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LIBRARY

OF THE

MASSACHUSETTS

AGRICULTURAL

COLLEGE

NO.. I 5?_1fi__.__ DATE..^ -15.S.5.

SOURCE . .College.. . . . .^ .a.rvis

F C ,,.34

This book may be kept out

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CENTS a day thereafter. It will be due on
the day indicated below.

'AN 34 I69G

.^^

ESTABLISHED
1661

0LDE5T BEE-PAPER
IN AMERICA.

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•IliE-QRAZEO OE."ii<inERS •-''■S OE/iflBonrr

^fffS'^r^r^^sa*^^^

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

PUBLISHED -VTEEKLY BY

GEORGE W. YORK- & CO.,

At One Dollar a Year,
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never Send Silvef In letters. It will
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IMake all Af oney Orders Pay^able at
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the AMERICAN Bee Journal, are convenient
for preserving each weekly Number, as fast as
received. They will be sent, postrpaid, for 50 cts.
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Cost lumbers.— We carefully mail the
Bee Journal to every subscriber, but should
any be lost in the mails, we will replace them if
notified before all the edition is exhausted.

Always State the Post-OflSce to which
your paper is addressed, when writing to us.

Save Money by Using the Following

^We Club the American Bee Journal
for a year, with any of the following papers
at the club prices quoted in the t,AS'r
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

and Gleanings in Bee-Culture.... 2 00.... 175

Bee-Keepers' Review 2 00.... 175

Canadian Bee Journal 2 00 ... 175

TheApiculturist 175.... 165

Progressive Bee-Kecpcr .. 150 135

American Bee- Keeper 150 — 140

Nebraska Bee-Keeper 150 — 135

The 8 above-named papers 6 25 — 5 25

Other PeriodlcalH.
The Lever— Temp, wkly .... 200.... 170

Ladies' Home Journal 2 00.... 180

OranjreJudd Karraor 2 00 — 175

Am. Poultry Advocate 2 25 2 20

Now York Weekly Tribune. 2 00.. . 170

Youth's Companion-new.-. 2 75 2 40

New York Weekly Press.... 2 00... 160
Illustrated Home Journal.. 150 — 140

Prairie Farmer 2 00.... 180

Chicago Weekly Inter-Ocean 2 00 ... 1 80

VOL. XXXIV. CHICAGO, ILL, JULY 5, 1894.

NO. L

Foreign Bee-Papers are to be

" extracted " and translated for the Beview
hereafter by Miss Katherine M. Inglis, of
Michigan, a niece of Hon. R. L. Taj^lor.
The first installment appeared in the June
issue of Bro. Hutchinson's paper, and is ex-
ceedingly readable.

Rev. S. Roese, of Maiden Rock, Wis.,
writes us that he had a second attack of
la grippe last winter, and besides a daugh-
ter was also sick all the winter. Verily,
misfortunes come not singly. Bro. Roese
has sent a short article on "Renewing
Brood-combs," which will appear soon.

Xlie Practical ISee-Keeper, the

new bee-paper in Canada, published by C.
A. Ouellette, was recently changed from a
quarterly to a monthly. Bro. Allen Prin-
gle, who so successfully superintended the
Ontario apiarian exhibit at the World's
Fair, last year, is one of the Practicara i-eg-
ular correspondents, as shown by the May
and June numbers. Bro. Pringle is a splen-
did writer, on bees or any other subject,
and we always read with much interest
what he has to say, even if we don't always
agree with his views on some matters out-
side of apiculture.

Prof. Cook's Class in apiculture,
we are glad to learn, numbers 17. He wrote
us thus about it recently :

I have a class of 17 in apiculture. How is
that ? Many of them handle bees already
like veterans (both gentlemen and ladies),
with no hat or gloves, with hands fuU of
bees. I shall m/ike some good bee-keepers
here. A. J. Cook.

We think the Professor is meeting with
excellent success in getting such a large
class interested in handling bees, and learn-
ing about their useful habits. It will pay
young people to avail themselves of the
opportunity now afforded at Claremont,
Calif., to obtain apicultural knowledge.
Prof. Cook knows the " how " and '• why ''
about bees and several ether things.

Bro. Holterinann's wife and four
bright children (two boys and two girls)
were all shown in the Vauadian Bee JouriMl
for June. What a happy looking family it
is! And how proud of them " ye editor "
of the Canadian must be ! Perhaps the fol-
lowing stanza, taken from the same num-
ber, explains the secret of Bro. Holter-
mann's apparent domestic felicity:

"Eternal is the peace that dwells
Where Love's soft footsteps ever fall ;

The heart and soul the story tell—
Love is the ruler over all."

Fraiuc-Spacers.— Mr. J. W. Tefft,
of New York, has sent us samples of the
frames which he uses, on which are pro-
jections right at the four corners, which
serve as self -spacers. They are made by
leaving the endx of the end-bars and top and
bottom bars % inch wider, % inch from the
ends, and thus when nailed together they

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

space exactly 1}4 inches from center to
center, as the rest of the frame is 1}^' inches
wide. They can also be reversed if desired.
The frames are 10x15 inches, inside meas-
urement. Mr. Tefft claims that he secures
one-third more honey by their use than by
any other system. He has special size sec-
tions in each frame, as they can be used as
wide-frames, brood-frames, or extracting-
frames.

Mr. Tefift suggests that the Stephens'
frame-spacer, as illustrated on page 727,
may be an infringement upon his patent.
We hardly think so, though of course we
would not assume to say positively.

Mr. T. C. Kelly, of Pennsylvania, has
also sent us a sample of metal device which
he uses to space the frames at the top —
something to fasten on the hive-rabbet, and
into which the frame ends drop, thus spac-
ing them accurately and regularly. Mr.
Kelly also wished to know whether there
was any infringement, but we again do not
think there is.

^^ Our advice is to extract only from
sealed, or nearly all sealed combs. By so
doing we get a first-class product that we
can recommend, and that should sell for as
much, pound for pound, as comb honey.
There is good reason to believe that the
producing of a cheap, inferior-flavored
article has nearly ruined many markets
for the sale of extracted honey. — Dr. Tinker.

A I^aiiglity *' I\ol."— In a receut
number of (ilmubij.-i, Dr. Miller, in speaking
of T supers compared with wide-frames,
meant to say, "I feel almost sure therein
something I do know about." Well, the
printer got it " do not know," which isn't
to be wondered at when we remember how
often Dr. Miller says he "don't know."
And now the Doctor threatens to "cripple
that printer" for putting in the word "not,"
but Bro. Root takes the blame for the error,
and sympathetically remarks about it thus:

Our mistake. Doctor. By the way. what
ja pity it is that we cannot take that word
which we did 7i.o( want, and give it to Bro.
York to put in the first line on page 648 of
his issue for May 24 ! Bro. Y. never meant
to say that " the kee-keeping world mu
spare Dr. Miller just yet." It's a naughty

tlA)t.

You're just right, Bro. Root, it is a
" naughty ?iot "—a good deal like a Chicago

policeman — when you want him he's no-
where to be found, and when you don't
want him he's right there. So with the
word "not" — when you want it not, be-
hold it's there ; when you do want it, it's
not in its place. Let us hope it will not
cause the Doctor, or his friends, any more
trouble.

Our Visit to l>r. Miller's.— As

promised last week, we will now try to tell
something about our trip and visit to the
home of Dr. Miller.

We left the Bee Journal office at 10
o'clock, a.m., on Saturday, June 16th, and
arrived at Marengo a f e w minutes after 1
p.m., on the Chicago & Northwestern rail-
road, just 66 and a fraction miles northwest
of Chicago. We had understood that Dr.
Miller lived 65 miles from Chicago, but he
insisted that it is "66 and a fraction miles,"
and so we state it just as he informed us,
for that seemed to be one of the many
things he knows.

It was a most delightful ride after the
splendid rain the previous night all the way
along until only a few miles this side of
Marengo, where it had not rained, and at
Marengo it was fearfully dry and dusty.
The Doctor said it hadn't rained for a
month, and all vegetation gave ample
proof of the truth of his words.

Just as the train "slowed up" at our
destination, we saw Dr. Miller through the
car window, apparently looking for a
young man about our size. He was dressed
— well, of course he was dre.s!<ed — but Dr.
Miller is a man who believes in dressing so
as to be comfortahh — and so do wei It was
a very hot day, and he was in his apiary
uniform excepting the bee-veil. It re-
minded us of the ea.sy and comfortable out-
fit that we used to wear when living on the
farm, viz: Hat, shirt, overalls, shoes.
There you have it. Who wouldn't be cool
and good-natured in such a rig, even on a
hot day ?

Just a mile south of Marengo is the Doc-
tor's home. He drove a little out of the
way in order to show us some fine basswood
trees filled with buds that would bloom in
about two weeks. There are a number of
these rich honey-producing trees in and
around Marengo, and doubtless the Doc-
tor's bees keep good watch of them. The
house, in which resides the " sage of Ma-
rengo," is situated perhaps 40 rods from

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

the main highway ; and along one side of
the driveway up to the house is a row of
fine young basswood trees, nearly all of
which were just covered with buds. These
the Doctor had set out himself, as he did all
the fruit and other trees growing on his
place of 37)^ acres.

Arrived finally at the Doctor's home, we
were met at the door by his good wife and
Miss Wilson, who, as is well known, is Dr.
Miller's efiicient helper in all his apiary
work. The Doctor's son, Charles, perhaps
25 years of age, was also at home.

After partaking of a bountiful dinner-
such as only people living in the country
are permitted to enjoy — and then visiting
a little, about 4 p.m. the Doctor, Miss Wil-
son and " ye editor " went into the home
apiary. This apiary contains about 70 col-
onies of bees some five rods from the house,
while the two out-apiaries, several miles
away, have about 120 colonies.

Before leaving the house, Miss Wilson
got the bee-hats with the veils as described
in her article in the Bee Journal of two
weeks ago. The method of holding the
veil down so that no bees may get under it,
is Miss Wilson's own idea (not patented,
we believe !). From her article we did not
get a real clear understanding of her man-
ner of pinning down the veil, but after
having had it on, we can say that it is
simply perfect, leaving nothing further to
be desired in the line of comfort and pre-
vention of bees getting under the veil.

Perhaps we can add a little to Miss Wil-
son's description of her bee-veil, that may
help some of our readers.

Around the wide brim of a straw hat sew
a piece of black bobinet, having it extend
below the hat about two feet. Then hem in
around the bottom of the bobinet about
two feet of rubber cord. Slip this lower
end of the veil over the head, bringing the
rubber cord around the neck, and place the
hat on the head. Then with a safety pin
through the hem at the left of the front,
draw it directly down to or near the waist,
and pin it. This stretches the rubber cord
rather tightly across the breast, so that no
bees can possibly get under it while you
are working with them; and if you wish to
get to your face for any purpose, just raise
the rubber cord with one hand, and with
the other you can remove your spectacles,
if necessary, or, if desired, you can lick off

any honey that may be on your fingers.
We tried this latter, and it is a simple and
easy thing to do— and the new honey was
good.

After the veils were properly adjusted,
as described, the Doctor lighted a "New
Crane " bee-smoker, which has a powerful
blast, and works splendidly. Dr. Miller
burns fine planer-shavings, which make a
good volume of smoke, and the fire does
not easily go out.

A number of hives were opened, in all of
which the beep were storing nectar rapidly,
as was shown by its dropping out when a
comb was lifted from the hive and slightly
tipped sidewise.

We saw a pure Punic queen— oh, the
" Black Beauty!" — and one of Bro. Doolit-
tle's finest queens that was in the New
York exhibit at the World's Fair last year.
This queen, Bro. D. says, is worth $50 as a
breeder. She's a regular '' Queen Victory,"
as our colored brother would say.

Dr. Miller prefers the leather-colored
Italian bees, hence nearly all of his colonies
are of that variety.

We might speak of some experiments
that the Doctor is conducting, but likely
when the proper time comes, he will de-
scribe them himself, and so we'll refrain
from giving anything in that direction.
But perhaps it would be well to hint right
here, that before sending any new hives or
other fixtures to the Doctor for trial, just
write and ask him whether he cares to ex-
periment with them. You know his is not
a regular apicultural experiment station,
and we imagine that ofttimes he's too busy
to try many new things.

On Sunday we all attended three services,
hearing a clear-cut Presbyterian sermon in
the forenoon by the Rev. Davies, followed
by the Sunday-school; and then at 3 p.m.,
a helpful Bible reading in the Methodist
church by the noted Dr. John Williamson.
We endeavored to " Remember the Sabbath
day to keep it holy," as will be seen.

Dr. Miller has lived in Marengo for over
30 years, and so nearly everybody in the
city of nearly 2,000 people knows him, and
loves him, too. Verily, he is as popular at
home as abroad, and apparently all who
know him best count themselves fortunate
to be numbered among his friends. We do.
One of Dr. Miller's greatest hobbies is
• roses. Yes, roses ! and such beautiful va-

10

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

rieties as he has, and in such great profu-
sion ! As his comfortable home is situated
on a hill, commanding an extended and
delightful view, we felt that it might very
appropriately be called "Rose Hill." "A
rose by any other name would be as sweet,"
we presume, but Dr. Miller's roses are
simply sweetness and beauty doubly con-
centrated.

Mrs. Miller is one of the very kindest and
most motherly of women we ever met. She
takes such excellent care of the Doctor, and
at all times sets him such a splendid ex-
ample of right and cheerful living, that we
don't see how he could well be otherwise
than the thoroughly good man that he is.
Well may he say, as he did some time ago
in Oleanmgs — " Glad I had a wife!"

Now just a word about Miss Wilson,
though she is entitled to many words of
honest praise. Well, besides her many ac-
complishments, apiarian and otherwise.
Miss Wilson makes the best ice-cream we
ever had the pleasure of sampling. After
absorbing nearly a half dozen large dishes
of it in the time we were there, we feel that
we are competent to testify to its superior
merits, and to her ability in that line, as
well as in others. (This testimonial is quite
" unsolicited.")

We cannot close without saying at least
a little about Dr. Miller's home life. (He
needn't read this part of our report.) Most
of you have only seen him at conventions,
or away from home, and at such places we
suppose people are expected to be "on their
good behavior." Well, we want to say that
Dr. Miller's " good behavior" has become
a sort of second nature to him," and so his
" behavior" is " good " all the time, whether
at home, where Mrs. Miller and Miss Wil-
son could look after him, if necessary, or
when away from their benign influence.
A person'.s home life will always reveal his
or her true nature. So after meeting Dr.
Miller and his family, both at home and
away from home, we want to assure those
who do not know them, that they are all
"pure gold;" never pretending to any
greatness or superiority, yet in their sim-
plicity of life and nobility of character re-
vealing daily that which is a blessing to all
whom they meet, and that shall endure
throughout the years.

That Heaven's best blessings may always
attend Dr. Miller and his family; and that
long life and continued happiness may be

theirs, is the sincere wish of the writer,
who is glad that he was permitted to enjoy
their kind hospitality, and hopes ever to
merit their highest esteem.

Tliat "Real Estate Matter."—

Bro. J. E. Pond, of North Attleboro, Mass.,
wrote us as follows on June 32nd, about
" Business," who two weeks ago had a mild
criticism in the Bee Journal :

I was amused at the letter from " Busi-
ness," on page 776, who finds fault with
" real estate talk." If he can't find enough
good, sound meat in the American Bee
Journal, even if he don't read about "real
estate," he can let it alone. Does he sup-
pose the Bee Journal is published for, or
in the interest of one man only ? If I were
going to find fault I should " go for " " Class
Representative" (page 783), and others,
but perhaps those articles will be of inter-
est to many others, if not to myself, so I
let the editors run their papers to suit them-
selves, believing they can judge better of
what their readers want than I can, and I
can, or at least have, always found value
received in every issue as yet.

J. E. Pond.

Bro. Pond, we don't think " Business "
meant to hit very hard, so we haven't
taken any offense at what he said. There
are all kinds of people in this world, and of
course no editor can suit them all, however
hard he may try so to do ; still, we do en-
deavor to please the great majority of our
readers, and sometimes we feel that we come
pretty close to making a success of it. At
any rate, we want always to do the right
thing, as nearly as we can see it, and that,
then, is the best we can do.

It^" It has often been stated that it pays
best to run an apiary for extracted honey,
but my own opinion is that to obtain the
most desirable crop, the apiarist should
work for both that and comb honey.—
Slrnmlns.

€<ood. IIoiiey-SeIlei*$« will likely be
needed soon, and the little 32-page pamph-
let, "Honey as Food and Medicine," has
for years proven itself valuable in making
repeated sales of honey. Its distribution
will create a (lem.aud for the honey first, and
then the bee-keeper can follow it up and
supply that demand. Send to us for a
sample copy, only 5 cents; 10 copies, post-
paid, 35 cents ; 50 copies, $1.25; or 100 copies
$2.00. Try 50 or 100 copies, and prove their
ability to aid you in disposing of your
honey at a good price.

React our great offers on page 3.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

11

Oiti- Doctor's Hints, on another
page of this number of the Bee Journal, is
a new department to be conducted by our
good and able friend, Dr. F. L. Peiro, of
Chicago. It affords us pleasure to intro-
duce the Doctor to our readers by his por-
trait herewith.

Dr. Peiro has had an experience as a
medical practitioner covering a period of
about 30 years, so whatever he may advise
in his department can be relied upon im-
plicitly.

We hope that at least the mothers in the
families receiving the Bee Journal will

DR. F. L. PEIRO.

note carefully the Doctor's '• hints " from
week to week, and thus be enabled to profit
by them whenever an emergency arises.

Any of our readers who may wish to ask
Dr. Peiro any questions by mail, will please
remember to enclose a few stamps to cover
postage, etc. He will be pleased to see you
personally at his office (McVicker's Build-
ing, 83 East Madison St.) when you are in
the city. His specialty now is throat and
lung diseases.

We trust that " Our Doctor's Hints " may
prove a helpful and valuable addition to
the contents of the •' Old Reliable."

One-Cent Postag^e Stamps we

prefer whenever it is necessary to send
stamps for fractions of a dollar. By re-
membering this, you will greatly oblige us.

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 make "Queries and Replies" bo
interesting on another page. In the main, it
will contain questions and answers upon mat-
ters that particularly interest beginners.— Ed.

Distance Below Frames.

What is the space that should be be-
tween the bottom of the hive and the
bottom of the frames ? I have one kind
of hive — a patent hive — in which the
space is % of an inch, and the bees build
the bottom full of ladders to climb up to
the frames. I. S.

Long, W. Va.

Answer. — Three-eighths inch is a good
space. That's one of the things about
which I made a fool of myself some
years ago. I said % was too small a
space, for with % space the bottom-bars
of my frames barely cleared the hum-
mocks that were built all over the bot-
tom-board, and if the frames were a
quarter of an inch lower, they would be
glued fast to the hummocks. A. I. Root
replied, "Why, you fool you" — well, no,
he didn't say that, but I suppose he
thought it — "don't you know that your
deep space is the very thing that obliges
the bees to build hummocks for lad-
ders ?" Now you were just that much
smarter than I, for you recognized, with-
out being told, that the bees were build-
ing ladders.

Honey-Locust.

What does honey-locust look like ?
Lynn Centre, 111. A. R. J.

Answer. — The honey-locust is an open-
branching tree with very fine leaves,
and one of the thorniest trees that
grows. Sometimes the thorns are 4 to
6 inches long, having secondary thorns
grow out at the sides. The flowers are
small, but the bean-pods large— 12 to
18 inches in length.

12

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAj^,

An Experience With Swarms.

I had a swarm of bees come out, fly
around awhile, and go back. In about
five minutes they did the same thing
again, then remained all quiet for about
a week. They then came out and clus-
tered, and were hived in the usual way.
Forty-eight hours later the old colony
cast another swarm, and they were
hived in regular order. "What was the
cause of this unusual proceeding ?

W. S. G. M.

Morenci, Mich., June 16.

Answer.— The first was a prime
swarm, and it went back to the hive be-
cause for some reason the old queen was
not able to accompany it. The rest was
all according to the usual course of
affairs— a second and third swarm com-
ing off after the young queens emerged
from their cells.

Cross Swarms, Mating Queens, Etc.

1. I send some blossoms and plants.
What sort of plants are they ? Are they
good for bees ?

2. I had a swarm of bees the other
day, and they settled on the body of a
sappling, and when I went to hive them
they went to shooting their little darts
at me, and hit me every shot, till I was
"crazy." But I hived them. This was
the first time I have been stung by bees,
when at work with them, in two years,
only when I would press them too tight.
What made them so cross ? I have
hived from the same queen twice before.
What shall I do with the next cross
swarm — smoke them ?

3. Will bees kill off drones when they
are just gathering enough pollen and
honey to keep up brood-rearing ?

4. Will a drouth cause the timber —
such as sour-wood —to yield no nectar
for bees? I mcsan a drouth that would
injure field crops ?

5. How will the method of mating
queens at will, spoken of by Mr. Russell
on page 47(J, bo made known? or will
it ever be ? M. W. G.

Bankston, Ala.

Answers. — 1. It isn't always easy to
be sure after being through the mail,
but I think the one is Alsiko clover, an
excellent honey-plant. The other is
also good — hoarhound.

2. Generally bees are very good-
natured at time of swarming, but occa-
sionally they show bad temper, and I
don't know any explanation for it. It is
barely possible that something about
your clothing or person was displeasing

to them. Yes, smoke or sprinkling with
sweetened water would help matters.

3. Sometimes they will, and some-
times not.

4. I would suppose it would take a
severer drouth for trees which have
their roots deep.

5. I don't know. Possibly Mr. Rus-
sell may tell something about it. He
speaks as if it would be forthcoming
whenever a suificiently liberal reward is
offered. There is no doubt that a man
giving such a secret to the bee-keeping
public would be well i-ewarded, but I
doubt if any of the veterans who read it
put any faith in the matter. They have
been so many times disappointed hereto-
fore.

« — « <» » I

Sweet Clover Questions.

I have become very much interested
in sweet clover as a honey-producing
plant, and wish to ask some questions.

1. Will white sweet clover grow and
bloom the first season after it is sown ?

2. Is fall or spring the proper time to
sow it ?

3. Will it grow on sod or waste places
without any preparation of soil?

Glen Rock, Nebr. C. L. C,

Answers. — 1. No, it is a biennial ;
comes from the seed one year, makes a
rather small growth, next year grows 5
to 8 feet high, then dies root and branch.
There is no bloom the first year, only
the second.

2. Either will do, but it seems to do
perhaps best self-sown in the fall.

3. Yes and no. I sowed a number of
acres on pasture land, and I don't know
that a single seed grew. Again I have
seen it growing in close sod, and on the
barest tough clay. I suppose if I had
sown in the fall instead of spring, and
then had the seed well trodden in by
stock, the case might have been quite
different. Sown on waste places, it
might do well and it might not. Scat-
tered on the hardest roadside, it is pretty
sure to make a good catch ; but if it
wore not trodden in, I doubt about it.

Capons and CaponizinsT? 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.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

13

OUE BoeWRS HlMTS.

By F. L. PEIRO, M. D.

McVicker's Building, Chicaco, III.

Overfeeding tbe Baby.

O, yes, it is the common mistake of all
young, inexperienced mothers, to try to
stop baby's crying and fretting by nursing
it every time it whimpers ! Nine chances
in ten, that is exactly what ails the baby —
it has Hursed loo iimch '. Its stomach is full
of curdled milk which it cannot easily
digest, and of course this gives it i-oUc, and
what other way has the little one of telling
you of its trouble but by crying ?

Just see what wonderful effect water has,
frequently given— say two or three tea-
spoonfuls at a time, every half or one hour,
according to circumstances. In summer
they require drink oftener — just as any of
us. Always carry a bottle of fresh water
with you when going away from, home, for
the baby. And as surely and faithfully
leave your bottle of paragoric, '■ soothing
juice," and other harmful nostrums— or,
better still, throw away the trash so as not
be tempted to give it !

If the stomach is already overloaded, and
the child suffering in consequence, a small
powder of nux vomica may be expedient to
help nature in digesting the contents of the
burdened stomach, but with care in the
adoption of the suggestion made, it ought
not to be again necessary.

A little currant jelly stirred up in water
makes a delightful drink for baby, as for
grown folks. Don't be afraid — it will like
it, and do the youngster good.

When nursing baby be very careful of
your own diet, as on what yon eat depends
the quality of the milk. If you expect to
have wholesome nurse after gorging your-
self on corn beef and cabbage, pie and
strong coffee, you are mistaken ! The
mother's diet should be nourishing, but the
less meat and the more fresh fruits she eats,
the better for her and her child. Indiscre-
tion in diet is largely responsible for many
Doctor's visits. And I may as well tell you
a secret right here, that such mothers
usually incur the impatience of the doctor,
because he recognizes the folly or ignorance
that makes his visits seem necessary.
Physicians have to live, and hence expect

patronage in their calling, but, though they
would scarcely tell you so, they would re-
spect you more if your good judgment
made their services less frequently required.
The honest physician dislikes to make
unnecessary calls ; his self-respect is touch-
ed, and he would resent it openly, if he did
not jeopardize your patronage by so doing.
Early learn to depend on his wise counsel;
he will leave less medicine, but render you
much better service.

liOckjaw from Rusty Nail.

Well ! isn't that too bad ? Poor little fel-
low is suffering enough ! But there, don't
be so alarmed, no special danger, though a
rusty nail run into the foot, in that fash-
ion, is not a thing to be desired. '• Lock-
jaw f Nonsense! Most mischief in such
accidents occurs through fear and excite-
ment. At such times allow yourself a mo-
ment to think, and reasonably act. Some-
what after this manner :

"Now, Mary Jane, keep cool and think
what is best to do for Johnny. Wringing
your hands and going into hysterics won't
mend matters— he may become dangerously
sick or die while you are going through all
those howling gymnastics! Now just be
your sensible self and h€l[) him."

Then the first and best thing to do is to at
once prepare a warm bath— as warm as he
can bear it, and put Johnny right into it.
That will allay the usual irritation, and the
wound can be thoroughly cleaned while he
is in the bath. Let him remain quiet for
half an hour in the water, the while dress-
ing the whole foot with carbolized water
(30 drops carbolic acid to a pint of water) .
Put him in bed, draw the curtain to darken
the room to encourage an hour's sleep or
more— all the while speaking und appear-
ing cheerful (some mothers have a way of
frightening the life out of a child !) ; and in
a few hours the little fellow will be glad
enough to come out into the air and sun-
shine, little the worse for his accident. A
few days of continued dre.ssing with the
carbolized water, and the only recollection
left on his mind will be for hidden nails, in
the future.

In Case of Accident.
" Why, Susie dear, did you hurt yourself
much ?" Poor little girl, so pale, and sick
at her stomach ! But it often happens that
falls have results out of proportion to their
apparent severity. That swing-rope broke

14

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

just in such a way as to land her flat on
her back, and so jarring the spinal cord
as to produce that pallor and sickness. But,
bless you, that is a trifle for a chlhl, though
it might be quite serious for you or me.

There, you see ? She is " throwing up,"
which is just Nature's vent of relief. Not
a bone broken, nor even a particle of skin
peeled. The child simply requires quiet
rest — no medicine at all. To-morrow she
will be ready for another swing, in the tree
top.

But there is where you showed your cool
courage in laying her flat on her back, and
applying cold cloths to her head. Most
mothers, seeing a child pale and motion-
less, would have gone wild with fear, and
failed to render a particle of help. I hope
others will follow your sensible example.

CONDUCTED BY

MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY.

Beeville, Texas.

PROFITABLE BEE-KEEPING.

Iie8»«on No. 6.

(Continued from page 814.)
DISEASES OF BEES.

Under this head I will take up every-
thing known to be a disease of the
honey-bee, together with moth-worms,
etc. First, I will try to teach you what
Foul Brood is. I will only give my own
experieiK'e and views on this point, and
try to explain, in as short a manner as
possible, everything that has come under
my own observation ; and to do this
properly, it will make a pretty long les-
son of itself.

First, I will call your attention to the
fact that foul brood is a catching dis-
ease. Where it start(;d, no one as yet
has given satisfactory proof. Let this be
as it may, this disease has existed, and
does exist to-day, and may always be at

work in some parts of the world, and is
to be dreaded by an apiarist. To dis-
tinguish foul brood from other kinds of
dead brood, I will lead you through a
foul-broody colony.

Now, suppose we open up hive after
hive till we come to a real case of foul
brood, then I will stop and tell you what
it is, and when we get through this les-
son I am sure you will know foul brood
when you see it.

Come, let us walk over to Tom's apia-
ry a few minutes — he says his bees have
foul brood. They are constantly carry-
ing out dead brood, and lots of brood
dead in his hives ; It has been cool and
rainy for some time, and wound up with
a frost about a week ago, and Tom is
really discouraged and almost ready to
enter " Blasted Hopes," or anything else
that imagination will let him. But here
he is at home to-day. Let us go in
and examine his bees, and, if possible,
lighten his heart.

" Good morning, Tom. We have come
over to examine your bees, to see if they
really have foul brood."

" All right ; I will get my smoker, and
will be very glad indeed to have you ex-
amine the whole ' shooting match;' and
if my bees have foul brood, tell me what
to do," says Tom.

"Well, here is a colony that some-
thing bad is the matter with. See all
the dead bees piled out there !"

"Now," says Tom, "as I open the
hive, you all look closely. Take this
frame — what does all that dead and rot-
ten young bees mean, sinelling so badly,
too ?"

" That's no foul brood, Tom, and hap-
pens in almost all apiaries. You see,
during that warm spell a few weeks ago,
that caused soft maple to bloom right
out, the queen just went to work and
filled the combs with eggs, and they had
too much brood when that cool, rainy
weather came ; and then you see, that
frost and little freeze at the close of the
rainy spell caused the bees to cluster in
the center of the brood-nest, and their
brood chilled, and now it has turned
warm, and the bees are pulling out all
the brood that is old enough to bear
pulling ; the small larval will have to
rot and dry up in the cells, and then the
bees will clean the cells all out, and the
queen will deposit eggs in them, and
soon the colony will be all right again,
unless you let them run out of honey, as
you see it has reduced their stores to
rear those bees that got chilled, and all
this is a dead loss to the bee-keeper.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL

15

Spreading brood too early in the spring
may bring about the same results.

"Well, Tom, I am glad to know that
you have no foul brood — it is only a case
of chilled brood."

" Well," says Tom, " I am sure my
heart is much lighter now, and I will
know next time that I have no foul
brood when things turn out as they have
this time. I thank you all for the in-
formation I have received to-day."

Now let us jump two months ahead,
and this puts us up into July, and I hear
that Dick has foul brood badly iu his
apiary, and there has been no cool spell
this time, and we know that his is not
a case of chilled brood. We will inves-
tigate and see, as the only way to deter-
mine anything is by close inspection.
Well, I see Dick is also in his apiary,
even if it is hot.

"Good evening, Dick ; here is a crowd
of 'foul brood inspectors' that have
come over to see how much foul brood
your bees have. When we heard it, we
supposed your bees were just about all
dead, and here you are extracting and
taking off sections."

Oh, no ! my bees are not nearly all
dead ; but my ! the dead brood I find in
some of my hives, and I am scared to
think it is foul brood, as I have read so
much about it.

"Well, Dick, we have been having
very warm weather, haven't we ?"

" Yes, yes ; and I tell you I almost
burn up here on this south hillside, too."

" We are in a kind of hurry, as nearly
all bee-keepers are busy now, but we
must take time to look up your foul
brood business."

" All right," says Dick ; " yonder is a
hive that half the brood is dead, and the
cells are all sunken in, and it smells
badly. I am so sick about it, as that is
just the way they tell me foul brood
acts."

" Now, see that brood ; see tVie cells
all sunken down. Yes, give me that
comb, and let me examine it. Well,
Dick, you have no more foul brood than
Tom's bees had; you see his was chilled
brood, and yours is scalded brood. Your
hives are here in this broiling sun, and
they are very heavy with solid frames
of sealed brood, and such sheets of brood
afford a great deal of heat itself ; that,
together with our very warm weather,
has caused some of the brood to die from
the heat.

" Now, this may never be the case in
the Northern States, or where the sun
does not shine so hot, but here in the
South we often have cases of scalded

brood, but you have no foul brood, Dick,
and all will be well as soon as the days
are not so hot. See that water on the
sealed brood there ? That is to keep it
cool. But the bees sometimes fail to
keep the temperature down with water,
and then we have some scalded brood.
You are all right, you have no disease
ai all among your bees, and you can tell
after this when you have scalded brood,
the same as Tom can tell when he has
chilled brood."

"Yes," says Dick, "but somebody
says that dead brood causes foul brood —
what about it, any way ?"

" Oh, that's all right, Dick ; any of us
are likely to be mistaken in our views,
and we may be mistaken it our views in
this lesson about foul brood, but I will
risk it that you will agree with me be-
fore we get through, that foul brood
does not start from dead brood.

Jennie Atchley.
(This lessou concluded next week.)

COWVEWTION DIRECTORY.

Time and place of meeting.

1894. ''

July 19.— Carolina, at Charlotte, N. C.

A. L. Beach. Sec , Steel Creek, N. C.

Aug. 1.— Central California, at Hanford. Calif.
J. F. Flory, Sec, Lemoore, Calif.

Aug.16.— East Tennessee, at Whitesburg.Tenn
H. F. Coleman, Sec, Sneedville, Tenn.
1895.
Jan. 28.— Venang-o Co., at Franklin, Pa.

C. S. Pizer, Sec, FrankHn, Pa.
Feb. 8, 9.— Wisconsin, at Madison, Wis.

J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec, Madison, Wis.

It^~ 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 J.merican Bee-Keepers' Association

Pres.— Emerson T. Abbott St. Joseph, Mo.

Vice-Pres.— O. L. Hershiser.... Buffalo. N. T.
Secretary— Frank Benton, Washington, D. C.
Treasurer— George W. York...Chlcag-o, Ills.

National Bee-Keepers' XTulon.

President— Hon. R. L. Taylor. .Lapeer, Mich.
Gen'l Manager— T. G. Newman, Chicago, 111,
147 South Western Avenue.

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 .f 1.40.

16

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Qiieen-Cells M \k Swaralng Impulse.

Query 930.— 1. Are all the queen-cells
started under the swarming impulse equally
good?

2. If not, which are not ?

3, Is such an occurence exceptional, or
often liable to happen ?— Colorado.

1. I suppose not. 2 and 3. I don't
know. — Eugene Secor.

1. No. 2. The very small ones. 3.
It often happens. — M. Maiiin,

1. No. 2. The smaller ones. 3. It
often happens. — J. H. Larrabee.

1. No. 2. As a rule, the small, smooth
ones. 3. It often happens. — J. A.Green.

1. No. 2. Those that are not. 3. It
happens every time. — Emerson T. Ab-
bott.

No. 2. Those of inferior size. 2. It
happens only occasionally. — Jas. A.
Stone.

1. No. 2. The very small and mis-
shaped ones. 2. It often happens. — H.

D. Cutting.

1. I do not think so. 2. The very
small ones. 3. It is often liable. t-Mrs.
L. Harrison.

1. No. 2. The poorer ones (!) ; but I
haven't looked up the cause. 3. It is
liable to occur.— P. H. Elwood.

1. No. 2. Those that don't come up
to the standard of what they should be.
3. It is nothing exceptional. — J. P. H.
Brown.

1. I don't know of any reason why
they should not be. 2. No one can tell.
3. What occurrence is referred to ? — J.

E. Pond.

1. No. The cells that are last finished
and sealed often contain poor queens.
3. The occurrence is not exceptional,
but common. — O. L. Tinker.

1. No, sir ; some will be much larger,
and produce much finer queens, while
some are small and almost worthless. 3.
No, I think the above holds good gen-
erally.—C. il. DiBBKKN.

1. It seems not, as they do not all
hatch, and the queens vary in size. 2.
I know of no means of detecting all the
bad ones. 3. It often happens with me.
— I. M. Hambaugh.

Once in a thousand, bees will make a
mistake and place a drone-larva in a
queen-cell. We have seen that once in
our experience. The drone died in the
cell.— Dadant & Son.

1. I presume they are. I usually de-
stroyed the smallest, and kept the larg-
est, in selecting cells. The early-formed
cells would have the presumption in
their favor.— A. J. Cook.

1. As a rule, yes. 2 and 3. When a
colony is drained too heavy (in swarm-
ing) in bees, and cool weather occurs
after the swarm has issued, the embryo
queens suffer more or less. — G. M. Doo-
i.ittle.

1. I think not. 2. I don't know. The
weather might have something to do
with it, or the honey-flow, for all are not
of the same age. Position in the hive
also. 3. I suppose it may often happen.
— C. C. Miller.

1. Not always. 2. Those which are
not properly cared for. The young
queens are small, and sometimes dark,
3. It is not exceptional ; in nearly every
lot of cells there will be some that I
would destroy. — Mrs. J. N. Heater.

1. I think not. The best ones are
usually the largest. 3. It is often liable
to happen so with other stock. Are a
litter of pigs all equally good ? If not,
which is best ? We have to guess by
the looks ; so with queen-cells. — E.
France.

1. No. 2. Those started before the
old queen leaves the hive. 3. It often
happens in this latitude, that bees start
cells over larvae too old, after the old
queen leaves the hive in natural swarm-
ing, impulsed highly, — Mrs. Jennie
Atchley.

1. Practically so, I believe. An old
queen-breeder told me not long ago, that
the first queen hatched would prove the
best and most vigorous ; but I am not
sure of this. It may be so in some in-
stances, but I do not accept it as a posi-
tive rule. — W. M. Barnum.

1, No. 2. Ones so small as to cramp
the young queen, and such as lack a
sufficient quantity of royal jelly. 3. It
is a frequent occurrence that those
started just before the prime swarm is-
sues are not sufficiently supplied with
royal jelly if the old hive be removed
to a now stand. — R. L. Taylor.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

17

1. No. Some are started over drone-
larvie, and are of course worthless. 2.
There will be quite a difference in
queens from the same mother, reared at
the same time, and apparently under the
same conditions. This is beyond our
contract, and holds good in other breed-
ing besides that of bees. 8. It is often
liable to happen. — S. I. Fkeebork.

1. All the cells started under the
swarming impluse do not turn out
equally good queens. 2. The poor ones.
3. It " happens " every time, as far as I
have had occasion to observe, and that
has been often. The queen honey-bee
is good or poor according to her devel-
opment, while the worker-bee is pro-
duced by a fixed law. — G. W. Demaree.

SSS£SXZSZZZZ2SX

How Many Egis Does a Quean Lay?

Written for the American Bee Journal
BY G. M. DOOLITTLE.

Picking up a newspaper not long ago,
I ran across this sentence: "A good,
proliQc queen — say one that will lay
100,000 eggs in a year — will play out
in two years."

In another paper I find these words :
" The proper thing for the bee-keeper to
do, in order to keep his apiary in good
condition, is to renew his queens as
often as once in two years. A queen
whose egg-producing capacity is limited
to 200,000 eggs, will. If furnished the
proper amount of breeding-room, deposit
more than one-half of those eggs be-
tween May 1st and Oct. 1st. I know
from actual experience that the best of
any queen can be realized in the first 18
months of her life. I do not believe
that one queen in 10,000 would be
worth keeping the third year."

Now I am at a loss to know the object
of thus writing, and fail to see any good
reason why some of our best apiarists
are recommending the supersedure of
all queens the second year. It seems to

me that they have been, and are, mak-
ing a mistake, and one that will work
damage to those who are novices in the
business. From such assertions as the
above the idea seems to be gaining
ground that it is an actual necessity to
supersede all queens after the honey
harvest of the second year. I think this
a fallacy, and wish to go on record as
saying that good, prolific queens do not
need superseding in their second year,
and that, instead of the queen's capacity
being limited to 200,000 eggs, she is
capable of laying more than three times
that amount during her existence.

To supersede queens at the age of two
years is quite a task, even were is neces-
sary ; but when we come to consider
that most queens are as good the third
year as the second, while very many
queens are good the fourth year, we see
what a waste of time it is to go through
all this work, simply for the reason that
some have taught us that we should do
so. Now let us look into the matter a
little.

I use as small a brood-chamber as al-
most any one in the world, the same
having a capacity of about 800 square
inches of breeding-comb. This comb is
kept filled with brood from the first of
June to the middle of August, or 75 days.
As there are about 50 cells to the square
inch of comb, the queen must lay about
40,000 eggs every 21 days (that being
the time it takes to perfect a bee from
the time the egg is laid), or 142,860
in 75 days. Now, all good colonies
generally have brood as early as Feb-
ruary, and by taking the average in-
crease of eggs laid from then to June
first, and from the middle of August to
the time the queen ceases to lay in the
fall, which is about the first of Otcober
with us, we have at least 100,000 more,
or about 243,000 for the year. If this
is the case with the smallest brood-
chamber used, it will be seen that still
more would be reared in a large brood-
chamber of nearly double this capacity,
such as is recommended by the Dadants
and others.

Along in the '70's I made some large
hives on the plan of what was known as
the Adair "long idea" hive, making
them four feet long. Into one of these
I put a colony early in the season, they
having a queen in her third year. She
was worked to the best of my ability
until she had ten Gallup frames literally
full of brood. I now thought that she
would be content, so that she would not
breed in those which I put in for honey.
In this I was mistaken, for soon after I

18

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

had 32 combs in the hive, she had brood
in every one of them.

We did not have the queen-excluding
metal at that time, so I had to allow
this two-year-old queen to do about as
she pleased in the matter of egg-laying,
and imagine my surprise to find, as I
kept the honey out of her way with the
extractor, that she kept brood in those
combs for about two months, having at
least to the amount of 15 combs solid
full of brood. This would give 86,250
eggs every 21 days, as a Gallup frame
has 115 square inches, or thereabouts,
in it. As this rate was kept up for
about 63 days, we have nearly 259,000
as the product of those two months,
even after she had laid nearly 500,000
while in the small hives the two seasons
previous.

The bees that worked in and out of
the entrance of this hive during the
basswood yield were a sight to behold,
for it seemed like a surging army going
and coming all the while. For the bene-
fit of the readers who did not take the
American Bee Journal at that time, I
will say that this colony gave me a yield
of 566 pounds of honey that year, while
the queen died of old age, or was super-
seded during the month of September.

My queens average good and prolific
in my small brood-chambers for three
years, some doing good work in their
fifth year ; but as a few will fail in their
third year, we will call it only three
years that they will keep up the rate
of egg-laying spoken of above. This
would give us about 729,000 as the
capacity of a good queen du.ing her life-
time, on an average, instead of 200,000
as given by the writers quoted.

If I am correct, and I believe I am,
from many experiments conducted along
this line, it will be seen that, if a queen
laid only 100,000 eggs a year, she
should be good for seven years. Then
we see the extreme folly in the recom-
mendation to supersede all queens dur-
ing the fall of the second year of their
life!

Again, we find in a noted work on
apiculture the author saying that a good
queen will lay 3,000 eggs daily during
the breeding season, which is correct
where the ordinary brood-c^hambcsr is
used ; but when the same author dis-
courses on the number of bees in a hive,
he says there are from 20,000 to 40,-
000 in every good colony, and places
their age at three months. Now, if I
figure correctly, three months make 90
days, and 3,000 times 90 would give
270,000 bees in that colony, barring
accidents, Instead of from 20,000 to

40,000. It is very doubtful whether
there is ever as many as 270,000 in any
hive, for the good reason that no queen
keeps laying to her full capacity for
three months, and as a rule bees during
the working season do not live more than
six weeks, instead of three months.

V7HEN TO SUPERSEDE QUEENS.

If I were asked, "When would you
supersede your queens ?" I should reply,
" Never, as a rule ;" for I find that with
the Italian bees they supersede their
queens as soon as they begin to fail to
any noticeable amount.

I think it is Bro. B. Taylor who tells
us about marking a hive as having a
failing queen that was to be superseded
by him in the fall, which, in spite of his
carelessness, managed to get through to
the next season, and very much to his
surprise the colony having that queen
proved the best one for honey of any
colony in the whole apiary. And this is
about the way we usually find it when
we take the supersedure of queens in
our hands instead of leaving it to the
bees.

Borodino, N. Y.

SUpBiiiff Queens liy Mail.

Written for the American Bee Journal
BY EDWARD RYE.

I see the question is discussed in the
Bee Journal, as to whether a queen is
injured in transit by the mails. Now as
I have been fortunate enough to get one
alive from Mr. A. I. Root, of Ohio, U.
S. A., I deem I am qualified to say a
word on the question ; and I must coin-
cide with the opinion that they are not
injured.

In August of last year my queen came
to hand. She was in an oblong cage
about 5x3 inches, with four candy holes
at the corners ; two of these holes were
quite empty, and partly filled with
dead bees ; the other two were half
empty, and the entrances were clogged
with dead bees. Only four bees were
alive besides the queen, just crawling.

The queen was stiicfe "upside down"
— her head touching the bottom of the
cage — by both wings to the candy when
she arrived, and was only just alive. I
took her out of the cage, put her in tiie
hollow of my hand, and closed the other
hand over her, and held the back of my
hands alternately to the fire, when she
"came to," and in 15 miniites she be-

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

19

gan crawling, and in another five she
was quite lively.

I then tried to introduce her, but it
was. not until she had been endangered
by the bees balling her, six or seven
times, that I succeeded. This was about
the middle of August ; by the middle of
October I had a fine colony of bees — her
progeny — when I removed her to
another hive, for the purpose of rearing
some queens from her. She soon filled
with bees the hive I transferred her to,
and they soon filled the hive with honey.

In February, 1894, I removed her
again, and now she has her third hive
of bees and honey down for the winter.
I gave a Mr. Pollock a frame of her
eggs, and he also reared some queens
from her, which have produced the best
bees in his yard, one of the colonies
giving him 27 frames of honey, each
weighing over 10 pounds, in the tail
end of the season. The daughters I
have reared from her have also proved
equally satisfactory.

Wingham, N.S.W., Australia, Apr. 12.

Comte for Eitractliig.

Written for the American Bee Journal

BY J. A. GREEN.

Extracting-frames are usually the
same in size as brood-frames. In fact,
many use them interchangeably and
consider it a great advantage to be able
to do so. Doubtless there are some ad-
vantages in doing this, but my prefer-
ence is decidedly in favor of having
separate sets of combs for the different
purposes. Brood-combs are more or
less injured by having honey extracted
from them, if that honey has to be un-
capped— and no honey should ever be
extracted that does not require to be
uncapped. Brood is not wanted in the
extracting combs.

By the use of perforated zinc the
queen is readily kept out of the surplus
department, to the great convenience
of the apiarist, and often to the great
improvement of the honey.

My extracting-frames are closed-end,
tightly clamped together by means of
screws. The cases which contain them
are only six inches deep. There are
several very decided advantages in hav-
ing the extracting-frames shallow. The
combs are not so easily broken, and they
are moro easily handled and uncapped.
The bees will enter a shallow super
more readily, and room may be added
more gradually as it is needed.

By the use of perforated zinc and the
bee-escape, the combs are freed from
bees with far less labor than by the old
plan of shaking and brushing the bees
from the combs.

After they are taken from the hives,
these shallow supers with fixed frames
are handled much easier than the deep,
loose frames. By loosening the screws,
the whole lot of frames may be dumped
' out on a table on their backs together,
where they are easily handled.

Most of my extracting-combs have
been transferred into the frames they
now occupy, some of them from frames
of odd sizes or those in which the combs
were crooked, and some from box-hives
and scraps of comb.

Now it is decidedly a nuisance to ex-
tract from crooked combs, and as trans-
ferred combs are almost always more or
less crooked, I suppose you wonder that
I should advise using transferred combs
for extracting. But my extracting-
combs aie nearly all as straight as a
board, and this is how it happens :

In my extracting-supers I use only
seven frames in a space of llj^ inches —
a space which is just right for eight
brood-combs. The bees must build out
the combs a little thicker than they
were originally. When the honey is
extracted from them the first time, they
are pretty crooked, and some patience is
required. I cut away every high place,
and am very careful to uncap every low
place, so that the bees will have a
chance to build it up level. This work
of straightening the combs, as well as
the labor of uncapping them forever
after, is made much easier by the fact
that the top and bottom bars are made
just 1 8/32 inches wide. This forms
a guide to the uncapping-knife, which
extends clear across the shallow frame,
and everything is pared down to a level
each time the honey is extracted from
them. As the frames are made accur-
ately, and are held at fixed distances, by
the time the combs have been uncapped
two or three times the crookedest of
them are as straight and even as one
could wish. As I allow all my honey to
be capped over before it is extracted, it
is a great saving of labor to have every
comb uniform.

The top-bar of my frames is 11/32
and the bottom bar 8/32 of an inch
thick. This is sufficient to keep them
from sagging when the frame is only
5^ deep, and full of comb, and is pref-
erable in some respects to a greater
thickness. If you expect the entire
weight of the honey to be suspended

20

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

t

from the top-bar, it must be made heav-
ier.

Combs that have been transferred
properly fill the frame completely, and
on this account are better than most of
those built in the frames, as it is a diffi-
cult matter to get bees to fill frames
completely clear to the wood on all sides,
even when full sheets of foundation are
used.

In transferring combs, always be sure
to have them fill the frame completely.
Cut all pieces square and fit them closely
together. The extra trouble will be
well repaid by the greater value of the
combs obtained.

To fasten the combs into the frames,
I prefer to use %-inch wire nails, driv-
ing them through the top-bar into the
comb as near the septum as possible.
They may also be nailed from the bot-
tom, but if the fitting has been carefully
done, this will usually not be necessary.

If you have any pieces that cannot be
fastened securely with nails, tie them in
with ordinary cotton wrapping twine.
The bees will remove this themselves
if you do not get around to it in time.

Pieces of comb of any size may be
used, but it is best to have them reach
from the top to the bottom of the frame.
It will pay to save all pieces of good
comb four inches square or more.

While I want all my brood-combs built
on full sheets of foundation in wired
frames, I think that for extracting
combs it is much more profitable .to use
good comb in this way than to melt it
up and make it into foundation. I also
think it will pay even the comb-honey
man to have at least a few sets of ex-
tracting-combs, so that there is no excuse
for melting up good combs.

Ottawa, 111.

Bee-Keeping in Mississipni.

Written lor the American Bee Journal

BY W. T. LEWIS.

This has been a light honey year here
on account of the cold snaps and rain
.lust as our best and finest honey-plant,
the holly trees, in the bottoms were in
full bloom. We had only three or four
days of fine weather for the bees after
the honey began to come in, till a rainy
and cold spell put a stop to everything
with them. The crop will not be more
than }4 or X af an average so far.

The holly tree should be added to the
list of honey-trees, for it is the finest

with us, the honey being perfect, and
clear golden in appearance.

This country does not come up to
some others altogether in quality, but it
never makes a complete failure in honey
as we know of, and sometimes it brings
up a good showing on the credit side.

We have no bee-association in north
Mississippi, therefore the only way we
can get at what our country is doing in
this direction is by occasionally seeing a
report from some one in a bee-paper.
We need a State bee-association — at
least one for north Mississippi. The
Secretaries of some of the State and
County associations will confer a favor
upon us by mailing us a copy of their
constitution and by-laws, that we may
organize an association here in Mississ-
ippi, and county or district. We have a
good many of the improved hives in our
country and part of the State, yet no
association. Recently a hive manufac-
tory was started at this place, and is run-
ning by steam power, scattering im-
proved hives over the country.

I hope Gusty Schraeder will write
often. Her article on transferring is
good, and that is the right way, though
told in a funny manner. It was about
the way I did ray transferring this year,
and all did finely.

Success to the American Bee Jour-
nal.

Lewisburg, Miss., June 8.

P. S. — What has become of the Chi-
nese contributor to the Bee Journal?
W. T. L.

[Several have asked the same question
about our Chinese writer on bees. He
is doubtless devoting his time to the
care of his numerous " sugar-flies," and
may be getting ready to write a book on
the experience of a Chinese bee-keeper
in America. It will be a funny one, if
he does.

We hope Mr. Wong Lung will send in
his report for 1894, later on. — Editor.]

Sugar for Winter Stores.

Wriltenfur l/ir " Uw-Ktr/jci-.s^ Jicoicw^
BY HON. B. L. TAYLOR.

With a view to bring out in some
measure, if possible, the difference in
value between sugar syrup and honey
for winter stores, I selected, at the
proper time in the fall of 1893, 24 col-

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

21

onies, one-half of which were to be fed
sugar syrup for winter stores, and the
other half to be supplied with honey for
the same purpose.

Considerable care was taken to select
and arrange the colonies so as to have
the two sets as nearly equal as possible
in point of strength, but the bees were
not weighed separately from the hive,
the strength being estimated by the
amount of space occupied by the cluster.
This is not a satisfactory course to pur-
sue when it can be avoided. I bow
appreciate the importance of the weigh-
ing better than I did at the time the ex-
periment was undertaken, and that
course will be taken if the experiment is
repeated. At some seasons of the year
the manipulation necessary to secure
the separate weight of the bees would
be so objectionable as to preclude its
use, but at the time contemplated it
would be neither objectionable nor very
difficult.

Owing to the character of the latter
part of last season, few of my colonies
were very strong last fall, and in the
effort to select colonies with such condi-
tions as would facilitate the operations
of the experiment, it turned out that
those selected were considerably below
even the average strength, and in this
way another mistake was made which
should not be repeated. It is necessary
to point out further that the colonies
selected were partly in two-story Hed-
don hives, and partly in one-story ones,
and that in order to deprive one set al-
most completely of honey, and to supply
the other set with an abundance of
honey for winter stores, it was found
necessary to so manipulate the hives
that those to be wintered on honey had
two-story hives, and those to be fed
sugar syrup one-story.

These arrangements were made the
last of September, and the necessary
feeding was done at once.

The hives were first weighed when
they were put into the cellar, on Nov.
15th, and again when taken out the
first days of April. It will be observed
that two arewanting from the sugar-fed
set, and three from those wintered on
honey, but as none of them, as far as
appeared, perished on account of diar-
rhea, or on account of any peculiarity of
either kind of stores, nothing can be
predicated on that fact for or against
either kind of food.

The following figures show the weight
of each hive at each season, and the dif-
ference or amount consumed by each in
pounds and ounces :

THE SET WITH SUGAR STORES.

Fall Weig-ht. Spring- Weight. Am't Cons'd.

33-12 29-4 4-8

31 28-8 2-8

80 26 4

33-4 30-8 2-12

29 26-4 2-12

29-8 26-8 3

32-4 29 3-4

32-4 29-8 3-12

26-12 23-4 3-8

26-8 24-4 2-4

31-4

THE SET WITH HONEY STORES.

54-4

48-8

5-12

5T-8

51-12

5-12

56-4

45-8

10-12

63-8

54-12

8-12

45-4

39-8

5-12

47-8

40

7-8

48-4

43-12

4-8

46-8

41-4

5-4

80-12

63

7-12

61-12
The amount of stores here shown to
have been consumed during the winter
is, I think, remarkably small, at least it
is smaller than anything I have hither-
to become acquainted with, and this
proportion seemed to hold throughout
my apiary. Indeed, in most cases ex-
amined, the stores seemed scarcely
touched, and though I lost a consider-
able percentage, not a colony perished
of starvation.

But the important point brought out
by this experiment is the economy of
feeding sugar syrup for winter stores in-
stead of honey, where feeding is neces-
sary. From an examination of the
figures, we find that the average con-
sumption of sugar stores was but 3}g
pounds, while that of honey was 6%
pounds nearly, or more than twice as
much. This has added importance
when we remember what has been well
established, that granulated sugar syrup
is fully equal to the best honey as win-
ter food for bees, and far safer for that
purpose than any inferior honey.

EXPERIMENT IN OUT-OF-DOOR WINTERING.

With a hope of learning something
bearing on the subject of out-of-door
wintering, I made the following experi-
ment :

In November, at the time when I was
putting the bees into the cellar for the
winter, I selected six colonies of good
average strength, each in a single-story
Heddon hive ; then the hives were placed

22

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAJL..

one above the other with nothing be-
tween them except a single sheet of wire
cloth so prepared that each colony was
provided with its proper entrance. Of
course the lower hive retained its bot-
tom-board, and the upper one its cover,
but the rest of the covers and bottom-
boards were entirely removed.

The lower hive was raised about ten
inches from the ground, then the whole
was well packed below, and with about
four inches of dry planer-shavings on
top and on all sides except about four
inches in width of the front left for the
entrances. The cover was left suffi-
ciently loose to allow the escape of mois-
ture into the packing, and the entrances
were closed to within about an inch in
width.

During the winter these bees had com-
paratively frequent flights, and seemed
to be doing well. About March 20th
some of the upper ones brought in con-
siderable pollen, but the two lower ones
exhibited but little signs of life. Then
came the blizzard in the last of March
and first of April, and when that had
passed, and other colonies began to
bring in pollen, these remained omin-
ously silent — indeed, the silence seemed
chronic, and an examination revealed
that it really was so— they had all passed
away.

The combs were dry and clean, and
the stores abundant, but there were no
live bees, and very few dead ones. There
was very little, if any, appearance that
any had finally perished ia a cluster.
Unless the arrangement of the hives
and the thoroughness of the packing
had deluded the bees into thinking that
it was so warm that they might with
safety try the open air, and thus ulti-
mately perished, I know not how to ac-
count for their utter destruction.

Though the stores of five of the six
colonies was largely sugar syrup, the six
colonies consumed an average of five
pounds and 18 ounces over and above
the weight of the bees which had per-
ished outside.

Lapeer, Mich.

Mm Swams anil FinUiig Queens.

Written Jor the American Bee Journal
BY ClIKSTER BELDING.

Have you tall trees near your apiary
where your swarms alight ? and you are
troubled to got them down ? If so, get
a stifiP, light pole, the straighter the
better ; smooth off all knots, and have it

long enough to reach, or nearly so, any
tree you wish to pick a swarm off. At-
tach at the upper end a small pulley of
sufficient size to run a small cord or
clothes-line. Have a hiving box of light,
thin wood, 8x10 inches inside, and
about 18 inches high, with plenty of
holes bored on all sides, and a couple of
cross-bars inside, made of top-bars of
old frames, with some comb left on.

Now procure a small cord (clothes-
line will do); it should be twice the
length of the pole, and your hiving box
should have a wire bail, or cord handle,
attached near its top, also a stiff wire
loop on one side of sufficient size to slip
up and down easily on the pole, and of
sufficient length so as not to cause the
box to rub against it. Now you are
ready; let them file out, and up, if they
choose.

As soon as a quart or so have settled,
run a cord through the pulley, stand the
pole up against the branch, with the
top of the pole above the cluster ; attach
a cord, one end to the honey-box bail,
and the other end to the bottom of the
box ; slip the pole through the wire loop,
and run it up just under the bees, and
by pulling the cord gently, dislodge a
few on the box, or shake the limb with
the pole. As soon as a few have entered,
drop the box a little, and jar the branch.
Have an extra-light pole for this work,
and if bees cluster on a large limb, raise
the box on top of them, and with your
light pole raise up the smoker, well fired
up ; give them smoke on the under side,
and they will soon enter the box ; and
by using the cord and pulley, they can
be let down at your feet with ease. If
lower limbs are in the way, you can let
the box down through them very much
easier than you can handle them when
the hiving-box is permanently attached
to the end of a long pole.

Now to hive them, carry the box to
the hive where you wish them to stand.
Have two wedges, about three inches
wide at one end, and coming to a point
at the other, and a little longer than the
hive if from front to rear. Raise the
hive in front, and slip these wedges
under, shoving them clear to the back
of the hive, so that no bee can enter
save at the front. Drop down a thin
board about 18 inches wide, and two or
three feet long, in front of the hive, one
end on the stand near the front of the
hive. Shake the bees from the box in
front of the hive — not too many at first
— until they set up the call, and in they
go.

This is the simplest and quickest way
we ever tried, and it saves all stirring or

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

28

brushing around the entrance, as the
bees march right under the front, on
the double-quick ; when you pull out the
wedges, and drop the hive nearly down.

HOW TO FIND THE QUEEN.

Now to find a queen — that is a bother.
One that leaves the combs every time,
as some of the blacks and hybrids will, we
" strain " them, and this is the way we do
it:

Set the old hive (that has the queen
you want to find) off the stand ; place a
bottom-board on the stand, with a bo.x
just the size of the hive, and about 4 in-
ches deep, on the bottom-board. Give
plenty of entrance to this box, the same
as to the hive. On this box place a
queen-excluder, and on the excluder put
an empty hive; stop up all the entrance
to the empty hive above the excluder.
Now shake all the bees from the combs
down in front of the box with the empty
hive on it, and put the combs, after the
bees are off, into the empty hive. They
will enter the hive through the queen-
excluder to the brood-combs, and when
all, or nearly all, are up, you can lift off
the hive with the bees, and you will eas-
ily find the queen in the box below. It
is only an occasional one that thus
troubles the expert, but it is a sure and
comparatively easy method, especially
to one not accustomed to hunt out old
queens, and it is a sure catcher.

Middletown, N. Y.

Siiiol[ers— When to Use, Wliat to Bum.

Written for " The Farme)-''s Advocate "
BY JOHN MYEBS.

A good smoker is one of the essentials
in any bee-yard, and a poor one is one
of the greatest nuisances that a bee-
keeper can have. Just think of a per-
son in the midst of opening a colony,
and they begin to get rather angry, and
he makes a grab for the smoker and
commences to puff, puff, but there is not
draft enough to blow the smoke clear of
the nozzle of the smoker! Methinks
that under such circumstances a per-
son's thoughts are not very elevating.

A good smoker should have a strong
draft — strong enough to blow the smoke
clear across the hive and down between
the frames to the bottom of the hive, if
needed. Now, don't think that I advo-
cate overdosing them with smoke, be-
cause I don't, as you will see further on,
but there are times when one needs a
good volume of smoke, and it is some-

times necessary to blow it down between
the frames, especially when you want to
drive the bees out of an upper story.

Another essential in a good smoker is
that it has a good, lively spring, so that
it will contract and enlarge quickly. I
like a coiled spring best; there is no
other kind of spring that will act so
quickly and at the same time take so
little pressure to close it.

The leather on a smoker should not
be too heavy. I have often seen persons,
when buying a smoker, pick one with
the heaviest leather they could find,
thinking that it would last longer than
one with lighter leather, but in that
they were mistaken ; as long as the
leather is not soft and spongy, we need
not care how light it is ; the working of
the bellows causes the leather to crease,
and the heavy leather will crack much
sooner than the light.

In purchasing a smoker, I do not buy
one that is too small ; the extra trouble
of filling so often will soon make up the
difference in price between a large and
a small one.

HOW TO USE THE SMOKER.

When and how shall we use them ? I
always use the smoker every time I open
a hive ; I think it pays ; you don't make
your bees so cross if you use a little
smoke when opening the hive, I once
heard a bee-keeper say he never used
smoke when he opened his hive ; I went
to visit him, and see the bees that never
needed smoke. They were the crossest
insects I have ever seen. When the
owner went to open a colony, he pro-
tected his head with a veil, and his
hands with gloves, and tied the bottom
of his pants close, so no bee could get in
there ; then he took off the cover of the
hive and started to manipulate the
frames. The bees fairly poured out at
him, and tried to sting him all over, but,
of course, he was thoroughly protected,
and they could not do him any harm ;
but woe to the cat, dog, man, or beast
that came within ten rods of him. I
went home satisfied that I did not want
any of the bees that needed no smoke.

I have worked among my bees for half
a day without a veil, but I always use a
smoker. I don't advise working among
bees without a veil over the face; I
nearly always wear one.

I never believe in overdosing bees
with smoke. I go to a hive that I want
to look into and take off the cover, then
start to raise the quilt at one corner;
as I continue to take it off, I gently puff
in a little smoke just to let them know
that I am around ; as a rule, scarcely a

24

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

bee will take wing ; they will sit quietly
on their combs until I am through look-
ing at them. If I happen to let a comb
slip or jar against the hive, I will be apt
to need the smoker again. In the above
I am supposing that they are Italians
(the only kind I keep) ; if the bees are
blacks, they will be more irritable.

I might tell how to use the smoker in
driving bees out of section-cases and
upper stories, but, since the introduction
of the Porter bee-escape, this method is
very little practiced. The escape does
the business so quickly, and with so
little trouble, that I think very few bee-
keepers will go back to using smoke for
clearing the supers.

FUEL TO BE USED IN THE SMOKER.

I always use dry planer-shavings — not
those from a large planer used in dress-
ing lumber — those are too coarse — but
those from a buzz planer or moulding
machine are just right ; put a few in the
bottom of the smoker, then light a
match and throw it in on them ; and
after the shavings gets a-going, com-
mence working the bellows and get the
shavings to become thoroughly heated
through ; now fill up the smoker with
more shavings, and pack them as you
fill ; keep puffing the bellows while you
are filling, and when you have it filled,
place a few bench shavings — those made
with an ordinary hand-plane — on top, to
keep the small shavings from being
blown through the nozzle ; you are now
ready to go to work.

There are other things that make
good smoker fuel — such as rags, rotten
wood, carpet felt, cedar bark, etc., but,
after trying all of them, I like the shav-
ings best. If you were to ask Mr. Wm.
McEvoy, Foul Brood Inspector, what
were the three best articles for smoker
fuel, he would be likely to say : First,
cedar-bark ; second, cedar-bark, and
third, cedar-bark, as there is nothing, in
his opinion, like dry cedar-bark for
smoker fuel. Well, cedar-bark, if well
dried, is very good, but I like pine
planer shavings a little better.

The late Mr. Cornell, at one of our
association meetings, told me the best
article he had ever tried for smoker fuel
was carpet-felt — that is, the felt paper
used for putting under carpets. The
way he used it was to roll up a piece
large enough to fill the smoker, then
light the lower end and shove it into the
smoker. lie said it would last a long
time, and would not go out until it was
all consumed. I have not tried it, but
mean to do so this season.

Stratford, Out.

Diviling Colonies at Swarmini-Time.

Mead at the Southeastern. Kansas Cmiventioti
BY J. C. BALCH.

As the swarming season approaches,
there are a good many bee-keepers in a
small way that have a few colonies of
bees. They say, " I can't stay at home
to watch the bees, and if they swarm
when I am away, they will go off. If I
could only make them swarm when I am
ready to take care of them, it would be
such a relief to my mind."

To all such I would say, it can be
done; all that is necessary is to have your
bees in movable-frame hives. I don't
mean hives with some kind of frames in
them', and the combs built crosswise of
them, but frames with the combs built
straight in every one, so that you can
take out each and any frame that you
please, at any time that you may wish.
Then if you are going to be away from
home, or have to be out on the farm
away from the bees, you can look
through the hive for queen-cells, once
each week, and if there are none, yon
need have no fear of their swarming for
a week. But when you find queen-cells
on several combs, with larvcB in them,
you may be sure they will swarm in a
few days, if left alone ; and now is the
time to divide them.

Get the new hive with foundation or
starters in each frame, and bring it to
the colony to be divided. Then take out
the combs and search carefully until you
find the queen. Place the comb she is
on in the new hive, near the center with
one other comb containing some honey,
and a frame with foundation between
tbem ; then put the two frames taken
from the new hive into the old one on
the outside of the combs next to the
wall of the hive, and move the old col-
ony to some other location, a rod or
more away, and put the new hive with
the queen and two frames of combs
where the old one stood.

Do this any time in the forenoon of a
warm day, and the bees will divide
themselves. Before night all the bees
that would have gone with the swarm
will have gone back to the old queen.

Then in six or seven days you can
open the old hive and cut out all the
queen-cells but two of the largest, one
of which will hatch in a few days, and
she will destroy the other. When the
young queen begins to lay, move those
two outside empty frames to near the
center of the hive, and they will be filled
with nice worker-combs. If you put

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

25

them in the center at the start, they
would have built drone-comb in them,
because a queenless colony, or a colony
with a virgin queen, always builds
drone-comb, if they build any. But
after the queen is mated, and laying,
they don't care for drones until they
want to swarm again, but, on the con-
trary, they are interested in building up
the colony with a working force to
gather stores for the coming winter.

Bronson, Kans.
txxxxxxxxxicxxxxxxxxTrxxrxxxxxxxxx:

0f~ Do not write anything- for tiublication
on the same sheet of paper with business
matters, unless it can be torn apart without
interfering with either part of the letter.

i^^mkAm^

Best Year for Honey.

This is the best year for honey we ever
had. Bees are doing finely.

'Henry Alley,

Wenham, Mass., June 20.

Honey Coming in Rapidly.

Honey is coming in at last rapidly. I
have about 250 colonies in prime condition
for it. J. W. Tefft.

Camillus, N. Y., June 20.

Bees Doing Well Now.

Bees are doing well now in our vicinity.
Till about June 5th we had very discourag-
ing bee-weather, as it was so cold and
rainy. Ira Shookey.

Long, W. Va., June li).

Not Much Over a Living-.

I have 18 colonies of bees, and owing to
dry weather and white clover failing, they
have not gathered much over a living. The
colonies are strong in bees.

A. F. Hanna.

Epworth, Iowa, June 27.

Feared a Failure of Crop.

Since early in April we have had no rain
until the last few days. We were beginning
to fear a failure of all crops, as everything
was drying up. Mrs. A. L. Hallenbeck.

Millard, Nebr., June 21.

Having a Honey-Famine.

I write to ask about the honey-flow in
Illinois. Here we are having a honey-
famine; the weather seems just right,
clover and sumac at their best, but nothing
in them. My colonies are extra heavy,
having been fed early, and built up good
on dandelion and plum blossoms, but now
that clover has come they are starving. A
few swarms issued, but had to be fed to
keep from starving.

Basswood will open in one week, and if
the same conditions continue, the bees
must die. The hives do not contain, on an
average, one pound of honey. I have never
seen these conditions before, in an experi-
ence of 20 years. The past four years have
been unprofitable with bees, but I think
what few are left are going to play out
now. E. A. Morgan.

Chippewa Falls, Wis., June 20.

Getting a Fine Flow of Honey.

Chestnut and sourwood are now in full
bloom ; and bees are getting a fine flow of
honey. Many bees were killed by the late
cold. J. G. Teter.

Athens, Tenn., June 19.

Working in tlie Sections.

My bees are now working in the sections,
but I failed to learn the source, as white
clover is about over. I have had one
swarm from 50 colonies. No honey yet in
this vicinity. J. C. Wallenmeyer.

Evansville, Ind., June 25.

Having a Splendid Honey-Flow.

I am enjoying a splendid flow of honey.
Raspberries gave a splendid flow of honey,
and still continues to yield. If white clover
yields honey this year as it should, I can
see no reason why I should not get a large
crop of honey. My first swarm issued on
June 3rd. This is the earliest my bees ever
swarmed. G. F. Tubes.

Turtle Point, Pa., June 21.

A Swarming Experience.

My bees are doing well. I have 12 colo-
nies. Yesterday I noticed a swarm on one
of the trees. I went for a hive, and when I
got back with it they were gone. Soon
after, one of my neighbors notified me that
a swarm of my bees had taken possession
of one of his apple trees, and wished me to
come and take them away. I took a peck
basket and a turkey's wing, and went up
and brushed them into the basket, put the
cover on, and brought them home, a quar-
ter of a mile from my house. I dumped
them down in front of a Langstroth hive,
and they marched in all right.

I sold two colonies, this spring, for flO
each to a gardener, to put in his cucumber
green-houses, to work on the flowers.

Geo. Rackleff.

Woodfords, Maine, June 21,

26

AMERICAN BEE JOURMAU

Southeastern Kansas Convention.

The Southeastern Kansas Bee-Keepers'
Association met at my apiaries on June
15th and 16th. We had a good meeting,
though it rained all the forenoon of the
16th, and there were several who had in-
tended to be present that had to be in the
harvest field, as their wheat was falling
badly, on account of dry weather, chintz
bugs. But we are having a glorious rain
to-day, as I am writing.

Bees have not been storing much honey
for the last ten days, as it was too dry, but
we are getting a rain now that will hunt
the roots of the corn and potatoes. The
balled mint is just beginning to bloom,
and it will now last much longer, and pro-
duce more nectar.

We will hold our next meeting at the
apiaries of J. C. Wilson, two miles north of
Bronson, on Sept. 15, 1894.

J. C. Balch, Sec.

Bronson, Kans., June 18.

Basswood Yielding Freely.

Basswood is now yielding honey freely.
Ottawa, HI., June 26. J. A. Gkeen.

Honey Prospects in California.

With only a few exceptions the response
to the question on honey prospects, at the
Central California bee-convention on June
6th, was " fine," when it's not too cold and
windy. We are having an unusual amount
of cool and windy weather, yet the flowers
seem to secrete honey plentifully, and are
doing better, all things considered, than
any year since 1883, which was the best
honey season on record. J. F. Flort.

Lemoore, Calif., June 18.

Drouth and Wind-Storm.

The honey crop was a failure here last
year from drouth, and will be this year
from the same cause. We had a severe
wind-storm yesterday, that tore up a 60-
foot implement and hay building for me.
I have 130 colonies of bees, which are starv-
ing now — drouth is the cause of it. All the
white clover is dead. The hay crop is a
complete failure, and tlie small grain will
be very light here. The corn crop is all
right yet, if we get rain from this on.

J. K. ESKEW.

Shenandoah, Iowa, June 21.

Pasturage for Bees.

Much is being said and written concern-
ing bee-pasturage, which, to us all, is very
interesting, but much more can be done by
united effort. For instance, if each one
would be a " committee of the whole," and
note the time of flowering of the difl'erent
trees, shrubs andother plants— in fact, any-
thing that bees procure honey or pollen
from — then in the fall we could have a
"general round up," and discuss the best
methods to propagate the plants that are of

value. I think there are amongst us per-
sons that will give valuable suggestions,
and note the flora of the parts they live in,
and report at such time as the American
Bee Journal is willing to give us the in-
formation through its columns.
Florence, Nebr. W. H. Morse.

[Mr. Morse suggests an interesting mat-
ter here. We will try to publish the re-
ports as fast as sent in. — Editor.]

Considerable Extracted Honey.

We will get no comb honey here to speak
of this season, but will be able to get con-
siderable extracted honey. The clover is a
failure here. Dr. G. L. Tinker.

New Philadelphia, Ohio, June 26.

Basswood Budded Full.

Bees are gathering honey slowly from
clover. Basswood is budded full, and I
think it will be open in about a week ; if
the weather is favorable, we will get some
honey. C. A. Huff.

Clayton, Mich., June 25.

Swarms and Their Alighting.

I noted Mr. Doolittle's report of the hard
time the wet weather made for his bees.
The fruit-blooming season was especially
fine here (southeastern part- of Monroe
county), and the bees had their combs
loaded with honey. The wet spell came
just as the late fruits were going out of
bloom, so they could not have lost much.
Of eight colonies, four have cast heavy
swarms, and three more act as though they
might come out any time. My husband
says the bees don't appear to pay any at-
tention to the white clover, of which we
have considerable. Has any one noticed
that bees shun black walnut trees as alight-
ing places? and are they likely to drift
south to alight ? Our very limited experi -
ence answers " yes " to both questions.
Mrs. W. W. Shepard.

Honeoye Falls, N. Y., June 15.

Probably Bee-Paralysis.

Here's a question I desii-e to submit to
the wise ones throughout the kingdom, for
a solution. It is the second case that has
occurred in my experience in bee-keeping,
within the past ten years.

About the lOth of May, after a decided
increase in population of the hives was
noticeable, at the entrance of one hive, day
by day the bees were observed to be clus-
tered about tlie entrance, as is the case
where robbers are trying to enter, and the
same appearance was indicated by numbers
of bees seen dragging out and killing
numerous small-sized bees.

Upon close examination the victims are
seen to be black, shining specimens, evi-
dently undersized, and apparently unde-

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

2T

veloped in some way, for many of them
seem to fly with difficulty. They are not
all of a color, many of them of a grayish
hue, but little varying (in color) from the
common workers of a mixed race.

These little black bees are, as a rule,
lively, and offer no resistance to the expul-
sion from the hive. Since first noticed,
their numbers have very much increased.
They do not seem to work, nor fly away
from the hives as the workers do.

The same state of things was observed
in a colony seven years ago, and at the
time I sent a few of those small, black bees
to Mr. Root, but, as I remember, he gave
no satisfactory explanation of the phe-
nomenon. Have any of the readers of the
American Bee Journal had similar experi-
ence? L. F. Abbott.

Lewiston, Maine.

[In the heading to the above, we have
suggested bee-paralysis, as the symptoms
as described by Mr. Abbott seem to tally
somewhat with that disease, as stated in
the Bee Journal heretofore. If paralysis
is not the trouble, will those who can give
a better guess, please speak out ?— Editor.]

Queens antl Queen-Reai-insT*—

If you want to know how to have queens
fertilized in upper stories while the old
queen is still laying below; how you may
mfely introduce any queen, at any time of
the year when bees can fly ; all about the
different races of bees ; all about shipping
queens, queen-cages, candy for queen-
cages, etc. ; all about forming nuclei, mul-
tiplying or uniting bees, or weak colonies,
etc. ; or, in fact, everything about the
queen-business which you may want to
know— send for Doolittle's "Scientific
Queen-Rearning " — a book of over 170
pages, which is as interesting as a story.
Here are some good offers of this excellent
book:

Bound in cloth, postpaid, $1.00 ; or clubbed
with the Bee Journal for one year — both
for only $1.65 ; or given free as a premium
for sending us three new subscribers to the
Bee Journal for a year at $1.00 each.

Bound in paper cover, postpaid, 65 cents ;
or given free as a premium for sending us
two new subscribers ; or clubbed with the
Bee Journal a year— both for only $1.40.
Send all orders to the Bee Journal office.

Honey as Food and IMCedicine 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 second page of last
number of the Bee Jour-nal for description
and prices.

Have You Read the wonderful Pre-
mium offers on page 3 ?

Honey & Beeswax Market Quotations.

ALBANY, N. T., Mar. 23. - The honey

market is very slow now. The demand is
about over on comb. Some extracted wanted
at 6c. ; if dark color, 5c.
Beeswax, 26@:i7c. H. R. W.

BUFFALO, N. Y.. May 14.— Trade is very
slow, and we have still a liberal stock on
hand. We quote: Fancy comb. 13@14c.;
choice, ll@12c. ; dark and common grades,
8@9c. Beeswax, 25@30c. B. & Co.

CHICAGO, III., May 10.— The market for
comb honey is not of large volume at this
season of the year; a fine article of white
comb brings 15c. in pound sections. Extract-
ed slow of sale, at 4@6c. Beeswax, 25c.

R. A. B. &Co.

CHICAGO, III., Mar. 24.— The honey mar-
ket will be very quiet for the balance of the
season. We will not do much business until
new honey comes in. We cannot quote prices
but will obtain the best possible price on what
little stock we will sell until early fall. Bees-
wax is very active at 25@26c. J. A. L.

CINCINNATI, O., June 19.-Demand is slow
for all kinds of honey. The range of prices
is 4@6c. for extracted, and 12@14c. for best
white comb. There is no sale for dark comb
honey at any price.

Beeswax is in fair demand at 23@25c. for
good to choice yellow. C. F. M. & S.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Apr. 6.— We have had
an exceedingly slow trade on honey this sea-
son, and prices ruled comparatively low. We
quote to-day: No. 1 white comb, 1-lb., 14®
15c.: No. 2, 13®14c.; No. 1 amber, 12@13c.;
No. 2, 10@llc. Extracted, 5@7c.

' 3@22c. C.-M. C. Co.

NEW YORK, N. Y., May 25.-New crop of
Southern honey is arriving freely. The
market is well supplied and demand very
light. We quote: Common grade, 50c. per
gal.; choice, 55@60c. Beeswax is firm at 28c
H. B. &S.

List of Honey and Beeswax Dealers,

Most of whom Quote in this Journal.

Cblcago, Ills.

J. A. Lamon, 43 South Water St.

R. A. Burnett & Co.. 163 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.
Buffalo, N.Y.

Batterson & Co., 167 & 169 Scott St.

Hamilton, Ills.

Chas. Dadant & Son.

Cincinnati, Oblo.

C F. MUTH & Son, cor. Freeman & Central avs.

28

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

ConT^entlon JVotices.

California.— An extra session of the Cen-
tral California. Bee-Keepers' Association will
be held in Hanford, Kings Co,, on August 1,
1894. J. F. Flory. Sec.

Lemoore. Calif,

Wisconsin.— The next annual meeting of
the Wisconsin Bee-Keepers'Association will be
held at Madjson, on Feb. 8th and 9th. 1895.
is. J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec.

North Carolina.— The Carolina Bee-Keep-
ers. Association will meet at the Court House
in Charlotte, N. C, on July 19. 1894, at 10
a.m. All interested in the culture of the
honey-bee are cordially invited.

Steel Creek. N. C. A. L. Beach, Sec.

Pennsylvania,— The Venango County Bee-
Keepers' Association of northwestern Penn-
sylvania will hold their 2nd annual meeting
in the Cit.y Hall at Franlilin, Pa., on Jan. 28,
3 895, at 1 o'clock p.m. All interested send
for program. C. S. Pizer, Sec.

Franklin, Pa.

Tennessee.— The next annual meeting of
the East Tennessee, Bee-Keepers' Association
will be held at Whitesburg, Tenn.. beginning
on Thursday, August 16, 1894. All members
and other interested in bee-culture are in-
vited to attend. H. F. Coleman, Sec.

Sneedville. Tenn.

I*rolital>le Bee-Keeping-, by Mrs.
Atchley, will continue for some time in her
department of the Bee Jodrkal, at least
each alternate week. Until further notice
we can furnish the back numbers from May
1st, beginning with her " Lessons," to new
subscribers who pay $1.00 for a year's sub-
scription to the Bee Journal— that is, we
can commence their year with the number
having the first lesson, if they so desire.

*'Foiil B roo«l ; 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 sold at the office of the Bee Jour-
nal. Price, postpaid, 25 cents; or clubbed
with the Bee Journal for one year — both
together for $1.1.5.

Advertisemeiits.

Given Press,

with Dipping Plates
and Boilers, etc., lor
sale <vlica|>. lias been 'used only a little.

THOMAS G. NEWMAN.

147 Houth Western Avenue. • CHICAGO, ILL.
1 A4t Mention the American Bee Journal.

Uiiitested Italiam Queeins

Ready to miiil-7rjc. each. H. G. ACKLIN,
1024 Mississippi St., ST. PAUL, MIJNN.,
^£^ ITorthwestem Ag-ent for A. I. Boot's
Bee-Keepors' Supplies.

WHEN ANSWKRINO this ADVERTISEMENT, MENTION THIS JOURNAL.

-FINE-

Breeding ^neens

In August and September. $3.00
Sample of their Bees upon ap-
plication.-

1 Untested Queen $ .75

12 '^ '• 8.00

J. F. MICHAEL,

GERMAN, Darke Co., O.

^]l lE6t Please Mention this .lonnial.

m^m^^^mmwmmm

Bees! Bees! Yes, Bees!

-| Q R NUCL.EI to be Sold At Once-

JL09 with 2 Frames Brood and Honey,
aud Lots of Bees, with .5Banded Queen, for
the low price or $1.50 eaeli. No duty on
Bees. Special prices on large lots. Also a
large lot of Fine Queens, 5 -banded, all
ready to be mailed, at 75c. each.

2V. II. SJVIITII, Box 2,
26Atf TILBURY CENTER, ONTARIO.

Mention the American Bee Jmimal.

lOOO MMMS

Per minute go through my New Escape,
constructed of platinum wire.

Sample by mail for six 2-ct. stamps. After
testing, you find the above assertion exagger-
ated, and are dissatisfied, return Escape and
I will promptly return your stamps.

C. TV. DAYTON,

lAlt FLORENCE, CALIF.

Mention the American Bee Journal.

As Usual.

" Great Scott ! man, what are you do-
ing with four alarm clocks in your
room ?"

"I want to try and get a little sleep."

" How can that help you ?"

" My wife and baby have gone for a
visit, and everything is so blamed quiet
I can't close my eyes." — hiter Ocean.

HONEY QUEENS

6 & 3 Banded, bred In separate yards 12
miles apiirt. and only from Queens selected
I among hundreds, whose bees gather the most
honey, cap it the whitest; the gentlest, most
boautiful,.and the least inclined to swarm,
o-banded bred from a Queen showing only
large 5-banded bees. Sate arrival and satis-
faction guaranteed. Warranted Queens,
only 60 cts.; Tefsicd, 90 cts.

J. H. GOOD, lock box 09, Nappanee, Ind.
2 5 A 1 0 1 Mention tM American Bee Jtvurnal.

AMERICAN BEK JOURNAL.

31

f You get the best of sat-

THE BEST IS NONE TOO GOOD; stactiontyoubuyDov
Hives, Hoff. Frames. Sections, Foundation, etc., here. Distance cuts no figure in Freight rates.
Good Shipping Facilities. No matter where you live, send for my 64-p. Catalog, and asli for an
estimate on what you want J JJ JgnklnS, WetUHipka, Ala.

GOLDEN QUEENS FROM TEXAS.

MY BEES are bred for busines!*, beau-
ty and gentleness. Safe arrival and
satisfaction guaranteed.

"316 well-filled 1-pound sections is what I
took from one colony in 1893, containing a
Queen bought of you.— J. A. Whittaker, Oak
Cliff, Tex."

Queens, Warranted, $1.00 cacb.
J. D. GIVENS,
5A26t Box 3, LISBON, TEX.

Mention the American Bee Journal.

HDTH'S

HONEY EXTBACTOB

PERFECTION

Cold-Blast Smokers,

Square Glass Honey Jars, Etc.

For Circulars, apply to Chas. F. Muth & Son,
Cor. Freeman & Central Aves., Cincinnati, O.
Send lOo for Practical Hints to Bee-Keepers,

TAKE NOTICE!

BEFORE placing your orders for SUP-
PLIES, write for prices on 1-Piece Bass-
wood Sections, Bee-Hives, Shipping -Crates,
Frames, Foundation, Smokers, etc.

PAGE & KEITH, New I^ondon, Wis.

Mentixm the American Bee Journal.

FOR YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS

I will send my pamphlet " How I Produce
Comb Honey," and also my Illustrated
Catalogue of Cbaff Hives, the Dovetailed
Hives, T Supers, Sectious, Foundation,
and Everytbiug Weeded in the Apiary.

First-Class Ooods,

and Prices Reasonatole.

FKEWONT,
MICH.

Geo. E. Hilton,

T,p Vmi '^XTQTl'f OllO^nC That cannot be excelled for Buslness,_Beauty,

_ _ _ _ and another Desirable Qualities, try my Italians

Prices— Untested, 65 cts. eachT 3 for $1.75; 6 for $3.25. Vireins 25 cts. each. Tested. |1. 25
Select Tested Yellow-to-the-Tip Breeder, $1.50
19Atf Safe arrival guaranteed.

G. E. DAWSON, CARLISLE, ARK.

(i

Bee-Keeping for Profit."

A New Revised edition of this valuable work
lor only 25 cts., postpaid, will be sent by
Geo. W. York & Co. or Dr. Tinker. It is full
of the latest and most interesting points in
the management 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 1894 Price-List of Apiarian Supplies.
Address, DR. G. U. TINKER,

6Atf NEW PHILADELPHIA, O.

5-Banded Bees in lovra.

All my Queens are bred with care by the most
approved methods, and from the best 5-band-
ed breeders that can be obtained, and posi-
tively cannot be excelled for beauty, gentle-
ness, and working qualities. 15 years' experi-
ence. Untested, 80 cts.; 6 for $4.25; 4 and 5
banded, $2.00; straight 5-banded on applica-
tion. Satisfaction guaranteed.
26A10t J. E. HAND, Eldora, Iowa.
MentUm. the American Bee Journal.

Tested Glueens

Keared last fall, from my choice ITALIAN
STOCK, only

^" Heady to ship now. Hybrids, 25 cts.

J. A. GREEN, Ottawa, 111.
1 Atf Mention the American Bee JoumaL

TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND

No. 1 Planer-Sawed Sections, at $1.25 per M.
Widths 1 15-16, IM, 7-to-foot.

