instantly separate two frames in any part of the hive without loosening any wedges, screws or other traps to make room to get out the first trame ; or you can take out any frame without moving or disCurbing the others. Yet each frame has a special place in which to rest, and from which they can be more easily removed, than even trfie old suspended Langstroth frame. And finally, they are as cheap as any other good frame, and combine all the good points of both suspended and fixed frames, with none of their faults. This hive is precisely like my very shallow double broqd-chamber hive that has been mentioned in the bee-papers, 338 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.. except that the frames in the very shal- low hives are what they call " Hoffman frames" now. But as I first made these frames 30 years ago, I think I maybe excused for claiming that I did not copy from the Hofifman frame. If the Handy hive had been pushed 'as Root's Simplicity has, the land would to- day be filled with them, and no one would regret having adopted it, as they have maintained the confidence of all who have tried them, through the third of a century's practical trial in compari- son with all the hives in use. DlYiling Colonies for Increase. Written for the American Bee Journal BY J. VF. SOUTHWOOD. Query 908 asks which is better in dividing, '* to leave the old queen in the old hive, or remove her into the new," and the time to divide. The answers appear not to harmonize. Some say leave the old queen in the old hive ; others say move her into the new. Some say when the hive is full of bees and brood, others say about natural ■swarming time; and still others say, let them divide themselves. Answers to the above queries are greatly modified by existing conditions, which, no doubt, accounts in some de- gree for the difference of the answers given. While I am an advocate of nat- ural swarming in general, I am also a believer, under certain conditions, in dividing. One condition, which occurred in my apiary last season, led me to divide. A large swarm issued, led by a queen whose wing was clipped ; they did not settle, and was returning to the hive before noticed. I caged the queen, and removed the old hive to a new location, placed the new hive on the old location, took a frame from the old hive, exam- ined it to see that it contained no queen- cells, placed it in the new hive, filled up with frames of foundation, released the queen in the new hive, shook a few bees from the frames of the old hive which mostly returned to the new hive, and the field-bees returned to the old location and entered the new hive, making that colony the stronger of the two, and con- taining the most of the workers, and gave good results. In a day or two I returned the frame of brood to the old hive. The hive was so full of bees before they swarmed, that I gave them a case of sections, more for the purpose of giving more room than anything else, as it was early, and I desired to keep back the swarm so as to increase its size. Under such and similar conditions I would divide. And when, as in this case, the conditions are favorable, the queen easily found near the entrance of the hive, I would place her in the new hive, as my preference, as there is where the natural swarm puts her. But under different conditions I would leave her in the old hive. To illustrate, I will give a case in which I divided a colony last season for a neighbor. They did not seem as though they would swarm until late. I went once, at their request, but did not find enough bees, so I told them unless they bred up to a hive full in a few days, T thought best not to divide ; but on re- turning in a few days, I found condi- tions favorable, so I proceeded to divide. They were black bees, and would hang in great bunches, so I only looked a few moments for the queen, intending to place her in the new hive, but failing to find her, I looked over the combs, found those containing the best looking queen- cells, and also that they did not contain the old queen. I placed all but three in the new hive, and placed it on the old location, removed the queen-cells from the remaining combs, returned them to the old hive, and gave them a new loca- tion. The result was good. I think now I would, in a case like the last, give all, or all but one frame to the new hive, and give it the new location, and leave the old queen and old hive on the old location, as they would then get the field-bees, which I think would give better results. I have only given two conditions in which I would divide, and one where I would place the queen in the new hive, and one where I would leave her in the old hive. These are only a few, but other conditions may exist in which I would divide. Study well the nature of bees, and then act according as condi- tions modify. Monument City, Ind. Wliere Honey Conies From. Delivered at the (Jntarlo, Canada, Convention. BY R. M'KNIGHT. I may say it is rather a trying ordeal for a man to face an audience and at- tempt to interest or instruct it in these days when "the school-master is abroad" in such numbers. A few days before I AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 339 left home I received a card from the Sec- retary, saying I had been selected to say something by way of filling up the pro- gram on one of the evenings during the session of this Association. The circum- stances were such that I had no time or opportunity to make preparation to do so, or even to think of or fix upon a topic. On mentioning my dilemma to our President, Mr. Gemmlll, to-day, he gen- erously came to my rescue and suggested "Honey" as a good subject to treat on such an occasion. I am very grateful to