Our No. 1 White Basswood Polished Sections
$2.00 per M. Widths, 1%, 1%. and 7-to-foot.

Cream Sections. $1.50 per M. Second Qual-
ity Sections. 50 cts. per M.; and all Other
Supplies at bottom prices. 5 per cent,
off on Sections in 10,000 lots.

WATJZEKA MFG. CO.',Wauzeka,Wis.

23Atf Please mention the Bee Journal.

CIDER!

A LITTLE MORE
CIDER T00!!^»

You can make a little more cider, a little better cider, in a great deal less time and
with a great deal less work on the Hydraulic Press than any other press made.
Write for illustrated catalogue of Cider, Fruit Machinery, Spray Pumps, Etc.

DAVIS-JOHNSON CO., Western Agents H. P. Mfg. Co., 45 E. Jackson St., CHiCAOO, ILL

lA9t Mention the American Bee Journal.

32

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Our New Style Frame !

Gives better satisfaction than anything we
have g-otten out for several seasons.

Our Thin-Walled Hive ifnW^alfe^'*
"^oll^ Outside Winter Case ilsTS-d^r

Winter Hive— and the cheapest.

We are the ORIGINAL, maliers of

POLISHED SECTIONS

And our goods are acknowledged to be the

best— and as cheap as any.
Illustrated Catalogue and copy of—
The American Bee-Keeper

—Free on apolication.

THEW.T.FAIXMERMFG.CO.,

JAMESTOWN, N. Y.

(Established 14 Years.)

Mention the American Bee Journal.

Woodcliff A No. 1.

In order to introduce my strain of beautiful
yellow Woodcliff Queens, which are bred
from an imported leather-colored Italian
crossed with the best 5-banded stock I can
procure by Doollttle method. I will sell
Guaranteed Purely Mated Untested Queens at
75 cts. each. As I produce large quantities
of comb honey, I breed principally for large
honey-gatherers. Apiaries near Philadelphia.

Address, Wm. A. Seller, Wyiicote, Pa.
25 AlO t Mention the American Bee Journal

Globe Bee V'eil

By Mail for One Dollar.

Five cross-bars are rtvitert in the
'centre at tlie top. Tliese beud down
■ and button to studs on a neck- band.
Tlie bars are best liglit sprinj,' steel.
The neck-band Is hard spring brass.
The netting is white with face-piece
*_ of black to seethraugh.
"^ It is easily put together and folds
Bcorapactly In a case, 1x6x7 inches,
i -the whole weighing but 5 ounces.
It can be worn over an ordinary hat; fits any head;
does not obstruct the vision, and can be worn In bed
without discomfort. It is a boon to any one whon:
flies bother, mosqultos bite, or bees sting.

Extra Netet, 50 ceiitM eacli.

i^~ This Veil we club will the Bee Journal
for one year— both for $1.85 ; or give free as a
Premium for sending us 3 New Subscribers to
the Bee Journal at $1.00 each.

GEORGE W. YORK & CO.,

CHICAGO, ILLS

Italian Queens & Bees.

Ready In May. Queens. $1.00. Bees by the
Pound, $1.00. One-Krame Nucleus, $1.25; -.l-
frame, $2.25. Also. Burred P. K. Katrn for
setting: 15 for $1.00.

ItlRS. A. A. iSimPKON, SwartM, Pa.
l.'JA20t Mention the American Bee Jrurnal.

My

•'4

Apiary is now stocked entirely with young
laying Queens of this year's rearing. Some
of them have been laying long enough so
that they are tested. I will sell the tested
ones at $1.00 each, or with Review one
year for $1.75. For $2.00, the

Queen,

the Review, and the book " Advanced
Bee Culture," will be sent. 1 am yet re-
ceiving weekly shipments of young laying-
Queens from the best breeders in the
south. These untested Queens 1 will sell
at

75 ck

each, or with the Review one year for
$1.50. For $1.75 I will send the Review
a year, one untested Queen, and the book
•'Advanced Bee Culture." For

10 cts.

three late but different issues of the Re-
view will be sent. The May Review con-
tains an article from M. M. Baldridge, in
wliich he tells how to get rid of foul brood
with the least possible labor— no shaking
the bees off the combs, they transfer
themselves to a new hive at a time when
their bodies are free from the spores of
the disease. He also tells how to disinfect
hives with one-fourth the labor of boiling.
B. Taylor tells how to secure as much
white COMB honey as extracted. ■

W. Z, HUTCHINSON, FLINT, MICH.

Mentixin the American Bee. Jmvmal.

I AEISE

rfO SAY to the readers
A of the

BEE JOURNAL that
DOOLITTIiE

has concluded to sell
-BKBS and QUEEN8-
in their season, during
1894, at the following
prices ;

One Colony of Italians
on 9 Gallup frames, in
light shipping-box $7 00

Kive Colonies 30 00

Ten Colonies 5000

1 untested queen. 1 00
6 " queens 5 50
]2 " " 10 00

I tested Queen... |i 50
3 " Queens . 4 (X)
1 select tested queen 2 00
3 " " Queens 5 OC

Select tested queen, previous season's rearing.. 4 oo
Kxtra Selected for breeding, the veky bkst. . 6 00
About a Pound of BKE8 in a Two-frame NucleuB,
with any Queeji, |2.oo extra.

Vf Circular free, giving full particulars regard
ing the Bees and each claas of Queens.
Address

G. M. DOOLITTLE,

llA25t BORODINO. Onon. Co., N. Y.

Mention the American Bee Jimnml.

VOL XXXIV. CHICAGO, ILL, JULY 12, 1894.

NO. 2.

Secretary ISenton,, of the North
American, has had some very neat letter-
heads printed for the use of the officers in
their correspondence relating to the asso-
ciation. Mr. Benton knows how to get up
neat and tasty things. He is very pains-
taking in all his work.

Octo1>er IGtIi, 17tli and IStli,

has been decided upon by the Executive
Committee, as the time for holding the
next annual convention of the North
American Bee-Keepers' Association at St.
Joseph, Mo. Better begin now to lay your
plans to go. President Abbott wants to
have an attendance equal to if not larger
than that of last year at the Columbian
meeting. Will you be there ?

An Exciir»>ion and JPicnie, under
the auspices of the Philadelphia Bee-Keep-
ers' Association, was held on Saturday,
June 30th, at Woodcliff Apiary, near Jenk-
intown— Mr. W. A. Selser's queen-rearing
establishment. It was a rare opportunity
to see the manipulation of hives and meth-
ods of queen-rearing by the improved Doo-
little scientific plan, Woodcliff being the
only apiary of the kind in that part of the
State.

Onr Special Oiler to Jan. l$t,

on page 35, has attracted the attention of
those who have not been too busy to solicit
new names, and consequently they have
sent in the subscriptions and secured their
premiums as offered. Now, why cannot
more of our present readers go to work
and earn some of the many excellent books
we offer as premiums ? It is an easy way
to get them— either the books or the new
subscribers. Only 40 cents for the Bee
Journal from now to Jan. 1st, to new sub-
scribers, and the one securing the new
name or names, will receive a premium be-
sides ! Why not send in a lot of new sub-
scribers this month, and thus help yourself
and also your bee-keeping friends ? See
page 35 for particulars.

1^" Many beginners make the mistake
of thinking they can improve some of the
standard hives or implements, and that
before they have fairly learned the busi-
ness.— HutcMnson.

Mr. C O. Perrine, the man noted
in time past as a honey-dealer, and who
practiced migratory bee-keeping down the
Mississippi river on a barge, is now a resi-
dent and land owner in Riverside, Calif. ;
and though the snows of many .winters
whiten his head, he is still an active busi-
ness man. At present it is orange-orchards
and not bees. So says Rambler, in Glean-
higs. We might add that Mr. Perrine once
attempted to feed glucose to his bees, hop-
ing to produce ''honey'' from it, and
.nearly ruined his whole apiary. The whole
glucose business is no good for the bee-
keepers, and its use must be avoided and
condemned by them at all times.

40

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Profitable Bee-Keeping-, as now

contributed in lessons by Mrs. Atchley
in the Bee Journal, has been noticed in
both Oleanings and the Eeview. The former
paper says :

A series of lessons in practical apiculture
for beginners, prepared by Mrs. Jennie
Atchley, is now running in the American
Bee Journal. So far as we have glanced
over them, they are interesting and prac-
tical.

The Bevieio for June contained this para-
graph:

Mrs. Atchley, under the heading of
" Profitable Bee-Keeping," is writing a
series of interesting articles for the Ameri-
can Bee Journal.

If I'o. Hasty, in a very brotherly way
in the Hevievj, hints to the editor of the
American Bee-Keeper that the " brothering "
business in the bee-papers in this country is
all right. It was said in the May number
of the American liec-Keeper that the reason
the editor objected to calling everybody
" Brother," was that " the word often does
not agree very well with the spirit mani-
fested;" and that the foreign bee-papers
were not given to the ''brothering " mania.
To which the " inimitable " Bro. Hasty re-
plies: " To the (John Bull) dogs with those
foreign papers in which they never say
'Brother.' "

Xlie Ai>iciiltiii-i!!»t has a new printer,
and the change, Bro. Alley says, caused
the long delay of the May number of his
paper. The Apicnllnrist is in its twelfth
year, and seems to be holding its own as
well as ever.

A IIoney-SectioM Cover. — We

have received a sample of manilla covers
for sections. It is a sort of carton, but
open on two edges. It was sent us by Mr.
H. R. Wright, of Albany, N. Y., and is in-
tended for use when marketing comb honey
in the sections. It is fastened around the
section with a single small tack.

Accompanying the sample carton, were
these suggestions on preparing comb and
extracted honoy for shipment to the Al-
bany, N. Y., market:

The best style of shipping-case holds five
combs long and five combs wide, with
honey exposed on only one side of the case.
Glass one .side of one comb, and put in the
centre on the outside, showing the grade of

honey in the case. Weight, gross and tare,
should be marked with pencil or small
figures, keeping the case as free from marks
as possible, for it never helps the sale of
honey to have the bee-keeper's name on,
and sometimes hinders the sale, especially
on anything not perfect.

Extracted honey should be put in H and
}.< barrels, and light color sold early in the
season for best prices.

Mr. S. H. Clarlc, of Elwood, Iowa,
was visited by the editor of the Maquoketa
(Iowa) liecord. Mr. Clark is the popular
postmaster at Elwood, as well as a bee-
keeping enthusiast. The editor of the
Record said that Mr. Clark "could deliver a
lecture on the subject, ' How to Make Bees
Pay on the Farm.'" No doubt he could,
and it would be a good one, too.

Houey-Ue-w aii<l \ts Ctiiise. — A

correspondent of the Country Godlcman,
published in Albany, N. Y., recently asked
about a "sticky, sweetish substance"
found on the leaves of oak trees, to which
the editor of that popular farm weekly re-
plied as follows :

The sticky, sweetish substance on the
leaves is commonly known as honey-dew.
It is a secretion of various kinds of insects
which suck the juices of plants. It is char-
acteristic of various species of aphides or
plant-lice, and this secretion appears, in
some instances at least, to be especially
abundant during dry, hot weather. A few
years ago the elm trees along the streets of
Albany were badly infested by plant-lice,
and during a dry, hot time the secretions
of honey-dew from thtese insects were so
abundant that the sidewalks under the trees
were defiled and blackened by it. The
minute drops of the honey-dew, in a favor-
able light, could be seen apparently drop-
ping from the trees above, but really com-
ing from the insects.

In a recent visit to Lake Mohonk, the
foliage of small trees and shrubs in many
places there was seen to be wet and sticky
with honey-dew. A little investigation re-
vealed the fact that the branches of the
trees above were infested by a species of
scale insect. Though it was seen on several
species of trees, it was especially abundant
on oak and chestnut. In some instances
the smaller branches were literally covered
with the insects, whose broadly oval, con-
vex bodies were in actual contact with
each other. In every instance where the
honey-dew was noticed ou the herbage and
shrubs, the insect, if sought, was seen on
the branches of the trees above them.
Where there were no scale insects, there
was no honey-dew.

We do not put much faith in the state-
ments sometimes made that honey-dew is a

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

41

direct secretion by the leaves, for we have
never seen it where its connection with
some insect could not be established.

We find in the honey-dew on some leaves
a few threads and spores of some fungus.
The fungus usually follows a copious secre-
tion of honey-dew, on which it lives. Prob-
ably in a few days or weeks the leaves now
besmeared with' this substance will exhibit
a dirty, blackish appearance, as if soiled
with soot. This will be due to the develop-
ment of the blackish threads of the fungus.
The recently introduced pear-tree psylla
secretes a kind of honey-dew on which a
fungus develops. Accordingly, when we
find the spurs and small branches of the
pear tree presenting this sooty, blackish
appearance, we may conclude that this
pestilent insect is present.

A woolly plant-louse, inhabiting the alder
and the beech, secretes such an abundance
of honey-dew that a black fungus develops
from it to such an extent as to form masses
two or three inches broad, and sometimes
almost as high.

Comb Foitiidiitioii samples have
been received at this office from "W. J.
Finch, Jr., of Springfield, 111.— both thin
and brood foundation. The latter is ex-
ceptionally fine, besides the side-walls are
a trifle higher, we think, than any we have
seen lately.

I*ractice ^Vliat Y^oii I*reacli. —

An editorial found in the American Bee-
Keeper, reads thus :

We wish our friends, and especially our
fellow editors, would refer to' us as the
^^ Am. Bee- Keeper,^' not the A. B. K., as
there are the ^. iJ. /., B. B. J., U. B. J.,
and X. B. K., and nine readers of every
ten will confound A. B. K. with one of
these if thus referred to. If the Am. Bee-
Keeper contains anything worthy of repeti-
tion, please give us full credit for it.

That's good, Bro. American..' But why
can't you " take your own medicine," and
give full credit to the American Bee Jour-
nal when you take anything from its col-
umns. Instead of crediting it to " ^4. B. /.,"
as in your June number ? We substitute
the name of our paper, and quote with em-
phasis your own words, as above, namely :
" If the American Bee Journal contains
anything worthy of repetition, please give
us full credit for it !''

In other words, please "practice what
you preach," and join the majority of edi-
tors who have long since ceased the mean-
ingless " initializing " of other bee-papers
when referring to them.

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" BO
interesting on another page. In the main, it
will contain questions and answers upon mat-
ters that particularly interest beginners.— Ed.

t^A^A<^A<fcA<^i

Drone-Traps — Queen Mating.

Do you think a queen-trap will keep
ray bees from swarming ? Bees clustered
on the inside and on the outside cannot
get in or out. I have to take off and
clean bees out. I have killed all my
black drones out of hybrid colony. Will
the queen mate with an Italian drone ?

Sandwich, Ont. J. L.

Answer. — No ; bees will swarm just
as soon through a drone-trap, but the
queen cannot go, so you can have time
to attend to them. The queen may mate
with Italian drones, or with any others
that are present. I suppose she is more
likely to mate with drones from other
hives than her own.

Moths in Frames — Queen-Cells.

1. How can moths be gotten out of
frames of comb that are not in use?
What is the best way to keep frames
not in use, so as to avoid this trouble ?

2. What would be the natural cause
of a good -sized colony not having any
queen-cells started at this time of the
season ?

3. If a colony is made queenless, how
soon will they generally start queen-
cells ? and will they start queen-cells
after introducing queen in July? If so,
is it best to take them out ? E. H. H.

St. Johnsbury Center, Vt., June 25.

Answers. — 1. I suppose you mean the
larvae of the moth or wax worms. With
a penknife or wire-nail you can get out
the large worms, if there are any. Then
a good fumigating with sulphur will
finish up the little fellows. A second
fumigation in a couple of weeks may be

42

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

necessary, and if kept in a moth-tight
place they are all right. Or they may
do well, with occasional watching, by
being put in a cool, airy place, the combs
an inch or two apart.

The very best thing, however, both to.
get the worms out and to keep them out,
is to give the combs into the care of the
bees. Even a weak colony can take care
of a good many combs. Put extra stories
under the story containing the colony.
A strong colony can have two or three
stories under it, and two over it, but of
course you couldn't have them working
on sections at the same time. For ex-
tracting they would be all right. A
colony having only two or three frames
of brood can have two stories of combs
under them. Italians make better work
than blacks at keeping out worms.

2. A poor harvest, plenty of room, or
a young queen would help to prevent
preparations for swarming, but some-
times you may be so fortunate as to
have a colony that doesn't seem to care
about swarming when all others in the
same condition are crazy to swarm. If
you have a non-swarming strain of bees,
you have a bonanza.

3. Queen-cells may be found within
24 hours after removal of the queen,
but sometimes you may not find them
until the third day. It is nothing very
unusual for bees to start queen-cells
after the introduction of a queen, and it
looks a little ominous, but often no harm
comes of it. I should rather have the
cells destroyed.

Transferring and Italianizing.

Does Dr. Miller think I will make a
success of the following operation ?

I have a colony of black bees in a
dovetailed hive with Hoffman frames.
The colony is not strong enough to store
any surplus if let alone. The bees have
built their combs across the frames,
fastening them all solidly together. I
want to transfer and Italianize at the
same time, and have an idea that, the
two things may be accomplished in the
following manner :

First, make a one or two frame nu-
cleus from another colony ; give it an
Italian queen, fill up the hive with
frames of foundation, invert the hive
containing the blacks, and set the hive
with the nucleus on top of it, with queen-
excluding zinc between. What will
likely be the result? E. B.

Leon, Iowa, June 25.

Answer. — The result may be all right
with some modifications. You say noth-

ing about destroying the black queen in
the crooked-building colony. If left
where she is I should expect her to re-
main in possession, the queen of the
nucleus being killed. Drum out the col-
ony, kill the black queen, letting the
bees return, then in a day or so you may
find it safe to put the nucleus over the
hive with excluder between. But I
hardly see any need of turning the hive
upside down.

For safety, I think I should allow the
nucleus to have an entrance of its own,
without obliging the bees to go down
through the other hive, and I would
have very little communication between
the hives at first. Besides the excluder
a heavy sheet of paper might be given,
with room for only one bee to pass
through, and the bees will gnaw it away
in a few days.

If honey is yielding at the time, it will
make it safer for the queen.

Swarming Questions.

1. What would be the result if I
should hive a swarm with a colony that
had cast a swarm two days previous ?
Would they swarm out the next day, or
be content with their new quarters and
go to work ?

2. I have a colony that cast a swarm
on May 23rd. I examined them three
weeks later, and could find no brood or
sign of queen in the hive. The bees are
working nicely, and filling up the brood-
frames with honey. Would you give
them another queen, or let them finish
filling up with honey, and then give the
bees to some other colony.

3. I hived a swarm in a new hive,
placed an Alley trap at the entrance to
prevent tbem leaving, and faced the old
hive to the rear. This was about 10
o'clock a.ni.; at 4 o'clock p.m., I dis-
covered the bees leaving the hive
quietly, crawling around to the entrance
of the old hive and going in. In a short
while all the bees had returned to the
old home. I could not find the queen.
What was the matter '?

4. If late in the season a colony
swarms, and I keep it from leaving the
hive by means of a trap, would they
gather surplus in the interval of swarm-
ing, or would it be better to let them
swarm ? F. T. B.

Brookewood, Va., June 16.

Answers. — 1. They would probably
stay content. This is one of the plans
for preventing increase that has been
spoken of with favor for years. But it

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

43

may be well to be prepared for occa-
sional disappointments.

2. If you leave the bees till they fill
up, and then unite, they will be so old
they may not be worth uniting. More-
over, they will gather as much, or more,
honey if united as where they are, so I
would unite immediately unless the num-
ber is suflBcient to make a fair colony by
giving a queen. If you don't care for
increase, it may be the best thing to
unite.

3. It is not at all an unusual thing
for a swarm to return to the old hive.
In this case they did not swarm out in
a body, because the distance was so
short they could do better. Probably in
most cases the reason for a swarm re-
turning to the old stand is because of
the queen. She may not be with them,
or something may be wrong with her.
Possibly they didn't like something about
their new quarters.

4. The trap will not stop their work-
ing, but they'll not work so well while
hindered in their plans. Whether best
to let them swarm depends somewhat on
your own convenience and your after
management.

Queenless Colony — Laying Workers.

.1 have six colonies of bees, and but
one of them has swtirmed. It cast the
first swarm on June 1st, and it did well
for the first two weeks, and then had a
little brood in the top edge of their
combs. Yesterday, when I was looking
through them, the brood was all gone,
and the combs filled up with pollen. But
the strange thing to me is, that they
have two pieces of drone-comb built,
some of the cells with two eggs in them,
and some of them v/ith one. What is
the matter with them ? Have they lost
their queen ? and are some of the work-
ers laying?

One more strange freak is, they have
now about a dozen queen-cells started
on one frame. No. 2 came off June
9th, and it is doing well, and has as
much comb built as No. 1, with quite a
little brood in four of the frames.

Now comes something else : I thought
that I would look through the old one
that cast No. 1 and 2, and to my sur-
prise I found the frames filled completely
full of pollen, and very few cells of
honey, with no brood or eggs of any
kind. What is the matter with them ?
Have they lost their queen ? What is
the best thing to do with so much pollen?

This is a very bad year for honey
around here. All the bees killed off all

their drones about three weeks ago, and
there are few pleople that have had any
swarms at all. The white clover is a
complete failure, and if the bees get a
living I will think that mine have done
well. G. R. M.

Rockford, 111., June 25.

Answer. — You've hit it, first guess.
Queen lost, then laying workers. The
queen-cells only form part of the regu-
lar programme, for it is the usual thing
to find the bees trying to rear queens
from laying-worker brood. Sometimes
the first intimation of laying workers is
a queen-cell with two or more eggs in it.

As to the mother colony, it is just pos-
sible that the queen was slow about get-
ting to work, but is laying all right by
the time you get this. I'm afraid, how-
ever, that it is also queenless. If you
find no queen laying by the time this
reaches you, better not wait longer, but
give the bees and combs of the queenless
colonies to other colonies. Probably
swarm No. 2 would be benefited to have
some such addition.

The great amount of pollen in the
combs comes from the fact that having
no brood and young bees to use it up,
the pollen has accumulated in the combs.
It can be given to colonies that have a
queen, giving only one such comb to
each colony.

Perforated-Zinc Q,ueen-Excluder, Etc.

Can Root's queen-excluder, or per-
forated zinc, be made l/'32 of an inch
smaller, and still allow workers to pass
through ?

My reason for asking is that I have
invented a self-hiver which I am confi-
dent will be a success, provided that the
queen-excluder can be made smaller. In
testing the excluder, I find that during
the excitement of swarming, about one-
third of the queens are crowded through,
but that after re-hiving the bees, the
queens cannot return into the hives
through the zinc. In an out-apiary of
50 colonies I used the excluders to re-
tain swarms, but about one-half of the
queens escaped, thereby causing me to
lose about one-half of the swarms.

I now have 380 colonies. I have pro-
duced from 5,000 to 6,000 pounds of
comb honey. I cannot yet give accurate
figures on extracted honey, because I
am not done extracting. I propose to
increase the number of colonies next
year to about 800. B. D.

Du Pont, Ga., June 25.

Answer. — I think Root's perforations

44

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAj

are about 1/6 of an inch ; 1/32 of an
inch less would make them about a fifth
less, and I doubt if workers would work
through that size. From some experi-
ments of my own, notwithstanding the
belief that a sixth of an inch will hold
all proper-sized queens, I'm afraid that
any perforation that will hold at all
times a queen crazy to get through, will
be too small for workers to work
through. Others, however, think dif-
ferently, and they say my queens that
got through must have been small. I
hardly believe it.

Om Bmrm's Hiets,

By F. L. PEIRO. M. D.

McVicker's Building-, Chicago, III.

liCtter to nirs. Bro^vii.

Dear Mrs. Brown :— Your very sensible
letter is gladly received, and as a reply to
your practical questions are likely to meet
the requirements of other sisters in our
" chat " circle, I think best to use our regu-
lar medium.

Felons.— Yes, I quite agree with you
that felons are pesky nuisances. They
usually afflict people of tender skin and
sensitive organization. One might feel a
touch of pride in the suggestive aristocratic
nature that they most likely visit, were it
not for the intense pain these miserable
felons give. Then, too, come to think, they
are almost too easily acquired to make one
feel importantly exclusive! Any little
knock of one's hand, especially the thumb,
against the sharp corner of a table, or
prick with needle or pin, or a little sliver
of wood or thorn in the end of a finger, is
apt to set up that painful condition we call
a "felon."

Many things have been used to arrest
the progress of them — salt, soda, lye,
pounded muUen leaves, scraped potato, etc.
—hut the best application I know of is to
stick the finger into a bottle of tincture of
iodine for a minute. Do this night and
morning, and begin as soon as you hurt
yourself. Don't wait until it begins to
throb and hurt real hard, because then it
shows that matter is beginning to form,
and may be too late. But do it at once,
and be on the safe side.

Persons who are predisposed to such ac-

cidents should keep, say a two-ounce wide-
mouth bottle full, well corked, for emer-
gencies. Its application does not hurt a
particle— it simply turns the finger a dark
brown. Two ounces will cost a quarter at
your druggist, and will last a long time,
besides being excellent for many kinds of
bruises and swellings.

Constipation.— For that case of consti-
pation you refer to, you can feel free to
promise her a complete cure if she will
drink a quart of hut water night and morn-
ing, and eat plenty of fruit — dried or fresh^
especially apples, oranges and lemons, be-
cause most acid. But sJie must keep it up —
regularly.

O, no ! you are quite mistaken. You vpill
be surprised to learn how easily one can
learn to drink a quart of hot water— and
that amount is necessary to flush the sys-
tem. Less is useless.

Swelling of the Knees may be due to
a variety of causes— but where there is ab-
sence of pain, the swelling is never serious
in importance. What is termed among
surgeons as " house-maid knee," is a swell-
ing of the soft parts on each side of the
knee, due, in their case, to scrubbing on
their knees. Brisk friction of the parts
with strong cold salt and water, night and
morning, often dispels the swelling. If
results are not satisfactory, try painting
with tincture of iodine once or twice per
week. That will be most certain to ac-
complish it.

Snake-Bite. — I suppose that snake-bite
gave your good sister a terrible fright — but
it was quite unnecessary. Garter snakes
are no more poisonous than a kitten. O
the pocketful I used to carry when a boy
at school, to frighten the girls! But that
was 40 years ago. Even rattle-snakes are
not half as bad as the romancer goes on to
tell.

Api'ENuioitis.— You want to know what
it is ? Dmi't ! It will only set you to think-
ing, and the more you think, the less you
will know about the miserable fad that
surgeons, who are always anxious to cut,
would frighten you about. It is only with-
in a dozen years that we have heard of
such an accident as appendicitis— yet the
world moved fairly well all the years pre-
vious. The surgeons have agitated the
subject so much (to their interests), and so
eflfectually scared (the rich in particular),

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

45

that as soon as they have a colic they be-
gin to fear appendicitis !

But all this agitation is not without
benefit, if it makes us sensible enough not
to eat our fruit with large seeds whole, like
pigs. You would naturally suppose that
persons eating cherries, for instance, would
reject the pits, but many don't. Nor is it
safest to eat grapes with their many seeds,
to get into the folds of the stomach and in-
testines, and there do mischief. But if
people will so clearly contravene Nature's
laws, willfully or ignoi-antly, they must
take hazardous risks.

How often are blackberries given to
babies for summer complaint — often with
killing effect ! Well, it isn't the fruit that
does the evil, but the seeds they contain,
which, coming on the inflamed mucous
surface of the bowels, set up greater mis-
chief, and the undertaker is called in. The
blackberries are good, wholesome, and a
fine remedy, if care is had to strain the
seeds before giving — if 07ily the clear juice
is administered.

Are your questions answered ? If so,
good bye. Write again.

ConvHlsions.

" Yes, Doctor, I was holding him just this
way in my arms, when his eyes became
set in his head, his little hands clinched,
thumbs inside, as you see him, with those
big beads of sweat on his forehead, and so
pale I thought him dead! I was going to
give him some of this medicine,but thought
best to send for you first."

Well, little mother, don't be too greatly
alarmed. You did exactly right, first to
send for advice without giving the medi-
cine. Baby don't need dosing. You pre-
pare a tub of warm water and put a table-
spoonful of salt— just common salt— in it,
and I'll do the rest. There, now, while the
child is in the bath, let us look in its mouth.
See how the warm water is relaxing the
system ?

Ah, there is the difficulty. See how
bluish and swollen that gum is, where the
eye-tooth is trying to come through. Well
— there! just that little bit of cutting of
the gum relieves the tension and— see ?
There's your baby almost ready to smile at
you! Keep its feet and stomach warm;
feed him a few spoonfuls of warm water
now and then, and nurse him very lightly;
by to-morrow he'll be crowing like a little
rooster !

CONDUCTED BY

MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY.

Beeville, Texas.

PROFITABLE BEE-KEEPING.

liCfiison No. 6.

(Continued from page 15.)
DISEASES OF BEES.

We will suppose now that two more
months have gone by, and this is Sept.
1st, and Harry has heard now that this
school has its name up as foul brood In-
spectors, and he wishes us to go over
and examine his apiary. So let us go
over, for I hear his bees are nearly all
dead, and he has no honey this year.
He bought his bees last year from Mr.
Jones, and somebody said that Jones
lost all his bees with foul brood. I sent
Harry word that we would be over to-
day, and he will be anxiously awaiting
us.

My ! how solitary things look around
here. Just look at the hives all turned
up and stacked about in little groups. I
am scared already.

"Good morning, Harry. The foul
brood inspectors are upon you right
now. Get your smoker, and let us see
quick."

" Well, I tell you," says Harry, "we
won't have much need of a smoker, as I
have nothing much to smoke. But here,
we will open this hive— I see some bees
here yet."

" My ! close it up. Foul brood in its
worst form !"

" How do you know?" says Harry.

"Can't you smell that double dead
odor — very sickening ?"

"Now," says Harry, "just show us
all about this awful disease right here,
where we may all see with our own
eyes."

"All right; I will do what lean to
make it all plain to you, though I am a
poor hand to explain things, but will
take time and pains enough to show you
all what foul brood is, and how you may

46

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.,

all know hereafter when your bees have
foul brood.

" Now, all circle around this hive, and
I will lay this rotten comb down on the
cover, and show you what I can. You
see this is a bad case— foul brood in a
malignant form. It has been in this
apiary a year or more. Now, right here,
in the center of this comb, is where it
started, as you see this rotten, offensive
mass. This disease was brought here
likely when Harry bought his bees from
neighbor Jones, and it began in hive
after hive in the center of the combs,
and spread like this one until you see
there is only a very few cells hatching
around the edges, and soon none will
hatch at all, and they are gone forever.

"Now look al this ropy substance.
See how it stretches ; and see these
sunken cells with a little pin-hole
through the caps of the cells. These
holes have been made by the bees, think-
ing to remove it, but when the cell was
punctured, the sickening or disgusting
smell caused the scavenger to back out
from her job, and thus it goes on. Or
the small hole may be caused by explo-
sion, as the air-tight, or almost air-
tight, cell may become so crowded with
gas that a small hole in the weakest
part of the cap (which is the center, as
it is farthest from any supporting wall)—
I am not going to say just what makes
those little holes, but one of these ways
seems most likely to be right. But we
will pass on by knowing the hole is there,
for we see it, as it is the things we know
that we wish to teach.

"This dread disease is like yellow
fever, or any other catching disease. It
will take hold of its victim at once when
properly exposed.

"Now, I will try to show you why
dead brood does not produce foul brood."

"Yes, all right; that's what we are
anxious to hear."

"First, let me give you the points I
wish to make. We have always had
dead brood, and we have not always had
foul brood ; as I know I can remember
hearing father talk about dead brood,
and I never heard of foul brood until
after bees were imported to our Ameri-
can shores from distant lands.

" Next, foul brood is a walking or fly-
ing ' roaring lion,' blood-thirsty, and
kills live brood, not caring anything
about dead brood, nor would it ever
spread an inch if dead brood was its
only show. Its germs will no doubt live
in dead brood awhile, but before it can
start, or make one single bit of prog-
ress, it must have live, fresh blood to
devour. It is the same with small-pox.

What would you think of me, if I should
say that dead body yonder will start
small-pox ? Why, you would likely say
I was foolish, as you say small-pox
travels through the living, and kills the
living, and cares nothing for the dead,
more than its germs will take hold of a
live being, if such is exposed before the
germs all die. But never will it hunt
for another dead body to start again. It
is the same way with foul brood. A
common air-germ looks after a dead
body to start and thrive, and will not
take hold of decaying matter in freezing
weather, nor will a dead substance de-
cay until it is warm enough for air-
germs to grow. I believe freezing will
also stop the germs of foul brood. But
I am not yet able to say that freezing
will kill a foul-brood germ, but I know
cold weather will check it, the same as
common air-germs.

"Now, have I made it plain to you
that foul brood does 7iot start from dead
brood ? Well, I will rehearse to you
that foul brood has no such a germ as a
common air-germ, nor is there any com-
mon air-germ that has any part of a
foul brood germ about it, as the two are
as different as day and night ; and to
close this lesson on foul brood, I will say
that I will endeavor to give you its cure
in a future lesson, if I can."

The next lesson will be on Bee-Para-
lysis or the " Nameless Bee-Disease."
Then, before we get through with Dis-
eases of Bees, we will take up every-
thing known as a disease, and treat it as
clearly as we can. While I have not
seen a real case of foul brood for ten
years, aside from specimens sent me, I
had a four years' siege of it, and lost
100 colonies of bees by it, and I tell you
I learned something about it. I will add
right here, that I am firmly convinced,
by what I have read about foul brood
lately, that it is of a much milder type
than it used to be. It is said that the
longer a catching disease runs, the
lighter it gets. So foul brood may, and
I trust will, play out ere long, and be
remembered only in the past.

Jennie Atchley.
(To be continued.)

Weak Colonies— Greenish Pollen.

Mks. Atchlky : — Will you please tell
us through the AmkkicanBkk Journal,
in your department, how to manage
weak colonies, as I always read that
part first. I notice what Doolittle has

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

47

to say about this on page 628. Is your
plan the same, or would you make
further suggestions ?

I see my bees are gathering a greenish
pollen. What do you think they get it
from ? Allow me to express my grati-
tude for your lessons in bee-keeping we
get in the " Old Reliable."

D. Bachman.

Grand Prairie, Tex., June 14.

Brother Bachman, I will do the best I
can in answering your questions. I have
read Doolittle's article you mention, as
well as all others he writes that I get
hold of, for he is one of our safest guides
leading out on the long road of apicul-
ture. But as I cannot now remember
exactly his words, nor have I time to
turn and re-read at present, I will add
that where a colony is weak there is a
cause for it. To remedy the matter, re-
move the cause. If your colony has be-
come weak from lack of stores, feed
them, and give them a good start oflf. If
they have become weak by a bad queen,
move her, and give them a good one. If
they are too low to build up rapidly,
give a frame or two of hatching brood
from other colonies. Watch your honey-
plants, and during a scarcity of honey
be sure to feed enough to keep them
building up, and as soon as honey ap-
pears in the fields, you will see them
build up very quickly.

Now, to build up a colony of bees
rapidly (and this is the way we usually
like to do it), give them a good queen,
plenty of food, and bees enough to stay
at home and do the house-work, and
keep the nest warm to hatch the eggs,
and some to spare to work. This, I
think, will cover the whole ground of
the management of weak colonies. I
might stretch out and write a long arti-
cle on every point that touches upon the
management of weak colonies, but I
think it unnecessary, as I am sure
that if you will follow Doolittle, and
heed my remarks above, you have a
good plan for building up weak colonies.

In regard to your greenish pollen, I will
say that many years ago I kept a large
apiary in the valley just about two
miles south of your apiary, and I noticed
this same greenish pollen. I noticed
the bees working on the blooms of a
little running vine that grows there,
and is now in bloom. Its blossoms re-
semble a small snow-ball flower, only
they are a little reddish hue. If the
greenish pollen does not come from this
source, I do not know where it comes
from.

I am glad indeed that you appreciate

my writings. I receive many congratu-
lations from all over the country, and it
helps me to brace up, and makes my
pencil feel lighter when I read them. I
feel proud to know that I am able to
help some bee-keepers, even if I have a
poor, awkward way of explaining what
little I know about bees.

Jennie Atchley.

CONVENTION DIRECTORY.

Time and place of meeting.

1894.
July 19.— Carolina, at Charlotte, N. C.

A. L. Beach, Sec , Steel Creek, N. C.

Aug. 1,— Central California, at Hauford. Calif.
J. F. Flory, Sec, Lemoore, Calif.

Aug,16.— East Tennessee, at Whltesburg,Tenn
H. F. Coleman, Sec, Sneedville, Tenn.

Oct. 16-18.— North American, St. Joseph, Mo.
Frank Benton. Sec, Washington, D, C.
1895.
Jan, 28,— Venango Co., at Franklin, Pa.

C. S. Pizer, Sec, Franklin, Pa.

Feb. 8, 9.— Wisconsin, at Madison, Wis.

J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec, Madison, Wis.

Jt^~ 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. Hershlser Buffalo, N. Y.

Secretary— Frank Benton, Washington, D. C.
Treasurer— George W. York...Chlcae'o. Tils.

National Bee-Keepers' Union.

President— Hon. R, L. Taylor. .Lapeer, Mich..
Gen'l Manager— T. G. Newman, Chicago, IlL
147 South Western Avenue.

May-Flo-^vers and IVIistletoe is

the suggestive name of a book of over 250
pages containing selections of poetry and
prose for all seasons, for older boys and
girls, from the best writers of the day,
with dialogues, motion songs, and drill ex-
ercises for smaller children. It is suitable
for rhetorical exercises in the school and
entertainments given by church, library
and benevolent societies. Beautifully illus-
trated, and each poem or selection set in a
colored border. Cloth-bound; size, 8x10
inches; price, postpaid, only $1.00. Clubbed
with the Bee Journal for one year — both
for $1.75 ; or given free as a premium for
sending us three new subscribers to the
Bee Journal for a year.

Oreat Pretniunis on page 85 !

48

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

CoYerlni for Sections on llie Hive.

Query 931.— 1. Which is best as cover for
sections, enameled cloth, small strips of glass
laid over the openlng-s, or a quarter inch bee-
space cover ?

2. Why?-J. W. S.

I use wide frames. — G. M. Doolittle.

I use heavy Indian head muslin. —
Mks. L. Haerison.

1. The last. 2. It will leave sections
cleanest. — C. C. Mii.ler.

1. I don't know. Ideas and conditions
vary. — J. M. Hambaugh.

We would use almost anything except
the 14: inch beespace cover. — Dadant
& Son.

I use our regular solid honey-board
laid flat on top of the sections. — E.
France.

1. Enameled cloth. 2. It is more
easily adjusted, and more easily re-
moved without disturbing bees. — Jas.
A. Stone.

1. The cover with }4, inch bee-space.
2. Less work and less daubing. — S. I.
Freeborn.

1. I prefer the latter. 2. It is more
convenient, and I think just as good. —
A. J. Cook.

1. Enameled cloth. 2. It keeps the
sections clean, and is convenient, — P.
H. Elwood.

I prefer a thin board with bee-space,
but I use a cloth, mostly because the
latter is cheapest. — G. W. Demaree.

1. A board, a bee-space above the sec-
tions. 2. Because it is less trouble, and
causes less propolization. — J. A. Green.

1. I like a quilt or cloth. 2 Because
it is always easily removed. I do not
like glass or any hard covering. — Mrs.
Jennie Atchley.

1. There is no dilTerence. 2. A bit of
shingle is as good as either. I would
rather not have a bee-space over the
sections. — M. Mahin.

1. I prefer a cover bee-space from the
sections. 2. Because it is easier to ex-
amine the sections, and in storifying the
supers. — G. L. Tinker.

1 and 2. I prefer enameled cloth, as
it is cheap, easy to handle, and answers
the purpose better than anything else I
know of. — W. M. Barnum.

1. A flat board cover with bee-space
over the sections. 2. Less propolis, less
fussing, greater ease and rapidity of
manipulation. — Eugene Secor.

1. A bee-space between the cover and
sections. 2. Because then there is less
work, fewer " traps," and less propolis
on the sections. — R. L. Taylor.

1. Enameled cloth. 2. It lies close
to the sections, and prevents bees from
coloring the tops, and also is not propo-
lized like anything else. — J. H. Larea-

BEE.

1. I very decidedly prefer the bee-
space cover. Your sections, however,
should be protected in some way from
the travel of the bees on top. — C. H.

DiBBERN.

1 and 2. I prefer a white cloth of
heavy twilled goods. Thin boards make
a good cover, but much harder to remove
than the cloth. I don't use enameled
cloth.— J. P. H. Brown.

1 and 2. I don't think either is best,
or that there would be any choice. I
should prefer something porous, that
would allow excess of moisture to escape,
while retaining the heat. I assume the
question refers to winter coverings. — J.
E. Pond.

1 and 2. I have used the enameled
cloth with good results, also the 5/16
space between the sections and cover. I
can see no difference, except with the
cloth the sections are cleaner, provided
you keep the cloth down smooth over the
sections. — H. D. Cutting.

1. Cloth. 2. Because it can be rolled
back gently, without any cracking or
snapping; it fills the crack which would
give a draft l)otween the super and
cov(^r ; prevents the same from being
stuck down with propolis, and keeps the
tops of the sections from becoming
stained.— Mrs. J. N. Heater.

1. A cover with a M-inch bee-space.
2. Because the bees will not soil the sec-
tions as much as they will if the cover
fits flat down on the sections. There is
a better chance for ventilation, and it
will not be so hot in the super during
very warm weather. The cover costs
less, and is more convenient every way.
— Emerson T. Abbott.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

49

Bees Moviiii Eis-CarnHtalians.

Wiitten for the American Bee Journal

BY EMEKSON T. ABBOTT,

President of the North American Bee-Keep-
ers' Association.

Willie Atchley has a long article on
this subject in Gleanings, in which he
claims that bees never move eggs. The
editor says he would like to hear from
the queen-breeders, especially Doolittle.

Now, I am not a queen-breeder,
neither is my name Doolittle, but I think
I have positive proof that bees have
moved eggs. I am not prepared to say
that they make a business of it, but the
presumption is that what they have
done 07ice,'they can and will do again.

Several years ago in Dutchess county,
N. Y., I obtained a lot of black bees in
the fall from farmers who wanted the
honey, but intended to kill the bees. I
put these bees on foundation, and fed
them enough sugar syrup to take them
through the winter. As they were
all black bees, I introduced Italian
queens as soon as I could. The black
queen of one of these colonies was killed
in some way in making the transfer;
and, as soon as they began to draw out
the foundation, I saw that they had no
queen, and were building queen-cells.
There was not an egg of any kind to be
found in the hive.

Happening about that time to be in
the apiary of a near neighbor who had
Italians, I saw one of his weak colonies
come out of the hive and leave for the
woods. I went to the hive and found a
number of small, white, new combs, but
no honey. On examining these combs
closely, I found that two or three of
them were full of eggs. To try an ex-
periment I took two of these combs home
and put them in the outside frames of
the hive that contained the bees which
had neither queen, brood nor eggs.

In three or four days I took the combs
out to examine them, and saw that every

G^^ was removed from the cells. On
further examination I found a lot of
eggs in the center of the hive, and a
cluster of bees around them. I also
found a queen-cell with a larva in it.
This was a new experience to me, and I
concluded I must have overlooked the
black queen, and she had now begun to
lay, but I could not account for the dis-
appearance of the eggs which I had put
in the hive. There was no way to solve
the problem but to await developments,
and I did so.

To make a long story short, in due
time the bees had an Italian queen, and
every one of the remaining eggs hatched
an Italian bee. Where did they come
from, if bees never move eggs ?

CAKNIOLAN HYBRID BEES.

In the same number of Gleanings the
editor, in speaking of Carniolans crossed
with Italians, says :

" Possibly a cross would be desirable,
but how are we to distinguish them from
ordinary hybrids ?"

In reply to this I would say they can
be distinguished in the same way that
we distinguish black bees from Italians.
The progeny of a Carniolan queen mated
with an Italian drone does not resemble
the bee produced by a cross of the Ital-
ians with the blacks, any more than a
black bee does an Italian.

In 1886 the writer published a little
book in which he said :

"A Carniolan queen mated with an
Italian drone produces a very fine and
desirable bee. We have a number of
such colonies that are very fine workers,
and easy to manipulate. Not quite so
gentle, perhaps, as the pure bred, but a
single pufl of smoke sends them down
on the combs where they will remain
quiet."

More : I want to say that by breeding
out the silver-gray color, in a few gen-
erations we would have a bee which
would show no trace of the gray blood
which is found in the Carniolans. I
have never seen but one Carniolan
queen whose progeny did not show yel-
low bands, and I have seen a great
many Carniolan queens which came
direct from Carniola, through Mr. Ben-
ton. I want to say further, that pure
Carniolan bees bear no resemblance to
the blacks.

St. Joseph, Mo.

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.

50

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAJL.

Remelies for the Nameless Bee-Disease.

Written for the Amtrican Bee Journal
BY C. THEILMANN.

If that perplexing "nameless bee-
disease " can be cured with sulphur,
then the Australian bee-keeper spoken
of on page 775, will be a great
benefactor to the bee-fraternity, as the
cure is cheap and simple, and probably
just the remedy.

I have been studying on this disease
considerable for the past six or eight
years, and tried a great many remedies,
but failed in all except one, and that is
by taking frames of brood and bees from
other colonies and exchanging them
with the affected colonies. But in bad
cases it would take three or four, and
sometimes five, frames before they were
cured. I give the frames at intervals of
from five to eight days, generally two
frames the first time, and one after un-
til cured.

From the nature and actions of the
diseased bees, I have always thought it
was either a parasite or fungus, upon
which I have heretofore expressed my-
self in the Bee Jouknal. Knowing that
sulphur is a good remedy for such things,
yet it never occurred to me to try it.

To exchange queens, as some have
recommended, has always failed with
me. Salt and rain water has cured
many colonies that were only slightly
affected, but in bad cases It would do no
good, and the frame remedy was the
only thing I have ever tried that would
effect a cure every time ; and the frames
exchanged have no bad effect on the
healthy colonies, but sulphur, in the
way described, would be preferable.

After seeing the remedy in the Bee
Journal, I went to the apiary and ap-
plied the sulphur on two colonies which
were slightly affected (the only ones that
were diseased). I sprinkled the frames
of one, which quieted the bees imme-
diately. I sprinkled the other at the
entrance, which made them furious, and
many of them killed each other for a
minute or two, and then quieted down.
I will report results on the disease here-
after, as it is too early yet.

My observation of the origin of the
disease leads me to believe that the bees
get it from the plants they visit,' the
same as other stock (cattle and horses)
get the so-called scabs from the plants
they come in contact with. Here would
be something to study for the experi-
ment stations, that would be of much in-
terest to our industry.

My bees are living from hand to
mouth. They work on the plan of the
little poetry that I saw in the Bee Jouk-
NAL lately — they scratch and bite, and
gather honey all the day, and eat it up
at night. They get just enough for
brood-rearing. They are overflowing
with bees, but I have not as yet (June
23rd) seen one particle of new wax in
the hives anywhere, and consequently
I have put no supers on any of them.

Linden will open in a few days. It
looks promising.

Theilmanton, Minn.

A Home In the Suiiuy Soiitiilaiiil.

Written for the American Bee. Journal

BY MRS. S. E. SHERMAN.

The illustration on the next page gives
some idea of my apiary, though consid-
erably less than half the hives show in
the picture. The house is larger and
much better than it appears. It was a
box house, and when I got. the place I had
the strips torn off and weather-boarded
on the outside, and ceiled on the inside,
making it a very comfortable house.
The kitchen and dining room, which are
one, is ceiled overhead, then canvased
and papered. All the floors are carpeted
except the galleries and honey-room,
which are painted.

This engraving was made from a pho-
tograph taken on Dec. 28, 1888. The
engraver lengthened out the cut and
added those clumsy boxes, or as I sup-
pose he thought, hives in the right cor-
ner ; also the dining-room is lengthened
out. The door is in the center, and
not near one end, as he has it. This was
perhaps done to make room for my pho-
tograph. If you will notice, he has no
entrances for the hives — maybe he did
this on purpose to shut the bees in to
keep from stinging me while on my high
perch. I am naturally dizzy-headed,
and should the bees sting me while up
so high, I might come down with a
great fall.

I have six yards, or breeding pens, as
they are generally called, for my fine
chickens, all of which are arranged so
that I can feed the chickens in each and
every pen without going outside the
house at all. This is very convenient,
especially during bad weather.

A large tank cistern stands at the
corner of the dining-room, and just to
the right of it is the bee-tent. South of
the tent and dining-room are two double
rows of bee-hives, 7 feet apart, facing

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

51

S5
Si

I'

52

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

each other, then 14 feet apart, and the
other two rows facing each other, so I
can see every hive from the back gal-
lery and dining-room, also from the
south bed-room.

Going south through the main street
is a gate which leads into the cow shed,
b0.rn, stable, etc. North of the house is
a nice little orchard of' 40 fruit trees.
At the east end of the orchard is the
large hen-house for the outside chick-
ens. Both east and west of the house,
etc., is a nice little pasture — on the west
is Johnson grass, and on the east millet.
I will have the Johnson grass cut the
second time now in a few days.

I have taken 2,200 pounds of extract-
ed honey to date (June 25), this season,
with fair prospect of more to follow
soon, and good prospect for a fall flow.

We have four churches in Salado, and
two splendid schools that can't be sur-
passed in Texas.

It is a healthy location, with plenty of
water the dryest years that we ever
have. There are everlasting springs
bursting up all along the side of the
creek.

My place is in a beautiful grove of
live-oaks and elms. It is also off from
the street, which makes it much more
desirable for an apiary. There are two
acres of ground between the apiary and
street.

(jelling llie losl Sumlus Honey.

Written for the American Bee Journal

BY JOS. E. POND.

How can we get the most surplus in a
given season ?

The above query is simple, and easily
answered, if one takes into considera-
tion the fact that answers must not be
applied locally, but generally. Locali-
ties vary in their conditions as do sea-
sons, and we must apply our information
to the location and the climate in which
we keep our bees.

Generally speakiug, however, the rule
is strict, that we must have forager
bees, and plenty of them, at and during
the nectar-yielding season. To deter-
mine this, we must k7iow the flora of our
locality; for knowing this, we shall
know how to get ready for our honey
crop.

We will start, then, with the fact that
it is practically 21 days from the egg to
the bee emerging from the cell. Early
in the season we must give these young
bees 15 days or so, ere they become

foragers ; but during this time they are
not idle, by any means ; they do the
nursing and the home-work until they
become able to forage advantageously.

With the above factors, and the added
factor, that if the queen "is any good,"
brood-rearing is constantly going for-
ward, the problem is easily solved,
theoretically ; Experience will teach us
the rest, and if we follow her teachings
as we ought, we shall have no trouble in
getting our honey crop, if there is any
nectar to gather.

To sum up, the rule is this : Know
where there is nectar to be gathered,
and have your foragers, and plenty of
them, to go for it. To be sure, it re-
quires common-sense, diligence and
knowledge, to bring about the required
result. But so it does to be successful
in any pursuit in life ; and be sure of
one thing, don't ask "A," who lives in
"Alaska," when nectar is ready to be
gathered in his locality, and apply the
answer to your own surroundings ; but
study your own field in those respects,
and work your bees in accordance with
the knowledge thus gained. Thus shall
your hives be stored with honey, and
your bees wax fat and vigorous.

North Attleborro, Mass., June 22.

Yisiliniin Iowa-Honey Prosnecls, Elc.

Written for the American Bee Journal
BY W. C. NUTT.

On May 18th I started on a trip to
Hardin and Grundy counties, Iowa. I
stopped over Sunday with Mr. O. B.
Barrows, ex-mayor of Marshalltown.
(He was mayor from 1874 to 1877).
He keeps about 100 colonies of bees, al-
most in the heart of the city. Mr. Bar-
rows is an enthusiast in the profession.
He produces bomb honey.

While mayor of the city, the extensive
water-works, of which the people of
Marshalltown may well be proud, were
put in. We visited several places of in-
terest, consisting of the water-works,
cemetery, glucose factory, soldiers'
home, etc. Iowa may well feel proud
of her homo for the soldiers.

Mr. Barrows informs me that the glu-
cose works consume from 8,000 to
5,000 bushels of corn every 24 hours.
Where does all of the glucose go ? Echo
answer, "Where?"

My stay with Mr. and Mrs. Barrows
was a pleasant one.

Monday morning found me on my way
to Hardin county. At Eldora I visited

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

53

Mr. J. E. Hand. I staid there from
noon to eve of the next day.

Mr. Hand has three apiaries — one
about 9 miles north, on the Iowa river,
a small one at home, and a very fine one
about 7 miles southvi^est of town. We
visited the latter apiary in the after-
noon. It consists of 7() colonies, mostly
in chaff hives, and mostly Italians.
They were in excellent condition, and
very docile, as we went among them
without any protection. There was at
the time a dearth of honey, on account
of the drouth, and I got but one sting on
the finger.

Mr. H.'s home apiary he intends de-
voting to queen-rearing. He seemed to
take great pleasure in showing me a
$10 queen. Her bees are beauties.

The next day we visited Mr. Hand's
apiary north of town, going by the way
of Steamboat Rock, so named from a
large perpendicular rock on the Iowa
river at that place, which to the imagin-
ative mind may look some like a steam-
boat, but it was no "sight" to Mr.
Hand, he having spent from January to
April in California.

At Steamboat Rock we visited Dr.
Caldwell's apiary, consisting of 86 colo-
nies. He uses the S-frame hive. I
think that he has about the nicest bees
I ever saw. The Doctor was not at
home, but Mrs. Caldwell seems to be a
lover of the bees, and I understand she
cares for them mostly herself.

Mr. Hand's apiary north of town is a
house-apiary. He thinks he is going to
like it, but it has its objections, as we
found out to our sorrow. It was locked,
and the windows fastened down. On
putting his hand in his pocket for the
key, he found that he had left it at
home — not a very pleasant finding out,
after we had come 9 miles through the
hot sun and dust, to see the inside of
that house. But the bees spoke for
themselves from the outside. They were
blacks, and were awfully cross. But we
had to content ourselves by going up on
the hill, and looking at a 40-acre patch
of young basswood, which Mr. H. re-
served when he sold his farm.

After dinner (at Eldora) we visited
the Industrial School for boys. There
are at present 447 boys there, that are
well cared for, and seem contented. If
more of our boys were cared for in the
same way, 1 think that we would have
fewer tramps. There are 1,000 acres
of land belonging to the institution.

My stay with Mr. and Mrs. Hand was
one I will look back to with pleasure.

In Grundy county I visited Mr. Roney

and Mr. Stubbs. I staid all night at the
latter place. I think that each has
about 25 colonies of bees. They do not
make the bee-business a specialty. Each
has large farms that are much more
profitable to them.

I arrived home on Friday, June 1st,
having spent two quite pleasant weeks
at both business and pleasure.

I have two apiaries containing about
40 and 60 colonies respectively — one on
the north and the other on south of
Skunk river. Both apiaries are in
splendid localities for basswood, which
is blooming, I think, as full as I ever
saw it; but it has begun to rain, and I
am afraid that it will spoil our crop of
honey from that source.

White clover was a failure on account
of the drouth. If basswood faijs us,
prospects will be discouraging, indeed.
Basswood began to bloom about June
21st.

Lynnville, Iowa, June 25.

StiiniilallYe FeeJlng of Bees.

Written for the American Bee Journal

BY C. E. MEAD.

I have tried it for the past three sea-
sons, and it has been a positive loss. It
excites the bees, and they fly out in our
changeable weather, and get chilled and
never get back. I fed in 1892 some
extra strong colonies that I feared were
short of stores, and I could not unpack
them as the season was cold. Smaller
colonies with plenty of honey beat them
badly.

In 1893 I fed to prevent starving,
as we had cold, rainy northeast winds
from May 10th to July 4th. My bees
were no stronger July 4th than May
10th, with no field bees, and not more
than two pounds of honey to the hive.
They did not increase in weight till
July 16th, as all of the old bees were
caught in rains and killed.

This year I fed two colonies that I
felt a little uneasy about, and as we
have had changeable weather since,
they are weaker in bees and honey than
they were when I fed them. The colo-
nies that were not fed, and are strong
in honey, are the best. I have only un-
packed a few of my bees so as to clip
the queens' wings ; J-2 have queen-cells
started, and some are capped over. Four
nuclei are even stronger than the full
colonies wei'e last year. My experience
runs thus :

Have from 30 to 40 pounds of honey

54

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

in the hives on Sept. 30th ; if not, feed.
Give full-sized entrance, no upward ven-
tilation ; pack them as warmly as you
can on the summer stands, contract the
entrance in April so as to make them
uncomfortably warm, and do not feed
them unless to prevent starvation. Let
them alone till you put on the surplus
receptacles.
Chicago, 111., May 26.

Central California Conyenlion.

Written for the American Bee Journal

BY J. F. FLOKY.

The first quarterly meeting of the
Central California Bee-Keepers' Associa-
tion was held at the City Hall, in Han-
ford, Calif., on June 6th. On account
of the rain the day before, and the
threatening aspect on the day of the
meeting, only a few were present.

Neither President nor Vice-President
being present, Mr. C. F. Flory was
called to the chair. . The minutes of the
last meeting were read, corrected, and
approved.

SHAKING PALSY.

Mr. J. F. Bolden, of Tulare, had used
the 30 drops of carbolic acid to a gallon
of honey, as recommended at our last
meeting, pouring the honey in the hive
in the evening, tipping the hive back, to
prevent running out. He also sprinkled
powdered sulphur on top of the frames
of the others. Both plans seemed to
prove effectual, and it is to be hoped
that others will try the sulphur cure and
report.

SWARMING.

Which is considered the better, nat-
ural or artificial swarming?

It was pretty generally admitted that
where bees swarm on time and enough,
it is best to let them do so ; but if not,
and increase is wanted, increase by
dividing should be. rtisorted to.

Which is the more profitable, to divide
your colonies, or buy them at $1.00 per

swarm, the purchaser furnishing the
hive?

This was answered thus : Where the
most of our honey comes during the
middle, or latter part of the season, it is
best to divide them, as they could be
be built up strong until then ; but if the
most of the honey-flow came during and
after swarming-time, perhaps it might
pay best to buy them.

HONEY EESOURCGS.

It was generally agreed that alfalfa is
the leading honey-plant in this valley;
that camphor-weeds frequently furnish-
ed a good flow of fine honey, and that
the alkali and other weeds and wild
flowers frequently furnish considerable
honey of a less favorable grade.

SPECIAL MEETING.

There seemed to be a universal feel-
ing that we should have a special meet-
ing between this and our next quarterly
meeting, on the first Wednesday in Sep-
tember, to consider the question, How
to best dispose of our honey ? Those
that sold for cash f. o. b. were generally
satisfied, but many of the consignments
were unsatisfactory. Parties shipping
400 cases of comb honey, and others of
a less number, have no returns. Quite
a feeling prevailed against those

COMMISSION-MEN

doing business in that way. And right
here is where one of the great advan-
tages of our social gatherings come in.
The men that deal either fair or unfair
are prominently brought to public no-
tice.

It was decided to have our special
meeting on the first Wednesday in Au-
gust, at Hanford.

QUEEN-KEARING.

Mr. Orr thought the Doolittle method
was perhaps the best, although he had
never tried it.

Mr. Stearns put several frames of
just-hatching eggs into an empty hive
with a goodly number of young bees,
and then removed a colony to another
place, and put the new colony in its
place, and thus secured his queens.

Th« Secretary uses a modification of
the Doolittle plan, and got queen-cells
anywhere and in any way he could. He
cuts them out, and by means of melted
wax, sticks them on what he calls a
" slide," and puts in a frame holding
from 16 to 24 slides with cells, and re-
moves the larvtc in the cells, and then
transfers into them larva3 from select

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

55

stock. He has practiced the transfer-
ring process for 33 years, and thinks
more highly of it than ever.

, BEE-HIVES.

The size and style of hives elicited
quite a discussion, as quite a variety of
hives are used. Messrs. Orr and Stearns,
of Salem, both large honey-producers,
have used both the 8 and 10 Lang-
stroth frame hive, but decidedly favor
the 10-frame.

Mr. Gilstrap used a lO-framo hive,
two inches shorter than the Langstroth
frame, but if commencing again he
would use the regular Langstroth frame.
The Secretary used a 10-frame hive,
the frame being 6x15 inches in the
clear, and he preferred them, for many
reasons given.

LAYING WORKERS.

The most effectual plan given was to
remove the colony some distance from
its stand ; shake all the bees on the
ground, replace the frames in the hive,
and return them to their original place.
This remedy was reported as effectual.

On motion, it was decided to adjourn
until the first Wednesday in August.

A special request is extended to all to
bring with them samples of honey, bees-
wax, hives, honey-boards, queen-nurs-
eries, cell-protectors, sun wax-extractors,
and any and everything of value or
curiosity to the fraternity or visitors.
J. F. Flory, Sec.
nrxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxTgxxxxxTxxxTxx:

0f~ 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.

Spends His Time in the Apiary.

As I spend most of my time in the apiary
now, I find the Bee Journal indispensable.
At present I have 46 colonies, spring count.

A friend and I visited Mr. B. Taylor's
apiary, at Forestville, Minn., the past
spring. We were much pleased with Mr.
Taylor, and felt well repaid for the drive of
15 miles, having gathered a store of val-
uable information. T. J. Richards.

Lime Springs, Iowa. June 29.

Gathering- Honey — Catching Drones.

My bees wintered fairly well, and built
up nicely until it commenced to rain so
much, and that put a stop on them for
nearly a month, but they are in good con-
dition now for business, and are at it, both
in swarming and gathering honey. I have
had 17 swarms to date, with 20 colonies,
spring count. I am putting second swarms
back.

I have a new way to catch drones. I re-
verse the drone-trap with a cone small at
one end to let them out of the hive, and
you will catch them from all the hives in
the yard. They hear them, and come there
to get in, and of course they do. Perhaps
others have done the same, but I have not
seen it in the papers I read, so I mention it.
liOt others try it, and see how soon they
will get a trap full. Chakles Tarey.

Houghton, N. Y., July 1.

Basswood. Honey.

My bees have been to work on basswood
for the last five or six days, and they have
filled the hives full. It is the first basswood
honey in ten years. R. Miller.

Compton, 111., June 30.

Best Year for Bees.

The American Bee Journal comes
promptly every week, and it is a source of
great pleasure for me to peruse its pages.
I am in the bee-business more for pleasure
than for profit, but I am getting more
pleasure this year than I bargained for. I
have 35 colonies, and they keep me whoop-
ing up to keep up with them, and do such
other work as I have to do. I have one
colony that I have extracted 112 pounds
from, and there is about 50 pounds that is
nearly ready to come off (hence the pleas-
ure). This is the best year for bees that I
ever saw, and if it continues seasonable, it
will be equal to California.

S. F. OZBORN.

Meridian, Tex., June 25.

Making- and Wearing- a Bee-VeiL

Having read with interest the ways of
making and wearing a bee-veil, I feel
called upon to add my experience. As I
was reading Miss Wilson's article about
veils, I thought she might have struck the
same plan that I did, but she didn't. This
veil gives me perfect satisfaction. I find a
bee-veil to be a very handy thing, and the
most surprising thing is the amount of
courage it will add to the wearer. I tried
to work one day this spring without a veil
(before I made one), and one bee took her
spite out on my eyelid, and that eyelid re-
ceived much sympathy. All the rest of the
face was in sympathy with it for about
three days. So you may know why I wear
a veil.

Now for the veil: If you don't under-
stand all, just guess at the rest. Get a
strip of mosquito-bar (depending upon how

56

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

big and long you want it), and sew the
ends together to make it circular in form.
Hem both ends with a broad hem. Get a
common straw-hat (white), with a broad
brim. Take now a piece of hat ribbon or
rubber cord, and cut it to draw tightly
around the crown of the hat. Put this cord
in the hem, as you would run a draw-
string. It will then bind to the crown
of the hat, and project over the rim.

Now, through the hem of the lower side
of the veil run a rubber cord the same
way. Have this cord a certain length, or
just long enough to hang loosely around
the neck, and lop a little over the shoulders.
Get a couple of shoe-strings (any string
will do), and cut in halves ; tie a half string
to this lower cord just so one string will
hang before and one behind each shoulder.
Now tie these strings middling tight, and
the rubber cord (if the right length) will
run over the tops of the shoulders and
down a little piece, and then straight
across the breast and back. This boundary
cord then will stick as close all around as
your skin.

If you get hungry for honey, or want to
put on your spectacles, just run your hand
up between the rubber cord and your
breast, and it will have plenty of room.
After the start is made, nature will find
your mouth or eyes.

You may raise the objection of surplus
material before the eyes. I will say that
the top and bottom is on a draw string,
and can be gathered at the sides and left
clear in the middle. M. B. Golden.

Dunbar, Pa.

Bees Did Fairly Well.

Our main honey harvest has just closed
for this locality, and bees have done fairly

well. L. DiCKERSON.

Denison, Tex., June 29.

Bees Did Nothing:— Sweet Clover.

Bees did nothing up to June, but there is
some swarming now. I think they will get
winter stores enough. I have 14 colonies,
and my surplus was 30 pounds ; last year 12
colonies and 300 pounds of honey, and I left
plenty for winter stores, and to last them
through the cold spring. March, April,
June and July are the honey months here.
If 1 had something that would furnish
sweets for the bees through May, it would
help me in the business. I don't think
there is enough nectar gathered to keep up
brood-rearing through May sufficient for
the honey-flow, which comes about the first
of June.

I am much interested in the subject of
honey-producing plants, and all other let-
ters published in the good old Bee Journal,
which I expect to ^ead as long as I keep
bees, or have money or credit.

I have one-half acre in sweet clover. It
was sowed on March 26, 1894, but it has
been dry for six weeks, though on an aver-
age it is knee high. M. W. Gardner.

Bankston, Ala., June 24.

Having a Flow from Basswood.

We have a honey-flow now from bass-
wood. My spring number of colonies was
21, which I have increased to 40. I do not
want any more swarms after this. We
generally have a good honey-flow in the
fall on the island.

I cannot afi'ord to be without the Bee
Journal. p. Yahnke.

Winona, Minn., June 29.

Working in the Supers.

I put out 40 colonies of bees in the spring,
and have not increased them very much as
yet, but they are all working in the supers,
and they are doing nicely. The prospects
are good. P^red Bott.

Wabasha, Minn., July 5.

Wintered Well— Getting Honey.

I wintered my bees on the summer stands,
and have not lost a colony in three years,
or since I commenced bee-keeping. 1 always
have them on the summer stands. I have
20 colonies, and they are all working in the
sections at this time. They had com-
menced swarming on May 1st, but rain set
in for three weeks and stopped them, but
now they are at work again. A swarm
that came out on May 1st, has given me 64
pounds of comb honey, and the parent col-
ony 48 pounds, at tliis writing; and 1 get
25 cents per pound for the honey.

John H. Beciiti-e.

Reistville, Pa., July 2.

A Delayed Spring Report.

On April 21st bees were in advance of
other years. I took my bees out of the bee-
house on March 19th. All seemed to be in
good condition, and I left them out nearly
a week when it began to get cold, and I
put them back into the bee-house. The
mercury ranged from 16 to 8 degrees above
zero up to March 80th, when it began to
warm up, but the wind was raw and cold.
On April 7th lit began to snow, and some
thought it snowed 12 inches or more, but
it was thawing all of the time— on April
8th or 9th it nearly all thawed off, and on
the 10th it began to snow, and there was no
let up to speak of until the morning of the
12th, when the snow was from 24 to 26
inches deep on the level.

I took my bees out the second time on
April 17th and 18th, all alive and in good
condition. Two colonies out of the 89 were
two and three frame nuclei, the frames
being the same as in my (hives) 11x16,
inside measure. I set those nuclei out in
hives, and gave them frames of honey for
their winter stores. After they were out a
few days, 1 looked them over, and found
five frames in one and seven in the other
nearly all (-overed with bees. I have not
had time yet to look my bees all through,
only to raise the honey-boards and see that
there were plenty of bees. 1 looked through

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

5T

a few colonies on April 20th, and found
considerable brood (some had drone-brood)
in all stages, and some were hatched out.
My experience does not coincide with B.
Taylor's, on page 500. where he says he
thinks they are not going to winter well on
account of being all old bees.

The season of 1893, in our section, was
the poorest, I think, I ever witnessed, the
drouth drying everything up so that there
was no honey to speak of in this neighbor-
hood. After June 30th there was but little
of the golden-rod that budded out to blos-
som, and it was the same with the wild
aster.

About July 10, 1893, I hived a swarm that
filled its hive and 55 one-pound sections
with honey, about two-thirds of it being
red honey. Last year we had no buck-
wheat bloom tc speak of, so you may im-
agine they quit brood-rearing very early in
the season. I think that accounts for their
starting in breeding in the bee-house. My
bees averaged a great deal heavier with
bees when I took them out than when put
in for winter.

On May 2nd here bees were rolling in the
pollen and storing some honey. When
putting on some supers a few days ago, I
was looking in some of the hives and found
plenty of queen-cells under headway, and a
good many with eggs in them. I think
they will be swarming by the 10th or 15th,
if they have no drawback. Apple and rasp-
berry bloom will be right along; cherry
and plum are now here, so that I think we
are far in advance of last year.

Andrew M. Thompson.

Canaseraga, N. Y., May 2.

Honey-Boards, Supers, Etc.

As there has been so much in print about
honey-boards and supers, I am sometimes
at a loss to know which one of them de-
serves the most attention. For me, a
honey-board should be as thin as possible,
and should be so perforated as to fit the
openings in the sections. These honey-
boards may be tacked on the super, and the
sections placed directly upon them ; or, if
the super has the patent slats, they should
not be thicker than V of an inch— yes, 1-16
of an inch would do, if they would not
warp too much, and they will not if proper
care is taken of them. But why not get the
slats made of zinc or tin ? then thej will
not warp nor rot, and will last a lif< ime.
And how much cheaper they would, e in
the end than honey-boards and/ wide
frames, and how little room they ,' .vould
take when stored away. I

"Now," says one, "I have no use for
them, as I use a T super." Very well, but
your sections are travel-stained and propo-
lized, and that is an objection to first-class
comb honey.

One says, "The patent slats above de-
scribed are too thin, and will sag in the
center." So they would, if you had not
already one or two thin wires strung across
the center of the super. I use three wires,
about the size of broom-wire, one on each

end, and one in the center of the super.
Place the super on a table or bench, and
put the slats in, then put the sections and
separators in, using from two to three or
more separators for a wedge-board, accord-
ing to the space to be filled. Push the
wedges down, and the job is finished. You
see in this way I have a honey-board on
each super. This is a very simple and
cheap honey-board and super bottom com-
bined.

The object of these thin honey-boards is
to bring the sections as close to the brood-
frames as possible, for close observation
has proved that the closer the sections are
to the brood-nest, the quicker the bees will
work in them.

One more thing I would like to call at-
tention to, and that is to allow the bees to
get on top of the sections, for this hastens
comb building in the sections. Somebody
once told me that the bees on top of the
sections were loafers, but that is not so, for
I have found out differently. If one will
take notice, he will find these bees gorged
with honey, and many times see the little
wax scales on the lower side of their abdo-
men, as the bees go down the sections. In
these supers I produced 300 pounds of as
fine honey as I ever saw, and as I think I
ever will see, for it was perfect. If I could
only get a perfect method of wintering bees
in this latitude, then I would be satisfied
with bee-keeping.

My bees, up to March 6th, wintered 75
per cent, better than they did the winter
before, but not perfectly, for about one
peck out of 21 colonies were dead on March
6th. The cause of this I do not know. One
colony got the diarrhea, but none of the
rest showed any signs of it.

I hope that some of our old veterans will
soon give us a method by which bees will
winter perfectly, but until then I wiU keep
on practicing, and give my experience.

I am well pleased with the American
Bee Journal. It is a school to the begin-
ner, and those famous old bee-keepers are
its teachers. But around here the bee-
keepers think they know all about bee-keep-
ing, and don't need any bee-paper, and
most of them had no honey last summer.

Chippewa Falls, Wis. August Bartz.

Another New Bee-Hive, Etc.

I have been experimenting for some time
to get up a bee-hive to prevent the bees
swarming, and to get more honey in the
sections. I think that I have the hive com-
pleted to prevent the bees swarming, and
average more honey per colony than in my
old style of hive, which is as good a hive as
any except the new hive.

I do not claim that a colony in my new
hive will store more honey than any other
strong colony that is in a good hive and
does not swarm, but I say on an average
I can take more surplus honey from the
bees in this hive, because I have the control
over the bees to prevent their swarming.
I also have the control over the bees, so
that they must go in any part of the hive

58

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

where I want them to go, and if the young
queens are successful in returning, I have
three queens in each hive when the honey
season is over. I have then plenty of
queens for re-queening.

I can winter two full colonies with eight
combs each in this hive. I have wintered
three colonies successfully on the summer
stands — two with five combs each, and one
with six combs. I have eight entrances in
the hive. The hive I have in one chamber
before the honey season opens. A few
days before the honey season opens I make
it into three chambers — one working cham-
ber, and two nursing and hatching cham-
bers. 1 will give this hive another season's
trial before I say more. I will report later
how the bees do in this hive this season.

Bees did well this spring. The honey sea-
son is just opening, and I am getting my
bees ready in the new hives to put on the
sections. We have had a great rain storm
the ijast few days ; if it continues a few
days more, it will be a drawback to the
bees, for the flowers are just coming into
bloom. J. F. H.

Mount Joy, Pa., May 21.

Queens and <tiieeii-Re!ii-iii$>°.—

If you want to know how to have queens
fertilized in upper stories while the old
queen is still laying below ; how you may
safely introduce any queen, at any time of
the year when bees can fly ; all about the
different races of bees; all about shipping
queens, queen-cages, candy for queen-
cages, etc. ; all about forming nuclei, mul-
tiplying or uniting bees, or weak colonies,
etc. ; or, in fact, everything about the
queen-business which you may want to
know— send for Doolittle's "Scientific
Queen-Rearning " — a book of over 170
pages, which is as interesting as a story.
Here are some good ofl'ers of this excellent
book:

Bound in cloth, postpaid, $1.00 ; or clubbed
with the Bee Journal for one year — both
for only $1.65 ; or given free as a premium
for sending us three new subscribers to the
Bee Jouknal for a year at $1.00 each.

Bound in paper cover, postpaid, 65 cents ;
or given free as a premium for sending us
two new subscribers; or clubbed with the
Bee Journal a year— both for only $1.40.
Send all orders to the Bee Journal oflice.

Honey as l^oo<l 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 second page of last
number of the Bee Journal for description
and prices.

One-fJent I*oMtag:e Stamps we

prefer whenever it is necessary to send
stamps for fractions of a dollar. By re-
membering this, you will greatly oblige us.

& Beeswax Market Quotations.

ALBANY, N. Y., Mar. 23. - The honey
market Is very slow now. The demand is
about over on comb. Some extracted wanted
at 6c. ; if dark color, 5c.

Beeswax, 26®27c. H. R. W.

BUFFALO, N. Z., May 14.— Trade is very
slow, and we have still a liberal stock on
hand. We quote: Fancy comb, 13@14c.;
choice, ll@12c. ; dark and common grades,
8@9c. Beeswax, 25@30c. B. & Co.^

CHICAGO, III., May 10.— The market for
comb honey is not of large volume at this
season of the year; a fine article of white
comb brings 15c. in pound sections. Extract-
ed slow of sale, at 4@6c. Beeswax, 25c.

R. A. B. & Co.

CHICAGO, III., Mar. 24.— The honey mar-
ket will be very quiet for the balance of the
season. We will not do much business until
new honey comes in. We cannot quote prices
but will obtain the best possible price on what
little stock we will sell until early fall. Bees-
wax is very active at 25®36c. J . A. L.

CINCINNATI, O., June 19.— Demand is slow
for all kinds of honey. The range of prices
is 4@6c. for extracted, and 12@14c. for best
white comb. There is no sale for dark comb
honey at any price.

Beeswax is in fair demand at 23®25c. for
good to choice yellow. C. F. M. & S.

KANSAS CITY, Mc, Apr. 6.— We have had
an exceedingly slow trade on honey this sea-
son, and prices ruled comparatively low. We
quote to-day: No. 1 white comb. 1-lb., 14@
15c,; No. 2, 13@14c.; No. 1 amber, 12®13c.;
No. 2, 10@llc. Extracted, 5®7c.

Beeswax, 20@22c. C.-M. C. Co.

NEW rORK, N. Y., May 25.— New crop of
Southern honey is arriving freely. The
market is well supplied and demand very
light. We quote: Common grade, 50c. per
gal.: choice, 55@60c. Beeswax is firm at 28c
H. B. &S.

List of Honey and Beeswax Dealers,

Most of whom Quote in this Journal.

Cblcago, Ills.

J. A. Lamon, 43 South Water St.

R. A. B0BNETT & Co.. 163 South Water Street.

New Yorfc, N. Y.

F. I. Sage & Son, 183 Reade Street.
HiLDBETH Bros. & Skgelkkn,

28 & 30 West Broadway,
Chas. Israel & Bros,, no Hudson St.

Kausas City, Mo.

Hamblin & Beabss, 514 Walnut Street.
Clkmoms-Mason Com. Co.. 521 Walnut St.

Albany, N.Y.

H. R. Wright, 326 & 328 Broadway.
Biia-alo,N. ¥.

BATTERSON & CO., 167 & 169 SCOtt St.

Hamilton, Ills.

Chas. Dadant & Son.

Olnclniiati, Ohio.

C |i\ MuTH & Son, cor. Freeman & Central avs

Weekly, $1 a Year. [ °^''°'^^°3^TO^^^eE'CUUrVTiE. \ Sample Copy Free.

VOL XXXIV. CHICAGO, ILL, JULY 19, 1894.

NO. 3.

Xlie Canadian Bee Journal has

just completed its first year under the new
manae:ement. It has improved wonder-
fully since its Brantford owners took hold
of it, and we hope it may continue to evi-
dence signs of "going on to perfection."

Extract the I>ar]c Honey.— The
Progressive Bee-Keeper says that James Hed-
don advises getting all the white honey
stored in the sections, and extracting the
dark fall honey, as the latter brings about
as much in the market when extracted as
it would in the comb.

Xlie J\ortli American Convention,
as announced last week, is to be held at St.
Joseph, Mo., on Oct. 16th, 17th and ISth.
President Abbott is very desirous of hav-
ing all who expect to attend that meeting,
to notify him by postal card or otherwise
at once, as it will aid him very much in get-
ting reduced rates on the railroads. Please
attend to this little matter now, before you
forget it, and thus do your share in assur-
ing a successful meeting. We trust that
there may be a general rally of bee-keepers
at St. Joseph in October— even a larger
and more enthusiastic company than was
at the Columbian meeting last year, if that
is possible.

Prospects tor tlie Honey-JPlow.

— In Gleani?igs for July 1st we find this edi-
torial item on the honey prospects of the
country :

For the last ten days the prospects have
been rather discouraging. Reports seemed
to show that there was very little white
clover anywhere in the country; and in
our own locality scarcely any could be seen
in the old pasture lots, where years before
it abounded freely. It is still early to speak
for outside localities ; but in our own the
white clover is just beginning to make its
appearance. Basswood, too, is just open-
ing up. The conditions for a honey-flow
from this source were never better. The
trees are literally full of flower-buds ; and
where the blossoms have opened up, the
bees are humming around them as in the
old-fashioned way, and already are begin-
ning to drop in at the entrances; and as
early as the first break of day there is that
roar that sounds sweeter to the bee-keeper
than music. P^eports everywhere speak
well of the prospects from basswood.

It^" Some claim that it is not fully set-
tled that the queen deposits the egg in the
queen-cells at the time of natural swarm-
ing ; but my assistant saw her do it, and so
have others, while the position of the eggs
in the cells proves it, even had no one ever
witnessed her in the act.— BooUttle.

A"*vtHl Heat in Xexas. — On July
12th we received the following letter from
Mrs. Atchley, telling about the awful heat
at Beeville, Tex., on Monday, July 2nd:

Dear Bro. York : — I have a sad thing to
relate. On last Monday we had a hot wind
that began to blow from the north about
noon, and the heat increased until the
thermometer indicated 114 degrees in the
coolest part of the house. The house and
furniture, and in fact everything, became
go hot that it could not be touched. Fortu-
nately, we have a pipe and hose that leads

72

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

water from our large tank to any part of
the house, and we kept alive by keeping
the house and beds wet with water. We
had to keep the children in a shady place
kept wet all the time.

Our bees suffered fearfully. Nearly all
our nuclei were damaged or killed outright.
The strong colonies went through all right,
as they were able to keep fanned cool-
shade made no difference, they all suffered
alike.

We did not know the extent of the dam-
age until our out-yards were visited. Bees
were parched as dry as powder ; combs and
honey boiled out of the hives. A bee
would die outside the hive in a moment.

People that did not have plenty of water
handy had their faces blistered. We have
only a few untested queens left that were
in our strongest nuclei, but I hope to be
able to fill all orders promptly until we can
form more nuclei from our strong colonies,
and rear more queens, which we have been
busily doing since the hot day.

I am told that the mercury in some of the
thermometers went to the top and bursted.
If this hot spell had lasted another day I sup-
pose we would not have had any bees left,
and people, too, would have suffered, as it
was all we could do to keep from suffoca-
ting. We had to be quiet and keep drink-
ing and throwing water.

Last year we had a storm to damage us —
this year the heat ; still we are hopeful,
and trust we shall never see such a hot day
again. Our loss is great, but we hope to
soon be in running shape again.
Very truly yours,

Jennie Atchlet.

A Correction.— Mrs. Atchley, in an-
swering Query No. 930, on page 16, meant
to say that all queen-cells started before
the old queen leaves the hive are equally
good. Those started after she leaves may
not be equally good. Please note this cor-
rection.

Uro. I. A. Xrjivis, of Elkhorn, Wis.,
is in deep sorrow, his dear wife having died
of la grippe terminating in heart failure a
week or two ago. Surely, our brother and
his family of four children will have the
sincere sympathy of all bee-keepers in this
time of their affliction and sadness. For
nearly 23 years husband and wife walked
together a-down life's pathway, midst all
the joys as well as sorrows that came to
them, but now the dear one has been called
up higher, having fulfilled her mission as a
faithful sister, true wife, and devoted
mother. Only a little while, dear friends,
and there will be a blessed re-union on the
" other shore ;" then " what a meeting and
a greeting that will be!"

Mrs. Travis was a consistent member of

the Methodist church. The obituary in the
local newspaper says with sweet tenderness :
"We shall miss her presence among us as
with quietness of spirit and lovingness of
heart she mingled with us in social life."
That the sacred influence of her life may go
out to bless others, and that her children
may follow in her footsteps, is the hope
that the Bee Journal desires to express.

Uniting' Oees.— One of Dr. Miller's
recent " straws " in Gleanings was on unit-
ing colonies, and reads thus :

For years I have had colonies unite, gen-
erally when I didn't want them to, by
being in the same hive with a hole or crack
under the division-board. Working on the
same principle, here's the way I have
united lately : Having the colonies to be
united in two separate hives, I set one hive
on top of the other, with a piece of heavy
wrapping-paper between, the paper having
about its center a hole large enough for a
bee to go through. That's all. Just put
one hive on the other, paper between. In
a few days the paper is gnawed away, and
the bees all one family. It may fail some-
times, but not thus far with me.

^V£ints or Excliang-es.- On page 91
you will find a department begun again
this week for the insertion of your " wants''
or " exchanges." It will doubtless pay you
to patronize that department, though of
course we cannot hold ourselves responsi-
ble for any dissatisfaction that may arise
from the trades that may be offered. But
there is nothing wrong in fair exchanges,
and often much benefit.

Petitioning' for Foreign Bees. —

We recently received the following com-
munication from Ruth E. Taylor, of Bello-
na, N. Y., Secretary of the Ontario (N. Y.)
County Bee-Keepers' Association :

At the last meeting of the Ontario County
(N. Y.) Bee-Keepers' Association, the fol-
lowing resolutions were adopted:

Whereas, The United States Government
has voted many thousands of dollars for
the promotion of science and arts for the
benefit of the few ;

Whereas, The United States Govern-
ment has voted many thousands of dollars
for the promotion of agriculture, but has
never voted a dollar for the promotion of
apiculture, upon which rests much of the
success of the agriculturist, horticulturist,
and the prosperity of millions; therefore,

Jiesolved, That the bee-keepers of Ontario
County, N. Y., in convention assembled,
would respectfully ask and demand that

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

73

Congress vote a suitable appropriation, and
employ competent parties to visit Judea
and the East Indies, for the purpose of
securing Apis Dorsata, ^.nd other races of
bees not now domesticated, and their intro-
duction into the United States ; further.

Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions
be published in the bee-papers, and that
the bee-keepers of the United States be
asked to join in petitions to Congress for
the same purpose. W. F. Marks,

L. C. Mather,
F. D. French,
Committee on Rexolutionx.

Comb Holiey and Swariiiing-.—

On page 80 will be found an interesting
article by Mr. T. I. Dugdale, of West Gal-
way, N. Y., on '"Comb Honey and the Pre-
vention of Increase by Swarming." When
sending it to us, Mr. D. enclosed the fol-
lowing:

Of course there is some work about my
plan of managing swarms while working
for comb honey, but the beauty of it is, it
works, and comes nearer to Nature's way
than any other I have ever tried. It is no
mere theory on my part, but an actual
practice case where I am working it on an
apiary of 110 colonies, without a single
failure thus far this season or last.

Yours truly, T. I. Dugdale.

Xlie IVovelty Pocket-Knife is

worth having. Mr. A. G. Amos, of New
York, says this about it: " The ' Novelty'
pocket-knife which I received with the
American Bee Journal arrived all O. K.,
and it is a dandy." Better get one your-
self, and then you will know what a
" dandy " thing it is. See another page
for advertising offer.

Carniolans Great Breeders. —

The June Bee-Keepers' Review had this edi-
torial item by Bro. Hutchinson, on the
Carniolan bees :

For several years I have had a few colo-
nies of Carniolans. There is no question
but that they are great breeders, especially
so in the spring. 1 am not sure but this
trait might not be used to advantage by
Northern honey-producers in getting popu-
lous colonies in time for the white clover
harvest. I do think, however, that this
great brood-rearing disposition needs join-
ing with the sense, or thrift, of the Italians.
To illustrate :

I now have two colonies of pure Carnio-
lans. They both swarmed June 2nd. [
examined their hives and found every comb
jammed fuU of brood, with not half a
pound of honey in the hive. I also found
another weak colony of Italians actually
starving. No honey was coming in. The

Carniolans will rear brood and swarm so
long as there is a drop of honey in the hive,
and it makes no difference if none is com-
ing in. This may be a good trait in some
respects, but it needs joining with some
other traits.

Xlie <j(reat Railroad (Strike, at

this time (July 13th), gives promise of
being amicably settled very soon. While
Chicago has been the "seat of war,"
neither the publishing of the Bee Journal
nor our mail have been noticeably inter-
fered with. It has been suggested that we
give something about the strike, in the Bee
Journal, but we hardly think it necessary,
as the newspapers throughout the country
have published full reports of the trouble,
which is quite sulBcient, we think. Nearly
all trains, both freight and passenger, are
now running on regular time on all the
railroads centering in Chicago, and it is
quite likely that in a week or two all will
be going on again as usual.

^^ " It seems to me that I would have
to go out of the bee-business should I drop
the Bee Journal. I find it very helpful to
me." — B. F. Boultinghouse, of Indiana,
June 30, 1894.