him for thus furnishing me with a "text." It is a very common-place one to treat before an audience of bee-keepers — an audience composed of the brains and matured experience of the class to which they belong in this Province. Still, the topic has something in it we don't all understand, and by the way of demon- strating this, I ask Mr. Blank, down there in the audience, "What is honey?" Mr. Blank pauses awhile and replies, "Why, honey is honey,— everybody knows what honey is." "Your answer to the question is a very unsatisfactory one, sir ; I will furnish you with a better definition, but one you may not find in the dictionaries, it is one, however, that suits me well enough. Honey is a trans- lucent saccharine syrup that all children and most grown-up people are fond of." Now, Mr. Blank, No. 2, "Where do we get honey?" Your answer is, "We get it in bee-hives. " "And how came it in the bee-hives?" "The bees collected and stored it there. " "Good ; and where did the bees get it? " "In the flowers, of course." 'Aye, and where did the flow- ers get it?" Now you hesitate ; that is evidently a "poser." Well, it is the con- sideration of the last question I propose discussing for a few minutes this even- ing. I set out with the assertion that the atmosphere is the source whence our honey is derived and I say further, that the substance of every green thing on the earth's surface —from the tiny plant to the monarch of the forest is mainly derived from the same etement. Science has clearly demonstrated this fact. It is a fact that is easily demonstrated, too. Fell a tree and burn it up, the ashes that remain represent just what of its sub- stance comes from the soil, the rest is driven off and mingled with the air. It is another instance of "dust to dust" and the balance to the source from whence it came. To understand how honey, and plants and trees from which it is collected, have their origin in the atmosphere, we must know something of the composition of the atmosphere, and the nature of plant life. Here let me say that one of the advantages of bee-keeping is, that the prosecution of it leads intelligent, observant people into channels of thought they would not otherwise enter upon. To understand it fully, the do- main of science must be pretty well cul- tivated. Hence the bee-keeper of an en- quiring mind finds in it ample scope for the exercise of his talents, and usually becomes an enthusiast in the business. The constituents of the atmosphere, in the main, are no longer a secret. Every school-boy knows that they consist, in the main, of oxygen and nitrogen, but there are other elements as well, one of which is carbonic acid. This is the source from whence we derive our honey. It is the source, too, that nourishes and builds up the plants and trees that se- crete honey. The proportion of carbonic acid in the atmosphere is comparatively small, being only about four-tenths of one per cent, of" its volume. Yet this fraction is quite enough to supply the wants of the vegetable world. It has been estimated that there are 28 tons of carbon in the atmosphere that overhangs each acre on the earth's surface. As less than a third of the earth's surface is covered by vegetation, and as the at- mosphere is ever in motion from place to place, and as the loss of carbonic acid through its appropriation by living plants is ever being given baek to it through the decomposition of vegetable matter, there is and will continue to be in the atmosphere, ample of carbon to supply the ever-recurring wants of the vegetable kingdom. Hence we may look forward to an annual honey crop while the vegetable kingdom remains as now constituted ; not always uniform, how- ever. It remains for me now to outline how living plants elaborate honey from the carbon of the atmosphere. We can only understand this by knowing something of structural and physical botany. We will select a tree for our purpose, be- cause it appeals more forcibly to our senses than a tiny plant. What then is a tree? I answer, it is at once a living and a dead thing. Every particle of matured wood in its trunk and branches is dead matter. It is death preserved from decay by its environments. It has in it no power to aid in the further nourishment or development of the tree. The leaves, the bark (especially the in- ner bark) and the sapwood alone are alive, and in these the work of nourish- ment and developmenir are carried on. 340 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. It is in the leaves especially, that the elaboration of suitable food for the plant or tree is carried on. "We ought, therefore, to know some- thing of the structure of a leaf in order to understand our subject ; but time for- bids a close investigation of it ; sufdce it to say that its pores and cells are what we are more particularly concerned with — the cells especially— because it is in the cells honey is elaborated. The epi- dermis or outer skin of a leaf is closely studded with pores, these pores range in number from 800 to 170,000 to the square inch of surface, and it is through these pores the carbon of the atmosphere is absorbed and received into the cells, where it is worked into honey. Cells also abound in the inner bark of the branch and stem, they are especially active in the interposed Cambum-lmjer lying between the newest strata of wood and bark. These are annually renewed and maintain a living communication be- tween the rootlets on the one hand and the foliage on the other. These cells — wherever found — contain protoplasm, which has definite relations with neigh- boring cells, and with the outlying car- bon of the atmosphere. Protoplasm is the active, working, living matter of the plant or