Continuous Advertising, even if
it be only a small announcement, pays the
advertiser the best in the long run. Spas-
modic advertising, like "spasms" of any
kind, is unsatisfactory. To secure the very
best results, year in and year out, you must
keep your name and business before the
public. Only by so doing can you hope to
keep from being forgotten when the time
comes that your would-be customers wish
to purchase what they want.

Besides, in the fall of the year, more
agricultural papers send out large numbers
of sample copies, and the advertiser fails
to get the advantage of reaching the thou-
sands who get the free sample copies, un-
less he keeps his advertisement running all
the time. This is a matter worth thinking
about. Heed the lesson taught by that in-
telligent comb foundation firm, Chas.
Dadant & Son, and also others, whose ad-
vertisements are found in every mimher of
the Bee Journal without a single miss.

Have You Read the wonderful Pre-
mium offers on page 95 ?

74

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

ans-vo:red 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 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.

Making Fotmdation Moulds.

Please give full directions for making
foundation moulds of plaster of paris ;
also full directions how to use them
after they are made. S. D. Y.

Woodville, Tex.

Answer. — I don't know how the thing
is done, and 1 doubt if you will care to
know. I think those who have tried it
have given it up. However, if any one
makes a success of it, and thinks it a
desirable thing, perhaps he will be kind
enough to tell us about it through these
pages.

Comb Honey Adulteration.

1. There is a man here who says that
comb honey can be adulterated. Can it
be done? If so, how ?

2. Did you ever see, or hear of, any
comb honey that was adulterated ?

De Soto, Mo. A. B. G.

Answers. — 1. A silly story has been
going the rounds of the press that arti-
ficial comb honey could be made, the
combs made by man, the honey filled in
and sealed over, without any help what-
ever from the bees. Sufficient reply to
such nonsense is in the fact that for
years A. I. Root has made a standing
ofifer of $1,000 for a single pound of
such honey, and no one has ever come
forward to claim the $1,000.

Comb foundation is made and largely
used, and in Germany they are now
making combs with cells of full depth,
but they are so heavy that they would
at once bo detectcid, and if everything
else could be accomplished it hardly
seems possible that any machinery could

make even a faint imitation of the bees'
handiwork in sealing the cells.

If sugar or some other substance were
fed to bees and stored by them, that
might be called adulterated comb honey.

2. I once saw a piece of artificial
comb honey. It is the only piece I ever
heard of, and was probably as nearly
perfection as could be attained. But it
was as easy to distinguish it from the
dainty work of the bee as to distinguish
a rose made of coarse cotton-cloth from
the delicate flower that grows on the
bush.

Queen-Cell Protector.

If a queen-cell just ready to hatch in
a few hours or a day, is put in a West
cell-protector, and put in the same
apartment as the queen, and left so,
what will be the result ? J. F. L.

Answer. — The young queen may sup-
plant the old one, but in most cases that
I have tried, the young queen has been
destroyed before she was three days old.

Pollen and Brood in Sections.

In many of my section cases 90 per
cent, of the sections are completely pep-
pered with a dark brown (almost black)
pollen. In a few cases drone-brood was
found in the lower half of one or more
sections. How to explain this is the
trouble. The queen was not crowded.

Some years ago I practiced contrac-
tion, often confining the queen on six
frames and occasionally to five; and I
can remember but one occasion of pol-
len in the sections, and then only to a
very limited extent, I have also (years
ago) used broad frames on each side, six
brood-frames in the center ; even then
the queen never molested the sections,
nor did they contain pollen.

I have never used zinc to any extent.
When I use the T case I use a honey-
board, either wood or zinc, as most con-
venient. When using a wood slatted-
bottom case, bee-space below, I always
omit the honey-board. I know of but
one thing that may have favored the
queen going above — it is this : Intelli-
gent help not being obtainable, and be-
ing unable to examine the condition of
the brood-chamber, as soon as the first
colony cast a swarm (May 12th), I did
not examine the strength of other colo-
nies, nor did I wait for the whitening of
the top of the frames, but proceeded to
place 24 sections on each hive. White
clover was in full bloom, but owing to

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

75

continuous rain with low temperature it
yielded no nectar. The result was that
the sections were unnoticed for more
than two weeks, except for loafinpf.

One other possible, but to me improb-
able, factor: I had, last fall, about
400 partly-filled sections, mostly strong
honey, which I fed to the bees. These
were leveled, shaved down, and used
freely as baits, putting from 8 to 12 in
each case. The brood-chamber contains
in no case less than 7 frames, generally
8, occasionally 9, sometimes 10 — no
system, but I aim to adapt to the
strength of colony at the time. This
season I could not examine and add a
frame as needed, but at the time they
were overhauled, some 75 or 80 empty
combs were distributed among 40 colo-
nies, partly to save them, and fearing I
would not be able to give them as
needed. The season opened well the
first few days of May, then daily rains
with low temperature, continuing until
June 1st ; not a pound of honey to the
hive, and bees destroyed much brood.

White clover is still in full blast, but
yielding sparely. I have had a rush
only on two or three days : BO of my
40 colonies have cast swarms. A dearth
from drouth exists now. I have perhaps
600 pounds, possibly 700, almost ready
to cap. A good rain with electrical
accompaniment is with us to-night,
which insures a return of the flow.

Now, the whole thing is this :

1. What am I to do with this " pollen-
ated" honey? Some sections are hor-
rible— the lower half being thickly pep-
pered. It can't be sold, it won't keep,
or might be kept and fed back this fall
— cut out the comb and burn the wood,
or, if I had an extractor, I might ex-
tract ; then the honey would be badly
tainted, and would not sell except for
use in the arts.

Right here allow me to say that I
have an enviable reputation for produc-
ing gilt-edge comb honey. So I am
jealous of impure honey.

2. What is the cause of this anomaly,
and how can I prevent its repetition?

Guy's, Md., June 25. W. S. A.

Answers. — 1. I never knew the time
when honey to feed in the spring was
not a valuable thing, and, all the bet-
ter, honey with pollen. You say, " It
won't keep," but I'm sure I don't know
why. Are you not mistaken in that ?
It could be fed and then the combs
melted up ; or, if after the honey was
fed out, the sections were left where all
the bees of the apiary had free access to

them, it is possible the pollen might be
cleaned out. Certainly I wouldn't spoil
my market by selling it, although it
might do to sell to neighbors at a low
price, with a distinct understanding
that it was an Inferior article. If you
could get the bees to clean out the pol-
len without darkening the combs, they
might be used over again.

2. I'm sorry to say I can't give a bit
of light on the second' question. If any
of the correspondents of the Bee Jour-
nal can do so, I hope they will. Put-
ting on the sections before needed I
feel pretty sure has nothing to do with
the case. I've done that often with
no such results. The drone-brood in
small quantity is nothing so very
strange. Your brood-combs probably
had few or no drone-cells, and the anxi-
ety for drone-brood made the bees fill
out the sections with drone-comb, and
then the queen explored till she found
these.

I should think it just possible that the
presence of drone-brood, or indeed of
any brood, in the sections, might induce
the bees to put pollen there, but as I
understand you, some of the cases had
no brood in.

Drone-brood in sections can be pre-
vented by filling the sections with work-
er foundation, but worker foundation
will not keep pollen out.

I don't think the use of bait sections
had anything to do with the trouble.
Who can help us out ?

Sweet Clover and. Lucerne.

1. How would I manage to get one
patch to yield nectar from sweet clover
every year ? Or can't it be done ?

2. Will lucerne clover bloom the first
year ? At what time does it begin to
blossom ? M. W. G.

Bankston, Ala.

Answers. — 1. Sweet clover comes
from the seed one year, makes a small
growth, then makes a big growth its
second or blooming year, then dies root
and branch. To get a patch to bloom,
therefore, every year, it will be neces-
sary to sow two years in succession. In
the fall or early spring you can get the
second sowing in by scattering on the
surface of the ground, then letting
horses or cattle tread in the seed.

2. I don't know, but I am under the
impression that it does not bloom till the
second year. July is given in the bot-
any as its time of blooming, but in Colo-
rado they claim from June till Septem-
ber.

76

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

Our Boctors Himts.

BY F. L. PEIRO, M. D.

McVicker's Building, Chicago, III.

Honey and Bees as Remedies.

Of all commendable enterprises, I think
the care of a few colonies of bees the most
pleasant, instructive and profitable. What
wisdom may be gathered from close obser-
vation of their native tact and industry ! —
and what luscious sweets may be ours
through their perseverance and our ef-
forts! Just think of biscuits and honey!
How one's mouth fairly waters at the very
suggestion ! The most perfect, most health-
ful sweet extant — far better than candies !
And such a desirable vehicle for many
remedies.

Now we all admit that borax is not nice
to the taste, and Charlie will yell if you in-
sist on his taking it ; but just mix a little
of the powder with a tea-spoonful of honey,
and lo ! he wants some more, right away.
And you know this mixture is excellent for
ordinary sore throats and tickling coughs.
Yes, and for cankered sore mouth (the re-
sult of indigestion).

Then, too, when Lucy has a fever— mouth
parched, tongue dry as a shingle, skin
shrivelled, and hands hot— why, that's the
time when water and honey, with a dash
of lemon juice in it, will make the child
smile with delight.

If you Juive to give castor oil— the nasty
stuff— mix half oil and half honey, and the
bees themselves would hardly recognize the
horrible adulteration! Fred will take it
right down with a smack of his lips !

For Mary's whooping cough, a sprinkle
of pulverized alum on a table-spoonful of
honey every hour or two will greatly help.
Did you ever try boneset tea and honey,
equal parts, for that tired, shiftless feeling
experienced principally in the fall, gen-
erally attributed to " biliousness ? Well,
it is really a fine tonic— a real " bracer " to
human energies. A cup of the mixture
taken hot, night and morning for a few
days, is certainly very effective.

Then, too, honey with equal parts of
common soap makes a drawing plaster for
boils, felons and sores that is tremendously
effective. Then for scalds and burns, honey
and baking soda, equal partj. well spread

on, is a very cooling and healing applica-
tion.

Then come the bees themselves — their
stings are a very blessing to many who
suffer from sciatic rheumatism, and old
people afflicted with irritation of the blad-
der, and all its attendant discomforts, are
greatly benefited by bee-stings. A few can
be extracted from the bees and taken each
morning and night; or let them sting you.
The pain resulting is slight compared with
the intolerance of the trouble.

Some authorities assert that the daily
use of honey is an infallible preventive of
gravel or stone in the bladder, by those
predisposed to this affliction. Also such as
have had, or may have, calculi in the kid-
neys, or in the gall-bladder — but of this I
cannot state from personal observation.
However, the remedy is certainly pleasant
and well worth trying.

Yes, and do you know that for swollen,
dropsical limbs, where even the toes are
puffed and stiff, that if you let a bee sting
the swollen parts a few times it will greatly
relieve and sometimes entirely cure ?
"Ouch!'" — no, you needn't fear, you'll
hardly feel the sting. Just try it and re-
port. It ought to be done every other day.

But I must stop right here, much as I dis-
like to do so, because so much can be said
of the usefulness of bees and honey, but I
fear my readers will think I'm an apiarist
trying to sell colonies ! But I'm not.

Tlie Young Mother.

There is so much that young mothers
should know in regard to the ''before and
after '' that I would feel a personal respon-
sibility for their safety did I not attempt
to at least suggest ways and means by
which the best interest of mother and child
can be subserved.

A daily bath— first tepid, then cold water
as can be comfortably borne, followed by
brisk rubbing with a rough towel until the
skin is in fine glow, is one of the most de-
lightful sanitary measures, and must not
be omitted. After it, full breathing exer-
cise, lying flat on your back, on bed or
lounge, taking full, deep inspirations for,
say 10 minutes, then a comfortable walk of
half an hour or more, after which general
household duties can be engaged in.

The diet should consist largely of fruits
and vegetables, little or no meat, coffee or
tea ; chocolate, milk or water instead.

Now, little woman, if you will follow

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

77

these directions you will feel amply repaid
by the easy, natural confinement, healthy
baby and pleasant recovery you will have.
But don't be too smart and show how
quickly you can "get up" — rather be a
type of intelligent patience, and rest easily
for a couple weeks before resuming over-
sight of your home. You will then be free
of the usual backache and headache, and
general lassitude of the " smarter " but less
wise mamma who wishes to be considered
more vigorous than her sisters.

Oh, it is these aches and pains that wear
the spirit of the young mother, and pa-
tience of her attendants ! How can a
mother do justice to her helpless infant
when she herself is so tortured ! The evil
is only, intensified by the reflection that by
reasonable, judicious rest after labor, all
these discouraging results might have been
entirely obviated 1

Rlius Poisoning'.

"As I live, it's erysiply! Why, who'd
thought it in a boy so young ?"

" Well, Mrs. Jones, I don't know. Had'nt
we better send for the Doctor ?"

" Mebby."

" Well, well, Tommy, how swelled up you
are! Where have you been — what have
you been doing ?"

"Nothin'."

"Oyes, you have, my boy. Come, tell
me, that's a good boy. You don't need any
medicine;" (at which announcementtheboy
at once becomes communicative, and ad-
mits his effort to borrow from his neigh-
bor's apple orchard).

By this time his face was puffed red.
smarting vigorously, and eyes nearly
closed. With a view to teaching the boy a
lesson in case of accidents, I directed him
to get the baking soda, and mixing a table-
spoonful with enough water and flour to
make it the consistency of thick cream, I
showed him how to apply it over all the
"welts" he had— on face and body, and
then lie down and keep sWl. This applica-
tion soon relieved the smarting and swell-
ing, and by next day it was much better,
and in a few days entirely recovered of
what was supposed was erysipelas, but in
reality only poison-oak (Rhus) poisoning.
Some persons are exceedingly sensitive to
the pollen of this plant — others can roll in
it with impunity.

Oreat Premiums on page 92

CONDUCTED BY

MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY.

Beeville, Texas.

The Season in Texas So Far.

As 50 or more have asked me to keep
close watch of this locality this year,
and report. I will say that it has been
all heart could wish as far as honey is
concerned. We had a good honey-flow
In April, one in May, and one in June,
and It still continues.

Don't ask me what land is worth — we
have taken real estate out of " In Sunny
Southland." But, all of this country is
free for bee-keeping. You do not need
to own land. I will give all the princi-
pal honey-plants, quality of honey, and
all the information I can before this
year runs out ; so if you wish to learn
all about bees in this locality, also the
flowers, watch " In Sunny Southland."
This is what this department is for — to
keep you informed on the South. I am
getting reports from nearly all sections
of the South, which will appear later on.
Jennie Atchley.

Something About Criticisms.

I have been noticing for some weeks
back in the "Old Reliable, "some friendly
triticisms, and I think we all need such
occasionally, or I think I do, at least. I
have been so very busy that I could not
well take time to offer a reply, and I
thought sometimes may be it might be
best for me to keep silent, as I might
get into trouble. Then comes Mr.Hutch-
inson, in the Review, and says it is crimi-
nal to remain silent, or something like
that.

Mister Somebody (I have forgotten
who, but I'm sure he's a friend, though)
thinks I ought to stop calling people
"Friend " So-and-So. Now, look here
Mister, if you wish to see or hear of Jen-
nie Atchley laying down her pen and
pencil forever In behalf of the public,
just get all bee-keepers to say this, and

78

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.,

down she goes. I take everybody to be
my friend who corresponds with me, or
has dealings with me in any way. Then
why call people nick-names ?

There are only two things that every
person can be towards me or any other
person —xhese two things are — you are
either my friend or my foe. Then, if you
are my foe, do I expect you to do busi-
ness with me ? No. Then you are my
friend, and I have a right to call you
such. You are for me or against me.

Then, again, I have before me a little
book that lies on my table most of the
time, and this little book I take as my
guide through life. It is the Bible (a
small one), and I have read and re-read
its pages, and I can't find "Mister" in
it. I do not find Mister Christ, Mister
John, Mister Abraham, etc. Then, as I
do not find it in my guide-book, I do not
care to pick it up outside, to use in a
general way. I do not object to the
word, particularly, and must admit that
it comes in nice in speaking of nobles
or strangers, sometimes. But Mister is
only a picked-up word, or what we some-
times call a "by-word."

I wish right here to relate a little in-
cident in life where I used to hear the
word "Mister," and it sounds to me
spiteful to this day. It was at the forks
of the road, that I used to walk through
the woods to school three miles, when a
girl. Well, at the forks of this road,
which was about half way home, a good
portion of the school parted, and right
at that spot I have often seen and heard
little childish rows — such as school chil-
dren used to have about little, trifling
matters, just such as we are now having
about Mister; and that word still rings
in my ears to-day, when I think about
it, as the offended ones parted and said,
"Never mind, Mister! I'll tell the
teacher on you in the morning !"

Now, do you see the proper place for
Mister, in a common way ? Never did I
hear, "Never mind, my friend," etc.

Ah, my friends, let us quit being stuck
up, and let the people all know who read
our bee-papers, that we are friends ;
and whenever a bee-keeper does not
wish me to call him or her " Friend,"
I will always say Mr. or Mrs., if they
will let me know it.

Why, I have read somewhere, that
our noble George Washington would
rather be called "George" than "Mr.
Washington." I have noticed lately
that Rev. W. F. Clarke and Dr. Miller
have been wrestling over something of
the same nature. Friends, let's stop
this business in print. Where are we

drifting? If you are Bill Jones, and
somebody writes about you and calls
you Bill Jones, for the sake of good peo-
ple, laugh about it, and in a good, old,
friendly way call him Dan Smith back,
if that's his name.

I love good company and good society,
but when I see some one trying to be too
polite to be comfortable in society, then
I feel tired. (By the grace of God I am
what I am.) Jennie Atchley.

Another Fine Bee County.

Mks. Atchley : — I have taken five
tons of honey from 50 colonies so far,
and expect more. J. B. Case.

Port Orange, Fla., June 25.

Bro. Case, let us feel proud of our
Southern homes. Some bees here have
gathered more than 200 pounds, ts
date, of fine honey per colony, and four
months yet to work in. Good for Sunny
Southland ! Jennie Atchley.

Random Paragraphs.

We have had a steady honey-flow since
April 1st, and still it comes.

Did you notice how bright Gleanings
shines lately ? Gleanings has always
been good, but it seems to be getting
better all the time.

We would like to have bee-keepers
enough here to produce ten carloads of
honey next year, that has gone to waste
this year, just for want of bees and peo-
ple to take care of it.

There is no rose without its thorns. I
do believe there are more ants here than
any place I ever saw. We are obliged
to keep our honey in almost air-tight
vessels to keep them out. Then we have
what is termed here the "third party
flea." These fleas come about the time
the third party started out, hence they
are termed third party fleas, and they
do bite, sometimes. But, all in all, we
have a pleasant country.

Now, Dr. Miller, you have upset my
work again. It just looks as if you are
not satisfied unless you are opposing
somebody. Now, you ought to know
that our bees in the South cap their
honey sooner after the nearly full super
is raised on top of an empty one. Yes,
Doctor, I think the bees down here do
seal up the top tier of sections a heap

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL-.

79

quicker, if the colony is good and strong,
and honey is coming in fast. I'll get
even with you in some way !

Jennie Atchley.

Invitation.

I have entered at last the County of Bee,
Remote but not far from the branch of the

sea.
The great and long-traversed Gulf of

Mexico,
Into which mighty rivers incessantly flow.

The climate is fine,
The soil superfine,
The ladies are charming,
And almost divine ;
And the musical bees.
And the shady oak trees.
Invite you and me
To the County of Bee.

Though distant, remote from the homes of

the men.
Who secured for us aU with the sword and

the pen,
The freedom to go where, and live where

we please,
Come, come to the County of Bee and the

bees;

Whose skies are auspicious.
Whose fruits are delicious.
Whose ladies are lovely.
Whose men are ambitious.
Thy future is grand.
Thy prairies are fanned
By gales from the sea,
O County of Bee !

Do not of the author of this impromptu

sonnet
Say winking, " He has a bee in his bonnet ;"
He does not imagine any more than is due.
To the county that humming and buzzing

greets you.

And the exquisite flowers,
That sweeten its hours,
And the ladies that cheer
AU dull days of ours ;
And the birds, and the bees.
And the shady oak trees,
Invite you and me
To the County of Bee.

Bee County, Tex. R. S. Postbr.

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 Bbb Joubnal one year for $1.10.

No. — J. H. Labrabee.

I think not. — M. Mauin.

I think not. — S. I. Freeborn.

Not that I know of. — J. E. Pond.

Not that I know of.— C. C. Miller.

I do not know.— Mrs. L. Harrison.

None that I know of.— G. L. Tin-

I don't know of any. — H. D. Cut-

BleacHM Comt] Honey.

Query 932. — 1. Can comb honey be
bleached by any method, without impairing:
its flavor ?

2. If so, what is the method ?— Colo.

1.

1.

1.

1.

1.

1.

1.
KER.

1.
TING.

1. Not
wood.

1. Yes.
Stone.

1 and 2. I don't know. — Mrs. Jennie
Atchley.

1. I do not know of any method. — J.
P. H. Brown.

1. By none that I am acquainted with.
— Eugene Secor.

1. I think not. At least I know of
none. —A. J. Cook.

1 and 2. It bleaches by being exposed
to the light. — E. France.

1. I don't know. What do you wish
to bleach it for ? — G. M. Doolittle.

1 and 2. Let the sun bleach and ripen
it in a warm, dry room. — W. M.Barnum.

1. I think it is very doubtful. 2. I
Do you? — I. M. Ham-

that

2.

know of. — P. H. El-

the sun. — Jas. A.

think anything practical
in this direction. — J. A.

don't know.

BAUGH.

1. I do not
can be done
Green.

1. I never before heard of " bleach-
ing " honey. I don't think I understand
the question. — R. L. Taylor.

1 and 2. I know of no way of bleach-
ing ; but by putting honey in a dry,
I warm room, where it will not freeze, as

80

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

the nectar thickens it will recede from
the cappings, and the farther away the
caps are from the honey, the whiter
will be the appearance. — Mes. J. N.
Heatek.

I think there is no way of bleaching
comb honey. But why bleach it ? Bet-
ter sell it for just what it is.— C. H. Dib-

BERN.

1 and 2. I do not know of any. Why
should one spend his time in such un-
profitable work, anyway? — Emekson T.
Abbott.

We wish some one would invent a
method to bleach honey-dew, for it
would sell well if it were not for the
color. — Dadant & Son.

1. It cannot be done. Light-colored
honey, if the bee-keeper knows his busi-
ness, will always be finished up white,
or fine cream tinted, and needs no
bleaching ; while if the honey is dark or
reddish in color, very white capping ex-
aggerates it. — G. W. Demakee.

€0NVENT10»r DIRECTORY.

Time and place of meeting.

1894.
Aug. 1.— Central California, at Hanford, Calif.
J. F. Flory, Sec, Lemoore, Calif.

Aug.ie.— East Tennessee, at Whitesburg-,Tenn
H. F. Coleman, Sec, Sneedville, Tenn.

Oct. 16-18.— North American, St. Joseph, Mo.
Frank Benton, Sec, Washington, D. C.

Sept. 11-13.— Nebraska State, at Lincoln.

L. D. Stilson, Sec, York, Nebr.

Sept. 15.— S. E. Kansas, at Bronson, Kan.

J. C. Balch, Sec. Bronson, Kans.
1895.
Jan. 28.— Venango Co., at Franklin, Pa.

C. S. Pizer, Sec, Franklin, Pa.

Feb. 8, 9.— Wisconsin, at Madison, Wis.

J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec, Madison, VVis.

1^" In order to have this table eomplete,
Secretaries are requested to forward full
particulars of the time and the place of
each future meeting. — The EniTOH.

North Amerioan Bee-Keepers' Association

Pres.— Emerson T. Abbott... -..St. Joseph, Mo.
ViCE-PuES.— O. L. Hershiser.... Buffalo, N. Y.
Secretary— Frank Benton, Washington, D. C.
Treasurer- George W. York...Chlcae-o, Tils.

National Bee-Keepers' Union.

President- Hon. K. L. Taj'lor.. Lapeer, Mich.
Gen'l Manager— T. G. Newman. Chicago. 111.
147 South Western Avenue.

Read our great offers on page 94.

MaiiagiiiE Bees.

Comb Honey and Prevention of
Increase by Su^arming;.

Written Jor the American BeeJonmal

BY T. I. DUGDALE.

As a producer of comb honey, I have
been asked to write for publication a
description of the way I manage my bees
to secure a honey crop without increas-
ing the original number of colonies.

Before giving the plan in detail, I will
say that although 1 do not remember
ever having seen it in print, still it may
not be entirely new to some ; and I will
say further, that it was not the abso-
lute prevention of swarming I had in
view when I began to experiment along
this line some years ago, but to know
what to do to accomplish the best re-
sults when the bees did swarm, which
they are almost sure to do sooner or
later regardless of all that has been said
and done thus far to prevent it.

Neither do I find that bees of any
particular race or color — be it black,
yellow or grey — are entirely exempt
from swarming, when the colonies are
sufficiently strong in numbers, and the
honey-tlow abundant. It is their nat-
ural way of increase, has been so from
the beginning of time, and 1 never ex-
pect to see it overcome in my day ; so,
after much thought and experiment
along the line of prevention, with but
little prospect of success, I turned my
labors to the other side of the question,
and set about devising a course to pur-
sue when swarming did occur.

But bearing in mind that it is honey I
am after, and not increase, of course I
employ all known rules which tend to
prevent it-such as giving abundant
room in the sections, which should at
least be supplied with starters of foun-
dation, and at the commencement of the
season, if a few sections filled with
clean, empty comb can be placed in the

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

81

center of the crate or super, so much
the better ; this, with room for the
queeu to lay in the brood-chamber,
ample entrance for ventilation, together
with shade, etc. — these, and perhaps
other minor details, may be of some ser-
vice in securing the end desired.

After observing all these precautions,
and perhaps getting the bees nicely
started at work in the sections, how pro-
voking to see them drop work and send
out a rousing big swarm ! It has been
recommended under such circumstances
to open the hive, remove all queen-cells,
and return the swarm to the parent
colony ; but after thoroughly testing this
plan, I find that in very few cases does
it amount to anything so far as securing
honey is concerned, than to have allowed
the swarm to have gone to the woods,
and have done with it at once, provided
the queen, should she be a valuable one,
could be saved, as it is usually only a
question of from a few hours to a few
days when they will again pour out, and
while they do stay in they only sulk and
accomplish nothing, and, if the above
plan is repeated several times, are
almost sure to kill the old queen, and
again come out with a young one ; and
even if one does succeed in getting them
to remain at home, the colony usually
does but little work until a new force of
bees hatch and become old enough to
carry on the labors of the hive. By this
time the harvest is usually over, the sea-
son drawing to a close, and but little
honey to reward the owner for the
promising outlook at the beginning of
the season.

Now I want to say that the plan which
I am about to give is not patented,
neither is it necessary to buy a cent's
worth of traps or fixings to put it into
successful operation, provided, of course,
you have an empty hive and a few extra
frames on hand.

To begin with, then, let us suppose
that the reader has the bees in the dove-
tailed hive, or any other style which is
capable of being tiered up. They are to
be supplied with sections at the begin-
ning of the honey-fiow, or sooney if they
are strong enough to occupy them. In
case the colony should, in due time, cast
a swarm first, secure the old queen,
which can be accomplished either by
having one wing clipped so she cannot
fly, or by using a trap on the entrance
to the hive. Next, while the swarm is
in the air, remove the old brood-cham-
ber, combs and all, from the stand, and
replace it with another filled with empty
combs, full sheets of foundation, or

starters, as you choose, or whichever
you are best supplied with. Now re-
move the crate of sections from the old
hive, and put them in place on the new
one, on the old stand, and if the cover to
the hive is a flat one, pu^ it on also.

By this time, the bees will in many
cases have missed their queen, and with-
out clustering will be returning home.
Allow them to enter the hive prepared
for them, and if the queen has been
caged release her (provided her wing is
clipped) ; but if she is caught in a queen-
trap without being clipped, adjust the
trap to the new hive, then release the
queen, leaving the trap in place until
satisfied that the colony has commenced
work in earnest, otherwise they might
desert and leave for parts unknown.

Then take the hive containing the old
combs of brood and honey, together with
the bees which were left behind, and set
it on top of the new hive, thus making
the top of the new hive serve as a bot-
tom for the old one ; put a cover on this,
and give them an entrance at one end,
and the work for the present is done.

Next, keep a record of the date on
which this colony swarmed, and if you
wish to rear some queens, and the cells
left in the old colony are from choice
stock, here is your chance. Bore a one-
inch hole in each side of the top hive for
an entrance, divide the colony into three
parts, giving say two combs of brood and
honey and one queen-cell to each — this
will probably leave sufficient room to in-
sert the extra division-boards required
to keep each one of these lots of bees
separate.

We now have three nucleus colonies,
which in due time should furnish a lay-
ing queen each (barring accident, of
course). I usually divide up the old
colony in from four to five days after
the swarm issues, as they sometimes
"hang fire ;" that is, they do not, on ac-
count of bad weather or other causes,
come out as soon as the first cell is
capped, hence if we wait until the sev-
enth or eighth day, we may get either a
second swarm or lose all our queen-
cells by their being torn open by the
first young queen that hatches. With
this plan I find that this latter is the
most apt to happen, as but few old field-
bees remain in the old hive, so there is
but little honey coming in, which is as
we want it at this time.

If your hive is not large enough to.
contain all the combs of the old colony
with the added division-boards, remove
a frame or two and add them to some
other colony, if they contain, brood.

If you do not wish to rear any queens,

82

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

destroy all the queen-cells in the old
colony, allowing none to hatch, and
when the swarm has become fairly es-
tablished in the new hive (which they
will usually do in four or five days, and
be working like beavers), the brood in
the old hive may be used to build up
weak colonies, if one should have any,
or, in case they are not needed for that
purpose, and the swarm was hived on
only starters, they may be replaced in
the under hive, bees and all, and the
frames containing starters removed and
saved for the next swarm.

By this time, if honey has been com-
ing in freely, a good start will usually
have been made in the sections, which
will in most cases now be carried on till
completed.

Yet another way is to allow no queen
to hatch in the old hive, and allow it to
remain until all brood hatches, which
will be in about three weeks, and hav-
ing placed a queen-excluding honey-
board between the two hives, which will
allow the bees to unite, we extract all
honey from the combs, leaving them
empty for future use. I would only
recommend this latter plan where empty
combs or full sheets of foundation are
used to hive the swarm on, as there is
often too much drone-comb built to be
allowed to remain in the hive where
starters only are used and the bees al-
lowed to build their own combs.

The above plan will give fine results
if carried out carefully, and I have en-
deavored to make it so plain that none
need to meet with a failure, it would
seem to me, and any intelligent person
will at once see that it is capable of so
many modifications as to be available in
almost any emergency that may arise
during the swarming season, and only
requiring the outlay for a few extra
hive-bodies and extra frames for the
same, while a few extra combs are
always good property for a bee-keeper
to have on hand.

I hope that some of the clan who have
tried other methods only to be disap-
pointed, will give this a trial, and I fear
not but what they will be pleased with
it, as it keeps the working force of bees
just where we want them, and does
away with after-swarms entirely, while
wo retain the energy and vim usually
shown by a new swarm.

West Galway, N. Y., July 5.

One-Cent Postage titaLmj»s we

prefer whenever it is necessary to send
stamps for fractions of a dollar. By re-
membering this, you will greatly oblige us.

A Characteristic of Sooi Oueens.

Written for the American Bee Journal

BY DR. G. L,. TINKER.

At least one of the points in a valuable
queen may be determined by her form
of development, and as everything bear-
ing upon the rearing of good queens
should be known, I will give one that I
have not heretofore seen any notice of
in our bee-papers.

Queen - breeders especially, should
know what development in a queen will
give the greatest strength and activity
to her workers, since there is as much
or more in having strong and energetic
bees as there is in any other one thing.
We may have ever so good a honey-flow,
and the best of management, and with
weak flying, lazy bees we will fail of a
good crop.

Mr. Henry Alley well says that some
strains of bees are "constitutionally
weak," and I fully agree with him. Now
the question arises, if this is so, how are
we to tell that a given colony of bees
are weak and inferior ?

With man and all animals a large,
deep and well-developed chest or thorax
is evidence, first, of good vitality, and
secondly, of great strength and endur-
ance. But on examination of worker-
bees by the unaided eye, to determine
this point is impossible so far as I am
able to judge. In the size of the thorax
of the queen, however, the practiced
eye can readily detect a great difference.
For some strains of queens, no matter
how well they may be reared, have rela-
tively small chests, while other strains
are characterized by large, well-devel-
oped chests.

Now I have observed that the bees of
a colony having a small-chested queen
are not good workers, and especially are
they weak upon the wing. They gather
comparatively little honey, and are prac-
tically worthless.

Strong-flying bees may be known by
their flight on the cool days of spring.
Few, if any, will be found chilled and
lying upon the ground in front of the
hive, while the workers of a weak queen
will be found lying thick all about the
entrance, and they rarely take wing
again.

If I were to be asked what is the best
single point in a good queen-bae, the
answer would be—" a large, well-devel-
oped thorax." And the reason is plain
— the muscles moving the wings are all
located in the chest, and the larger the

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

83

chest, the larger must be these muscles,
and the stronger the wing-power of
every worker-bee reared from such
queens, since the worker-bee in general
form of development invariably takes
after the queen-mother.
New Philadelphia, Ohio.

Bees In KenMy— Oilier Matters.

Written for the American Bae Journal
BY G. W. DEMAREE.

After so much discouraging weather,
the present month (June), came in more
favorable to our bees. The white clover
crop, our only chance for surplus honey,
is far below the average in quantity,
but it seems to be rich with the precious
sweets, and our bees are gathering a
surplus, but the weather now (June
23rd) is too hot for the best results in
honey gathering. For the past three
or four days the temperature has reach-
ed from 940 to 98- in the shade, in the
heat of the day, and the bees have clus-
tered badly on the outsides of the hives.
I have often noticed that very hot
weather is unfavorable to a liberal flow
of nectar.

The honey harvest will be too short
here, to give us more than a very light
crop of honey taken with the honey ex-
tractor. There will be less comb honey
here this season than in any season of
the past, as far as I can remember, and
the crop must be short all around. This
is unfortunate in a year of scarcity of
fruits of all kinds. I hate to have to do
it, but I shall have to raise the price on
my honey this season, to help out the
short yield, eh ?

THE PERFORATED QUEEN-EXCLUDER.

The general use of the perforated
queen-excluder only awaits a more thor-
ough knowledge of its advantages and
possibilities. With the use of this val-
uable help in apiary manipulation, all
the elements must be against the pro-
duction of honey, if I fail to get some
honey, taken with the extractor.

If the queen was permitted to follow
her instincts, and invade with her do-
mestic affairs, the surplus departments
of the hives in a slow season like this,
there would really be but little honey in
hape to be taken with the extractor.

In fact, with the queen-excluder,
swarming is controlled completely in my
apiary by raising the sealed brood above
the excluder. In some cases only a few
of the frames of brood removed from the

breeding department, and empty combs
put in their places, will check the in-
clination to swarm. In other cases,
after the swarming impulse has takeu
hold of the bees, nearly the whole of the
brood must be raised above the excluder
to cure the swarming fever. We some-
times handle combs that contain brood
when extracting, but we have this ad-
vantage—they contain no unsealed
brood. But as a general rule, having
plenty of surplus combs to " tier up," as
fast as the bees may need the room, we
do not take the honey until all the young
bees are hatched out, and the combs are
well filled (and sealed) with honey.

CLOSE-FITTING FRAMES AGAIN.

Self-interest, I presume, on the part of
some of our friends, will keep up the in-
terest in behalf of the worst of miscon-
ceptions— " close-fitting frames."

A few weeks ago I transferred a col-
only of bees from one of these close-
fitting frame hives, and it was full of
ant-nests at the close ends, and the
frames were so " stuck up " that I had
to pry the frames apart to get them out.

At the same time I transferred sev-
eral colonies from Langstroth hives, that
had badly built combs, and in every
case I found the bee-spaces all opened,
and the inside of the hives sweet and
clean. What a practical lesson is this !
The longer I worlc with hives and bees,
the more thoroughly I am convinced that
the common hanging frame gives the
minimum of labor and vexation.

When it becomes necessary to make
the frames stationary, in case of mov-
ing hives some distance, a very simple
device can be used to hold the frames
temporarily until its use is no longer
needed.

QUALITY OF HONEY.

I would be pleased if Mr. McKnight
would repeat for himself my experiments
referred to by him on page 818, viz.:
Select combs from one-third to half
sealed ; first extract the thin unsealed
nectar, and put it by itself ; then uncap
and extract the sealed parts of the
combs, and store it by itself, and treat
the two divisions in the usual way, and
keep them for observation. With Mr.
McKnight's intelligence, he will not fail
to see that the mere expulsion of the
siirphis water in the nectar is not all
that there is in the process of so-called
" ripening of honey."

To get genuine virgin honey it must
be evaporated in the warm, sweet,
formic-acid, disinfected current of air,
that is found nowhere else but in the

84

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

bee-hives. But nobody knows better
than a lawyer how hard it is to decide a
matter against one's own interest, or
apparent interest. It is much cheaper to
extract the honey when thin and un-
sealed, and this consideration weighs
heavily to the short-sighted. This short-
sighted "evaporated honey" business
will ultimately bring the price of honey
taken with the extractor down to glu-
cose prices.

DAKWIN AND BEES.

That paragraph concerning Darwin
and bees, which plays a part in that
little review of mine published on page
593, seems to have stirred up some of
my good friends, as it has brought me
some friendly expostulations, and now
my friend, Allen Pringle, of Canada,
asks me to "particularize"' — perhaps
make some apology ! The paragraph,
it seems to me, is clear enough to be un-
derstood. In itself it was merely inci-
dental, falling in line with the subjects
reviewed in my article.

Darwin wrote learnedly and exhaus-
tively about many things that he, nor
no one else, could demonstrate, but
when he wrote of bees — matters which
can be practically demonstrated — he
blundered like other mortals ! I could
not enter into "particulars," for this
would open up a discussion foreign to the
specialty of this journal, and the Editor,
friendly as he is, would stop me.

Judging by the earnest but friendly
letters I have received since writing that
offending paragraph, together with the
concern manifested by Mr. Pringle, our
friends are jealous of the reputation of
Darwin ! What has Dr. Darwin done
for this world, that he is watched over
with such tender care ? He has unset-
tled the faith of some, and set them
adrift in the " mazes lost." But he has
not lifted up a single fallen mortal, nor
taken the strain off of a breaking heart,
nor hushed a convulsing sob, or dried a
burning tear, in all this world of woes,
which (the whole creation) "groans and
travails in pain to be delivered." Some
of us look for a better "age" than this,
and we know that it will never be
" built up from the dust."

Our friends trunt Darwin ! We look
for the Lord from the Heavens. But we
are the enemies of nothing in this world
except the sins peculiar to mankind,
and " which beset us."

I think, under the circumstances, this
much ought to be written in any publi-
cation ; and what is said here, needs no
answer, and no reply.

Christiansburg, Ky.

[We think Bro. Demaree is quite right,
in hinting that an investigation of the
theories of Darwin as to bees, would
"open up a discussion foreign to the
specialty" of the Bee Journal. Of
course, all will admit that Darwin was a
great student of Nature, but it must be
remembered that he was also human,
and liable to err as do all men. The
published results of his researches are
open to all, and by his writings it can
be judged whether or not his theories
about bees were correct. All who are
interested can procure those published
works, read them, and then decide for
themselves. — Editok.I

An Exprieiice i ilti Bee-Paralysis.

V''itten for the American Bee Journal
BY W. A. THOMPSON.

In the Bee Journal of June 14th I
am quoted as recommending "changing
the queen " as a cure for bee-paralysis ;
also mentioned as an " experienced api-
arist." Well, I suppose "experienced,"
like " good," is a relative word.

In the spring of 1893 one colony of
my bees had a bad attack of bee-paral-
ysis. The bees were in a new dove-
tailed hive resting on four bricks, giving
a free circulation of air underneath the
hive. It was one of the strongest colo-
nies I had, and all the eight frames
were well filled with brood, but very
little honey in the frames. The bottom-
board in front of the hive was covered
night and day with the bees trying to
get rid of the sick bees, that were raven-
ously hungry, although their shiny,
black abdomens were distended almost
to bursting.

As the field-bees came in, the sick
bees would meet them and beg for food.
On the ground in front of the hive was
a mass of dead and dying bees about 15
inches in diameter, and perhaps two
inches deep. If the other colonies got
the same disease, good-bye to any honey.

I made up my mind to study the dis-
ease a little, and see if I could get the
best of it. First, going through my bee-
books, I found Mr. Heddon claimed
that the cause was in the queen, and
recommended changing the queen. I
had a fine young queen in a two-frame
nucleus, and after killing the queen of

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

85

the diseased hive, I took out two frames
from one side and replaced them with
the frames from the nucleus — bees,
queen and all — placing the queen against
the side of the hive.

I found that the sick bees driven away
from their own hive, were trying to
enter the hives nearest, and were beg-
ging food of any field-bees that fell on
the ground as they came in laden with
honey, and that the field-bees would
stop and feed them, no matter what hive
the field-bees belonged to. If the dis-
ease was contagious, here was an easy
way to carry it from one hive to an-
other. The question came up. How can
I prevent the sick bees from getting into
other hives, or coming in contact with
the field-bees of other hives ?

After thinking the matter over, I con-
cluded to put the diseased hive, and the
other hives within 15 feet, on top of
barrels, and under the front of the dis-
eased hive place something to catch the
bees as they were pushed off the bottom-
board in front of the hive.

First cleaning away the dead and dy-
ing bees from the front of the hive and
burning them up, I placed the hive on a
barrel, and put on the ground in front
of the hive an iron pan about three feet
square, and with sides about three in-
ches deep. The quivering motion of the
sick bees" wings enabled them to crawl
rapidly over the surface, but they could
not get over the raised sides. Every
morning I went out and burned up the
bees in the pan, generally finding from
one-half a pint to a pint of bees.

The bees in the diseased hive were
one-fourth Italians, with no light bands.
The new queen was a pure Italian. In
five weeks from the time I put her in,
all the old bees had disappeared, and so
had the disease. Although it was late
in the honey season, I got over 30 sec-
tions from that colony. The disease did
not spread to any other hive.

Since then I met an apiarist from the
enter of the State. He told me his
hives were on a side hill ; that one of
the hives in the top row got the disease,
and it spread down the hill through his
apiary, and he lost a great many colo-
nies of bees.

To sum up: Raise the diseased hive
and others around it about three feet
from the ground; place under the alight-
ing-board of the diseased hive something
that will catch the sick bees, and burn
them up every day. Change the queen,
and feed liberally to help her to replace
the dead bees as fast as possible with
healthy brood. I think the burning of

the dead bees a very essential part of
the treatment. Will some bee-keeper
try the method in full — not half of it —
and report results ?
Asheville, N. C, June 18.

BeesaMHoney-PMsinDtaL

Written for the American Bee Journal

BY E. S. LOVESY.

Among other questions of late, I have
had many inquiries on the matters indi-
cated by the subject of this article. As
I have before stated, lucerne, sweet clo-
ver, and Rocky Mountain bee-plant are
some of the principal honey-plants here.
We also have sweet willow, locust,
fruit-bloom, and others. The lucerne
has been in bloom here since the first of
this month ; further south, it is earlier.
The sweet clover comes in early in July,
generally remaining in bloom more or
less for about three months. The Rocky
Mountain b6e-plant is a fall plant.

The bees do not always work on the
lucerne to the extent that they are doing
now, for in many localities they are
booming. I have several colonies now
with over 100 pounds of new honey In
their hives, gathered principally from
lucerne, and some of them are colonies
that I have divided, and I have also
taken some brood from them to build up
weak ones. While some of those weak
ones are building up now, I do not
know if it will pay me or not. The rea-
son I have them with me, is that on the
morning of the first of May one of my
neighbors had a large frame barn burned
down, and my bees were burnt with it,
leaving a few bees in about one-third of
the hives. While I felt badly to lose
them, I feel worse to have them de-
stroyed by fire, and just at a time that
the honey harvest is commencing.

In this connection, allow me to ask a
question — Is there such a thing as luck?
Does everything go by chance ? For
four years we fought the ants until we
got the best of them by a method pub-
lished in the Bee Journal last Septem-
ber. Then two years ago last winter we
lost the most of our bees by the long,
hard winter, and now a poor, miserable
fire-bug, through his enmity to some one
else, applies the torch to us! But I am
drifting from the subject of honey-
plants.

While the bees are working well on
the lucerne now. they sometimes work
more on the sweet clover at the time
that the second and third crop of lu-

86

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAl...

cerne is in bloom. Then, besides its
virtue as a honey-plant, for a forage
plant lucerne is by far the most valuable
of anything that grows in this country.
While we do not pretend to affirm what
this plant would do in all parts of the
country, we are positive it will do well
any place south of Utah, especially
where it is moderately dry and warm. I
think it will grow all right in many
parts of the East and West, unless the
climate is very wet. But we find the
real trouble is, in a large portion of the
West and Southwest, the climate is not
wet enough. It looks to me that if
Western Nebraska, Kansas, and por-
tions of Texas could adopt a system of
irrigation, it would be of vast benefit to
them. It would have a tendency to
change the climate in those places, and
by planting trees after awhile they
could possibly have artesian wells where
there is no water now. Conditions have
changed to that extent in some places
here.

Utah was less than half a century
ago a dry, barren, and forbidden waste,
left to the deer, the wolf and the bear,
and a few poor Indians who lived by
hunting the animals that I have named.
Utah was called the "Great American
Desert," and it was supposed to be an
utter impossibility to grow or produce
any vegetable life. When the first com-
pany of Utah pioneers passed through
what is now known as the State of
Wyoming, in 1847, James Bridger and
others told them that they were going
out on a desert to starve. He told them
that he would give them $100 for the
first ear of corn that they could raise.

Contrast this with what we behold
now. The roses are in bloom, and the
earth is covered with trees, green fields
and fruits, and the little busy bees are
making things hum as they rush to and
fro to gather the sweets from the many
flowers. Thus we see that what was
once the " Great Desert," is now full of
life and animation ; and this system of
irrigation has been the main-spring
towards accomplishing these results.
Now, then, if it has done so much for
Utah and other places, could its benefits
not be extended to still other places
where it has not yet been tried? The
first 20 years in the history of Utah, be-
fore we had many trees, there was little
or no rain in the month of June, extend-
ing back to Nebraska and Kansas,
Would it not be possible to get water
out of the Platte, the Republican, or the
Arkansas rivers ? If it can be done, I
can assure our friends living there that

it would be a good, paying investment,
and it would be worth trying.

I believe that this system of irrigation
is still in its fnfancy, even here in Utah.
If some methods could be adopted to
save, to store, or to hold the waters
from running to waste, until it would be
needed for use, much greater results
could be accomplished. But as the peo-
ple become more interested, there is no
telling what may be accomplished. I am
not sure but that great, uncontrollable,
muddy Missouri, that is now runnirg
rampant down through the Mississippi
valley, could, perhaps at a great ex-
pense, be brought down through the
Dakotas, Western Nebraska, and Kan-
sas, and possibly down into Texas. If
this could be done, who could estimate
the millions it would be worth to the
country ?

I notice some discouraging reports on
account of cold and wet weather. While
we are having an unusually wet June for
this country, there is no danger of get-
ting more rain than we need. The pros-
pect for a good honey-flow is encourag-
ing.

Our bee-keepers are troubled with
ants and yellow jackets or wasps. If
any of our friends know of anything
that will destroy them, we would be very
glad to hear from them. We can keep
the ants off of the hives, but we have
too many to destroy by any method that
we have as yet heard of.

Salt Lake City, Utah, June 19.

"ADeartli of Honey"— SiiEeslions.

Written for the American Bee Journal
BY "BEN THERE."

That's been the cry nearly every sea-
son of late, and who's fault is it '? Now,
don't lay it to the weather, the rains,
the " cold snaps," or to any other nat-
ural cause than yourself ! The good
Lord has provided everything just as it
should be, for the good of man and bees;
the difficulty is to be found in the first
animal mentioned.

It seems, in the majority of instances,
that the want of proper knowledge and
its judicial application is responsible for
the "dearth." Just take a look at the
premises of most farmers who aspire to
keep bees ! What surrounds them that
could encourage bees to do well — to lay
up for themselves and their keeper a
nice lot of exceedingly tempting honey,

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

87

fit for the delicious bread that his thrifty
wife bakes every other day ? Does his
front yard look like it? The house is
surrounded with "plauten," quack-grass
and burdock, except here and there a
big bare spot that the dog lies in to cool.
Where a beautiful lawn ought to be,
"pussley"and weeds abound. Where
white clover and melilot should make
the air redolent with sweetest perfume,
the stench of decaying vegetation would
paralyze a Chinaman ! Where roses,
honey-suckles and hollyhocks should be
in abundance to beautify and cheer the
home that the "women folks" work to
hard to improve, there the festive mul-
len raises its head toward the eves, and
the wild buckwheat clings and thrives
for next year's ample seeding.

Go just beyond, into what the leige
calls his orchard, and what conditions
do you observe ? Apple trees big enough
to bear bushels, and feed colonies on
their fragrant blooms, dying from suck-
ers and borers ! Dead limbs left as
skeletons to bleach with the suns of
years. The ground in which the trees
stand is covered with briars and bram-
bles that a goat would not deign to
tramp through. Is it any wonder that a
place so bereft of flowers, shade and
fruit, should afford little substance for
honey ? Why, if it were not that the
busy bees steal substance from his neigh-
bors, they would themselves starve to
death !

And what is the remedy ? Common-
sense and earnest work ! Root out your
weeds; manure plentifully ; let the plow
in deep ; harrow well, and sow on enough
white clover seed on both orchard and
lawn. Let the children sprinkle all the
soap-suds to make fast growth ; borrow
a knitting-needle, look up the borers'
holes, and push the needle in — it will do
its work. Carefully cut off all the
suckers and dead limbs; lay bare the
neck of the trees, and put around each a
good, big shovel full of those ashes you
have near the house— they will manure
and add new life to the trees, and make
it mighty uncomfortable for the next
crop of borers.

In fact, use your common-sense and
energy ; then will blossoms come, bees
thrive, honey plenty, fruit In abundance,
and the family rejoice at the greatly
improved appearance of the dear old
homestead. You will be the wonder and
the envy of your good old neighbors.
They will look over the fence, admire,
and feel impelled to imitate your good
example. Methinks I hear them ex-
claim, " Verily, Brother Jones hath

taken upon himself a veritable • hus-
tle!' Great is Bro. Jones !"

So do, and I pledge you a sweeter
smile from the dear wife, and greater
admiration from the children. Selah !

North East. 111.

'■'^^^^^mn

The Cortland DDlon Convention.

Written for the American Bee Journal

BT C. W. WILKINS.

On account of the inclemency of the
weather on the day appointed for the
meeting of our association with Mr.
Houglin, of South Cortland, N. Y., it
was postponed until June 6, 1894.

The morning of the day designated
dawned bright and beautiful. The roads
were in fair condition. The atmosphere
was pregnant with ozone, stimulating
the weak, and giving greater vigor to
the strong. Indeed, all nature seemed
to speak, and in verbal concert an-
nounce the proximity of not only a more
pleasant and a more beautiful day than
it had been our privilege to behold for
three weeks, but it also seemed to whis-
per, in tones both sweet and musical to
the ears of the apiarist, " You will have
the most enjoyable and profitable meet-
ing it has ever been your privilege to
attend."

Did we realize in fact what we antici-
pated in theory ? As " actions speak
louder than words," any beholder of the
scene of pleasure, gayety, and spirited
interchange of ideas, would have turned
away without asking a word, confident
of the unimpeachable success of the
meeting.

As we neared the residence of Mr.
Houglin, the most casual observer would
be impressed with the fact that he was
not only entering a prosperous farming
community, but was entering the home
of one of the " kings of the profession,"
who through industry, frugality and
perseverance had made himself an ex-
ample by whose experience all might
learn a valuable lesson.

'88

AMEmCAN BEE JOUttNAL.

After a very pleasant mornins spent
in social intercourse, the company were
invited to a most excellent lunch, to
which all did ample justice, with the
unflagging vigor of "the little busy
bee." From personal experience, I
should say that all got up from the
bountiful repast with a far more un-
comfortable feeling in the body, but a
more satisfied condition of mind than
they entered the dining hall.

At the invitation of Mr. Houglin, all
were very pleasantly entertained in
walking out to the apiary of some 85
colonies of bees, which appeared to be in
fine condition, considering the very bad
weather for the preceding three weeks.
'The guests were also much pleased in
"looking over the well-kept grounds, in-
iterspersed with many heavily laden
!fruit-trees.

The company tardily repaired to the
■fitting rooms, loth to leave such beauti-
ful sights as Mr. Houglin's perfectly
Ikept farm had afforded them.

The meeting was then called to order
iby President R. Wood, of Cortland.
Atter the usual preliminaries, a vote of
thanks was given Mr. and Mrs. Houglin
for the elegant manner in which they
had entertained the company, and their
unequaled hospitality.

Discussion was opened by the Presi-
dent asking the company in successsion
for their opinion as to what the object
of our association is. Was it a profit-
able investment. If so, what could we
name that we had learned to-day, that
had been of benefit to us.

In the remarks drawn out, it was
shown that we had all received an object
lesson to the effect that patience,
frugality, and honest industry have
their reward in this world. That mutual
stimulus and lasting vigor was obtained
by this social intercourse and exchange
of ideas. In fact, object lessons were
continually presenting themselves for
our mental discussion.

After some other interesting discus-
sions, the meeting adjourned sine die,
and the company regretfully dispersed,
sorry that a day of so much pleasurable
enjoyment had drawn to a close, but
feeling well paid for their journey, no
matter how far circumstances had lo-
cated them from such friends as Mr.
and Mrs. Houglin.

Homer, N. Y. C. W. Wilkins, Sec.

A Binder for holding a year's num-
bers of the Bee Journal we mail for
only 50 cents ; or clubbed witb the
. JoxjBNAL for $1.40.

t3P~ 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.

Light Honey Crop.

The honey crop is light in this locality,
on account of the drouth.

Geo. W. Penn.

Carlisle, Iowa, July 10.

Alfalfa Yielding Freely.

The weather is extremely hot, and the
alfalfa that is yet uncut and in bloom, is
yielding honey freely— the best yield of the
season so far. R. H. Rhodes.

Arvada, Colo., July 10.

Hardly Enough for "Winter Stores.

No clover here, and the basswood bloom
has come and gone. Its yield wiU hardly
more than furnish the winter stores. The
promise for fall bloom is not encouraging.

Buda, 111., July 6. C. Covell.

Good Basswood Flow Expected.

Reports are favorable for a good flow of
honey from basswood. Our bees have been
gathering surplus honey from the bass-
wood here in the city. It has now been
out for a week, and is about that much
earlier than the basswood in the forest.
Bees do not belong to the A. R. U., and
continue to work. H. G. Acklin.

St. Paul, Minn., July 6.

Gathered Honey — Packing Bees.

The past was a wet and cold spring for
bees, but in spite of the weather they have
built up in fairly good condition, and have
gathered quite a quantity of white clover
honey. My apiary is run entirely for the
production of comb honey, and 1 use the
eight-frame dovetailed hive for summer.
In winter, they are packed in home-made
outside chatt" cases, made out of pine lath.
This case is large enough to allow a 2}4
inch space on all sides, and 10 inches on
top where chaff is most needed. The top is
covered with tin. I use hayseed and buck-
wheat chaff for packing. A. G. Amos.

Delhi, N. Y., July 7.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

89

Sulphur Cure for Bee-Paralysis.

I have experimented with the sulphur
cure for bee-paralysis, and believe it a suc-
cess—at least it or something else has cured
a very obstinate case for me. My plan of
treatment was this :

I took a common pepper-box and filled it
with pulverized 'sulphur, and gave the bees
and combs a generous sprinkling of the
sulphur. I was careful, however, to not
sprinkle the uncapped brood. The third
day after this application, I could see a
marked improvement in the bees, and I
then gave them another application of the
sulphur, and within a week the cure seemed
to be complete.

If sulphur does prove to be a specific for
this dreaded disease, what a boon to bee-
keepers ! And how simple and easy of ap-
plication !

In my experience I have never seen bees
do better at this season of the year than
they are now doing in this locality. Bass-
wood did fairly well, and sourwood is ex-
tra, and is now in its prime. It was thought
one month ago that we would get no sur-
plus honey this year, but a surplus is now
assured. H. F. Coleman.

Sneedville, Tenn., July 4.

Not Owner, but Manager.

One would naturally get the impression
from my statement on page 25, that I am
the owner of 250 colonies of bees. I neg-
lected to put in that statement that I am
manager for Mr. E. B. Ross, of two of his
four apiaries. He has one at his home
(Syracuse), one at Tully, one at Warner's,
and one at Camillus— in all about 250 colo-
nies in fine condition. I have full control
of the Camillus and Warner's apiaries,
seven miles apart.

Bees are doing finely at Warner's. I wish
I could say the same of those at Camillus.
Basswood is now in full bloom, and all may
end well yet. J. W. Tefft.

Camillus, N. Y., July 5.

Ants— Report for 1893, Etc.

I got rid af the ants around my hives last
year by rubbing pennyroyal around them
where the ants were traveling; also a very
kind bee-keeping friend wrote me to make
a circle of coal-oil around the hives twice a
week for two or three weeks. I tried this,
and they disappeared. I used to corres-
pond with this friend, and was successful
in all that he told me.

In the spring of 1893 I started with 8 colo-
nies, a few very weak. I had re-queened
them all except one which proved to be
extra good in 1892. although I had no rec-
ord of the queen's age. Before swarming-
time I found her with all drone-brood and
a few queen-cells started, so I pinched the
queen's head off, destroyed the cells, and
gave them a cell of my best Italian.

My bees averaged 50 pounds of nice white
honey in one-pound sections. The best I
took 84 pounds from ; this one contained a

queen from the South ; and the worst gave
me nothing. Any one reading this can see
that I was in " ups und downs," just learn-
ing what bees are. Well, one Sunday in
June, while I was at church, I heard that
my bees were swarming. Well, thought I,
they may just swarm, because I had the
Alley trap at each hive. After church I
went around the church corner in my yard,
having seen the bees clustered on a high
tree, so I came to the hive where the bees
had swarmed out. This one swarmed the
day before. I hived them on starters that
time. I did not think of a frame of un-
sealed brood preventing swarming out;
anyway this was a big, strong swarm, high
on the tree. I left them without looking
after the other hives, and soon they
swarmed up and all around. Some went
back, and a lot went across a large wheat
field. Afterwards I learned that two
swarms had been out. The trap was push-
ed a little from the hive.

Some time in August I found, or was told
of, a large bee-tree, one-half mile from my
home, which was not on the land where I
was living. They seemed to be yellow bees.
I started off to the manager of the farm,
telling him that I came to buy one of their
trees containing a swarm of bees. " Bees,"
said he; "if there are bees in, you can
buy." He asked $3.00 for all. I paid it, and
went to see my brother-in-law, who is one
of the very best fellows I can get to help
with bees. The tree was a large oak, the
hole 60 feet from the ground, where the
bees were working in and out, so we were
not bothered with the bees while sawing
the tree down. At last it fell, and sounded
very nearly like thunder. And then the
sport went on ! We could do nothing right
where the wreck was for the first 20 min-
utes. A near neighbor came to see. He
would not put a veil on, but went right
there. Ofttimes I can keep from laughing
about things, but I and no one else could
keep from shouting, for he hustled like Old
Mr. Blobbs, as shown in the Bee Journal.
last fall. The way he had to run, and
scrape— indeed, it was too bad !

Well, we had not to open much to see
what it was. The honey was rolling and
dripping. The combs had been mashed to-
gether, pieces lying here and there, and an
awful muss of dead bees. We had a wash-
boiler and few tin pans to get the honey in.
The bees that were, not killed were mostly
on the wing, filled with honey. We could
every now and then see a yellow drone, but
no queen. We returned home with the
honey we fished up. This was 20 pounds
after it was strained.

The next morning I got up early to look
after the bees where the wrecked tree was,
and found them clustered all over a piece
of wood containing a little bit of comb. I
had fixed a case (or hive) with foundation,
one frame of unsealed brood placed right
where the bees were, and started them in.
I left this there awhile, and then took the
case and bees home, and soon learned that
the queen was saved.

Well, I had the 20 pounds of honey to
start them on with, and on Nov. 30th I bad

90

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

a very good colony in the row with the
others.

The tree and all cost me $11.50. The lum-
ber and wood is worth to me $25, and I had
the bees back again. This queen I bought
in the South, which is truly a hardy race.

On Nov. 30th I had 17 colonies on the
summer stands, with plenty of honey and
no packing, only a soft board over them.

Brickerville, Pa. E. B. Kauffman.

Bee- Veil — How to Make and Wear.

I herewith will tell how I make my bee-
veil, as it may be useful to some.

I take a small wire and make a frame 7
inches by 8, wrapping the ends firmly with
ilax thread. Upon the side of this I sew
silk tulle, stretch it to the opposite side all
it will bear, and sew it ; then on the side I
sew and stretch it to the opposite. I now
have a face veil that will not crease or fold,
and as nearly invisible as it is possible to
have it. I cut out of the veil and insert
this so that it suspends nicely from the rim
of my straw hat. It keeps it away from
the face, and makes it pleasant and cool to
examine the bees through.

Shall I give Mr. Hasty a suggestion ?
Have a deep veil. Get from your harness
shop a narrow strap of sheepskin leather,
with buckle; gather the back of the veil
and sew it into this strap, the distance
from shoulder to shoulder underneath the
arm. Now make a slit in the veil to the
top of the shoulder, and bind this around
so that it will not fray out. At the back of
the buckle sew a piece of silk elastic }^ inch
wide (you must measure the required
length) ; to the other end sew on a large
hook, and where it is needed on the other
end of the leather strap sew on an eye.
Now you see, when you put on the veil and
buckle it around you, the front part of the
veil will be loose. (There should be a piece
sewn on to the front to lengthen it.) Now
if the elastic is passed over this, and hooked
into the eye, it keeps the veil drawn snug
>and tight in front, so that no bees can get
under, and I think the hook and eye would
be easier handled than the pin, as suggested
by Miss Emma Wilson sometime ago.

Prosser, Nebr. Sidney Harris.

'*FohI Brood ; 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 sold at the office of the Bee Jouk-
NAL. Price, postpaid, 25 cents; or clubbed
with the Bee Jouhnai. for one year — both
together for $1.15.

Honey a,s I'"'oo<l stn<l I^Ie<licine 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 second page of last
number of the Bee Journal for description
and prices.

Honey & Beeswax Market Quotations.

ALBANY. N. Y., July 13. - The honey
market is not fairly opened yet, but there is
some demand and we think we are goingr to
have good sales. We quote: White clover,
new comb, 14c.; extracted, 7c. H. R. W.

BUFFALO, N. Y., May 14.— Trade is very
slow, and we have still a liberal stock on
hand. We quote: Fancy comb. 13@14c.;
choice, ll@13c.; dark and common grades,
8@9c. Beeswax, 25@30c. B. & Co.

CHICAGO, III.. May 10.— The market for
comb honey is not of large volume at this
season of the year; a fine article of white
comb brings 15c. in pound sections. Extract-
ed slow of sale, at 4@6c. Beeswax, 25c.

K. A. B. & Co.

CHICAGO, III., Mar. 24.— The honey mar-
ket will be very quiet for the balance of the
season. We will not do much business until
new honey comes in. We cannot quote prices
but will obtain the best possible price on what
little stock we will sell until early fall. Bees-
wax is very active at 25@26c. J. A. L.

CINCINNATI, O., June 19.— Demand is slow
for all kinds of honey. The range of prices
is 4@6c. for extracted, and 12@14c. for best
white comb. There is no sale for dark comb
honey at any price.

Beeswax is in fair demand at 23@25c. for
good to choice yellow. C. F. M. & S.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Apr. 6.— We have had
an exceedingly slow trade on honey this sea-
son, and prices ruled comparatively low. We
quote to-day: No. 1 white comb, 1-lb., 14®
15c.: No. 2. i:i®14c. ; No. 1 amber, 12®13c.;
No. 2, 10®llc. Extracted, 5@7c.

Beeswax, 20@22c. C.-M. C. Co.

NEW YORK, N. Y., May 25.— New crop of
Southern honey is arriving freely. The
market is well supplied and demand very
light. We quote: Common grade, 50c. per
gal.; choice, 55@60c. Beeswax is firm at 28c
H. B. &S.

List of Honey and Beeswax Dealers,

Most of whom Quote In this Journal.

Clilcago, Ills.

J. A. Lamon, 43 South Water St.

K. A. BURNETT & Co.. 163 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, Mo.

Hamblin & Bearss, 514 Walnut Street.
Clemomb-Mason Com. Co., 521 Walnut St.

Albany, N.Y.

H. R. Wright, 326 & 328 Broadwaj.
BufTalo, N. Y.

Batterson & Co., 167 & 169 Scott St.

Hamilton, lUit.

Chas. Dadant & Son. •

Cincinnati, Obio.

C F. Mcth & Son, cor. Freeman & Central av8

Weekly, $1 a Year. [ °^^°'^^''_?^TO^BeV-'cultuRE ] Sample Copy Free.

VOL XXXIV. CHICAGO, ILL, JULY 26, 1894.

NO. 4.

'W^MM

^

GEORGE W YORK ti-p'

Boracic Acid— a quart of boiling
water to a tea-spoonful of the drug — is said
to be an immediate cure for bee-stings.

'I'o Keinove Propolis from the
hands, clothing, etc., use alcohol, ether or
chloroform, as they are ready solvents of
bee-glue.

i^ot a I^arge Crop has been taken
by bee-keepers this year, if we may judge
from the reports thus far. In many locali-
ties the severe drouth has cut off the honey
resources, and doubtless the bees must be
fed to tide them over.

A short crop should mean longer (or bet-
ter) prices for honey this year, so those
who are fortunate enough to have any
honey for sale, should use extra care in
marketing it, in order to realize the best
financial results possible.

It is the height of folly to rush much
honey to any one market, and thus over-
stock it, and cause prices to be lowered. A
better way is to market it yourself, if you
can do so— sell it in your home market— to
your neighbors who do not keep bees, or
else sell it from house to house in the near-
est towns. The producer may as well save
the middlemen's profit, and at the same

time work up a demand that would take
aU his honey, year after year, and also at
much better prices than can be realized in
any other way.

With a superior article of honey (either
comb or extracted), and a well worked
home market, we believe the best and most
satisfactory results in bee-keeping will be
attained.

^Vliat Have Ifoii I^earned this
season in your apiary ? Have you dis-
covered any new kinks that are worth
knowing ? If so, why not tell us all about
it, and thus contribute your share toward
the general good ? The Bee Journal is
here to aid in such interchange of ideas as
shall be most helpful to all, and the only
way to get the greatest amount of good
out of it, is for each one to put in something
of value. What have you to give ?

I^" I have never succeeded in rearing
queens which pleased me every time, till I
commenced to work in harmony with Na-
ture's plans. — DooUttle.

Tlie Honey-Flo^v for 1N94.— We
find in Gleanings for July 15th, this editorial
item about the honey-flow for this year,
which will be of interest :

The honey-flow, so far as reported, seems
to be widely different in various localities.
So far in Ohio- -at least in our vicinity — we
have had a good flow from basswood.' Cer-
tain parts of New York State and Pennsyl-
vania report the same. As the letters are
coming in day by day. about half report
this as being the poorest of the poor seasons
so far. The other half— especially those in
the basswood regions — are jubilant over
their fine crops of honey. In a few days
we expect to send out statistical blanks to

104

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

get more accurate information. It is a
little to early yet to judge accurately of the
season. But we know enough already to
feel assured that a very large number of
bee-keepers will get no surplus.

The drouth has interfered greatly with
nectar -secretion in many places, and es-
pecially here in Northern Illinois, but the
drouth was broken last night (July 19th) ,
and the refreshing showers we are now
having will help to save the corn crop, and
likely to give the flowers another start.
The fall crop of honey may yet come to the
rescue, and make up for the lack of an
early crop.

ISegfLnning JBee-Keeping-. — "Be-
fore starting in the business, the prospec-
tive bee-keeper should inform himself in
the art." So says Prof. Cook, and wisely,
too. One way to " inform himself " is to
read the American Bee Journal in connec-
tion with the standard books on bee-keep-
ing. It is a much mistaken idea to hope to
succeed in bee-keeping, or anything else,
without some prepartion or previous infor-
mation about the work to be undertaken.

Xo Anierican Bee-Keepers. — Mr.

Frank Benton, the pushing Secretary of
the North American Bee-Keepers' Associa-
tion, has issued the following important
address :

TO THE BEE-KEEPERS OF NORTH AMERICA.

The North American Bee-Keepers' Asso-
ciation was organized in December, 1870,
with the avowed object of "promoting the
interests of bee-culture throughout North
America." All who are familiar with its
work know, and its published proceedings
also show, that it has adhered to this pur-
pose, and has contributed as much as any
similar society in the world to the spread
of a knowledge of practical and scientific
apiculture. Reviews, translations, and
citations from these Proceedings appear in
the apiarian journals of all European coun-
tries. Much has in this way been done by
this society toward giving to the American
system of apiculture the recognition which
its great merits justly entitle it to receive.

APICULTURE PROOKESSING AND THE SOCIETY
FLOURISHING.

The Association was never in a more
flourishing condition than at present, hav-
ing reached at the last meeting the highest

membership it has ever possessed. But the
remarkable progress made by apiculture in
the United States and Canada within the
memory of many who are still among the
active members of this society— in fact,
the development of this industry until it
has become one of considerable national
importance— makes it certain, when we
consider the wide fields yet unoccupied,
that still greater things may be expected.
If all who are interested in this pursuit,
and are proud of the rank which the api-
culture of America holds are willing to as-
sist the objects of this Association to the
extent at least of becomhiij members and re-
tamhig cunthiuous membership, results not
merely gratifying to all, but substantial
benefits to every member will follow. The
field is wide enough for all, and there
should be no holding back through a spirit
dictated by a feeling that one's own ad-
vancement is hindered by the well-earned
progress of his fellow-man. Each should
have instead a just pride in the knowledge
that he has contributed to the general ad-
vancement.

WHAT THE SOCIETY CAN DO.

The North American Bee-Keepers' Asso-
ciation might aid in obtaining National
and State legislation favorable to the inter-
ests of apiculture, both in securing and
promoting attention to-: this branch at ex-
periment stations, and in checking the sale
of adulterated apiarian products. Should
this body be composed permanently (as it
certainly ought to be) of three-fourths or
more of the intelligent apiarists of the
country, its opinions, resolutions, and re-
quests would carry with them far more
weight and influence than they do at pres-
ent. The time has come, in fact, when
apiculture, having arrived at the dignity
of a distinct pursuit, and having enlisted
the attention of some 300,000 of our citizens,
has within itself forces worthy of much
consideration— forces that should be united
in order to do more eff"ective work.

EVERY BEE-KEEPER,

therefore, whose eye falls on these lines is
personally requested to ally himself with
the members of our society, whether he
can be present at the regular meeting or
not. The Proceedings, published in pamph-
let form, are sent to all who pay the annual
membership fee, and the names of all mem-
bers appear in the printed list.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

105

The next Annual Convention will be held
at Saint, Joseph, Mo., on Oct. 16, 17, and
18, 1894. To avoid confusion at the time of
the meeting and just before, members, or
those who wish to become such, are re-
quested to forward their annual Dues
($1.00) at the earliest date possible, to the
Treasurer of the Association, Mr. George
W. York, 56 Fifth Avenue, Chicago, 111.,
who will return a neat membership-card.
Those who attend the convention are re-
quested to present membership-cards and
secure badgies.

State or local apiarian societies paying
an annual affiliation fee of $5.00 receive
medals to be given to their own members
as prizes ; and delegates appointed by these
societies to attend the conventions of the
North American receive membership-cards
and badges free.

For further information address :

Frank Benton.
Secretary North American Bee-Keepers^ ,•!*■*•'/(,

Washington, D. C.

The foregoing statement and appeal is so
clear and emphatic, that it hardly seems
necessary for us to say more than that we
fully endorse it. We ought to build up a
grand international bee-association, and
the only way to do it, is for each bee-keeper
on the continent to become a member, and
thus enjoy the great benefits that will in-
evitably result from a large and representa-
tive membership.

We are now ready to receive your dues
for 1894.

Salvation and Honey.— One of
our exchanges says it is •' indebted to Rev.
P. H. Bodkin, of Hanford, Calif., for this
bit of experience:"

I had a unique experience last Sunday at
Grangeville. I preached a sermon in a
church whose walls are filled with " little
bees and honey." For three years the bees
have had possession, and all efforts to rout
them have been futile. Like the sparrows
of David's time, they have "a house for
themselves " in God's temple, and there
they doubtless will remain as long as the
church stands. There are three swarms in
possession, each having a side to itself.
When the thermometer rises to 105 degrees,
and it does very frequently, then the honey
begins to run. It stands in pools about the
foundation. It is readily caught in pans
from this natural extractor. We do not
know that Pastor Crist and his wife are
alarmed over the prospect of what an ex-

tra hot day might do in melting down the
amber walls of their church, and flooding
them out with flowing streams of honey.

The bears in the mountains may get a
scent of that church some night, and then
there will be lively times around the par-
sonage.

The pastor would, no doubt, like to have
the honey if he could get it without tear-
ing down the church, and that would hardly
pay. It looks as if the bees were there to
stay, and will pay for their lodgings by
keeping the pastor and congregation " very
sweet."

What great church-going '' little people "
bees are ! And what a glorious church the
above must be, with its •' streams " of sal-
vation and honey " flowing " freely for all!

ISee-Keeping- in Oeoi-g-ia. — Mr.

A. H. Homburg, of Maryland, has sent us
the following clipping from the Valdosta
Telescope, a Georgia newspaper, which may
be of interest. The Mr. Duncan mentioned
is one of our subscribers, and likely will be
surprised to read the item in the Bee Jour-
nal. Here it is:

In naming the industries of DuPont, a
few weeks ago, I omitted one that we can
boast of more than any other, that is Dun-
can & Conrad's apiary. They have at this
place 275 colonies, besides they have 100 or
more colonies some three or four miles be-
low, and some three or four miles above,
consequently their bees have the range of
the swamps for eight or ten miles, this
place being situated on the large Suwan-
noochee creek. The swamp is filled with
wild flowers two-thirds of the year, conse-
quently it is the best adapted place for the
bees to secure honey in all this section of
the State.

Beginning about Dec. 20th, the soft maple
comes in, then next comes the tyty, about
the middle of February the toopler gums,
March 1st black-gum, April and May the
gallberry, representing the largest yield,
and making the finest grade of honey.

Mr. Duncan, the manager, has made this
business a study. They started here four
years ago with five colonies, and have in-
creased from season to season until now
they have the largest business of this kind
we know of in the State, which requires
almost all their time. Besides, Mr Dun-
can has invented a self-hiver, and he can
sit off in the shade and watch the bees hive
themselves without any assistance from
him whatever.

Their honey-house is 14x24 feet, and they
can carry in 1,000 pounds of honey, bees
and all, and sit down, and in two hours'
time the bees pass out through the gauze-
wire bee-escape. They put up the honey
in one-pound sections, then after carrying
it through the rejector, etc., with 48 sec-
tions to a case, it is ready for shipping.

106

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 make " 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.

Keeping Bees on Shares.

Suppose I rent (or take) 20 colonies
of bees in the spring of the year, what
share ought I to have if I furnish the
hives for the new swarms, sections, etc.?

Luce, Mich. W. C.

Answer.— In this day of strikes I'm
not going to try to settle differences be-
tween labor and capital. As a rule,
working bees on shares is not a very
satisfactory thing, and there's danger of
dissatisfaction on both sides. As you
furnish all the labor and part of the
capital, the only thing the other man
should have is a good interest on the
value of the capital he furnishes, that
is the bees and hive they occupy. If I
were to make a guess in the premises, I
should say he would do pretty well if he
should get a fourth of the surplus honey
and increase. If the increase should be
a single swarm, it wouldn't be easy to
take a fourth of it, but part of the sur-
plus might bo traded for the share of
the swarm.

Preventing Swarms— Pulled Queen.

1. If I examine my bees every eight
days, and cut out queen-cells, can I pre-
vent swarming ?

2. What are we to understand by a
" pulled queen ?"

3. Please describe Mr. Hutchinson's
system of re-queening to prevent swarm-
ing? S. H.

Prosser, Nebr.

Answers. — 1. No, you can't rely on
it. Sometimes it will succeed and some-
times fail.

2. It doesn't mean that she is taken

by the leg or wing and pulled out of her
cell, as some have seemed to understand,
but that her cell has been pulled open,
allowing her to emerge sooner than she
would otherwise have done. When a
colony has sent out a prime swarm and
contemplates further swarming, a num-
ber of queens usually mature in the
hive, and about a week after the issuing
of the first swarm, if you put your ear
to the hive, especially in the still even-
ing, you will hear a young queen piping,
answered by one or more queens in a
coarser voice. The piping queen is at
large, and those that quahk are still in
their cells. These latter are, however,
mature queens, having a circle gnawed
in the capping of the cell, waiting for a
chance to come out. Take one of these
cells, pull off the capping and you have
a "pulled queen."

3. I don't know that he has any pecul-
iar system. Each year he sends South
and gets young laying queens, putting
them in place of his older queens, and it
is well known that a queen of this year's
rearing is less likely to swarm than an
older one.

Persimmon as a Honey- Yielder.

Are persimmon blossoms good for
honey ? Father has 6 or 8 trees of
them, and the bees just swarm on them
most of the day. The blossoms come in
between the poplar and linden.

Burkett, Ind. N. L. V.

Answer.— I don't know anything
about the persimmon as a honey-yielder.
Perhaps some one can tell us about it.
But if the bees are busy on it, it is
pretty safe to say that it is a good
yielder, for bees are not likely to fool
away their time on blossoms that yield
no honey.

Droneless Colony and Swarming.

I have five colonies of bees in my
yard, all of them strong in bees, and one
of them very strong, but there are no
drones in the yard, nor have there been
any this season. Will they swarm while
they are in a droneless condition ? They
are doing fairly well, considering the
dry weather we are having, and the
strongest colony is at work in the super.

Bees in neighboring apiaries that
have drones are killing them. A.S.

Boone, Iowa, July 2.

Answer. — You need not expect a
swarm from a colony that is killing
drones. If the killing is general, no

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

107

swarms need be expected. Sometimes,
however, a colony that has reared a
young queen may be killing drones with-
out any falling off in the harvest, and
this will be no indication that other col-
onies may not swarm. Again it may
happen, as it did quite generally this
year, that early in the season the
weather may be such that there is a
general slaughter of drones, and a good
harvest coming afterward will bring a
fresh crop of drones as also swarming.
Unless buckwheat swarms are common
with you, you will not be likely to have
swarming this year. There are excep-
tions to all rules, and a droneless colony
might swarm, but I should not expect it.

Wants the Honey in the Sections.

I have a colony of bees with a young
Italian queen introduced last spring.
There is an abundance of honey coming
in, yet the bees will not work much in
the supers, although I baited them, but
till up every available space in the
brood-nest. There is only enough brood
in the hive to fill three or four frames,
and the other space is filled with honey.
Will feeding sugar syrup during a
honey-flow make the bees run the honey
from the frames into the sections, and
make the queen lay more ? or do you
think it is the fault of the queen ? What
had I best do to make them store the
honey in the sections?

There will be more honey later on,
but not so white as that I am getting
now, which is from sourwood, and al-
most as clear as water. J. F. H.

Brinkleyville, N. C.

Answer. — Feeding sugar syrup may
help to start the queen laying when she
slacks up on account of scarcity of pas-
turage, but it will do no good in your
case, for your trouble seems to come
from plenty rather than scarcity. I am
really at a loss to know what is the
trouble if there is nothing wrong with
your surplus arrangements. Possibly
the fault may be with the queen.

CONVENTION DIRECTORY.

Prolital>le Bee-Keeping, by Mrs.
Atehley, will continue for some time in her
department of the Bee Journal, at least
each alternate week. Until further notice
we can furnish the back numbers from May
1st, beginning with her " Lessons," to new
subscribers who pay SI. 00 for a year's sub-
scription to the Bee Journal — that is, we
can commence their year with the number
having the first lesson, if they so desire.

Time and place of meeting.

1894.
Aug. 1.— Central California, at Hanford. Calif.
J. F. Fiery, Sec, Lemoore, Calif.

Aug.16.— East Tennessee, at Whiteshurg.Tenn-
H. F. Colemau, Sec, Sneedvilie, Tenm

Oct. 16-18.— North American. St. Joseph, Mo^
Frank Benton, Sec, Washington, D. C.

Sept. 11-1.3.— Nebraslia State, at Lincoln.

L. D. Stilson, Sec, Yorlj, Nebr.

Sept. 15.— S. E. Kansas, at Bronson, Kan.

J. C. Balch, Sec. Bronaon, Kans.
1895.
Jan. 28.— Venango Co.. at Franlilin, Pa.

C. S. Pizer, Sec, Franklin, Pa.

Feb. 8, 9,— Wisconsin, at Madison, Wis.

J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec, Madison, Wis.

JI^~ 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-Pres.— O. L. Hershiser.... Buffalo. 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.
Gkn'd Manager— T. G. Newman, Chicago, 111.
147 South Western Avenue.

Queens a,ntl Qneen-Rearinff. —

If you want to know how to have queens
fertilized in upper stories while the old
queen is still laying below j how you may
safeJy introduce any queen, at any time of
the year when bees can fly ; all about the
different races of bees ; all about shipping
queens, queen-cages, candy for queen-
cages, etc. ; all about forming nuclei, mul-
tiplying or uniting bees, or weak colonies,
etc. ; or, in fact, everything about the
queen-business which you may want to
know — send for Doolittle's "Scientific
Queen-Reaming "—a book of over 170
pages, which is as interesting as a story.
Here are some good offers of this excellent
book:

Bound in cloth, postpaid, $1.00 ; or clubbed
with the Bee Journal for one year— both
for only $1.65 ; or given free as a premium
for sending us three new subscribers to the
Bee Journal for a year at $1.00 each.

Bound in paper cover, postpaid, 65 cents ;
or given free as a premium for sending us
two new subscribers ; or clubbed with the
Bee Journal a year— both for only $1.40.
Send all orders to the Bee Journal office.

Read our great offers on page 99.

108

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.,

E MlETS.

By F. L. PEIRO, M. D.

McVicker's Building, Chicago, III.

Value of a Happy Disposition.

Verily, " a contented mind is a continual
feast." Of all the delightful sensations
that keep trouble and sickness from the
door, a happy disposition that is perpetu-
ally inspired by deeds of kindness, excels
all other factors in dispelling disease.

One need not be rich to enjoy the bless-
ings of a joyous mind; indeed, the rich
seldom are so blessed ! The infallible pre-
scription for this extolled condition is, " Do
unto others as ye wish that others should
do unto you." If we would but be guided
by this grand precept, selfishness — that curse
to humanity — would be removed, and our
actions and circumstances so changed as to
make of this earth a very Paradise ! Our
worries come principally from this one
vicious source. And it is safe to say that
fretting begets more sickness of a danger-
ous degree than perhaps any and all other
causes combined. Call the engendered ail-
ment what you may, sooner or later it de-
velops into the condition that kills !

Doctors have some very euphonious
names for diseases that if honestly ex-
plained would not be pleasing or flattering.
"Jjtsomm'a," for instance, sounds very dis-
tinguished. Plain "can't sleep " would not
be considered half so aristocratic, and if
the cause of it were known, the verdict
might be still more uncomplimentary!
When a person cannot enjoy good rest
there is usually something the matter not
exactly to his credit. He, or she, who
properly respects the rights of others, and
tries to smooth the pathway of as many
less fortunate as naturally come in his way,
will have little trouble with digestion or
sleep. But if as often happens, he lies
awake o'nights to plan the discomfiture or
ruin of Jhis neighbor, he will quite easily
acquire " loss of sleep," and it serves him
right! Then, in turn, that begets nervous
conditions, his system is enfeebled, his
digestion impaired, his temper becomes
irascible, children learn early to call him
" Old Cross Patch," and all lose respect for
and shun him. He has perhaps amassed a
fortune, just in time to leave it, be buried,
and forgotten !

Do you say this is a moral rather than
medical topic ? But the duty of the true
physician is quite as much to point out
causes that lead to sickness as to adminis-
ter remedies. Indeed, it is much wiser to
indicate the prevention of disease than its
cure, and success more often attends the
former than medicines insure recovery.

Then strive after cheerfulness, avoid
those actions, of mind or body, that you
intuitively know will bring discontent. To
this end you must govern your acquisitive
desire for that which you cannot yet afford,
and in all ways refuse obligations you are
not certain to be prepared for when the
time of requirement arrives !

Boivlegs and Difficult Teetliing.

I don't wonder you feel so anxious about
baby Rob's little bowed legs ! Any loving
mother naturally will. But be of good
courage, and don't lay to heart all the ad-
vice, admonition and fearful foreboding of
your good friends, who all mmn well
enough, but are not quite competent to
give you safe counsel. I can imagine how
their look of horror can make a young
mother feel terribly apprehensive, but just
keep your sensible head on your shoulders
and reason a little.

Rob will be all right and have just as
straight and strong legs as any boy, if you
will just do what I suggest. No, he don't
need any " braces " or other kind of har-
ness for his wee legs. Keep all those ex-
pensive instruments of tortures off the lit-
tle fellow. The reasons that his legs are
crooked are mainly that his system is im-
properly nourished; and, then, the likeli-
hood that in your great desire to see him
look " awfully cute," you, or his " Daddy,"
try to make him stand up and walk. Under
such unreasonable treatment it is simply a
wonder his legs are not bent double !

The bones are hardened and kept so by
the phosphate of lime that the necessary
food contains to properly nourish us, and
when bones in little ones are .soft and yield-
ing, it is evidence that Nature's laws have
been disregarded in this respect, and the
result has followed.

When the child is born, it should become
the strictest care of the wise mother to so
regulate her diet, that the required amount
of lime enter the system to properly harden
the bony structure of the child. To this
end the mother should eat liberally of oat-
meal and cracked wheat porridge, bread,

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL"

109

butter, fruits, "cottage cheese,"' salads,
"greens,"' eggs, and fresh fish, to the ex-
clusion of meat and all kinds of pastry.
Buttermilk is a healthy drink, where one is
not averse to it. This mother's diet is quite
sufficient to prevent bowlegs and difficult
teething in children, but when it has been
neglected, and for other reasons, the child
shows plainly the deformity we are consid-
ering, let the mother adopt the above diet
while nursing her baby, and, if weaned,
then the child should have the first two
articles of food several times per day, and
plenty of fresh (but better, skimmed or
boiled) milk with a tea-spoonful of lime
water added, for its daily drink. Don't
allow him to stand on his feet, but fre-
quently expose his bare legs to the hot sun
until they become tanned brown as a berry.
Let the child play out in the sun, on a sand-
pile, where he will naturally stick his feet
and legs, playing, greatly to his benefit.

Daily bathe the body and thoroughly rub
the legs in weak salt water, and you can
depend upon his perfect recovery with
greatest assurance. Of course, if the de-
formity is due to accidental injuries re-
ceived, this treatment will not be sufficient
— a good surgeon should then be consulted.

Oood Honey-Sellers will likely be
needed now, and the little 32-page pamph-
let, "Honey as Food and Medicine," has
for years proven itself valuable in making
repeated sales of honey. Its distribution
will create a detnand for the honey first, and
then the bee-keeper can follow it up and
supply that demand. Send to us for a
sample copy, only 5 cents ; 10 copies, post-
paid. 35 cents ; 50 copies, $1.25; or 100 copies
$2.00. Try 50 or 100 copies, and prove their
ability to aid you in disposing of your
honey at a good price.