tree. When the carbonic acid of the atmos- phere is received into the protoplasmic cells of the leaves of plants and trees it undergoes three changes before it is fitted for cell building. It is first converted into starch — the basis of honey— then into sugar, or honey if you like, after- wards into cellulose, which is fully elab- orated plant food. Every green plant contains starch, therefore every living plant has in it the basis of honey. Who then will dogmatically assert what are and what are not honey-producing plants? But this is not germain to my topic. I have said when the carbon of the at- mosphere is absorbed by the living plant it is first transformed into starch through the agency of protoplasm and leaf-green, and then into sugar. We stop at this stage of the elaboration of plant food be- cause it is then, and then only, we get our honey, and we get it in greater or less quantities in proportion to the re- served store of starch. If plants had no power to store up more starch than is necessary for their immediate wants, we would have no abnormal honey-flows. But they have the power to store up more of this article than they can work into tissue, and do so occasionally. It is under these circumstances we get the big honey crops, if we have the working force to collect it. The excess of food over the require- ments of the plant is, while in the sugar stage, determined by the flower, or oozes through the pores of the leaf, flowing over its surface. The former is called "nectar" and the latter "honey-dew." They are substantially one and the same thing — the main difference existing in the fact that that in the flower absorbs a portion of its essential oil which gives to the nectar its aroma, hence the ex- pert can readily tell the class of flowers from which honey has been collected. Honey-dew is destitute of this aroma, but is just as healthful and nutritious as that collected from the flowers. Per- haps some of you will be ready to hold up your hands in holy horror at the pro- mulgation of this theory, and be ready to declare me as great a heretic as those who are by some believed to be who gave to the world the pollen theory, the trowel- sting theory and the sugar-honey theory. I am content to be so considered if you can disprove the statement. Understand me, by honey-dew I do not mean the vile stuff, vulgarly denominated "bug-juice." That is a different thing. When honey-dew is present it is fre- quently devoured in large quantities by the little insect you are familiar with. The little "beastie" is a glutton of the worst kind and devours a great deal more than it can assimilate. The excess is voided in the form of excreta. This is "bug-juice" pure and simple, and not honey-dew. We are often deprived of a good crop by the presence of these crea- tures, and the fact that their voidings co-mingle with what would otherwise be a pure, healthy article of food. I thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for the attentive hearing you have accorded me while giving expression to the few crude remarks I have been able to offer in the short time allotted me. Before taking my seat I desire to thank Mr. Pringle, because it is to him indirectly I am indebted for what I know of the sub- ject. It came about in this way: A few years ago when he was President of this Association, he asked me to prepare an essay to be read at our then coming meeting, on the "Honey-producing plants of Ontario." In acceding to his request, I was led to look into a branch of natural science, from the study of which I have since derived much enjoyment. Owen Sound, Ont. Vi«»ii III*"; "%VorI, the sa,me brother editor says this: After recent triumphs of our bee-keepers at the World's Columbian Exposition, and after the distinction which we have always won when our honey was entered into com- petition with the world, I need not do any more than remind Canadians that Provi- dence has richly endowed our land with the best climate, soil and flora, under which the choicest honey can be produced in pay- ing quantities. No Canadian will wish to dispute this, no other dare do this. How grateful Canadians ought to be, when they remember how " richly " a kind "Providence" has "endowed" their "land!" Why, bless you, we always thought that the same Providence was also on f/ils side of the imaginary line that sep- arates Canada and the United States, but we must have been mistaken, and so won't "dare'' to "dispute" what Bro. Holter- mann says ! It does beat all, how much enjoyment some people do get out of a vivid imagina- tion! How glorious it does make them feel! Visit tlie IVoi'ld's Fair for only cents. See page 325. 362 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. answered by Marengo, III. In this department will be answered those questions needing immediate attention, and such as are not of sufficient special interest to require replies from the 20 or more apiarists who help to maiie "Queries and Replies" so interesting on another page. Tn the main, it will contain questions and answers upon mat- ters that particularly interest beginners.— Ed. Foundation Used in Brood-Frames. 1. How much foundation will it pay to use in brood- frames '. 2. What thickness or grade should it be ? Weston, Iowa. A. G. A. Answers.— 1. There is some difference of opinion as to this, but I think most bee- keepers agree that it pays to use full sheets. Brood-combs last so many years that one can afford a good deal in the first place to have them satisfactory, straight and all- worker. 