Xlie IVovelty Pocket-Kiiife is

worth having. Mr. A. G. Amos, of New
York, says this about it: " The ' Novelty '
pocket-knife which I received with the
American Bee Journal arrived all O. K.,
and it is a dandy." Better get one your-
self, and then you will know what a
" dandy " thing it is. See page 95 for ad-
vertising offer.

A Nebraska Storm.

Written ior the American Bee Journal

BY MRS. A. L. HALLENBECK.

Far away to the west, while the sun still

shone bright.
Rolled up in its grandeur a cloud black as

night,
And while the dark masses rose fold upon

fold.
The far-away, echoing, low thunder rolled.

From the field came the boys with hurry

and shout.
And quick from the traces the horses took

out,
As on came the shadow that darkened the

day.
While black rose the dust-billows marking

its way.

The poultry-boy hurried, the gate opened
wide,

And drove all his fiuttering, small broods
inside,

And we all hurried in before Nature's dark
frown,

While with haste and a clatter each win-
dow went down.

On, on comes the shadow, from earth to

the sky ;
The Wind Giant reaches his long arms on

high ;
The roof of the stable he brushes away—
The trees bend before him, or break in his

play.

He tears from the wind-mill one busy,

white wing.
And then throws it away, a poor, broken

thing ;
Uncovers the bee-hives, or tumbles them

over,
And scatters the heads of the poor, dried-

up clover.

As we watch the wild havoc, he hurries

Have You Read the wonderful Pre-
mium offers on page 124?

And we gather the fragments he left of his
play;

We cover the bee-hives e"er the big tear-
drops fall,

Which the cloud-giant sheds in remorse for
it all.

The thirsty earth drinks in the life-giving

rain;
The clover re-opens its parched leaves again ;
The flowers will spring from the freshening

sod,
Nectar-laden with thankfulness unto their

God.

Our wee, busy workers will gather the

store.
To feed them and cheer us when summer is

o'er;
So we thank the Father who sent us the

rain
To show that none ever shall trust Him in

vain.
Millard, Nebr.

110

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.,

CONDUCTED BY

MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY.

Beeville, Texas.

PROFITABLE BEE-KEEPING.

Ijesson No. 6.

(Continued from page 46.)
BEE-PARALTSI8.

This disease seems to be next to foul
brood, and causes the bees to dwindle
very fast. I have not seen a case of
paralysis for a long time, there being
none in this part of Texas ; but in north
Texas I used to be bothered with it.
There have been so many remedies of-
fered, and none of them effectual, that
I fear it will be only a loss of time to re-
peat them here. I believe that it is un-
wholesome food of some kind that causes
it, as they seem to have fever, as they
swell up, and their hair comes oflf. Now,
you all know that any swelling is caused
from inflammation, and a fever sets in,
or any derangement of the stomach is
likely to cause fever. So I suppose we
had better name this bee-disease "Bee-
Fever," as it goes without a name.

Next, is to find a remedy. Who will
first find an effectual remedy is un-
known, at present I suppose, but testi-
mony should be in order from all direc-
tions until we find a cure. I will advise
clean hives, dry quarters, and good food,
as I stopped it in my apiaries this way
four years ago, and have not had it
since, but I could not offer this as a
remedy, for nothing was done or given
the bees except clean hives and new
combs of healthy honey, and I prescribed
the same for others, and it failed. So I
offer this as a suggestion only, and not
as a resolution or remedy. If any one
cures bee-raralysis, please let us know
how you did it, that we may let all
know it.

liees in Northern States do not seem
to suffer as much as those in the South,
from this disease, but I believe Mrs.
Axtell told me she lost very heavily two

years ago, by bee-diarrhea, and she lives
in Illinois. She told me that she had to
keep bottles of hot water about her bees
to keep them from freezing, and damp-
ness may have caused the disease in her
case. It may be brought on by several
ways. Bad food, cold and damp, or by
too much pollen taken with honey. Let
us all watch it closely.

BEE-MOTH.

This could not be called a disease, but
I wish to call attention to everything
that destroys the bees. In Northern
latitudes the bee-moth has but a short
time to work, as it takes warm weather
for them to thrive. Here in the South
a queen-rearing yard, or any colony that
is not strong in bees all the time, will be
killed outright if not properly and
promptly attended to.

There are two classes or species of
bee-moth here. The small, or center
moth, is very bad indeed, and sometimes
injures our bees, no difference how
strong they are. The reason I have
called or named them the "center" or
foundation moth is, they work right in
under the base of the cell-caps, and web
the young bees fast, and they can't
hatch, but gnaw off their cell cover-
ings, and just work like a lot of pigs
trying to get out of a pen, until they die.
So when you see a squad of bees with
their heads all uncovered, and wriggling
for life, you can pull them out and see
the little moth-worm hop out. Then you
will soon learn what a center moth is.

The old, big gray-back moths are
known, I suppose, by every one that
ever handled bees, so I ao not think it
necessary to describe them here ; but
they are simply a large fly that lays eggs
about the unoccupfed. part of the hives,
and they grow rapidly, and soon grow to
large, wrinkly worms that are very de-
structive, and it seems they just try to
see how much comb they can destroy.

The worm itself is properly named
" moth," as it can subsist upon anything
that it can eat— dry, hard wood, and
iron for ought I know, as it seems that
nothing is too hard for them. But they
seem to love pollen better than honey or
comb, and quickly destroy old combs
with pollen in them, if allowed to do so.

We make war against the moth, and
kill them in many ways. Combs can be
sulphured in a tight room, or soaked in
water until all are drowned.

By all means try not to let the moths
get a start on your honey, beeswax,
comb foundation, or in your hives, as
damage will be done.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL-.

Ill

There are many and numerous ene-
mies to bees, but I will not take space
here to mention any more of them, but
mention only those that kill the bees
outright if allowed to run.

Foul brood, bee-paralysis and bee-
moth — all these will surely " get away
with " the bees by and by, if not cured.
It used to be supposed that paralysis
would get well of itself, but it seems
now from the reports of this and last
year, that when well started it only lets
go when its victim is exhausted.

Now, I think we had better learn the
best way to dispose of our honey, should
we be fortunate enough to have a crop
to sell soon. I will relate to you in the
next lesson how I have alwdijs managed
to sell all the honey I could produce.
Jennie Atchlev.
(To be continued.)

Non-Swarming Bees.

Whit is the matter with Dr. Miller
and Doolittle ? I see they are both
praying for bees that don't swarm. Now,
it seems to me that they both need to
see some natural swarms come out in
the spring, to stimulate them, as both of
them have been complaining of over-
work.

Well, this is the way I feel about non-
swarming bees : There are no such bees,
and in my opinion never will be that are
of any account. You take a colony of
bees that shows no disposition to swarm,
and as a rule they are slow-motioned,
poke-easy, and a kind of lazy o.utfit,
though of course there are some excep-
tions. But give me bees that are full of
vim, and that make preparations to
swarm as soon as the proper season ar-
rives, and they will not be found want-
ing for full supers, if there is any honey
to be had.

In this latitude bees will swarm if
they have a 10-bushel box to work in,
and they will build a common-sized
brood-nest in one corner and swarm.
Room makes no difference.

Then, I would not have swarming
done away with if I could, as it is almost
a sure cure for headache, or almost any
other ache or bad feelings. When the
first swarm issues in the spring, I rush
out, throw my bonnet, apron, and some-
times my shoes, right up among the
bees, and shout out, "The bees are
swarming !" and usually the whole
family rushes out, and what a joyous
time we have ! Headache gone. Back-
ache gone. New life, new energy, and
stimulated to the highest pitch ; and

that one swarm is worth more to our
health and ambition than ten bottles of
Hostetter's bitters.

Then talk about getting bees that
won't swarm ! No, sir ree ! give me bees
full of life and vim, and that will swarm
as nature demands, and I am content.
But when we get enough swarms we
very easily control that part. We have
a good remedy for the swarming fever,
and it will surely stop it if properly ad-
ministered.

Now, Bros. Miller and Doolittle, don't
cry for non-swarming bees any more. If
you ever get 'em, I fear they will be
worthless. Jennie Atchley.

Wax Secretion M Sniar Syrup.

Query 933.— Do bees, while being fed on
sugar syrup, secrete wax the same as when
they are feeding on honey ?— Subscriber.

Yes.— J. E. Pond.

Yes. — J. A. Green.

Yes.— R. L. Taylor.

They do. — M. Mahin.

Yes.— G. M. Doolittle.

Yes. — Emerson T. Abbott.

Not the same. — H. D. Cutting.

I suppose they do. — Eugene Secor.

Yes. Why not? — J. H. Larrabee.

I never tried the experiment. — J. M.
Hambaugh.

I don't know, but I think they would.
— E. France.

Yes, though, perhaps less plentifully.
— Dadant & Son.

I never have fed syrup enough to
know. — Jas. a. Stone.

Yes, if fed enough to stimulate them.
— Mrs. Jennie Atchley.

Not entirely, unless pollen is abun-
dant.— Mrs. L. Harrison.

It is said that they do even in larger
quantities than on honey. —P. H. El-
wood.

112

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

Yes, I believe they do. (But, I am
not positive.) — W. M. Babnum.

I could never see any difference, and
believe that there is none. — A. J. Cook.

It is claimed that they do. I have
never experimented in that line. — Mrs.
J. N. Heater.

They do if the feeding is done at the
proper season for them to secrete wax.
—J. P. H. Brown.

I've had them pile white wax in the
corners of the feeder while being fed
sugar syrup.— C. C. Miller.

They secrete wax fed on sugar, but
perhaps not to as great an extent as
they would if fed honey.— S. I. Free-
born.

They secrete wax when feeding on
sugar syrup, but honey is a superior
article to produce wax in bees. — G. W.
Demaree.

They probably do, but I never fed
enough to find out. Considerable would
need to be fed before the bees would be-
gin wax secretion. — G. L. Tinker.

If only a little is fed to promote spring
breeding, little or no wax will be
secreted. If sugar syrup is fed liberally
in warm weather, and it is necessary to
build comb, the bees will secrete the

wax.— C. H. DlBBERN.

4;oiitinHOii!!« A<lvertisins', even if
it be only a small announcemeut, pays the
advertiser the best in the long run. Spas-
modic advertising, like "spasms" of any
kind, is unsatisfactory. To secure the very
best results, year in and year out, you must
keep your name and business before the
public. Only by so doing can you hope to
keep from being forgotten when the time
comes that your would-be customers wish
to purchase what they want.

Besides, in the fall of the year, more
agricultural papers send out large numbers
of samj)le copies, and the advertiser fails
to get the advantage of reaching the thou-
sands who get the free sample copies, un-
less he keeps his advertisement running all
the time. This is a matter worth thinking
about. Heed the lesson taught by that in-
telligent comb foundation firm, Chas.
Dadant & Son, and also others, whose ad-
vertisements are found in every nmnber of
the Bee Jouknal without a single miss.

Great Premium on page 125

Imm Coinl) Honey DiiEranulateJ.

Written for tlie American Bee Journal
BY .JOHN F. GATES.

I want to tell how I kept comb honey
one year without granulating, it being
better even than when first packed
away. I simply kept it up chamber.
Moth may sometimes get in it in sum-
mer, if not looked after once in awhile,
though this seldom has happened with
me. But I can keep it in such nice
shape this way, that I don't worry any
more about having granulated honey,
and I mostly "hang on" to quite a
quantity of my honey until spring, when
it sells very quickly. The fall market is
mostly spoiled by small lots of honey
being rushed forward, and a most serious
need has been to find a way to keep
comb ho ley in good condition until these
small lots have been disposed of.

I have had large quantities of honey
almost ruined by turning watery, and
candied, when I thought I had it in a
good place on the first floor of my house.
I have tried keeping honey in many
places, and ways, but no place, so far,
will keep it like the chamber of my
dwelling-house, and as near the stove-
pipe as I dare to put it. Will bee-keep-
ers please try this up-stairs way of keep-
ing comb honey, and report their suc-
cess ? If they try it. they will. I think,
be sure to follow it, unless they have, or
find, a better way, which if they do,
please let us know through the Ameri-
can Bee Journal, for this question of
keeping comb honey over, I am inclined
to think, is one we will, in the near
future, have to solve, or lose heavily on
account of granulation.

It seems comb honey must not only bo
kept dry, but warm, especially in winter,
and wo seldom keep a fire all winter in
any but our dwelling-house, though
those who wish to keep over much honey
and can't spare the room in their cham-
ber, can warm their honey-house.

If I am not mistaken, it was Mr. D. A.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

113

Jones who wrote of some persons keep-
ing several sections of honey in their
chamber a year in perfect condition. I
had almost forgotten the item, until my
experiment brought it to my mind. Was
it you, Bro. Jones, who wrote that item?
If so, please tell us more about it.

Many are asking what to do with can-
died comb honey, or if it can be liquified
in the comb. The only thing that can
be done with such honey is to melt it up
and make extracted honey of it. This
is done at a loss, of course, for extracted
honey is the cheaper, and could have
been produced cheaper than comb honey.

We can hardly imagine how much
candied comb honey there is in the
country each year. Will those who
have candied comb honey tell us where
they kept it, and at what time of the
year it candied? And will those who
can keep comb honey a year without
having it candied, please tell us where
they kept it, etc.?

Now will Prof. Cook tell us just what
temperature is needed to keep comb
honey one year in perfect condition ?

Ovid, Pa.

le Renewini of Brooil-Comlis.

Written for the American Bee Journal

BY KEV. S. ROESE.

It is a sad mistake for bee-keepers to
allow brood-combs to remain in the hive
year after year until they become as black
as a stove-pipe, and the cells rounding
instead of six-cornered, and dotted with
holes here and there, caused by the bee-
moth, which is too willing and ready to
carry on its work of distruction in the
hive, when a colony has dwindled down
below its normal strength.

Brood-comb should be rejected and
melted over, as soon as it becomes dark,
and the walls of its cells thick, this
thickness being caused by successive
breeding in the same cell, each larva
maturing leaving a thin coating in the
cell ; and every intelligent bee-keeper
knows too well that every queen prefers,
by far, bright combs for depositing her
eggs, to those of dark, callous and thick
cells; and it is also known that the
worker-bees will fill older combs first
with honey, and leave the newer and
brighter combs for breeding.

The writer's experience has been such,
that colohies which had their hives filled
with old combs, were breeding very
slowly, and on giving them a new comb
of honey kept over from the previous

season to stimulate breeding, it soon be-
came emptied, and the honey transferred
to older combs, and the new combs were
filled with eggs in a short time.

Since the invention of the movable
frame and comb foundation, this act of
renewing combs is no longer a task, but
a delight for the bee-keeper to see his
discouraged colonies take a turn from
bad to better, with new life and energy.

Herr Schoenfeld, a noted German bee-
keeper, states in his experience, that re-
newing brood-combs becomes, with a
vigilant bee-keeper, a matter of neces-
sity, as workers matured in old combs
are of much smaller size, and often de-
formed and weak ; and contrary wise,
bees matured in new combs, are of
plump and healthy size, and are healthy
and strong.

But the renewing of brood-combs
must be done in the right time and sea-
son, so as not to endanger the prosperity
and well-doing of the colony. It has
been the writer's practice for years, in
early spring, as soon as the temperature
would admit an examination, to place in
each strong and healthy colony one or
two clean, new combs in which two or
three patches of brood had been reared
the year before ; and the result has been
a satisfactory one. And if this opera-
tion is repeated every spring, the dan-
ger of combs getting too old is avoided.
Later on, at the time of the honey-flow,
it is a good plan to place in each strong
colony a frame having a full sheet of
foundation, between the frames of hatch-
ing brood.

This renewing of combs should be
done in the spring of the year, as such
operations towards fall would greatly
insure the winter preparations of the bees
going on at that time of year in the
hive. A word to the wise should be
always suflScient.

Maiden Rock, Wis.

'' Larpst House-Apiary "DescrW.

BY W. Z. HUTCHINSON.

House-apiaries present several advan-
tages over out-door establishments.
Hives and supers may be of poorer and
thinner lumber, and require no paint,
as they are not exposed to the weather.
There is no wading through the wet
grass, nor working under a sweltering
sun. The hives and implements are
close together, enabling the operator to
do more work with less tramping about.
All trouble from robber-bees is entirely

114

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

done away with, as no bees can gain ac-
cess to the interior except those of the
colony that is being handled. Bees are
more amicable when handled in-doors.
They can be handled in rainy weather,
or even in the night, if necessary. The
work of protecting them for winter is
greatly lessened, and artificial heat can
be used if found desirable. If there

tilating openings on each side. The sills
are 2 pieces of 2 by 4 ; the lower joists
are 2 by 8, 2 feet apart from center to
center, and the same distance as the
studding. The floor is double, of %
lumber, planed, with a strip of sheet-
iron between the layers next to the wall
and around the studding, to prevent
mice from gnawing up though.

Exterior View of Mr. H. P. LangdoiVs House- Aviary.

comes a warm day in winter, the bees
can enjoy a cleansing flight, which is
not the case when wintered in the cellar.
The protection enables them to build up
in the spring much more rapidly ; and,
finally, everything can be kept under
lock and key, safe from thieves and
prowlers.

What is admitted to be the largest
house-apiary in the world, is owned by
a friend of mine, H. P. Langdon, in
northern New York, who took a great
deal of pains to inform himself in regard
to the advantages and disadvantages of
other house-apiaries before building ;
and now, after two seasons' use, the
only fault he finds with the building is
that it is not one foot wider. This would
give plenty of room for sorting and crat-
ing the heney in the house, instead of
having a separate house for this work.

The building is 11 by 100 feet, and
stands on a good stone wall, having ven-

A platform 12 inches high, and the
width of a hive extends lengthwise of
the building in the center of the room,
except that a space of 8 feet is left at
each end, and a space of 6 feet in the
middle. This platform is for holding
extra hives, supers, etc., that the alley
on each side may be left clear. The
studding is 2 by 4, and of such a length
as to make the top of the plate — 2 by 4,
two pieces — come 83^ feet above the
floor, and the upper joists, 13^ by 8, are
nailed across the rafters one foot above
the top of the plate, thus making the
room i)\i in the clear.

The roof has the common pitch, and
is well shingled. A few braces are put
in to keep the building from shaking in
high winds. The boarding is a second
quality of spruce, made shiplap, and put
on horizontally.

On the floor at each side of the house,
is a platform the whole length of the

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

115

room, 3 inches high and 3 inches wider
than the length of a hive. This plat-
form is permanently stuffed with planer
shavings. A plain hive with square
corners and flat top is used. The hives
stand on this platform, flush with the
inside edge of the studding sidewise to
the wall, 2 feet from center to center,
thus bringing the ends only 8% inches
apart. The entrance to each hive passes
through the outside boarding nearly on
a level with the floor, then rises on a
slant to the top of the platform, and
opens into the hive 4 inches from its
outer side. This leaves a space for dead
bees to accumulate, so that no rim is
needed under the hive in winter.

Over the space betweenthe hive and
the wall, level with the bottom of the
hive, is a loose cover with an inch hole
in it. Then over this, nearly to the top
of the hive, is another cover, resting on
cleats on the studding. This forms a sort

in place, and letting them down through
the inch hole and up into the hive at
their leisure, one troublesome feature of
most house-apiaries is avoided. These
platforms provide for 100 hives. Above
these platforms, 4:hl feet from the floor, is
a shelf, formed by nailing an arm of inch
stuff on each side of each studding, with
a brace, 2 by 4 by 24, nailed between
them and their outer ends, and spiked
on the edge of the studding below.
These brackets are floored over exactly
like the lower platform, entrances and
all, and packed for winter in the same
way.

The windows consist of one light, 14
by 20, with the sash set into the wall
without casings, and screwed to a cleat
on each side, that is nailed inside the
boarding. There is a window in front
of every third hive. A hole is bored
through the top sash close to the edge
of the glass, and around each opening

Interior Vietv of Mr. H. P. Langdon's House-Apiary.

of box 4 by 22, and 9 inches deep, be-
tween the hive and the wall, and makes
a very convenient place to get rid of
bees that must be shaken off the covers,
combs and other things. By tipping
this upper cover back against the wall,
shaking in the bees, dropping the cover

the wood is cut away inside, to lead out
all bees that fly to the window. Just
above the level of the cover of each hive
is a 2-inch hole bored through the wall,
with a wire cone in each. These are
the bee-escapes proper of the house. All.
windows, except the one nearest the-

116

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

hive being manipulated, are curtained
quite darlf, otherwise the bees do not
leave the room well. Upward ventila-
tion is obtained by three shafts, 8 by
10, through the ceiling and roof, into
a cowl over each on the roof. Both
these and the openings below can be
closed in the winter. The draft is so
strong most of the time that it will draw
up a piece of paper, consequently no
trouble is experienced by reason of
smoke in the room.

The outside walls are painted in five
different colors, of as great a contrast
as could be made, 6 feet of each color in
rotation. This brings a window of each
upper and lower into the center of each
color, also three entrances to each color,
and works admirably in helping the bees
to locate their hives. Each entrance
has an alighting-board of the same color
as the wall above.

For wintering, a cleat 53^ feet long is
screwed to the edge of the platform and
shelf, with a wide board running length-
wise on the inside. This makes four
troughs 100 feet long, with 50 hives
standing in each. Planer shavings are
then packed around the hives, both sides
and ends, and over the top, and the bees
are ready for winter.

[The foregoing article was written for
the American Agriculturist, of New
York, in which paper it appeared some
time ago. We are also indebted to the
same periodical for their kindness in
furnishing us the engravings which help
so much to get a clear idea of Mr. Lang-
don's famous house-apiary. — Editor.]

How Mffe Winter Our Bees?

Written Jor the A.merican Bee Journal
BY J. E. POND.

I am led to ask the above question, by
the actual results of the last four years,
with two colonies of bees that came
within ray immediate observation. These
two colonies are hived in ordinary 1%-
story Langstroth hives, the lower stories
being used as brood-chambers, the half
stories being used for surplus, they hav-
ing had no protection whatever, save
what is given by putting them on the
south side of an out-building.

During all those four years, these bees
have been in no wise opened or dis-
turbed ; they have sent out swarm after
swarm, that have gone where they

pleased, and this very year, on June
3rd, one of them sent out a large
swarm, and then another on June 16th.
The other sent out a swarm in the lat-
ter part of May, and another on June
12th, and to-day both hives are filled
with bees.

The hives are made of %-inch thick
lumber. The seasons have varied, of
course, but during each of these four
years, the temperature has been as low
as 12° to 15° Fahr. below zero.

Now does the above statement prove
anything, or not? To my mind it proves
just this, viz.: That these two colonies
have wintered and thrived with abso-
lutely no protection. We have been
taught that we can foretell the future
by past experience. This, to a certain —
yes, to a very large — extent is true ; and
from the statement given above, I de-
duce a theory, and that is, that bees
need no particular protection to cause
them to winter safely ; and further, that
no rule for wintering has yet been given
that can be said to be absolutely safe.

As I have stated many times in the
past, I have always wintered my bees on
the summer stands ; the loss has been
extremely small, and I have found it no
less in colonies supposed to be well pro-
tected, than in those that were allowed
" to go as they please."

The above is not written argumenta-
tively, but is merely a matter of my own
experience.

North Attleboro, Mass., June 23.

Tlie Bee-Facls anl Fancies.

Head at One of the Regular 3feetingH\
BY " GOOD TEMPLAR,"

What's a bee ? A bee is not a mineral,
nor yet a vegetable. Then, of course, it
must be an animal. It is a very small
animal, being only about % of an inch
long, yet at times a boy or a girl will
think it nearly as big as an elephant.
A man weighing over 200 pounds once
said to me that he would rather meet a
bear any time than a bee that was com-
ing toward him wrong end ahead !

Then, a boe is an insect. An insect is
an animal divided into three distinct
parts, has six legs and four wings, says
Webster ; yet many will tell us that the
bee has two wings and four legs, and is
whole, instead of being divided. Wonder
which is right, Webster, or " I told you
so."

Again, Webster says that bees breathe
air in tubes by spiracles. Others tell us

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

117

that they have noses to breathe through,
and don't go on church spires at all to
do their breathing. Well, I never saw a
bee on a church spire a-breathing, but I
guess Webster is right about their not
having noses.

Once more : Webster says that an in-
sect is an articulate animal, whose body
is divided by cross-lines or incisions,
into a number of segments or rings, but
he forgot to say that a bee when in just
the right position would make a person
articulate things which he would not say
in his sober moments? The writer of
this has so articulated many times, and
yet, when asked in the Lodge if he has
violated his obligation, he concludes he
was sober enough after all, so he says he
has not.

Then, bees gather honey from the
flowers. A man asked me one day if
the bees had made any honey yet. Just
as though the bee was a confectioner,
and could make honey at any time ! No,
bees do not make honey, but they do
cell it, and strange to say they keep all
they cell.

Again, a bee can sing ; ,and when a
bee really sings for all it is worth, it
always has at least one interested list-
ener. This singing seems the most im-
portant always when it sings in a per-
son's hair. Let a bee once commence a
tune in the hair, and the person is all at-
tention at once. First, the person list-
ens, then gesticulates a wonderful ap-
plause ! Next, listens again to see if he
is to have more music, and on hearing it
again the gesticulations are greater than
before, and some complimentary words
put in ! But there is usually an end to
this singing, the same as to all other
things, but this ends more pointedly.

A young lady was once at my house,
and one of the bees came and sung in
her hair. She had never heard such
music before. The applause which she
gave was very affecting. When asked
what was the matter, she was so af-
fected just at that moment that she
said, " There is a bun-h-y h-e-e-e in my
hair !"

But the hired man gave the most as-
tonishing results when one sung for him.
The first we knew that one was singing
for him, was a sudden leap into the air,
and a tremendous clawing at the head;
then he bounded off around the house
like a deer, expressing his approval at
every bound by yelling, "Kill him ! Kill
him !" Three times around the house
he went in this way, and when partly
around the fourth time he was heard to
say almost in a groan, " Kill hi-m-m !"

stopping short and turning very red in
the face. We knew then how deeply he
had been impressed.

But I am reminded that ray time is up,
so I will stop short.

Good Templar.

IiitroiUTO SMiel Oueens.

Written for the American Bee Journal

BY H. G. QUIRIN.

I see in an article on page 823 of the
American Bee Journal, a possible ex-
planation of the difference in opinions
between different queen-breeders, as re-
gards the injury done to queens during
shipment. Now, no doubt, there is
something of the kind — that queens are
injured while being shipped long dis-
tances— but hardly, if ever, are they in-
jured when confined but a few days. I
wonder whether Doolittle, and others
who think queens have been injured
through shipment, are certain that these
queens which came under ther notice as
being impaired in general hardiness and
laying qualities, were not injured while
being introduced, as it is a well-known
fact, that by most of the methods of In-
troducing, queens are sometimes balled,
and such queens are usually injured
more or less. I will cite a few cases in
which I might have laid the cause of in-
jury to shipping.

Last season, while introducing some
queens to colonies, I found, on examin-
ing them, that one of these queens was
being balled, and was nearly dead,
whereupon the queen was given back
where I had taken her from, and in four
days afterwards was successfully intro-
duced to the bees which had balled her.
Now this queen kept ten Langstroth
frames crowded with brood before intro-
ducing her, while after she was intro-
duced she hardly filled four frames ; the
bees superseding her five weeks after-
wards. You see, this queen was not
confined five minutes of her life.

Another case was where I united some
colonies, the queen also being balled.
This queen acted exactly like queen
No. 1.

Does it not appear plain that had I re-
ceived the above queens from abroad,
and not knowing they were balled, to
lay the cause of injury to shipping ?
Isn't it reasonable to believe that a
queen has the power to discharge the
accumulated egg-material, which is sup-
posed to do the injury ? or to use it to
nourish her in place of honey ?

118

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi^.

It is well known that when a colony
is robbed, and the bees are left to starve,
or in almost any other case of starva-
tion, the queen usually holds out the
longest, being numbered among the last
to die. Is ii not reasonable to believe
that the queen uses the egg-material to
subsist on ? And if she does so in a case
of starvation, does she not do so when
caged, and has no other use for such
egg-material ?

It is a well-known fact among poultry-
men, that hens laying prolifically, when
suddenly stopped laying, the embryo eggs
already formed will never be laid, but
will go towards the nourishment of the
body; but these same hens will, when
circumstances are favorable, lay after-
wards just as prolifically as ever. Of
course, the anatomy of a queen-bee no
doubt is somewhat different from a hen,
yet I think that a queen has the power
to take care of that egg-material with-
out injury to herself.

Bellevue, Ohio.

Italian Bees-SofflelMnE Historical.

Written for the American Bee Journal
BY C. J. KOBINSON.

On page 623 of the Bee Journal for
May 17th, the readers are informed by
M. M. Baldridge that "certain state-
iraents have appeared in the American
■Bee Journal that were said to be his-
itorical facts ; but, on close inspection,
they did not prove to be." The readers'
attention is not called to any certain
"statements" that "did not prove to
Ibe " facts. Until Mr. B. shows that
"from time to time certain statements
have appeared in the 'Old Reliable'"
that were incorrect, his accusation may
be taken for naught, prompted by un-
worthy critics.

Following Mr. B.'s accusation in gen-
eral, he proceeds to " prove " certain of
my "statements" wilfully false, be-
cause I differ from his version of what
occurred — facts in the history of the
earliest Importation of Italian bees. Mr.
B. says that I "insinuated that Mr.
Parsons was dishonest." Dishonest only
expresses a faint idea of the case when
the facts are known, and as he calls on
me " to explain," I am glad of the occa-
sion to " prove " by the records the dis-
honesty of Mr. Parsons, and the record
which I put in evidence Involves Mr. M.
M. Baldridge with Parsons. Facts are
justifiable whenever a controversy Is at

issue, so I will make plain the meaning
I wish to convey.

The facts in the case brought in issue
by Mr. Baldridge are as follows :

In 1859, Mr. S. B. Parsons, of Flush-
ing, N. Y., a nurseryman and self-styled
botanist, obtained a commission from
the Chief of the Patent Office, then hav-
ing the supervision of the Department
of Agriculture, to travel in Europe and
purchase cuttings and plants for testing
in this country. While he was on his
mission, the Chief transmitted an order
to Parsons, directing to purchase colo-
nies of bees in Italy, and forward them
to the Department. He made his official
report to the Chief, which was printed
in the Annual Report of the Department
to Congress — seethe Official Report for
1859, page 543, wherein Parsons re-
ports among other matters that In pur-
suance of the said order, he purchased
ten colonies of Italian bees for the Gov-
ernment, and ten colonies for himself.

What became of the ten colonies pur-
chased for the Government by Agent
Parsons ? The sequel is a matter of
record. Mr. Parsons reported that he
contracted with a Mr. Hermann (a Ger-
man) to purchase the bees in Italy and
transport them in original hives to
America, but Hermann sent an Austrian
by the name of Bodmer in charge of the
bees. In May, 1860, Mr. Langstroth
said the bees landed at New York the
18th of April, 1860, but this has, "on
close Inspection," been found not to be

Prof. C. V. Riley, on page 208 of the
American Bee Journal for Feb. 16,
1893, mentions that the bees arrived in
May, and he quoted from the Govern-
ment records. But Mr. Riley was in
error in saying that the "Department
succeeded where private enterprise had
failed." The history shows that the
Department failed where private trans-
action succeeded. How about the fail-
ure and the success ? Mr. Baldridge Im-
plicitly says I am not reliable — "not
willing to stand corrected" — wholly un-
like himself — so I quote Mr. Langstroth
to "prove" my Items of history. Mr.
L. recorded (see American Bee Jour-
nal for March 16, 1881, page 82),
from which same page Mr. B. quotes a
paragraph:

"I was called to Flushing, N. Y., by
Mr. Parsons, to visit him and advise
with him as to the best way of manag-
ing his Italian bees On arriving at

Flushing, Mr. Parsons showed me five
hollow logs or 'gums' placed in an old
bee-shed," etc.

Mr, Langstroth fixes the date of his

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

119

"visit " in the " spring of 1856." It is
well known that not until 1860 were
any bees imported direct from Italy. Mr.
L. details in his story of that visit thus :

"On the 19th of April (1856, he
says), as soon as the bees were allowed
to be landed, they were carried to Flush-
ing. The small boxes in which they
were put up, were in three different
packages, one of which was consigned
to the United States (-Government (I call
attention to the fact that this mention
of the United States Government in con-
nection with Italian bees is the first and
only mention Mr. L. has put on record.
He has ignored the Government, and
aimed to credit Parsons with the whole
honor of being the first importer of Ital-
ian bees from Italy— a private enter-
prise, according to his version) ; one to
Mr. Mahan and one to Mr. Parsons

and I can assure Mr. Robinson

that every colony consigned to the Gov-
ernment and Mr. Mahan, was dead (?)."

Mr. Mahan never ordered bees from
Italy — he would not have ordered bees
through Parsons, and no bees were
"consigned to Mr. Mahan." If bees
had been consigned to Mr. Mahan, of
Philadelphia, they ought not, and would
not have been taken to Flushing to be
examined by Parsons and Langstroth,
for it is well known that Mahan was
more of an expert bee-man than Lang-
stroth, and as mentioned by Mr. L. on
page 82 : " On my way (to Flush-
ing) I called upon Mr. Mahan, who was
joint owner of a large interest in my
patent hive." Thus it will be seen that
Mahan was interested with Mr. Lang-
stroth, and was, at least, his peer.

It is history, recorded by Mr. L., that
he was invited by Parsons to visit him
and advise as to the best way of manag-
ing his Italian bees. Parsons had re-
ceived bees from Italy. Mr. L. goes to
Flushing and meets Parsons, who
"showed him five hollow logs or gums.
I saw only an occasional bee flying out
from one of the hives. These colonies
had been purchased in Italy. Four of
these died at Flushing. The fifth con-
tained a mere handful of bees, with
their queen, which I introduced to a
colony of black bees." Now, as his
story runs, while on the same visit, he
goes on and describes the incidents of
the importing of the bees consigned to
the Government, Mahan and Parsons.

As Mr. L. records the incidents, he
was first shown the log hives direct
from Italy, and he makes the date the
spring of 1856; then he must have
been showo the small boxes put up in

three packages, as he says, one for the
Government, etc. He does not explain
how it came to pass that Parsons and
himself assumed possession of the pack-
ages consigned to the Government — no
package was consigned to Mr. P. J.
Mahan. But Mr. L. records : "A few,
only, of those marked for Mr. Parsons
(?) had living queens, some of which
soon died, and in a short time he found
himself the possessorof only two queens,
one of which was the queen found alive
on my arrival at Flushing." Mark, Mr.
L. finds one Italian queen in the hollow
log, and one in the package consigned to
Parsons, and he treats the consignments
as one shipment. No reader can recon-
cile the statements made as history by
Mr. L. in his criticism of the history re-
corded by me.

Mr. L. recorded : " One of the queens
(the two he saved) was intrusted to the
care of Mr. Wra. W. Gary, of Colerain,
Mass., on the premises of Parsons, and
the other to Mr. Bodmer (who came over
with the bees), some distance away."
Please note : In the spring of 1860 Mr.
Parsons has two Italian queens. In the
spring of 1861 Mr. Parsons inserts an
advertisement in the American Bee
Journal, which reads thus — I here
transcribe verbatim :

" Orders will now be received for these
bees, to be delivered in the spring
(1861). A circular will be sent to all
applicants inclosing a stamp. In it will
be found the terms, and also reports
from Mr. Langstroth, Dr. Kirtland, Mr.
Bracket, Mr. Baldridge (the man who
wrote the criticism on page 623, reflect-
ing on me), and others, testifying fully,
from actual observation (?) to the great
superiority of this race of bees over the
common bee."

The record shows that the said critic
certified to the "great superiority" of
Italian bees from "actual observation."
How could either of the parties have bad
actual observation as to a comparison of
the two races of bees when the facts
were that neither man had an opportu-
nity to see a working colony of Italian
bees ? Bear in mind, only two queens
near New York in the season of 1860 ;
in the forepart of the year 1861, a per-
iod of five-months' bee-season, Lang-
stroth (I doubt his being guilty), Kirt-
land and Baldridge [of the far West],
certify [to favor Mr. P.] that they have
actually observed the habits, propensi-
ties, breeding qualities, working as
honey-gatherers, comb builders, winter-
ing, hardiness, etc. Every practical
bee-keeper knows, when informed of
the facts in the case, that those whose

120

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

names appear in Parsons' advertisement,
if bona fide, were incompetent witnesses,
and language can't express condemna-
tion deserved by the author of said ad-
vertisement. It is an item of history,
important for all time.

One other item of history in the case
is recorded by Mr. Langstroth in his
criticisms of my "statements." He
says :

"The bees sent to Mr. Parsons [the
bees in the three packages] were in
cigar-boxes into which the combs were
merely crowded or wedged ; the loosen-
ing of the combs on so rough a voyage
killed some of the queens, while others
were drowned, with their bees, in honey;
and others still, starved from the boxes
being overcrowded with bees."

From this the reader will learn that
the bees Parsons, as employe of our
Government [champion for honesty, if
Mr. Baldridge backs him], failed to per-
form his duty that was entrusted to him
in the capacity of an obligated official
bound bylaw or conscience. Every bee-
man knows that bees could not be ex-
pected to survive a passage from Genoa,
Italy, to New York while packed in
cigar-boxes as described by Mr. Lang-
stroth.

Mr. Baldridge takes issue with my
statement that — as he erroneously quotes
me— the United States Government paid
about $1,800 for importing Italian bees,
and got nothing in return. I challenge
him to refer to any record showing that
I have made such positive statement. It
is a matter of recorded history that the
United States Government attempted to
import bees from Italy ; that S. B. Par-
sons bought, as agent, ten colonies of
bees in Italy, and ordered the bees sent
to America. This incurred expense— by
whom was it paid, and how great a sum?
Mr. Mahan endeavored to learn the
amount of the expense of the importa-
tion. He told me he was informed that
the aggregate sum of the vouchers pre-
sented by agent Parsons amounted to
$1,800.

I then inquired, by letter, of the Chief
of the Department, concerning the ex-
penses, mentioning that it was reported
that $1,800 was the sum paid by the
Department. The official evaded the
question, but mentioned that " it did
not near the amount you named." I re-
gret that I did not keep the letter.
Surely, the Government officials paid
more or less money on the vouchors pre-
sented for services and disbursements.
What was the sum total ? The records
in the archives of the Department will
afford the desired information, unless

Mr. Baldridge "happens" to impeach
the record by stating, at this late day,
what he " happens to know of the main
facts-."

Mr. Langstroth recorded that, "The
result of Mr. Parsons' dealings with Mr.
Hermann [who was sub-agent of the
Department, made such by Parsons by
reason of a contract to deliver the bees
as per order] was that for .$1,200 ad-
vanced to him, he [Parsons] had only
tw0 queens to show. The .$1,200 paid
to Hermann, as Mr. L. said and proba-
bly believed, was money out of the
United States Treasury as shown by the
indisputable history of the case.

Mr. Baldridge calls on me to explain,
and thus relieve him of the pain caused
by his being racked with the " impres-
sion "he felt when reading my " state-
ments" relating to Parsons, whose an-
nouncement he [Baldridge] certified to.
He says : " But let me warn you in ad-
vance, to be very careful what you say
in reply, for I happen [luckily] to know
what the main facts are and were [?]."
His threat implies that he aimed to have
the readers understand that I do not
hesitate to record false "statements"
unless he does " warn" me of his flam-
ing sword.

He says I am "one of the oldest
writers on bee-culture now living in the
United States." Yes, I am the junior
of Mr. Langstroth in age, but read about
and handled bees before Mr. L. appeared
on the stage, and I challenge any reader
to point to any incorrect "statement"
recorded by me ; nor have I bred queens
for sale, or falsely certified to deceive
readers — I have only tried to inform and
benefit readers — Pro bono publico.

If permitted, in a further "reply," I
will show P. J. Mahan was, indeed, the
first who imported, and the first who
bred and sold, Italian queens.

Richford, N. Y.

*Toiil Brood; 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 sold at the office of the Bee Jour-
NAi>. Price, postpaid, 25 cents ; or clubbed
with the Bee Journal for one year— both
together for !|jl.l.5.

Iloncy afi Kootl ttntl Ifledicine is

just the thing to help sell honey, as it shows
ibhe 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 second page of this
number of the Bee Journal for description
and prices.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

121

^P~ 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 are Booming'.

We are having the best honey-flow
that we have had for years. The alfalfa
is furnishing more nectar than I ever
l<new it to yield before. Bees wintered
fairly well last winter. I have 65 colo-
nies now. There is about 25 acres of
alfalfa left for seed, all within one mile
of my bees. C. C. ZiNsr.

New Windsor, Colo., July 15.

Tansy Leaves Drive Ants Away.

I I see from the Bee .Touknal, and
other sources, complaints about ants
troubling bees. I saw a statement in
the New York Voice, that "tansy leaves
will drive away ants." I laid the leaves
between the cloth and hive-cover, close
about the ant-nest, and on all trials in
24 hours all traces of the ant-pests were
gone. It has never failed with me.

Marion, Ind. John Ratltff.

Unfavorable Year for

This year my bees are far behind, as
I have not taken or sold one pound of
honey yet. I have looked over the bees,
and find some honey that will do to take
in a week or two. Last year and year
before were bad honey years in this
locality, but this year is the worst I
have seen since I have kept bees. The
March freeze, the May snow, and the
dry weather at present, have played
havoc with the honey crop in this
locality. J. M. Pratt.

Todd's Point, Ky., July 9.

Buffalo Co., Nebr., Convention.

Five or six of our bee-keepers invited
all the bee-keepers of Buffalo county to
meet on June 25th, in the City Hall at
Kearney, at 2 p.m. At the appointed
time there were present : A. Stedwell,

Phil Brady, A. J. Scott, J. C. Knoll,
Frank Higgins, Wm. Travilpiece, B. O.
Getchell, A. W. Smith, J. W. Shahan,
and J. C. Pierce.

A. Stedwell was elected temporary
Chairman, and J. W. Shahan Secretary.

It was decided that we proceed to or-
ganize a bee-keepers' association, and
that the association be called the "Buf-
falo County Bee-Keepers' Association."
A Constitution and By-Laws were then
adopted. And annual dues were fixed
at 50 cents per annum, and oflScers
were elected as follows :

President, A. Stedwell ; Vice-Presi-
dent, Wm. Travilpiece; Secretary, J. C.
Knoll ; and Treasurer, A. W. Smith.

It was decided we hold a special meet-
ing on the last Saturday of each month,
at 2.m. The next meeting will be held
at Kearney, in the City Hall, on the last
Saturday in July. The place of each
successive meeting is to be determined
then.

Information was wanted by Mr. Scott,
on how to prevent bees from robbing.
Several of those present replied.

The ten members represented 72 colo-
nies. J. C. Knoll, Sec.

Glenwood Park, Nebr., June 26.

Too Dry for the Bees.

We are having a poor honey year here,
having had no rain to speak of for about
two months. Bees are making a living,
but hardly anything more. The hives
are full of bees and brood. We have had
no swarming yet. I am hoping they
will not venture, as it is so dry. We
are hoping to get rain soon ; if we do,
we will have a big fall flow. A bad be-
ginning sometimes makes a good end-
ing. So we live in hopes that better
things are in store for us.

N. E. Feakins.

New Richmond, Wis., July 14.

Rainy and Cold Season.

I like to look over the reports pub-
lished in the Bee Journal from differ-
ent sections of the country ; in fact, I
like to read all there is in it, and do if I
have time. The prospect of even an
average crop of good, marketable honey
is not favorable, at least I know it is not
so in my case. Bees had been doing
well from about the middle of April to
the 18th of May. and the hives were
filled with brood, and a fair supply of
honey ; especially was this the case with
all good colonies.
I On May 18th it commenced with

122

AMERICAN BEE JOURlSlAU

showers, and finally set in for a steady
rain, which lasted until the 25th, and
even rained some that day, but as some
of my colonies were ready to swarm, and
as the sun broke through the clouds, out
they came, and the next day two more
swarmed, and still the 27th two more.
Then a steady cold rain commenced, and
lasted six days, and even then when it
stopped raining, the bees swarmed, with
not even one pound of honey in the hive,
but all other preparations were com-
plete.

May 25th is as early as I have ever
had a swarm here, and only in one in-
stance have I ever had a swarm earlier
than the above — that was the 20th of
May, when I was in Oswego county. I
have resided here (Allegany county) 37
years, and in fact I have had bees every
year since my 9th birthday, when my
father gave me my first colony — about
58 years ago. But all this time I have
had other business.

During this long term with the bees I
have learned many pleasing and inter-
esting lessons. I have always, from the
commencement, taken an interest in
bees and their various operations, and
claim to have been a close observer of
their natures and habits. I can read a
colony of bees as one would a book. All
I know about bees and their manage-
ment I have learned from practice and
experience, although having read a
great deal in the bee-papers, of which I
am very fond.

This season I have learned something
new in relation to bees and honey. The
main supply of honey, so far, is from
white daisies. I have a good sample,
yellow enough. If it were not for this
source, bees would be in bad condition.
H. F. Newton.

Whitney's Crossing, N. Y., July 9.

Too Dry and Too Cold for Clover.

Bees have been a failure in this part
of the State for six years, but I am still
interested in them. I have 25 good
colonies of the best bees Illinois can
furnish, but I had only two swarms in
May. Dry weather last fall, and cold in
March, killed all the white clover, so
this year will be a failure again. So it
gives me an easy time — nothing to do —
nothing to buy, and nothing to sell —
only waiting for better times. Honey
brings a good price — 25 cents a pound-
so it is a good chance for the Wiley men
to make some money out of their manu-
factured comb honey !

D. R. ROSRBKOUGH.

Casey, 111., .July 12.

Quantity, Not Quality.

In my article on page 20 is a mistake
which I wish to have corrected. I am
made to say, "Our country does not
come up to some others in quality, etc."
It should have been quantity, for I do
not think any section of country can
"lay us in the shade" this year on
"quality." It is "quantity" that we
are short on. It is about 20 to 25
pounds, with good average colonies so
far this year.

I want to make the above correction
in justice to our Mississippi honey, for
some Northern people might want an
extra fine article sometime, and would
not send to Mississippi for it likely, with
my former article to judge from.

W. T. Lewis.

Lewisburgh, Miss., July 10.

Contention I^otices.

California.— An extra session of the Cen-
tral California Bee-Keepers' Association will
be held in Hanford, Kings Co.. on August 1,

1894. J. F. Flory, Sec.
Lemoore. Calif,

Wisconsin.— The next annual meeting of
the Wisconsin Bee-Keepers'Associationwillbe
held at Madison, on Feb. 8th and 9th. 1895.

Madison, Wis. J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec.

Illinois. — The summer meeting of the
Northern Illinois Bee-Keepers' Association
will be held at the residence of William Farn-
ham, 4 miles southwest of Rockford, 111., on
August 21, 1894. B. Kennedy, Sec.

New Mlllord, III.

Pennsylvania,— The Venango County Bee-
Keepers' Association of northwestern Penn-
sylvania will hold their 2nd annual meeting
in the City Hall at Franklin, Pa., on Jan. 38,

1895, at i o'clock p.m. All interested send
tor program. C. S. Pizer, Sec.

Franklin. Pa.

Tennessee.— The next annual meeting of
the East Tennessee, Bee-Keepers' Association
will be held at Whitesburg, Tenn., beginning
on Thursday, August IQ, 1894. All members
and other interested in bee-culture are In-
vited to attend. H. F. Coleman, Sec.

Sneedville. Tenn.

The North American B.-K. A.— The Quar-
ter Centennial Meeting of this Society will be
held at St. Joseph, Mo., on Oct. 16. 17 and 18,
1894. It is the first convention of the North
American Association beyond the western
bank of the Mississippi, and large delegations
from the great West will be present. We
hope the East, the North and the South will
^father with them. Frank Benton, Sec.

Dept. Agriculture, Washington, D. C.

Nebraska.— The next meeting of the Ne-
braska State Bee-Keepers' Association will be
held at Lincoln. Neb., on the evenings of Sept.
11th, 12th and i:Jth, 1894, at the Honey Hall
on the State Fair grounds, and In connection
with the Bee and Honey Exhibit at llie State
Fair. An Invitation is extended to every
reader of the American Bee Journal to be
present and sample the good things presented.

York, Neb. L. D. Stilson, Sec.

weekly, $1 a Year.} °^^°^^°.E^-^^%7e^'cU^URE. I Sa>nP»« C<»Py ^ree.

VOL. XXXIV. CHICAGO, ILL. AUG. 2. 1894.

NO. 5.

GE.ORCE W Y0RK.%S7

I CO. TOO y^iZ^^^

Rev. W, Anderson, of Imlay City,
Mich., made us a very pleasant call last
week. He has 35 colonies of bees, and has
some honey this year, taken from bass-
wood bloom. Bro. Anderson evidently
finds that bee-keeping and the preaching of
Congregational gospel go well together.

An Australian I..etter will be found
this week on page 146, written by Mr. Ed-
ward Rye, proprietor of the Wingham, N.
S. W., Vhrwdcle. Mr. Rye is a beginner in
bee-keeping, but writes very entertainingly
of his apiarian experience, and of the pros-
pects for bee-keeping in his country. We
are always glad to hear from far-away
Australia, and the progress being made
there with modern apicultural methods.

Bro. Xlionia!^ Cw. ]\e>v

called on a week ago last Saturday, and
found him suffering from a severe cold,
which, on top of the exhausting attacks of
la grippe he has had, just about "used him
up." He reported a fair trade in bee-sup-
plies up to the time of the railroad strike,
which stopped everything. But the past
two weeks all has gone on again about as
usual, and he is filling orders with his ac-
customed promptness.

JTIating- of 4(neens.— Dr. F. L. Peiro,

who conducts " Our Doctor's Hints " in the
Bee Journal, handed us this item re-
cently, which he translated from L^-iplcol-
tore, an Italian bee-paper :

The Bleueazeltunn has gathered statistics
regarding the marital excursions of queens,
and learns that fecundation seldom if ever
occurs until after her third flight — usually
later. The time required for impregnation
varies from 10 to 35 minutes.

Xlie Bee-Keepers' Revie^v for

July came very nearly being an August
number. It was all caused by the railroad
strike, Bro. Hutchinson says, as he had " to
wait nearly three weeks for paper."

'» Bee-I..ine " I^e\»'Iy Belined. —

In a district school the pupils were asked to
define a bee-line. A small boy answered:
" I know it: It's the line a feller makes fer
home when a bee's stung him." Probably
he had in mind an experience all his own,
and so knew what he was talking about.

Rouncl-TCp in tlie Apiary. — Mrs.
L. Harrison, writing in the Orange Judd
Farmer the past month, had this to say:

It is a good time now to have a round-
up in the apiary preparatory to a fall flow
of honey. Where colonies have been al-
lowed to swarm at their own pleasure,
there may be parent colonies which have
swarmed to death ; that is. until they have
too few bees to pass the coming winter in
safety. Small after-swarms or casts may
also be found, which have only a small
amount of comb. If these were returned
to the parent colony before the fall flow of
honey, they may be able to secure enough
stores for cold weather.

In my apiary there has not been a single
after-swarm this season, and but few first

136

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

swarms. In my experience with Italian
bees, I have had but few second swarms,
and believe that they are far more provi-
dent than the common bees, for the little
swarms that flit from tree to tree late in
the season are usually black bees.

At the present writing (July 7th) strong
colonies are little more than making a
living, and the prospect for a fall flow is
quite encouraging, as there have been
abundant showers. Polygonum (smart-
weed), which grows in corn and potato
fields, is now making its appearance.
Spanish -needle and beggar-ticks, which
grow luxuriantly upon overflowed lands
and along water-courses, yield much honey
in the fall.

Winters in tlie Cellar.— We notice
by one of the late bee-papers, that a poor
fellow down in Ohio " winters in the cel-
lar." Now that's a bad place for a man to
winter in, and, besides, it's time enough
for people to stay under ground after
they're dead, and not before. We feel
sorry for the man who has to " winter in
the cellar." But it may have meant that
he winters his bees iti tlie cellar, though it didn't
say so. It's quite an art to be able always
to say what you mean, isn't it ?

Xlie J\el>raslca Ntate ff'air will be
held at Lincoln on Sept. 7th to 14th this
year. A specially liberal premium list has
been prepared for the apiarian department,
of which Bro. E. Whitcomb, of Friend,
Nebr., is the Superintendelit. The condi-
tions and list of premiums offered are as
follows :

LOT I.— Bees and Honey.
[Points for the Judgment of Honey.]

Comb Honey — 1st, Perfection of capping ;
2nd, Evenness of surface ; 3rd, Whiteness
of capping; 4th, General appearance as to
marketability.

Extracted Honey— 1st, Cleanliness; 2nd,
Clearness ; 3rd, Flavor.

1st. 2nd.
Best comb basswood or white

clover honey, not less than 20

lbs., crated and in single comb

sections, weighing not more

than 2 lbs. each $10 00 *5 00

Best comb fall honey not less

than 20 lbs., crated and in sin-
gle-comb sections, weighing

not more than 2 lbs. each 10 00

Best gallon of extracted white

clover or basswood honey 5 00 3 00

Best gallon extracted fall honey .5 00 3 00

The above is limited to competitors pro-
ducing their own honey in Nebraska dur-
ing the year 1894.

Best 20 lbs. granulated honey. . .15 00 $3 00

Best and largest display of any
one, including bees, extracted
and comb honey, and apiary
supplies 15 00 10 00

Best exhibit in beeswax 10 00 5 00

Best exhibit in apiarian supplies
and implements. 15 00 10 00

Best display of honey in market-
able shape 15 00 10 00

Best display honey-candy, honey-
sugar, and sweets by any one,
in which honey is made to fill
the place of sugar 5 00 3 00

Best honey- vinegar,not less than
}i gallon 3 00 2 00

Best display of bees and queens
in observatory hives, and not
allowed to fly 10 00 5 00

Best exhibition of extracted
honey, to be exhibited on the
grounds under the direction of
the Superintendent, not later
than Thursday of the Fair. . . .10 00 5 00

Best honey extractor, test to be
made by actual extracting up-
on the ground 5 00 3 00

Best all-purpose single-walled
hive 2 00 1 00

Best all-purpose chaflE hive 2 00 1 00

Best bee-smoker 1 00 50

The following is confined to exhibitors in

Nebraska alone :

lst.2d.3d.

Best display of apiarian imple-
ments and supplies, including
comb foundation, same full to
partly drawn, and queens and
bees in cages $10 $5 $

Best report of surplus honey stored
by any colony of bees during the
year 1894, the amount of stores,
manner of building up, handling,
kind of hives used, and kind and
quality stored, to be verified by
owner, entries to conform with
other entries of this class, and re-
port with verification to be filed
with Superintendent not later
than noon on Thursday of the
Fair 15 10 5

LOT II.— County Collective Exhibits.
1st. 2d.
The county in Nebraska showing the
best collection of honey of all kinds,
any or all ages, shapes and condi-
tions $25 $15

The exhibits must have been produced in
the county exhibiting. Individuals com-
posing this collective exhibit may compete
for any or all minor premiums offered.

LOT III. —Honey-Producing Plants.

1st. 2d.
For the best collection of honey-pro-
ducing plants $10 $5

Certainly, the foregoing generous list of
premiums will call out a large exhibit.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL-

IST

Nebraska bee-keepers ''know how." Bro.
Whitcomb, no doubt, could give a good
many "pointers" on how to secure the
proper recognition of apiculture at Fairs.

Xlie Color in ISeeswax Dr. C. C.

Miller, in a recent number of Gleanmgs,
gives the following " straw " on the color
of beeswax:

'• Who of us hasn't wondered what it is
that gives the bright-.yellow color to bees-
wax ? Wax is generally considered white
when first produced in little scales. Cowan
says it is always tinted, the color coming
from the pollen consumed. But what makes
it get yellower in the hive ? A German
writer says that, like the young of nearly
all animals, the young bee, on first empty-
ing its bowels, discharges feces of intense
yellow, and this colors the comb. White
comb confined in the center of a colony,
but inclosed in wire cloth, remains white.
Here's something for experimenter Taylor."

Feeding- to Cnre Paralysis. —

Prof. Cook, writing from Claremont, Calif.,
on July 23, 1894, offers the following as his
experience in treating bees afflicted with
paralysis :

Dear Mr. York: — As you are aware, I
secured several of the diseased colonies of
bees. All were very scant of stores. I fed
all, and all are much improved. Indeed, I
see no sign of the disease now. As simple
feeding seemed as effective as medication
with feeding, I am persuaded that feeding
was enough to rout the disease.

I was led to the opinion that it was a case
of partial starvation. The nurse-bees could
not properly feed the brood, and the latter
died from lack of nourishment. Mr. J. C.
Dayton writes me that he thinks starvation
is the cause.

This past week I have examined colonies
with much last year's honey, and find no
trace of the malady. Commissioner Herron
informed me that the disease was not east
of Grapeland. I wonder if the bees there
have not more old honey on hand.

Rambler was going to buy (?) that $1,000
recipe, but lacked a few cents of having
enough. I will sell him my secret — just
feeding— for just what he has on hand !

I find many plant and bark lice here this
dry season, and so there is very much
honey-dew. This may make it necessary
to feed less. A. J. Cook.

California. Black-Sage Honey.

—Mr. J. P. Israel, of Escondido, Calif., had
an article in a recent number of Olecmiuga,

on the production of comb and extracted
honey in California, and also touched on
the subject of bees and fruit. We take the
following excerpt from Mr. Isreal's article

A producer in a black-sage country should
by all means produce comb honey, provid-
ed he does not have too far to haul it in a
wagon. He should do this, because all the
black-sage honey is white. Whei-e his flora
is mixed he can get no pure white honey,
therefore he should extract.

Prof. Ccok is going to be a power for
good in California. Already he has begun
te establish an influence over the fruit-pro-
ducers. But fruit-men are getting their
eyes opened — opened by sad experience.
Negotiations are now going en in a certain
section of Fresno county, to plant 1,000
acres of black-sage. This will be done by a
company, or combination, of large fruit-
producers. This sage will be scattered
along the foothills— about 100 acres in a
patch— five miles apart. Thus you see its
benefits will reach a great many orchards,
which in turn will pay back in nectar for
the labor of the bees. These tracts of
black-sage will be irrigated, and will yield
floods of honey every year.

Xlie Premium t,ist of the Kent Co.,
(Mich.) Agricultural Society for 1S94 has
been sent us. The Fair is to be held at
Grand Rapids on Sept. ISth to 21st inclu-
sive. The premiums on " Apiary Products "
are as follows :

1st. 2nd.

Display of comb honey .$3 00 .$2 00

Single case of comb honey 2 00 1 00

Display of extracted honey 2 00 1 00

Collection of honey-producing

plants, mounted and named. . . 2 00 1 00
Display of bee-keepers' supplies

by manufacturer Diploma.

While the above is a good beninning,
another year bee-keepers around Grand
Rapids should see to it that a more exten-
sive list is offered. With proper effort on
the part of apiarists, we believe that every
Fair in the country would grant liberal
premiums for bee and honey exhibits. The
apiarian department should be made one of
the most attractive parts of every Fair. By
a little work it can be done, and it's a good
way to advertise the bee-keeping business.

Mrs. Ateliley is again up with her
orders, and queens go by return mail, her
bees having recovered from the effects of
the severe sun-scorching they received a
few weeks ago.

Great Premium on page 131

138

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

ANSWERED BY

OK,. C C. I^IXjILiHSR,,

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 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.

Transferring and Italianizing:.

1. I have four colonies of bees in
Langstroth hives with loose frames,
vi^hich 1 wish to transfer to dovetailed
hives and Hoffman frames, and I also
wish to Italianize them, as they are now
blacks. Will it be best to Italianize
now, and transfer next spring, or do
both at once next spring ?

2. Is there any way to Italianize with-
out having to hunt up the old queen and
kill her? If so, how ? Black queens
are, I discover, very hard to find when
there are many bees in the hive.

Aurora, 111. W. H. N.

Answers. — 1. I believe I'd rather
Italianize now than next spring. It will
interfere more or less with building up
the colony in the spring when every bee
counts.

2. You'll not get the bees to accept a
new queen so long as the old one is in
the hive. Hunting the black queens
will give you a good lesson in patience.
Possibly some hints may be of use to
you. Suppose you have looked over the
frames carefully the second time with-
out finding the queen, it isn't wise to
keep on. She has perhaps hidden some-
where out of sight, goodness only knows
where, at any rate you'll probably not
find her if you keep on. But leave the
hive and come back in half an hour, and
next time you may readily find her.

Be careful about using much smoke.
Smoke them until you get them to run-
ning, and you've small chanceof success.

Here's something may help : Take
out the first frame, and after looking it
over put it in an empty hive, an inch or
so from the side of the hive next to
you. Put the next one close to it. The

third frame an inch or more from the
second, and the fourth close to the third.
When half the frames are out of the
hive, spread the remaining half in the
old hive in the same way in pairs. Now
your frames are all in pairs, and the
bees will be pretty thick on the outside
surfaces of each pair, and comparatively
few between the two combs of each pair.
The queen is very likely to be between
the combs.

Now commence your examination of
the frames in the empty hive. Frame
No. 1 is next to you. Lift it out, and in
doing so the side of No. 2 next you is
easily seen. Look it over somewhat
hastily as you lift out No. 1, then turn
over No. 1 and examine the side that
was next No. 2, putting the combs back
in pairs just as they were, ready to be
looked over again if you don't find the
queen first time.

Sometimes in a stubborn case it's a
good plan to leave the frames thus in
pairs for some time (still better if they're
scattered in several hives), then after a
time the bees without a queen will show
themselves quite uneasy, while the pair
with the queen will remain tranquil.

By means of a queen-trap or a queen-
excluder you may make shorter work of
it. Shake the bees off two frames, at
least clean enough so you are sure there
is no queen there. Put these two frames
in an empty hive, and put an excluder
over it, or a queen-trap in front. Now
shake or brush the bees oflf the remain-
ing combs on top of the excluder, or in
front of the queen-trap. The workers
can get through, but not the queen. If
they stop going through, start them up
with smoke. Better put an empty hive
or box over the excluder, so the bees will
not fall off on the ground.

Bemoving Brood or Sections.

1. In removing a frame of brood or
sections, from one hive to another, do
you shake the bees off, or take all to-
gether?

2. Will the bees remain where put, or
return to their old home ?

Answers. — 1. Just as you like. If
you give a frame of brood to a colony
that has enough bees to take care of it,
perhaps it is better to brush off most or
all of the bees. Then there's no danger
of taking the queen with the brood, and
no danger of the strange bees disturb-
ing the queen of the hive to which they
ara taken. If you take a section to use
as a bait to start the bees at work on

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

139

another hive, it is a little better to take
the bees along.

2. The young bees will stay where
they are put, the old ones will return to
their old home.

Trap to Prevent Swarming.

A writer in Oleanings last September
(page 676) told of using a trap on the
principle of the Langdon device. He
would place the hives closer together,
and use the trap as an escape, by nail-
ing a board over the zinc, and in a week
change places with the brood-chamber.
What do you think of it? That would
be just the thing for me if it could be
done, as I live in the city and have about
as large an apiary as I can run — two
colonies.

Answers. — The Langdon non-swarmer
and its imitations have not turned out
as well as expected. You can only tell
by trying, whether it will suit your case.
But you will have to change twice a
week instead of once.

Will Build Up for Winter.

Will a swarm that came out on July
8th build up strong for winter ? I moved
the sections from the old hive, and they
have them about filled. I thought I had
better not give them any more.

Altoona, Pa. J. M. G.

Answer. — If the season Is good, there
ought to be no trouble. At any rate I
should not feel anxious about a colony
that fills its sections, unless the hive is
too small to contain enough winter
stores. Bees generally look out for
themselves, and if they are tilling sec-
tions you may rest easy that the brood-
chamber is not empty. If the harvest
was still good, I think I should give
them more sections.

E.e-Q,ueening to Prevent Swarming.

Is re-queening a good method to fol-
low with a view to prevent swarming ?
About what time of the year should it
be done ?

Answer. — Re-queening will make no
difference about swarming unless a
younger queen is given, for it seems
settled that a colony with a young queen
is not so likely to swarm as one with an
old one. Those who depend on this
means to help keep down swarming,
make the change as early in the season
as they can rear good queens, some send-
ing South to get early-reared queens.

Homei-Pmmts ManED

I»i-ol»aI>ly Wild Carrot.— Mr. F.

H. Richardson, Laclede, Mo., asks the fol-
lowing question:

What is the enclosed blossom ? Bees are
working very strong on them. It is very
dry here, and the honey-flow is shut off ex-
cept from this plant, which grows in
sloughs. F. H. Richardson.

Prof. T. J. Burrill, to whom we referred
Mr. R.'s question, replied:

The enclosed plant seems to be wild car-
rot, though a positive determination is im-
possible from the specimen. The wild car-
rot is an introduced weed, becoming com-
mon in many sections of the West, es-
pecially upon clayey soils, and often in dry
places, while others with similar flowers
are natives, and grow in moist ground.
Bees seem fond of the flowers, but the
plants are not known to be of any special
value for honey. T. J. Burkill.

Citiiacla Xliistle. — Mr. Geo. T. Gunn,
of Wall Lake, Iowa, wrote us as follows :

I send you a plant — one of the thistle
variety. I would like to know if it is a
Canada thistle. The flowers are like the
bull thistle, only smaller.

Geo. T. Gunn.

Prof. T. J. BurriU, to whom we forwarded
the thistle specimen, kindly replied thus :

The plant you enclose is the Canada
thistle. A peculiarity of this plant in our
country is that it very rarely seeds. The
specimen you enclose has no seeds. This,
of course, makes its extermination very
much easier than in such parts of the coun-
try where the propagation is by seed as
well as by subterranean root-stalks. In-
deed, on rich soils in Illinois it is not hard
to exterminate. T. J. Burrill.

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 ihoney in poultry-raising.
Every poultry-keeper should have it.
Price, postpaid, 30 cents ; or clubbed
with Bee Journal one year for $1.10.

A Binder for holding a year's num-
bers of the Bee Joxirnal we mail for
only 50 cents ; or clubbed witt the
Journal for $1.40.

140

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi

Our Bo€Wrs Simts.

BY F. L. PEIRO. M. D.

McVicker's Building, Chicago, III.

That Twisting- Colic.

The India rubber man at the circus is
scarcely to be compared in his antics with
the contortions of the American boy in
melon-time! That boy can come nearest
tying himself into a bow-knot, after visiting
his neighbor's patch, than can a boy of any
other nationality I have observed. The
jack-knife bend seems more natural to
him ; hence my reason for dedicating this
particular article for his particular good.

Boys will eat melons— theirs or somebody
else's, and when that succulent globe is not
to be obtained, they do not hesitate at a
good-sized cucumber. Mothers are not
often let into these juvenile secrets, but the
facts are just as correctly stated. Fve been
a boy— long ago— and my sympathies are
in consequence aroused. Melons are good
—no mistake. It is only the indiscriminate
way of eating them that brings trouble.

I have seen all kind of boys— young boys,
middle-aged, and old boys— eat the juicy
" millions " in a way to give even the ob-
server a stomach-ache ! When finished, lit-
tle was left of that melon but the trans-
parent rind. There is the trouble— the
nearer the skin, the more colic it contains
to the square inch. If boys would not be
quite so greedy to eat to the very outside,
they would be entirely safe. Melons of all
kinds are really good for them, or any one
else that likes them; they act well on
stomach, bowels and kidneys, if the pre-
caution named is observed.

The rule applies equally well to encumbers.
We have seen some housekeepers so very
economical that in paring them for the
table, they would leave long, thin streaks
of the green skin, and the unhappy guest
would fairly groan at the bitterness of this
vegetable gall, soon to be twinged and tor-
tured with colic and diarrhea from the
effect of this false economy.

Always peel your " cukes " so that none,
of the rind remains, and you need then
have no fear of eating all you wish of them.
They are at their best when just big enough
to eat— before they begin to turn even a

little yellow. At this point they are flabby
and coarse, the fiber is tough and indigesti-
ble, and seeds nearly ripe and woody. In
this condition they are unpalatable, and
may cause indigestion.

When suffering from the form of colic
these vegetables produce, a pint of hot
water with a few drops of Jamaica ginger
in it, taken at intervals of an hour or less,
is as effective and harmless as any remedy.
But to jn-ei'ent as indicated, is better than •
all medicines.

Iiearii to be Self-Dependciit.

It is surprising how lavish is Nature in
her care of mankind. If we could but
rightly interpret her language it would, no
doubt, be appreciated that she has prepared
all things for our use and benefit. The fruits
of the orchard, the grains of the fields, the
growths in the byways, the flowers in our
paths, are all conducive to our health and
happiness if we only knew how rightly to
use them.

In Nature's domains we may find the
food that nourishes, and the herbs that
heal when we, like willful children, have
transgressed her righteous edicts. All things
needful, but require a knowledge of their
being and use. But how little we avail
ourselves of her laws and supplies ! How
indiflierent we seem to her unstinted
bounty! Instead of consulting her and
drawing inspiration and health from the
great healing fountain, we prefer to grope
helplessly, and when in distress to call to
our aid the doctor, who is himself making
efforts to follow in Nature's footsteps, and
supplement her behests.

Well, we should feel grateful that so
faithful students can be found to guide us
out of trouble in time of need. But, never-
theless, I insist that we should, by observa-
tion and intelligent reasoning, place our-
selves less under obligation to others by
doing more for ourselves. You can have
your servant make bread for you, but you
ought to have acquired the knowledge to
be independent of such service if need be.
Just so with many facts in our daily life.
We should give sufficient thought to means
of health and prevention of disease as to
render us more independent of others'
ministrations. One need not go into the
deeper studies of the medical art to do this,
but simply supply one's self with rudimen-
tary works on hygiene, and the exercise of

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

141

the good judgment you have been endowed
with.

Not that you are likely to discard the
services of your good family physician, be-
cause need enough will ever recur for his
mature experience, but that you may ob-
viate the necessity of calling his services as
often, and be more helpful to his ministra-
tions, by intelligent co-operation, when
circumstances occur. You will do well to
learn of him those important facts regard-
ing your well-being which he is so able and
willing to impart. Make of him your
trusted confidential adviser, and your faith
will be well-founded.

COWVEWTIOW DIRECTORY.

Time and place of meetina.
1894.
Aug-.16.— East Tennessee, atWhitesburg,Tenn
H. F. Coleman, Sec, Sneedville, Tenn.

Oct. 16-18.— North American. St. Joseph, Mo.
Frank Benton, Sec, Washington, D. C.

Sept. 11-13,— Nebraska State, at Lincoln.

L. D. Stilson, Sec, York, Nebr.

Sept. 15.— S. E. Kansas, at Bronson. Kan.

J. C. Balch, Sec. Bronson, Kans.
1895.
Jan. 28.— Venango Co.. at Franklin, Pa,.

C. S. Plzer, Sec, Franklin, Pa.

Feb. 8, 9.— Wisconsin, at Madison. Wis.

J. W. Vance, Our. Sec, Madison, Wis.

H^" 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-Pres.— O. L. Hershiser.... Buffalo, N. Y.
Secretary— Frank Benton, Washington, D. C.
Treasurer— George W. York...Chlcag-o, Tils.

National Bee-Keepers' Union.

President— Hon. R. L. Taylor.. Lapeer, Mich.
Gen'l Manager— T. G. Newman. Chicago, 111.
147 South Western Avenue.

Oood Honey-Sellers will likely be
needed now, and the little 32-page pamph-
let, "Honey as Food and Medicine," has
for years proven itself valuable in making
repeated sales of honey. Its distribution
will create a denumd for the honey first, and
then the bee-keeper can follow it up and
supply that demand. Send to us for a
sample copy, only 5 cents ; 10 copies, post-
paid, 35 cents; 50 copies, $1.25; or 100 copies
12.00. Try 50 or 100 copies, and prove their
ability to aid you in disposing of your
honey at a good price.

Horses Stiing- to Heatli.— An oc-
casional accident is reported, where bees
have attacked animals and stung them to
death. Two such were sent us by Mr. D.
D. Daniher, of Madison, Wis. One report
says that ' ' a swarm settled upon two horses
at Prairie du Chien, Wis., and stung them
to death." The other item reads as follows,
having been taken from the Boscobel, Wis.,
Enterprise of July 4, 1894 :

Austin Dexter's bees became greatly en-
raged Monday afternoon, caused from be-
ing robbed of the fruit of their labor, and
took their revenge out on the wrong party
—attacking horses and cattle enclosed in a
pasture across the road and teams and peo-
ple passing by. The little pests were so
vicious, and such a myriad of them, that a
valuable mare owned by C. R. Rand was
stung to death in a short time. Two other
horses belonging to the same gentleman,
and one owned by John Lenahan, were so
badly stung that their recovery is consid-
ered doubtful. Cattle in the same pasture
escaped by flight to the woods. Mr. Rand
will claim damages for the loss, but Mr.
Dexter declares the bees were not his.

Eye-witnesses state that the frisky honey
getters settled down on on the animals in a
gi-eat mass, completely covering their
heads, necks and shoulders. A pitiful sight
it was indeed to see the poor animals kick-
ing and pawing in their vain efforts to rid
themselves of the little monsters, and the
pain must have been intense.

A Crawford county bee-keeper explains
the bees' attack this way:

There was a strong wind blowing all day
Monday, and consequently the honey-laden
insects flew low on returning to their hives,
and, striking against the horses in their
flight, became enraged, hence the attack.

Of course, all such serious accidents as
above recorded, are to be regretted, and
yet in nearly every case it is simply a re-
sult of carelessness on the part of someone.
If possible, bee-keepers should always warn
those who are not aware of apparent or
real danger in the near vicinity of bees,
especially when aroused. Possibly by so
doing many a costly accident may be a-
voided, and continued friendliness toward
themselves and the bees will thus be fully
assured.

"•Fowl Hrood : 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 sold at the oflSce of the Bee Jqdk-
NAL. Price, postpaid, 25 cents; or clubbed

with the Bee Journal for one year both

together for $1.15.

142

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi^,

CONDUCTED BY

MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY,

Beeville, Texas.

PROFITABLE BEE-KEEPING.

I^e^son No. 7.

(Continued from page 111.)
MARKETING HONEY.

As it is one trade to produce a crop,
and another to sell it, I will give you my
plans for disposing of our own honey,
and I have never in all nay life produced
more honey than I could sell at a fair
price, and, in fact, I never had as much
as I could sell.

Now, if you are a beginner, you can-
not afford to have any middle-men or
commission business. When I say you
cannot afford it, I mean from the stand-
point of making your bees pay their own
way, and something left to pay you for
your trouble. You may be worth a
million dollars, but I discuss this matter
from a business stand-point, and I re-
peat, you cannot afford to put a small
crop of honey out on commission, for
you need every cent it will bring to start
you off next year.

Well, to do this, take your honey right
to the doors of the consumers, and weigh
out just what they wish— from 5 cents
worth up. Find out what honey retails
at in your town, and always sell goods
at the same, as I do not believe in run-
ning down a honey market.

Then you can tell your customers who
you are, where you live, and that your
business is producing nice honey like
this ; and all this can be told while you
are weighing out the honey, so no time
is lost either by yourself or customer.
And, bear in mind that it is no harm to
ask a big price, but awfully bad to give
light weight or measure. So say to each
customer : " See, there ; I give you big,
full weight, all nice, fresh honey right
from thebee-hives— my own producing !"

You know it to be pure, so you need

not be afraid to talk, and I tell you it
will be but a short while until your mar-
ket will hunt you up, and you will be
planning how to best enlarge your api-
ary to accommodate your trade.

Now, I knoiv all this is true, for it is
pure, undefiled experience that I am
giving you ; and if you will follow my
advice, I will insure you a market for
all of your honey. If you have no town
near you, go to a town to sell your
honey, as people in towns and cities de-
pend upon buying about all they get.

When you have run your apiary up to
where you are a big bee-keeper, and can
ship out honey by the ton, and have
more honey than you have time to sell
yourself, then hunt up a good, honest
commission firm, and make arrange-
ments to ship them ail the honey that
you do not sell at your own door, or by
going to town and back.

Will you bear with me a little, when I
tell you the way for a bee-keeper or
farmer to do? If he or she wishes to
mount above the obstacles of life, they
should never go to town without taking
something along to sell, unless when
they go to church on Sundays.

All the little necessaries can be pur-
chased for our tables, such as soda,
pepper, spice, coffee, etc., and save the
money to fit us up for another year. You
will soon learn that you can sell almost
anything you can raise on a farm —
honey, eggs, butter or vegetables,
chickens, etc., and as I said before, peo-
ple that live in town will watch out for
you, and as they buy all they get, they
will soon become acquainted with you,
and will know your team and wagon as
far as they can see it ; and by just a
little trouble on our part, a trade can in
this way be built up to take our honey
or anything else we have, with'but little
time being lost.

Study your honey market as you do
your bees and honey-plants, and learn
how or in what shape your customers
like their honey, and put it up to suit
them, and you will soon be moving on as
smoothly as heart could wish. But if we
do not put forth an energy to get our-
selves started out in the world, we had
better not start at all.

Now, if one of you follows my instruc-
tions and fails to sell all your honey,
will you please write nie, and tell me
on what part you made a failure '? I
will then see if I can suggest a remedy
Jennie Atchley.
(To be continued.)

Have You Read page 131 yet ?

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

143

Bee-Keepers and Paners on Ailteration.

Query 934. — 1. In your opinion, what can
bee-keepers do toward the prevention of
boney-adulteration ?

2. What should, or can, the bee-papers do in
the same line ?— Mo.

1. Do not engage in it themselves. 2.
Expose those who do. — Mrs. L. Harri-
son.

1. Petition Congress and Legislatures.
2. Work with bee-keepers. — Jas. A.
Stone.

1 and 2. Try to get laws passed to
prevent adulteration, and then enforce
the laws. — E. France.

1. JJac/i. ONE put up a perfectly pure
article. 2. Just as they have been
doing. — Mrs. J. N. Heater.

1 and 2. Sit down on it wherever they
find it, until we get more stringent laws
on the matter. — Dadant & Son.

1. Secure legal protection, and have
courage enough to enforce the law. 2.
Give 'em— well, fits !— J. P. H. Brown.

1. Unite together and prosecute. 2.
Give fearlessly all the light that comes
upon it, without fear or favor. — C. C.
Miller.

1. Produce pure honey and fight adul-
teration when it can be detected. 2.
Keep still when talk will do no good.
Usually it does harm. — J. A. Green.

1 and 2. Never have anything to do
with anything that looks like adultera-
tion. Put your brand or mark on every
package sold to consumers. — H. D. Cut-
ting.

1 and 2. Get the world converted to
the religion of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ, and when all live as He taught,
there will be no adulteration. — G. M.

DOOLITTLE.

1. Solicit our representatives to enact
appropriate laws, and when secured, en-
force thera. 2. Throw the force of their
influence in the same direction. — J. M.
Hambaugh.

1. Secure radical laws opposed to it,
and through the Bee-Keepers' Union,
which all should join, prosecute all who
practice it. 2. Aid in doing the above.
— A. J. Cook.

1. They can abstain from themselves
adulterating, and supply the market
with a good and pure article. 2. The
bee-papers can condemn adulteration,
and expose the guilty when found out. -
M. Mahin,

1. Prosecute all against whom it can
be proved, and by all possible means of
prevention, both moral and legal. 2.
Show the matter up as fully as possible,
and frown down every known violation
of law. — J. E. Pond.

1 and 2, In ray opinion, the less said
upon this subject the better ! Let the
Bee-Keepers' Union have entire charge
of the matter ; let the war be silent,
aggressive and persistent. All good bee-
keepers "Tcnojt;, it cannot be done !"—
W. M. Barnum.

1. They can avoid adulteration them-
selves, and disapprove of it in others. 2.
The bee-papers can do what the leading
ones have already done— cry down the
adulterators, recommend means for their
detection, and laws for their punish-
ment.—G. L. Tinker.

1. Combine and work. The trouble
is, they are too big fools to pull together
on account of petty jealousies and short-
sightedness as to their own interests. 2.
Urge combination, and point out the
way to do this. We should do more than
publish— we should prosecute.— J. H.
Larrabee.

1. Labor to secure good laws against
adulteration, and be wisely active in
making the laws effective. 2. They can
encourage inquiry as to the condition of
the laws, and urge that efforts be made
to secure good laws where there are
none, or where existing ones are defec-
tive.~R. L. Taylor.

1. Let all join the Bee-Keepers' Union
and raise money enough so that Mana-
ger Newman can have the backing to
look up these large honey-producers
that have no bees. 2. The same as they
have been doing— that is, all they can
to expose and bring adulterators to jus-
tice.— S. I. Freeborn.

1 and 2. Great Scott, what a hard
question ! I once heard Gov. Ireland, of
this State, say in a speech that the peo-
ple were mad at him for not stopping
fence cutting, just because he did not
put his foot on it and stop it, when the
fence cutters would follow the soldiers
and cut fences behind them. He said

144

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

all he could do was to use the money of
the State and his influence against it.
So I believe to stop honey adulteration,
we must use our money and influence
against it. — Mks. Jennie Atchley.

1. Produce and sell only pure honey
themselves, and the name on a can or
section should be a guarantee of purity.
Instruct their customers how to de-
tect adulteration in all known ways. 2.
The bee-keepers should do all they can
to educate the people, making adulter-
ated honey unsalable. — C. H. Dibbern.

1. Do not adulterate, and by all hon-
orable means expose and denounce those
who do. 2. Condemn adulteration un-
der all circumstances ; insist that all
things shall be called by their proper
names, and do not screen those who put
bad or adulterated goods on the market,
simply because they belong to " our set."
— Emekson T. Abbott.

1. Execute the laws against the crimi-
nals. The trouble is, public sentiment
has become so blunted by the nearly
universal practice of adulterating food,
drink and so-called medicine, that no-
body seems to care unless his pocket-
book is touched by it. 2. Bee-papers
can advertise the adulterators until their
business "plays out.'' — G. W. Demaree.

1. a — Be honest themselves, b — Sell
none but the finest quality of extracted
honey, c — Cultivate and supply the
home market with such an article as
will keep out the commercial put-up-in-
the-city stuff, d — Put up and ship in
packages suitable for retail • trade. 2.
a — Expose violators, whether bee-keep-
ers or others, h — Educate the people.
c — Advocate pure-food laws. — Eugene
Secor.

1. Fight it at every stage in every
way possible, the same as every kind of
wickedness. This form of wickedness
appeals directly to bee-keepers as at-
tacking their livelihood. 2. Sit on the
fence and tell their readers that sugar
syrup is honey, because chemists say so !
Then turn around and say that chemists
cannot tell pure from impure honey,
that it may be half or two-thirds glucose,
and their verdict not conclusive as to
purity ! Assure the bee-keepers and
dealers that no law can successfully at-
tack them if they mix! A (irst-class
journal should strongly condemn any
one attempting to make it unpleasant
for mixers! And, finally, should tell its
readers how the editor does it himself
by new, improved, and original methods !
—P. "H. Elwood.

m(ikmjkm»,tikd

Value of Calniii as a Honey-Plant.

Written for the American Bee Journal
by j. c. wallenmeyer.

I see that bee-pasturage is again be-
ing agitated in the bee-papers, and W.
H. Morse on page 26 of the American
Bee Journal offers a valuable sugges-
tion. If carried out, bee-keepers all
over our broad United States could
profit by it. How can we expect a crop
if we have no source ? By judicious
sowing of seeds we can maintain a con-
tinuous honey-flow.

Mr. Newman states that by scattering
about '60 cents worth of seeds of the
right kind for every colony, we cannot
overstock an apiary even though we in-
crease to 500 colonies.

In preference to all honey-plants in
the world, I prefer catnip, as I know it
yields more honey than any other plant,
year for year. We all know that every

i honey-plant sometimes fails, but cat-

I nip never does. It has many good
points that place it in the lead. First,

I you can sow the seed anytime and any-
where, and when once sown it never
needs any attention whatever, on the

I part of the bee-keeper, but spreads with
wonderful rapidity. Its perfect immu-
nity from grazing cattle is a commenda-
ble feature. It successfully withstands
all drouths, and makes a vigorous
growth, flourishing where nothing else
will grow. Its long, penetrating roots
account for this.

I have visited my plants in the garden
at every hour of the day, from early
morn until night, and always found the
blossoms covered with bees. My diary
last year shows that the bloom lasted
from July 1st until frost on Oct. 10th,
making 100 days of continuous bloom.
No other plant will do this. Our best
honey-sources from which we get flows
never last much longer than two weeks.
White clover was a complete failure in
this locality until about the last five

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

145

days of its bloom. Not so with catnip —
it yields honey incessantly.

Even sweet clover is only an experi-
ment, some reporting success, others
failure. It has several bad points. Dr.
Miller reports its adversity to taking a
foothold, and also takes two years to
bloom.

Mr. Root's basswood orchard of 4,000
trees, covering some 10 acres which
must have cost an immense amount of
money, besides occupying these 10 acres
for 10 years before blooming, is now
reported to be covered with buds — some-
thing which he says has not happened
for years. Besides the honey-yield, these
trees are good for nothing except being
one of the finest shade-trees in the world.

Therefore, I am satisfied that catnip
is the best honey-producing plant in the
world. Mr. Quinby is quoted in "AB
C of Bee-Culture," that if he were to
grow any plant exclusively for the honey
it produced, that plant would be catnip.
It yields an excellent honey, and the
reason it has not caught universal at-
tention is that it is so scarce. The leaves
can be gathered for tea, and sold to
druggists. The seed also finds ready
sale. I hope all bee-keepers will give it
a trial.

Evansville, Ind., July 9.

Paper Pans for Sliliiiis[-Cases.

Mr. G. M. Doolittle was asked the
following question, and requested to re-
ply to it in Gleanings, which he did in
the number for July 15th :

Question. — I understand that you use
paper pans inside of your shipping-cases,
to catch the drip from any section that
may chance to "bleed" from any rea-
son, thus preventing this drip from soil-
ing the cases of honey which may be be-
low it, as it otherwise would, were no
such thing used. What I should like to
know is, how you fold these paper pans.
I have a way of folding them over a
sheet of tin, cut to fit the inside of the
case ; but it is rather slow where hun-
dreds of them have to be prepared in a
single season. It seems to me that some
simple machine might be devised to do
the folding with one or two motions,
without having to go over each edge and
corner separatelv.

Answer. — This question comes in very
opportunely, as now is the time we
should prepare our honey for market;
and I know of no one thing which helps

as much to bring favor to our goods as
do these paper pans in the bottom of
each case.

While in New York, some years ago,
I saw cases of honey piled ten and
twelve high, and the drip from the up-
per cases ran all the way down to the
floor, daubing the snow-white cases,
which had been gotten out and put up
with great pains, not only spoiling all
their beauiy, but making them a sticky,
nasty mess to handle. Up to that time
I had not used paper pans ; but then re-
solved that I would try to fix some way
so that my honey should not appear in
market in that condition.

That winter I met Samuel Snow, a
quiet bee-keeper residing in our county,
at the New York State Bee-Keepers'
Convention, and in a private conversa-
tion with him, he told me that he used
paper pans for the prevention of drip
through shipping-cases, telling minutely
how he made them, kind of paper used,
etc. The next season found me buying
manilla paper, of a quality costing 10
cents per pound, in quantities of from
five to ten pounds, when a piece of board
was fitted to the inside of the case, the
board being % inch thick. The paper was
now cut 1% larger each way. than was
this board, so that, when this paper was
folded up evenly all around it, the sides
of the paper pans were just % deep.

The pan was then slipped inside of
the case, and a little strip of wood, just
as long as the case was wide, and }4
inch wide by B 16 thick, was placed at
such distances along the inside of the
paper pan as was necessary, so that the
ends of the sections rested upon it, thus
keeping them up 3/16 of an inch from
the paper, thus allowing the drip to rest
below the sections, so that the outside
of the cases was never soiled, while the
bottoms of the sections were kept clean
also, if anything should occur to start
the honey in them leaking. This, of
course, requires the cases to be made
3 '16 deeper than they would be were
it not for these little strips of wood ; but
the keeping of the sections clean is of
fully as much importance as the prevent-
ing of the drip through the cases.

I have kept leaking honey standing
all winter in such cases with paper pans,
and the manilla paper seemed sufficient
to stand a wetting of honey that length
of time, as none of it soaked through so
as to come though the case any.

I am well aware that, so far, I have
not answered the question ; but I thought
that, if I said anything on the subject,
it should be made plain, so that any one

146

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

could make and use the paper pans who
wished.

I have no other mode of folding than
that described above, or the one-by-one
method, and think that, by this plan,
with the board, I can fold from 80 to
100 an hour, so that it is not such a
serious job unless honey is produced up
into the tons. However, if there is a
quicker way, or one where several pans
can be folded at a time, I as well as
others should like to know it.

Borodino, N. Y.

M-lmn in Australia-Newsy Letter

Written for the American Bee Journal
BY EDWARD EYE.

Wingham is a little municipal town of
600 inhabitants, the center of an agri-
cultural district of about 3,000. It is
about 230 miles north of Sydney, on
the Pacific slope. The temperature
ranges from about 30^ Fahr. in the
winter to 110° in the summer. Maize
is the staple of the district, and many
other kinds of grain are also grown.
There is a butter factory here, and milk
and butter are produced in large quan-
tities ; also grapes and most other kinds
of fruits.

The slope is a moist one ; few months
passing without their due quota of mois-
ture. Honey and wax may also be
reckoned amongst its productions ; but
hitherto the "frame hive" system has
been unknown. The official return for
bees and honey and wax for the year
ending Dec. 31, 1893, was TOO colo-
nies of bees, 16,252 pounds of honey,
and 747 pounds of wax. By this you
will see that we have bees and honey ;
but considering that there is thick forest
everywhere, of eucalyptus and other
honey-producing trees, with fields of
maize and clover, and other growing
crops, in great abundance around us,
the yield is nothing to boast about.
However, there is likely now to be a
change.

Some 15 months ago, a Mr. Albert
Gale, an expert, and officer of the Gov-
ernment, was sent up hero for the special
purpose of trying to introduce the
"scientific principles" of boo-kcoping
to this district; and with very gratify-
ing results, as there are now in this
locality some dozen men interested, and
have between them some 200 colonies
in the movable frames, and the most of
them Italianized. Your humble servant,
who has had bees nearly all his life (in

the boxes) "caught on" at once; and
the day after the lecture he ordered a
movable-frame hive and an Italian
queen, and forthwith commenced ; (at
the same time taking the matter up in
the Wingham Chronicle with good re-
sults).

In the winter of 1893, I put six colo-
nies down for winter, and came through
with four. Speaking of winter, how-
ever, reminds me that in comparison
with yours, we have no winter here,
although the bees, if they are not strong,
seem to suffer severely. We do not us-
ually have any frost until the end of
May, and it continues "frosting" and
raining, and shining then intermittingly
until about the end of August. It is not
cold, however, only until about 9 a.m.,
and from 5 p.m., and the bees fly
briskly in the intermediate time, bring
ing in pollen, but little or no honey until
the latter end of August, when they be-
gin to get a little honey, and breed very
fast. From about the middle of Sep-
tember until the latter end of January,
then there is a continuous honey-flow.
It is impossible, though, to classify the
honey, as ail kinds of forest trees are
blooming at once, and you can only de-
clare that the flavor is " eucalyptus."

But to return. After winter, I joined
forces with a neighbor, M. L. Cameron,
M. D. (formerly of Canada, by the way),
who laid out a nice plot of ground, capa-
ble of holding 400 or 500 colonies of
bees ; and we soon increased our num-
ber of colonies, as at present writing, to
60, and intend to fill the yard as soon as
possible. These we have Italianized,
and have the hives now full of stores,
and snug for the winter.

We have also, I might say in passing,
some very choice queens amongst the
lot — one that I got from Mr. A. I. Root,
of your country, last August.

This, perhaps, of your experienced
bee-keepers may think is jumping into
the business quickly — that is, for a be-
ginner to get from 4 to 60 in such a
short time; but we go quickly here, and
as our colonies are in splendid condition
bees, honey, brood, straight combs (8
frames, Hoffman-Root), and all ortho-
dox, we think we deserve credit for our
" go." Yet, after all, we have to thank
you "Yankees," as it is owing to your
literature and your appliances that we
are able to do it.

When I bought my first hive, I forgot
to mention, I got a copy of Root's " A
B C of Bee-Culture," and subscribed to
his paper. Then I took the AMRRrcAN
Bke Journal, and have road them over

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

147

again from cover to cover. So that novi^
there is scarcely a subject you bee-inen
over there have discussed, during the
past 15 months, that I am not conver-
sant with ; and my opinion is that with
our bees, and your appliances and bee-
books ; and our floral wealth, with Ital-
ian queens, we are destined to be the
foremost honey-producing country in
the world ! This, however, you may
deem Australian "blow," as Anthony
Trollope would say, so I will cease boast-
ing, and continue.

I have spoken only of myself. There
is a neighbor here who has even got on
quicker than I have. Alderman John
Pollock is also a disciple of Gale's. At
the time of the lecture I spoke of, he
had 16 colonies in boxes, and he at once
got the " A B C of Bee-Culture, ind
enough hives, and transferred the whole
lot. Besides these, he also bought oO
colonies of bees and transferred them.
He then got enough Italian queens to
give each of his colonies one of them.
This was in January, and he got through
the winter with 34." Early in the spring
he broke up a number of them into
nuclei colonies for queen-rearing, sold
about five dozen queens, got a ton of
honey,and increased to 70 colonies, which
he has now set down for the winter.

Wingham, N. S. W., April 12.

Olil or YouM Bees for Winter.

Written for the American Bee Journal

BY J. F. MEKKILL.

As before promised, I will give my ex-
perience in the wintering and springing
of my bees in 1893 and 1894. I
thought when I read Mr. B. Taylor's
article in the issue of the American Bee
Journal for May 24th, I would never
write one word of my experience, as it is
entirely in contradiction of his experi-
ence, but I have concluded to give it,
and let all who read it sift it and sand it
as they please.

My bees went into winter quarters in
the fall of 1893 with the fewest young
bees that I ever saw in the number of
colonies that I had. No honey worth
mentioning was gathered after the mid-
dle of July, and the last of August found
almost all of my new colonies in a starv-
ing condition, and so reduced in bees
that I had to double them up to place
them in fair condition for winter as to
bees.

We had no fall flow of honey at all,
and the middle of September found my

36 colonies of bees with less than 100
pounds of honey in the whole number. I
always weigh every hive, so I know just
what they have.

I fed every colony until each contained
30 pounds of stores from granulated
sugar syrup, in the proportion of two
parts of sugar to one of water.

I packed them up snugly and warm,
and left them on the summer stands,
with all the horrors of despair, never
expecting such old bees could winter.

Now for the result : On May 23,
1894, I was in possession of 36 as fine
colonies of bees as I ever saw at that
time of the year. In all my experience
in keeping bees, I never saw hives so
well filled with bees and brood as they
were the first of May this year.

Now I am not going to say that I pre-
fer old bees for winter — oh, no ! another
winter might give altogether different
results, for we had a very warm winter
and a very early spring, and this may
account for their fine wintering.

I believe with Mr. Taylor, that the
conditions exist in a hive in the fall for
their successful wintering. An ex-
tremely severe winter of course might
not bring bees through quite as strong
as a mild one. Mr. Taylor says that
plenty of young bees and plenty of nat-
ural stores are the conditions. I shall
disagree with him in only one point, viz. :
Give me the granulated sugar instead of
the honey, for this locality.

I would not give anybody 10 cents per
colony to warrant my bees for winter
when fed on sugar.

Sometime I will give my experience in
wintering bees on honey and granulated
sugar.

Corinth, Vt.

Feeiini Supr to Prolnce "Honey.

The followiitg question was asked in
the National Stockman recently, and
answered by Dr. C. C. Miller :

Question. — Would it be profitable for
me to feed sugar to my bees, as materi-
als for honey are scarce, and how much
should be given per day ?

Answer. — It depends a little upon
just what you mean. Feeding for the
support of bees is one thing; feeding to
have the material fed stored by the bees,
quite another. During the cold, wet
weather in the first part of June, many
colonies run short of stores, some of

148

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

them destroying their brood, some of
them starving to death. In such case it
would be very profitable to feed sugar
syrup for stores, even if sugar cost more
per pound than honey. For in some
cases ten cents worth of sugar would
have saved the life of a colony worth
many times as much.

It doesn't greatly matter how much is
fed per day, only so they have enough
to bridge over the time of scarcity.

But under no consideration would I
advise feeding sugar syrup to have the
bees put it in combs to be used or sold
as honey. With regard to the profit,
just figure a little. Of late years some
have gone out of the business of produc-
ing honey because there is not enough
profit in it. Now if they are not satis-
fied with the profit when the materials
for honey are entirely free, it will cer-
tainly be just so much worse if materials
have to be bought. In other words, if
the time and labor of feeding, together
with the sugar used, makes the syrup 5
cents a pound, then your honey will cost
you 5 cents a pound more than the
honey of the man who lets his bees find
their own honey. Indeed probably
more, for whatever the reason may be,
it Is generally agreed that only part of a
pound is stored for every pound fed,
whether the material fed be sugar syrup
or pure honey.

Besides, if you want the honey for
your own use, it will be more convenient
to put the sugar syrup itself on the
table, without the trouble of feeding it
to the bees, for when they put it in the
combs it is still sugar syrup. You know
that honey varies greatly, according to
the material it is made of. Buckwheat
honey and clover honey are very unlike.
I have eaten honey that had a rank
taste and disagreeable smell, and I tasted
some at the World's Fair that didn't
taste very bad ^at first, but after some
minutes began to burn my throat as if I
had been eating wild turnips. So you
see it isn't like fi^eding a cow grass or
grain to get butter ; the particular
flavor comes not from the bee changing
the material, but the material itself has
the flavor in the first place.

Of course no honest person would at-
tempt to sell sugar syrup for honey, no
matter whether fed to the bees or not.

Marengo, 111.

[Bee-keepers cannot bo too careful
about feeding sugar syrup to bees. It is
all right to feed it, as the Doctor says,
for Htxires for the bees to winter on, but
it must never b<i fed for the purpose of

being put into the sections, or extracted,
and afterward sold as honey. Once per-
mit the public to get a clear taste of
sugar in what has been sold them as
pure honey, and it won't be long before
it will be utterly impossible to sell honey.
If purchasers want sugar in their honey
to " sweeten" it, they are quite able to
put it in themselves. Let every bee-
keeper avoid even the slightest appear-
ance of adulteration. No other course
will ever pay. — Editok.]

Foul BrooJ— Better Proof kM For.

Written for the American Bee Journal
BY KANDOLPH GRADEN.

If I may be permitted, I would like to
explain some things in regard to foul
brood.

All have seen Mr. McEvoy's article
and challenge to me in the American
Bee Journal, of Sept. 7, 1893. In the
Bee Journal of Jan. 11, 1894, I
made a reply to his challenge, and asked
to have it amended. Then in the Bee
Journal of April 19, 1894, Mr. Mc-
Evoy says he has no time to go to Michi-
gan, so will not accept the amendment,
but makes another challenge, to send
money to an entire stranger to me, and
in [to 'me] a strange country, to be tried
in just everything his own way. Now,
do you think their is any justice in that?
And do you think that any sane man
upon the face of this earth would com-
ply with that request ?

NOT HASTY IN THE MATTER.

Before reviewing Mr. McEvoy's arti-
cle any further, let me say that I was
not hasty in any of the matters he re-
fers to, nor did I clap my hands and
shout " Eureka !" as soon as I discovered
a method of cleaning out foul brood, but
I waited three long years, to see if I
might not be mistaken in the results
and observations, but after seeing that
it was, to all appearances, a success in
every instance, and seeing others recoA-
mending methods that in my hands
proved a failure, I felt in duty bound to
try to save some of the readers of the
American Bee Journal their time and
trouble in trying to cure foul brood with
such methods that proved a failure with
me. I have a letter from a bee-keeper
who says that he treated his bees by
Mr. McEvoy's method, but he says that

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

149

the disease appears again soon after
being treated, and he thinks that it is
on account of his bees robbing foul-
broody colonies in his neighborhood, but
as he procured my method of treating
foul brood a short time ago, I think that
he will soon change his mind in regard
to the robbing ijeing the cause of the
disease re-appearing among his bees.

DISEASE CARRIES IN HONEY.

Now I do not want to be understood as
saying that the disease cannot be carried
to a healthy colony in honey, as I never
said such a thing, for such I do not
know for a fact, and in my former arti-
cles on that subject I said that honey
was thrown out of the combs with the
extractor or otherwise ; where the foul
matter is thrown out of the combs and
mixed with the honey and fed to the
bees without first thoroughly boiling and
skimming, such honey I should have
grave doubts about. I have only claimed,
and do claim yet, and will remain by
such belief [as seeing is believing, and
the proof of the pudding is in the eat-
ing] until it has been proven beyond a
doubt that I am mistaken in saying that
bees do not spread the disease simply by
robbing diseased colonies, except when
the foul matter aforesaid is fed and
stored in such combs.

Still, Mr. McEvoy says that I am very
much mistaken, so if that is the case I
must be doing a great wrong to the bee-
keepers in saying so, but let us see what
proof Mr. McEvoy produces.

He says that Dr. Howard's test cases
will forever settle this question about
the honey in foul-broody colonies not
being diseased. He says Dr. Howard
uncapped the sealed honey that he
[McEvoy] sent him, and found the
spores of the disease, etc. Now, is that
all the proof Mr. McEvoy has, to allow
him to say that I am very much mis-
taken, and that it is a settled matter
forever? Now, if that is all, then he
must not think that it is a settled mat-
ter, as I think there are many more be-
sides myself who will not accept such
proof as that to settle a matter of that
kind ; and it only goes to show how some
people jump at conclusions, and we must
say that Mr. McEvoy is a little too fast
and ahead of time. He leaves out such
as is most needed to settle a matter of
that kind, and he must go back and try
it over, and give us better proof before
we will be satisfied with the results of
the tests made. For he has not said
that he knew for a positive fact that the
honey in the sealed combs that he sent

to Dr. Howard was gathered from the
bloom of trees and plants, and that he
is positive that the bees stored no honey
that was extracted from foul-broody
combs, or honey that was spilled, to-
gether with some of the foul matter of
foul brood, in the hands of some bung-
ling person in cleaning out some foul-
broody hive, or otherwise, that was sent
to Dr. Howard for the tests.

Now, if Mr. McEvoy wanted to be
justified in the least in saying that I am
very much mistaken, that bees in rob-
bing do not carry the disease to their
hives, he would have to take a brood-
comb out of a foul-broody colony that
was in its last stages of the disease,
where honey was stored in cells where foul
brood had been in, and cleaned out by
the bees and honey stored therein, as
the queen does not like to deposit eggs
in such cells if any others can be found
in the hive ready for eggs ; but the bees
will fill such cells with honey if any is
to be had. Thea take such comb with
honey, as aforesaid, and let the bees
from a colony that is positively free and
clean of the disease foul brood, and let
the bees from such hive fill themselves
from such combs, and then catch some
of the bees and have the honey con-
tained in their honey-sacs or stomachs
examined with a microscope, and see if
it contained spores' of foul brood. Also,
see if the colony where such honey is
carried to by the bees from such combs
will become diseased ; and not until
some tests have been made in some such
way, showing that I am wrong, will I
admit that I may have been mistaken.
Nor is Mr. McEvoy justified in saying
that I am mistaken.

NOT SPREAD BY BOBBER BEES.

Again, he says that Graden doesn't
believe that foul brood is spread in any
apiary by robber bees. That is correct.
As I have seen too much robbing done
and never saw a colony become diseased
on account of such robbing, time and
space forbids me giving full details in
that regard.

He says further that I am trying to
show that the disease is spread about
from one colony to another in and by
the winds. Now, cannot Mr. McEvoy
understand my article referred to bv
him, or is he purposely trying to twist
and turn it in such a way as to suit him-
self ? If so, please let me say that it is
not made out of such soft stuff as to be
twisted in any shape desired, for it will
break first. Still, it will take better
proof than I have as yet seen or heard
of to break it.

150

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAj.,.

Now, if Mr. McEvoy will please go
back to my article, and see if he can
find the word " wind " as he has it in his
article, it is only one word — but space
forbids giving a full explanation in this
article as to the great difference it
makes.

As to the remainder said upon that
part of my article, in a way of explana-
tion, is without any proof or foundation,
but simply air-castles, and, as the old
saying goes, trying to make mountains
out of molehills, for who said anything
about clouds of disease germs, except
Mr. McEvoy himself? Still, if there
was no wind nor clouds of disease-germs,
there was air, and it is very light at
times, so that the odor that arises from
any substance does not shoot up and
away, as it does when the air is heavy
and in motion, as wind blowing.

HOW THE DISEASE SPREADS.

As I have already told in my former
article what my observations were in re-
gard to the spreading of the disease,
now I will tell what led me on to those
observations.

Prior, or before I had foul brood in
my apiary, the underside of the roof of
my shop, and all the other out-buildings
where they could get in, were lined with
wasps' nests, and thousands of wasps
were reared every season. As they did
me no damage at that time, and I am
not in the habit of molesting or destroy-
ing anything that does me no harm,
they were allowed full sway. There
were also many nests down near the
ground under boards and anything that
provided shelter for them. Some built
in the grass. There were also some
hornet nests in some of the trees not far
from the apiary nearly every season ;
also some yellow jackets' nests, both in
the trees and in the ground, but at the
time when foul brood was at its highest
pitch in my apiary, and just before I
discovered my method of succeeding in
cleaning it out, in looking around in the
upper part of my shop, I noticed that
there were only a few old wasps, and
most of the nests deserted.

I was surprised, and began making
examinations as to the cause of so few
wasps, and to my great surprise I found
the brood in a very rotten condition, and
some of it dried up, and very much re-
sembled the foul brood of bees, except as
to the odor. Whereupon I started on
an examining tour, and looked in all the
buildings, and wherever I knew that
they were in the habit of formerly nest-
ing, for the wasp nests, and not a sound
and healthy nest could be; found any-

where near my apiary, except a very
few that were down near the ground,
and well covered.

Next I looked for the nests of the
hornets and yellow jackets, which I
found in the same fix as the wasp nests,
except the yellow jackets that had their
nests in the ground wjre too strong to
allow anything to meddle with them,
and looked as healthy as any I ever saw.

In one instance I examined a hornets'
nest in the presence of others. It was a
large nest, and not one live hornet could
be found in it, and the stench from the
rotten matter was so great that I had to
cast it away, for the smell from the foul
brood of bees would be nothing as com-
pared with it. Not a single healthy
wasp, hornet or jacket nest did I find
anywhere near my apiary, that was up
and away from the ground.

Now will such who criticise my former
article on that subject of spores or germs
floating through or being carried around
in the air, answer the following ques-
tions in a friendly and impartial man-
ner ?

SOME QUESTIONS TO ANSWER.

Was the rotten brood of the aforesaid
nests foul brood, such as the bees are
subject to? If not, then what was it?
If it was, then how was the disease car-
ried to their nests ? I never saw a wasp
or a jacket get any of the foul-broody
honey, but the hornets might have
caught flies, the flies might have had
some of the foul-broody honey, and the
hornets might have carried the flies to
feed their brood. But in case of the
wasps and jackets, if tbey say it was
carried in the honey, then why did not
all the nests in or very near the ground
become diseased ? Now please do not
say you think I am very much mistaken,
but give facts and proofs that are beyond
a doubt. I have never said that I knew
for a fact that the disease was conveyed
through the air, but I have come to that
conclusion, and have simply asked the
readers of the American Bee Journal
if it ever occurred to them that the dis-
ease spreads in that way, or that being
one way in which it spreads.

If any one wants to test the matter of
odor, let them take from a very foul-
broody colony all the covering from the
brood-frames, and then spread a piece
of wire cloth that will cover the whole
of the hive so that no bees can get
through. Then take a strong, healthy
colony, remove the bottom-board, and
sot it upon the diseased colony, so that
the air can pass from the diseased hive
through the healthy hive. Do this in

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

151

the night, so that no bees can get from
one hive to the other, but only the air,
and see if they will get the disease
simply from the odor that will rise up
through the healthy brood.

Why not have some of our experiment
stations make soine such tests, as are
mentioned iu this article?

Now a few more words and this arti-
cle is ended. Lastly, Mr. McEvoy says
that Mr. Simmins has given his method
that cures in many cases, and he (Mc-
Evoy) has given his that cures in all
cases. Now he wants me to publish my
method. What in the name of common-
sense does he want with my method,
when his cures in all cases ? But per-
haps he thinks I have an easier way !
Oh, yes, I have an easier, surer, and
safer way — that is. in my hands, as I
only have to shake the bees from the
combs once — not upon foundation start-
ers, either. After that, the bees do their
own shaking, which is original with me
only, as far as I have ever heard, seen,
or know.

But my method will never be made
known by me, otherwise than I have
already stated in my former article, as I
am yet out $3.00 in cash on getting my
treatise printed, which will call for [at
least] 12 subscribers to balance ac-
counts. But if Mr. McEvoy is very anx-
ious to see my treatise, why, he can send
along his quarter of a dollar to help pay
for printing, and get it. But why should
he throw his money away in that way '?
as he would only say, " Graden is very
much mistaken !"

Taylor Centre, Mich.

Home Marteling of Honey.

Mead at the Kanxa.i State Bee-CoHventio7b
BY K. B. LEAHY.

I will give my experience in building
up a home market for honey, both ex-
tracted and comb.

Some eight years ago, I had my first
large honey crop — that is, large for me
— about 7,000 pounds. As the town in
which I lived at that time had only
about 2,000 inhabitants, I never
dreamed of finding a home market for
as much honey as this, especially when
I had had from one to two dozen tum-
blers and one and two pound packages
in as many grocery stores, for the past
three months, with only an occasional
sale of one of said small packages. By
this method you will see I had honey
enough to last this town many years.

As most of my honey at this time was
extracted, I wrote to some commission-
houses in the large cities, asking them
what they would pay per pound for my
honey in 60-pound cans, and sent sample
with each inquiry. The best offer re-
ceived was HJa' cents, as they said they
could afford to give this much owing to
the fine quality of the honey.

The thought occured to me then, and
I have never changed my mind since,
that the people at home, too, would buy
honey in large quantities at these prices
and if so, why not give them a chance,
and save the freight and expense of
packages or vessels to ship it in ? I
acted on the impulse of the moment, got
a large glass pitcher, and started out to
sweeten the town.

1 went from house to house and took
orders for honey from sample — no order
for less than one gallon, and from that
to five, and charged 9 cents per pound
per gallon where only single gallons
were ordered ; and 8 cents per pound on
five gallon orders — each party to furnish
his own vessel to put it in. I made my
round at 12 o'clock noon, and when I
could not not take an order at once, I
asked permission to leave a sample,
which was usually about K pound. Well
do I remember how I had to stay up till
12 o'clock that night, filling orders, and
the space in my honey-house was insuffi-
cient to hold the crowd that was there
with their tin buckets, lard cans and
pitchers ; and it took a small sack to
carry my money to the bank the next
day.

Many of these people had never be-
fore had a chance to buy honey at rea-
sonable prices, as this extracted honey
in one-pound packages when retailed
in a grocery store, would have had to be
sold at 18 cents. Pretty expensive eat-
ing, but I will tell you how it all occurs.

If this honey is worth 8 cents per
pound, it surely is worth 2 cents per
pound to put it up in one-pound pack-
ages ; a glass tumbler, 4 cents ; a nice
label, 3-^ cent ; and 33^ cents commis-
sion to the grocer. Since that time, I
have had regular customers who take
their five gallons ot honey annually,
and they have become so used to having
it in their houses for winter use, that I
often have to send off and get honey to
supply this demand.

I have often said, and meant it, too,
that I was too busy to sell honey by the
single pound. Again, most people will
buy a gallon of honey at 9 cents a
pound as quick as they will buy a single
pound at 18 cents. This is equally true

152

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

of comb honey, if it is offered to them on
some such liberal terms.

It is now over six years since I have
asked a local grocer to help me sell my
honey, and I am under no obligations
to them for helping me to dispose of my
honey crop ; hence, I am at liberty to
get out at any time and create a honey-
boom.

While the individual customers pay
cash, and the grocer usually wants you
to " trade it out," take groceries, etc.,
the former are the most desirable custo-
mers. So it appears to me.

Higginsville, Mo.

A Reply to"Bro. Ben."

Written for the American Bee Journal

BY T. C. KELLY.

Shake, Bro. Ben, shake ! But, do not
go back into " ancient history," as I am
no ancient. Adam, no doubt, was a
good farmer in his time, but he had
advantages which you jind I have not.
See Gen. II, 9 and 16.

As to provoking a quarrel with some
"Old Hayseed" — never! Many times
have I raked the hayseed out of my hair-
before breakfast, in my younger days,
and oftener in the evening before going
to singing "skule."

As to mistaking you for a tenderfoot,
you are mistaken, as I think the years
have obliterated that juvenile character-
istic.

I have told some of my bee-keeping
friends that more attention and less talk
would decrease the mortality amongst
their bees.

I . was not there when Noah and his
fam'ly landed, and I have failed to see
in history anything in regard to his liv-
ing on dainties after the flood, or pota-
toes, either. If his wagon-train was as
extensive as some of " Uncle Sara's" a
few years ago, he and his family were
well supplied. As to the New "England
Pilgrims," theirs was a case of volun-
tary exile for the sake of free thought
and free speech. " May it ever be so."

As to the "Southern farmers," I think
I know a little about them. But, ray
dear, sir, if you have read the history of
the late war, as I have, and noted the
prices paid for both necessaries and
delicacies (when they could be had), you
will see that they did not raise all they
found on their tables, as 'sorae of those
came from our supply trains, occasion-
ally.

Now, Bro. Ben, I have no doubt that

you know a good thing when you see (or
taste) it, and if you don't say so, you
think, "Arise, Peter, slay and eat."
"Take no thought for the morrow," till
the doctor's pills and bills come in. But
few farmers can say, " I have 60 or
more varieties of apples, and almost all
of the berries." Surely, Bro. Ben, you
are better fixed than most bee-keepers.

But I must admit that you are ahead
on the salt business. I thought that the
salt of commerce was contained in the
waters of the earth, the same as sugar
in the sap of your maple-trees, and that
they both were evaporated to secure the
solids. "Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis
folly to be wise."

Now, Bro., as to bear and snipe, I
have hunted both ; have killed snipe,
but " niver a b'ar," but came nearly
getting killed myself on a bear hunt.
But I never could tell certainly whether
a dog was good for " b'ar " or snipe till I
tried hira.

Now don't be selfish, but give to the
bee-keepers that " sting remedy." We
have but few snakes here. Since the
war, 'tis true, there are a few descend-
ants of a kind common at that time, but
they are becoraing scarcer each year.

Now, Bro. Ben, you and J. R. S., come
over some evening, and we will have a
camp-fire, and " smoke the pipe of
peace." I have been through your State
since you were here.

Bees are doing fairly well now (July
2nd). Basswood will bloom in a few
days.

Slippery Rock, Pa.

Queens aii<l Qiiee]i-Rea,rins:« —

If you want to know how to have queens
fertilized in upper stories while the old
queen is still laying below ; how you may
■safely iutroduce any queen, at any time of
the year when bees can fly ; all about the
different races of bees ; all about shipping
queens, queen-cages, candy for queen-
cages, etc. ; all about forming nuclei, mul-
tiplying or uniting bees, or weak colonies,
etc. ; or, in fact, everything about the
queen-business which you may want to
know— send for Doolittle's " Scientific
Queen-Rearning " — a book of over 170
pages, which is as interesting as a story.
Here are some good offers of this excellent
book:

Bound in cloth, postpaid, f 1.00 ; or clubbed
\^ith the Bee Jouknal for one year — both
for only .f 1.(55 ; or given free as a premium
for sending us three new subscribers to the
Bee JouKNAi. for a year at .fl.OO each.

Bound in paper cover, postpaid, G5 cents ;
or given free as a premium for sending us
two new subscribers ; or clubbed with the
Bee Jouknal a year— both for only $1.40.
Send all orders to the Bee Journal oflSce.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

153

'"-'^-^ ■7-C5 hoxSw

^F" 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.

Sweet Clover Seed and Moths, Etc.

I have been much interested in read-
ing about sweet clover in the valuable
Bee Journal, and would like to say
that I do know that it will keep moth
out of flannel goods. I wish some of the
bee-keepers would see if it will do as
well with moth in bee-hives. If I had
bees I would lay it thick around the
hives. It is now "in bloom, and the bees
are working on it. That is all I know
there is for them to work on, as it is so
fearfully dry here.

Why can't S. H. Clark write a lecture
and have it printed in the American
Bee Journal ? then there would be
more of us to learn from it. S. H. was
better in school with his pen than he
was at speaking when we (he is my
brother) went to school in Ohio. We
used to go to school to Miss Louisa Bar-
rows when we were small, a long time
ago. Miss Barrows was a relative of
Mr. 0. B. Barrows, of Marshalltown,
Iowa. Mrs. Mary J. Dunkin.

Lakeview, Iowa, July 16.

Extracted Honey — Smoker Fuel.

My bees have stored only about 250
pounds of honey (white clover) to date,
and it is too early as yet to predict what
the Spanish-needle will be. I have had
no swarms.

The new department, " Our Doctor's
Hints," is very promising. Dr. Peiro
seems to have knowledge, and knows
how to tell it to others.

I am well satisfied that the advice on
page 8, in regard to extracted honey, is
the secret of a good market and easy
sales for extracted honey. ,1 get 123^
cents for my extracted honey at whole-
sale, simply because it is a fine article —
finer than any artificially ripened honey
I have ever seen, and one reason it is so
good is because the bees cap over at
least three-fourths of the cells before I

extract. Even by this method I took
110 pounds from the surplus cases
of one colony, and it was a very poor
honey year — so poor that out of the 600
colonies of bees in the county, I was the
only one who secured a pound of surplus.

Many thanks for the editor's descrip-
tion of Miss Wilson's veil. I could not
understand her description, but now I
have made one, and it is just " the
trick."

I see many different ways of firing a
smoker described. I have a Bingham,
and I simply throw in a few dry chips,
squirt a little coal-oil in, drop in a'match,
puff it until it blazes good and the chips
are well a-fire, then I scratch up enough
fine chips, bark, dirt, and whatever
comes first (unless too big) to fill up,
and there you are ! It gives me a good
volume of smoke, is easily started, and
lasts a long time. The fuel is always
handy, if you use wood, and the fuel is
easily replenished.

F. H. Richardson.

Laclede, Mo., July 8.

No Swarms and No Honey.

It is very dry here, and bees have not
swarmed any this year. I have not had
one pound of surplus honey, and no
prospect of any. J. M. Dennis.

Blockton, Iowa, July 17.

Bee-Keeping in East Tennessee.

Bees here looked as though they had
been on a strike nearly all summer, un-
til about two weeks since, when the
chestnut and sourwood came into bloom,
since which they have been storing
honey wonderfully fast. I am an old
bee-keeper — have been at it nearly all
the time since 1866, but I am sure I
never saw such a flow of honey from
sourwood as we have here at the present
time. This country is not nearly so good
for honey as in other parts of the State ;
we have no basswood and but little pop-
lar as compared to other sections, and
no white clover.

We have about a dozen or nearly that
number of bee-keepers in this county ;
of course there are a great many who
keep bees in old boxes and log gums.
We have no county bee-organization. I
have talked the matter over to some of
the bee-men here, but the past 3 or 4
years have been so bad for the bee-keeper
that I get but little encouragement. I
think that I will make one more effort.
J. E. C. Easterly.

Cleveland, Tenn., July 16.

154

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

The Drouth and Honey-Dearth.

"Ben There," on page 85, has evi-
dently been where "planten" and
" pussley " grow, and where "the fes-
tive muUen raises it head toward the
eaves," and where there is "the want of
knowledge and its judicial application
which resulted in a ' dearth ' " of honey ;
but as in Iowa but little of purslain or
plantain grows, and very rarely a mul-
len stalk raises its head towards the
eaves, and as we have a great dearth of
honey which we attribute to the great
drouth, I suppose "Ben There" would
say it was lack of "common sense and
earnest work." The fact is, bees win-
tered splendidly, built up strong, and
have been very strong nearly all sum-
mer, ready for the honey harvest which
never came, except the basswood, and
while that lasted they filled the brood-
nest so that we are in hopes we will not
have to feed sugar, and a very few
stored a few pounds of surplus. Very
few swarms came off, and so far this is
the worst season in many years, with no
prospect of a fall flow of honey. But
when I look at the prospect of farm
crops, I do not feel like complaining.
O. B. Bakrows.

Marshalltown, Iowa, July 23.

Discouraging Experiences.

I still like to read the Bee Journal,
although I feel discouraged almost to
disgust with the bees in this (McDon-
ough) couniy. I have kept from 70 to
yO colonies, and this is four failures
with the outlook good for a continuance,
as clover is our dependence, and owing
to drouths or other causes it has about
ceased to show up. The merry bee has
a lonesome hum to me now, as I recently
lost my good " better half." Success to
the " Old Reliable." W. M. Ragon.

Macomb, 111., July 9.

For the Boys and Girls.

I wonder if any of the bee-keepers
have any boys or girls. They seemingly
don't have any — at least they are seldom
ever heard from in the American Bek
Journal. Father has been a bee-keeper
for about 18 years, and I am interested
in the bees. We have about 60 colo-
nies, and our crop this season is nothing
extra large. It is of good quality, and
mostly basswood. I run the extractor
this season, and father takes the honey
from the bees, and tends to the swarm-
ing. Last year I did a good share of

the hiving, while father cultivated the
corn, but this year I cultivated and
father looked after the bees and garden.

Now, if the bee-keepers do have any
boys or girls, I would like to see some-
thing from them in the Bee Journal, if
the Editor doesn't object, and I guess he
won't if we write about bees. If you
write, perhaps I may get courage enough
to write again. Chas. W. Sanford.

Ono, Wis., July 21.

[That's right, Charlie. We hope your
interesting letter will be read by the
boys and girls in the thousands of fam-
ilies receiving the weekly visits of the
Bee Journal, and then we trust we all
may hear from them. If a suflScient
number respond, we may devote a page
or two each week to a department in the
Bee Journal for the boys and girls,
who will some day be full-grown bee-
men and bee-women. How does that
strike you, boys and girls ?

For your encouragement, we want to
say that from the top of our head to
the sqles of our shoes, we believe fully
in our boys and girls ! May god bless
their dear, young hearts, and help them
to grow up into good and true men and
women ! — Editor.]

Doing Nicely on Cotton.

Bees are now doing nicely in this
county on cotton. G. W. Hufstedler.
Clarksville, Tex., July 24.

Prolitii1>le Bee-Kcepiiig-, by Mrs.
Atchley, will continue for some time in her
department of the Bee Jouknal, at least
each alternate week. Until further notice
we can furnish the Back numbers from May
1st, beginning with her " Lessons," to new
subscribers who pay $1.00 for a year's sub-
scription to the Beb Journal — that is, we
can commence their year with the number
having the first lesson, if they so desire.

Tlie r^ovelly I»oclief-Knife is

worth having. Mr. A. G. Amos, of New
York, says tliis about it: " The ' Novelty'
pocket-kiiife which I received with the
Ameku!an Bee Jouknal arrived all O. K.,
anii it is a dandy." Better get one your-
self, and then you will know what a
" dandy " thing it is. Hee page 13H for ad-
vertising offer.

weekly, $1 a Year. [ ^^''^^^^ 3^ifo^^^ee-C^VBe. \ Sa^Ple ^^vj Free.

VOL. XXXIV. CHICAGO. ILL, AUG. 9, 1894.

NO. 6.

■ A^A^^^A<fcA#fcA^A<fci>^A^i

111®

Pi^P

i GEORGE W Y0RK.%S7

~^ ■^"'^^° ^t^^"^

Bees und PloMers is a new 4-page
circular just issued by the National Bee-
Keepers' Union, 147 South Western Ave.,
Chicago, 111. It treats of the relation of
bees to horticulture, being a reprint of the
valuable and interesting essay by Bro. C.
P. Dadant, which we published in the Bee
Journal for June 21, 1S94. This new cir-
cular should be widely distributed in fruit-
growing districts, as the facts which it con-
tains regarding the great value of bees to
blossoms, are clear and conclusive. We
presume you can have as many free copies
as you can use judiciously, by addressing
the Union as above.

Cotton-IVaste lor Siiiolcer Fuel.

— Mr. L. Highbarger — a successful bee-
keeper— says in the Home Journal that he
uses cotton-waste for bee-smoker fuel, such
as possibly may have been used in axles
of railroad cars, and saturated with oil. He
says it gives the best satisfaction of any-
thing he has tried, and it never goes out.
The way to use it is this: " Drop a coal of
fire in the fire-box of the smoker; then put
some of the cotton-waste on it, give a few
puffs with the bellows, and then notice
how slowlv it burns."

Honey will be Money this year, sure.

JBro. \¥. C R. Kemp, of Orleans,

Ind., met with a serious accident on Tues-
day, July 24th. His horses ran away, and
as a result dislocating and fracturing the
bones of bis left wrist. We can sympathize
with Bro. K., as we received ezactiy the same
kind of an injury 16 years ago last June,
having been thrown from a horse on the
farm. But Time has fully healed the hurt,
as he does in nearly all cases, whether
wounds of the feelings or body.

Keeping- Empty Conil)s.— Bro.

Hutchinson says in the Review that combs
which he didn't expect to use this season
have kept nicely, hung one inch apart in a
dark, cool cellar. They have not been
fumigated, and he sees no need of it.

Our Visit to Mr. Liyman^s. — On

the afternoon of Saturday, July 28th, we
visited the home and apiary of Bro. Walter
C. Lyman, of Downer's Grove, Ills., 20
miles southwest of this city, on the Chi-
cago, Burlington & Quincy railroad. We
boarded the train at the Union Depot in
Chicago at 12:10 p.m., and arrived at our
destination about 1 o'clock, where we found
Mr. Lyman waiting for us with horse and
carriage.

He lives nearly a mile directly north of
town, on a farm of 240 acres. The family
consists of Bro. L., his mother (who is 73
years old) , and an unmarried sister. Mr.
Lyman is also unmarried. He is about 40
years old — certainly old enough to know
what kind of a wife he wants, but for some
reason (likely well known to himself) he
has not, as yet. found this particular one
of '' Heaven's best blessings."

Mother Lyman is a dear old lady— but

168

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

she has a heart as young as the youngest.
We did enjoy visiting with her. She is a
great reader, and well educated, having
attended Oberlin College and taught school
in her earlier days. The Lymans are earn-
est members of the Congregational church,
though we felt at once like claiming them
all as Methodists— so similar are the larger
denominations becoming these days. We're
glad of it. All hail, the glorious day, when
all the imaginary denominational lines
shall have been obliterated, and we shall,
as true brothers and sisters, be working in
the interest of a common humanity, as well
as for a common eternal existence. No
bigotry in that, as we can see.

To return to the object of our visit: Of
course our object was to see Mr. Lyman's
bees, and to study the methods he uses. He
has 70 colonies of something like the
leather-colored bees. He prefers the 3-
banded Italians. His apiary is nicely and
conveniently located just to the east of the
house— perhaps three rods away. On this
same side of the house is a porch which Mr.
Lyman has enclosed with wire-screen, to
be used as an extracting room, and for
other apiarian work. Just at the edge of
the apiary, and to the right of the wire-
screened porch, he has a large canvas
stretched up, which forms a cool, shady
place, and under which a part of the work
is performed.

He is this year using a bee-escape honey-
board, which will be illustrated and de-
scribed in next week's Bee Journal. He
thinks that with it swarming can be almost
entirely prevented, and a larger crop of
honey secured — that is, when there is nec-
tar in the flowers for the bees to gather.
His management as to swarming is much
the same as has been described in the Bee
Journal by Mr. Demaree and Mr. Dug-
dale, excepting that he uses the bee-escape
honey-board. This is not exactly a new
invention, but more an application of
known principles in another form.

The season had been very dry, so that
the sources of white honey were entirely
cut off, and only honey-dew was gathered.
His crop of comb honey so far was only
about 30 pounds, for as soon as he saw that
honey-dew was being gathered, he re-
moved the sections that bad been placed on
the hives.

Mr. Lyman uses the 8-frame dovetailed
brood-chamber with the Hoffman self-spac-

ing frames, and the Heddon surplus case —
single-tier wide-frames. His swarms are
hived on one-inch starters of comb founda-
tion.

Last year Mr. L. received an award at
the World's Fair on extracted honey.

Mrs. Lyman said that "Walter" got his
start in bees about 12 years ago, by a stray
swarm locating on one of their trees on
Sunday. A relative happening to be there,
who knew about hiving bees, helped to hive
the swarm, and after that the enthusiastic
owner studied them, purchased books and
papers on the subject, and when he took off
his first crop of 75 pounds of honey, it was
thought a big thing ! From that one swarm
has grown the present well-equipped apiary
of 70 colonies, which in years before this
has produced thousands of pounds of honey
in a single season.

We returned home in the evening, feeling
that we had spent a pleasant, and, to us, a
very profitable afternoon.

Next week Bro. liyman will tell you
about his bee-escape honey-board and its
use.

Keeping- Surplus Queens. — Bro.

Alley, in the June Apicullurist, gives his
method of keeping surplus queens, in thjs
one short paragraph :

One way to keep surplus queens — either
virgin or laying queens— is to place them
in nursery-cages, about 35 queens to a
frame, and insert the frame in a queenless
hive. Here the queens remain quiet and
contented for

Honey- IJeAv from Texas.— Dr.

Wm. R. Howard has sent us this letter ac-
companying a sample of honey-dew, which
he describes :

Fort Worth, Tex., July 28, 1894.

Editor Bee Journal:— I send you by
this mail a sample of honey-dew, gathered
by the bees and stored as honey. This was
gathered from June 30th to July 5th, 1894.
It is the first time in nearly 20 years that
there has been such a yield from this
source. This is gathered from walnut,
pecan, live-oak, and a few other trees; the
most extensive excretion or exudation
being from the walnut and pecan, to which
it owes its color and flavor.

About the time (June 15th) the horsemint
had begun to yield honey, cold rainy
weather set in, and continued for about
two weeks. After this, the hot wave, with
its simoons, visited us. The wet weather
had so stimulated the growth (it being the
time of second growth of these trees), the
leaves were extravasated with the succu-

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

169

lent flow of sap, causing an exudation,
called honey-dew. and for five or six days —
until the rain washed it off— the leaves
were dripping with this viscid liquid. The
stuff more resembles new pine tar— green-
ish black— than anything else. The taste
is not so bad. but I consider it worthless —
not fit for table use. or to feed bees in win-
ter or spring. I send it more as a curiosity
than for anything else. Pass it around.
Wm. R. Howard.

Thank you, Doctor, for the generous
sample of honey-dew. We are " passing it
around," but so far no one seems to care to
order it in very extensive quantities ! It
certainly is not fit for table use, as you say.
Besides, it is the blackest stuff we have yet
seen called "honey-dew." Truly, it is a
"curiosity," and we shall preserve it as
such.

A Use for Propolis — E. E. Hasty,
in the July Beview, suggests that propolis
can be profitably used in this way:

A sufficient quantity of it melted into the
bottom of an old leaky wash-dish, or other
played out utensil, makes things lovely
again — provided you occasionally set it out
in the sun to heal up cracks that may en-
sue. And in the dire domestic extremity
of a leak in the wash-boiler that will not be
stopped, propolis is just a " ministering
angel." You see it never really melts, and
is heavier than water any way, and so will
remain at the bottom. Put a generous
piece of clean tin over the place, so the
clothes cannot get soiled. In applying the
stuff, heat the bottom first, and then rub
all around and over the leaky territory
with a lump of the propolis.

Better Quality Paper Wanted.

— One of our subscribers in Michigan wants
to know why we don't use better paper in
the Bee Journal. To answer his question
briefly, we must say it is because we can't
afford it, at such a low subscription price as
$1.00 a year. And yet we could, if all sub-
scribers would pay their subscriptiwis, and do
it promptly.

It must be remembered that the Bee
Journal has no bee-supply business to
lean on, but that all expenses tnust be paid
out of the receipts for subscriptions and
advertising alone. If all subscriptions and
advertising accounts were 2mid, and there
were no losses whatever, why, of course we
could afford to use better paper, more
pictures, and improve the Bee Journal in
several other particulars. But all people
are not as " good pay " as they might be,
and others meet with misfortune, so that a

certain percentage must be allowed, we
regret to say, for both the willful and the
unwilling delinquents.

Then, again, how much does one expect
to get for two cents f For a monthly bee-
paper at $1.00 a year, you pay 8% cents a
copy ; you get 52 copies of the Bee Journal
for only $1.00 — less than two cents per copy / A
good many people seem to think it is worth
that, even without a superior quality of
paper. But once let all who are owing on
their subscriptions pay up, and keep paid wp,
so we can know what to depend upon from
that source; then let each present sub-
scriber send us just one new yearly subscriber,
before Sept. 1st, and we'll promise to use
better paper, and in many other ways im-
prove the old American Bee Journal.
Will you do it ? If you will, we will.

Our Doctor's Hints. — The new de-
partment conducted by Dr. Peiro in the
Bee Journal, is meeting with much favor,
we are glad to note. Here is what our
good friend, R. A. Burnett, thinks of it:

Editor American Bee Journal. —

Dear Sir: — By adding to the Bee Journal
a department conducted by a doctor, you
have earned, and will receive, substantial
support, by prompt renewals, and new sub-
scribers who will be brought in thereby.

In your issue of July 26th, Dr. Peiro
philosophizes on the "Contented Mind,"
and, in my opinion, does well. In "Bow-
legs and Teething." who can tell the num-
bers of people that will draw comfort, hope
and cure, with lots of prevention, there-
from ; and then it all goes for the cost of
subscription to the American Bee Jour-
nal ! R. A. Burnett.
Chicago, 111., July 27.

We hope that especially the Avomen in the
homes of bee-keepers will carefully read
"Our Doctor's Hints," for to them more
than to any others falls the treatment of
the sick or complaining ones of the family.
Most assuredly it will well repay the men
to read it also, as Dr. Peiro is a man who is
acquainted with farm and garden work,
and doubtless will always have something
to say that will be profitable to even the
hired man on the place.

By the way, until further notice, we can
furnish back numbers from July 1st (when
Dr. Peiro began his " Hints "), so if any of
our readers desire to have their friends
take the Bee Journal, their subscriptions
can begin with July 1st, and thus have all
the helpful hints so far published in the
Bee Journal.

170

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

ANSWERED BY

TDT^. C. C IMIXjIjER,,
Marengo, III.

In this department will be answered those
questions needing immediate attention, and
such as are not of suflBcient special interest to
require replies from the aO 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.

Honey-Board and Its Use.

1. What in your opinion is the best
kind of honey-board to use— one made
of a full sheet of zinc, or one made of
wood slats with perforated zinc between?
By the " best " I mean with what kind
of a honey-board will bees store the
most honey ?

2. Do you think it makes any differ-
ence whether the openings in the honey-
board come directly over the top-bars of
the frames, or whether they come direct-
ly between the top-bars ? S. D. C.

Seattle, Wash.

Answers. — 1. As you put the ques-
tion, I don't think there's any differ-
ence. Possibly it may be just a trifle
easier for a bee to go through a perfora-
tion when she can have the wooden
strip to help walk straight through the
hole, but I doubt if the difference would
perceptibly tell on the amount of honey
stored.

But I think there is some difference
when your own time and convenience is
concerned. The full sheet is inclined to
sag down, so that you do not have it at a
uniform distance above the top-bars,
and as a result the bees will glue it to
the top-bars wherever it comes closer
than Ji inch. For this reason I prefer
the slatted excluder.

2. I doubt if it does.

Comb Between Frames and Super.

I have been bothered considerably by
my bees building comb between the
brood-frames and the super; also build-
ing across spaces of brood-frames. Is
there any way to prevent them doing I

so ? Your answer may be of use to
other beginners. W. A. G. C.

Fremont, Nebr.

Answeb.— That's one of the things
that has had a great deal of discussion
and experimenting. Have top-bars IJ^
inches wide and % thick, then have
them at fixed distances like the Hoffman
frame, or else use Stephens' spacers,
and have only }4 of an inch between
top-bars and supers, and I think you'll
have very little trouble with burr-combs.

If you want to go to the trouble, you
can probably make the frames you have
do. Very likely you have loose, hang-
ing frames like those mostly in use.
Suppose the top-bars are % of an inch
wide and % thick. Take pieces of
wooden separator % wide and Jg thick,
and nail on each side of the top-bar. If
your top-bars are 1 inch wide, then the
strips must be 1/16 thick. Now you
have a top-bar 1}£ wide and % thick.
Very likely there is a space of % be-
tween your top-bars and sections. In
that case nail little strips 3^ thick in the
rabbet, and that will make the space
between top-bar and super only i4 of an
inch. Then put little blocks about two
inches long on each side of the upper
end of the end-bars, these blocks having
such thickness that your frames will be
spaced 1% from center to center. Or,
better yet, get Stephens' spacers.

Live or Dead Brood — Surplus Bees.

1. How can you tell live from dead
brood when all are capped over ? I
took out the frames from 2 colonies
when looking for the queen, and I think
some of the brood chilled, yet I am not
sure.

2. What can be done with the sur-
plus bees ? I have seven colonies — all
that I feel safe in keeping now — yet
they continue to swarm, and no sale for
bees here. What I wish to know is,
what am I to do with those in excess of
what I want to keep ? F. M. L.

Langlois, Oreg.

Answers. —1. If the brood is capped
over, some of it chilled and some not, I
don't think you can tell the two apart
without uncapping. Uncap it, and then
the dead brood will not have the bright,
plump, white appearance of the live.
Unless you've had a very queer streak
of weather, I, doubt if you've chilled
brood in July, especially in strong colo-
nies. At any rate, the bees will have no
trouble in taking care of chilled brood.

2. You can do lots of things. The

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL,

171

question how to prevent increase isn't a
difiBcult one — it's the question how best
to prevent swarming that beats us all.
You can unite in the fall, although it
may be better to do so in the spring.
Save your best queen, if there's a differ-
ence, in uniting two colonies.

You can take the old-fashioned way
of persistently returning all swarms that
issue. A good way, too, especially with
all after-swarms. For when the second
swarm issues with a young queen, one
or more other young queens are allowed
to issue from their cells, and when you
return the swarm there will be one or
more deaths, and they can't keep that
up so very long. Simply put back the
swarm every time it issues.

You can break up any colony you
please now. Distribute its frames, bees
and all, to other colonies. The old bees,
of course, will go back to the old place,
but if their hive is taken away they will
unite with some of the nearest colonies.

Removing Honey from Cross Bees.

I have 11 colonies of hybrid bees, and
they are very cross. I would like to
know how to get the sections away from
the bees without the bees tearing some
of the caps off the honey. Is the Porter
bee-escape used for that purpose ? If
so, how many would I need, and how
would I use them ? Some of my hives
have as high as 100 pounds of surplus
already. I think we have a good bee-
country here. The bees do their work
along the north fork of the Canadian
river. Success to the Bee Jouknal.

Choctaw City, Okla. T. W. P.

Answer. — I think the Porter escape
would solve the problem for you. I be-
lieve printed instructions for use are
sent with the escape. With only 11
colonies you will get along very well
with a single escape. Of course, you
can make faster work with more. The
kind of bees you have makes a good
deal of difference. The more black
blood, the more inclined to tear holes in
the cappings when disturbed, while Ital-
ians are not likely to do anything of the
kind.

Hoffman Frames-Sections— Swarming

1. What size are the Hoffman frames?

2. Can one or two pound sections be
used on the Thompson Golden hive ?

3. Do bees alway swarm before a
young queen Is hatched out?

4. I have a dozen Golden patent hives

and one dozen boxes. I had 11 colonies
last spring and now I have 24. I lost 5
swarms that went to the woods. Would
you advise another hive, different and
better ? or can I use all the late im-
provements on the hive I now have ?
D. S. M.
Lewiston, W. Va., July 24.

Answers.— 1. lT%x93>^, outside meas-
ure.

2. I don't know what the Thompson
Golden hive is, but I hardly think there
is any hive in use in this country that
will not admit the use of 1 and 2 pound
sections. All that is necessary is to
have a chance to place them on top.

3. Yes and no. At regular swarming-
time, when a prime swarm issues with
the old queen, such a swarm generally
issues about the time the first queen-
cell is sealed, so always before she is
hatched out. But sometimes the old
queen is superseded at other than
swarming-time, or some accident causes
the loss of the old queen, and at such
times the bees do not swarm before the
queen emerges.

4. I'm not competent to answer that
question, for I don't know what the
Golden hive is. You'll find it a good
deal of trouble to change and have two
kinds of hives, still there may be enough
difference to make it worth while. Can't
you make it convenient to see at some
neighboring bee-keeper's one of the pop-
ular modern hives such as the Dovetail,
then you can judge something about the
difference. Or, you might get one of
the hives yourself, and judge from that.

''Foul JBroo<1 ; 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 sold at the office of the Bee Jour-
nal. Price, postpaid, 25 cents; or clubbed
with the Bee Journal for one year — both
together for $1.1.5.

Profitable Uee-Keeping:, by Mrs.
Atchley, will continue for some time in her
department of the Bee Journal, at least
each alternate week. Until further notice
we can furnish the back numbers from May
1st, beginning with her " Lessons," to new
subscribers who pay $1.00 for a year's sub-
scription to the Bee Journal — that is, we
can <^ommence their year with the number
having the first lesson, if they so desire.

172

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAj

Om Bo€T&RS Hmis.

By F. L. PEIRO. m. d.

McVicker's Building:, Chicago, III.

Dandruff— Prevention and Care.

Chas. W. Sanfokd, Ono. Wis. .—My dear
young friend, I am glad you liave the right
spirit of enquiry to ask questions. It is one
of the most effective ways to knowledge,
and I shall be glad to hear from readers of
the American Bee Journal, especially
from its younger members. But to your
request.

Dandruff is a scaly affection of the scalp,
a local irritation by which the superficial
layer of skin comes off in bran-like flakes,
sometimes proving quite annoying because
of its filthy appearance on the clothing. It
is a self-imposed punishment for our ignor-
ance and unclean habits. Combs are re-
sponsible for most of it, beginning from the
day our dear mothers scratch our heads
with a fine-comb, and ending with our use
of those sharp-tooth machines that irritate
the scalp, make small sores, and they in
healing, itch, which causes us to scratch,
and so the trouble is kept up indefinitely.

Then comes the next worse step— the use
of various lotions to stop and prevent the
falling particles we call "dandruff." You
can rely upon it that all such mixtures are
harmful, no matter how highly commended.
Let thern alon£ !

The cure is simple enough. Commence
by anointing the head moderately well with
vaseline or cosmoline, obtained in any
drug-store. It is best put on with a sponge.
Do this every third day for about four
times. Do not use a comb in arranging
your hair. (Ladies should use a wide-
tooth comb, with teeth ground very dull.)
Men can easily part their hair with a
brush. The " knack " of it is soon learned,
and is better every way. Indeed, they may
practice the old farmer's way — who parted
his hair with a towcJ. No dandruff on fhnt
head!

After the fourth application of vaseline,
you will notice the dandruff nearly gone,
because the vaseline has healed the sores
from which the scales came off. Oils or
nnimal grease of any kind are injurious, be-
cause it becomes rancid in the hair, and
creates more mischief, instead of cure.

(You no doubt know that vaseline is a pro-
duct of coal-oil or kerosene, hence it is
called a mineral oil.)

Well, after the dandruff is pretty well
gone, simply wash your head, every day,
in nice clear, cold water, and rub the scalp
briskly with your finger ends— wo? your naih,
which should always be kept trimmed even
with the finger tips— a sure sign of gentle-
manly cleanliness.

Now, my good boy, you follow out these
directions carefully, and then let me hear
from you again. Good-bye.

Treatment for Dysentery.

Dysentery is one of those insidious com-
plaints that come like a "thief in the
night," when we least expect it. There are
certain times and seasons when this dis-
order is most likely to manifest itself, and
just about now is that very time. And it is
astonishing what slight transgression, in
diet or exposure, may develop an attack !
You feel well in the morning, you have
worked with a will and overheated yourself
and then sat down to cool— that is the first
step in its progress. At supper, being
hungry, you have indulged in large drinks
of water or tea ; eaten fatty meats, pud-
ding or pie, and gone to bed. This is the
second and effective step.

Your sleep is troubled, some sickness at
the stomach sets in during the night, more
or less severe colic comes on, and by morn-
ing you experience the forcible evidence of
what proves to be dysentery — which really
means an inability of nature to digest and
assimilate the quantity and quality of food
you have taken the evening before, and so
the contents of the stomach pass, fer-
mented and irritating, into the intestinal
canal, and set up an inflammation of its
lower portion principally, which results in
the pain, prostration, and passing of bloody
mucous which we now recognize as " flux."
Unless proper remedies are at once used,
more serious consequences may follow.
What shall first be done ? Garden " puss-
ley " is generally easy to obtain. Take a
large handful, wash it clean, boil it in two
quarts of water for one hour. When boiled
to one quart, take off and strain the liquid
through a clean towel. Of this " tea " give
a half teacupful in a pint of water as hot
as can be taken. It may produce vomiting
— all the better if it does ; but if not, keep
right on giving it every two hours, except

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

173

when the patient is asleep. If so, let him
rest. Xot a thing to eat ; he woii't stmt'e .'

So keep doing, and in ?A or 36 hours he
will feel quite "chipper."' But right here
is where you patience and good judgment
must come to the rescue ! He will want to
eat your pantry out of sight, but you must
insist on giving him, very sparingly, of
crackers and milk, or toasted bread well
soaked in milk — fed often, and only a little
at a time, because — you see ?— his stomach
must have rest. Cool buttermilk is excel-
lent, if liked.

After the first day's light feeding, the
yolk of a boiled egg (not the white!) may
be given morning, noon, and early evening,
with the usual bread and milk. The third
day a simple rice-pudding may be ven-
tured on in addition, and the juice of fresh
berries in a little cool water will be relished
besides. After that, ho will be well enough
to take care of himself, with a little caution.

Practically the same treatment applies
to children, and if they show symptoms of
irritation or nervousness, the hot bath,
morning and night, will do wonders in
quieting them. But remember, aye excitable
Hume is worse than none.

COXVEWTIOi^ DIRECTORY.

Time and place of meeting.

1894.
Aug-.16.— East Tennessee, at Whitesburg.Tenn
H. F. Coleman. Sec, Sneedville, Tenn.

Oct. 16-18.— North American, St. Joseph, Mo.
Frank Benton, Sec, Washington, D. C.

Sept. 11-13.— Nebraska State, at Lincoln.

L. D. Stilsoii, Sec, York, Nebr.

Sept. 15.— S. E. Kansas, at Bronson. Kan.

J. C. Balch, Sec. Bronson, Kaus.
1895.
Jan. 28.— Venango Co., at Franklin, Pa.

C. S. Pizer, Sec, Franklin, Pa.

Feb. 8, 9.— Wisconsin, at Madison, Wis.

J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec, Madison, Wis.

ig^ 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-Pres.— O. L. Hershiser.... Buffalo, N. Y.
Secretary— Frank Benton, Washington, D. C,
Treasurer— George W. York... Chicago, Ills.

National Bee-Keepers' ITuion.

President— Hon. R. L. Taylor.. Lapeer, Mich.
GEN'ii Manager— T. G. Newman, Chicago, 111.
147 South Western Avenue.

conducted by
MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY.

Beevidle, Texas.

Straw Mats Over the Frames to Keep
Off Heat.

Mks. Atchley:— We had bad luck
with broken combs once from heat, and
lost nearly all our whole apiary. But
we have had no loss since we have used
the straw mat over the frames, as it
keeps the heat of the sun's rays off the
tops of the combs. Try them.

Chas. Dadant & Son.

Hamilton, 111., July 21.

Thank you, my good friends, for this
recipe. It is too good to keep secret,
and I have given it to the public, as it
may be the means of helping others, as
I have had reports from different parts
of the country, that their bees were
damaged by the hot wave. Yes, I shall
try it, and am satisfied that the straw
mat will keep out the force of the sun's
rays. And it might be well to mention
right here, that the bees in this latitude
stop work in the sections in real hot
weather, unless well shaded, and the
straw mat will be a help, or a remedy
for this, too. Jennie Atchley.

Foul Brood and Bee-Paralysis in
Australia.

Mrs. Atchley :— I think you are
quite right as to the origin of foul brood.
We have not a single case in this colony,
and never had. There is, however,
plenty of it in the adjoining and south-
ern colonies. Now, if it would originate
in dead brood, we hac} every condition
necessary to propagate it last year. We
were then visited by the most disastrous
floods ever known in this colony, and a
large number of apiaries were swept
clean out of existence.

When the washers subsided, hundreds
of dead colonies were left scattered
about, and soon became a fiWiy mass of
rotten brood. At this time of the year

174

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi-.

the colonies were mostly very strong,
and contained a large amount of brood,
and with the thermometer registering
daily from 90° to 100- in the shade,
what more favorable condition could ex-
ist for its appearance if it could exist
spontaneously ?

On page 142 of the Amekican Bee
JouKNAL you state that salt will not
cure bee-paralysis. No, it will not ; but
if you will sprinkle powdered sulphur
over the bees and brood once or twice,
you will cure it every time, and it ivill
remain cured. It must be a very preva-
lent disease in your county, if more
than two-thirds of the bees have fallen
before it during the past three years.

On page 814 of the Bee Jouknal for
1893, you wish you had more photo-
graphs of old-time bee-keepers ; so per-
haps one from a recent-timo bee-keeper
from a foreign clime, maybe acceptable.
At least, I trust so. H. L. Jones.

Queensland, Australia, May 16.

Friend Jones, I have been thoroughly
convinced for some time that foul brood
does not originate in any kind of dead
or rotten brood, as it has no appetite for
such, and cannot start there. It wants
live brood to start in, and must have it
or it will not start at all. A common
filth or air germ will start in dead brood,
but a foul brood germ never, as foul
brood .germs are not floating about
everywhere, unless foul brood is there,
too, and must have a germ from the old
bucket to start from.

In regard to the statement concerning
bee-paralysis in the U. S., I think you've
been badly informed, or the person that
imparted to you that information was
mistaken. I know it has done damage
in some parts of the United States, but
I have not seen a case for two years,
and none exists in this part of Texas.
But I am ever so much obliged for your
remedy, and I am sure that those whose
bees have it will be proud to know that
we have at last found a sure cure, and
it will prove a blessing to our country.
Will those whose bees have the disease,
please try Friend Jones' remedy, and re-
port if it will cure the disease in this
country ? Some times a remedy will not
hold good in all climates.

Yes, I am very glad indeed to own the
photograph of such a bright and intelli-
gent young bee-keeper from across the
" big pond," and while he may not be
such a young bee-keeper, he is compara-
tively a young man, and one that his
country should be proud of. Accept
kind regards and good wishes for the

success, health and happiness of you
and yours in your faraway land.

Jennie Atchley.

Bad for Southern California.

Mks. Atchley : — I am sorry to have
such a bad report to make. In the six
counties comprising the southern por-
tion of California, and the best portion
of the State for honey, it is almost a
total failure — no honey, the drouth hav-
ing cut it off. Then, to add to this, ray
bees have the foul brood, and I suppose
the dry weather, together with foul
brood, will destroy a great many, if not
all, of the bees in this community. I
am not going to yield to these disap-
pointments, but put forth greater en-
ergies, and clear away the wreck, and
then try again. Jeff Williams.

Tustin City, Calif., July 15.

Friend Williams, I am sorry indeed to
learn of your sad misfortunes, and trust
that you may speedily cure the foul
brood, and that you may have 24 inches
of rain next wintei*, which will insure
you a fair honey crop.

It seems that our disappointments
never come singly, but I think those
that bear them bravely, and begin with
new zeal, will be the ones that will suc-
ceed. I have had several sad disap-
pointments for three years, and my loss
more than §500 this year. Still, I am
hopeful, and am thankful that the hot
wave we had on July 2nd was no worse.
I wish to thank those friends who have
so kindly given us help by sending or-
ders for the queens we had left. Bee-
keepers are, I believe, the most ready
and willing to assist each other of any
class. Still I may be partial, but I
speak as I feel about it.

Jennie Atchley.

Italianizing Bees.

Mrs. Atchley : — What is the cheap-
est and best way to Italianize my bees —
80 colonics? Elmer Young.

Grandview, Texas, July 23.

Friend Young, it depends upon how
you are situated, about which is the
cheapest and best way to Italianize your
bees. But if you have no other bees
near you, it will be the cheapest to get
a few good breeding queens, and rear
your own queens, especially if you have
nothing else to occupy your time; and
then you will be likely to get some rea

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

1T5

and helpful experience by rearing your
own queens.

But if you allow drones to fly nearer
than two miles, you will be most sure to
have part of your queens mate badly.
But if you wish to rear your queens and
have them all, or nearly all, mate
purely, do not allow any drones to fly
but the pure ones from your breeders.
One good way to do this, with less dan-
ger of mismating, is to stimulate by
feeding one or two of your breeders, and
rear some drones late in the season,
when all other drones have been killed
off. Then you need not take any pains
to keep other drones from flying, as
there would be none. In your county
(Johnson) you could do this in October
and November, and soon Italianize all
your bees. You couM take away the
queens from four or five of your best
colonies, and give brood from the breed-
ers, and when you get cells enough for
all the colonies, kill the old queens three
days before the cells hatch, or three days
before you wish to move the cells, then
give each colony a queen-cell ; and
should any miss queens, the operation
can be repeated, or the colony will win-
ter all right without a queen.

Now all this is a good deal of work,
but if done as I suggest, and late in the
fall, you will not lose any honey crop
while you are Italianizing ; and then the
next spring all your young queens at
swarming time will be apt to mate
purely, if you have no other bees near
you. I may have failed to tell you the
best and cheapest plan, but this is the
course I would follow. See Queen-Rear-
ing in full, in late issues of the Ameri-
can Bee Journal.

Jennie Atchley.

P. S. — You had better keep down all
the cells the bees start on their own
brood, else you may have a worse queen
than before. It is a nice job to keep all
the cells torn down from a number of
colonies. J. A.

Capons and Caponizingf, by

Edward Warren Sawyer, M. D., Fanny
Field, and others. It shows in clear
language and illustrations all about
t;aponizing 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 Joubnal one year for $1. 10.

Read our great offers on page 163.

One-Pouni or Two-Pouufl Sections.

Query 935.— Which colonj- will store the
more surplus honey— the one provided with
one-pound sections, or the one having two-
pound sections?— Iowa.

I don't know. I think the two-pound.
— E. France.

I have not found any material differ-
ence, in my experience. — J. E. Pond.

I do not think there would be any ap-
preciable difference. — R. L. Taylor.

If there's any difference it will be in
favor of the two-pounds. — C. C. Miller.

There is very little difference, if any,
in favor of the two-pound. — Mrs. L.
Harrison.

Very little difference, the little, if
any, being in favor of the two-pound. —
G. M. Doolittle.

Other things being equal, I would ex-
pect a little more in the two-pound sec-
tions.— M. Mahin.

I never have used the two-pound sec-
tions. My opinion is there would not be
much difference. — Eugene Secor.

It will probably make but little differ-
ence, but the advantage would be in
favor of the two-pound sections. —
Dadant & Son.

I do not believe there would be any
difference. The one-pound sections
would sell better in my neighborhood,
however. — W. M. Barnum.

The one with two-pound sections. But
you will have more ./l?iishecZ sections with
the one-pound style, which are always
more salable — Mrs. J. N. Heater.

I do not think it makes any difference.
I have made up my mind that when bees
are disposed to store honey, they will
put it wherever they can find space. —
Jas. a. Stone.

I have a theory that bees will store
more honey in large receptacles than in
small ones, but I am not so sure my
theory will prove true, if one uses sec-
tions with full sheets of foundation, and

176

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

tiers up rapidly at the proper time. If
the bees are to be left largely to them-
selves, then I would prefer the two-
pound sections for quantity. — Emeeson
T. Abbott.

Much depends upon other conditions
than the size of the sections. My ex-
perience is that there is really very little
difference, but probably it is a little in
favor of the larger sections. — C. H. Dib-

There might be a slight difference in
quantity in favor of the large sections,
but if the one-potinds were in better de-
mand, I would risk the slight loss in-
curred in their production. — S. I. Fkee-

BORN.

Conditions being the same, they
should store about equal. Though it
must be admitted that the more ob-
structions in the surplus department,
the slower the bees are to take to it. —
J. P. H. Brown. .

I have never tried this, as I never
used two-pound sections. But I find
that I can get more comb honey in large
frames above the brood-nest, so I be-
lieve you might get a little more honey
by using two pounds. — Mrs. Jennie
Atchley.

There are two points to be taken into
account when deciding a question like
this, which of necessity involves condi-
tion as well as quantity. Speaking for
myself, I would prefer a little less honey
in weight, and have it In good shape.
But — answering your question directly,
the advantages as to quantity will be
slightly on the side of the larger sec-
tions.—G. W. Demaree.

Continitouj!^ AilTertisiiig,', even if
it be only a small announcement, pays the
advertiser the best in the long run. Spas-
modic advertising, like "spasms" of any
kind, is unsatisfactory. To secure the very
best results, year in and year out, you must
keep your name and business before the
public. Only by so doing can you hope to
keep from being forgotten when the time
comes that your would-be customers wish
to purchase what they want.

Honey :&»> I'^ood stnd ITIcdicine 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 second page of this
number of the Bee Journal for description
and prices.

ReyieioftlieMtier for July 26tli.

WHtten for the American Bee Journal
BY DR. C. C. MILLER.

Here we have the "Old Reliable,"
Vol. XXXIV, No 4. Seems a good
while since it first started — a little more
than a third of a century ago. Many of
its readers not born then. Stopped a
little while for the war, then went
straight along ever since. Been improv-
ing, too. Didn't think it would when
the present editor took hold of it. Too
young. But it did. He's getting older,
too. All editors do.

Let's leaf it over. First item, boraclc
acid is said to be an immediate cure for
bee-stings. Never tried it, but would
put emphasis on "is said."

NORTH AMERICAN BEE-ASSOCIATION.

Frank Benton, Secretary of the North
American Bee-Keepers' Association, is
on good ground when he urges continu-
ous membership in the society of which
he is secretary. There's the weak point
in that association. Held together by a
rope of sand, members becoming such
only if they expect to attend the meet-
ings. One of my old professors used to
say, "Yes, any fool can find fault, but
the remedy, that's the thing." I don't
think I know enough to point out a
remedy, but I can take the fool's part,
and show some of the faults.

John Smith was a member last year
because it was convenient for him to at-
tend, but he'll not be a member again
tMs year, perhaps never. It's too far
for him to go if he was a member, and
what inducement is there for him to be
a member? True, he'll get the report,
but he'll have that anyhow in the bee-
papers. I understand that in some of
the societies across the sea there are ad-
vantages that make it desirable to be
members even if attendance is impossi-
ble, and in Canada I think members get
back, in some way at least, part of the

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

177

worth of their money. In this respect
they out-Yankee the Yankees.

BEES IN A CHURCH— DR. PEIRO.

Look here, isn't that yarn on page
105 just a little steep ? Three colonies
of bees in three walls of a church, '• fre-
quently" the honey begins to run with
the heat, "stands in pools about the
foundation," and '• is readily caught in
pans." Whew !

Dr. Peiro talks excellent sense in a
very happy manner. The women-folks
seem to take very kindly to his depart-
ment.

BEE-MOTHS — ITALIAN BEE HISTORY.

Does Mrs. Atchley. in her interesting
talks, mean to say that they have a bee-
moth peculiar to her locality '? I have
seen worms act as she tells about, but I
always supposed they were the common
galleria cereana. And what does she
mean at all when she says, " The worm
itself is properly named moth '?" Or was
the intelligent compositor* venting his
spite at her by making her words mean
nonsense?

That tussle between Robinson and
Baldridge is rather tedious, but since
the thing is commenced, it may as well
be settled "for keeps."

KEEPING- SECTION HONEY.

John F. Gates makes inquiry whether
it was D. A. Jones that told about keep-
ing section honey. I think instead of
the Jones family it was one of the
Miller family. His testimony was ex-
actly in harmony wiih that of Mr. Gates.
Sections kept in attic or garret with no
special care. Wasn't it in the same way
that Hon. Eugene Secor kept some eight
years?

OLD vs. NEW COMBS.

Rev. S. Roese warns against using old,
black combs. I wonder just how much
there is in that. It would seem that
with the accumulation of so many co-
coons the walls ought to become thick,
but when you actually examine them
they appear thin, only the septum be-
coming thick, and that has nothing to
do with the capacity of the cell. He ob-
jects to the cells being rounding instead
of six-cornered. But isn't it just as
easy for the bees to keep it in the proper
shape, and if it were best wouldn't they
keep it six-cornered ? Moreover, Grav-
enhorst, a distinguished countryman of
of Mr. Roese, objects to the way foun-
dation is made— sharply six-cornered —
and not rounding as the bees viuke it.

Mr. Roese says every intelligent bee-

keeper knows too well that every queen
prefers bright combs to dark ones. I
always supposed it was just the oppo-
site. I'm sure it has been in many cases
that I have noticed. If Mr. Roese will
put in the middle of a colony a comb of
brood, and then fill out on one side with
old, black combs, and on the other with
foundation or new combs, he will find
the brood-nest extended on the side of
the old combs every time, unless his bees
are different from mine.

He is right in thinking that bees pre-
fer old combs for storing, but 7iot for the
sake of leaving the newer cooobs for the
queen. More than once I have put
foundation in the brood-nest, and I
never knew it to be filled with eggs while
the bees put honey in the black combs
beside it, but often I have known them
to fill the frames of foundation with
honey, leaving the black combs for the
queen.

Marengo, 111.

[*Doctor, our " intelligent compositor "
is a lady, so she couldn't vent " his
spite" on anybody. No, she (the com-
positor) " set it up" in type just as she
(Mrs. Atchley) wrote it. Probably Mrs.
A. can help you out, Doctor ! — Editor.]

AwarJs at ttie Midwinter Fair.

Written for the American Bee Journal

BY W. A. PRYAL.

The awards on honey at the Midwinter
Fair, held in San Francisco, have been
made public, and I here give all those I
am able to find mentioned in the San
Francisco Examiner, of the 11th of
July. As there seems to be no system
followed in making or arranging the list
of premiums, I had to hunt among the
big beets, squash, apples, oranges, hay,
grain, peanuts, etc., all of which are In-
cluded in the department of horticul-
ture, and in which honey is included. It
is really a queer arrangement, and I
suppose it will be revised, as must nearly
all work done by the management of the
Fair.

Mr. J. F. Mclntyre, of Fillmore, is
given 1st premium on extracted honey.

A. G. Edmondson, of Ventura, 2nd
premium on extracted honey.

M. H. Mendleson, of Ventura, is the
recipient of a special award (the highest
given in any department) on comb and
extracted honey.

178

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAJ-.

Inyo Company, of Bishop, Inyo county,
1st on comb honey.

J. Archer, of New Jerusalem, Ven-
tura county, 1st on comb and extracted
honey and bee-hive superior workman-
ship.

Schacht, Lemcke & Steiner, of San
Francisco, 1st on comb and extracted
honey, said to have been produced in
San Diego county.

The honey exhibited in the Nevada
State building was given a first award.

The first prize that will be bestowed
on the prize takers is a "gold" medal,
which the paper from which I have ob-
tained the information above given,
states "cost 64 cents each."

All those given premiums are honey-
producers except the San Francisco con-
cern, whose display reminded me more
of an exhibit of a fruit-canning company.

I feel like poking some fun at the com-
mittee on awards for the consideration
it gave the only hive exhibited at the
Fair. It is hard to tell whether Mr.
Archer has a hive possessing superior
merits as a bee-hive, or whether the hive
is given a premium because it was made
up in a special manner for exhibition
purposes. From the fact that the com-
mittee mentions that it has superior
workmanship about it, and makes no
other reference to it, I should suppose
that the said committee saw nothing
more about the hive to justify them in
awarding it a gold medal, or as I should
suppose, a share in such a medal along
with his honey.

North Temescal, Calif.

Mm Su£arSyrii0 for Winter Stores.

BY M. F. TATMAN.

I have had over 20 years' experience
as a druggist, and had a good deal of
trouble at first in making syrups for the
various uses of the store in summer-
time, when we used large quantities for
the soda-fountain. By the hot-water
process we could not always get a uni-
form quality. If too thick it would
crystallize; and if too thin, if not used
soon, it would sour.

Many years ago wo commenced the
cold-water process, and ever since we
can make a uniform quality that will
keep, I don't know how long — probably
indefinitely, without souring or crystal-
lizing.

Our plan is, to take a ten-gallon keg
(a barrel could bo used, if necessary, in
the same way), knock out the head, and

with it make a false bottom that will fit
inside of the keg, boring the false bot-
tom full of small auger-holes, putting in
pegs to hold it up about 6 inches from
the bottom of the keg ; then take white
flannel, about three or four thickness,
and put it over the false bottom, stuffing
it in around the edges so it all has to
percolate ; then we dump in granulated
sugar, about half full, then pour in cold
water and let it percolate in the cellar
or some room, and no kitchen or stove
mussed up.

The first run we draw off from the
faucet below and dump back ; after that
the syrup is fit for the queen's taste, or
the bees either. All you have to do
afterwards is to draw off the syrup and
add more sugar and water.

We have always fed our bees with
this, when they needed winter feeding;
with a barrel, a large quantity could be
made in a short time.

Rossville, Kans.

[The above article, which appeared
first in Oleaiiings, was also copied by
Bro. Alley, editor of the Aplculturist,
who said that it " is well worth $10 to
any bee-keeper who has to feed his bees
for winter." Let's see, $10 would pay
for any leading bee-paper for 10 years,
and here is just one suggestion that is
worth 10 years' subscription ! Verily,
it payeth to take and read bee-papers. —
Editor.]

Bee-Paralysis in llie Soutli.

Written for the American Bee Journal

BY "NOVICE."

Having noted in the American Bee
Journal for several issues during the
last year, some allusions to this disease,
and having had some experience with it
myself, I write for the information of
those who purchase queens to keep up
or increase their stock, and for those
who, like Prof. Cook, have had the dis-
ease in the apiary, and on the return of
hot weather have seen the symptoms
almost disappear, and have begun to
hope that they have seen the last of the
malady.

I have had the disease in my apiary
for three years, and have watched it
closely. I have tried the salt remedy,
together with others, and have seen
them all fail. The truth is, in my opin-

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

179

ion, the only correct method of dealing
with the infected colonies is to destroy
the bees, combs and hives, and do it as
soon as the first symptoms appear.

I saw the disease make its first appear-
ance in a colony purchased from a dealer
in a distant State. It spread from that
colony to the adjacent hives, and in the
course of the first six months all of my
colonies but about two were diseased.
The bees lay in heaps before the hives,
and the yard was strewn with the dead.
They could be found under the flower-
ing trees and bushes, dead with loads of
pollen in the pollen-baskets, and float-
ing in numbers on the surface of the
river. Hot weather came, and the mor-
tality decreased until I thought, like
Prof. Cook, that my bees were all right
again. But as soon as the brood-rear-
ing began the next spring, the malady
reappeared, and was as bad as ever
until summer came again, when all my
colonies apparently recovered except
one, in which the bees continued to die
during the entire season.

This last spring the same thing was
repeated, and one-fourth of my entire
stock of bees, during the honey-flow,
stored absolutely no honey. One-eighth
perished outright, and all my colonies
suffered except two. At the present
lime, only an experienced eye could de-
tect the presence of any diseased bees,
and that in only about one hive in five.
Some of the colonies that were so much
reduced in the spring as to appear a
bare handful of bees, are now as strong
in numbers as could be desired. I fully
expect that next year will be a repeti-
tion of the same experience.

I am now trying the experiment of re-
queening. I have noticed that in every
colony where the disease has been very
bad, and there has been a perfect re-
covery, that the old queen has been re-
placed with a new one by the bees them-
selves. I have reason to think that the
infection is not serious until the queen
is attacked, and that then her brood is
hatched with the disease well developed
in most cases.

In a large percentage of my colonies a
few diseased bees may be seen almost
any time, but honey will be stored, and
brood will be reared, and the colony be
strong and populous. But suddenly the
last stage of the malady will be reached,
the queen become infected, and for all
purpose of gathering honey, the colony
becomes worthless, until another queen
is reared.

I have very little confidence in the
success of the experiment of re-queen-
Ing, but thought that I would give it a

trial before doing what I fear must be
resorted to in the end, namely, the en-
tire destruction of all the bees and hives
in order to put an end to the trouble.

My experience leads me to believe that
in the case of the queen, the infection
may be latent for a time, and then break
out and destroy her and the colony in
which she may be. From a colony that
had the disease a former year, and had
become greatly reduced, and then thor-
oughly recuperated after rearing a new
queen, and which colony then showed
no sign of the disease whatever, I took
the queen and placed her in another
apiary belonging to my brother, distant
a quarter of a mile. There was no dis-
ease among his bees. In three months
this queen had developed the malady,
and her progeny died by the thousand
until at last the whole colony perished.
The robber bees carried the infection to
other hives, and my brother's apiary has
now several well-developed cases of the
bee-paralysis. So I conclude that the
infection may be carried by a queen
which is apparently in perfect health.
That it is so carried, is beyond all doubt.

I suggest that every apiarist, who
finds a diseased queen or colony sold
him by a dealer, should at once advise
the bee-keeping world of the fact, that
this particular dealer has sold diseased
bees, in order that the unscrupulous ven-
dor may have no further opportunity to
spread the disease. I think that the
bee-papers should make it a point to
keep their readers posted in regard to
such matters, and that they should
cheerfully publish such notices when
offered. I think that no dealer who has
bee-paralysis in his apiary, ought ever
to offer to sell a queen. It is so insidi-
ous in its approach, that the infection
may be brought into the hive by rob-
bers before there is much indication of
its presence visible, even to a close ob-
server.

Bee-paralysis may not be a serious
affection in the North, but it is in this
section, killing out some colonies alto-
gether, and so crippling the majority of
those affected, that they can store but a
small surplus. It is very contagious,
and in this climate, at least, the pub-
lished remedies are of no avail.

Columbia, Miss., July 5.

A Binder for holding a year's num-
bers of the Bee Joubnal, we mail for
only 50 cents ; or clubbed with the
Journal for $1.40.

180

AMERICAN BEE . JOURNAL.

"Sugar for Winter Stores."

Written for the American Bee Journal

BY I. W. BECKWITH.

The above is the subject of an article
by R. L. Taylor, on page 20, and as
bee-keepers are liable to be misled in
their desire to economize, allow me to
say a few words of 'caution.

If I thought I could winter my bees
on SJ-g' pounds of sugar syrup, and have
the conditions of the colonies all that
could be desired the forepart of April, I
would extract the honey and trade it for
sugar, even if I should have to give
nearly 2 pounds for one. But I fear
Mr. T.'s "economy" is more fanciful
than real. In fact I do not believe any
colony of bees can live during the winter
and until the forepart of April on 2]<i
pounds of any kind of food, as some of
his did, and then be in condition that
would suit me.

As Mr. Taylor has told us nothing to
the contrary, I must conclude that
syrup is not conducive to breeding, and
by April I expect my hives to be pretty
well supplied with young bees ; and if
Cheshire is correct in his experiments
and conclusions, those bees could have
reared but about three ounces of young,
even supposing the old bees did not con-
sume one drop for their own subsistence.

If he had told us the comparative con-
dition of the two sets of bees in the
spring, or will report the work they do
during summer, there would be more
knowledge gained from his experiment.

As the syrup which he fed was pure
carbon and water, and as honey is the
same with the addition of a-small amount
of other food, the bees could not re-
quire much less sugar tttan honey, and
could rear no brood on syrup alone.

Ft. Lupton, Colo.

Bee-Stinss— A Forcei AMssion.

Written Sor the American Bee Journal

BY EMM DEE.

was one of them), and hence their charm
against bee-stings.

Well, I take it all back; I beg to as-
sure your thousands of readers that in
view of present experiences, that en-
thusiastic statement was all a mistake !
My convictions have received a terrible
shock ! My confidence in the placid
temper of the busy bees, has been enor-
mously modified by abundant and pointed
experiences ! I»imagine my former arti-
cle occasioned a broad smile on that
practical prince in bee-culture, Dr.
Miller, which a false pride makes this
confession the more heroic because of
what I now imagine his wise look, and
his tell-tale wink of "I told you so " im-
plies. But I suppress all personal con-
sideration of weakness to candidly ad-
mit my egregious mistake, and further
assure you that I am no exception what-
ever. Indeed, I am exceedingly vulner-
able to their stinging arguments — yes,
and even admit that I must have be-
come, of late, the special target for their
venomous attacks !

Woe is me ! that I should have misled
any one to believe that their arsitocratic
blood is proof against the assaults of
these aggressive "critters;" that by a
more fragrant odor of their gentler na-
ture immunity can be enjoyed from the
striking force of the poetic bee ! Nay,
my brethren, there's nothing in it! Your
blood and smells have nothing to do
with the case. No matter where you
were born, or what particular stock you
came from, you've just got to take the
I medicine the bees have to give you, and
I no argument of inheritance, whether of
I rank or wealth, will in the least avail in
I the actions of these hot-ended "var-
mints." Else why should I have been
stung in this swelling fashion ? Fare-
well, false hopes, farewell !

Your penitent,

Emm Dee.

Dear Mr. Editor : — You may not
have forgotten a communication from
mo some months ago, in which I so
glowingly eulogized thenoble perspicuity
of the honey-bee ; their remarkable in-
telligence, and their artistic sense of
colors and smells. And, inadvertently,
how much more wholesome and seduc-
tive are the odors that emanate from
some persons (here I blush to think I

Yellow Jasmine of tlie Sontli.

Written for " Gleanings in Bee-Culture''''
BY DR. .T. P. H. BROWN.

The yellow jasmine {Oelsemium sem-
pervircns) is a creeping, twining vine
that grows in the southern portions of
the United States from North Carolina
to Mexico. It grows more luxuriantly
on light sandy uplands than in alluvial
bottoms. It blooms in February and
March, depending upon locality — earlier
further South. When in full bloom it
presents a beautiful sight with its yellow

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

181

trumpet-shaped flowers, covering the
small bushes, often hanging in festoons,
and twining around the trees, filling the
air with strong yet pleasant perfume.
Its duration of flowering is about two
weeks, depending much upon the
weather. When there are heavy rains
and much wind, the blossoms fall.

It belongs to the natural order Loganl-
acecc, and is described botanically:
"Stem twining, smooth and shining;
leaves perennial, opposite, lanceolate,
entire, dark green above and paler be-
neath ; petioles short ; the flowers are

More largely taken it occasions dizziness,
dimness of vision, dilated pupil, general
muscular debility, and universal pros-
tration."

Prof. T. G. Wormley obtained an
alkaloid extract from the plant, which
he termed "gelsemine" — a powerful
poison. One-eighth of a grain injected
into a strong cat killed it in one and a
half hours.

Dr. VV. H. Burt, in his work on
"Materia Medica," remarks in regard
to the poisonous effects of gelsemium :

"The retention of consciousness until

The Poisonoxis Honey-Plant of the South.

in axillary clusters of a deep yellow
color, and fragrant; calyx five-parted,
corolla funnel-shaped, with a spreading
border, five-lobed, nearly equal; anthers
oblong, style long and slender; stigmas
two, two-parted ; capsules elliptical,
flat, two-valved, two-celled ; seeds flat,
attached to the margin of the valves."