2. If your frames are not wnred, the heaviest foundation is none too heavy. If the frames or foundation are wired, medium brood-foundation will answer. With deep frames it is more important to have the foundation than with light frames. Queens and Queen-Cells — Drone-Comb 1. Last year, about a week after one of my colonies cast a swarm, I heard a young queen piping in the cell at evening. The next morning I heard the same, but no queen out of the cell. That evening I heard a queen piping out of the cell, but none in, and the next morning I heard none — they did not swarm the second time, and I found no dead queens in front of the hive. I thought perhaps the bees wanted to swarm again, but had reared only one queen. Have you ever known a colony to do so '. 2. What is the greatest number known of queens reared by one colony, under the natural swarming impulse ? S. I noticed in a reply not long ago, that bees would build more drone-comb where only starters are used than on full sheets of foundation. Would they build more drone- comb on starters than when built on empty frames ? 4. Usually, or always, when a swarm with a young t^ueen is united with a swarm witli an (ikl queen, eitlier in a iiive or in the air. the young queen gets killed. Is it the old queen, or the bees, that kill her ? Chanhassen, Minn. J. M. S. Answers. — I don't think I ever heard of a colony starting only one queen-cell at swarming, but such a thing is possible. It is also possible that a number of cells were in your hive, all of them considerably younger than the one that matured. You might not see the young queens when car- ried piecemeal out of the hive. 2. I don't know. I've read of forty queen-cells being reared at a time, and in a few cases many more. 3. I doubt if there would be any differ- ence between empty frames and starters if the starters were small. For they will build only a limited amount in either case. Still, with starters of worker foundation they would have to change to drone, while with empty frames they could begin with drone-comb ou some of the frames, so there might be more drone-comb with the empty frames. 4. I suppose you mean a young, virgin queen. The bees probably kill her. Italian Queen in a Black Colony, Etc. 1. If I take a black queen from a colony of black bees, and put in an Italian queen, will all the bees coming from the Italian queen be pure Italian bees ? 2. I liave a colony of black bees in a box- hive. I want to transfer them to a mov- able-frame hive. When is the best time to do it ; J. Q. Barrington, N. H. Answers. — 1. Yes, it is generally consid- ered so. There are some, however, who think the progeny of the queen will be af- fected by the nurse-bees. 3. During fruit-bloom is the time gener- ally preferred. Difference in Colonies — Placing Hives. 1. What makes some bees, when wintered in the cellar, cluster down close to the bot- tom-board, and an undue amount of dead bees which will die right in and around the cluster to such an extent as to block the entrance, which is large ? What makes some colonies, when wintered in the cellar, keep nice and dry while others right by them are very wet and mouldy ? My hives are all alike, with sealed covers. 2. Is two feet from center to center too close for hives to be placed f Will they do as well before swarming time, so close, as they would four feet apart ? I have mine two feet in tlie spring after protection is useless. I move every other one back in a new row. ;■!. How do extensive bee-keepers have their hives arranged .' Subscriber. Newton, Iowa. Answers. — 1. One of the difficult things to tell, is wliy two coli>nieK u( bees appar- ently alike in all respects dejjort them- selves so ditlereutly. Une colony gives a American bee journal. 368 crop of 50 pouuds, and auotlier staudiug be- side it, gives only 25, and yet you would say the two are exactly alike. The same with regard to wintering. Yet there must be a difference somewhere. The difficulty is to tell what it is. Thei-e may be a difference in the quantity or quality of their stores. Two colonies side by side don't by any means always work on the same kinds of flowers, and one of them may get some had stores that the other doesn't touch. There may be a difference in the strength of the colonies. There may be a difference in the character of the bees themselves. Some are more quiet and contented than others. and a colony that is fidgety and stii'red up all winter long is more likely to come to grief. J. R. Bellamy insists, with a fair show of reason, that there is a great dif- ference in the longevity of bees, and a col- ony of bees so short-lived that funerals are constantly occurring cannot be expected to winter so well as one which retains its youth. 2. That's pretty close if the hives all look alike. If there are trees, posts, etc.. to help mark the entrances, that will be bet- ter. 3. You might like this plan: Set two side by side. Then a similar pair with their backs to the first pair, thus making four in a group. Set the groups far enough apart to give comfortable working room between them. Preventing Loss of Out- Apiary Swarms I wish to run an out-apiary for extracted honey, visiting it once a week. What is the best way to prevent loss of swarms ? I use the eight-frame dovetailed hive. Shelton, Nebr. A. W. S. Answer. — That's a question that's agitat- ing a good part of the bee-keeping frater- nity. Some are very sanguine about self- hivers, some with regard to the Langdon non-swarmer, and quite a number report success by the use of the Alley queen-trap. With a hive sufficiently large, there ought not to be much swarming if the combs are extracted once a week. The Dadants do not have more than from three to five per cent, of their colonies swarm, and they do not extract till the close of the harvest, adding supers of combs as they are needed. But they have hives with at least 9 Quinby frames, and to equal that you would need at least 12 of your frames. Fanners as Bee-Keepers, Etc. 1. Mr. T. C. Kelly, on page 154, says that farmers should not keep bees. What is your experience, and that of the readers of the Bee Journal in regard to a practical farmer keeping bees ? Last spring I bought a few colonies and to-day I have but one colony left. I read in the bee-papers that last year was a bad year for bees. I do not expect to keep a great many bees, but I ex- pect to buy more in the spring. I will not be scared out by Mr. Kelly yet, although I have not had any success the first year. 2. How wide should the entrance be in hives wintered out-of-doors. J. R. S. State Line, Ind. Answers.— 1. A few days ago I talked to a farmers' institute, and advised every far- mer to keep bees if there were none within two miles, for the sake of their fertilizing the flowers, even though they didn't get any honey. If the ground is not already occupied, each farmer must decide for him- self, and he can not often decide without trying. Some have a taste for the business and will succeed ; others will wish the bees were in Guinea. 2. I think most prefer to leave it open full width. If there's danger of mice getting in, put on wire cloth three meshes to the inch. This will not hinder the bees, but will hin- der the mice. The Drone a Queen Mates With. Does a virgin queen ever mate with any drone of another colony ? If not, why not? Dorchester, Nebr. F. C. L. Answer. — As the queen mates high in the air, the supposition is that she seldom mates with a drone of her own colony. She is more likely to mate with a drone whose home is a mile, or two or three miles, away. Painting Bee-Hives. Is there any way that I can manage to paint my bee-hives that have the bees in them ? They are in the cellar at present, and I want to re-paint them before I place them on the summer stands. F. R. Anamosa, Iowa. Answer. — Yes, you could paint your hives before putting them on the summer stands, but I wouldn't. The gain in time would be trifling, and it will be much more convenient to paint them after they are on the summer stands. Paint at least the fronts in the evening after the bees stop flying, and use enough " drier" so there will be no dan- ger of the bees sticking in the paint the next morning. The remainder of the hives can be painted any time. Jt^" Learn from Others. — Great good will come from visiting and even working for a time with other bee-keepers. Note their methods, hives, sections, etc. Strive by conversation to gain new and valuable ideas, and gratefully adopt whatever is found, by comparison, to be an improve- ment upon your own past system and prac- tice.— Prof. (Jook. 364 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAj CONDUCTED BY MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY. Beeville. Texas. Do All Pollen-Bearing Plants Furnish Honey ? The above question was asked me a short time ago, and I came very nearly forgetting it. Yes, I do believe that all plants that furnish pollen yield honey, too, but some may only furnish a very small por- tion, or not enough to amount to any- thing ; while some plants seem to give about half and half, as the peach-bloom. I have noticed that the bees gather about half pollen and half honey when working on peach-bloom. That is, each bee loads partly with both honey and pollen. Horse-mint also furnishes a little pol- len along with its abundance of honey, and I think that it will work the other way, too, and plants that produce nearly all pollen yield a little bit of honey also. Jennie Atchley. What Ailed the Bees ? Mrs. Atchley : — We have had some pretty cold weather, as cold as 20^ be- low zero. You said you almost froze at your place with only one inch of ice. Just think of 20^ below zero ! I have lost one colony of bees so far this winter. I think a mouse or some- thing must have bothered them when it was so cold, causing them to break the cluster, and they froze. I was looking around the hives and found this one making a kind of humming sound, and now and then some of the bees would come out on the alighting-board, and of course it was death as soon as they left the cluster. As soon as a warm day came I looked them over, and every- thing was nice and clean. There was no signs of any mice. They had some honey in the super, and the brood-cham- ber was full of honey. I never had bees do this way before. The colonies near this one were all as still as death. Understand I never bother my bees when it is at all cold. I think at such times they should be let alone. I don't allow any jarring, or anything around the hives at this time of the year. This colony was as strong as any in the yard in the fall. I failed to find the queen, I think she was dead. I don't think the queen being dead would make any change in the bees at this time of the year, for I have had them go through the winter without a queen, all in good condition, and not give them any brood until April, and then have them do finely — no moths nor webs, but every- thing in fine condition. Now, when this colony was doing this way, it was 20^ below zero. If you know what was wrong, I would like to have you tell me. Riverton, Ills. C. V. Mann. Bro. Mann, I give it up, unless they had the diarrhea. Some good bee-keeper in the North will please tell us what was the matter with the bees. Jennie Atchley. How Bees Shape Cells. I met a bee-keeper a few days ago who said he knew exactly how bees measured or laid out their comb cells. He said they did it with their legs. By watching closely when they are building combs, he said the bees could be seen measuring out the shape of the cells. What about this, anyway ? What do the little