All parts of the plant possess poison-
ous properties. Drs. Wood and Bache,
in their " United States Dispensatory,"
describe the poisonous effects as com-
mencing " with sensations of languor
with muscular relaxation, so that the
subject finds some difficulty in moving
the eyelids and keeping the jaws closed.

I very late in the poisoning, both in man
and in the lower animals, shows that the
drug has very little power over the
higher cerebrum, although the drowsi-
ness and the final loss of consciousness
prove that it is not entirely devoid of
such influence. The two most promi-
nent symptoms caused by the drug are
the convulsions and paralysis."

The hive-bee will work on the bloom ;
but it seems more from necessity than
choice; for, when other forage is acces-
sible, you rarely see a bee on it. The
Italians frequent it much more than the
blacks; in fact, it is rare that you see
one of the latter on it. The flower yields

182

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

more pollen than honey ; and what nec-
tar is gathered is used up in breeding,
so it is seldom that any is stored. Still,
we have many cases on record where it
had been stored, and, when eaten,
caused all the symptoms of gelsemiura
poisoning.

It is very easily told when bees are
working on gelsemium. The flower,
being trumpet-shaped, they have to
crawl in to get access to the pollen and
nectar; and in turning around, their
whole body becomes coated with the
bright-yellow grains of pollen.

Whether the product of the jasmine-
blossoms has any poisonous effect upon
the bee is a question that has been dis-
cussed to a limited extent, pro and con.
Those who took the negative side of the
question were mostly persons who knew
very little about the plant. To arrive
at correct conclusions in a matter of this
kind requires a long-extended observa-
tion, assisted by many demonstrative ex-
periments. I have been conducting ob-
servations for the last 25 years, to de-
termine this question, and I am satis-
fied that bees are susceptible to the
poisonous product contained in the
gelsemium bloom. At first they seem
to be taken with a sort of shaking, or
convulsion ; the abdomen swells ; they
tremble, and either crawl or are carried
out of the hive. If the colony is strong,
half a pint to a pint of dead bees can be
found in front of the entrance every 24
hours. Your black colonies will show
very few. The trouble will be kept up
during the duration of the bloom, and
cease as soon as the flowering is past.
The aftiiction (if I may so term it) is
less perceptible during a stress of bad
weather. It can also be controlled by
feeding or by drawing the attention of
the bees from the bloom.

As formerly stated, as quoted from the
highest medical authorities, the poison-
ous effects of gelsemium are more per-
ceptible on the nervous ganglia than
upon the cerebrum. This, no doubt,
explains the susceptibility of the bee to
the action of this poison, as the nervous
system of the bee consists in a great
measure of a series of nerve ganglia.
Augusta, Ga.

-^■•■m

One-Cent PoHtag:e Stamps: we

prefer whenever it is necessary to send
stamps for fractions of a dollar. By re-
membering this, you will greatly oblige us.

FeeMng Bees Mle tlie Hiye.

Written for the American Bee Journal

BY EDWIN BEVINS.

^^ "The Bee Journal is just what
every bee-keeper ought to have." — Prank
Gruner, of Wisconsin, July 27, 1894.

I had two colonies of bees last spring
which I desired to have swarm early and
often (just as some persons are told to
vote), and for that purpose I commenced
stimulative feeding about the middle of
May. I did not like to feed at the en-
trance, and I thought it would be a good
deal of trouble to feed in the hive. I
had seen no method described to feed
above the bees and at the same time con-
fine the heat. To do this, I took a piece
of two-inch plank, six inches wide, and
long enough to fit loosely in an empty
super when placed across the frames of
the hive. With an axe I cut out one
side of the plank, so as to make a trough
that would hold nearly a pint, then I
nailed strips across each end of the
trough, so as to make a bee-space be-
tween it and the frames, and then made
a bridge a trifle wider than the trough,
with end pieces just wide enough to give
a bee-space between the trough and the
bridge.

The trough I placed in a super across
the front end of the hive, leaving space
for the bees to enter between it and the
end of the super. I then put on the
bridge close up to the end of the super,
and placed a partly-filled chaff cushion
over the frames behind it. The unfilled
end of the cushion was laid over the
bridge. When I wanted to feed, I turned
back this unfilled end, raised the bridge
up against the end of the super, and
poured in the feed from a gallon meas-
ure. I never lost a bee by drowning. If
any bees were in the trough a puff or
two of smoke hustled them out.

There are probably better methods of
stimulative feeding, but none other oc-
curred to mo when I wanted to feed,
and this answered its purpose very well.
I fed at intervals of three or four days
until it was time for the honey-flow to
begin, but when that time came, there
was no honey-flow, and so I had my
labor for my pains, so far as increase Is
concerned.

There has been a little honey coming
in since about the 20th of June, and
the colonies thus treated will give me all
the surplus I shall get this season. The
hives were overflowing with bees early
in June, but seeing that I was to get no
swarms, I put on sections about the
20th, and these two colonies have just
about filled a 24:-pound case each. One
other colony of Italians treated similarly

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

183

has done just as well. Blacks and hy-
brids equally strong have done little or
nothing in the way of surplus.

There will be but little honey gathered
in southern Iowa this season, and there
will be no increase at all of colonies. If
this drouth continues much longer pan-
cakes will have to be sweetened with
sorghum molasses, as there will be no
corn raised to pay for sugar. Sorghum
is a drouth-resisting plant, and there is
a small show for that to make a crop.
Hurrah for sorghum, and down with the
sugar trust !

Leon, Iowa, July 16.

SomeSliorlMiMeslnBee-KeeM.

Written Jor tlie American Bee Journal
BY CHAS. L. STRICKLAND.

To think that the man who never
made a success at anything tfied, will
make a success with bees.

To try to keep 100 colonies where 50
would starve.

To neglect to give the bees proper
care in spring and fall — in fact all the
time — and hope for generous returns.

To neglect to put the bees away into
winter quarters in good condition, then
expect to find them strong in the dawn
of early spring.

To rob them of their stores too late
for them to replenish, thus causing them
to starve, then blame them for perishing,
and curse your luck.

To try to use all patent hives and ap-
pliances because some oily-tongued
agent tells him to, and expect to suc-
ceed.

To ventilate his hives with cracks in
the roof and knot-holes in the bottom.

To keep plenty of weak colonies on
hand, and expect to escape the ravages
of the comb grub by using a moth-proof
hive. " Nonsense !"

To fail to put on the surplus cases at
the right time, then blame God, nature
and the bees for no surplus. "Watch,
work and wait," must be your motto in
hoping for success.

To let the grass and weeds grow so
rank around the hives that the bees
can't find them, then expect to become a
prince in the business.

To use old-fogy dog-box hives, whose
internal mechanism you cannot view
without cutting out the combs, then ex-
pect to become scientific.

To allow dirt and filth to accumulate
on the bottom-boards of the hives, as a
hot-bed for the propagation of moths.

To buy an extractor before you know
what to extract from — one-pound sec-
tions or brood-nest.

To boast of your knowledge — talk
about drones laying eggs, and the queen
being the king-bee.

To try to keep bees and not take a
good bee-paper, and have some books on
bee-culture at hand, with which you are
well acquainted, and think yourself a
bee-master.

To expect to reap wonderful results
with bees, without labor, knowledge,
patience and costs. "No excellence
without labor."

To become cranky, and think no one
else keeps bees as you do. This is a pro-
gressive age.

To grumble because you have to feed
your bees some seasons. Don't you feed
and care for other kinds of stock ? To
expect to derive an income from your
bees with no outlay, is not "according
to Hoyle," and won't pan out.

Maryville, Mo.

IOYlii£ Bees a Loni Distance.

Written lor the American Bee Journal

BY JOHN A. BALMER.

It was a long journey my 14 colonies
of bees took, leaving Vincennes, Ind.,
on May 15th, and landing at Pullman,
Wash., on May 24th— 2,300 miles on a
freight car. They were shut up on the
14th, and not opened until the 25th,
making theduration of their confinement
eleven days.

Now you want to know how they stood
the trip? First, let me tell how they
were packed.

All were in dovetailed, 8-frame hives,
Hoffman frames. I nailed on the bot-
tom boards, and tacked a strip of wire-
cloth across the entrance. The hive
cover was removed, cloth taken oil the
frames, and a special frame fitting the
top of the hive, and entirely covered
with wire-cloth, was securely nailed on.
The end-pieces of the frame on which
the wire-cloth was nailed, projected one
inch higher than the sides — this to allow
the hives to be stacked up, and still
allow plenty of ventilation for the bees.
The brood-nest was disturbed to the ex-
tent of taking out three frames, and
empty ones put in their places, a la Jen-

184

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

nie Atchley. This to give them more
air and room.

I chartered a car, put in all my house-
hold effects, horse, dogs, bees, etc., and
an attendant went with the stock. I
put a sponge on top of the wire-cloth
covering each hive, and instructed the
man in care of the stock to wet these
sponges every day. As the hives were
very light in stores, and the broood-nests
were filled with brood, I sent along a
large tin of honey, and ordered a little
of this put on top of the wire-cloth each
day.

The weather was exceedingly warm
when they were nailed up, and the first
two days of the journey was also very
hot. The balance of the way the
weather was cool. None of the frames
were wired, and the combs were a mixed
lot, old and new.

On opening them at Pullman, all were
in very bad condition ; four of the colo-
nies were dead, the combs having melted
down. In the remaining ten hives there
were more or less dead bees. Nursing
seemed to have been neglected, and the
young bees suffered in consequence. All
the queens had stopped laying, and it
was quite two weeks after they were set
down here, before the queens regained
their accustomed inclination to lay.
Three of my best queens were amongst
the ten that were saved.

One thing is in our favor here — we
are first on the ground with bees— no
bees nearer than Snake River, 18 miles
away. No trouble to weed out black
blood here.

Later I may tell how bees do in the
far-famed Palouse valley. If bees could
gather honey from wheat, the country
around here would be a bonanza for the
bee-man !

Pullman, Wash., July 28.

UavAi I^iiinl>crs.— We have quite a
good many odd numbers of the Bee Jouk-
NAL on hand, running back for perhaps 10
years. We have had some enquiry for
such back numbers, and have decided to
let them go at one cent prr copy, postpuid.
Any new subscribers who would like to see
such back copies of the Bee Jouknal can
send us any number of cents they wish,
and we will mail them as many copies, all
of different dates. Please say, when order-
ing, back of just what date you would like
to have them. It must be previous to Jan.
K 1894.

f^BT Do not write anything for publication
on the same sheet of paper with business
matters, unless it can be torn apart without
interferlaisr with either part of the letter.

Best Honey-Flow for Years.

We are having the best honey-flow
that we have had for years. The bass-
wood is furnishing more nectar than I
ever knew it to yield before, but the dry
weather at present will cut the fall crop
short. Otto Banker.

Golden Gate, Minn., July 30.

Dry Weather — But Little Honey.

I have about 80 colonies, and the
weather is the dryest it has ever been
here — so old settlers say. The pastures
will burn. I got a little honey from
basswood — that is the only surplus.
Basswood bloomed very heavy, but did
not last long. A. E. Cooley.

Mt. Hope, Wis., July 29.

Fair Yield from Basswood.

We had a fair run on basswood, but'
aside from this we have had very little
honey this season. There has been
more than usual buckwheat sown, owing
to our extreme wet when the other
grains should have been sown, so we are
hoping that the bees will fill up for
winter, at least, from this source.

G. M. DOOLITTLE.

Borodino, N. Y., July 80.

C>reat Premium on page 190 !

Fair Bee-Season— Basswood Bloom.

This season for bees has been fair.
The forepart of the season was poor,
owing to clover being winter-killed. So
there was nothing for bees to work on
until the last of June, when they began
to gather honey from a bush called
"niiie-bark" or "buck-bush," which
kept them in working trim until bass-
wood bloomed. They worked on bass-
wood blossoms about 10 d9,ys, gather-
ing considerable honey during that time;

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

185

then the blossoms fell off, and the bees
have been working on those old, dried-
up blossoms on the ground for ten days,
and they seem to have gathered more
honey from them than they did when
they were on the trees. The nectar that
had been secreted in the blossoms while
on the trees had remained in them and
fell off, instead of being washed out
by rains, as is usually the case when we
have rains : (but we have dispensed
with those wet, nasty things called
rains, and for six weeks have been doing
without them !) The dew falling on
these dried blossoms has moistened them
enough so the bees could sip the nectar
from them. Wm. H. Bkight.

Mazeppa, Minn., July 30.

Very Satisfactory Season.

The spring was cold and wet, but the
weather came around all right after a
time, and white and Alsike clover and
raspberry blossoms were abundant in
their season. The yield of honey from
these sources was about all that could be
desired, while since basswood opened up
(on July 13th) the bees have been in
ecstasies. Taken all together, the sea-
son has been very satisfactory.

E. VV. Chapin.

Marion, Mich., July 2y.

Experience and Honey.

I have just taken ofif 150 pounds of
white clover honey in one-pound sec-
tions. I have four colonies, and had
one swarm this year. The bees are still
working In the sections. My neighbors
say I can't learn anything out of bee-
papers. They have had 40 years' ex-
perience and don't want any paper to
tell them anything. They have the ex-
perience and I have the honey.

Chas. J. Beck.

Redding Ridge, Conn., July 31.

Bee-Keeping in Maine.

Never having seen anything in the
columns of the Bee Journal from this
section, I thought an attempt from a
small source might induce some of the
bee-keepers here to send in something
of interest.

Though our summer seasons are short,
they make up for it with a nearly con-
tinuous succession of honey-producing
blossoms, and a good honey crop is as-
sured. White clover and Alsike bloomed
profusely, and a weed, commonly called

"fire-weed," furnishing a beautiful white
honey of mild flavor, is just coming into
bloom.

One of our most prominent bee-keep-
ers, Edward Tarr, of " Haystack Api-
ary,'" had his first swarm on May 31st,
with 25 pounds of surplus honey from
willow, maple and dandelion early in
June from one colony. I think Mr.
Tarr could furnish much of interest to
the readers of the Bee Journal in this
section, at least.

I had a swarm issue on June 15th
that 1 hived in a 10-frame Simplicity
hive, with starters. In a few days I
gave them 48 pound boxes with starters.
On July 21st I took off 40 pounds of
honey, all nicely capped. The parent
colony has 40 pounds nearly ready.

I find the American Bee Journal in-
dispensable. O. B. Griffin.

Caribou, Maine, July 23.

Bees Did Very Well.

Bees did very well here till within the
last two weeks. They have stored all
the way from 25 to 100 pounds of sur-
plus honey to the colony.

Wm. Plymell.

Choctaw City, Okla. T., July 30.

Nothing But Honey-Dew.

Never before in my experience of 16
years' bee-keeping have I had reason to
complain of the quality of honey pro-
duced in southern Indiana; but this
season "caps the climax." Honey-dew
in its purity ! That, and that only, is
the product of the honey crop in this
part of the State. The cold, wet spring
prevented the usual supply of fruit-
bloom and poplar, and left nothing but
honey-dew to be gathered, and not much
of that. It has been the poorest season
I ever knew, but I am not so much dis-
couraged, and will still "Hope on, hope
ever." W. C. R. Kemp.

Orleans, Ind., Aug. 1.

A Fvill Crop of Comb Honey.

It has been excessively dry, and I fear
bee-keepers on this side of Ontario have
suffered, having visited several, and
have had several communications re-
porting short crops— about one-half of
last year's, which is poor encourage-
ment for the business.

I am happy to state that I have a full
crop of comb honey, an average of 77
4^x4j<xl?^ sections per colony, and

186

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

have extracted 100 pounds per colony,
with the supers full on the hives, ready
to extract. Sweet clover is good for
three weeks yet. I wish you could see
our pasturage now. The Island is as
white with clover as the paper I write
on. I have been successful in mating
every queen so far this season, having
four times the number of drones of any
year since I commenced.

In looking across the lake I see the
appearance of a storm in the south —
may it reach us before morning and
cheer the thirsty ground !

John McArthue.

Toronto, Ont., July 21.

Poor Season— The Sulphur Cure.

This has been a very poor season for
honey. The drouth last fall and frost
in March killed nearly all the white
clover in this locality. I have 10 colo-
nies and have only taken off about 100
pounds of honey, and prospects for more
are not flattering, the weather being
very dry.

I had two colonies that had the
" nameless bee-disease ;" I tried the sul-
phur cure that I saw in the Bee Jour-
nal, and am glad to say they are ail right
now. There is no sign of the disease
left. I could not think of keeping bees
and not take the "old reliable" Bee
Journal. N. W. Shultz.

Shreve, Ohio, July 30.

Queens and Qiieen-Rea.i>ins'.—

If you want to know how to have queens
fertilized in upper stories while the old
queen is still laying below; how you may
mfely introduce any queen, at any time of
the year when bees can fly ; all about the
different races of bees; all about shipping
queens, queen-cages, candy for queen-
cages, etc. ; all about forming nuclei, mul-
tiplying or uniting bees, or weak colonies,
etc. ; or, in fact, everything about the
queen-business which you may want to
know— send for Doolittle's " Scientific
Queen-Rearning "— a book of over 170
pages, which is as interesting as a story.
Here are some good offers of this excellent
book :

Bound in cloth, postpaid, .fl.OO ; or clubbed
with the Bee Jouknai. for one year — both
for only $1.()."> ; or given free as a premium
for sending us three new subscribers to the
Bee Jouunal for a year at .fl.OO each.

Bound in paper cover, postpaid, G.') cents;
or given free as a premium tor sending us
two new subscribers; or clubbed with the
Bee Jouhnal a year— both for only .$1.40.
Bend all orders to the Bee Journal oflice.

Ha-ve You Read page ins yet ?

Honey & Beeswax Market Quotations.

ALBANY. N. Y., July 12. - The honey
market is not fairly opened yet, but there is
some denmnd and we think we are goiag to
have good sales. We quote: White clover,
new comb, 14c.; extracted, 7c. H. R. W.

BUFFALO, N. Y., May 14.— Trade is very
slow, and we have still a liberal stock on
hand. We quote: Fancy comb. 13@14c.;
choice, ll@12c. ; dark and common grades,
8@9o. Beeswax, 25@30c. B. & Co.

CHICAGO, III., July 27.— The new crop of
honey is coming to market ia small lots so
far. but many consignments have been of
high character, and sold at 15@16c.— this for
white comb, properly packed in small cases
with a gla-s exposure on one side. Extracted
without special change— brings 5@7c., accord-
ing to color and quality. Beeswax sells read-
ily at 23@25c. R. A. B. & Co.

CHICAGO, III., July 28.— We have received
a few shipmeuts of new comb -fancy stock
for which we obtained 16c. It is impossibe to
advise shippers at this early da e as to the
disposition of their stock. We would advise,
however, not to be too anxious to place their
honey on this market until say the middle or
last week of August. Owing to the severe
hot weather and dull business at present.it
would sell slow. We quote: Fancy comb,
16c.; No. 1, 15c Extracted, 7c. Beeswax,
24c. J. A. L.

CINCINNATI, O., July 18.-Demand in gen-
eral is slow for all kinds of honey, but we
have made large sales lately of choice white
comb honey of last year's crop, clearing out
our market. We quote: Choice white comb,
12@»14c. There is a slow demand for extract-
ed at 4@6e.

Beeswax is in fair demand at 20@23c. for
good to choice yellow. C. F. M. & S.

NRW yORK, N. Y.. May 25.-New crop of
Southern honey is arriving freely. The
market is well supplied and demand very
light. We quote: Common grade. 50c. per
gal.; choice, 55@60c. Beeswax is firm at 28c
H. B. &S.

List of Uoney and Beeswax Dealers,

Most of whom Quote In this Journal.

Chicago, Ills.

J. A. Lamon, 43 South Water St.

R. A. BUKNBTT & Co.. 163 South Water Street.

New York, J\. Y.

F. I. Sage & Son, 183 Reade Street.
HiLDRETH Bros. & Segelken.

28 & 30 West Broadway.
Chas. Israel & Bros,, 110 Hudson St.

Kansas City, ITIo.

Hamblin & Beakss, 514 Walnut Street.
Clkmoms-Mason Com. Co., 521 Walnut St.

Albany, N.Y.

H. R. Wright, 326 & 328 Broadwa7.

Buffalo, N. Y.
Batterson & Co., 167 & 169 Scott St.

Hamilton, IIIm.
Chas. Dadant & Son.

Cincinnati, Ohio.
C F. Mdth & Son, cor. Freeman & Central av8.

weekly, $1 a Vear. [ °^''°''^°l^iro^'^eE-C^VHE. \ Sa™Pl« Copy Free.

VOL XXXIV. CHICAGO. ILL. AUG. 16, 1894.

NO. 7.

j/km^AmkA^^Ai^AM

i GEORGE W YORK. ^^

Ig-norant Men were acknowledged
by all at a recent bee-convention, to be the
bees' worst enemies. Education would
cure that.

'»Xlie Gioocl I>ie Young:," was

very appropriately quoted in the obituary
notice of Success in Bec-Culhire, which died
of "starvation" recently. Starved for
want of support.

*» JRxpenses are sometimes profitable-
saving is sometimes extravagance." This
is another of Bro. Hutchinson's epigram-
matic sayings, given in the July Bevieiv. He
has been guilty of such things several times
lately. But seeing it i.s short and so full of
truth, we'll have to forgive him again.

Editor S^tili^ou, in the August Xe-
hraska Bee-Keeper, urges everybody in that
region to go to the State bee-convention
at Lincoln, on Sept. 11th to 13th, so as to
"get enthusiasm to want to attend the
North American at St. Joseph." on Oct.
16th to ISth. That's right, Bro. S. We
must surprise President Abbott with such
whopping swarms (of bee-keepers) as he
never dreamed of during his worst attacks
of nightmare !

Editor Nolterinann and family of
five were all shown on one page of Gleaninga
for July 1.5th. Now Bro. Holtermann, and
also Dr. Miller, want Editor Root to pre-
sent in GJeaidugs his family, and that of the
Associate Editor (Ernest R.) and his family,
for, as Bro. Root said, '' When we know a
man so well, it is always interesting to
know how the members of his family look."
Gracious, but won't that be an illustrated
number of Gleanings, if all the Roots and
Root-lets are in it ? Dr. Miller suggests :
" If you can't get theui on one page, take
three pages." We would say, put only one
on a page, even if a dozen or two extra
pages would have to be added. Each suc-
ceeding page will then have upon it a
glad surprise, well and handsomely Root-ed!

Nomniinilttilist, in the August Pro-
gressive Bce-Keeper, gives our new department
--" Our Doctor's Hints" — an exceedingly
kindly and generous notice, and also copies
some of Dr. Peiro's excellent hints. Thank
you, Bro. Sommy. You certainly have
shown very clearly that you know a good
thing even if you see it in your sleep.

Dr. Peiro suggests that Somnambulist is
pretty wide awake. Dr. P. extends a fra-
ternal Missouri shake !

l%ot a *' Sockless Jerry."— Here
is one of Dr. Miller's "libelous" "straws,"'
which appeared in Qleemings for Aug. 1st:

A libelous editorial in the American Bee
Journal gives the whole of my wearing
apparel as " hat. shirt, overalls, shoes."
Notwithstanding the honey crop, I still
luxuriate in stockings.

Then Bro. Root helped to make the straw
still more libelous, by adding: "Perhaps

200

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Bro. York was thinking of Sockless Jerry!"
If we remember correctly, in the editorial
in question we described our owu ''dress
suit " when Mifi worked on the farm. Be-
sides, we are very certain that we looked
at Dr. Miller several times, and we are sure
we didn't see any "stockings" on him.
Mind you, we don't say he was " sockless,"
but he must remember that we don't look
through two pairs of "eyes" yet, as he
does, and so could not expect to see through
cowhide shoes!

Better believe we're glad we are 66}.^
miles away from that "libelous" "Stray-
Straw" "Sucker" and his electric rawhide!

Xliree IIoiiey-Mants.— Mr. J. E.

Prichard, of Port Norris, N. J., writes
thus:

I send you samples of our bee-plants.
Please name them for me in their order.
No. 1 is nearly done blooming. No. 2 is just
in its glory, and No. 3 is not yet in bloom.
It has a purple flower, and leaves a seed-ball
about }i inch square. They are all good
honey-plants, and abundant in the swamps.
J. E. Prichard.

The plants you sent for naming are as
follows :

No. 1. VepJinhiutJiHS ocndentalitf — button-
bush.

No. 2. Clethra ahdfoUa— sweet pepper-bush.

No. 3. Becodon vertkillatus — swamp loose-
strife.

In tlie ilitcen^iii l>oiiia,ins is the

suggestive title of a captivating two-page
article on bee-keeping written for the un-
initiated, by our esteemed friend, Hon.
Eugene Secor, of Forest City, Iowa. It ap-
peared in the August number of Tlie Mid-
land MoHtlilii—a. prosperous and wide-awake
periodical (somewhat after the style of the
CeiLtur;/), published at Des Moiues, Iowa.
Bro. Secor's portrait done in delicate half-
tone, and printed on enameled paper, with
those of other contributors, grace the front
pages of the August Mldltmd.

liilro<lii<-iii;;- Tirgiii ^fciiecns.—

Bro. Alley's jjlan of introducing queens, as
given in a recent issue of his A/ucullimM, is
descril)ed thus:

After the bees are in at night, say half an
hour before dark, the entrance is i^lugged
by a plantain leaf to i)revent the bees from
coming out, and to keep smoke in. Tobacco
smoke is then blown into the hive.

and the virgin queen introduced at
once. It is all done in less than one min-
ute's work to each queen.

Fertilized queens can be introduced in
the same way, when the circumstances
make it necessary to introduce a queen
quickly. We have introduced hundreds of
them in the same way.

We have gone into an apiary right at a
time in the day when bees were working in
full force ; temperature at 90 degrees in
the shade, and changed queens by driving
out the old queen and introducing the new
one at once. It can be done by fumigation
with tobacco, and in no other way that we
know of.

Of course one must have a fair amount of
experience in this work, in order to be suc-
cessful in all cases. It can be done, how-
ever.

Sweet Clover "Straws," from
Marengo, 111., as follows, were found in

Gledulngs for Aug. 1st:

Sweet clover stands up bravely through
the terrific drouth. While grass is burned
brown as in winter, sweet clover is bright
and green, the bees working on it all day
long, except in the morning, when perhaps
they work on cucumbers.

Sweet clover that was cut early, and
sprung up again, seems more fully visited
by the bees than the big stalks that were
left untouched. Where people persist in
cutting it down on the roadside, leaving
all other weeds standing, it would be a
good thing to get it cut before any sign of
blossom.

During the past year we have published
some fine testimonials in favor of sweet
clover as a honey-plant, and especially as a
drouth-withstander. It seems to us that
bee-keepers ought to see to it that seed of
this plant, as well as others, should be
scattered widely in waste-places and else-
where, so that at least a small crop of
honey would be assured every year.
Farmers provide pasture for other farm
stock— why not for the bees ?

Iiiitialiyiing- tJic Kec - Papers,

when referring to them in public print, is
certainly meaningless, if not actually dis-
courteous. Bro. Root thinks that in such
matter as "Stray Straws," where the
names of the different bee-papers are re-
ferred to so often, " a shorter way of in-
dicating them seems almost indispensable."
Suppose we grant that. Then to be con-
sistent, Avhenever Bro. Root there refers to
the American Bee Journal as " A. B. J.,"
he should use '' J>.-K. Jf for Bee-Keepers'
Rcv'icm. " /'. H.-Ky for Proifreimwe Bee-

American bee journal.

201

Keeper, etc. But we notice that when the
name of any bee-paper is to be abbreviated
in Oleaviufja, it is nearly always the Ameri-
can Bee Journal !

And to agree with the editor of Oleardngs
in Bee-Cidtiire, whenever we refer to Ms
paper we should use the letters " G. I. B.-
C." And wouldn't that be / nonsensic al
enough !

To state a fact, we are heartily tired of
having the American Bee Journal re-
ferred to as " A. B. J." in public print; but
if our brother editors really can't afford to
spare the space to give full and intelligible
credit when copying anything from our
paper, why, we'll try to endure it. At the
same time, we will endeavor to " return
good for evil" by crediting other bee-
papers in a sensible and rational way for
whatever we copy from them.

P. S. — We would not object to '■ Am. Bee
Jrnl." as a contracted form of " Ameri-
can Bee Journal," if a contraction must
ever be used, which is very seldom.

Cj(Ol<leu-ISo(l. — Miss Helen Johnson,
of Connecticut, at the State bee-meeting
last May, gave some interesting facts re-
garding the golden-rod as a honey-plant,
the result of her researches on the subject.
She said: "There are 94 varieties of
golden-rod in this country, 92 of which are
natives, and all afford nectar. The color is
white and straw — never amber, as is some-
times stated — but always food for bees.
The white variety blooms first, and is
aisually found in the woods." So says an
exchange.

Australia AIiea<l on Honey.— In

the following clipping from the Western,
Post, an Australian paper published in
Mudgee, near Sydney, is shown the most
wonderful yield of honey from one colony
of bees yet heard of, viz: 1,250 pounds in a
single season. Here is the item which was
written on April 2, 1S94 :

1 had five or six colonies that produced
over 1,000 pounds each of honey one season,
but I have only two down in my memoran-
dum book, whose extracting I put down
every week after they had collected about
400 pounds each. Since then I extracted
some weeks as high as 80 and 90 pounds
from them during a very long and good
season (nearly six months), and the result
at the end of the season was 1,250 pounds
and 1,120 pounds, and I am sure two or
three other colonies went very close to it.

I put down in my yard-book how many
tins I extract every day, and I always take
a low estimate of the weight. The top-
weight hive was a light hybrid, and
swarmed once. The second was a pure lot,
an October swarm, and I deprived them bf
a good many combs for queen-rearing. The
honey came in so fast that I had to ex-
tract nearly all the frames in 20-frame
hives to give the queens room to lay.

The last season has been very indifferent,
and I got an average of only 85 pounds per
colony (spring count), the lo\Vest for the
last eight years. Since Christmas there
has been very little chance of collecting
honey on account of the windy, rainy;
wintry weather.

On page 18 of the Bee Journal for July
5, 1894, Mr. Doolittle records a yield of 566
pounds from one colony, and on page 50 of
the Bee Journal for Jan. 11, 1894, Dr.
Gallup tells of a yield of 750 pounds. These
probably are the largest yields reported in
this country, as having been taken from
single colonies in one season. So we'll
have to award the prize to our Australian
brethren, though it should be remembered
that they have a continuous honey-flow for
nearly a year, making a much longer sea-
son than we have in this country.

1^" The greatest enemy to the pursuit
of bee-keeping is the one who extracts un-
ripe honey. Often it ferments, and ruins ^
good market. — Newman.

Xlie I\ortli AiJiei-icaii.— We have
received the following from President Ab-
bott, which we commend to the careful, as
well as prayerful, consideration of all wide-
awake readers :

The articles of incorporation of the North
American Bee-Keepers' Association (which
it would not be a bad idea for all the bee-
)apers to publish in full) adopted at Keo-

K!

"This Association shall consist of its
officers, life members, delegates from aflBl-
iated local associations, and ex-Presidents."

They then set forth the conditions on
which bee-keepers may become life and
annual members, and say that "delegates
from affiliated local associations shall be
admitted free." It is further stated that
any " State, District, Territory, or Province
in North America may become affiliated
upon the annual payment of $5.00, which
shall be due on the first day of January in
each year, in advance."

I would like to learn now how many there
are of these "affiliated" associations at
the present time. I see a list of eight is
given in the Report of the meeting at Keor
kuk, but I find nothing in the last Annual

202

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Report to indicate that there were any
'• affiliated " associations at that time. If
not, why not ?

Then, again, what benefit is to be de-
rived from becoming " affiliated ?"

These are merely questions thrown out to
provoke an expression of opinion, if possi-
ble, on the part of our leading bee-keepers.

It is a truth which no one can gainsay,
that it is human nature not to remain
'• affiliated" very long when no benefit of
any kind is to be derived from the affilia-
tion. I can see how every individual who
attends a meeting of the North American
can be greatly benefited, but I confess I do
not see where the benefit is to accrue to
those who are only " affiliated," and never
attend any of the meetings. It seems to
me that it ought to be possible to identify
the interest of all local societies more
closely than they are at present with that
of the National. I do not know just how
this can be done, but I want to suggest a
plan by which I think it could be brought
about at our next meeting, in October. I
should like very much to see this the larg-
est meeting that was ever held in the in-
terest of apiculture on this continent.

This can be done with very little effort,
if we all set about it at once in the right
way. I would suggest, first, that every
county in the United States, where there is
a sufficient number of bee-keepers, organize
at once a local society. Let each member
pay in a fee of 50 cents, and then proceed
to elect a delegate to the North American,
and equip him with money enough to pay
his expenses, and $1.00 for the annual mem-
bership fee. Discuss thoroughly what you
would like to have him present to the
North American, and send him out in-
structed to vote every time for the thing
that comes the nearest representing what
the local society desires. As part pay for
the benefit this delegate is to derive per-*
sonally from attending the North American,
he should be required to write up fully the
entire trip and the doings of the North
American, and present this to the next
meeting of the local society. Our Canadian
friends should do the same in every Prov-
ince in Canada. In this way we could
secure a very large attendance, and create
sufficient enthusiasm to put the North
American in a way to be a power in the
land. What say you ? What County or
Province will be the first to respond to this
proposition ?

1 am making local arrangements for a
big crowd, and a good time generally. The
Commmercial Club, of tliis city, has come
to the front, and tendered me the use of
their rooms in which to hold our meetings,
and they are doing all they can to lielp
secure reduced rates on the railroads. Just
as soon as the matter of rates is settled, it
will be published, but 1 trust no one will
wait for this before making up his or lier
mind to come. The Commercial Club has
one of the finest j-ooms in the city, centrally
located, and near to good hotels which have
made me liberal rates for our meeting.

We have been promised essays from some
of the leading bee-keepers of the world.

Mr. Benton is working hard to prepare a
good programme— one that will be both en-
tertaining and profitable. Dr. Miller, and
a host of others who are a whole Conven-
tion in themselves, will be here, and the
meeting cannot fail to be beneficial to all
who may attend. If you have but one
colony, come and learn how to care for
more.

Friend iStilson has struck the right key in
the last JVebra.sJM JJee-Keeper. He says:
" Let's make up a carload or more and
start from Lincoln."

That's the way to talk ; come on with
your carloads, and this city of the "wild
and woolly West " will try to do her part.

I have received a number of letters and
cards from those who expect to be here,
but still there is room for more. Let them
come, and come fast ! Every one counts,
and helps to swell the swarm of bee-keepers
that will be buzzing in the air in our fair
city on Oct. 16th, 17th and l.sth.

We will furnish the hive, if the people
will only " swarm."

Emerson T. Abbott, Pres.

St. Joseph, Mo.

We think Pres. Abbott has given a grand
key-note in the foregoing. At the coming
convention something of value should be
decided upon, so that prospective affiliating
associations may have some tangible object
to work for in urging such affiliation among
their local members. Let there be brought
to bear upon this subject the best thought
and minds of the bee-fraternity up to and
during the convention in October, so that,
as Bro. Abbott wisely says, the North
American may become " a power in the
land." Certainly there is wisdom enough
in the ranks of bee-keepers to evolve some-
thing that shall bring great profit, and
grace and glory, to the honorable pursuit
of apiculture.

Profitable Bee-lieeping-, by Mrs.
Atchley, will continue for some time in her
department of the Bee Jouknal, at least
each alternate week. Until further notice
we can furnish the back numbers from May
1st, beginning with her " Lessons," to new
subscribers who pay $1.00 for a year's sub-
scription to the Bee Jouknal— that is, we
can commence their year with the number
having the first lesson, if they so desire.

'*I'Vm1 ISi-ood ; 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 sold at the office of the Bee Jouk-
nal. Price, postpaid, '25 cents; or clubbed
with the Bee JouiiNAL for one year— both
together for $1.15.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

203

• 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 '~!0 or more apiarists
who help to make "Queries and Replies" so
interesting: on another paare. In the main, it
will contain questions and answers upon mat-
ters that particularly Interest beginners.— Ed.

Ijeveling Section Combs.

Is there any need of leveling the
combs in extracted sections ? If so, of
what good is it ? W. N. C.

Answer. — Generally, you will find it
an advantage. If you use no separators,
you will find some parts of the sections
so near touching that the bees will build
them together. If you use separators,
you will still find there may be such
variation that the sections will come too
near the separator in places, and then
the bees will make bad work.

Another thing : Leveling will take off
the edges of the cells that are likely to
be dark-colored and perhaps daubed
with bee-glue. B. Taylor's " Handy
Leveler " is the nicest thing I know of
for this purpose.

Young Bees Leaving the Hive, Etc.

1. What is the cause of young bees
leaving the hive before old enough to
fly ? I have a nucleus that the bees act
in this manner. I covered it well, to
keep them warm, and tried them uncov-
ered, but they, leave just the same.
They have plenty of honey. They crawl
away in the grass never to return.

2. This colony has an Italian queen
purchased of a noted queen-breeder;
her bees show no more yellow bands
than I have colonies that were bought
for black. I have 55 colonies ; about
two of these colonies have bees that
show three yellow bands; some hives
are % yellow, and the rest black ; some
less. Now these bees must all be from
the same queen — both three-banded and
black. It was just the same last yaar.

The most of them are very vicious. I
don't think there is any Italian blood in
this section, as I can't hear of any with-
in 8 or 10 years, until I got this queen
that I have just spoken of. Can she be
pure ? C. N. W.

Joy, N. Y., July 25.

Answers. — 1. Without being present
to see— and then perhaps I couldn't tell
any better — I can think of nothing to
make young bees act so unless it be that
worms have been at work in the cells
from which these young bees came, and
so they are imperfect.

2. If you bought that queen for a
tested Italian, it's all wrong. If you
bought it for an untested queen, then it
may be all right. From what you say —
some of the bees three-banded and some
black — the probability is that it is a
queen of Italian blood but mated with a
black drone. You run your chance of
the mating if you bought it as an un-
tested queen. If, however, you bought
it as a tested queen, there has been some
mistake, and if you write to the man
from whom you purchased, no doubt he
will make it all right.

Bees Didn't Swarm — Wintering-.

I commenced the bee-business this
year on a small scale. Last November
I bought two colonies of bees — one of
them full-blooded Italian and the other
hybrids. My bees are in the Langstroth
hives. They wintered finely in the open
air without any protection except the
hive that contained them^ and I think it
is all that is necessary in this sunny
clime.

On June 22nd I took 34 pounds of
honey from the hives, and they are now
again rich with honey. Surely, this is a
fine country for bees, though but very
little attention is given to the business.

I read the American Bee Journal
with interest, and have profited by the
information gathered from it. One of
my colonies of bees is very strong, but
neither has shown any signs of swarm-
ing this year ; if so, they left without
being discovered.

1. What is the cause of their not
swarming ?

2. Before winter comes is it best to
remove all the supers from the hives for
the bees to winter, or leave one of them
on ? M. E. L.

Aberdeen, Miss., July 27.

Answers. — 1. Now if you can only
keep those bees in the same frame of
mind, and offer for sale queens whose

204

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

progeny will never offer to swarm, your
fortune's made. Without knowing all
the- particulars, it's impossible to say
why your bees don't swarm. I'll tell
you some of the things that are gener-
ally supposed to help toward keeping
bees from swarming : Plenty of room
for the queen to lay in ; a cool place for
the hive to stand ; a young queen ; keep-
ing the honey closely extracted. Then
there's a difference in bees themselves.
Some are much inclined to swarm, some
little. If the honey harvest is poor, bees
are less inclined to swarm.

2. Some are strongly in favor of leav-
ing a super on the hive over winter.
The only objection is that sections in it
will not stay so white and nice.

How to Introduce Queens.

I have 11 colonies of hybrid bees that
I want to Italianize. Will Dr. Miller
please give the best plan for introducing
queens? W. P.

Choctaw City, Okla. Ter, July 30.

Answer. — There are so 'many ways
that I don't believe I know what is the
best way, and the easiest answer would
be to look at the books. But it may be
of a little use to give something from my
own experience.

There's only one way that I've tried
to any extent that I would feel entirely
safe to use if I were introducing an im-
ported queen costing $5 or so. Get
several brood-combs containing no un-
sealed brood, only sealed brood, and a
good part of it just hatching out. Put
these combs in an empty hive, close it
up bee-tight, and put in your queen.
Keep it closed about five days, then open
the entrance just enough for one or two
bees to pass. If the weather is not warm
enough to keep the sealed brood from
chilling, take the hive into the house, or
somewhere where it will keep warm.
Sometimes I have set such a hive over a
strong colony, having two surfaces of
wire-cloth between, so that the heat
could rise from below, but no bee could
reach its tongue or antennae from one
hive to ihe other.

But that plan's too much trouble for
ordinary use. Here's a plan that's
nearly always successful, by which I've
introduced a great many queens: The
colony must be queenless, and I've
oftener waited until it had sealed queen-
cells. Then lift out a frame of brood,
set the queen on the brood right among
the bees without any ceremony, put
back the comb and close up the hive. I

have an idea that it may be better that
the queen is a little hungry at the time.
Doolittle says that too often the queen
herself is to blame by showing fight to
the workers, and when she's had noth-
ing to eat for a quarter of an hour, she
hasn't so much fight in her.

If the queen has been reared in a
nucleus by yourself, and you want to in-
troduce her to a full colony, just lift out
the frame on which you find the queen
and put it, bees and all, into the full
colony. That's all there is to it.

Some virgin queens were sent me from
England by John Hewitt, and I intro-
duced them successfully by following
his instructions, which were as follows :

The colony must be hopelessly queen-
less for at least 48 hours, during that
time having no queen-cells nor any un-
sealed brood or eggs. In the evening,
after bees have stopped flying, go to the
hive, open it as quietly as possible, and
drop in the queen. The reason for put-
ting in the queen in the evening is be-
cause robbers will not be flying around
at that time to make the bees cross and
suspicious of every new comer.

In some of the supply dealers' cata-
logues you will find Miller's introducing-
cage olfered for sale. It is a simple lit-
tle cage of wire-cloth and wood, about
34 inch in thickness so it can be put be-
tween the frames of a hive, the queen
being fastened in it, and the bees liber-
ate her themselves. There is a passage
through which the queen can get out of
the cage, the passage being about an
inch long, and a quarter of an inch
square, and that is entirely filled with
Good or Scholz candy. When the bees
eat through this candy the queen walks
out.

Perhaps it may be well in any of the
short methods of introduction to oper-
ate in the evening.

Now go ahead, and if you lose a queen
in introducing, remember that cases of
failure will probably occur with almost
any plan that may be used except the
first one that I gave. The chances are
better if honey is coming in freely.

4]ioo«1 lloMcy-Sellers will likely be
needed now, and the little 32-page pamph-
let, "Honey as Food and Medicine," bas
for years proven itself valuable in making
repeated sales of honey. Its distribution
will rmilu a dtrtnu/ul for the honey first, and
then the bee-keeper can follow it up and
supply that demand. Send to us for a
sample copy, only .5 cents; 10 copies, post-
paid, 3.5 cents ; .50 copies, .f 1 .25 ; or 100 copies
$2.00. Try .50 or 100 copies, and prove their
ability to aid you in disposing of your
honey at a good price.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

205

S MlMTS.

BY F. L. PEIRO, M. D.

McVicker's Building, Chicago. 111.

Nervous and Sick Headache.

Dear Miss GoDFKEY.Chicago:— Your wish
to know the causes and cure of nervous and
sick headache shall be complied with at
once, because I can imagine your anxiety
for relief if you are a sufferer from either
form of this discouraging affliction.

The cause of these maladies has puzzled
the medical minds for ages, and I am not
certain that we of today are much nearer
the facts than were our medicinal ances-
tors. It is a queer admission for a modern
M. D. to make, but "facts are stubborn
things." Of course, much guessing has
been attempted. One says the liver is at
fault; the other, that the stomach is the
guilty organ ; and latterly the profession
seems pretty uniformly settled in the con-
viction that our truant iienm are entirely
to blame. But if not certain of the actual
cause, there is no doubt that we have learned
the existence of various predisposing fac-
tors, which if obviated will reward the suf-
ferer by comparative peace.

Some persons are especially precUsposed to
these ailments ; others, like myself, have
never a twinge. It is not that we are wiser
or more considerate of ourselves, but simply
because we are not '• built that way" — so
to speak. Diet that will nourish one, may
prove a very poison for the other — hence,
the necessity of stadijiiuj the kinds of food
best suited to each particular individual,
and, of course, avoiding that which we
have reason to fear.

Constipation is only an indication that
the food we eat is not exactly suited to our
active requirements, hence it is another
"straw" pointing to the sick headache.
Sedentary habits is another chief cause,
but that can easily be overcome by calis-
thenic and other exercises at home, and
where better than in a big bathtub with
plenty of water and long brush ! O the
scrubbing ! What work it entails, and what
wonders it performs ! The namby-pamby
sponge or wash-cloth is nowhere in com-
parison !

But to be brief: The less fats or oily
substances the better, because illy assimi- I

lated. Much seasoning of food, especially
with pepper, spices, and mustard, is depre-
cated—they simply corrode the membrane
of the digestive track, and much retard
normal functions. Pies, cakes, candies,
and confections generally are harmful for
practically the same reasons; hence, should
be shunned. Meats are not best, though
occasional indulgence is not interdicted.
Fresh fish, vegetables, fruits, eggs, bread,
milk— preferably buttermilk or " clabber "
—lemonade, shrubs and ices, give wide
range for excellent diet. Coffee, tea, and
fermented drinks are to be avoided, but
you may literally deluge yourself with
xi'ittcr— good, fresh water, hot or cold— you
need fear no ill results. The system is
flushed thereby, and the impurities of the
various excretory organs (the liver, spleen,
and intestinal canal) are carried out of the
body, and our physiological machinery
kept in good working order. Tight-lacing
is a fruitful source of headaches— but of
course you are not so addicted.

As to remedies, little need be said. Pre-
iM'/itiou must be our sheet-anchor. I fully
trust to your intelligent conception the im-
portance and the duty of this suggestion.
During an attack of sick or nervous head-
ache (they are one and the same thing),
five or six drops of hydrochloric acid in a
glassful of hot water is helpful; or a tea-
spoonful of Horsford's acid phosphate in
water is often effective. Repeat if necessary.

If with this treatment perfect quiet in a
dark room can be had, so much the better.
But remember — to study your needs in eating
and drinking, not less in your mode of
dressing, and especiaUy see that the shoes
are water-proof, and two sizes too big !

Cbllls and Ague.

ChiUs, eh ? Well, that is disagreeable
enough ! Happily not immediately danger-
ous.

Intermittent fever (as termed by the
doctors) may result from various causes,
but chiefly from living in malarial districts
where much vegetation decays, as near
rivers, ponds, or during wet seasons, or to
a debilitated state of the system that nearly
all external influences will impress. To
coidiiiue to live in such unhealthy localities
is, of course, a certain assurance of return
of the ' • chills ' ' with more or less frequency.

Such residents must simply make up
their minds to suffer from this form of

206

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL-,

fever and ague indefinitely. It
gloomy outlook to constantly expect this
unwelcome cold visitor, and to reflect that
its visits can only be discouraged by con-
stant medication. Reason would dictate a
removal from such surroundings, but I
know full well this desirable change is not
always possible. As those malarial dis-
tricts are usually the most fertile, farmers
prefer to remain where their labors are
most profitably rewarded, even at the ex-
pense of frequent "shaking" and dosing
quinine. But for the occasional sufferers—
those who have accidentally contracted the
"chills"— as it were— and are not "old
timers " in its service, very safe and practi-
cal suggestion is here given.

We'll suppose your chill is due at 10
o'clock to-morrow morning. Go gather a
big handful of boneset from that low,
swampy field, and after washing it clean
put it on the fire with two quarts of water.
Let it boil one hour and simmer two more,
then strain clean, and every two hours take
a half cupful in a pint of hot water. Keep
this up faithfidhj all day, when not asleep
at night. Less of the " tea" or water will
do little good.

This remedy may make you throw up— all
right if it does; if not, quite likely it will
act on your liver and bowels— the more
thoroughly the better.

In the morning, bright and early, several
hours before you expect the chill, have a
big pint of very strong coffee made, to
which you add the juice of a good, large
lemon. Make two doses of this mixture,
one each hour, drink hot.

It will be an exceedingly presumptuous
" chill " that will have the hardihood to re-
turn after such a reception ! But supposing
it should, and fever follows, drink all the
lemonade you can, and the following day
commence the boneset tea again, and fol-
low with the coffee and lemon, as before,
and a hundred chances to one you will
have permanently parted with your persis-
tent enemy. That's the way I "shook"
him :5() years ago, and we've never met
since !

Children predisposed to chills, owing to
locality, can with great benefit be given,
say a fourth of this coffee dose once in a
while with vastly better result, and greater
safety, than the resort to the indiscrimi-
nate use of quinine, blue pills and Dover,
as usual.

CONDUCTED BY

MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY,

Beeville, Texas.

Bees Booming — Bee-Trees.

We have plenty of rain now, and bees
are booming. We cut six bee-trees last
week — almost all good Italian bees.

August 6. Jennie Atchley.

PROFITABLE BEE-KEEPING.

Ijesson No.

(Continued from page 142.)
HOW TO CURE FOUL BROOD.

Now, I have headed this short lesson
" How to Cure Foul Brood," but I must
confess that I do not know for sure
whether my method will cure every time
or not, but I lost 100 colonies down to
four before I checked it, in the year
1880, and I have not had any in my
apiary since 1883.

I may be away behind the times with
my cure, but I hope to assist some one.
I do not claim the cure my own inven-
tion, either — I belive it was at the sug-
gestion of A. I. Root that I tried the
plan, and it has been given lots of times,
and it will not hurt to give it again.

I shook the bees all out of their hives
into clean empty boxes or hives, and
kept them shut up until they began to
show signs of starvation, which was
usually ;56 hours. Then I put them into
another clean hive on comb foundation,
and on the second brood that was reared
in these new combs, I found a few cells
of foul brood. I just treated the whole
outfit as before, and this time it was
getting too late for them to gather a
winter supply, and I fed them up on
horu^y and sugar syrup, and the next
spring I watched closely for the disease
to reappear, but it never did appear,
and I caught an idea then that if one
could possibly wait until breeding time
was just about over, and starve the bees,

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL

20?

and put them on frames of honey or
syrup (plenty for winter) that by spring
the germs that the bees might carry
with them in some way would disappear,
and not bother the bees any more.

The trouble with this would be, if the
disease should appear in the spring-time
we could not afford to wait until fall, so
we would have to go through the opera-
tions twice to get a cure. Or I think it
will take twice in most cases.

I would advise that all old hives that
had contained foul-broody bees, should
be scraped clean and scalded out thor-
oughly before using again, and the
sooner the hives are cleaned, the better,
as bees will gather up the bee-glue and
bits of comb if left where they can get
to them, as there is always more or less
comb and glue left sticking to the old
hives, especially if bees have been in the
hives for some time.

The reason I advise so strongly that
the hives be well scalded is this : 1
bought a hive one time for a pattern,
and carried it home 15 miles ; I cleaned
it well, but did not scald it, and the hive
I bought had contained a foul-broody
colony before I got it, but I did not know
it ; in fact, foul brood had killed the
bees outright, was why the hive was
empty. The colony I put into this hive
took the foul brood, and from it I lost
nearly 100 strong and prosperous colo-
nies. This is why I am afraid to use a
hive without scalding, that has had a
foul-broody colony, and I believe I have
a right to be afraid of hives that have
been exposed to foul brood, don't you
think so ?

I think the above is about the extent
of my cure, and if my bees should ever
become affected again, as they were
then, I should burn lock, stock, and
barrel, and begin anew with healthy
bees, if I could get new bees reasonable.

It is useless, I suppose, to state that I
tried salicylic acid, and all known reme-
dies at that time, and the disease spread
right on just the same. I extracted
some honey from some of the colonies,
and put it into a jar, and to touch the
jar, the honey and foul brood matter
would shake like jelly, and the hives
were continually covered outside with
green flies, and the apiary could be
smelled nearly a half mile on the wind-
ward side. This is the kind of foul
brood my bees had, and no mild remedies
would check it. What I know of the
foul brood of to-day, It is nothing to
compare with what my bees had. This
is why I have so bitterly opposed the
use of hives without being well scalded.

Some say It is no use to scald the hives,
but I think if they experience the trials
and the kind of foul brood my bees had,
they will agree with me.

I have not written all the above to
scare any one, but by all means beware
of foul brood !

Jennie Atchley.
(To be continued.)

iiiissisiisxiisixiiiiiisssssssssxa

DMinies or Filled Conilis for Most Honey

Query 936 —My hives are lO-frame. and I
want to reduce the room of the queen to 8
frames. I can take out of each hive two
empty combs and replace them with dummies
or with two combs filled solid with honey.
Saying nothing: about the expense, which will
help me to get the biggest crop of comb honey
—the dummies or the filled combs ?— Illinois.

I give it up. — J AS. A. Stone.

Filled combs. — J. H. Larkabee.

I should use the dummies. — G. M.

DOOI.ITTLE.

I'd rather have the combs of honey. —

C. C. MiLLEK.

The dummies, as bees will guard the
comb. — Mrs. L. Harrison.

I do not know, but think I would pre-
fer the dummies. — Emerson T. Abbott.

I should take, in place of the dum-
mies, the frames of solid honey. — J. P.
H. Brown.

The dummies, if your honey seasons
are like those in central Michigan. — R.
L. Taylor.

The filled combs, if your bees are
likely to need honey before the crop. —
Dadant & Son.

I do not think it would be very differ-
ent. I should prefer the honey, if to be
had. — A. J. Cook.

I think if there is any difference, it
would be in favor of the filled combs. —
Mrs. J. N. Heater.

The filled combs would be my choice.
You do not state the kind or ^ze of your
frames, but if they be the standard

208

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Langstroth -ten frames are nearer
right than eight, according to my views.
— W. M. Barnum.

I don't know. I would answer the
question by trying the experiment, if I
wanted to know. — Eugene Secor.

I think there would be little differ-
ence, the advantage, if any, being with
the combs of honey. — J. A. Green.

Use the filled combs, every time. I
never yet saw the populous colony that
was supplied with too much honey. — C.
H. Dibbern.

I would prefer the dummies, as it will
take bees to cover and look after the
honey, and not so with the dummies. —
Mrs. Jennie Atchley.

The dummies, unless they carry some
of the two combs above. The reason
would be that the dummies would re-
lease the bees necessary to warm and
guard two frames of honey. — S. I. Free-
born.

The question is wholly theoretical ;
the only way to determine it, in my
judgment, will be to make a trial test,
but even then the fact that seasons vary
so much in the honey yield, that a test
would be very uncertain. I should in-
cline to the dummy, though. — J. E.
Pond.

I cannot see how there could be any
difference. If there is honey to be gath-
ered, and there are bees to gather it,
and there is room to store it, it will be
gathered and stored ; and bees can
store no more honey in combs that are
full than they can in a pine board. — M.
Maiiin.

If you put the two frames of honey
into the brood-nest, the bees will very
likely move the honey into the sections
— at least a part of it. Combs of honey
are better than dummies. If you can
take two empty combs out of each hive,
your queen is not doing her duty. Get
a better strain of bees. Try the Car-
niolans.— E. France.

The filled combs, every time. But if
in your locality you have an early honey-
flow, and a fall hoaey-flow, and honey
enough can be secured by the bees be-
tween the two harvests to keep the col-
nies in good condition, you may save the
expense of the two " filled " combs, and
use division-boards in their place. But
how many bee-keepers have just such a
location for their apiaries ? Please an-
swer, one at a time. — G. W. Demarkk.

Have You Bead the wonderful Pre-
mium offers on page 131 ?

Hanlliiis Sueeii-Cells Nearly HatcMng.

Written for theA.merican Bee Journal
BY G. M. DOOLITTLE.

A correspondent writes to know " if it
will answer to shake the bees off the
frames of brood having queen-cells on,
if it is wished to save the cells for use."
As I have many similar questions put to
me, I will answer this through the col-
umns of the American Bee Journal.

It is never best to shake a frame hav-
ing queen-cells upon it at any time, and
especially at or near the time of the
queens becoming mature. Very many
have been the number of queens killed
or injured so as to make them valueless
by this plan of getting the bees off the
cells.

If the cells are just capped over, such
shaking dislodges the royal larva from
the royal jelly, throwing the larva to
the bottom with such force that it is
either killed outright, or, in failing to
get back, dies where it is. If further
advanced, such shaking deforms the
queen by her having crippled wings or
legs, or, what is quite often the case,
the queen has a dent in the abdomen,
certain segments of which are dented
inward, or the whole flattened or curved.
While this last is not as bad as to have
the wings deformed, yet it is a very rare
case where a queen with a deformed
abdomen proves to be a really good
queen. Sufli queens generally become
fertile, ana lay quite well for a time ; so
are of some value ; but those whose
wings are crippled are worse than no
queens at all, for they can never become
fertile, while they stand in the way of
our successfully introducing a laying
queen. In case such crippled-winged
queens are of the German or hybrid
race, they are very hard to find, and the
parties who have ordered queens for
supposed quoonless colonies having such
crippled (lueens, and lost them in trying
to introduce them, can be numbered by
the score, if not by the hundred.

AMERICAN BEEl JOURNAL.

209

No one should attempt to introduce a
queen to any colony, unless they take
away the reigning queen at the time
they put in the new one, without first
trying the colony with unsealed brood to
see if they are really queenless. If
they build queen-cells on this brood,
they can know that they have no queen;
if not, then they may know that if they
tried to introduce a queen to that col-
ony without first finding and taking out
that which the bees are reverencing as a
queen, they will be certain of losing the
one they would have preside over the
colony.

How shall we get the bees ofif the
queen-cells if we cannot shake the comb
to dislodge them? The way I manage
is as follows :

If the day is warm, and robbers are
not bothersome, I take the frame from
the hive and set it near the entrance to
the hive, the same side up as it was when
in the hive. By the side of the frame I
set a basket or pail having two or three
thicknesses of soft cloth in the bottom
of it, when the bees are driven from the
cells by directing a stream of smoke on
the individual cell I wish to take first.
As soon as the bees have run off this
cell, it is cut off and carefully laid on
the cloth in the basket. Smoke is di-
rected to the next cell, when this is
treated as the first, and so on until all
are off. The bees are now shaken from
the comb, if the comb is to be used in
some other hive than the one from which
it came, but otherwise, the comb, bees
and all are set back in the hive. The
basket of cells are now carried where we
wish, with no injury to the cells in the
least. If too cool for this way of work-
ing, or robbers annoy, then proceed like
this:

After taking the frame from the hive,
and setting it down in front of the en-
trance to the hive right side up, blow
smoke on the bees which are on the
comb, in such volumes that it will cause
them to fill themselves with honey, and
while they are doing so, close the hive.
When the hive is closed, smoke is again
poured upon them to such an extent
that the most of the bees will run into
the hive, when the remainder are brush-
ed off with a large quill taken from a
turkey's wing, the same having the
feather on the wide part of it trimmed
down half way, so that it will take the
bees off easily without irritating them,
as is the case where the untriramed quill
s used ; for then the bees will get in the
same and sing and sting until a general
uproar is often caused.

If the bees are loth to leave the comb.

and run into the hive from smoking, the
whole of them can be brushed off, but be
sure they have filled themselves with
honey before you undertake to brush off
so many bees, unless you are willing to
stand many stings, for the bees around
queen-cells will fight with a vengeance
equal to a tiger's when being robbed of
her cubs, unless the precaution is taken
to coax them to fill themselves with
honey.

If the weather is cool, and the cells
are to be placed at once in different
hives, it is a good plan to take the bees
along with the cells, so as to keep them
warm, when, with a little smoke, drive
the bees off the cell you wish, so that
they will be out of the way while you
take it off the comb.

After the cells are all off, then the
bees can be shaken off the comb at the-
entrance of the hive, the same as fromi
any other frame.

This latter way of not trying to get.
the bees off until after the cells are re-
moved, is good at any time where the
cells are to be placed in different hives
about the apiary at once, but where you
use a queen-nursery, or for any reason
wish to keep the whole away from the
bees for an indefinite period of time,
then the bees must be gotten off the
comb.

I have written this out at length so
that even a novice could understand, as
the secret of honey-production lies very
largely in good queens ; while it is very
easy to spoil the good qualities of queens
by an injudicious handling of the cells
in taking them away from the bees.

Borodino, N. Y.

A Few Motes anJ Comineiils.

Written lor tlwAvierlcan Bee Journal

BY DR. C. C. MILLER.

Speaking of Rev. Anderson with his
35 colonies (page 135) reminds me that
in Germany the ranks of bee-keepers are
largely filled by the clergy. Teachers,
however, abound. In a list of 89 Ger-
man bee-keepers before me, 13 are
teachers.

TRANSLATIN& ITALIAN.

So Dr. Peiro translates Italian (page
135). Good. Good queens come from
Italy, and some good ideas. It always
aggravates me to be able to make out
just enough of Italian to know there's
something in L'ApicoUore I think I'd
like to read, and can't. That paper

210

AMERICAN BElE JOURNAL..

seems to keep close track of what's
going on in this country. I know no
other paper that quotes so much from
the query box of the American Bee
Journal.

seditious preaching !

Dr.'Peiro is a good-hearted sort of a
man, but he isn't smart a bit. The idea
of getting people into the notion of try-
ing to keep well so they'll have less use
for a doctor ! And to use their common-
sense ! Why, Doctor, it's seditious to
preach such doctrine. Let such notions
get abroad, and it will be the ruin of
many a flourishing firm that are just
coining money selling patent medicines.

A bee's "disposition."

I have some doubts as to the correct-
ness of that Crawford county bee-keep-
er's theory on page 141. Did you ever
know a loaded worker on its way to a
hive to become enraged ? When a bee
is at work on the flowers, you may strike
it or do what you please, and it never
offers to touch you unless you pinch it.
Doesn't It carry that same disposition
with it until it enters the hive?

sowing seeds for honey-plants.

Isn't it well to be a little careful how
we raise the expectations of beginners?
If one of them should start out with the
idea given on page 144, that he can
keep 500 colonies in one apiary if he
rightly uses 30 cents worth of seeds,
he'll likely be a very disappointed per-
son. I don't believe there's a spot in all
Illinois where 500 colonies can be
profitably kept in one apiary, no matter
how much seed.

Marengo, 111.

m MWwinter Fair Apiarian ExUMl.

Written Jor the American Bee Journal
BY W. A. PRYAL.

As the International exhibition at
Han Francisco is now over, it seems al-
most useless to say anything about it or
the exhibits that were displayed there.
Still, as I had something to say about the
honey exhibit (page 789 of last volume)
that called forth a reply from the gen-
tleman who was supposed to be respon-
sible for the non-success of the honey-
show, I think it no more than justice to
him that I should give his side of the
affairs. It will be observed that what
he states bears me out in what I had to
say in regard to his connection with the

matter. I then stated, as nearly as I
can recall without having the words be-
fore me, that as I knew the young gen-
tleman (the correspondent I am about
to quote) to be an energetic and capable
person, the fault of not getting up a
creditable exhibit could not be/iue to
him. Here is what he had to say, on
June 25th :

With regard to the space, I had only
two places to choose between — the one
where the honey is, and the other a very
dark place on the first floor where it would
hardly be possible to distinguish one grade
of honey from another. Honey granulates
quickly in San Francisco, and I thought
the heat would have a tendency to prevent
granulation.

' There were two reasons why I did not get
a better exhibit, but you did not guess
either one of them. I do not know a single
bee-keeper that refused to send honey to be
exhibited, if he had any, but nearly every
bee-keeper in Ventura county hatl sold his
honey, or tlid not have any suitable to ex-
hibit. The other reason was that the
manager of the Ventura county exhibit sold
about half of the honey exhibits shipped to
him, without placing them on exhibition.

Mr. Mercer, Mr. Mendleson, Mr. Archer,
and myself, went to San Francisco and
placed our own exhibits, and if we had not
done so the honey exhibit would have been
a worse failure than the California exhibit
at Chicago.

My " pass " did not cost the Fair mana-
gers a cent, and was only good for one
month, and after paying about $20 out of
my own pocket in traveling expenses, and
not finding much honey outside of this
county, I gave it up.

That settles it. All hall to the Ven-
tura quartette who did so much to give
California a fair exhibit of honey at the
late Midwinter Fair at San Francisco !
As all the four gentlemen received high
awards for their exhibits, I trust they
feel repaid for their trouble. I have not
heard whether they had to pay for the
space tliey occupied at the Fair or not.
It seems to me that an arrangement
should have been made by the State Bee-
Keepers' Association to have secured
sufficient space, and then tried to have
filled it with suitable honey. But there
is no use "crying over spilled milk," so
we can afford to let the matter rest
where it is.

We have the consolation that no other
State b(!at us at this Fair, though Ne-
vada brought forth some of its prize
gilt-edge honey, in the hope of knocking
us out.

North Temescal, Calif.

Cireat Premium on page 196 1

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

211

Bee-Escap Hoiiey-Boari anil Swarming.

Written :f or the American Bee Journal
BY W. C. LYMAN.

On page 83 Mr. Deraaree tells how he
has prevented swarming by raising the
sealed brood above the excluder ; and on
page 80, Mr. T. I. Dugdale tells how he
prevents increase by placing the old
brood-chamber on top of the hive in
which he puts the new swarm. Both of
these plans are excellent, but have not
given me full satisfaction, because drone-
brood hatching above an excluder, dies
there, unless the hive is opened often

board of ^-inch lumber, having the
usual rim around it, so as to give a %-
inch bee-space on the upper side ; but I
made it of only three strips of wood —
on« wide, one on each side, and a nar-
row one (two Inches wide) in the center,
with two of the perforated-zinc strips
between. This was intended to cut off,
to a certain extent, communication be-
tween any super or brood-chamber,
which might be placed above this honey-
board, and the rest of the hive ; and to
discourage the storing of honey above it.
For a bee-escape to use in this honey-
board, I took a Hastings escape and cut
off the projecting ends of the perforated
tin, and then cut the escape entirely in

The Lyman Bee-Escape Honey- Board.

enough to let them out. Drones above
an excluder in the sections are a nui-
sance.

In Mr. Dugdale's plan the brood which
hatches from the old brood-chamber be-
comes really a new colony, with a new
entrance to its hive, although it is in a
position to be easily united with the
swarm below. To obviate both of these
difficulties, and to keep all of the bees
at work in the one hive, it occurred to
me that I might use a modification of
the bee-escape and the queen-excluding
honey-board, in such a way as to let the
drones out of the front of the hive,
above the main entrance, while the
workers would be allowed to go directly
down into the boxes, or extracting
super, and thence to the brood-chamber
below.

To accomplish this, I made a honey-

two on, each side of the entrance hole on
the upper side, and also removed the
half circle of tin from the exit ends of
the escape, to give the springs more
room to play. This gave me two es-
capes from each one of the Hastings',
throuffh which the bees could pass hori-
zontally, instead of entering the escape
from above.

I now placed one of these escapes in
the center of one end of the honey-board
by cutting away the rim enough to let
the exit end of the escape come out flush
with the outer surface ; and after put-
ting a small piece of wood (-^-inch
square, and as long as the escape) under
the perforated tin on each side of the
escape, I fastened both by nailing down
through.

The bees could now pass directly
through the escape to the outside of the

212

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

hive when the honey-board was in place;
and the workers could also pass down
through the two strips of perforated
zinc.

For mode of using : When a swarm
Issues, remove the old hive from its
stand, and put in its place a new brood-
chamber, on which put the comb or ex-
tracted-honey supers from the old hive.
Let the old brood-chamber remain be-
side the swarm until they have begun
work in their new quarters, then re-
move the cover of the new hive, and put
in its place one of the bee-escape honey-
boards, on which put the old brood-
chamber, and cover up, with a shade-
board on top of all.

The bees are now all in one hive,
where they will go on with the work
with renewed vigor, and in only one
case have I had an after-swarm, al-
though the young queens were left to
hatch out at will.

It is very easy to make sure of no
after-swarm, as there is nothing but the
cover to remove to get at the frames con-
taining queen-cells, to cut them out.

There are other uses to which this
style of honey-board can be put, which
would take too much time and space to
describe now ; but my use of it the past
season has been very satisfactory in sev-
eral ways, though of course I know that
a single season's test is not enough to
determine its value.

Downer's Grove, 111.

THe Best Honeys of llie Worll.

Bro. Chas. F. Muth, of Cincinnati, O.,
was recently asked for his opinion of
sourwood honey, which he gave in
Oleanings. He also gives his opinion of
other honeys as well, that will be of in-
terest to all, as Mr. Muth is perhaps
better posted on honeys than any other
person in this country, if not in the
world. Here is what he says :

Sourwood furnishes a very good honey
of light color and good flavor. I should
put it. in the same class with basswood
of the North and Northwest, or the
orange-blossotn or saw-palmetto of the
South. Wo have .just now a new arrival
of orange-blossom honey. It is of good
quality and fine taste, and we advertise
it as s(>mething " new and choice ;" but
we shall be no more able to raise a cus-
tomer for it now than we were at former
trials. A certain preference would be

given to basswood or sourwood honey,
because of the former having a lighter
color. All the above will be sold to
manufacturers, principally, almost ex-
clusively.

The most popular and most praise-
worthy honeys are: Northern white
clover ; mangrove of Florida, and sage
of California, in their purity — i. e., with-
out an admixture of other qualities.
According to my experience, this trio
includes the only qualities accepted by
the public for table use. Almost all
other qualities go to the manufacturers,
principally.

It must be remembered that our tastes
are cultivated. While basswood honey
is of fine quality, and, no doubt, popular
in the basswood region, still it will never
be successfully introduced in a clover
country, for table use. I have tested
the matter for many years.

Horsemint honey, very obnoxious to
our taste at first, loses its bad flavor
gradually by our handling and tasting it.
When my friend. Dr. Lay, said, " Horse-
mint is the honey for a man of Texas,"
and when I replied that it amounts to
nothing in business (what he and I
should like), both of us were correct.
Only those qualities which are popular,
or can be made so, count. All qualities
next to the above-mentioned trio, in re-
gard to flavor and color, go to manufac-
turers.

The idea I intend to convey is, that,
according to my experience in the busi-
ness, white clover honey stands at the
head of the list ; next comes mangrove
of Florida; next, sage of California;
and next, any amount of other varieties
too numerous to mention, all of which
can bo sold to manufacturers only, be-
cause of their lower prices. However,
anything is possible these times, the
business features of which are abnor-
mal and unnatural. Since we 'sold at
6, and even 5}4 cents per pound, by the
carload, each of first-class California
and of clover and basswood extracted
honey, we can hardly find customers for
dark honey at any price. The bottom
has come out of prices of all articles of
late, which, I hope, is temporary only.

Cincinnati, O., May 7, 1894.

In commenting upon what Bro. Muth
says in the foregoing, Bro. Root adds the
following paragraph :

What Mr. Muth has said in regard to
the taste of individuals in different locali-
ties is quite true ; and along with this
idea it may be well to say that, in cer-
tain parts of New York State, a consid-

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

213

erable number consider buckwheat the
finest honey in the world. Tbey like
that rich, strong flavor and dark color.
To them, no honey can stand in com-
parison with it ; and in regions where
basswood seems to be the chief source
of supply, no honey is considered equal
to it. It is well that there is this va-
riety of taste; because if everybody uni-
versally agreed that one kind of honey
was the best, honey from all other
sources would necessarily bring a lower
price ; but as it is, there are quite a
number of "best honeys" in the world.

Closeil-Enl Frames Once More.

Written for the American Bee Journal

BY F. L. THOMPSON.

Mr. Demaree has written, and prob-
ably will write, so much that is good
and sound, that he can do more good
with a wave of the hand —and more
harm with a Podsnappian gesture — than
an ordinary man in a knock-down fight.

On page 83 he has waved aside close-
-fitting frames with the magical words
'"self-interest" and " the worst of mis-
conceptions." Most users of close-fitting
frames, myself amonsr them, have no in-
terest in their sale. The manufacturers,
therefore, are aimed at. They may fight
their own battles. But how about such
men as W. Z. Hutchinson, R. L. Taylor,
P. H. Elwood, and many others ? "Self-
interest" and " jnisconception " are
shots wide of the mark. Such men are
at least as good authorities on hives as
the manufacturers, or as Mr. Demaree,
as he himself no doubt would cheerfully
acknowledge ; then why throw dust in
the eyes of beginners by implying that
there is only one side of the question ?
I could mention three of my neighbors,
practical and experienced apiarists, who
prefer closed-end frames after experi-
ence with the others. Considerations of
locality (such as the amount of propolis
gathered), of management, and espe-
cially of the kind of frames with which
one has already become familiar by long
handling, may go farther than any in-
trinsic merits or defects of the frames
themselves, toward biasing one's opinion.

The instance given is misleading. A
beginner might say, on reading it,
"What! ant-nests in hives!! That
settles it. No close-fitting frames for
me." But if I should find an ant-nest in
such a place, my faith in close-fitting
frames would be unimpaired. Why ? I

Because, having never yet found or
heard of such a case, except this one, or
any condition of things which could be
described as otherwise than "clean and
sweet" behind closed-end frames, I
would know that such an occurrence in
this locality, and presumably most other
localities, is exceedingly rare, and, con-
sequently, cannot seriously betaken into
consideration. By the way, closed-end
frames have been found more effectual
against the moth than the others. On
page 791 of Vol. XXXI, Mr. Mark D.
Judkins, of Osakis, Minn., gave some
pretty decisive testimony to this effect.

Mr. Demaree says the frames were so
"stuck up " that he had to pry them
apart to get them out. As I have be-
fore explained, we expect some prying
to be done at certain seasons of the year
with closed-end frames. It is a disad-
vantage, but many have decided that It
does not outweigh the advantages to be
derived from their use. If the prying
in this case was no more than is ordi-
narily needed, it requires no comment.
But if they were stuck together so as to
need an instrument like a young crow-
bar to get them apart, as Mr. Demaree
seems to imply, one of two things was
probably true— either that locality sup-
plies an unusual amount of propolis,
much more than the average locality,
or the interior surface formed by the
end-bars was rendered very uneven
by some frames inclining one way
and some another, affording opportunity
to the bees to deposit much more than a
"slender line " of propolis along their
junctures, as is usually the case.

If any prying at all is objected to,
yellow vaseline may be applied with a
brush to the edges of the end-bars be-
fore the frames are put in. This, and
tallow, have frequently been recom-
mended and found good, and ought to
be well known by this time.

I find that I omitted the greatest ad-
vantage of closed-end frames. The
" bee-space all around " of the common
hanging frames, or of any frame not
closed more than half way down, is con-
trary to nature. Combs are naturally
joined by their ends, as well as by their
tops, to the receptacles in which they
are. This makes the space between
every two combs like a high, narrow
little room — a miniature hive, in fact —
quite independent of the other spaces,
or of the spaces between the last combs
and the sides of the receptacle. Add to
this that honey is a good non-conductor
of heat, and do you see the point ?
Division-boards are unnecessary. A solid

214

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAl^.

comb of honey in a closed-end frame
serves all the purposes of one. With a
little attention in the fall, you have
double-walled hives for winter. The
closed-ends furnish the inner wall at the
hive ends, and the solid honey-combs on
each side, with a top covering for at
least the side frames, furnish the inner
wall at the sides, and the best of it is,
that it is mostly automatic.

I think I have already said enough,
and hope others will tell from their own
experience of the merits and defects of
these frames. Let us permit no little
flings at articles of approved worth, in
the bee-papers, without demanding the
proof.

Arvada, Colo.

Honey as a Food ani leucine.

Bead at the Indinna State Conveiifiou
BY DR. .J. M. HICKS.

It is a Jcnown fact to many of us, that
pure honey used in many ways as a medi-
cine has but few if any equals in thera-
peutics. Honey has been used for many
hundreds and thousands of years as a
medicine in the various diseases of the
human family, such, for instance, as a
severe cold, croup in children, coughs,
and all bronchial affections. We find
honey to be one of the great medici-
nal factors, not only in the above-enum-
erated diseases, but it has great healing
properties in all pulmonary affections.

We read in Holy Writ, as well as in
ancient history, that honey was promi-
nently used as a medicine by the an-
cients in many of their ills. It is said
that the Mahomet bible taught the
Egyptians that honey was a medicine
for man ; also that Mahomet, in his
Koran, prescribed honey as a medicine.
One of the chapters of that work is en-
titled " The Bee ;" (see " British Bees,"
by Shuchard, pages 90 and 91).

Honey is not only a good medicine for
many distempers that the human family
is heir to, but wc also find it a healthful
as well as cheap food for children ; es-
pecially that which the bees gather from
the various mints, such as the hore-
hound, catnip, peppermint and horse-
mint ; and I would not forget to men-
tion especially the honey that is pro-
cured from the various clovers, such as
the Alsike, red and white clover — these
furnish the best of honey for all medici-
nal purposes.

Let mo here state as a matter of fact,
I have had on several occasions to test

the merits of honey in severe cases of
colds, and have as yet not been disap-
pointed, but all my patients have been
greatly benefited in a very short time,
and the relief was permanent in each
case. I am sure that if we can at all
times procure a pure article of honey
from the sources above enumerated, we
can at all times depend upon it as a sure
remedy or medicine in colds and bad
coughs.

And especially do I know that honey,
if properly and judiciously used as a
medicine, in pulmonary or lung troubles
will be of great and lasting benefit to
the patient. But like many other thera-
peutic agents, it needs other combina-
tions, in order to make it more efficient
in meeting special cases with which we
have to deal. I am not inclined to extol
any article for more than it is truly
worth, but I do think, and believe, that
to a large class of the American people
the true value of honey as a medicine in
many of our ills, is not known as well as
it should be with the masses.

Before I close, let me impress it upon
the minds of this organization of bee-
keepers, that it is the duty of each and
every member of this and other State
organizations, to see well to it that all
honey offered in the various markets
should be a pure article, and not adul-
terated, as is often the case ; then, and
not until this can be done, can we de-
pend upon it as a true medicine in many
of the ills we have to contend with.

Indianapolis, Ind.

Some Honey-Producini Trees.

Written for the American Bee Journal

BY W. H. MORSE.

Trees that bees gather honey or pollen
from we all as bee-keepers should en-
deavor, when opportunity occurs, to
plant, or when public improvements are
in operation, we should endeavor to get
in our work ; in fact, if we were to
watch every opportunity, the bee-keeper
would become a philanthropist, uncon-
sciously to himself.

The next thing is to get the right va-
rieties, and recommend nothing except
what is suitable to fill the bill.

Before I go any further, I will say
that I am not in the business of selling,
as I have nothing to sell, but wish to
give ray little knowledge, and if I con-
vey but one item to the general knowl-
edge, I am repaid a hundred fold.

Of course different States, and even

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

215

parts of States, are much more con-
genial to the growth of particular va-
rieties, so each must study and judge
for himself.

The first tree I would plant if I wanted
a shade tree would be a young basswood
— Tilia Americana. Of all trees that I
know, this tree seems to be particularly
well formed to withstand wind and
storms. Look at the limbs and see how
they start from the main trunk, and you
will see that it will rarely split from
storms ; and the value of the tree as a
honey-producer is grand.

THE WILD OLIVE.

Next to the basswood I hold the wild
olive— erroneously called Russian olive.
Its botanical name is Elceagiius Argentia.
This tree is mentioned in the "Diction-
ary of Gardening and Encyclopedia Hor-
ticulture," as growing 12 feet high, but
1 have a tree in my charge that has
made half that growth this year. It has
been planted five years, and bids fair to
grow to be 40 feet in the next 10 years.
The flowers are produced at the base of
the leaf stalk, two and three in a clus-
ter, and open in succession, very much
resembling the individual flowers of the
"lily of the valley," and about the same
size, the inside being yellow, and the
outside being covered with silvery scales,
as are the leaves, which give it a beauti-
ful appearance. It lasted in the flower
two weeks, and I never saw the tree
without bees on it when in flower. Tak-
ing all points, it is a beauty in Nebraska.

THE MAPLES AND BOX-ELDER.

Then the maples, especially Acer
Sacchariimm, and the soft maples — they
are worthy of extended planting. My
bees had only one day on them, but that
day was a sight. I thought I was going
to get 20 pounds to the hive from maple
alone, but, alas ! 12-^ of frost, and all
was over. Box-elder flowered out, then
they were busy again. The box-elder
and the maples make a quick growth,
which is a great thing in the West, in
their favor.

CATALPA AND HONEY-LOCUST.

The Catalpa SpccLosa is a fine tree,
and has the advantage of flowering when
young. I have had them flower the
third year from seed, but the trees get
badly used up in storms; but visit them
early in the morning, and see the bees
in the flower secure from dew and light
skowers, which makes up for a de-
ficiency.

Then there is the honey-locust —

Robinia Pscudacacia — a grand tree with
such a rapid growth. It would pay here
in the West to plant it for firewood
alone. The tree flowers when four years
old from the seed, and as its name im-
plies, it is a good honey-producer.

Now let's hear from others on this
subject, as I am convinced it is of vital
importance to the apiarist.

Florence, Nebr.

Xlie Busy Bees.

Written for the American Bee Journal

BT R. S. FOSTER.

How great, O God, how wonderful,

This world of wealth, of thine.
How faultless and how marvelous

Thy workmanship divine !
The ocean with its depths immense,

The continents that bound —
Its towering billows, and divide—

The currents circling round ;
The verdant and the fruitful isles

That stud its surface o'er,
Are thine, and given for awhile

To bless the rich and poor.

Behold the swift, sweet laden bee.

So provident, though small,
A unit small 'midst those that fly,

Whose fruits are chief of all ;
With skill unerring they traverse

The prairie and the wood.
And snatch the incense of the flowers

To feed their hungry brood.
Come skeptics all and gaze upon

Their plans as wise as thine,
How they uprear, contrive, and build —

Did not the Lord, divine,
Impress upon their kind and race,

Their architectural skill —
Their matchless thrift, and crowning all

Their persevering will ?

How regal like their sovereign is.

How proved her form, and mein^
A sovereign of an ancient line,

And always, too, a queen.
Where'er she goes, they follow her —

An army, loyal, armed
With daggers sharp, and poisoned tipped;

Their sentinels alarmed.
Challenge, advance, wheel round, and then,

Charge fearlessly the foe —
A hundred, or a thousand men,

Of paces fast or slow.

And in this sublime science, Lord,

We see a Father's hand,
That outstretched feeds the busy bee,

A fainting, famished land.
His works are mighty, and are planned.

To lead His children on
To higher planes, and share at last

The pleasures of His Son.

Read our great offers on page 223.

M6

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU

Don't Get Angry, Bee-Keeners.

Written for the Ameirican Bee Journal

BY JOHN F. GATES.

When I read Bro. Clarke's reply to
Dr. Miller (on page 694, May 31st Bee
Jouknal), I said to myself, " Isn't it too
bad that as good a man as Bro. Clarke is
in every other respect, should spoil his
influence by getting angry so much ?"

Now what is it that makes us all like
Bro. Miller ? It is not his money, nor
his knowledge, nor his beauty— though
he may possess all these, yet the reason
we like him is because he smiles — not a
sickish, sloppy, soft, sozzling sort of a
smile — ah, no! he smiles with his soul,
or his soul reflects its geniality on his
face. Excuse me Bro. Miller, but if we
would appreciate men more while they
were living, the world would be better
for it. Yes, when I read Clarke's words
to Miller, my involuntary action was to
draw a long breath, and feel sorry, and
lay the Bee Journal down. When I
read Miller's reply, I slapped my leg till
it hurt, and, says I, "Wife, what this
-world needs is more Dr. Millers !"

It may be said that one can't make
'himself pleasant on demand. Yes, you
■can. I don't wish to talk about myself,
but as I am best acquainted with my
own case, it will be all right.

When I was a boy, I found myself
with a quick temper and impulsive ways.
At school I would not take even a little
bitof"sass" from any boy, no matter
how big he was ; but I found this course
did not gain friends. I wanted friends,
but I had a vague idea that I could
maul my enemies until they would be
friends. But it didn't work well. When
I became older, I saw that those who
were kind, had the most friends ; and as
I desired to have friends, I made a re-
solve to never alloiv my angry passions
to rise again. Well, I made that resolve
to keep, and, friends, I think it has kept
me out of lots of trouble.

I've seen many dangers and hardships
since then, both in war and in peace,
on land and on water, but I smiled at
all. When tiie enemy tried to comb ray
hair with bullets, I smiled. When a
man tells me he is going to smash me on
the nose, or " do me up " in a lawsuit, I
smile, and tell him I should be sorry to
have such a thing happen. You see, I
don't help him on in these things that he
threatens, and he can't very well do
them alone. It is hard to hit a smiling
man on the nose.

Well, to cut a long story short, I
didn't know then that the world had so
much use for a smiling man.

I wish you would remember that I
don't mean to praise myself, but I
wanted to tell you a true story. Now
comes the sweetest part of all — the chil-
dren. Did I scold them when they came
by the dozen to my store and asked to
just hunt the candies over to find cer-
tain mottoes? No; I said "Goon, lit-
tle ones, and do as you please. Take
such as you wish."

Then once in a while I would pass a
pound or two of fine candy over the
show-cases, just to see about 20 school
children pick it up. The result was that
the profits on my candy trade alone
about paid the wages of my clerk. " As
ye sow, so shall ye reap."

Then the Sabbath school — yes, it is
not much wonder that my eyes do get a
little dim as I think of the Sabbath
school. Why is it that the children
bring us so many berries, flowers — in
fact, everything they can think of — and
make us accept of them ? It must be
because we put a little chunk of honey
in their hands when they come to see
us, and we don't forget to smile.

Well, the boys don't steal our bees,
nor our honey, nor pears, nor apples, nor
grapes, nor plums, nor anything we
have, because we smile, and give them
some anyway.

Now, Bro. Clarke, all us older ones
are simply large children. We like the
same smile, the same kind words, the
same attention, and praise, that we did
when small. We can be quite in earnest
without being angry. I have had occa-
sion to write convincingly sometimes,
but I never remember writing an angry
word in my life. Let us all remember
the many thousands that read the Bee
Jouknal, and might be hurt by reading
angry words, or be made better by good
words.
Ovid, Pa.

Capons and Caponi^ing:, 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,

Jt^"' " I find that I can get along without
the Bee Journal about as well as a sailor
can without a compass."— James I. Click,
of Ohio, July 30, 1894.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

217

— -^,^ 1 J^ ,1(1 -^

^F~ 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.

Persimmon as a Honey- Yielder.

As Dr. Miller has failed to answer N.
L. v., on page 106, I beg leave to offer
an answer.

The persimmon is one of the best
honey-yielders. Its bloom is duvcious,
like that of the black-gum — that is, its
staminate and pistillate flowers are on
different trees. The male flowers are
on one tree, and the female on another.
The bees work more on the male bloom
than they do on the female. This, no
doubt, is a wise provision of Nature, by
depositing more honey in the male
bloom, the bees are more attracted to it;
and more pollen collected to insure the
fertilization of the female flower.

The persimmon is a tree of easy cul-
tivation, and the fruit, when fully ripe,
is quite palatable. The wood is hard
and dense, and good for a variety of
uses. J. P. H. Brown.

Augusta, Ga.

Good Honey-Flow from Sourwood.

The honey-flow from sourwood is just
now closing in this locality. The flow
was continuous for oO days or more, and
all the bees with numbers sufficient have
done well. In the spring, 'after the
freezes, I did not expect a pound of sur-
plus honey, but I have taken over a ton,
and my bees are rich with stores for the
winter. H. F. Coleman.

Sneedville, Tenn., July 31.

Booming on Mountain Flowers.

Bees are just booming on mountain
flowers now. The mercury has been
hanging around 90- Pahr.; but we have
had no " hot waves" such as Mr?;. Atch-
ley speaks of, thank the Lord !