Misses use for a pattern when building comb ? Well, now, don't laugh, but tell us just how it is done. Jennie Atchley. Some Interesting Bee-Notes. Mrs. Atchley : — Since my report of ' Aug. 19th, the bees that had been prop- erly cared for have done fairly well. A nice shower of rain at the opening of smart-weed bloom gave a nice honey-flow for 10 days. All colonies at that time that were in good condition filled up the brood-chamber and stored a surplus of 34 pounds of extracted honey per col- ony. There are but few black bees that gathered enough stores to winter on. I could have extracted several hundred pounds more of honey than I did, but I was afraid of another long, cold and wet spring. My bees were in good con- dition for winter. Three days is the AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 365 longest they had been without a flight up to Jan. 10th. I see so much about non-swarming and non-swarming bees. My experience is this : Any device that has a tendency to cripple or hinder natural increase or production, has a tendency to non- swarming, and whilst they are hindred in this way, it must have something to do with honey-gathering. Bees are usually kept here in box- hives and round "gums ;" when frames are used, the combs are as immovable as they are in the old-fashioned box-hive, with only a few exceptions. I asked a man, who has a few colonies of bees, how they are doing. The an- swer was, " I don't know. I don't pay any attention to them ; don't think they pay, though i brimstoned one before Christmas, and got 60 pounds of nice honey, and quite a lot that was dark and mixed with bee-bread." "Didn't you hate to kill them?" I asked. He replied, " No ; no worse than any other thing that it is to be eaten, that has to be killed first." Mrs. Atchley, I am a reader of the Ameeican Bee Journal, and am well pleased with it. The question depart- ments are grand ; the correspondence is very interesting — some articles being worth the whole subscription price to the Bee Journal for one year. The biographical department was immense. I cannot but help feel grateful to Friend York for his prompt and excellent man- ner of conducting the Bee Journal. What a vast store-house of knowledge I failed to get by not being a subscriber to the American Bee Journal from 1861 to the present time. Bee-keeping has not been a gold or silver mine of wealth in this section for the last few years, neither has farming and stock raising, but they are not dis- couraged. The farmers were plowing here nearly every day from September to Jan. 10th. W. A. McGee. Rockville, Mo. Xhe Amateur Bee-Keeper, is the name of a neat little pamphlet designed for the class its name indicates — amateurs and beginners in bee-keep- ing. It is written by Mr. J. W. Rouse, of Missouri, a practical apiarist an/4 helpful writer. It contains ove.r '60 pages, and we will send it postpaid for 25 cents ; or club it with the Bee Jour- nal for one year — both for' only .f 1.15. Feellm for BuMlng Ub for Fall-Flow. Query 915.— Where the apiarist has a honey-flow in June, and another in October, with almost none at all the three intervening months, will it pay to feed through the month of September in order to build up for the fall flow ? or will the bees build up anyway, where they have plenty of stores ?— Enthu- siast. I have had no experience. — P. H. El- wood. Keep the colony in good condition. — Will M. Barnum. Try feeding, for I presume it will pay you. — J. H. Larrabee. If I had the time and means I would feed. — Mrs. L. Harrison. Stimulative feeding at the right time will be beneficial. — A. B. Mason. If the bees have plenty of stores, they will be strong enough for any fall flow that may come. — G. L. Tinker. I would think it would pay. I would begin to feed five or six weeks before the beginning of the honey-flow. — M.Mahin. It is very doubtful if it would pay. Under the circumstances they would build up pretty well, anyway. — R. L. Taylor. ^ ' It wovild be an advantage to feed a little regularly to promote breeding, but not en^tiugh for the bees to store away. — J. P. H. Brown. That's outside of my experience, but I shoiild think it depends on what that "a'lmost" means. If breeding stops, theln feed. — C. C. Miller. That is one of the questions that you can best test by a thorough trial. Us- ually, I think, the bees would be in good condition for such honey-flow. — C. H. DiBBERN. If the bees have used up the June honey before the October flow com- menced, then feed. If they have plenty of honey at any time, they don't want feeding. — E. France. 366 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAlL. The brood would be increased some by feeding, but it would not pay. In case of no fall flow, it would be very unwise. I doubt if it ever pays to practice stimu- lative feeding. — A. J. Cook. It will not pay, unless you arQ abso- lutely sure of a fall crop; but we would deem it safer not to feed in summer, as it incites robbing more than at other times of the year. — Dadant & Son. If there is such a dearth of pasturage as to stop brood-rearing, or nearly so, and a prospect of quite a flow in October, it would likely pay to stimulate in Au- gust or September. — S. I. Freeborn. I do not feed my bees at any time when they have plenty of honey — it is a piece of foolishness. Should you wish to stimulate for a special purpose, un- cap their honey. — Mrs. Jennie Atchley. It might pay in such a case to feed. Try feeding W of the apiary, and one year will tell you whether this }i does enough better than the others to recom- pense for work and feed. — G. M. Doo- LITTLE. If I only knew who you are, where you live, how long your honey-flow lasted, what it consists o", etc., then I would know more about iv. I don't know any- thing about October honey-flows. — H. D. Cutting. In the case mentioned, it will be found of no use to feed for siimulation. They will build up fast enough where they have ample stores. Fefiding at the time mentioned, will be apt to cause swarm- ing.— J. E. Pond. I think that would depend upon the length of the October flow, and the quantity gathered through the months of August and September. You could demonstrate by experiment, which would be the more profitable. — Eugene Secor. That depends. The apiarish must judge for himself whether sufficient brood-rearing is going on. In many cases it would pay to feed, remembering that it will not pay to create a lot of bees that come too late to be producers. — J. A. Green. It has been my experience that if they had plenty of stores they are always ready for the fall flow. I have had colo- nies with so much honey in the brood- chamber that the queen had no room, so I have never made it a point to feed un- less compelled to do so, to save the col- ony.— Jas. a. Stone. If the bees have plenty of stores to last them from the early to the late flow, it is a useless expense to feed them in the meantime. But if their stores fail, as is sometimes the case in my locality (Kentucky), it pays to feed to keep breeding going until the fall flow com- mences.— G. W. Demaree. September feeding would not answer for a flow that liegan the first of Octo- ber. Feeding depends very much upon the price that may be obtained for the honey. If I had to sell honey at 5 or 6 cents per pound, I do not think I would feed much, if the bees had plenty of stores. — Emerson T. Abbott. CONVENTION DIRECTORY. Time and place of meeting. 1894. Apr. 4 5.— Texas State, at Greenville, Tex. E. J. Atchley, Sec, Beeville, Tex. Apr. 23. — Venang-Q Co., at Franklin, Pa. C. S. Pizer, Sec. Franklin, Pa. In order to have this table complete, Secretaries are requested to forward full particulars of the time and the place of each future meeting. — The Editor. North American Bee-Keepers' Association P RES.— Emerson T. Abbott St. Joseph, Mo. Vice-Pres.— O. L. Hershiser Bufitalo, N. Y. Secretary— Frank Benton, Washington, D. C. Treasurer— George W. York... Chicago, Ills. National Bee-Keepers' Union. President— Hon. R. L. Taylor.. Lapeer, Mich. Gen'l. Manager— T. G. Newman. Chicago, 111. 147 South Western Avenue. Capons and Caponizing:, by Edward Warren Sawyer, M. D., Fanny Field, and others. It shows in clear language and illustrations all about caponizing fowls ; and thus how to make the most money in poultry-raising. Every poultry-keeper should have it. Price, postpaid, 30 cents ; or clubbed with Bee Journal one year, for $1.10. Honey as food aii, 1894. Bveryljody Invited. No hotel Ijills to pay. We e.xpect a large meeting and a good tiine. Don't fail to come. Beevillo, Tex. E. ,T. ATCHr,EV, Sec. Honey & Beeswax Market Quotations. CHICAGO, III., Feb. 17.— We are encour- aged by last week's business, disposing of considerable light honey in a small way at low prices— 13(3H4c. It is impossible to ob- tain higher prices at present. We quote: No. 1, 1.3@14c. ; extracted. 5®6^c. Beeswax, 21 @23c. We have inquiries for beeswax, with none to offer. J. A. L. ALBANY, N. Y., Jan. 14.— The honey market is in a slow and unsatisfactory condition. Very little demand tor any and large stocks of both comb and extracted. Quotations would be only nominal. H. R. W. CHICAGO, III., Mar. 15.— There has jDeen a good deal of comb honey sold in the last few days, so that our stock of the best grades is now reduced. We obtain 14@15c. for choice white. Dark is hard to move at 10@12c. Ex- tracted is very quiet, selling at from 4@7c. Beeswax is in good demand at 23®25c. R. A. B. & Co. NEW YORK, N. Y., Jan. 24.— There is no change in our market. Trade remains dull with plenty of stock on hand of both comb and extracted honey. Beeswax is selling on arrival at 26@27c. H. B. & S. CINCINNATI. C, Mar. 7.— Demand for hon- ey is slow in sympathy with the general dull Ousiness all over the country. We quote ex- tracted honey at 4@8c. a lb.; comb. 12@15c. for best white. Beeswax is in fair demand, at 22@25c. for good to choice yellow. C. F. M. & S. List of Honey and Beeswax Dealers, Most of whom Quote in this Journal. Cblcago, Ills. J. A. Lamon, 44 and 46 So. Water St. R. A. BORNETT & Co., 161 South Water Street. New York, N. Y. F. I. Sage & Son, 183 Reade Street. HiLDBETH Bros. & Segelken, 28 & 30 West Broadway. Chas. Israel & Bros,, 110 Hudson St. Kansas City, iTIo. Hamblin & Bearss, 514 Walnut Street. Clemoms-Mason Com. Co., 521 Walnut St. Albany, N.Y. H. R. Wright, 326 & 328 Broadway. Hamilton, Ills. Chas. Dadant & Son. Cincinnati, Obio. C. F. MUTH & Son, cor. Freeman & Central avs . Catalogues for 1894 are on our desk from the following : W. T. Falconer Mfg. Co., Jamestown, N. Y. H. G. Acklin, 1024 Miss. St., St. Paul, Minn. N. D. West, Middleburgh, N. Y. Walter S. Ponder, 162 Massachusetts Ave Indianapolis, Ind. Jeseph E. Shaver, Friedens, Va. Aspinwall Mfg. C!o., Jackson, Mich. VV. P. Grossman, Dallas, Tex. Dr. G. L. Tinker, New Philadelphia. Ohio 380 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. AdvErtisements. "Bee-Keeping for Profit." A New Revised edition of this vaUiable worli for only 25 els., postpaid, will be sent by Geo. W. Yorli & Co. or Dr. Tinlier. It is full of the latest and most interesting- points in the manag-ement of Bees, with illustrations of the Nonpareil Bee-Hive. Section Supers, Sections, Queen-Excluders, Drone-Traps and Queen-Traps, etc.; also beautiful direct prints of both Drone and Queen Excluder Zinc and all about its uses. Send for it as well as for my 18,94 Price-List of