W. M. Barnum.

Denver, Colo., Aug. 1.

Short Crop, but Nice and White.

Bees have done reasonably well, con-
sidering the dry weather. I finished
extracting honey last week, taking,
nearly 200 pounds. Bees have not beeni
ready sale, and consequently have a fine'
lot of combs built in my nuclei hiveSj
which is quite a gain to me. The
weather is very dry — has been since May
— so our honey crop will be short ; hoitj
the honey is very nice and white.

Mrs. a. a. Simpson..

Swarts, Pa., Aug. 1.

Some Honey from Basswood.

Basswood honey is now gathered. It
commenced to yield on July 10th, and
lasted 17 days. I got 5,000 pounds of
very nice honey from 120 colonies,
spring count. Two years ago I had that
much from 65 colonies, so I don't think it
pays to have too many bees in one place.
J. R. Kauffman.

Bellaire, Mich., Aug. 6.

Won't Get Any Surplus Honay.

On July 8th we had a hail-stormi
which destroyed all our crops, so the-
bees had to fly 3 or 4 miles to get food,,
but the weather has become so dry since
then, the farmers that did not get
hailed out, burnt up, so there is nothing
left for our bees to eat but sugar syrup.
I think its a settled fact that we woji't
get any surplus honey this year.

J. C. Knoll.

Glen wood Park, Nebr., Aug. 1.

Honey from Daisies, Etc.

The daisies have passed away (re-
ferred to in my last report), but the
honey still remains. I have quite a lot
of that sort of honey in sections, and
think that many of my colonies have
enough daisy honey to carry them
through the winter, or nearly so ; at any
rate it kept the bees busy, and kept up
breeding at a good rate, and also swarm-
ing. My first swarm came out on May
25th, and the last one, so far, on July
lUth ; so they were swarming nearly
two months.

Basswood came out in good shape
(about July 10th), with a heavy bloom,
but there is so little of that sort of tim-
ber here now, and the weather was so
hot, and had become quite dry, conse-
quently we only got a light yield of
white honey. No white clover this sea-

218

AMERICAN BEE JOURMAL.

son, as it was killed by the long-contin-
ued drouth last season.

I find there are some mean folks yet,
even in this section, and some one or
more of them came into my bee-yard a
few nights ago, and took the only case
of white honey filled at that time, in the
yard. I had tiered them up a short time
before, so they showed big on that par-
ticular hive. I do not like this tiering-
up business, for I always have some bad
luck connected with the arrangement.

As I handle bees, I am led to notice
the difference in them. Last season I
had a medium-sized swarm the forepart
of June, and the 16th day after being
hived they swarmed with the hive full
of honey. This spring they swarmed
the 25th of May, and the young swarm
swarmed again the 2nd of July. It was
the same queen. H. F. Nevv^ton.

Whitney's Crossing, N. Y., July 31.

Bees Doing Well.

Our bees are doing well so far, and
the prospect is good for the rest of the
season, as we have just had a splendid
rain. Mrs. Lucy C. Slease.

Roswell, N. Mex., Aug. 2.

No Honey and No Swarms.

We are left out on the honey-business
again this year. Bees did fairly well on
white clover, but it lasted only a short
time, on account of the drouth. About
the time bees commenced to work in the
supers the honey-flow stopped and left
us without any surplus. I have 48 colo-
nies, and did not have a swarm from
them, so it looks as if I have the non-
swarming bees, if any one has.

W. S. Feekack.

Carlisle, Ky., Aug. 1.

Bee-Keeping in West Virginia.

Seeing no report from this State-in
the American Bee Journal, I conclu-
ded I would try to give a little sketch of
the bee-industry, although it was too
wet for bees to gather much honey till
about June 20th ; since then I consider
bees have done fairly well. I will tell,
what my bees have done, and then you
can be the judge, as I have been in the
bee-business or trying to- learn to handle
a few colonies of bees, only two or three
years. I got througli the winter with
12 colonies — all blacks — have increased
since June 20th to 25 colonies, putting
two second-swarms together, thus mak-
ing the odd number. All swarmed once.

and in from 20 to 25 days after swarm-
ing each hive, both parent and swarm,
gave one super of surplus honey, each
super carrying 28 one-pound sections.

There are but few people in this part
of the country using frame hives. I tell
them they are keeping bees for pleasure
only, as they can't make profit out of
bees in box-hives or hollow logs. I can't
persuade them to subscribe for the "old
reliable" American Bee* Journal.
They generally say they can't learn
anything by reading a bee-paper, but I
would not be without the American Bee
Journal for four times its price, as I
have learned a great deal in it, and I
continue to learn a few lessons from
every copy. Ira Shogkey.

Long, W. Va., July 31.

Only About Half a Crop.

The honey crop is unexpectedly short
in this locality. The white clover bloom
was rather deficient, but the weather
was favorable and the bees built up
strong. Basswood promised an abun-
dant bloom, and up to the morning of
July 5th all seemed favorable towards a
full crop ; but in the afteruoon of that
day came on a storm and the wind
changed to northwest and blew extreme-
ly cold for four days. It then relaxed a
little for two days, and the bees just got
nicely at work when the wind again
sprung up directly from the north, and
continued for two days more, and re-
mained cool until basswood bloom closed
out. The result is but little if any over
a half crop, with many unfinished sec-
tions. D. Millard.

Leonidas, Mich., Aug. 7.

No Honey in Southern California.

T have yet to hear of any surplus
honey here in Southern California pro-
duced this year, and present indications
point to a probable loss by starvation of
half of the bees before another seafeon.
The majority of bee-keepers are poor
men, and as a result will bo forced to let
the bees care for themselves. I expect
to return home the coming week, but
will look the bees over again in Septem-
ber, and, if necessary, feed up.

Geo. W. Brodbeck.

Arrowhead Springs, Calif., Aug. 2.

|^"'"1 have been highly pleased with
the Bee Jouunai, since I have had the
pleasure of reading it."— Frank W. Culver,
of Illinois, July ^3, 1894.

Weekly, $1 a Year. [ DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY^^^^^ j Sample Copy Free.

VOL. XXXIV. CHICAGO. ILL, AUG. 23, 1894.

NO. 8.

Look ^Vell to your bees. Don't let
them starve. See to it that each colony is
supplied with stores, if they are not gath-
ering any nectar from the flowers. The
recent rains will no doubt help in many
localities to insure honey for winter stores,
if not a fall surplus.

liro. Ernest Root, the Associate
Editor of Olemdngs iu Bee-Culture, expected
to be in Chicago the forepart of this week,
and promised to call at the Bee Journal
ofl5ce. He is on a visit to bee-keepers, rid-
ing his bicycle, and doubtless has seen
quite a number of them while on his trip.
Next week we shall be able to say more
about our brother editor, who delights to
sail around the country " on a wheel !"

Xlie I^ext President of the North
American Bee-Keepers' Association is
already being speculated about " down
East," we notice by the August American
Bee-Keeper. It says : ' ' We understand there
are several candidates for President for the
coming year," etc. That certainly is news
here in the West. Why not think of a new
Treasurer, instead, as we have held the
heavy ( !) " money-bag " of the Association
for two years, and are ready to be relieved.

St. Josepli aiitl N. W. Missouri

(Illustrated) is a souvenir edition of the St.
Joseph, Mo., Daily Xews recently issued.
This is a book of over 140 pages, about
11x18 inches in size, and its object is "to
show the advantages of St. Joseph and that
section of the State as a desirable place of
residence." It is beautifully printed on
fine paper, and is indeed a pleasing " souve-
nir." We want to thank Bro. Abbott — the
genial President of the North American,
who lives in St. Joseph — for his kindness
in sending us the above book. By the way,
Bro. A.'s portrait graces one of its pages,
including a short biographical sketch.

Uitltalo, ]^. Y., is being urged by the
American Bee-Keeper as the proper place for
holding the North American bee-conven-
tion in 189.5. We have no choice whatever
in the matter, but presumed that Toronto,
Out., would have first claim, as we believe
it stood second when St. Joseph, Mo., was
selected last year. But we haven't the least
objection to Buffalo for next year. Besides,
Vice-President Hershiser lives near there,
and doubtless would be glad to make the
necessary arrangements for the meeting.
He'd do it well, too.

Extra. Honey-GJatlierers. — A sub-
scriber to Gleanings wished ''to know
whether it is possible to breed a queen
whose workers shall be extra honey-gath-
erers, by tinkering or doctoring with the
larvae of said queen before she hatches."
Bro. Ernest Root answered the request for
information, as follows:

"Certainly not. This thing has been
brought up several times before, and cer-
tain old fogy bee-keepers have wisely said

232

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU

they had the secret of manipulation, which
they said they would sell for a certain sum.
Man cannot step in and interfere in this
fashion with the processes of nature. The
only way to get extra honey-gatherers is
to breed by selection — that is, by breeding
from queens whose progeny excel others in
th« yafd ; and by this process, in time, a
i-ace of workers more energetic than the
average might be secured.

"For some reason or other, but little
^attentiob has been paid to bees for business.
The whole rage nowadays seems to be for
to?o»-— five bands, etc. This is all right in
its place, but we hope as much— nay, more—
attention will be paid to bees for energy
and longevity— in general, bees for busi-
ness, because it is from these that come the
dollars and cents. Extra color alone will
not add another cent to the pocket-book,
except— that of the queen-breeder, who
breeds them just because his customers de-
mand them."

Are Y^oii ^xoing- ? — It's less than two
months to the meeting of the North Ameri-
can at St. Joseph, Mo., on Oct. 16th, 17th,
and 18th. Are you going to be one to help
swell the number at that grand rally ?
Better go, if you can possibly arrange to
do so. We now expect to " get there." But
we are more anxious that others should go,
who would be missed more than we would
be. We hope that the old as well as the
new friends may be able to attend. Presi-
dent Abbott expects all, and is preparing
for a large crowd.

Uro. Koei^e, of Maiden Rock, Wis.,
has indeed had his full share of discourage-
ments the past year or two. We have re-
ceived the following letter from him, dated
Aug. 7:

Deau Fkiend York:— As I am confined
on account of ill-health, but able to write
a few lines to you, I will do so, for I know
you are always glad to hear from bee-
keepers. Calamity and misfortune seems
to have been my lot of late. Since my first
attack of " la grippe " two years ago, I
have not been myself. It took all my usual
ambition, energy and enterprise, and to
care for my bees proves a task to me. But
what addeth more to my discouragement,
of late, is the coming home of my daughter
from the Battle Creek, Mich., Sanitarium,
sick with consumption. She was there en-
gaged in medical missionary work, and
must have contracted the disease in some
way. And shortly after her arrival home, I

my wife met with an accident— breaking
her collar-bone, by being thrown from a
wagon. But let come what may, I do not
despair, so long as friends prove faithful,,
and God is the over-ruling power of all.

I hope that Providence may with pro-
tecting care watch over your life and
health, and future prosperity.

Yours truly, STfiPHEN Roese.

W« want to assure Bro. R. of our heart-
felt sympathy in his many afflictions. It
certainly takes a brave heart to bear up
under them all. We do hope that he and
his beloved wife and daughter may each
be fully restored to perfect health, and once
more enjoy life's pleasures.

^Vonderftil Upholsterers! — In the

Chicago Daily News a short time ago was
found this wonderful ( !) bit of bee-infor-
mation :

Skill of the Bee. — The bee is an artistic
upholsterer. It lines its nest with the
leaves of flowers, always choosing such as.
have bright colors. They are invariably
cut in circles so exact that no compass,
would make them more true. — Ji'xchange.

What a beautifully " upholstered" mind
the fellow must have had who first origi-
nated this dainty bit of nonsense ! When
will the newspapers cease trying to give
information on subjects they know nothing
about 1 The question is easily asked, and
only easily answered by quoting, " I don't
know!"

Xlie Carniolan Bees. — An ex-
change published in the State of Washing-
ton, contains this from a bee-keeper hav-
ing some experience with the Carniolans :

Mr. H. W. Rallies says that his experi-
ence in shipping queens from the East has
proven almost an entire failure with but
one exception, the Carniolan bee. He says
of this bee that he thinks it is the future
bee for western Washington. The warm
weather in February brought out the bees,
and started them to work, when winter
afterwards set in, in March, suppressing
the workers. This is largely the cause of
the shortage in honey this season. He
claims of the Carniolan bee that it is not
only hardier for shipping, but working as
well. He claims also that they are better
honey-gatherers, and easier to handle than
any other bee he has ever tried.

■■Editors un<1 I>octors. — One of our

subscribers says in a letter, " But editors,
and doctors usually receive their pay last.'
That man told the truth then, if he never-

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

233

did before. But why should the doctor or
the editor be the last to be paid. A good
doctor is your best friend — then why neg-
lect him ? The editor of your helpful
paper certainly deserves good treatment,
for he usually works hard enough for what
he does or doesn't get. But some day
things will be different, for you know the
"Good Book" says, "The last shall be
flrst" etc. Then the editors and doctors
will have their turn.

Oh, but the doctor and the editor have
use for the grace of patience! What a
blessing — to be patient. 'Tis said that "all
things come to him who waits." But
another also says "things come" much
quicker if they're gone after.

Propoli!i» for Corii!$. — Dr. Peiro has
kindly translated the following for the Bee
Journal :

The Jievne IntertiatioiiaJe D^Apicnlteur copies
the statement that propolis has been found
an effective remedy for painful corns. The
sufferer made small plasters by spreading
it on pieces of linen, warming the same
slightly, and applying. In a few days all
pain was gone, and the wearer could climb
the mountains with perfect ease.

All Motliers should carefully read Dr.
Peiro's department this week, and heed the
wise suggestions he offers there. His ar-
ticle on "The Mother and Daughter"
should be widely copied and read, for by
following the hints it contains, many a
daughter's life will be made happier, and
her future welfare assured. Oh, so much
responsibility rests upon mothers ! Let us
hope they will assume them, and discharge
the duties faithfully, and with great profit
to their children, who in after years will
rise up and call them truly blessed.

Bro. Allen Priiigle, of Canada, oc-
cupies two pages of Gleanings for Aug. 1st,
with a very interesting article on " Honey
Tariffs." This sentence will show the
stand he takes:

If any foreign producer of the United
States or any other country, can bring his
honey here, 100 or 1,000 miles, paying
freight, insuiance, etc., and can afford to
sell my neighbors and customers pure
honey, as good in quality as mine, at a
price lower than I am charging them, then
I say, "Well done; welcome, stranger ! you
are the people's friend if not mine — you are
either an abler man than I am, or more
honest, or perhaps both."

California IIoney-PIa,nt!«. — Prof.
Cook gives in Gleaivinys the principal
sources of honey in California, so far as he
has observed this season. They are as fol-
lows:

White sage, Audi.hertia polystaclda.

Ball (or black) sage, Audibertia stachyoides.

Ball (or black) sage, Audibertia Palmeri.

Ball (or black) sage, Audibertia Clevelandi.

Blue phacelia, Phacelia tanaceti folia.

California clover, Hosackia glabra.

Small blue phacelia, Phacelia dreinatax.

Wild buckwheat, Eriyonum /ascicu.latnm.

This last and the sages are the important
honey-plants. They yield enormously, re-
main in bloom a very long time, and the
honey from them is unsurpassed in appear-
ance and flavor.

Of course, the fruit-bloom is very impor-
tant. Much of it comes so early that the
bees are not yet strong enough to secure
much surplus from this source, though fruit
honey is not infrequent in the California
markets, and is far more important aside
from mere stimulation than is the same in
the East.

The above report of flowers is not full,
but contains the most important. I ought
to have included a small strawberry, or
blackberrylike flower, HorkeUa CaUfornica,
which is constantly visited by bees.

Save!^ Bi^ Uoctor Bills.— Bro.
Leahy gave "Our Doctor's Hints" this
much appreciated editorial notice in his
spicy little monthly, the Progressive Bee-
Keeper :

The "old reliable" American Bee Jour-
nal is trying to supply all needs of the bee-
keeper and his family, "Our Doctor's
Hints" being the last department added.
It is quite instructive, and if heeded will
save much suffering and big doctor bills.

II ustking: Bees.— Here's another one
on the "city chap," taken from the Youth^s

Companion :

"Bless me, my boy," said the country
uncle, " there's no end of fun down at our
place ! You must come and see us in time
for the husking- bees."

"Deah me!" said the city nephew, nerv-
ously. "I shouldn't care evah to husk a
bee, unless some one would first wemove
the stwing!"

Rambler says in Gleanings that Prof.
Cook recommends fumigation with burnt
coffee to take skunk odor out of clothing ;
and suggests that the Professor " has been
there with his Sunday clothes on, and
knows!"

Great Premium on page 254 I

234

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

answered by
Marengo, III.

In this department will be answered those
questions needing immediate attention, and
such as are not of sufBcient special interest to
require replies from the 20 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.

• A»,(»im>A*k<ikmttki

What About House-Apiaries ?

Are house-apiaries a success generally?
D.

Answer.— At one time they were
spoken of with a good deal of favor, but
after a time seemed to fall into disfavor
and were mostly abandoned. Of late,
however, a few bee-keepers have again
tried them, and are quite emphatic in
their favor. Among these are B. Tay-
lor and H. P. Langdon. Whether others
will be equally successful remains to be
seen.

Anxious to Get Increase.

I have had some experience in the bee-
business this season, and I think 1 have
learned something, but now I am lost to
know what to do. In the month of June
I doubled a colony by taking two frames
out and putting into a new hive with
the old queen with them, then placed
the new hive on the old stand, and after
three days a Carniolan queen was intro-
duced, and the first time I opened the
hive I found her, but she took to the
wing, so the colony was left queenless
again.

I then sent for another queen and in-
troduced her. I gave them a good
smoking, so as to make it sure, but I
have not been able to find her. The old
brood has now all hatched out, of course,
and now there is none in the frames —
nor as many bees as two weeks ago.
The bees have brought in quite a good
deal of honey. Now what shall I do? I
wish to increase, if possible. The new
colony on the old stand has done nicely,
are packed completely full of bees — I
have not seen a drone yet, and have not

found a queen-cell in either colony
started during the season. E. H. H.
St. Johnsbury Center, Vt., July 30.

Answer. — As you are anxious to in-
crease, your easiest way may be to give
the queenless colony a frame of brood
from the other colony, and in about
three weeks time they will have a laying
queen of their own rearing. If the other
colony can spare it, give several frames
of brood.

Tongfues of the Carniolans.

Have Carniolans as long tongues as
Italians ? E.

Answer. — Prom the fact that I don't
remember that their friends have ever
claimed that their tongues were longer
than those of other bees, or that their
foes claimed they were shorter, I sup-
pose they are of the same length.

Preventing the Issue of Swarms.

Dr. Miller states somewhere in a re-
cent number of the Bee Journal, that
he hopes to never see another swarm in
his apiary. Will he be kind enough to
inform the readers of the Bee Journal
what he does to prevent the issue of
swarms ? and outline his plan of man-
agement during the swarming season ?

Seattle, Wash. S. D. C.

Answer. — Now look here, are you
sure I said I hoped never to see another
swarm in my apiary ? I don't know the
place to- which you refer, but I'm pretty
sure if I said so I didn't tell the truth.
Much as I should like never to have an-
other swarm, I'm afraid they will put in
an unwelcome appearance in the future
as in the past ; and hope means not only
desire but expectation as well.

I have never succeeded in the entire
prevention of swarming, but possibly it
may do some good to tell one of the ways
I have managed with swarming colonies.
When a swarm issued, the queen was
caged and kept in the hive till I was
ready to attend to the case, which might
bo any time within five days. Of course
if I was ready to attend to it right away
it might be done then, but as a matter
of fact I think the queen was always
left caged for a day or so.

I took out the combs of the hive, oiio
by one, shook off about half the bees,
putting the combs with the remaining
bees in a new hive. Then I put in the
old hive a frame of young brood and
two or three empty combs, sometimes

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU

235

filling up the empty space with dummies,
but oftener not. The super or supers
that had been on were put back on, and
covered up, then on top of this I set the
new hive, giving it the queen. In about
ten days from the time the swarm issued,
I took away the old hive and put the
new one down in its place.

Sometimes the colony swarmed a week
or two after the queen in the new hive
was put down, in which case it was
treated just the same as the first time it
swarmed.

The secret of success with this man-
agement lies in the fact that when the
brood, queen and part of the bees are
put in a hive and set on top, all the field
bees leave it and go below, no honey is
Drought in, and under such circum-
stances the idea of swarming is given up
and all the queen-cells torn down. And
when the bees undertake to tear down
queen-cells, they never miss any as you
do.

If there is no one to watch for swarms,
you can put a queen-trap at the en-
trance. Then when the swarm issues
the bees will go back, and the queen will
wait in the trap till you are ready to at-
tend to her.

Fine queen-cells will be reared in the
frame of brood left without a queen,
and when the queen is put down you
can set the old hive and its contents on
a new stand, and you have a good
nucleus started.

You might think that if the empty
space in the hive were not filled up with
dummies the bees would build comb in it.
But I didn't have trouble in that way.
Queenless bees are not much given to
building comb.

But I've done nothing on that plan
this year. For this year I've had my
wish, and I haven't seen a single swarm.
But along with it I've had something I
didn't wish for, and I haven't seen a
single section of surplus honey. I think
I'd rather have the swarms than to have
an entire failure of the honey crop.

Color of Box-Elder Honey.

What color is box-elder honey ? W.

Answer. — If any one knows the an-
swer to the above conundrum, will he
please rise and give it. I confess I do
not even know what the honey of any
of the maples is like— box-elder is ash-
leaved maple. The hard maple and the
soft or red maple are considered abun-
dant sources of honey, and they are so
common that some one ought to be able

to tell what the honey is like, and it is
possible that in some places the ash-
leaved maple or box-elder is so abun-
dant that its honey can be identified.

One reason that honey from any of
the maples is not so likely to be known
is, that it comes early in the season,
when it is all used up for brood-rearing.
For this same reason it matters very
little what its color or taste may be,
only so the bees get enough of it.

Xlie Clover.

BY JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY.

Some sing of the lily and daisy and rose,

And the pansies and pinks that the summer
time throws

In the green, grassy lap of the medder that
lays

Blinkin' up at the skies through the sun-
shiny days ;

But what "is the lily and all of the rest

Of the flowers to a man with a heart in his
breast

That has dipped brimmin' full of the honey
and dew

Of the sweet clover blossoms his boyhood
knew '?

I never set hevey on a clover field now.

Or ifool round the stabk, or climb in the
mow,

But my childhood combs back just as clear
and as plain

As the smell of the clover I'm snifBn' again ;

And I wander away in a barefooted dream,

Where I tangled my toes in the blossoms
that gleam

With the dew of the dawn of the morning
of love.

Ere it wept o'er the graves that I'm weep-
ing above.

And so I love clover- -it seems like a part
Of the sacredest sorrows and joys of my

heart;
And wherever it blossoms, Ob, there let me

bow
And thank the good Lord, as I'm thankin'

Him now;
And pray to Him still for the strength when

Idle,
To go out in the clover and tell it good-by,
And lovingly nestle my face in its bloom
While my soul slips away on a breath of

perfume. — Exchange.

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.

^36

AMERICAN BEE JOURMAj...

■■Om BoewRS Simts.

By f. l. peiro. m. d.

McVicker's Building, Chicago, 111.

UkJIU^

The Mother and Daughter.

Dear Mrs. Lovejoy : — ^I am so interested
'to hear from you. and hope to add such
suggestions, from a medical stand-point, as
may throw a soft light on some of the
•duties of a mother that at times are over-
looked. I fully enter into your feelings
and anxieties, well knowing that cares
must come to daughters which only the
loving counsel of a generous mother can
modify or prevent. Upon such timely ad-
vice may depend happiness, or life, itself.

Girls usually are endowed with much
sentiment — a sweet element in their nature,
if properly guided. More than boys, are
girls sensitive to tone of language and to
acts of kindness. That mother makes a
serious mistake who feels it necessary to
scold and humiliate her children. Such
irritableness can only lead to one sad end—
the loss of that filial regard, so dear to the
heart of a mother.

At best, the first 20 years of a girl's life
at home is next to drudgery, unless the
many burdens are lightened by a mother's
love and devotion. From her earliest years,
the daughter takes even serious parts in the
family circle; not infrequently circum-
stances conspire to make demands upon her
developing physical forces that were much
better conserved for years when Nature
will bring under tribute the utmost re-
sources of mind and body. Then, mother,
dear, let your smiles and encouraging
words far exceed your looks of reproof!
Begin in babyhood to teach your child a
mamma's deep love, and, when a school-
girl, be not annoyed at the many problems
that look to you for solution. Do not think
to appease the many enquiries by evasions
or rebuffs. Questions mu.st be answered by
you, or left to less competent, because less
sympathetic, substitutes.

From childhood your daughter should be
encouraged to best endeavors in the appre-
ciation of that which is noblest in a social
and literary sense. She should be early
taught to seek companionship of the inno-
cent and pure as playmates, and instructive
books for the lonely hours. If not gently

directed to these, she may easily be misled
by wrong influences in this the formative
period of her life. Far better for her to ac-
quire good tastes and judgment now, that
she may the easier reject less profitable
opportunities in years to come.

Let her mind and ideals have the widest
scope, that she may the better judge, in the
future, as to the merits of her surround-
ings. The highest advantages are not pos-
sible to all parents, I fully recognize, but I
do know that many more, and greater, are
quite within the reach of fathers and
mothers who do not think it important that
their children should possess them.

If need be, get books, pictures, papers
less often, but get the best you can afford
when you buy. Flowers are always sources
of inspiration to girls. Hence, surround
your home with many. In that corner of
your house should grow two or three
climbing roses ; at the porch train a couple
of clematis, a white and blue— their con-
trast is very effective; on each side of the
walk plant several hardy roses, and close to
its border a row of tulips for early flower-
ing. To this list add what you both think
attractive. By consulting your daughter's
wishes, you also teach her the necessity of
proper selections. Now, these plants will
cost comparatively little, and with such
care as the girl may be taught to easily
give, you will have beautiful plants and
flowers for years to come !

Just call to mind when you were a girl —
the pride and satisfaction you experienced
in receiving your young company in as
pleasant and inviting surroundings. And
your daughter is only a second edition of
her good mother ! Hence, nothing wonder-
ful that her tastes and ambitions should so
closely resemble.

One observation more, and I am done for
the present. Mothers, (Zom'< be prudish to
the extent of keeping your daughters in
ignorance of the changes that are certain
to come when years of puberty advance.
How many girls have been terribly fright-
ened at the first occurrence that marked
the transition from girlhood to woman-
hood ! She ought to have bees advised in
time, that she might have been prepared
for this wonderful and new experience in
her immediate life. You have been remiss
in your obvious duty to her, if you have
not, at some quiet moment, fully explained
the nature and the purposes of this physio-

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

23T

logical change, and the manner of caring
for herself at such a time.

Also, it is at this period of her young life,
when nature makes urgent demands, that
temptations are least resistible ; it is then
that her intelligent assurances are the bul-
wark of her heroic courage !

Finally, you will have evaded your
special duty if, at the proper time, you
have not fully suggested the inevitable re-
sponsibilities of married life, and have
entered heartily into all the plans that
tend to make a happy home for your
daughter and acquired relations.

I fully trust to your good motherly judg-
ment to consider the propriety and wisdom
of enlarging on the suggestions here made.
There is so much we all must learn by stern
experience, and if happily some facts come
to us in a milder or less exacting way, how
grateful we should be ! And to whom may
a girl look for wisest counsel more than
her mother ?

€OWVEKTIO]W DIRECTORY.

Time and place of meeting.
1894.
Oct. 4.— Utah, at Salt Lake City. Utah.

Jno. C. Swaner, Sec, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Oct. 16-18.— North American, St. Joseph, Mo.
Frank Benton, Sec, Washington, D. C.

Sept. 11-13.— Nebraska State, at Lincoln.

L. D. Stilson, Sec, York, Nebr.

Sept. 15.— S. E. Kansas, at Bronson, Kan.

J. C. Balch, Sec. Bronson, Kans.
1895.
Jan. 28.— Venango Co., at Franklin, Pa.

C. S. Pizer, Sec, Franklin, Pa.

Feb. 8, 9.— Wisconsin, at Madison, Wis.

J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec, Madison, Wis.

IB^ 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' AssociatioB

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...Chlcag-o, Tils.

National Bee-Keepers' Union.

President— Hon. R. L. Taylor.. Lapeer, Mich.
Gen'l Manager— T. G. Newman. Chicago, 111.
147 South Western Av.enue.

A Binder for holding a year's num-
bers of the Bee Jouenal we mail for
only 50 cents ; or clubbed witb the
JOUBKAL for $1.40.

conducted by
MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY,

Beevtlle, Texas.

Feeder — Swarming — Rains.

I have received a bee-feeder from P.
M. Roby, of Kansas, that I believe is
far ahead of all feeders. It hangs in
the hive the same as a frame, and is so
constructed that any amount can be fed
at a time.

Some are wanting to know that rem-
edy I have for swarming, that I spoke
of when talking about non-swarming
bees. All right ; I will give the remedy
in full, as soon as I have time.

We have had good rains lately, and
fall flowers are springing up everywhere.
It rained three hours yesterday, and yet
looks like rain. I trust we may have a
good fall flow. Jennie Atchley.

Honey-Plants of Texas.

As we must know our honey-plants as
well as our bees, if we wish to succeed,
I will describe those giving our surplus,
and bloomiijg-time of the same.

First, I will begin with fruit-bloom,
which is usually first in almost all
States. That gives us much honey, and
fruit-bloom in this State (Texas) some
times gives a fair crop of honey. One
year I harvested 30 pounds per colony
from peach-bloom alone.

As fruit-bloom comes first, we had
better see that all the bees have plenty
of honey just after the close of fruit-
bloom, as some seasons the bees get only
honey enough from this source to get
them started to brood-rearing largely,
and if two weeks of bad weather, or
two weeks without gathering any stores
after fruit-bloom, may find many strong
colonies starving, as it takes large
quantities of honey to rear a large num-
ber of bees.

The next we have in Texas is horse-

238

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.,

mint (I am now giving the honey-plants
of North Texas). This begins to bloom
about May 20th, and fruit-trees usually
bloom in March and go out by April 1st.
So you can see the hard time on bees in
North Texas, from April 1st to May
20th— nearly two months. Then comes
a harvest from mint, if we have kept
the bees going, otherwise the harvest
comes and no reapers, which means a
great loss.

Then after mint comes cotton, making
a continuous honey-flow from May 20th
to Sept. 1st. There are some plants not
mentioned that usually keep the bees
out of mischief, and giving honey suffi-
cient for brood-rearing, but no surplus-
such as ratan, milkweed, poison-vine,
and others. But the honey harvests
come from mint and cotton.

From middle Texas we get fruit-bloom
in February, and mint on May 1st; and
west Texas, buffalo clover in May, and
sumac in August. These are splendid
honey-plants, and the management
should be the same in all localities where
there usually comes a dearth of honey
between fruit-bloom and our harvests.

In southern Texas we have wild cur-
rant in January, fruit-bloom in Feb-
ruary and March, and when weather is
favorable we get some surplus from
these. April 1st we get a good crop of
honey from catclaw and other plants.
This lasts until May 1st, when horse-
mint begins, and lasts until June. Then
mesquite begins, and we have here at
this place (Beeville) a steady flow from
April 1st until July— three months.
Mesquite ends our summer flows, but
when we have fall rains we get a splen-
did flow from flaxweed, called by some
"broomweed," as it will make brooms.
After broomweed we get no more until
spring.

Bees usually begin swarming in north
Texas on April 1st, and in the middle
portion about March 15th, and hero in
southern Texas about Feb. 15th. These
are the dates of the early swarms, and
bees swarm on through the spring
months until July, which usually puts a
stop to swarming in Texas, unless we
have good fall rains, then we sometimes
have fall swarms.

I will give the honey-plants by States,
giving the names and blooming time of
all the principal honey-plants, or those
that give our surplus, and to get a good
honey crop we must have our bees strong
at the time of the beginning of our
honey-plants. This is why I am going
over this ground so carefully, as much
depends upon the management of our

bees before the harvest comes, if we
wish to keep out of "Blasted Hopes;"
so I cannot close this, it seems, with-
out rehearsing the warning note : Keep
your bees breeding, and get them in
first-class condition to reap the harvest
when it comes, and you will have less
cause to grumble of bad seasons.

Jennie Atchley.

Virgin Oueen; Dnsealed Cells; Swaraing

Query 937. — If a colony has a virgin
queen, also unsealed queen-cells. Is there any
danger of swarming ?— "Virginia.

Yes.— Eugene Secok.

Yes, certainly. — J. H. Larrabee.

Yes, in the swarming season. — Dadant
& Son.

No, not as a rule. Destroy the queen-
cells. — G. M. DOOLITTLE.

Yes, if other conditions are favorable
to swarming. — J. A. Gkeen.

Yes, sir ; there is some danger of
swarming. — J. P. H. Brown.

I think usually not, but I shouldn't
count too safely on it. — C. C. Miller.

Yes, if the swarming season and im-
pulse is prevalent. — I. M. Hambaugh.

Yes, providing the virgin does not de-
stroy the other queen-cells. — Jas. A.
Stone.

Most assuredly. This is always the
case where second swarms go out. — A.
J. Cook.

Why, yes, that is about the condition
when I should expect a swarm to issue.
— C. H. Dibbern.

Yes. If the extra cells are left in the
hive, and the bees do not destroy them,
they will swarm. — E. France.

If the colony has already cast a
swarm, yes. They often throw off after-
swarms.— Mrs. J. N. Heater.

Certainly, if in the season for swarm-
ing, and even if a little out of that sea-
I son if the colony is very strong ; but of

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL

239

course other circumstances, as the
weakness of the colony, or the dearth of
honey, may remove that danger. — R. L.
Taylor.

That depends entirely upon the
strength of the colony, the time of year,
and the honey-flow. — Emekson T. Ab-
bott.

Yes ! the young queen may induce
swarming ; if they did not intend to
swarm, the bees would destroy the cells.
— Mrs. L. Harrison.

They have been known to swarm un-
der the above conditions, but not as a
rule ; for the second swarm issues about
the time the last of the batch of cells
are sealed. — S. I. Freeborn.

Yes, there is a chance for it. Such
pointed questions as this are very difli-
cult to answer ; not knowing any of the
conditions, they have to be guessed at.
I would suggest that our querists be a
trifle more explicit. — W. M. Barnum.

Yes, if the bees arc strong and pros-
perous, especially as soon as the cells
are sealed. If a colony of bees has any
kind of a lively queen, and queen-cells
sealed or unsealed — if the cells are not
destroyed promptly, you may expect a
swarm. — Mrs. Jennie Atchley.

Who can tell ? I confess that I can't
even guess. Much will depend upon the
season, the condition nf the colony, and
other factors in the problem. What is
the cause of the "virgin queen, etc.?"
That cause being given, the question
could be more easily answered. — J. E.
Pond.

If a colony has a virgin queen, or a
queen not a virgin, it will not have un-
sealed queen-cells, unless it means to
swarm. As soon as a queen is hatched,
all queen-cells will be destroyed, unless
the bees mean to swarm. The larvte
will be removed from unsealed cells, and
the food in them consumed. — M. Mahin.

Yes, if the season is propitious, and
the swarming fever is on, the chances
are in favor of a swarm. Under such
circumstances, you can never be sure
that no swarm will issue until cell-
building is abandoned by the worker-
bees, and the virgin queen has undis-
puted right of succession. — G. W. Dem-
aree.

Honey as Food 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 second page of this
number of the Bee Journal for description
and prices.

Bee-ParalyslsCaiiseOyStaryeJBrooil.

n>i«en Jor the American Bee Journal

BY WM. m'EVOY.

Partially starved brood is the whole
cause of the bee-paralysis.

For several years I warned the bee-
keepers in times of sudden checks in the
honey-flow, to look well after their bees,
and either uncap honey in the brood-
chambers in the evenings, or feed so as
to keep the colodies well supplied with
unsealed stores.

Brood is always well fed when the
colonies have abundance of unsealed
stores. But if a check takes place so as
to stop a honey-flow suddenly, while
colonies have a large quantity of brood
on hand, the bees will use up the un-
sealed. stores very soon, and then the
bees won't uncap the sealed honey fast
enough to keep pace with the amount of
brood that requires feeding. Soon after
that the small larvae will be found look-
ing like little dried worms in the bottom
of the cells without a particle of food.
In some cells ready to cap, will be seen
some of this starved brood, with a
brownish color, lying on the lower side
of the cells and turned up a little. Some
of the capped brood dies through not
being fed enough to last until hatched.
And some of the bees that do hatch out
of this scanty-fed brood, will be a day or
two longer in hatching, and, when
hatched, some of these bees will be dark
in color, and scarcely able to fly. And
when the owner sees the bees of the
same hives in some cases killing off these
useless bees, he will be apt to think
them old, worn-out bees that are being
killed off.

If the bee-keeper would see that his
colonies of bees had plenty of unsealed
stores while brood-rearing is going on,
he never would be troubled with this
state of things in the apiary.

I have just read the very valuable
item on this subject, from Prof. Cook,
on page 137. Prof. Cook has given out

240

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

the only cure, and it is simple enough.
I say " only cure," because it was caused
by partial starvation, and feeding will
cure it. I always push the feeding to
the front on my rounds through Ontario.

Well done, Prof. Cook ; you have given
both the cause and cure. This makes
the second time that Prof. Cook has done
big work for the bee-keepers. His first
was settling, by test cases, the disputes
between the bee-keepers and the scien-
tists over the spraying of fruit-trees
while in bloom.

Woodburn, Ont., Canada, Aug. 6.

Bee-Holes ani Connnenls.

Written for the American Bee Journal
BY DK. C. C. MILLER.

Cotton-Waste. — That cotton-waste
for smoker fuel, on page 167, is a goo'd
thing. I tried it, on Mr. Highbarger's
recommendation. It is used after it has
been used on axles of cars, and has been
thrown away.

Clamp Staple. — The same gentleman
gave me a sample of clamp staple that
is worthy of being more fully known.
It is simply a very light staple bent in
the form of the letter U) only bent at
right angles instead of curved. The
middle part is perhaps an inch, and the
two legs not so long. For fastening the
bottom to a hive, or to fasten the top
for hauling, I don't know that I've ever
tried anything I like so well. I don't
know the expense, but it must be very
trifling. From what Friend Highbarger
said, I supposed they could be found in
any hardware store, but I don't find
them in Marengo, and I want to lay in a
stock before fall.

Wire-Screened Porch. — I commend
to the brotherhood that wire-screened
porch of Bro. Lyman (page 168), es-
pecially as it is worth all its cost aside
from the bees. At Huntley, 12 miles
east of here, such porches are quite
common, and I see they are working in
here. It is pleasant to have the porch
entirely free from flies and mosquitoes.

Danurolicon.— If Dr. Peiro would
color vaseline blue, perfume it heavily,
and put it in two-ounce boxes, labeled
"Dr. Peiro's Dandrolicon," price .$1.25
per box, I suspect there might be more
datidruff cures than will come from his
very plain, common-sense directions on
page 172. Now, Doctor, can you give
A. I. Root and me a prescription to stop

our heads growing up through our hair?
or is it too late?

Sympathy. — However "broad" may
have been my smile on reading Emm
Dee's first article, my sympathies are
fully aroused on reading the contrite
confession of failure and punishment,
on page 180. I'll not repeat the prov-
erb, " Pride goeth before, etc." Here's
wishing you better success in the future,
Emma.

Miller Feeder. — I think Edwin
Bevins (page 182) would be better sat-
isfied with a Miller feeder than with his
arrangement. With that, he could feed
anywhere from an ounce to 20 pounds,
fill up at any time without the possi-
bility of a bee getting in the way, and
with little labor and expense.

Wired Frames.— John A. Balmer's
interesting report of that 2,300-mile
ride for his bees (page 183) is a strong
argument in favor of wired frames. I
think it quite likely that wiring might
have saved those four colonies. With
wires, a comb may become very soft
without breaking down. But let an un-
wired comb break down, and the excite-
ment of the bees increases the heat,
making a general smash of all the
combs, and the ruin of the colony.

Sulphur for Paralysis. — If cures of
paralysis by sulphur keep coming In
without any failures, the case will look
quite hopeful. Has any one tried it and
failed ?

"Taken Down." — On page 192, Doo-
little's old man seems to be quite " taken
down." Any one who would do any-
thing to take down such a forlorn, de-
jected looking creature must be very
nearly heartless.

Marengo, 111.

SuEesllons Regariliiig Bee-Paralysis.

Written tor the American Bee Journal
BY ADRIAN GETAZ.

Some'of the readers of the Bee Joub.-
NAL will be somewhat astonished to
learn that bee-paralysis has always ex-
isted here, more or less, in all or nearly
all the apiaries ; at least for seven or
eight years, and probably much longer.
Nevertheless it is a fact. The malady
is much worse some years than others,
and generally much worse in the spring,
precisely when we can the least spare
the bees. Workers, drones and queens
are infected. I have seen drones with

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

241

the symptoms of the disease ejected
from a queenless hive, the same as dis-
eased workers. Frequently I have had
queens not more than one or two years
old, disappear during the honey-flow, or
at some other unexpected time. I sup-
pose they were superseded when found
too sick to do their duty.

The first spring that my bees died in
considerable numbers, I thought they
had been poisoned by somebody spraying
his trees too soon. A year or two later
I fed outside, and concluded that the
shiny bees, dying around the feeders,
had been daubed in the syrup, and the
others had pulled their hair in trying to
lick the syrup.

It is a fact that the diseased bees will
hang around the feeders longer than the
others, but perhaps it is because they
are not strong enough to fly in the fields.

My first eye-opener on the question,
was during a honey-flow. I had acci-
dentally left some honey from burr-
combs close to the hive, and when I
came back I found the pretended rob-
bers trying to get into the hive, and the
burr-combs untouched.

Well, what is the disease? Cheshire
says it is a bacillus much smaller than
the one that produces foul brood, and of
a much slower growth. It is found in
the grown bees more than in the brood,
and more in the queen than in the
workers. Cheshire calls it Bacillus
Oaytoni, his attention having been called
to it by, a Miss Gayton. Miss Gayton
thought the disease was connected with
the queen, and had succeeded in curing
it by changing of queens.

Somebody may ask here what a bacil-
lus is.

Bacilli a,re microscopic "critters" in
the shape of a stick. These sticks grow
rapidly under favorable circumstances,
and when they reach a certain length,
break into two or more pieces. These
pieces grow as well as the first ones, and
break also, and so on as long as there is
plenty to eat, and the other circum-
stances are favorable.

When the feed is about to give out,
the last "sticks," instead of growing
and breaking, contract themselves into
egg-shaped "spores." These spores are
to the sticks exactly what the seeds are
to the plants. They can be kept like
seeds perhaps for years, under certain
circumstances, without any change, and
then when placed in the right condi-
tions, develop into sticks again, and
these sticks multiply like the original
ones as long as they are favorably
placed to do so.

Foul brood is caused by a bacillus

called Bacillus alvei, which develops
rapidly in the brood, but seemingly un-
der difficulties in the body of the grown
bees, though it is found there also. The
spores are transported from one cell to
another, also from one hive to another,
by the bees, and even the apiarist. The
disease can be prevented from spreading
to the healthy hives by spraying the dis-
eased bees with some antiseptic (phenol
or salicylic acid). The operator is also
to wash his hands and instruments care-
fully.

But these spores. cannot live exposed
to the air very long, some say not more
than a few hours. On the other hand,
they will keep their vitality almost in-
definitely in honey, and when honey con-
taining spores is fed to larval bees, the
" sticks " develop at once with an aston-
ishing rapidity.

Owing to the impossibility of reaching
everywhere into the hive, and in all the
honey, with antiseptics, the treatments
with such have generally (not always)
failed.

There is a similar disease attacking
the silk-worms, but of a more slow
growth, and developing itself in the
moth as well as in the worm. If the
attack is strong, that is, if the bacilli
are numerous, the worm will succumb
before spinning its cocoon, but usually
dies in the cocoon. Often the silk-moth
comes out of the cocoon and lays her
eggs as usual. In such cases spores are
found not only in the body of the silk-
moth, but also in the eggs ; and of
course these eggs hatch diseased worms.

Generally, the spores come from the
excreta of the diseased worms, or the
putrefied bodies of the dead ones, and
are swallowed by other worms when
eating.

By what proceeds, it seems as though
bee-paralysis is much more like silk-
worm disease than foul brood. Like
silk-worm disease, bee-paralysis develops
itself gradually, and attains its full de-
velpment in the grown insect. I have
never seen any brood that did not look
perfectly healthy, but for all that it
might be diseased already — only on ac-
connt of the slow development of the
Bacillus Oaytoni, the disease would not
show itself until much later.

The silk-worm disease is disastrous ;
bee-paralysis comparatively not. This
may be due to the fact that as bees void
their excrements, and also die outside of
the hive (except in winter), the spores
contained in their bodies are generally
carried out. I do not know whether the
queen transmits the disease to the brood
by her eggs or not, but the fact that re-

242

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

moving the queen has often cured the
disease, seems to point to that direction.

What can be done ? The treatment
used to cure silk-worm disease cannot
be applied to bees. The chief part of it
consists in a microscopical examination
of the eggs lo ascertain if there are any
spores in them, and reject all but the
healthy ones.

Two processes suggest themselves :
Since the disease resides chiefly in the
grown bees, it is probable that salicylic
acid administered ia syrup, or some
other antisepic, would destroy the dis-
ease. The other consists in removing
the queen to be sure she cannot trans-
mit the disease to her brood through her
eggs or otherwise ; and at the same time
spraying the bees and combs with some
antiseptic (salicylic acid, phenol, sul-
phur, or perhaps salted water) in order
to destroy what spores might be in the
hive, and repeating the process until all
the diseased bees should be gone.

The bees themselves help a good deal
in checking the disease, by ejecting and
literally carrying out the diseased bees ;
and since bees void their excrements
outside, and also die generally outside
of the hive, most of the spores are thus
carried away. Somebody has insisted,
however, that the dead bees ought to be
collected and burnt, so as to avoid any
danger from that source.
I have not tried anything yet.
Knoxville, Tenn., July 20.

Swarmii M the Bee-Keeper.

Written lor the American Bee Journal

BY S. C. MARKON.

What harvesting is to the farmer,
what pay-day is to the editor, what Sun-
day is to the minister, swarming is to
the bee-keeper. Proper swarming cul-
minates proper management. By this,
profit is made and loss sustained.
Swarming, unlike wintering and season-
ing, is directly controllable. Increase
and surplus honey result from its
method of procedure.

If I wish to double the number of colo-
nies, is it that I must sacrifice my
amount of surplus honey ? No ! For the
reason that I may early divide the colo-
iii(!S, give laying and clipped queens
(prepared in one. or two franle nuclei to
avoid swarming while mating) to the
young colonies, and have them prepared
for the flow of honey. If tiie season
proves a failure, double up colonics to
winter. The ways of ^sacrificing honey

for increase are numerous, and the ma-
jority of bee-keepers have already ex-
perienced them.

Again, let us suppose a bee-keeper —
amateur or professional — managing an
apiary. The proper way for him to pro-
ceed would be to have his hives ready
and clean, with combs free from worms.
He may, however, neglect hives and
combs until swarming is already upon
him, then with hurry and anger he
rushes from point to place, upturning
last year's negligence, overturning hives
of honey, bee-bread and worms, himself
blinded by the cloud of moths issuing
from the pile, etc. The former looks
upon swarming with cheer and com-
placence, the other with dread; the one
gladdens its coming, the oiher fears ;
the one hives with neatness and correct-
ness, the other with slovenliness and
irregularity ; the one succeeds, the other
fails ; the one we honor and follow, the
other we shun and despise.

One remarked that by the chips he
could tell the workman ; so by the con-
dition of the combs we can tell the story
of that bee-keeper's life. No matter if
he combine any trade or profession with
apiculture — the amateur bee-keeper ex-
periments, the professional learns. The
amateur becomes the professional when
he combines reason with the honey-bee's
instinct — when he observes, notes and
studies.

Right here I may say no science af-
fords such a field of experience and
pleasure as the culture of the Italian
honey-bee. No science portrays the
character of a man better. We can see
men who are painfully economical in the
apiary, and we see them fail. Indeed,
no profession so combats economy as
this. This profession is comparatively
new, yet one very old. Progress was
never greater nor faster than to-day,
and who can see its climax ? There are
bee-keepers who will take every ounce
of honey from a colony and leave them
to gather their winter stores from the
last of buckwheat or the frost-bitten
flowers. What is there seemingly more
cruel ? Such businesslike little crea-
tures, brimming with animal life, and
their wonderful God-given instinct, gath-
ering perhaps five or six fold their own
consumption !

The art of bee-keeping is holding out
its hand for n\en who are men, accord-
ing to Emerson — men fit to tutor a fam-
ily of intelligent children. Apiculture
is becoming a pleasure with its ample
gain.

Cardiff, N. Y.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

243

Difference in Colonies— Other Matters.

Written for the American Bee Journal
BY WM. M. BARNUM.

I wish some one would give a satis-
factory explanation of the marked dif-
ference existing between different colo-
nies of bees. If theory (fine-spun, at
that) goes for anything, two queens
reared from the same mother, at the
same time, and under exactly similar
circumstances— ouy/it to produce prac-
tically similar workers. But they don't.
There are' not two colonies of equal
value, in this sense, in the State — and
what I want to know is, how can we
recognize and alleviate this most impor-
tant "discrepancy," with the least
trouble.

Alley says " there are weak strains of
bees ;" and many of us have noticed
that some colonies were later at work
and earlier to return than others; more
excitable natures among some colonies,
and so on. We find, in fact, that bees
differ most materially. Now, why
wouldn't it be a good idea to endeavor to
breed out the bad points, and breed in
the good ones ? A superior race of bees
would surely result-— and that's just
what we are all looking for !

deadman's picture and apiary.

Did you notice that picture of Dead-
man and his apiary in the July Cana-
dian Bee Journal ? It shows a model
apiary, and a good-looking man. Dead-
man is a good writer, and we would like
to hear more from him over on this side
o' the line.

SHADE FOR HIVES.

The hot wave which swept over the
country last month, makes the shading
question pertinent and interesting. I
would like to know, among other things,
what will shade a hive effectually, as
well as conveniently. The grape-vine
does not prove at all convenient with
me — too much in the way. A shade-
board is liable to blow over against
another hive in a heavy wind ; and the
fact is, I don't know so much about this
subject as I used to think I did. Dr.
Miller, try your hand at this conundrum!

CONFLICTING REPORTS.

Reports are conflicting this year, as
usual. A recent bee-paper contained a
report from Bro. Alley, of Massachu-
setts, who says "Bees are booming;
best honey year we ever had !" Another
man, from " 'way down in Maine," says

in the same paper, " Bees starving —
must feed for winter." And so it goes.

SAYS " BEE-KEEPINC4 PAYS."

Thies, " the man from Illinoy," makes
the assertion in the last American Bee-
Keeper, "that bee-keeping pays;" and
he really ought to know. He says :
"Lets stick to our bees, and do our por-
tion of the work well, and they will pay
as well as anything else." Every busi-
ness has its ups and downs, and when
one considers time and money invested,
there are few better occupations than
bee-keeping. It should be made a side-
issue to some other good business, how-
ever ; which will assist materially in
helping out on poor honey seasons. His
advice is good ; whatever you do, don't
give up your bees !

Denver, Colo., Aug. 1.

Maling Snpr Synu for Feeling.

Written, for ^- Glemd/igti in Bee-Culture''
BY B. TAYLOR.

Feeding intelligently is, in my opin-
ion, the key to certain success in honey-
production. It now appears certain to
me that it is impossible to winter bees
with certainty in our Northern country,
where they are confined five or six
months, unless the hives are well filled
with young bees when winter commences.
Sometimes the usual fall flow of nectar
from flowers fails ; and the colonies, es-
pecially those that have made a large
amount of surplus white honey, will
cease to rear brood when their store of
surplus is taken away, and I am now
certain that such colonies cannot be
wintered by any perfection of quarters
or preparation, so as to come out in the
spring sufficiently strong in bees to
breed up strong for the white honey-
flow; and without this, profitable bee-
keeping, as the conditions and demands
of markets now are, is impossible.

The remedy is, to feed the bees in the
fall, when the flowers fail from any
cause ; and I know that, by expending
50 cents to $1.00 for sugar, and mak-
ing it into suitable syrup, and feeding it
intelligently, it will cause a colony to
continue brood-rearing, and have the
necessary force of young bees that can
live until another season begins.

Granulated sugar is the cheapest ma-
terial to make this syrup of, as a dollar
will now buy about 20 pounds at retail,
which will make 30 pounds of syrup —

244

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

enough to send any colony into the cel-
lar in prime condition. This sugar syrup,
however, unless skillfully made, is liable
to two serious faults — fermenting and
granulating, either of which is fatal to
success. I had learned to avoid these
difficulties, but at the cost of consider-
able trouble, and I hailed any simple
and certain means of making the syrup
as a great boon : and I know that thou-
sands feel as I do ; hence, the question
is one of great importance to bee-keep-
ers in general.

When I read Mr. Tatman's article I
decided to go to town at once and get
the necessary material for a machine ;
but no team being immediately at com-
mand, I was compelled to delay. Alice
Carey says, in one of her sweet poems —

" We cannot make harffains for blisses,
Nor catch them like fishes in net;

And ofttimes the things life misses
Help more than that which we g-et."

Being disappointed, I lay dov/n for a
restful nap. Here is the time and place
where I do my thinking and dreaming.
A vision presented itself to my mind. I
had one of Bro. Root's uncapping-cans.
Why would not this make a capital
leach for making syrup ? Here is the
12-gallon can below, for holding the
syrup when made, with molasses gate
all ready to draw it oS. The top can
will hold at least 150 pounds of sugar,
with room for water. But this great
weight will be too much, for the wire-
cloth bottom will sag and spoil it. I
will go at once and plan to overcome
this difficulty. Oh, happy day ! Bro.
Root has anticipated this very need. He
has put this large tin cone in the lower
can for this very purpose. I had for-
gotten it was there. I had often won-
dered why it was made, as the cappings
from combs, when extracting, are very
light, and do not need it. It is now
plain why it is there. Bro. Root truly
sees things from afar off.

Yes, the thing is all ready for a per-
fect syrup factory, without a cent of ex-
pense, or a moment's delay. The flannel
filter is the only thing needed. The can
is 20 inches in diameter, and a circle
was struck on a piece of stiff paper 22
inches in diameter, 2 inches larger than
the can. This is to turn up one inch all
around against the edge of the can, so
the sugar can be pressed tightly against
it, and a leak be prevented, and the
syrup be compelled to leach through the
cloth, for in this lies the secret of per-
fect syrup.

The paper was laid upon a sound piece
of clean old bed-blanket, and three

pieces cut out ; and as we were quite
certain that we had found the "prom-
ised land," and that the thing was not
an experiment, we located the can under
the shop stairs, upon a neat platform
high enough to get a suitable vessel
under the honey-gate, to catch the
syrup.

The flannels were spread upon the
wire bottom, and carefully adjusted
around the edge. Then 70 pounds of
sugar was scooped from the barrel of
granulated, sitting alongside. Two pails
of water was poured on, and I lay down
for a night of happy dreams.

Was I disappointed in the quality of
the syrup ? I should say not; and I am
happy.

Thousands have these uncapping-
cans, or others similar, and I need not
add another word to this rather long
story.

Forestville, Minn.

Bees ffloTins E^s— More Proof.

Written for the American Bee Journal

BY EMERSON T. ABBOTT.

Mr. W. S. Mitchell, of Farmington,
New Mexico, writes me as follows:

"I am not only satisfied that you are
correct about bees moving eggs from one
comb to another (page 49), but I am
further convinced that they will move
them from one hive to another. I once
put a clean comb between two combs
that were filled with brood and eggs,
knowing that they had no queen, and
thinking to put in a young queen by
placing one or two capped queen-cells
on the new comb. I neglected to put
them in for several days, and when I
went to fix them I found they had done
the work, and had some three or four
cells on each side of the comb, which I
know had no eggs nor honey in it when
set in the hive. I let them alone, and
they went into winter quarters as good
a colony as any one could wish."

Here is more testimony in the same
line of that which I gave in the columns
of the Bek Journal not long ago. I
am quite sure that bees do move eggs,
and very frequently, at that ; but I am
not so sure that they go to other hives
for eggs, as my friend Mitchell suggests.

St. Joseph, Mo., Aug. 4.

^^ " I could not do without the Bee
JouKNAL unless positively compelled to do
so."— Mrs. Sarah E. Dawson, of Colorado,
July 24, 1894.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

245

Sam and MaMy "Keep Bees."

Written for the American Bee Journal

BY A. B. KEEPER.

" Hello, Boss !"

" Hello, Sam !" said I, looking up
from my work with the bees, to see a
colored man who lived a quarter of a
mile away, coming up with excitement
plainly visible on his ebony features.

"Give me a bee-box, quick. Mars

" What's wrong, Sam ?" T inquired.

" Oh, Lordy, Mars Frank, I'se a gone
nigger. Send fer Brudder Jones. Please,
Mars Frank, pray a little, so's I can die
easy !"

" Why, what's wrong, Sam ? You're
all right. It's only a bee-sting, I guess."

Sam's face immediately cleared.

"Golly, Mars Frank; nebber tink of
dat. Tink a rattler bite me, Tought I
wus gwine to Glory, suah, dot time.
Um-m-m-m-m ! but he hurts!"

" Well, Sam. I suppose you want a

A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCENE MISSED BY

Sambo. — " Dat's jes' my luck. 'Pears like ebery time I finds a wild honey-bees' nest,
dem pesky ants jes' chase up an' down my neck like it was a race-coahse."

Frank. Me an' Mandy [his wife] done
cotch a swarm ob bees !"

" That so, Sam ? How did you do
that?"

"Laws a massy. Mars Frank, dere's
been mighty 'citing times roun' our
house fer de las' 15 minits, 'n don' you
furgit it ! Mandy done got stung tree
times on er nose. Say, Mars Frank, fer
de Lawd's sake, wad you suppose Man-
dy's nose'll look like now ? Spects she
done haf to tote it in er sling for er week
— haw ! haw ! — Whoop ! Gosh, a massy —
um-m-m-m !" suddenly yelled Sam, ex-
ecuting a fair imitation of an Indian
war dance, and clapping his hand to the
calf of his leg. Evidently a stray bee
had been squaring accounts with him.

hive for your bees."

" Dots wat I cum after. Mars Frank."

" Well, what kind do you want ?"

" Am dey two kinds ?"

"Oh, yes, Sam; there's a hundred
kinds, but I only keep two."

" Wat's they wuth ?"

" Well, Sana, you had better look at
them."

Leading the way to the honey-house, I
showed Sam the hives.

" Now, Sam, this is what is called a
movable-comb hive," said I, taking out
one of the frames of a dovetailed hive.

" Wha' dat, Mars Frank ?"

"A movable comb means one you can
take out of the hive and replace at any
time, and thus examine your bees."

246

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL-.

"Huh!" grunted Sam, rubbing his
leg. "Don' tink I zamine 'em much.
Done let Mandy do dat."

"Well, Sam, if you do much with
your bees, you will have to examine
them occasionally to see that they are
all right, though you must not handle
them too much."

" Um-m-m-m ! dat sting hurts ! Don'
tink deys much danger in dat."

"Now, Sam, there is the hive com-
plete, and here is where the bees store
the honey which is for you ; this lower
part is where they rear the young bees,
and you must not take honey from there.
I will sell you the hive for f 1.75, com-
plete."

Sam surveyed the hive critically.

" How you git de bees in um ?" he
asked.

" What have you got them in now,
Sam '?"

" Dey's hangin' on er tree, 'n de ole
woman's bangin' er dish-pan under 'em
t' keep 'em dar. Reckon Mandy's 'bout
deaf by dis time."

"Well, Sam, you set the hive where
you want it to be, and spread a sheet in
front of it ; get a basket and brush the
bees off the limb into it, and empty them
on the sheet — a few at first, and as soon
as these few reach the hive, dump the
rest out on the sheet. They will then
all crawl into the hive, and you can re-
move the sheet. As no honey is coming
in now, you will have to feed them
then."

" How dat ! Mars Frank ? W'at you
feed 'em ?"

"Take a cupful of granulated sugar,
and pour enough boiling water over it to
make a thin syrup. I will come down
bye-and-bye and show you how to feed
them. Now, you had better hurry
along, or Mandy will knock a hole
through her dish-pan."

"All right. Boss. Yere's de money,
an' I'll be gwine. How soon you be
down ?"

" Oh, in a couple of hours, I guess. Be
sure and do as I told you, and make that
syrup when you get the bees hived, so it
will be cool when I come."

"All right. Boss; much erbleeged ;"
and Sam disappeared down the road.

In my next I will tell you about my
first visit to Sam and his wife " Mandy."

Darktown, Blackland.

The Great Droulli in Iowa.

Written for the American Bee Journal

BY E. S. MILES.

One-Cent PoMtst^e Stamps we

prefer whenever it is necessary to send
stamps for fractions of a dollar. By re-
membering this, you will greatly oblige us.

Laugh, and the world laughs with you.
Weep, and you weep alone—

Not if you're a bee-keeper of Crawford
county, for more than one will weep
when they look in their surplus-honey
receptacles this fall. Indeed, lamenta-
tions are now heard in the land, not only
from bee-keepers, but by bee-keepers as
well.

The following from the pen of Hon.
J. R. Sage, of the Iowa Weather Bureau,
in the Iowa Homestead for July 27th,
describes the season, and also the reason
for the above-mentioned lamentations,
in a very interesting and truthful man-
ner :

This is a peculiar season. As a matter of
fact all seasons are peculiar, in that no two
are exactly alike. But this season has been
so far off from the ordinary run as to be
unique and unprecedented in many re-
spects. It opened earlier than usual, with
most glorious promise. March came in
wrong end first, beginning with ethereal
mildness, and ending with zero and bliz-
zards. Farmers plowed, sowed, planted
gardens the first half of the month, and re-
joiced in the belief that the zone had slip-
ped a cog to the southward. The last of
the month they shivered over fires, or went
out with overcoats and mittens, and saw
the opening buds of tender plants frozen
solid.

April was warmer than the average,
with plenty of moisture, making it an ideal
month for farm work and seeding opera-
tions. May brought phenomenal extremes
of temperature, the general range being
from 90 degrees down to the most damag-
ing freeze ever known in this section at
that stage of crop growth. This was a dis-
couraging set-back, but if favorable condi-
tions had followed it would have been one
of the best of seasons. But the most disas-
trous feature of the season thus far has
been the great drouth, which is likely to
become historic. Certainly it is entitled to
rank as a record-breaker, for this section
never experienced such a season for aridity
at this time of the y^r. Beginning early
in May, it steadily maintained its wither-
ing grasp. Though most promisingly
" broken " on several occasions, yet it de-
clined to stay broke, and resumed business
at the old stand. This State has been the
center of its greatest severity, but in its
scope it has embraced a considerable part
of the corn-belt, and stretched from the
Uakotas to Georgia.

Since the above appeared, the great
drouth's business has certainly not fallen
off any — in this part of the State, any-
way. It has been the boast of this*

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

247

county that it never had a crop failure.
But this year small strain will be scarcely
half a crop, and corn— our main crop —
will be almost a total failure except for
fodder. White clover is apparently all
dead, and even our native groves are
showing eftects of drouth. On lots of
the basswood trees the leaves are turn-
ing yellow and falling off. Nearly all
streams are dry, and water will soon be
as scarce as the proverbial "hen's
teeth."

Of course it is extra hot, too — from
98° to 108O in the shade ever'V day. All
the honey I got from 12 colonies was
about 18 pounds a piece, from the two
best colonies, and they had ready-built
comb. Basswood yielded only two or
three days, and then not very liberally.
No increase, but colonies all in fair con-
dition. No prospects for a fall crop.
We shall rejoice, however, in the success
of our brethren who report through the
"Old Reliable," and sympathize with
those who, like ourselves, report a fail-
ure, knowing that it is only of the things
that perish that we are short, and that
of the things that endure unto eternal
life, we are furnished an unfailing
abundance.

Denison. Iowa, July 30.

Yellow Jasinine-Bees in llieSoiitli.

Written for the American Bee Journal
aiKS. C. L. RICE.

On page 180, Dr. Brown gives an in-
teresting treatise on the yellow jasmine.
Although the information therein is not
new to me, as I had occasion to read up
on the subject, still I was glad to learn
that he agreed with me, that we have no
cause for apprehension of evil in the
use of honey from our section o' the
country, on account of yellow jasmine,
as the quantity secreted by the flowers
is so small that it could not afifect our
surplus, coming so early, it all being
used in brood-rearing, and neither stored
nor sealed.

Now, if the spring disease of bees is
caused by the food given at that time,
we cannot entirely obviate the evil ; but,
if on the contrary, it is caused by condi-
tions in the hive and surroundings, then
we must find a remedy.

Admitted that the diseas*^ appears
and disappears with the coming and
going of the iJowers, we have usually
the same conditions in the hive at the
same period of the year — that is, sealed
honey sweating, excess of room in the

brood-chamber, and little ventilation,
causing cold and dampness, which, on
the approach of warmer weather, are
ameliorated, to a certain extent, while
the quantity of brood and bees reared
from the product of the fields, occupy
the empty space ; increase the warmth
and ventilation, health is restored, and
all goes merrily on to the harvest time,
which opens in April. Such is the case
with us.

What do the bees subsist on during
the stress of dry weather? What do
they do with the pollen stored ? Re-
member, I am seeking knowledge for the
benefit of bee-keepers in the South.
Last spring our bees were almost en-
tirely without stores. We began feeding
about the middle of February, yet there
were several colonies affected precisely as
Dr. Brown describes, and they were the
ones that had several frames of sealed
honey and extra room in the brood-
chamber.

We of the South have many lessons to
learn before we can say, " We know it
all ;" and excuse me if I cross swords
with you, Doctor, in the statement of
facts.

Ramsey, La.

Reports from Memliers of 111. B.-K. A.

Written ior the American Bee Journal
BY JAS. A. STONE.

Tharfollowing is the July reports of
prospects for honey, from the members
of the Illinois State Bee-Keepers' Asso-
ciation. The questions are answered to
correspond in number thus :

1st. How many colonies have you ?

2nd. What are the prospects for a
honey crop?

3rd. How much honey gathered to
date ?

4th. Is the honey gathered No. 1 or
not?

Thos. B. Allen, Stirrup Grove. Macoupin
Co. — 1. 31. 2. Poorest I ever knew. 3.
Not any ; have not even put on sections.

A. B. Anthony, Coleta, Whiteside Co.— 1.
27. 2. No more for this unusually dry sea-
son. 3. 200 lbs. comb, 100 lbs. extracted. 4.
Basswood, and No. 1 for the kind.

F. X. Arnold. Deer Plain. Calhoun Co.—

1. 95. 2. Very poor. 3. About 1,100 lbs.
4. No. 1 of its kind (honey-dew).

C. M. Beall. Clayton, Adams Co.— 1. 8.

2. Some buckwheat sown, from which they
will probably get enough honey to winter
on. 3. None. I put on no supers, as the

248

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU

white clover was all killed, and there is no
basswood in this vicinity.

M. Bevier, Bradford, Stark Co.— 1. 40. 2.
Poor. 3. None.

S. N. Black, Clayton, Adams Co.— 1. ^5.

2. No honey. 3. None.

Peter Blunier, Roanoke, Woodford Co.—
1 51 in spring— 5 swarms— total 56. 3. Very
poor. 3. About 200 lbs. so far. 4. Good

'^"d a Cadwallader, Prairie du Rocher,
Randolph Co.— 1. 18, spring count; 27 now.

3. Medium. 3. 500 lbs. extracted. 4. Yes,
clover and basswood, principally.

G W. Cole, Canton, Fulton Co.— 1. 24. 2.
Very poor. 3. About 60 lbs. 4. No. 1. I
saved one swarm ; two went on a strike.

C Covell, Buda. Bureau Co.— 1. 35, and
ihave the care of others. 2. Not good, very
dry and little prospects of fall bloom. 3.
Not any— on the average enough for wmter
istores. 4. Basswood.

Dadant & Son, Hamilton, Hancock Co.—
1. 350. 2. None. 3. None. 4. Will have to
feed for winter.

Peter Dale, Granville, Putnam Co.— 1.
135. 2. Very slim. 3. About 50 lbs. 4. Yes.

P J England, Fancy Prairie, Menard Co.
—1. 26. 2. Poor. 3. 25 lbs. extracted. 4.

J D Everett, Oak Park, Cook Co.— 1. 34.
3. Fair. 3. 158 lbs. 4. No.

E T Flanagan, Belleville, St. Clair Co. —
1. 350. 2. Poor. 3. None.

J. M. Hambaugh. Spring, Brown Co.-l.
130 2. Exceedingly slim. 3. 3,500 lbs. 4.
}4 dark, ).< better, but not No. 1.
"Bernard W. Hayek, Quincy, Adams Co.
—1 25 3. Not good. So far not enough to
winter my bees on. 4. Not No. 1.

Leroy Highbarger, Leaf River, Ogle Co.
—1 80 2. Very poor. The worst drouth
ever known— pastures all burnt up. 3. 100
lbs clover, basswood and honey-dew. Bees
.are doing nothing now. 4. Clover and Im-
den ; I think. No. 1.

Wm. Little, Marissa, St. Clair Co.— 1. 60.
2 For fall crops fair if rains fall 3 My
crop ruined by honey-dew. 4. Not good tor
anything but bee-feed.

Dr C C Miller, Marengo, McHenry Co.
—1 202. 3. "Nil." 3. Nary a drop.

Adam Phelps, Springfleld-1. 38 3. Poor

3. Not a drop. Bees on a strike these good
,oid Democratic times.

Geo. Poindexter, Kenney, DeWitt Co.— 1.
•90. 2. Very poor. 3. 50 lbs. 4. No. I.

Jas Poindexter,Bloomington— 1. 150, and
30 nuclei 2. Think I will get the bees
summered safely. 3. No surplus. 4. Bass-
wood mostly.

Geo F Bobbins, Mechanicsburg, Sanga-
mon Co —1. 7'J. 3. None so far; can't tell
about the fali harvest 3. No surplus to
date, only enough to fill empty brood-nest.

4. No, chiefly honey-dew.

T o Smith, Lincoln, Logan Co.— 1. 62.

2. Poor. 3. 200 lbs., Alsike clover. 4. No. 1.

F. A- BjieU, JVIillegeville, Carroll Co.— 1,

112. 2. Not very flattering. 3. About 600
lbs. 4. No. 1.

P. E. Vandenburg, Jersey ville, Jersey Co.
— 1. 38. 2. Poor — no surplus. 3. Not any
surplus. 4. Don't know.

W. M. Van Meter, Era, Cook Co., Texas.
— 1. 8. 2. Not good on account of drouth.
3. About 100 lbs. 4. Very good.

F. C. Vibert, Hockanum, Conn.— 1. 7. 3.
Very poor — the severest drouth ever known
is the cause. 3. 24 sections from two colo-
nies, taken July 1st. 4. No. 1, as fine as I
ever saw.

E. Whittlesey, Pecatonica, Winnebago
Co. — 1. 71. 3. Very poor. 3. None in sec-
tions. 4. No white honey — clover, linden,
and honey-dew mixed. No No. 1 in this
section of country. Jas. A. Stone, Sec.

Bradfordton, 111.

^P~ 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.

Comb Honey Three Years Old.

In June we used on our table comb
honey three years old, and it had not
granulated in the least. We had four
sections of it. I kept it in a small sam-
ple case, on one corner of the mantle-
piece in the family room. We keep
honey from one season to the other with-
out its granulating — keep it on top of
the safe in the cook-room. Well-ripened
comb honey can be kept In this climate
any length of time, if kept in a warm,
dry room. J. D. Givens.

Lisbon, Tex., Aug. 11.

Stinging Horses— Honey -Laden Bees.

That item on page 141, about bees
stinging horses to death, needs thinking
about. Yes, it is quite apparent that
the bees had been " robbed " — probably
the combs were exposed to robbers ; bees
rudely brushed off with a wisp broom,
honey dripped around the apiary, and
everything done that well could be, to
raise the fighting disposition to the war
pitch. Had bee-escapes and gentle

AMERICAN BEi2: JOURNAL.

249

methods been used, this could never
have happened.

But that Crawford county bee-keeper's
explanation w^on't go down with me.
No, sir ! honey-laden bees returning to
their hives will not attack animals, no
matter how hard the wind blows, or how
low they fly. As well might one claim
that it was the honest, industrious,
sober workingmen, who were busy at
work in the shops, who did the burning,
looting, beating and killing during the
late strike I

Bee-keepers cannot be too careful how
they handle their bees during a drouth,
and dearth of honey. Once get an api-
ary on the rampage, stinging persons
and animals, and it is no easy matter to
get them quieted down again. Like the
strike, such condition is much easier to
avert than to cure after it has once
broken out. C. H. Dibbern.

Milan, 111.

A Terrible Fall.

On July 3, 1893, while trying to get
a swarm of bees out of a tree, the limbs
broke, throwing me on my back, and I
fell 20 feet, alighting on my right shoul-
der, putting it out of place, and nearly
breaking my neck. It put me to bed
for nearly 3 months, permanently crip-
pling me for life. I am still under the
doctor's care, with a stiff neck. But I
am now up and around with only 10
colonies out of 70 when I fell.

Hiram J. Ward.

Farmington, Kans., Aug. 1.

Newsy Letter from Susie.

J. guess you think I have forgotten
you, but I was busy going to school, and
saw Charlie Sanford's letter in the Bee
Journal, of August 2nd. It set me
to thinking that I had better write, too,
to let him know that at least one girl is
interested in bees. Papa thinks he is a
great bee-man, but I can't blame him,
for I do like to hear about bees. I am a
little afraid of them.

I have three brothers that farm 80
acres of corn and 60 acres of oats, and
papa takes care of his bees. My oldest
brother, Charlie, is 18, and graduated
from the Lanark high school last spring.
Robbie is aged IT, and John is 15. I
have a baby brother just three weeks
old, which mamma thinks she will call
Atchley, because papa talks so much
about Jennie Atchley ! Well, this is all
of our family. I have no sister.

We have 7 new colonies of bees. The

season has been very dry, and not very
good for bees, but papa has taken off
175 pounds of honey, and expects to
take off as much more in a few days.
So he thinks he is doing well for this
year.

I hope to hear from more boys and
Sirls. ■ Susie Weed.

Lanark, 111., Aug. 7.

Bee-Sting Remedies.

1st. Salt and baking powder, or saler-
atus, equal parts, dissolved in water, a
strong solution. This remedy is simple
but effective, and all bee-keepers prob-
ably have it on hand at all times.

2nd. Two or three folds of flannel
dipped in hot lard, and bound on the
part stung, will immediately relieve the
pain, and stop the swelling occasioned
by the sting.

3rd. The common onion, if applied tO'
the wound, will immediately relieve the;
pain, if changed every few minutes.

4th. If the foregoing remedies should!
not be at hand, make a thin mortar of.'
clay-earth and apply.

Now these remedies are simple, but
effective. I should be pleased to have^
bee-keepers, upon trying them, report,
in the Bee Journal. N. C. Feakins.

New Richmond, Wis.

Very Dry — Basswood Honey, Etc..

The honey season for this sectioru of
country seems apparently closed, unHess
we have sufficient rain soon to start up
vegetation anew. Not having had any
rain since two months ago, everything
in the line of honey-producing plants is
dried up. The pastures and meadows
are as if scorched by fire. The forest
trees begin to wither and dry up, for we
have not even dew during the night.

Our bees are carrying in some pollen
during the morning hours, but no honey,
for robbing, wherever there is a chance,
seems to be in order.

I have lived in this section of country
for over 30 years, and I never saw a
season so dry as this. The honey har-
vest is a total failure here, except in lo-
calities where basswood is in abundance.
Those bee-keepers whose bees had access
to basswood, realized a fair crop of good
white honey ; but where contrariwise —
those whose bees were not in reach of
basswood — will have to feed for winter.

It is a good plan for bee-keepers tO'
not wholly depend upon nectar sweets.
for their living, for a little side-business.

250

AMERICAN BEE JOURMAU

always>comes in good— such 'as farming;
small-fruit growing or poultry-raising.
If one fails, all don't fail. Small grain
crops have been comparatively good,
but fruit of all kinds proved a failure.
Stephen Roese.
Maiden Rock, Wis., Aug. 7.

Light Honey Crop.

In this part of Ohio some won't get a
pound of surplus honey, nor a swarm.
The best of us will get about K of a
crop. I had 21 colonies in the spring,
and have had 9 swarms ; also about
250 pounds of honey. But I am going
to take the Bee Journ^al another year.

Ridgeway, Ohio. Milton Limes.

Destroyed by the Drouth.

Our crops are, or will be, if we don't
get rain very soon, a total failure. We
have had a very severe drouth here,
extending over a large area of land.
Many people will suffer therefrom. Our
bees would have done well this year if
the dry spell had not lasted so long. My
husband is a regular bee-lover.

Mrs. J. P. Simmons.

Forest Lake, Minn., July 26.

P. S. — August 8th, and no rain yet.
Our crops are lost.

Best Honey-Flow m 16 Years.

We are having the best honey-flow
that we have had for 16 years, or since
I have owned bees. White clover came
first, then honey-dew. I find that the
young acorns are blasted or injured
by insects, and a thick, sweet substance
drops out, covering leaves and falling on
the ground like great drops of rain. I
have secured about 50 pounds per col-
ony, of very nice honey, some of it dark
but mild flavored. A few colonies have
stored WO pounds each. I have it tiered
up on the hives yet, as there is not much
market for section honey here — they
like chunk honey best. A party ofl'ored
to take 60 pounds if I would cut it out
and keep " them little boxes," and let
him have it for 23^ cents less on the
pound.

Brimstone is used here to a consider-
able extent — no bee-literature wanted.
One of my neighbors owned a colony (or
gum) of bees that he claimed was so
very cross that he could do nothing with
them, so he piled straw (not "stray
straws") around them, set fire to it, and
got ofif a safe distance and threw rocks

at it. Result — loss of both bees and
honey. I was offered $2.00 to go six
miles and take honey from one " gum "
that no one so far had been able to rob.
I did not have the time. I suppose it
will meet with the same fate as the one
mentioned above.

This is a land that flows with "blue
milk and chunk honey."

Logan, Mo., Aug. 7. G. W. Logan.

Another Bee-Boy Heard From.

The Editor's answer to Chas. W. San-
ford gives me the liberty to write. I am
am an orphan boy, 14 years old. My
grandma and I live together. We have
kept a few bees in box-hives for the last
5 years, but since Mrs. Jennie Atchley
moved to Bee county we have put them
into frame hives.

West Texas is a paradise for bees.
The wild currant begins to bloom the
last of January and then continues to
bloom until about the middle of March,
and by that time there are plenty of
other blooms for the bees to work on.

Will some of tne bee-keepers let me
know where I can get some catnip seed ?
Warren W. Downing.

Pettus City, Tex., Aug. 6.

Making Foundation Moulds.

Make a frame like a double slate
frame with hinges, cut a piece of comb
foundation the size of the frame, turn
one frame bottom upward, with the
comb foundation inside, lying flat on a
table or bench ; then make a liitle mor-
tar of plaster of paris thin, rub on the
comb foundation all over it, then fill the
frame full of the mortar thick. When
the mortar is well set, turn the frame
over, shut tight together, and fill the
other frame the same way. Make a
back for each side, of some thin wood,
and fasten to the back of each frame,
then pry apart, peal off the comb foun-
dation, and you have it.

Melt wax and use a dipping-board to
get thin sheets of wax. Wet the machine
and put the sheet of wax in as warm as
you can handle It, and press the frames
together, and you have an exact copy of
the comb foundation you used in making
the machine. I made one of the moulds
but seldom use it.

There is scarcely atiy expense, and
but little time in making one, and time
put in using it is much better than spent
in a saloon, though I hope very few if
any bee-keepers ever patronize saloons.

We are suffering from a severe drouth.

AVeekly, $1 a Year. [ °^^°''^°.?^^^®^eV-'cUI!^URE. ] Sample Copy Free.

VOL XXXIV. CHICAGO. ILL, AUG. 30. 1894.

NO. 9.

>A^A^^<fcA04

i^tk^^Amjumu

■^•;^V.i'*-

liia^

GEORGE W YORK. ^S5

IVortli Aiiiet*i4?aii Date Cliang'ed

— The Executive Committee have decided
upon the following :

In order to let all bee-keepers who can,
take advantage of the " Harvest Excur-
sion " rates which will be given on October
9th, we have concluded to change the date
of the meeting of the North American Bee-
Keepers' Association to <)ctol>er lOtli,
lltli and IStli. The rate will be }..
fare plus $2.00. These rates apply east oi'
the Missouri River only. Ask your railroad
agent about them.

Special rates of 1}:/ fare will no doubt be
secured in the territory covered by the
"Western Passenger Association. These will
be announced later, if secured.

Emerson T. Abbott, Fres.

St. Joseph, Mo., Aug. 25, 1894.

1^^ Agricultural papers will please call
attention to the change of date.

Xlie Fatliers have this week some-
thing good to read in the department called
"Our Doctor's Hints," on page 267. Be
sure to read it, and heed it, fathers, for it
will pay you. Dr. Peiro is a man of ex-
tended experience, and knows what he is
talking about whenever he says anything
in his department. We wish that his hints
to mothers last week, and to fathers this
week, could be read by all the parents in
the land. It would no doubt be a grand,
good thing.

JProf. Coolc informs us that it will be
impossible for him to be at the St. Joseph
meeting of the North American, in October.
It comes during term time at the Pomona
College, and the Professor says he cannot
then get away. That's just as we expected,
when we heard he was going to reside
permanently in California! We fear his
Eastern friends will never see him again,
unless they should some time go to Clare-
mont.

It seems to us that the California State
Bee-Keepers' Association might select him
as a delegate, furnish the financial means
to go, and then order him to attend the
North American meeting. As Prof. Cook
is the President of their association, we'll
bet a " Cook-y " he'd find some way to
leave his college work for two weeks ! Why
not do it, Californians ? It would help
your State greatly.

1:^ Whatever requires doing about the
apiary, should be done at once. If left for
another day, an important matter is liable
to be forgotten when many other things re-
quire attention, and considerable loss en-
sues--Sunmiih';.

CBro. Ernest R. Root, as w^e men-
tioned last week, reached our office on
Wednesday, Aug. 22nd. He had been on a
bicycle trip mainly for his health, through
southern Michigan and northern Illinois.
On account of the hard wheeling in the
Michigan sand, he had been delayed — so
much so that he could stop at the Bee
Journal office only a few hours. This we
regretted very much, as we had counted on
having a longer vi9it with our brother edi-
tor. But you may believe we improved

264

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

every minute of the time in an E(a)rnest
way, and were very pleased to have the
opportunity to get better acquainted with
the popular associate editor of America's
illustrated bee-paper — Glecmings in Bfc-Cnl-
ture.

We had met Bro. Root only once before —
at the Columbian meeting of the North
American last fall — but from the time we
first became editor of the Bee Jouknal —
over two years ago — we have had the feel-
ing that in him we indeed had a true
friend and brother. That "feeling" is
well-founded, especially as Bro. Root and
the writer are so nearly the same age —
only 4 months difference. Bro. Root, be-
fore arriving here, had been to see Dr.
Mason, M. H. Hunt, Hon. R. L. Taylor, W.
Z. Hutchinson, and others. From here he
went to see Dr. Miller, and after that he
expected to go dii'ect to his home in Medina,
O. In all, he would be away about two
weeks, and hoped to have fully recuperated
tired energies, and be ready to take up his
work again with renewed powers. Doubt-
less the readers of Gleiuibujs will soon be
favored with a full report of his wander-
ings.

■IVell Pleai^ecl — Rev. Wm. F. Clarke,
of Guelph, Ont., writing us on Aug. 17th,
said:

Friend York : — I want to say while I am
writing, that I am well pleased with your
conduct of the American Bee Joornal.
Take it for all in all, it still heads the pro-
cession of bee-journals. Of course it is not
perfect, but it is good, very good.

I like Dr. Peiro's articles. Your paper
will be worth all it costs, and far more, for
that new departure, which ought to bring
you lots of subscribers. I have often
thought what a pity it is doctors do not tell
people how to avoid disease. Dr. Miller's
paragraph on page 210 is apropos.

Yours truly, Wm. F. Clarke.

Honey for S^ick: Canaries is rec-
ommended in the following, which Dr.
Peiro translated for us from a French bee-
paper :

The licvue I/ite)'uaUu7i,afe D^ AplcuKeur copies
from a Spanish bee-paper as follows : The
cold, wet weather occasions a sickness to
canaries that begins by loss of glossiness of
the plumage, and a drowsiness of move-
ment. Their voice becomes rasping and
unpleasant, and finally a complete loss. A
little honey is warmed and droped on a
piece of bread, and fed to the sick bird for
several days. It is said to restore its voice
and vigor.

Many Bee-Keepers are Sunday-
school men, and Dr. Miller is one of them.
A township Sunday-school convention was
recently held at Marengo, 111. (the Doctor's
home) , and here is what the Marengo He-
pubUcau said about one of the parts taken
by Dr. M. :

The Question-Box, conducted by Dr.
Miller, was a source of much interest, and
elicited close attention. The Doctor has a
remarkable tact of "getting on" these
questions, many of them knotty and hard,
but he has a solution ready and to the point
in every case. This formed a most inter-
esting part of the programme, and rounded
out the success of the convention in fine
form.

Yes, Dr. Miller is quite at home at con-
ventions, and everybody hopes to see him
at St. Joseph, in October. Why not put
him at the " Question-Box " at that time ?
He's good at answering questions, for when
he doesn't know the answer, he simply says
— " I don't — " well, all know the rest of his

Mr. l^e-^ris M. Sinitli, Canandaigua,
N. Y., was recently visited by a representa-
tive of the local newspaper at that place,
who " wrote up " his experiences and pub-
lished them. Mrs. Smith, in the absence of
Mr. S., furnished the visitor with much in-
teresting information about bees. It is
always a good idea to encourage such
callers, and thus help to advertise and get
the public better acquainted with the pro-
ducts of the apiary.

Popular 'I'alkiiii on ■..a'lv have been
given in each number of the Progressive Bee-
Keeper lately. They are very interesting,
indeed, and no doubt will help many folks
to keep out of trouble. "Observer" is
another of the Progressive" s entertaining
nom-de-plmnistic writers, and had this to say
in the August number:

The American Bee Journal is giving us
a medical department; the Progressive is
turning its attention to the law, while
Glemdugs supplies the gospel. Surely, we
" bee-folks " ought to be well posted.

Yes, bee-keepers that are well doctored,
and enjoying their lawful rights while
being safely directed on their way to
Heaven, ought not only be " well posted,"
but also happy, if any people can be
Medicine-— Law— Gospel. What more can
be desired ?

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

265

Homey Ruined l>y iflotlis.— One
morning last week we received the follow-
ing note from one of the largest dealers in
honey in Chicago :

George W. York. Esq.—

Dear Sir: — If you will call before noon to-
day, we can furnish yoa with an item of
interest. Yours truly,

Honey-Dealer.

We omit the real name signed to the
above, as well as the signature of this let-
ter, which accompanied a shipment of
honey to the dealer referred to :

Wisconsin, Aug. 17, 1894.
Bear Sir .-—"We ship to-day over 100 cases
of comb honey, mostly white clover. There
is a little dark honey with it. The fare will
tell you. It is put up as well as we know
how. Trusting you will get all it is worth,
we are. Yours truly,

Honet-Bees.