Apiarian Supplies. Address, DR. G. l.. TINKER, 6Atf NEW PHILADELPHIA, O. Mention the A.merican Bee Joumci. TESTED QUEENS FORJUSINESS, MONEY I Jfl fra To any part of the — ^L. •pl.wV u. S. or to Canada ; QUEENS HONEY Elsewhere, $2. i^hip after April 15th, XO CHKAP OWES. Best Shipping- Center on Pacific Coast— 35 minutes fi-om San Francisco. W. A. PRY AX., N. Temescal, Calif. When Answering this Advertisement, Mention this Journal. ■i a^ ■■ ■■ TWO MONTHS' SUBSCRIP- r n r 5 TION to one of the best farm b m^B k b papers in the Northwest. All r Wm W" H"" that is necessary Is to send I IK k hi your address on a postal. Say where you saw this adver- tisement, and we will make you an attractive offer. EURAL NORTHWEST Box 497. Des M01NE.S, Iowa. II A2t Mention the American Bee Journal I WILL EXCHANGE For Your Name and Address, my illustrated Catalogue of Chaff Hives, the Oovelalled Hives, T Supers, Sections, Foundation, and Everything Needed In tlie Apiary. First-Class Ooods, and Prices Reasonable. Geo. E. Hilton, "".F.^ar'- Mention the American Bee Jnnm/il. SAVE MONEY! IF YOU WANT Queen-Bees, Hives, Foundation "H-vAPIAlUAMSUPPllES, Send for Pricc-List, to J. P. H. BROWN, llAtf AUGUSTA, GA. Mention the Amerlean Bee .Tomiial. GROSSMAN'S Beaiitifnl Oolden ((neens, Are reared from the Best o-Bfl. Stocli, and guaranteed to give you satisfaction. Untested, ^l. 00 each; $5.00 per half dozen. Tested. $1.50 each; Select Tested, $3.50 each. Send lor Price-I^ist. W. p. GROSSMAN 12Atf Box 141, DALLAS, TEX. Mention the American Bee Journal Illustrated Catalogue free upon application. THE BEE-KEEPER'S GUIDE : ... OR... MANUAL OF THE APIARY, BY PROF. A. J. COOK. This is the latest edition of Prof. Cook's superb work, containing over 450 pages, over 225 illustrations, and bound in cloth. 16.000 copies have been sold, and it is more a stan- dard bee-book than ever. It is a cyclopedia of bee-literature, and no bee-keeper can af- ford to be without it. Our Liberal Offers of this Kook. We club Prof. Cook's book with the Bee Journal for one year— both for $1.65 ; or will mail it free as a Premium for sending us three new subscribers to the Bee Jocr- NAr, at $1.00 each, and also give to each one of the three new subscribers a free copy of the Premium edition of " Rees and Jloney," weekly, $1 a Year. } DevOTED^XCLUS^V|^L_Y- ULTURE. \ Sample Copy Free. VOL. XXXIII. CHICAGO. ILL, MAR. 29, 1894. NO. 13. Ml*. Clmrles I^asU AI>1>ott, the originator of the Uritkh Bee Joimtal, died on March 2, 1894. Editor Cowan, of the journal named, promises further particu- lars in the next issue of his paper. The sad announcement was made in the issue for March Sth, the notice being received just on going to press. Expensive Houey-Uislie^t. — Dr. Miller, in one of his " Stray- (ing) Straws " in Gkauinff-s, says this: "Dishes prepared with honey at one of Nero's suppers are said to have cost >;160,000." All of which goes to show that Dr. Miller gets into one valuable "straw" some invaluable or priceless '' honey -dishes." '*Foiil ISrood ; Its Natural History and Rational Treatment," is the title of an interesting booklet by Dr. Wm. R. Howard, of Texas. It also contains a review of the work of others on the same subject. It is being issued at the office of the Bee Jour- nal, and will be ready to mail about April 10th. Price, postpaid, 25 cents; or clubbed with the Bee Journal for one year — both together for $1.15. Orders received now, and mailed as soon as issued. Editor Hutcliinson^s March Review is mainly devoted to a discussion of the manufacture of comb foundation. It also contains charming spring and summer views of Bro. H.'s apiary. Bro. Taylor's reports of experiments in the same number we reproduce for the benefit of our readers this week, as will be noticed on page 400. The Review is so different from the other bee-papers, that every wide-awake bee- keeper can easily afford to take it in con- nection with whatever other apiarian peri- odical he may already be reading. We can club the Review with the Bee Journal — both together for a whole year — for only $1.75. A I%e>v Edition of " The Bee-Keepers' Guide; or Manual of the Apiary," by Prof. A. J. Cook, has just been issued by the publishers of the Bee Journal. Sixteen thousand copies of this excellent and com- plete bee-work have already been sold, and it is to-day as standard as ever— -Plain — Practical — Scientific. It contains over 450 pages, is beautifully printed, neatly and substantially bound in cloth, and is sent postpaid for $1.35 per copy; or clubbed with the Bee Journal for one year — both for $1.65. It will be noticed that the price hereafter will be $1.25, instead of $1.00 as heretofore. '^^ Location. — In selecting a site for an apiary, there are many considerations to be borne in mind, especially if bee-keeping is to be the sole business. The question of very greatest import is that of resources. Study the subject of the best honey-yield- ing plants and trees, and be sure that you locate within reach of some tolerably re- liable source. — Quinby. 392 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. Xlie Canadian Bee Journal im- proves with each succeeding number. It is printed on an excellent quality of paper, and its contents are equally good. Bro. Holtermann is bound to make a success of his venture, and Canadian bee-keepers ought to turn in and support him heartily. Of course, we would naturally advise every bee-keeper to fini become a subscriber to the American Bee Journal ; but to that "means of grace." we think Canadian api- arists should then add their own journal. The Canadian and the American harmo- nize very nicely on the main objects to be attained unto in practical bee-culture. Bro. E. P.