Having called at Mr. Honey-Dealer's
ofBce, he took us to the rear of the ware-
house, and directed his experienced em-
ploye to open a few of the crates sent in by
" Honey-Bees." He did so, and in the cen-
ter of nearly every 12-section crate of
otherwise nice looking honey, were several
sections totally destroyed by the moths.
Between the sections the moth-nests, as
well as the full grown and larval moths,
could be seen. What an unsightly thing it
was — to see the beautiful sections of honey
so completely demolished.

Of course, all the dealer could do, was to
write the shippers about the condition the
honey was received in, and hold it subject
to their order. It was useless to try to sell
it without first re-crating, and throwing
out the filthy-looking and moth-destroyed
sections.

It seems to us that a good lesson should
be learned from the foregoing account. Be
>ture that your honey is in good condition
when it leaves your hands. Don't crate it
until ready to ship. Keep the moths out of
it by sulphur fumigation, the details of
which have so often been described in these
columns, and which may be found in all
the best bee-books.

What shall it profit a bee-keeper, if he
does gain a good crop of doney, and then
lets the moths destroy it ? Why work hard
to produce it, and by carelessness after-
ward permit it to l)e ruined and lost ?

We notice that the producers in question,
are not readers of the Bee Journal, and
perhaps do not take any other bee-paper.
You see, they will now lose perhaps fifty to

one hundred dollars, when in all probability
had they been readers of the bee-papers,
such loss would have been avoided. In
other words, it 23(1'!/^ to be posted in any
business in order to make a success of it.

Xlie Illinois State Fair will be
held at Springfield on Sept. 34th to 39th.
The apiarian department is represented by
the following liberal Premium List :

bees and honey.

1st. 2nd.

Display of comb honey $10 00 $5 00

Case comb honey, 13 to 24 lbs. . 5 00 3 00

Display of extracted honey. ... 10 00 5 00
Display of samples of extracted

honey 3 00 3 00

Display of candied honey 5 00 3 00

Display of beeswax 5 00 3 00

Nucleus of Italian bees in obser-
vatory hive 5 00 3 00

Display of apiarian implements
and devices not otherwise pro-
vided for 5 00 3 00

Display of queen-bees in cages. 5 00 3 00

Honey extractor in operation.. 10 00 5 00

Wax extractor 3 00 1 00

Comb foundation machine in

operation 3 00 3 00

Honey -vinegar, one gallon 3 00 1 00

We wish to urge upon bee-keepers of this
State the importance of making an extra
effort this year, as the honey crop is short,
and those who have any at all shoald make
it known to the Secretary of the Illinois
State Bee-Keepers' Association— Jas. A.
Stone, Bradfordton, lU.— or to some of the
State Fair officials, so that arrangements
can be made to have our interests properly
represented. As the time is short, let there
be prompt action in the matter.

Bro. JTas. A. Stone, the active Sec-
retary of the Illinois State Bee-Keepers'
Association, has been annoyed greatly
by chicken ' thieves lately. He succeeded
in landing two of them in jail, but one es-
caped. Bro. Stone's bright son attached
wires from the hen-house door to an elec-
tric bell in his bed-room, and in that way
"cotched" the rogues. Now if a few of
them could only be " electrocuted," it
would somewhat lessen the supply of
chicken thieves, and also make the chicken
business more profitable for honest people.

'I'iirpentine applied to ant-hills is
recommended as being efficient in inducing
the ants to '■ move on."

266

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 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.

To Prevent Crystallizing of Syrup.

Will you please give a method where-
by I can make sugar syrup with granu-
lated sugar that won't crystallize ? I
have tried time and again, but it would
always crystallize. The last time I put
two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar in
three gallons of syrup, and that crystal-
lized also. I see by your book, "A Year
Among the Bees," that you use cream of
tartar, but do not say how much per
gallon. L. S.

Aurora, 111.

Answer. — If you will turn to page 83
of the book mentioned, you will find,
"An even teaspoonful of tartaric acid
for every 20 pounds of sugar is stirred
into the syrup about the time the sugar
is dissolved." As I use tartaric acid, it
would take a good deal more cream of
tartar. I think this syrup will granu-
late if it stands long enough out of the
hive, but I've never been troubled to
amount to anything after the bees put
it in the combs.

A. I. Root insists that no acid is
needed, and he succeeds without it. On
the other hand, Mr. Burrell reported
that his syrup became solid in the combs
in spite of his using acid. I don't know
what makes the difference unless it be
the sugar. Perhaps slower feeding
might make a little difference, although
I've generally fed as fast as the bees
would take it.

A Queen Question — Drones.

1. What became of my queen ? I
went to look in tlie hive and found
queen-cells with larvic (or queens) 4 to

6 days old, showing the queens had been
started 3 or 4 days. I also found work-
er-eggs 1 to 3 days old, showing the
queen laid the worker-eggs after the
bees had started the queen-cells. The
queen was a very fine, large, dark yel-
low 5-bander, and very prolific, so I
could not see why she should be super-
seded ; that is, if she was. I bought
her in May as an untested queen. Her
workers were very good and well
marked, so it is a conundrum to me
what became of her. She was clipped,
on one wing.

2. If we allow only worker-comb in a
hive, what will the bees do for drones —
will they be satisfied with no drones, or
will the queen lay drone-eggs in worker-
cells ? and would such drones be good
to mate queens ?

My crop is 2,250 pounds of comb
honey, from 38 colonies, spring count,
increased to 76 colonies. G. D. L.

Tacoraa, Wash., Aug. 7.

Answers. — 1. You don't give any
date. If it was at the proper season for
it, there is nothing in the circumstances
against the belief that the bees swarmed
and returned, the clipped queen being
lost. She may have been superseded,
for sometimes a queen fails all at once
and the bees seem to have an instinctive
knowledge of it.

2. They'll do pretty much without,
building a few drone-cells in any space
that is unfilled. No drones will be
reared in worker-cells if the queen is all
right.

Feeding' Bees — Building Comb.

1. When bees swarm late, and are
rather weak, what time is the best to
feed them, that they may have plenty to
winter on ? and how ?

2. Is it a good idea to feed in the
spring to make them swarm early ?

3. Do they make comb through "dog
days" — that is, in August and part of
September ? G. S.

Tigart's Valley, N. Y.

Answers. — 1. That depends upon cir-
cumstances. In some places there is a
good fall flow and no feeding is needed.
In other places there is nothing to be
had after the middle of August. If they
are to ha fed, I should prefer feeding
Just as soon as I felt it was settled that
they wouldn't get enough themselves for
winter. This year I commenced feeding
some of mine before the middle of
August.

As to the how, there are a good many

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

267

ways. The best way is to take full
frames of honey from other hives that
can spare them, and give to the needy
colonies. Very likely you haven't such
combs. Then you can feed sugar syrup
in any of the ways given in the books.
If you have the time for it, you can
set the syrup at the^entrance on a warm
evening after the bees have stopped fly-
ing, and take it away before they com-
mence flying in the morning, if any is
left. It will probably be more satisfac-
tory to use a good top feeder, like the
Miller feeder, which will allow you to
pour in the feed at the top without the
danger of any bees being in the way.
This will hold 25 pounds of syrup, and
you can give them enough to do at one
dose.

2. It is certainly a good plan to feed
in spring if they are at all short of
stores, but if they are well stocked I am
not so sure you will gain anything by
feeding.

3. They'll make comb any time when
they are gathering, and lack comb room.

COWVEWTION DIRECTORY.

Time and place of meetMg.

1894.
Oct. 4.— Utah, at Salt Lake City. Utah.

Jno. C. Swaner, Sec, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Oct. 10-12.— North American, St. Joseph, Mo.
Frank Benton, Sec, Washington, D. C.

Sept. 11-13.— Nebraska State, at Lincoln.

L. D. Stilson, Sec, York, Nebr.

Sept. 15.— S. E. Kansas, at Bronson, Kan.

J. C. Balch, Sec. Bronson, Kans.
1895.
Jan. 28.— "Venango Co., at Franklin, Pa.

C. S. Pizer, Sec, Franklin, Pa.

Feb. 8, 9.— Wisconsin, at Madison, Wis.

J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec, Madison, Wis.

J^" 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-Pres.— O. L. Hershiser.... Buffalo. N. Y.
Secretary— Frank Benton, Washington, D. C.
Treasurer- George W. York...Chlcaeo, Tils.

ZTationa?. Bee-Keepers' Union.

President— Hon. R. L. Taylor.. Lapeer, Mich.
Gen'l Manager— T. G. Newman, Chicago, 111.
147 South Western Avenue.

One-Cent I»ostag'e Stamps we

prefer whenever it is necessary to send
stamps for fractions of a dollar. By re-
membering this, you wlU greatly oblige us.

1 i

S MlMfS.

BY F. L. PEIRO. M. D.

McVicker's Building, Chicago, III.

Tlie Father and Sou.

My dear old boy, you'll not take it amiss
if I call your attention to a subject nearest
your heart, and very close to mine, will
you ? But you haven't forgotten that we
were boys, together, many years ago, and
now we are old '• daddies " we should not
overlook the great need of our boys' best
interest. How natural we should think
them almost perfect, in health and wisdom,
hence requiring nothing.' Dear Charlie,
that is the great mistake most fathers
make ! Now let us just consider the facts —
'twixt you and me.

I need not remind you of our antics when
we were boys ? From mere toadlings, what
an amount of spirit, fun, and trouble, too,
we've had, eh ? You'll admit that frequent
loving counsel from our fathers would have
been a good thing— a very blessing— in our
after years! But, no; our fathers were
always preoccupied— too busy with crops,
money and study— the curse of the present
day ! If only they had studied their boys
more! Their individual trend; their
special tendencies, their natural adaptation ;
their besetting inclination, whether for
good or error! Ah, yes, our fathers 7nea7it
well, but what is said of good intentions ?
That " hell is paved " with them !

It is ■fiot enough, my dear old friend, that
we be blessed with boys; there comes a
fearful responsibility with their gift, and
we may not overlook it, dear Charlie ; we
must render an account of tJiei7- stewardship
as well as our own ! Not enough that they
be fed, that they be clothed, but their minds
and hearts must be directed in the better
way. This is best done singly, remember
tJiat. As each have special gifts, individual
desires, and personal inclinations, so must
we study each his peculiar bent.

Your Fred is as unlike Charlie as George
is unlike the boy you named after me—
(you old blessed!) — Frank. Each have a
heart full of longings, of aspirations — and
«?? have their sainted mother's love! God
be very near and dear to each ona! Those
noble boys remind me of vessels, trim and
beautiful, launched on the sea of life. They

268

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAil.,

need— O ko much— a pilot.' What better
fitted helmsman on their earthly voyage
than he of strong arms andbig heart— their
father? The duty is awarded to you,
which should be more precious than any
other worldly preferment— and I know it is,
dear Charlie !

Then see to it, jealously, that your words
of encouragement be frequent, the more
often, the less need for reproof. Make each
feel the love you bear them ; let your ad-
vice be to them imlividuaUy, not collectively.
Be not ashamed to affectionately caress
your boys— but do it singly, else they will
feel "girlish," and evade you. It is then
your words, made eloquent by your tender
love, will sink deep into each of their
hearts, an enduring sentiment for life to
come. Placed in this attitude you are
easily enabled to direct them against every
besetting sin.

It is in these silent moments of personal
communion that you can point out the
physical and moral danger that lies in the
reading of certain books, in their hiding in
lonely places, in their late rising and late
retiring, in promiscuous companionship
with boys who may not be physically and
morally clean. Show them the best way to
keep out of temptation. Keep them always
tiear you. To this end you must make your
home — their home— even more attractive
than now. Let your "living room" be
large; hang chaste and beautiful pictures
on the walls; have enough book-shelves
made, and keep them full of good, instruc-
tive books and magazines; let there be
games that your boys may play, and call in
their mates to the enjoyment. Make of
yourself one of the most active in their
pleasure. Remember a boy's longing for
refreshniriils, and make a point to have
something for each ; apples, cookies, even
bread and jam are relished, but be certain
to supply xiimetMiuj , if only a few ginger-
snaps or crackers. The old adage regard-
ing men is equally applicable to boys— you
often reach their hearts through their
stomachs! At a reasonable hour dismiss
the assembly with your heart's blessings,
that they may retire for the rest they need,
and greet them with a cheery " Good morn-
ing, children;" no matter how large they
may have grown— they are always our
"children,'"

You will all the more attach them to
their home if you will allot to each the

pleasure of flowers here, fruit-trees there,
an arbor over yonder, each his very own,
to plant and to care for. Encourage their
generous regard for the beasts of your
field, by giving Charlie the colt, Fred the
young calf to raise ; Frank prefers a shep-
herd dog. and George would like that lamb
— to do for as they wish.

Let nothing occur to break faith with
those boys — a broken promise forever rela-
gates you beyond their confidence and your
influence over them! Farsighted Jesuits
have said, "Let me have your boy until
the age of seven, and you can have him
for life afterward;"— implying that they
could inculcate deep-rooted principles in
those young years that no subsequent
training could eradicate, and they are cor-
rect. Be you equally wise, dear Charlie, in
so forming and moulding their young minds
that they may avoid evil, and bless their
father for the precepts and examples that
directed them aright.

<)iOO«l Honey-Sellers will likely be
needed now, and the little 32-page pamph-
let, "Honey as Food and Medicine," has
for years proven itself valuable in making
repeated sales of honey. Its distribution
will create a demand for the honey first, and
then the bee-keeper can follow it up and
supply that demand. Send to us for a
sample copy, only 5 cents ; 10 copies, post-
paid, 35 cents ; 50copies, .1il.25; or 100 copies
$2.00. Try 50 or 100 copies, and prove their
ability to aid you in disposing of your
honey at a good price.

I*i-oHf Jil»le Bee-Keeping-, by Mrs.
Atchley, will continue for some time in her
department of the Bee Journal, at least
each alternate week. Until further notice
we can furnish the back numbers from May
1st, beginning with her " Lessons," to new
subscribers who pay $1.00 for a year's sub-
scription to the Bee Jouhnal— that is, we
can (sommence their year with the number
having the first lesson, if they so desire.

Honey ns Food ain«l Medi/^ine 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 second page of this
number of the Bee Jouknal for description
and prices.

I^" "The Bee Jouknal is a necessity, I
think, to a practical bee-keeper, and very
interesting to any one, as I can cheerfully
testify."— A. M. Creel, of Missouri, May 1,
1894.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

269

CONDUCTED BY

MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY.

Beeville, Texas.

PROFITABLE BEE-KEEPING.

Ijesson No. '

(Continued from page 207.)
GENERAL, WORK IN THE APIARY.

We will take up in this lessou some
items of general work, and try to ascer-
tain how to do certain things.

SIGNS OF yUEENXESSNESS.

We will first tell how to know a colony
is queenless when there is a large col-
ony, and we have not time to search
very long. If the hive has been queen-
less some time, or beyond the period
where it cannot rear a queen — I mean
by this a colony that has no brood or
eggs —they become discouraged, and if
we watch closely we can tell on opening
the hive, as they will be scattered all
over the combs, and no general work
going on. Then, as soon as the hive is
opened, it seems that every bee sets up
a mourn, a slow buzz of the wings, mak-
ing a low humming sound. This is al-
most a sure sign that they are queenless,
and I can tell almost without an excep-
tion when a colony is queenless when I
first open the hive.

Then we have another queenless sign,
when the queen has been out but a short
while. The bees will come out and
crawl up the front of the hives, and fly
away a short distance and return to the
hive, and begin a call as it seems, call-
ing for the queen, and to show her where
home is. This the bees will do some-
times constantly for a week, after they
find their queen is not with them.

I had better here mention the few ex-
ceptions to this, as some bees never
mourn for their queen at all, and show
no queenless signs outside of the hives,
and really I have met a few cases where
the bees never would start a queen-cell

or mourn after their queen was taken
out, and bees are always poor cell-build-
ers that do not mourn for their queen.

Of course you all are to understand
that queen-cells are nearly always a
sure sign of queenlessness, but not al-
ways. At swarming time, and when
bees have an old queen that they wish
10 supersede, they will start queen-cells
with a queen present, but when we have
a knowledge that a hive had a young,
prolific queen, and no swarming is ex-
pected, then queen-cells are a sure sign
of their being queenless. But when we
open a hive, and the bees are all centered
together, or in a compact shape, and the
combs looking clean and the bees quiet,
etc., then we may be pretty sure they
have some kind of a queen.

GETTING STRAIGHT COMBS.

Now, should you be short of founda-
tion at swarming time, or at any time
when the bees are building combs, and
you wish straight combs, see that the
first two or theee combs are started
straight, and then keep an empty frame
between two of the combs started, and
have the hives level from side to side,
and you will get nice, straight combs.

HIVING NATURAL SWARMS.

In hiving natural swarms, or any
other swarms where you wish to have
the bees go in at the entrance, always
put a few bees in at the top, close the
cover, and as soon as they begin to call,
or buzz their wings at the entrance,
then you can jar or smoke the whole
swarm into the air, and they will enter
the hive, if you will keep a smoke at the
place where they were clustered, for a
few minutes. The main thing in hiving
bees this way, is to get a " call " at the
entrance, and they will then hive them-
selves.

TO PREVENT ABSCONDING.

To keep bees from absconding when
they have been hived, give them a frame
of unsealed brood and eggs — not sealed
brood. This is the best remedy I ever
saw, and never in all my life have I had
a swarm to abscond when I gave a
frame of unsealed brood, honey and
eggs.

I gave this plan to a beginner about
ten years ago ; he had been losing
swarms, and he gave frames of sealed
brood and sealed queen-cells, and their
swarming fever was high, and they
would come out every day and settle on
a limb. He came over and said my
I remedy was no good — they came out

270

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.,

just the same. When he told me his
bees settled on a bush near by each time,
I suspected something wrong, as bees
coming out of a hive and absconding
after they have been hived usually go
right ofif without settling, the same as if
they had started off a limb ; and some
swarms have been reported going right
off to the woods from the parent colony,
but this I never saw, and it may be these
parties were mistaken, and it was
swarms that had been hived in new hives
that came out and went right off.

Well, back to our frame of brood keep-
ing swarms content. I went over to the
neighbor's and found that he had not
only given frames of sealed brood, but
with sealed queen-cells as well, and the
bees came out as any natural swarm,
leaving enough bees to care for the
brood, and did not all go. So I changed
things, and gave frames of unsealed
brood and no queen-cells, and there was
no more swarming out.

There may be instances where bees
will come out and leave unsealed brood,
and also bees may occasionally come out
of the parent hive and go straight for
parts unknown, when there is nothing
for them to alight upon, but I have
never seen them do either.

HOW TO CONTROL THE BEES.

The main thing for a beginner to do
if he or she wishes to make a success of
handling bees, is to smoke a few puffs
right in at the entrance, before the hive,
or anything about the hive, is touched.
This will give you complete control of
the bees, no difference how bad they may
be to sting— Cyprians not excepted.

I have known lots of beginners to
throw down everything in disgust and
quit bees entirely, just by going to the
hives and prying the cover up the first
thing ; the bees of course covered the
operator, and the air filled with mad
bees; when, if the bees had been smoked
at the entrance first, all would have
been well.

The next lesson will be Honey-Plants
and Honey-Yielding Trees that we get
our surplus from.

Jennie Atchley.
(To be continued.)

**Fom1 Ilroo<l ; 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 sold at the office of the Bee Jouk-
NAL. Price, postpaid, 25 cents; or clubbed
with the Bee Journal for one year— both
together for $1.15.

When and How to Feeil for Winter.

Query 938.— White clover, about the only
source of surplus here, is a dead failure this
year, my hives are nearly empty of stores,
and I expect to feed for winter.

1. When should I feed ?

2. How fast should I feed? as fast as the
bees will take it, or how ?— Illinois.

1. The sooner the better. 2. Consult
your convenience. — A. J. Cook.

I have fed so little that I do not feel
capable to answer. — Jas. A. Stone.

1. The last of September. 2. As fast
as the bees will take it. — E,. L. Taylob.

1 and 2. See " A B C of Bee-Culture,"
or "Cook's Manual." — J. H. Larrabee.

1 and 2. Feed in late September or
October, as fast as the bees will take it.
— J. A. Green.

1 and 2. Feed in October as fast as
they will take it. Feed sooner, if neces-
sary.— Dadant & Son.

1. August or September. 2. Yes,
provided you can do so without exciting
them to robbing. — J. M. Hambaugh.

There may be a fall flow. One year
our hives were filled full the last ten
days preceding frost. — Mrs. L. Harri-
son.

1. September. 2. I prefer to give one
feed a day, if they will empty the feeders
that often, until they have enough. — S.
I. Freeborn.

May not your bees get enough fall
honey to winter ? If not, feed. 1. In
September. 2. As fast as they will take
it. — Eugene Secor.

1. If the bees can make a living, you
can wait until September, or early in
October. 2. Feed as fast as they will
take it. — E. France.

1. Feed once, and in sufficient quan-
tity to keep the colony alive. 2. Feed
fast enough so that you will have ample
stores to carry the colony through the
coming winter. — J. E. Pond.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

271

1 and 2. I would feed some now to
promote breeding, if necessary. Then
in September, unless they were gather-
ing abundantly from fall flowers, I
would feed rapidly for winter. ~J. P. H.
Brown.

1 and 2. If there is no hope for any
fall honey, I should feed each colony
what they will need for winter during
August. 1. Just before sundown. 2.
As fast as the bees can take care of it. —

C. H. DiBBEEN.

1. The earlier the better, if you know
they'll get nothing more, unless it be
that by feeding later laying is kept up.
September is late enough. 2. I've al-
ways fed fast, getting all taken in 48
hours. It may be better to feed slow. —
C. C. Miller.

1. Let them feed themselves as long
as possible — something may open up for
them yet. 2. At this time of the year I
should feed moderately, but in Septem-
ber, for winter stores, give in the even-
ing all they can care for during the
night.— Mrs. J. N. Heater.

1 and 2. I feed when the bees need it,
but according to my theory of wintering,
there is no necessity for bees having
liquid food in the winter. I can winter
them with less trouble and expense, and
more certainty, on hard food. The
method is too long for this column. —
Emerson T. Abbott.

1 and 2. As a rule, it is bad policy to
feed during the breeding season— after
it has once well commenced. Fall
flowers will surely give your bees some-
thing to live upon, and the buckwheat
crop should help them some. The time
to feed is immediately after the '"fall
flow " — feed them " as fast as the bees
will take it." — W. M. Barnum.

1. Syrup made of 1.5 pounds water
brought to a boil ; 30 pounds of granu-
lated sugar stirred in the above, and
brought to a boil again ; set from fire
and stir in 5 pounds of extracted honey.
This makes the best food for winter I
know of, and should be fed in Septem-
ber, after most of the brood has hatched.
2 Feed as fast as the bees will take it.

— G. M. DOOLITTLE.

1. I would feed early enough so the
bees could store and seal up the combs
before cold weather. 2. I would feed
so as to allow the bees to take in all you
give them at nightfall. I have fed a
gallon or more at a time, and the bees
sometimes work slow when too much is
given. They seem to take down the
feed with more zeal when fed each even-
ing.— Mrs. Jennie Atchley.

1. If you have cheap extracted honey,
it may be well to feed that. If not,
sugar syrup is as good as or better than
honey. Granulated sugar is generally
recommended, but I prefer A cofifee. It
does not granulate as quickly as the
granulated, and it is just as good. 2.
If the colonies are weak, feed slowly to
promote breeding, and when you have
bees enough feed rapidly. — M. Maiiin.

1 and 2. See that your bees have
enough to keep them " in good heart,"
by feeding them a little at a time, until
after the first killing frost in the fall,
then proceed to feed each colony until
they have about 25 pounds of stores to
winter on. Give the food as fast as the
bees can handle it. But I hope you will
be agreeably disappointed, and your bees
will get fall honey to winter on. — G. W.
Demaree.

CouTention IVotices.

Utah.— The Utah bee-keepers will hold their
semi-annual convention on the Oct. 4, 1894,
at Salt Lake City, Utah. Jno. C. Swaner,

Salt Lake City, Utah. Sec'y.

Wisconsin.— The next annual meeting of
the Wisconsin Bee-Keepers'Association willbe
held at Madison, on Feb. 8th and 9th. 1895.

Madison, Wis. J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec.

Pennsylvania,— The V^enango County Bee-
Keepers' Association of northwestern Penn-
sylvania will hold their 2nd annual meeting
in the City Hall at Franklin. Pa., on Jan. 28,
1895, at 1 o'clock p.m. All interested send
for program. C. S. Pizer, Sec.

Franklin, Pa.

The North American B.-K. A.— The Quar-
ter Centennial Meeting of this Society will be
held at St. Joseph, Mo., on Oct. 10, 11 and 12,
1894. It is the first convention of the North
American Association beyond the western
bank of the Mississippi, and large delegations
from the great West will be present. We
hone the East, the North and the South will
gather with them. Frank Benton, Sec.

Dept. Agriculture, Washington, D. C.

Nebraska.— The next meeting of the Ne-
braska State Bee-Keepers' Association will be
held at Lincoln. Neb., on the evenings of Sept.
11th, 12th and 13th, 1894, at the Honey Hall
on the State Fair grounds, and in connection
with the Bee and Honey Exhibit at tlie State
Fair. An invitation is extended to every
reader of the American Bee Journal to be
present and sample the good things presented.

York, Neb. L. D. Stilson. Sec

Contiiiitoiis A<lvei-ti»«ing-, even if
it be only a small announcement, pays the
advertiser the best in the long run. Spas-
modic advertising, like "spasms" of any
kind, is unsatisfactory. To secure the very
best results, year in and year out, you must
keep your name and business before the
public. Only by so doing can you hope to
keep from being forgotten when the time
comes that your would-be customers wish
to purchase what they want.

y7i

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

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BRACH-COMBS, AND THEIR ABVANXAGES.

BY G. M. DOOLITTLE.

It has been with much interest that I have read all that has been said pro and
con by way of arguments, experience, desires, wishes, etc., along the line of wide
and thick top-bars for the frames, to do away with brace and burr-combs, all, or
nearly all, seeming to think that it would be a great advantage to "be rid of such
a nuisance," or, at least, most who have written on this subject seem to think that
these little bits of comb between the top-bars to the frames, and those between the
top-bars and the sections, cannot be anything else than a nuisance. I admit that
they are often an annoyance in the manipulation of the hive, but instead of consid-
ering them a nuisance, I consider these same bits of comb a great help, and for
years I have allowed them to remain on the top-bars of my frames, just because \
considered them of value ; that is, I consider them qf more value than they are an
annoyance or disadvantage. Were I working an apiary for extracted honey, I
might change my mind a little, perhaps, but for comb honey I would not allow any
one to scrape them off my frames, or substitute thick top-bars in their places for 50
cents per hive.

Years ago, 'I thought of them as most people do to-day, considering them a nui-
sance, and not knowing of the thick top-bar project at that time, I scraped them off
in the fall when I prepared my bees for winter; thus doing away with them until
the next season, when the sections were on again, and the bees built them in during
the surplus flow of honey. This I did until one fall, through an extra amount of
other work, I did not get time to go over more than about two-thirds of the apiary
in preparing for winter, guessing at the rest, or what amounted to the same thing,
weighing the hives to come at the amount of stores they had, instead of inspecting
every frame, as I usually do, so that I may know for certain just what each hive
contains. Previous to this I had used the Hill device, or something similar, to give
the bees a passage-way over the combs during the winter, as is so often recommended
to be used under the bee-quilt ; but frequent examinations during the winter satis-
fied me that these brace-combs, which I had heretofore taken so much pains to re-
move, answered every purpose of such a device, besides being much cheaper, as well
as requiring no room in ray shop, or lugging back and forth from shop to apiary both
spring and fall, which they re<iuired when used ; while with these brace-combs the
frames were never misplaced in putting in and out of the cellar, as was sometimes
the case where I had taken all off as above given.

But their greatest advantage appeared when I came to put on the sections, for
the bees seemed to consider them as little ladders on which to climb up into the
sections, for it was a very noticeable fact that the bees entered the sections much

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 273

the sooner where these brace-combs were left than they did those where they had
been removed ; and, if I correctly remember, I so wrote in the American Bee Jour-
nal at the time, advising all to remove the brace or burr combs from the bottom of
the supers, but not from the frames.

The next year I tried the same experiment again, and so on for several years,
until at last I became thoroughly convinced that these combs added largely to my
crop of comb honey by leading the bees into the sections much sooner than they
otherwise would go.

Now, some may say that it is no use getting the bees into the sections as soon as
the first honey comes in ; but I claim that this has very much to do with our crop of
comb honey. It is not that the first three or four pounds of honey stored in the
sections could be sold for so much cash that I wish it placed in the sections, although
that might be quite an incentive where a person kept 500 colonies, the same
amounting to about a ton of honey in that case ; but all my past experience teaches
me that, for every pound of honey stored in the brood-nest at the commencement of
the season, or honey harvest, there will be five pounds less stored in the sections
that year. Let the bees once commence to store honey in the brood-nest thus early
in the season, and they are loth to enter the sections at all, and, instead of giving
us lots of section honey, they will keep crowding the queen from the brood-cells
more and more, storing them full of honey, until, when fall comes, we have little
honey for market, and our bees in poor shape for winter.

Then, again, these thick top-bars, which are used to do away with these brace-
combs, place a barrier between the brood-combs below and the sections above,
instead of forming ladders to lead the bees to the sections. Who has not noticed
that where an inch or two of sealed honey intervened between the brood in the hive
and the tops of the frames, that the bees were much more loth to go into the sec-
tions immediately on the first appearance of honey from the fields, than they were
when the brood came up all along the top-bars to the frames ? This was one of the
claims for the contraction of brood-chambers in the interest of comb honey, that
where contraction was used the brood must come close to the bottoms of the sec-
tions, and, so coming, the bees were in the sections in a twinkling when the honey
harvest arrived. I doubt not but what all will be free to admit that an inch of
sealed comb honey would be a better leader to the sections than an inch of wood, as
is now proposed. When we come to fully understand this fact we shall see that,
wherein these brace-combs are the means of having our bees enter the section
sooner, just In that proportion are they of value to us.

Try the experiment, brethren, and see if, at the end of such a trial, you will not
be willing to put up with the inconvenience they cause you, for the sake of their
great value. Borodino, N. Y.

SOMH SUGGESTIONS FREEI^Y OFFERBD

BY " BEN THERE."

0 if I were a bee-keeper, what mighty things I'd do ! Yes, I would. Every
hive should be systematically placed, and all surroundings would conspire to a big
honey crop ! You thing not, eh? Well, let me outline my ideas, and if then you
say, from reasonable reflection, that I am " all off," I'm a tenderfoot if I ever peep
again !

1 would first make a map — yes, sir, that's what I said — a map, of my surround-
ings, and hang it up on the wall for reference. So far— say, 40 yards — from the
house, I'd place my bees, fronting east — a colony every six feet one way bv as

274 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

many feet the other, so that I could work all around them. The exact location
would be — if I had one — not far from fruit-trees, for both winter and summer pro-
tection. There would be no spot near them that would not be covered with honey-
producing plants ! Yes, sir ; I'd have a regular lawn for them of white clover, and
I'd spade up the very fence corners to plant catnip, horse-mint, pennyroyal, black-
berries, raspberries, and every good thing that would grow up and choke the weeds
down. Then, too, I'd see that there was a fairly deep hole in a shady corner of the
"bee-field" — a miniature pond — where the bees could find drink ; and not far from
it I'd contrive a tin box to put salt in it, to help them in their work ; kept covered
from the rains, a handful will last a long time. You are just puckering your lips
to say, " Put salt on their tails !" — but no matter.

O you think my ideas are too " fancy " and impracticable, do you ? Well, I
submit that it is quite as proper and easy to raise a lot of useful plants that bees
can feed on and store honey, as to let that great heap of weeds grow rank, to seed
yours and your neighbor's land ! Besides, a rich lawn, or meadow, if you so prefer
to call it, is not only good for the bees, but looks well, retains moisture in the
ground, and is useful for hay. The weeds, the pigs won't eat !

Bees may be kept as houses are kept — in an attractive or slovenly way. It is just
as easy to keep our surroundings nice, as slipshod. Besides, we owe a debt of en-
couragement to our neighbors in right-doing, we'd better pay as we go along.

" You wouldn't have the time,^'' hey ? Well, I'd take time, just as I would to
eat and to sleep ! Suppose the mechanics, and the farmers, and the good house-
wife, were to say they haven't the time to do things as they should be done ? How
would their work, their crops, and her house look ? It is a fact that the better a
thing is once done, the easier it is to do it afterward, a7id it pays ! Perhaps yoii've
been so slack in your methods that you feel you couldn't do differently, but wouldn't
you try if there was more -money in it ? Well, I guess yes ! You just start in right,
and you'll stay there, because you will enjoy much greater pleasure, comfort and
profit.

There, if you don't admit the force of these /acfs— why, I'll keep thinking you
ought to :

VARIOUS NOTES A]VD COMMENTS.

BY DR. C. C. MILLEK.

The editor of the " Old Reliable," on page 200, adds insult to injury. "Squirm
as he may," he left the impression that shoes alone covered my feet, and now he
says he couldn't "expect to see through cowhide shoes." Cowhide! He'll find a
cowhide awaiting him if he ever ventures in these parts !

As to a contracted form for Amkrican Bee Joukxal, I don't like Am. Bee Jrnl.
Isn't A. B. Journal better ? Just as short, and whether you read it in its contracted
form or in full, it's all right. [AH right. Doctor. But you might as well make it
''Am. B. Journal," and then it would be satisfactory enough.— Editor.]

1,250 pounds of honey from one colony (page 201) takes the lead. But isn't
there a possibility of a mistake, with not the least intention to deceive ? Some
years ago I learned to be a little skeptical with regard to the yields frome some of
my own colonies. A number of swarms would come out about the same time, then
two or three go back to one hive. A big yield would result, but it would hardly be
from one colony. Of course, ther«! may not have been anything of the kind in this
Australian case.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 275

Pres. Abbott seems all waked up to some kind of necessity as to larger meetings
of the North American, but like the rest of us, he's rubbing his eyes without seeing
very clearly what ought to be done. The plain truth is that the meetings are
largely local, and that the membership is confined almost exclusively to those
who actually attend. The " representative delegate " idea that Pres. Abbott urges
is good as far as it goes, but I doubt if he can bring it down to county societies.
And how often is there anything that a society wants to instruct a delegate to vote
for? Questions in practical bee-keeping are the most important things at a conven-
tion, and on such things it is not often that a man should be instructed beforehand
how to vote. If I am not mistaken, the way some of the large memberships are
secured in other countries is to have such advantages accrue to a member that he
will be glad to pay his membership fee even if he doesn't attend. What inducement
is held out for me to become a member if I don't expect to attend ?

Doolittle says (page 209) that you can tell whether bees are queenless by giving
them unsealed brood, when, if they are queenless they will start queen-cells. Nearly
always that's good proof of queenlessness, but there are exceptions. This summer
I introduced a queen to No. 28, and on looking a few days later I found a number
of queen-cells started. I said at once, "They've killed their queen." Looking
farther, however, I found the queen all right. I also found queen-cells in No. 1,
whose queen had not been changed for a year, and as they were post-constructed
cells, I was surprised to find the queen all right. In both these cases, however, I
think the bees supposed there was danger of the queen being destroyed, as in the
case of No. 1 a number of foreign bees had been added.

What a difference a little thing like a comma sometimes makes. On page 211,
2nd column, line 4, " three strips of wood — one wide, one on each side, and a narrow

one " puzzled me for a time. You see four strips are enumerated instead of

three, but if you drop out a comma and make it " one wide one on each side," then
it's all right.

That plan of W. C. Lyman is quite interesting. The plan given by T. I. Dug-
dale I can endorse from actual trial. Possibly the Lyman plan is better. But why
not merely leave a hole for drones to get out, without any escape ? The escape may
prevent bees from using that place as an entrance, but what harm if they do ?

Now comes F. L.Thompson (page 213) as champion of those troublesome
things — closed-end frames. I have one colony in them, and I dread to touch the
sticking things. And yet, and yet. Between you and me I've a kind of a notion
that the colony does a little better on account of being in those frames. You see
it's a good deal as Bro. Thompson says — there's no big hallway at each end of the
hive to keep things cold, but all is closed up as tight as in a box-hive. Good joke
on us if we'd all work toward closed-ends some of these days.

I wish Dr. Hicks had given chapter and verse where in Holy Writ we read that
honey was prominently used as a medicine.

W. H. Morse's advice to plant linden or basswood is good. There are two ways
to get the thing done without much expense. One is to get other people to plant
them for you. Suppose you want to plant 100 trees. Of course you must get your
trees before you plant them. Now when you have got them, if you give half of them
away to people that want to plant shade trees within a mile of you, it will be just
about as well as if they were on your own land. Or, you can sell them at a bargain.

2T6 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Another way is t.o Ro to your nurseryman and agree to pay so much a hundred for
him to put in a stock of young basswoods in his nursery. It will thou be to his
interest to dispose of those trees to be planted as shade-trees.

I've sometimes wondered what made John F. Gates always so jolly. Perhaps
the explanation is on page 216 — he's a Sunday-school man. But you needn't worry
about Bro. Clarke, John. Now that he holds only as a kind of possible notion that
sting-trowel theory that ho formerly gave out as a fact, he'll not be so spunky if
any one touches it. Marengo, 111.

THAT 'WINTER PROBI^EM AGAIN.

BY A. G. AMOS.

In reading Mr. J. E. Pond's article, on page 116, in regard to wintering bees
without protection, I thought I would relate a few circumstances which have come
under my observations. ' •

The last two winters I have packed all ray bees in chaff except two hives each
winter, and these were 1}4 story 10-frame hives, all very strong in bees and honey,
and they also had the supers replaced, filled with chaff after the sections were re-
moved in the fall. As a result, these bees either froze or dwindled away in the
early spring. While the loss of the colonies that were packed in chaff was quite
heavy, yet I am in favor of chaff packing.

Again, I was called on in the spring to transfer a colony of bees for a friend, as
I was informed by him that the colony had thrived and sent out large swarms for
the last two years, but they always went to the woods, and were lost. If I were to
try to describe the hive they were in, I am afraid I could not do it justice, so I will
give a faint idea of it by saying that it was composed of two rims made out of coarse
old hemlock boards, each rim about 10 inches high and about 17 inches square,
with a board laid on top, and as it was not wide enough, a piece of old oilcloth was
laid over it. This constituted the top. And as for ventilation, I am sure they had
plenty, for the bees were working out of the top, bottom, and all four sides. The
entrance under the edge of the cover was equivalent to a hole Jix5 inches ; yet the
bees wintered out-doors, and the only protection they had was a stone-wall on the
north side of them ; and I will say that at the time I transferred them they were
stronger in bees than any in my own yard.

What does the above prove? It certainly proves that bees will live and prosper
with as little care as any animal ; but to ho profitable they must have care and pro-
tection the same as other stock. Delhi, N. Y., Aug. 4.

^-

PURE AIR ANO PURE FOOD FOR IJVIN'TER.

BY C. W. DAYTON.

Referring to Mr. Theilmann's experience as related on page 438 of the Bee
JouRNAi^ for April 5, 1894, I would say that, though bees in a cellar of low tem-
perature lowly murmur, it may not necessarily be an indication of contentment. I
believe impure air to be the cause of noise. Cold, being a stronger element, makes
them quiet, but, none the less, they must keep up warmth. It has been said that to
expose a cluster of bees to zero weather the outside bees will move toward the inside
of the cluster, and those inside \/ill change to outside. Then, as the temperature
rises, this movement decreases until it stops somewhere about 5 5^ or 60^^ above

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 277

zoro. No matter how rapid or slow this movement, it causes no " roar ;" only a
gentle " murmur."

Then from whence comes the roaring? When we begin to smoke bees they
begin to fan with the wings, and, consequently, begin to roar. If we attempt to
blow smoke in at the entrance of the hive, they instantly set up a violent fanning
of wings which forces the smoke out again. At the same time there is a roar. They
roar also while evaporating honey, because there is a fanning of wings to create
circulation of atmosphere. This may be a roar of contentment, but the other is
certainly a roar of discontentment, and there probably is- no ear which can distin-
guish one from the otlier.

There also is a fanning of wings to drive out impure air, or, more correctly, to
change air, which they may suspect may injure their stores, if not themselves, and
which, in truth, it may.

If the smoker is turned upon a cluster whore the bees are more or less stiffened
with cold, they will move their wings very little. To fan would Increase the cold
and exposure. Although this is a condition of greater quiet, how could there be
one of more discontent, namely, by coupling with it improper stores ? It may
require some lapse of time to note the effects of poor food. In fact, it may require
a lapse of time to be affected by this changing of positions in the cluster, or the
fanning of wings, but all three — poor nourishment, activity and labor — wear away
their vitality the same as an unsheltered horse or cow, which must exercise to keep
up suf6cient warmth, comes out in the spring thin in flesh.

Some writer has advanced the idea that bees, when poorly wintered, lose flesh
or adipose. Be this as it may, all know that they are sometimes wonderfully short-
lived after being removed from the cellar. With the best of stores, and no symp-
toms of diarrhea, there gets to be few bees in the colonies, and they are supposed to
have dwindled because of old age. Low temperature of the cellar may keep the
bees in the hives, but pure air prevents the desire to fly out.

In case the bees cluster closely in the center of the brood-nest, the rest of the
hive contains cool air, without being drawn in by respiration. At the point where
the cool air and the warmth of the cluster meet, condensation on the combs of honey
takes place. Sealed or unsealed, water gets into it and ferments, and the bees con-
suming it, brings disease.

In a right temperature, the bees do not cluster compactly, but stand upon all
parts of the combs containing honey, and the air that is drawn into the hive is at
once freighted with respiratory impurities, and forced out again.

Nearly all colonies which we find to have starved, are also found to have been
the driest, cleanest and strongest in the lot. Not having much stores, it was more
likely to be covered with bees, which protected it from the condensation of moistura,
and preserved their good condition. Florence, Calif

XHE PRESENT OUXEOOK— MARKETING, ETC.

BY B. TAYLOR.

In early spring the season of 1894 promised to be one of the best in many
years for bee-keepers. The weather was favorable, and one of the main stand-bys
for honey — white clover — abounded everywhere. There were frequent copious
rains, and we were justified in predicting an old-time yield. But after all these
cheering signs, drouth set in at the beginning of summer, and at this date (July
31st) yet holds sway. There has been but one moderate shower for many weeks,
and the commonly green grass of our lawn is in some places as dead and brown as

278 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAI..

the dusty public road near by. Corn is shriveled, and garden vegetables small and
drooping. Buckwheat is prematurely turning brown, and wild flowers have nearly
disappeared, making it certain that there will not be a large fall flow of nectar.
This may seem discouraging talk, but it is true, and truth is always in order.
Unfavorable summer weather could dispel the bright prospects of spring, but no
possible fall conditions can restore the dead flowers again this year. So we had
better look the situation straight in the face, and make the best possible use of it.

In our own yard we shall remove all surplus supers early, and let the bees have
a chance to fill the brood-nest with winter stores, if any nectar is to be had. During
dry times honey-dew is most plentiful, and we have no fears for winter stores ; but
if colonies are found light, they should be fed early, and made ready for safe win-
tering.

Our readers will remember that in the past we have been expressing our belief
that a paying surplus could be had even in a poor season, by a proper understanding
of the business and thorough preparation, so as to take the best advantage of all
opportunities. This season gave us an opportunity to practice what we had
preached. Basswood was the only source of surplus here this year, the bloom was
fairly plenty, and lasted about two weeks. By strict attention early in the season,
we had our colonies strong at its commencement, and our new hobby of sections of
finished combs all ready. We have secured a paying surplus crop this poor season ;
that is, we have at least 50 pounds per colony of splendid white honey, and that
pays us well for our labor. But for the preparation named we are quite certain we
should have gotten little or no surplus, as we have visited a very intelligent neigh-
boring bee-keeper who has 100 fine colonies of Italian bees, but they were managed
in the usual way and gave no surplus. In years past a good crop of suplus honey
was in our locality quite a certainty, with fair management, but each year it seems
to be less certain, and better methods have become a necessity if we are to make it
pay. These bad years only compel higher skill and greater knowledge.

The Marketing of the Honey Crop. — For years we have advised bee-keepers
to cultivate local markets. There are many risks in shipping comb honey, especially
to distant markets, with the facilities and skill for crating properly possessed by
the average bee-keeper. But little comb honey ever reaches its destination without
damage and loss to the producer. For some years we have made special effort to
introduce extracted honey in our own local markets, and by having our goods of the
very highest quality, we have in three seasons easily established a demand for all
the liquid honey we can produce. The same can be done in each locality, provided
none but first-class, properly cured honey is offered. We advise taking a sample of
the honey for testing, visiting the best families in town and country, taking orders
and delivering the goods, being careful to have the honey equal or better than
the sample. In this way we find a market for all our extracted honey at 12>^ cents
per pound. Comb honey can be sold in the same way. This year the crop is so
small there is no need of any haste in selling, and those who rush to sell for the first
offer are sure to suffer loss.

Preparing the Bees for Winter. — It is none too early for the wise bee-keeper
to begin preparations for winter. This season is such that unless early and wise
precautions are taken, there is sure to be heavy loss in the coming winter. Each
colony should be examined to see that it has a good queen, and then fed a few
ounces of sugar syrup or honey daily until the 15th of September, so that brood-
rearing may be kept up, and hives stocked with young beesi for winter. We should
not lose faith in our pleasant calling on account of this poor season. The cause was

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 279

climatic, and after we have done our duty all must bow to wind and waves. Agri-
culturists and horticulturists have suffered equally, or even more than the bee-
keeper. Let us prepare to renew the battle all along the line. — Farm, Stock and
Home. ' Forestville, Minn.

BBH-BUZZI]!^OS FROM BII^TMORE.

BY ROBERT PESTELL.

Agreeable to the request made in the Bee Journal of July 26th, asking :
"What have you learned this year in your apiary ? Have you discovered any new
kinks (or is ic kicks) that are worth knowing '?" I will endeavor to contribute my
portion.

Biltmore, as many of the readers of the Bee Journal may know, is the name
given to the estate purchased by Mr. Geo. Vanderbilt, and is situated near Asheville,
N. C. The Baron de Alingo has the entire management of the agricultural opera-
tions here. He has, by his intelligently directed energy, made the once barren hill-
sides and unkempt valleys to blossom like a veritable Arcadia. Not until last
autumn did he lay the foundation of an apiary — some 30 colonies occupying dove-
tailed hives, being then purchased. Upon my arrival here, early in April last, I
found 17 colonies of the 30 living, they being in a very weak condition. The severe
frosts during the latter days of March rudely stripped the forest landscape of its
spring garment, reducing it to its winter costume, thereby utterly destroying all
outside bee-provender, so that it was only through the medium of heavy artificial
feeding that the bees were kept going. The continued drouth during the late
spring and early summer kept the thermometer of our honied hopes at a low ebb,
which has since, however, been raised almost to set fairly a most bountiful sour-
wood harvest, which we are yet enjoying.

The colonies have been increased from 17 to a present number of 46, princi-
pally by nuclei and introduced queens. This increase, with the addition of some
considerable quantity of surplus honey, is encouraging.

The accompanying sketch is one I have made of an old-time log-constructed
farm-house — one of the few old-timers remaining on the estate — where a portion of
the apiary is located. The barrels shown in the illustration have been committed
to the cellar preparatory for a brew, no further indication of bee-paralysis showing.
(See Mr. Thompson's article on barrels used as a cure for bee-paralysis, published
in the Bee Journal of July lUth.)

Not a great distance from the old-fashioned homestead stands the palatial
residence of Mr. Geo. Vanderbilt, now nearing completion, and occupying a com-
manding situation overlooking the lovely and exceedingly fertile Frenchbroad
valley which is framed by a chain of Blueridge Mountains, bathing their sylvan-
clad summits in a soothing mist of azure. Through the valley meanders, like a
silver band, the Frenchbroad river, seemingly kept in bounds by the walls of the
forest which nestle on its brink. Traversing the woodlands of the valley are many
miles of undulating and gracefully, yet decidedly curved, carriage drives, which
have been surveyed and constructed under the direction of Mr. Geo. J. Weston.
Their windings constantly unfold to the vision of the traveller fresh vistas of forest
grandeur.

Over this lovely landscape, and under a canopy of the bluest of blue skies, buzz
the bees of Biltmore. Biltmore, N. C, Aug. 5.

[The pencil "sketch" mentioned above was received with the article, and, as
Mr. Pestell says, truly represents "an old-time farm-house." — Ei>itor. I

280

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

The East Tennessee Contention.

BY H. F. COLEMAN.

The attendance at the East Tennessee
Bee-Keepers' Convention at Whitesbur^,
on Aug 16th, owing to the meeting of a
Baptist association near by, was not
what was expected, but was fair. The
bee-keepers present had a jolly good
time, and spent the day pleasantly.
Brother Webb, of Sutton, whose pres-
ence was expected, from some cause was
not there, and we failed to form his per-
sonal acquaintance, but he will probably
attend our next meeting.

Your correspondent had the pleasure
of testing several samples of persimmon
honey, and found it to exceed his expec-
tations. In color it is a golden yellow,
and its flavor and density are all that
can be wished. Brother Root, no doubt,
would enjoy* a sample of it.

By special invitation we visited the
home and apiary of W. A. Lee, of Three
Springs. Mr. Lee is a model farmer of
East Tennessee, and is one of the farm-
ers that make bee-keeping pay. His
apiary consists of only 26 colonies, but
they are managed so nicely that they
yield a profit every year. The idea that
bee-keeping cannot be made profitable
by farmers is a mistake, as is verified in
this instance.

The Feathers family at Whitesburg
entertained the bee-keepers, and we
found them all truly interested in bee-
culture.

We will speak more of the proceedings
of the Association later.

H. F. Coleman, Sec.

Sneedville, Tenn.

Central California Convention.

r.V .J. F. FLORY.

A special meeting of the above Asso-
ciation met in the City Hall at Hanford,
on Aug. 1st, to discuss the question,
" How to dispose of our honey to the
best advantage."

President Hart called the meeting to
order, and the Secretary then read the
minutes, which were accepted. Most of
the day was taken up with the question
of marketing, and the amount of tare
that should be deducted for the cases.
There wasn't the least inclination mani-
fested by any to consign any more honey
for the present. The sarcastic thrust
at some of our commissioners was any-
thing but pleasant, while those who
have dealt fair are also brought to pub-
lic notice.

THE QUESTION OF TARE.

In extracted honey none wished to sell
wood for honey, but serious objections
were made to knocking off tare for
cases, cans, and then several pounds of
honey besides, as we have done in three
carloads of honey sold in the last ten
days. Cases generally weigh 10 pounds,
while an occasional one weighs 12
pounds. And to cover the weights of
all, to avoid the weighing, of each case
separate, as was resolved by the State
Association at Los Angeles last January,
that we add 10 or 20 per cent, to the
average case, so as to cover the full
weight of all cases. And to let the buyer
know that we wanted to do nothing but
what is fair. Upon motion it was
unanimously decided that we deduct 12
pounds per case for tare, and no more.

As the cases for comb honey vary in
weight, it was decided by motion that
they be weighed, and 10 per cent, of
their weight be added to them for tare.
On the price of honey, viz.: 4}-^ cents
for bright amber, at which price the
three carloads above mentioned were
sold, and it was unanimously decided,
on motion by a standing vote, that inas-
much as the crop of California is the
shortest known for many years, and
from the latest accounts in the East,
that their crop was also short, that we
are not getting market value for our
honey, and that we will not sell for less
than 5 cents until our next meeting, on
the first Wednesday in September ; and
that the Secretary inform the different
honey-dealers of this fact, as well as that
we have a fine lot of honey for sale.

During noon the Secretary placed on
the table samples of N. 1). West's queen-
cell protector, (lueen-cages, and his im-
provement on it for the safe introduction
of queens; and samples of beeswax
made by his improved solar wax-extrac-
tor. Tiirough a mistake the extractor
was not brought. Also sample hive with
honey in clamped sections with wide
frames, just as taken from the hive, to

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

281

show with what ease the honey can be
handled, and how clear and free the
sections are from gum and glue. Mr.
Stearns, of Selma, a large comb-honey
producer, remarked that the Secretary
could not keep his sections so nice and
clean with his bees in this country, to
which he replied : "There is an occa-
sional colony that will daub and soil
anything."

Many other minor points were dis-
cussed to the interest of the association.

During both the forenoon and after-
noon meetings the Hall was crowded to
its utmost capacity, and a number were
not able to gain admittance, yet it was
decided that not one-half of the bee-
keepers in this and adjoining counties
were present.

Notwithstanding the desperate and
unmerciful attempt made several years
ago to expel the bees as a public nui-
sance from Kings, then part of Tulare
county, it was clearly manifested, from
the bee-men present, that the little busy
bee will bring in a larger revenue into
this section of country, at least this
year, for the amount of capital and
labor invested, than any industry we
have.

On motion it was decided to adjourn,
and meet again at our next regular
meeting, viz.: the first Wednesday in
September, at Selma, Fresno county.
J. F. Flory, Sec.

Lemoore, Calif.

Queens and Qneen-Reai-ins'. —

If you want to know how to have queens
fertilized in upper stories while the old
queen is still laying below ; how you may
safely introduce any queen, at any time of
the year when bees can fly ; all about the
different races of bees ; all about shipping
queens, queen-cages, candy for queen-
cages, etc. ; all about forming nuclei, mul-
tiplying or uniting bees, or weak colonies,
etc. ; or, in fact, everything about the
queen-business which you may want to
know— send for Doolittle's '-Scientific
Queen-Reaming "—a book of over 170
pages, which is as interesting as a story.
Here are some good offers of this excellent
book:

Bound in cloth, postpaid, .$1.00 ; or clubbed
with the Bee Journal for one year — both
for only $1.6.5 ; or given free as a premium
for sending us three new subscribers to the
Bee Journal for a year at $1.00 each.

Bound in paper cover, postpaid, 65 cents ;
or given tree as a premium for sending us
two new subscribers ; or clubbed with the
Bee Journal a year— both for only $1.40.
Send all orders to the Bee Journal ofHce.

Great Premium on page 286 !

Hf~ Do not write anything for publication
on the same sheet ol paper wltn business
matters, unless it can be torn apart wlthou
interfering with either part of the letter.

The Thompson Hive.

I would like to tell D. S. M. (see page
171) that he can't well use the sections
or any of the improved surplus cases on
the Thompson hive. If I had two dozen
Thompson hives, or a whole apiary of
them, I would discard them at once for
some of the popular modern hives — the
so-called dovetailed, for instance, is sup-
erior to it in every respect.

G. H. Al.LEN.

Alderson, W. Va., Aug. 20.

Too Dry and Hot for the Bees.

Bees in this part of the country have
not done very well on account of starva-
tion, caused by the drouth and hot winds.
There was no name for it, all summer,
until lately we had some good rains.
Corn will be a small crop. Some on the
hills and late planting is drying up. A
good many bees have died here, but
those that revived are doing well now.
Frank Hentrick.

Wall Lake, Iowa, Aug. 22.

Some Big Yields of Honey, Etc.

We have had a regular boom of honey
this year. Those who live in the man-
grove regions have done the best. One
bee-keeper with 100 colonies has taken
30,000 pounds — an average of 300
pounds to the colony ; and another with
about 50 colonies averaged 400 pounds
per colony. Saw palmetto gave a big
yield, and then another good flow of
mangrove. Last year was a total fail-
ure of mangrove, and next year may be
as bad, but we all have to take the sea-
sous as they come. I have an apiary in
Iowa that has not yielded a pound of
honey.

A friend used a tablespoonful of sul
phur per colony for bee-paralysis, and

282

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

thinks he has cured it. Your corres-
pondents do not say how they apply it,
or how much. G. W. Webster.

Lake Helen, Fla., Aug. 20.

[We would be glad to have those who
have found the " sulphur cure " a suc-
cess, explain its use, for the benefit of
our readers. — Editor.]

A Fair Yield of Honey.

My honey crop averaged 50 pounds of
comb honey to the colony. I have 52
colonies. Homer Scott.

New Hudson, Mich., Aug. 15.

Good Crop Expected Yet.

Bees in this locality, bordering on the
Ohio River corn lands, began storing the
surplus on Aug. 1st. Farmers in our
vicinity have given up their corn, it be-
ing all burnt out on account of not hav-
ing rain. This leaves us all the smart-
weed and fall flowers to grow and thrive
and produce nectar for the bees. The
flow is very heavy, one colony having
stored 24 pounds of comb honey in 7
days. All comb honey on the market
here is from honey-dew, also some alfal-
fa — '93 crop shipped from Nevada.
However, this finds slow sale, on account
of being partially candied. Therefore
we shall have a good market for our
crop, which ignominiously failed to
"show up" prior to this date. The
farmer's' misfortune is my good luck. I
shall therefore get a very good honey
crop, and expect at least 5 tons this sea-
son yet, as we always get a heavy flow
in September. J. C. Wallenmeyer.

Evansville, Ind., Aug. 10.

Did Well— Convention, Etc.

My colonies have done well for this
season. They gave me a surplus of 350
pounds of honey up to this date— 211
pounds being extracted. This honey
was from sourwood. The sourwood
honey-flow was extra good in this sec-
tion.

On Aug. 10th I boarded the train at
Greenville for Wliitesburg, to attend the
East Tennessee Bee-Keepers' Conven-
tion. When I arrived at Wliitesburg,
Bros. Coleman and Feathers met me at
the train, and conducted me to the home
of Dr. Feathers at that place.

After we had rested, and examined
Mr. Porter Feathers' bees, we assembled
at 10 o'clock in the Methodist church.

We adjourned for dinner till 1 o'clock.
Some of us took dinner with Bro. Feath-
ers. We had a fine dinner, for which
we return many thanks to them.

Mr. Porter Feathers is a young bee-
keeper just beginning. He has 12 colo-
nies in fine condition.

I have worked for honey and against
increase. I also worked my bees for
wintering. I had no swarms this sea-
son. There have been some swarms in
this section, but they were mostly in
July. I have heard it said this way :

"A swarm in May
Is worth a stack of hay.
A swarm in June
Is worth a silver spoon.
A swarm in July
Is not worth a green fly."

A. C. Babb.
Greenville, Tenn., Aug. 18.

Had a Poor Honey-Flow.

I have 20 colonies of bees. We have
had a poor honey-fiow this season. My
average is not more than 10 pounds per
colony. N. S. Will.

Rowlandville, Md., Aug. 20.

Quite a Light Crop.

The honey season started with exceed-
ingly bright prospects, but the drouth
made short work of the apiculturist's
fond hopes, through this locality. We
had no rain for 8 weeks, till yesterday
(Aug. 19) when we had a grand refresh-
ing shower. The honey crop here is
quite a light one. J. A. Golden.

Reinersville, Ohio, Aug. 20.

A Lady's Experience With. Bees.

It has rained quite hard within the
last half hour — the first for weeks, con-
sequently we have suffered most terribly
from drouth, pastures brown, corn dry-
ing up on the upland, without forming
ears. And how the poor bees have made
a living for several weeks past, is a mys-
tery, but I think they made good use of
the time during white clover bloom, and
yet only the strongest colonies, and
those that did not swarm, gave any sur-
plus.

On account of the drouth last fall, my
8 colonies were short of stores, yet by
feeding some they came through the
winter, but the new colonies were very
weak, so they have been ail summer
building up. I divided one strong col-
ony, and bought a 2-frame nucleus and
a tested five-banded queen, and she has

weekly, $1 a Year. ( °^^°^^°.^^^^^^^eV-'c;]^URE. \ S«™P»« ^«PJ^ *""«•

VOL. XXXIV. CHICAGO. ILL, SEPT. 6, 1894.

NO. 10.

im^^A^^m^mAmAmAmkAS^i

tAmA^A^Amki

St. .Toi^epli, ^lo., is the place of
the convention.

Oct. lOth, lltli ana IStli, are the

dates of the convention.

Xlie C\ B. & <|. (Chicago, Burlington
& Quincy) railroad is the best line to take
to the North American convention which
meets at St. Joseph, Mo., on Oct. 10th, 11th
and 12th. Don't forget it. It's the " C. B.
& Q." — often spoken of as the " Cheapest,
Best, and Quickest." More particulars
next week.

Pomona. Collegfe, located at Clare-
mont, Calif., received a whole page " write
up " by Prof. Cook, in last Gleaidn.gs. After
reading it, we felt just like packing up our
few belongings, and starting for that glori-
ous school. But then, it's pretty late in
life for us to think of taking a college
course, so we'll have to give it up. How-
ever, we're very glad to know that Prof.
Cook is working in such a grand institu-
tion. Better write him for catalogue and
circulars of the college, if you have any
young folks who ought to get into a good
and safe school.

Reporting- Conventions is a mat-
ter that Dr. Miller very properly touches
on in his comments on page 311 of this
number of the Bee Journal. As usual, he
has the right idea of the thing. While we
are always glad to publish convention re-
ports, we have often thought that such re-
ports could be given in much more con-
densed form, and thus be of greater inter-
est to all the readers of the Bee Journal.

We hope that Secretaries will take Dr.
Miller's suggestions in the same kindly
spirit they are offered, and profit by them.
Let us have only the practical "bee-talk"
of conventions for publication. Why not
have a little rivalry among secretaries
hereafter, and see who will give the best,
practical report ? When Dr. Miller finds
one in the Bee Journal that he can com-
mend as a model, no doubt he will men-
tion it.

Mrs. Atcliley reported on Aug. 24th,
that at Beeville, Tex., they had a rain
which assured a fall crop of honey there.
We wish that other parts of the country
could be similarly favored. It has been a
very dry season in this part of the country,
as well as in many other localities.

•f . A. Golden, of Reinersville, Ohio,
has sent to us a number of fine photo-
graphs representing various implements
and things in the apicultural line. We wish
to thank the generous sender, and assure
him that they are much appreciated by
" ye editor."

Uro. Ernest Root, finding that he
could remain away rom Medina longer
than at first contemplated, stopped with us

296

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

on his return trip. After leaving Dr.
Miller on Friday, Aug. 24th, he went into
Wisconsin, calling on Harry Lathrop, of
Browntown; E. France & Son, of Platte-
ville, and others.

He walked into our office again on Tues-
day morning, Aug. 28th. That forenoon he
called on Bro. Newman, and in the after-
noon we two "youthful editors" went
down to the old World's Fair Grounds, and
beheld the ruins of the once beautiful,
fairylike White City. The great fire which
occurred about two months ago, destroyed
many of the largest and most artistic build-
ings—such as the Administration, Agricul-
tural, Machinery, Electricity, Mining, Man-
ufactures and Liberal Arts, etc. Oh, what
a conflagration it was ! From our home — 6
miles north of Chicago, and 14 miles from
the place of the fire — we could see the re-
flection of the fierce destroyer, as plainly
as if only a mile away.

After strolling across the restful "Wooded
Island," and gazing for a time upon the
huge piles of fallen iron arches, burned
bridges across lagoons, and the general
wreckage, we visited the Field Columbian
Museum, which occupies the building that
contained the Art Gallery of the Fair.
Within its walls are gathered portions of
the various exhibits seen last year. Prob-
ably the most complete is that representing
the railroad and locomotive improvements,
made principally by the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad Company.

Well, to condense what might be a pro-
longed story, we would say that we had
what to the writer was a -most enjoyable
visit with Bro. Root. We were so glad to
have a good opportunity to know him bet-
ter, for we believe that as editors come to
understand each other's motives and aims,
just in such proportion will their efforts be
in harmony and for the best good of the
industry which their several periodicals
represent.

On Wednesday morning our brother
editor started on his homeward journey,
leaving behind him firm friends who wish
him everything that is pure and good.

A Hive I'sicloi-y l><;Mtroye4l. — The

California Bee-Hive Factory of B. S. K.
Bennett, in California, was completely de-
stroyed by fire on Aug. 23rd. Mr. Bennett
expects to rebuild as soon as possible, and
be ready for the coming season.

Xliese Bce-Jotting:s were handed
us by Dr. Peiro a short time ago :

Mrs. D. Fobes states that her boy's lungs
were in a precarious condition, and when
physicians' remedies failed, she resorted to
the plentiful feeding of honey, with happy
results. The boy is now well.

Notice is taken that foreign bee-papers
copy widely from Dr. C. C. Miller and the
American Bee Journal.

I/Apicoltore states that another remedy
for bee-sting is the application of turpen-
tine to the parts stung. It removes the
pain, and prevents swelling.

The same journal informs its readers that
a small quantity of honey worked into
butter renders that article more palatable,
and prevents rancidity. Incidentally it
observes of what great benefit to apiculture
would be the general application of the
suggestion in the more liberal demand and
price of honey which is now being sold at
such precarious terms !

The same paper quotes the statement
that sassafras limbs placed across a hive (I
suppose the old-fashioned kind), to which
the bees can attach the comb, prevents the
retention of the lice that usually prevail —
owing to the peculiar odor of the wood.
Dr. Peiro.

Bi'o. Clias^. I>a,clant — the venerable
and well-known member of the firm of
Chas. Dadant & Son— is sojourning for a
few weeks at Sturgeon Bay, Wis., for the
benefit of his health. We hope he may find
much relief from the troublesome hay-
fever which so afflicts him in southwestern
Illinois every year.

'I'lie Price Xoo I^ovi'. — In the Review

for August, Bro. Hutchinson had this edi-
torial in answer to what we said on page
1G9 of the Bee Journal:

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL TOO LOW IN PRICE.

Bro. York, of the American Bee Jour-
nal, says that one of his subscribers com-
plained because better paper is not used in
printing the Bee Journal. Very properly
it is explained that at the present price,
and the " slow pay " of some of the sub-
scribers, better paper cannot be afforded.
Let the i)rice of a journal be what it may,
there will always be delinquent sub.scribers
unless the " pay in advance " rule is strictly
enforced, and this greatly reduces the list,
as 1 know by a costly experience.

The simple fact in the case is, that the
price of the American Bee Journal is too
low. Class journals can never be pub-
lished at such low rates as in the case

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

297

general newspapers and magazines, as they
can never secure so large lists of subscribers.
Most of our bee- journals are run in connec-
tion with a supply trade, and this enables
their proprietors to furnish the journals at
prices which allow of very small profits un-
less the list is large. Bro. York, why don't
you raise the price of your paper, or else
add a supply trade ?

Perhaps some will think that this is none
of my business. Perhaps it isn't ; but Bro.
York has worked hard, and is yet working
hard, and while he is making a good jour-
nal— much better than some of us thought
he would — only an editor knows how much
better he could make it if be only had
plenty of money to spend upon it. If one-
half were added to the price, I will warrant
that twice the value would be returned to
the subscriber in the way of better paper,
more illustrations, and an increase in val-
uable correspondence, etc.

We want to thank Bro. Hutchinson for
the implied compliment in the foregoing,
for he practically admits that the readers
of the Bee Journal are getting more than
they are paying for. And while the price
of our journal may be, as he says, "none
of his business," still it shows a very kindly
spirit and interest on his part, when he is
moved to write as he has in the editorial
which we have copied.

But before going any further, we want
to assure the reader that the price of the
American Bee Journal is not going to be
raised right away. So don't become
alarmed without good cause.

Bro. H. asks us: " Why don't you raise
the price of your paper, or else add a sup-
ply trade ?" To answer the latter part of
his I question first, we must candidly say
that, at j)rese7d, we don't believe that a bee-
paper and a supply trade should be owned
and operated by the same management.
We prefer to keep the Bee Journal inde-
pendent of it, and thus be free from any
suggestions that we as its publishers are
pushing any particular bee fixtures or im-
plements upon bee-keepers, because we are
financially interested in their sale.

Secondly, why don't we "raise the
price ?" Echo answers, " Why V Well,
reader, what do you think of it ? Are yow
willing to pay 50 cents a year more for
" better paper, more illustrations, and an
increase in valuable correspondence, etc.?"
We'd like to hear from our readers on this
point, when they are renewing their sub-
scriptions. We are ready and very willing
to give you a "my«A better " journal if you
are willing to pay for it. Yes, this " Barkis
iswillin'!" What do ?/om say ?

F'liniig'atiiig' ^vitli Briiiistoue, —

Bro. J. Van Deusen, of Sprout Brook, N.
Y., in the August Review, gives his method
of burning brimstone for fumigating pur-
poses, as follows:

Take a clean iron kettle, free from ashes
and coals ; get the butt end of an old sleigh-
shoe as long as will lay flat in the kettle,
or, what is better, an iron ring three inches
inside diameter made from one inch iron.
Heat it until you can see it is red in the
dark. This can be handled with a stove-
poker. Put the roll of brimstone in the
kettle, and put the iron on it, and if not too
hot it will burn slowly, holding a fume a
long time. If the iron is too hot, it burns
quicker, and does not hold the fume as long
or as safely. Set the kettle up on bricks to
make it safe from the floor.

This may help those who wish to fumi-
gate empty combs or comb honey in order
to kill the moths that are such destroyers.

JBees amd Xobacco.— We learn
through Gleani)i.gs that in the Patent Office
at Washington, D. C, bee-keeping, being a
subject rather too unimportant to have a
department of its own, is assigned to the
department ojf tobacco-growing ! Think of
it— apicultural inventions mixed up with
the inventions for making cigars, cigar-
ettes, etc. Ugh !

Bro. Root learned of this through a Mr.
Danzenbaker, a Washington resident, who
was visiting him. Mr. D. suggestively re-
marked : "The Patent Office puts bees and
tobacco together; but A. I. Root separates
them." So do we. No tobacco or strong
drink in ours, if you please !

E. E. Haiiity, in the Review (in that
way of his which is sometimes called
" inimitable ") , pays his respects to the new
department of "Our Doctor's Hints."
Among other things he says :

The matter in the department is really
good, and pleasantly told. 'Spects it will
find fully as many readers as the bee-arti-
cles do. Dr. Peiro, of Chicago, is the de-
partment conductor.

Xlie St. .fosepli, iflo.. Fair will be
held Sept. 10th to 15th, inclusive. Nearly
$100 is offered iu premiums in the apiarian
department. Mr. John Krahl, 1913 Holman
St., St. Joseph, Mo., is the Superintendent
of the bee and honey part of the Fair. For
Premium List, or any desired information,
just write him.

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 20 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.

Listen Here, Bee-Keepers.

I want to say a word to those who are
interested in reading this department,
especially to those who ask questions. A
good many questions come to me asking
for a private answer, sometimes adding,
" Please answer by return mail and give
full details." Now of course there can't
be a great deal of accommodation about
a man who isn't willing to spend a few
minutes writing a few words to help out
a fellow bee-keeper. You would not re-
fuse an accommodation of that kind,
would you ? But suppose it took a whole
day of your time ? Now if I were to an-
swer privately all the questions I am
asked, it would not only take a day, but
it would take a number of weeks every
year. Indeed, I have had letters more
than once that I could hardly answer in
full if I took a whole day to each one.
Many, however, require only a short an-
swer, and I should be glad to reply to
such at once privately, only if I should
attempt to do so I should be hopelessly
swamped in trying to get through all
that comes in the course of the year.
Some seem to think it is all right if they
only enclose a postage stamp. But what
good is it to me to get a postage stamp
only to send away again ? The fact is,
I always have a feeling of relief when I
open a letter and find no postage stamp
enclosed.

Now please understand that I like to
get questions. The more the better.
But I want to answer them in print, for
two reasons. One reason is, that others
will get the benefit besides the one who
asks the (luestion ; and the other reason
is, because the editor pays mo for an-
swering.

One other point: If you want an an-

swer in this department, always say,
"Answer in A. B. J." Otherwise how am
I to know whether you want the answer
here, or in one of the other periodicals I
write for ?

Now come on with your questions, and
I shall be glad to be your obedient serv-
ant. C. C. Miller.

Drones Changing Hives.

Do drones change hives ? That is,
leave one hive and take up their abode
in another?
«

Answer. — Yes, indeed they do. Last
year I had it very clearly proved. I had
a colony of Funics, and the drones were
jet black, quite different from others,
and I found these drones scattered
about, some of them in pure Italian col-
onies.

To Prevent Increase.

When a swarm issues, cage the clipped
queen, and take from the colony two or
three frames of brood with adhering
bees and place in another hive, and give
them the queen. Fill up the hive from
whence the frames were taken, with
division-boards or dummies, and leave
on the old stand, and let the swarm
return and enter. In 6 or 7 days re-
move all queen-cells but one. If it
hatches and is a good one, and returns
from mating all right, dispose of the old
one, and return the frame and bees,
otherwise return the old one to the hive.
Will this plan prove a success ?

Answer. — I've practiced the plan suc-
cessfully, but it isn't easy to be sure of
killing all cells but one, and sometimes
the bees will swarm later on.

Swarms Swarming Out.

I have been badly troubled this year
by bees coming out within a day or so
after being hived. I use the B. Taylor
sectional brood-chamber. I hive the
swarm in a single story on the old stand,
and put on it the super in which the
bees have been storing, sometimes put-
ing an empty super between the partly-
filled one and the brood-chamber. Next
day the bees are pretty sure to swarm
out again. I have tried giving them a
frame of brood, but it's no use, out they
come. What is the trouble ? K.

Answer. — Sometimes bees swarm out
because of heat. Shading the hive will
help in such a case. Possibly a little of
it is in the blood, and a different strain
of bees might act differently.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

299

I am a little inclined to think that the
partly-filled super cut some figure in the
case. You know that a feeling of wealth
and prosperity is one of the elements
necessary for swarming. Take every
drop of honey from a colony preparing
to swarm, and they are likely to defer
their exodus. On the contrary, crowd
honey in on them and you may start to
swarming a colony that otherwise would
not have thought of it. Now if the same
trouble comes next year, try leaving off
the partly-filled super until the bees get
to work in the new hive. Put an empty
super on if you like, but don't put on
the one with honey till perhaps the third
day. Possibly that may help you out in
good shape.

Swarms Clustering.

When two or more swarms issue, or
are on the wing at the same time, the
queens having been caught and caged,
will the swarms ever settle together ? If
so, when they break cluster, will they
separate and each return to the several
locations from which they came, as a
single swarm will ?

Answer. — I've had them settle to-
gether in a cluster as big as my body,
and almost as long as I am, and some-
times they would hang there half a day.
Sometimes they would go to their own
hives, and sometimes all pile into one
hive.

Hiving Two Swarms Together.

What are the disappointments likely
to be met with in hiving two swarms to-
gether, as you intimated some time ago?
How would this plan work ? Cage the
clipped queen when the swarm issues,
and remove the old colony to a new loca-
tion, and throw a cloth over the en-
trance ; place the hive containing the
swarm with which it is desired to hive
the swarm which is out, and after they
have entered change back. (I would
not change back with the first swarm).
Will they enter? If so, will it be peace-
able, generally, so as to be a success?

Answer. — I don't remember to what
disappointments I referred — possibly it
was that in some cases I didn't get as
great results in surplus as I expected. I
never tried the plan you mention, but I
think it will work all right providing
swarms are not more than a day or so
apart. There will be no trouble about
the bees entering.

Om Doctor's Hiets.

By F. L. PEIRO. M. D.

McVicker's Building-, Chicago, III.

A Bald Proposition. «

Dr. C. C. Miller generally propounds
questions the solution to which necessitates
the evolution of great chunks of wisdom.
The answer, however, to your question on
page 240, is perfectly easy and natural,
dear Doctor. The brainy "gray matter"
inside some people's heads is so abundant
and active that it forces all obstacles off
the track, as it were ! This is beyond doubt
the correct answer to Bro. Miller's ques-
tion, " How to prevent our heads growing
through our hair." Cure ? Enlarge your
surroundings to accommodate the growth
of that witty '' top-piece." Catch on ?

Charge ? Oh, no: just make it four sec-
tions of your best white honey, and call it
square.

A Question About tlie Hearing.

The following question was received, to
be answered in this department of the Bee

Journal :

My hearing has been getting a little dull
for the past 15 or 20 years. I'm not as
young as I once was, but stiU I'm not hurt
with old age, and when I go out to tea or
to a quilting I like to hear what is said
about my neighbors. A man that adver-
tises to cure deafness, writes that if I send
him .$5.00, in two months he can make me
hear as sharp as when I was a girl. Doctor,
would you send him the money ?

I like what you write better than so much
about bees.

When the hearing begins to go, is it
bound to go, like the sight, or can anything
be done ?

Put your answer in the American Bee
Journal, but you needn't mind about
giving my name.

Dr. Peiro very much deplores that the
lady asking the question cannot well hear
all the interesting tales of her gentle neigh-
bors, because she must miss lots of fun ; but
only a thorough, personal examination
could enable me to give a reliable opinion
as to what can be done in her case. The
hearing is not boimd to go ; indeed, it is
often curable, but the difficulty must be
absolutely known and removed. She had
better keep that $5.00. Any one who
promises a cure under the circumstances

800

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAj_.

stated, without seeing the patient, is a
Whatyoumaycallhim, and the truth is not
in him !

Rhubarb and Honey.

Another most excellent vegetable that
should be grown in your garden— since it
can be had so easily— is rhubarb, or " pie-
plant." I do not recall another vegetable
that is so useful, and so pleasant in a hun-
dred instances. Nothing can be more
healthy or enjoyable than pie-plant stewed
with honey. The children love it, liberally
spread on their big slices of bread ! Inci-
dentally, you save your butter. It not
only tastes good, and nourishes well, but it
is excellent to keep the stomach and
bowels in natural condition. Jelly made
of it rivals that made from currants or
crab. By all means, can lots of it for win-
ter's supply. Set out big roots this fall for
next year's use.

Indeed, Hook upon "pie-plant" as the
poor man's orchard. It possesses all the
good qualities of the fruits, beside some
special merits of its own. When I visit
farmers— I may come to take tea with you
some day— and do not find plenty of this
excellent vegetable in the garden, I know
there is something wrong with their judg-
ment.

Horse-Radlsli and Red-Pepper.

Another serviceable plant I commend is
horse-radish, planted in some rich but
out-of-the-way corner, where it won't run
into more reserved ground. It is often-
times very useful; quite as much for its
leaves as its roots. They are a very handy
and effective application to many forms of
aches and pains. A pleurisy in the side is
often stopped by applying a leaf wilted in
hot vinegar. It acts much like a mustard
plaster, but not severely. A poultice of it
over rheumatic joints alleviates pain, and
sometimes cures.

For headache over the forehead, a wilted
leaf is very grateful. The root ground up
fine and corked tight in a bottle with a little
alcohol to keep it, makes excellent "smell-
ing salts " for headache or fainting "spells."
The leaves should be gathered just before
the seed-stalk forms, and should be care-
fully dried in the nhade between sheets of
greased wrapping-paper, to preserve their
essential oil, and pressed in a big book to
keep their shape, then put away in some
convenient place, and used in the manner

explained, when needed. In this way you
always have "mustard plasters" ready.
When put on a patient, they should be
covered with paper to prevent evaporation.
Be sure to raise some red-peppers. When
you sprinkle a few seeds on a mustard
draft, it makes it " take hold " at once.
Besides, a little piece of pepper held against
an aching tooth, right over the gum, often
stops the pain.

Xlie '*Bee •Toiirnal^^ Pays. —

Here is what one of our Ohio advertisers
wrote us on Aug. 23nd :

Messrs. Geo. W. York & Co.

Gentlemen : — Please discontinue our ad-
vertisement in the American Bee Journal,
as we are crowded with orders at present
so that we are unable to send queens by
return mail, but will be up in about ten
days. Orders are coming in 50 and 75
daily. That much for advertising in the
American Bee Journal.

We are yours for success.

Queen-Dealers.

N. B. — We will advertise again in a few
weeks. Q.-D.

Comment on the above is unnecessary,
though we might say, if you have anything
to sell to bee-keepers, "Go, thou, and do
likewise."

<MOOtl Honey-Sellers will likely be
needed now, and the little 33-page pamph-
let, "Honey as Pood and Medicine," has
for years proven itself valuable in making
repeated sales of honey. Its distribution
will create a demand for the honey first, and
then the bee-keeper can follow it up and
supply that demand. Send to us for a
sample copy, only 5 cents ; 10 copies, post-
paid, 35 cents ; 50 copies, fl.25 ; or 100 copies
$2.00. Try 50 or 100 copies, and prove their
ability to aid you in disposing of your
honey at a good price.

*»Foh1 Bi'oo*! ; 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 sold at the office of the Bee Jour-
nal. Price, postpaid, 25 cents; or clubbed
with the Bee Journal for one year — both
together for $1.15.

'riie ]^ovelty Pocliet-Knife is

worth having. Mr. A. G. Amos, of New
York, says this about it: " The ' Novelty'
pocket-knife which I received with the
American Bee Journal arrived all O. K.,
and it is a dandy." Better get one your-
self, and then you will know what a
" dandy " thing it is. See page 285 for ad-
I vertising offer.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

301

CONDUCTED BY

MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY,

Beeville, Texas.

Melons by the Wagonload.

This looks like the Paradise of the
world now. Great herds of fat cattle —
good beef at 4 cents per pound ; pastures
like a wheat field, and gardens with
great loads of vegetables. We are haul-
ing wagonloads of water-melons to our
hogs, and the bees are working like
May. Jennie Atchley.

Beeville, Tex., Aug. 25.

in a Court House.

A sheriff in a neighboring county has
been trying to rid his county house of
bees for some time. After several un-
successful attempts by so-called bee-
men, to take the bees out, and each time
they being driven away with big noses,
showing they had the worst of the tight,
the " Bee-Hivers " were sent for (this is
the name Willie and Charlie go by), and
people gathered around that court house
like a circus crowd, to see Willie get
stung. But, alas, the "bee-hivers"
charmed the vicious hybrids with a
Bingham "Doctor" smoker the first
thing, and then " went into them " with-
out veil, gloves, or any more smoke,
with their sleeves rolled up, and took
out 80 pounds of nice honey from one
colony that had occupied that court
house 10 years.

There had been 5 colonies in the court
house cornice, but the last July hot
wave " got away with" all but the old
tough one. The boys around town
caught gallons of dripping honey from
the melted combs, and the honey ran on
the ground for several yards around.

Well, that people now sure enough be-
lieve that Willie is a bee-charmer, when
the only secret lies in knowing how.

Willie took out all the honey, trans-
ferred the brood-combs into frames, put
the bees into an 8-frame hive, gave the

people honey to eat, and drove off home
with his treasure, as happy as a boy
could well be, wishing he had a hundred
such court houses to rub.

.We left a lot of empty hives at a
neighbor's on the road, and, when we
went after them, bees had taken up
lodging in one of them.

We cut one bee-tree last week, and
took out 75 pounds of nice, white honey,
that we sold at 10 cents per pound, be-
sides putting plenty in the hive for the
bees. They were Italians, only 5 miles
from home. How does this sound for a
bee-tree in south Texas ?

Jennie Atchley.

Those "Moth-Worms."

Dr. Miller gives me a good "send off"
on moth-worms. Yes, I am the guilty
party, Doctor. The compositor put it
just as the " copy " read. I know that
a moth is a winged insect, but what was
that winged insect before it could fly? I
think it was a worm and while in this
worm state is when it gets in its best
licks, as it seems to care but little what
it eats. But it must have something to
enable it to spin its silken house, and
will eat wood, beeswax, honey-comb, or
almost anything, and acts much like the
moth that gets in our clothes, sometimes,
when kept in trunks for awhile, and I
think they are properly called moth, for
they do corrupt and destroy whatever
they infest. Jennie Atchley.

Another Fine Honey Country.

Mks. Atchley : — We are still extract-
ing, and will have a crop of 10 tons.
The yield is nearly 100 pounds per col-
ony. R. C. AiKiN.

Loveland, Colo., Aug. 20.

Experience With Bees — Troubled by
Yellow Jackets.

Mks. Atchley : — I came to Texas in
1859, and started with 10 colonies of
bees, and increased them to 60 the next
fall. I had one colony to winter between
two scantlings, with a board for roof. I
took pity on them and gave them a
home. We hear so such about chaff
cushions, etc., for wintering bees, that
we can hardly realize it, as we never
need anything but single-walled hives in
Texas.

My bees did well before the War, but

302

AMERICAN BEK JOURNAL-.

during that bloody conflict I lost them
all. In 1880 I again began with 8 col-
onies. I had them in all kinds of gums,
logs and boxes, and I got the 8-frame
Langstroth hives and transferred 16. I
began transferring in June, and they
are all doing well. I introduced 16 Ital-
ian queeens, and lost none. I have some
of the nicest yellow bees I ever saw ;
they are so easy to handle. I had one
black colony that was so bad that I had
to leave home after I robbed it; and
after I put in the 5-banded queen, and
her bees came in, I could handle them
without veil or gloves, and with but lit-
tle smoke.

I undertook to rear my own queens,
and made two colonies queenless, and
they started 20 cells, and just before
they hatched I gave them to queenless
colonies, and they tore them all down. I
went to a neighbor and got more cells,
and they destroyed them also. I think
the weather was too dry, and as they
were not gathering any honey, they ate
the cells for a change, so I got queens
and gave them, and then they were all
O. K. I will try the experiment again,
and see how I succeed.

I wish you would tell me how to keep
yellow jackets from bothering bees.
They go right in and ask the bees no
odds. I kill them by the hundred, but
they get worse.

I am glad when each number of the
American Bee Journal comes. I prof-
it and delight so much in reading "In
Sunny Southland." I trust you may
continue to write. John Cairns.

Chriesman, Tex.

Brother C, I am glad to make your
acquaintance, and I may be able to as-
sist you in bee-keeping. But I am un-
able to help you out on the yellow
jackets, as there are none here that
bother bees, and I never had any trouble
with them. Possibly some of our read-
ers can help you out.

Thanks for kind words about "In
Sunny Southland." I will do what I can
to make it interesting.

Jennie Atchley.

Prolilst1>le K«c-lCeeping:, by Mrs.
Atchley, will continue for some time in her
department of the Bee Jouknal, at least
each alternate week. Until further notice
we can furnish the back numbers from May
1st, beginning with her " Lessons," to new
subscribers who pay §1.00 for a year's sub-
scription to the Bee Jouknal— that is, we
can commence their year with the number
having the first lesson, if they so desire.

Disposing Of llie Honey Crop.

Query 939.— Having secured a good crop
of honey, in what ways can the bee-keeper
realize the most money from its sale? Or,
what has proven best for you ?— Missouri.

Home market, well advertised. — Da-
DANT & Son.

Selling to large retailers, direct. — J.
H. Larrabee.

Sell it just as near home as possible. —
Eugene Secor.

Sell it myself, in a home market. —
Mrs. L. Harrison.

If you have time, retail it yourself, oi*
sell to retailers. — E. France.

By working as much ofif as possible in
a near market. — J. P. H. Brown.

Very neat preparation for market.
Make it look inviting. — A. J. Cook.

My home market has proven the most
lucrative with me. — J. M. Hambaugh.

Much depends upon circumstances.
Look out for your home market first. —
C. C. Miller.

Sell at home as much as possible, and
that remaining ship on commission. — G.

M. DOOLITTLE.

I have never kept bees for a honey
crop. So I can give no light on the sub-
ject.—J. E. Pond.

Sell all you can get as near home as
you can find a market. That has been
the best plan for me.— C. H. Dibbern.

That depends upon the bee-keeper. I
can realize most money by selling to the
consumer, but prefer to sell to the re-
tailer.— J. A. Green.

The home market has always proven
the best for me, for a quantity of a ton
or under. For larger amounts I have
had to ship to larger city markets.— H.
I). Cutting.

I have never had any trouble in sell-
ing honey if it was in an attractive
shape ; and in case of extracted honey,
In neat packages, but it must be cheap.
— Jas. a. Stone.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

303

Selling It directly to consumers in and
about his own locality, if he is in any
degree adapted to that kind of business,
and if he isn't, he should employ some
one that is. — R. L. Taylor.

Grade carefully, and put it up in at-
tractive style, and leave it to be sold.
You fix the price, and receive your pay
after the sale, allowing the dealer a
commission. A home market is always
preferable. — Mrs. J. N. Heater.

Much depends upon circumstances,
and the size of the crop. What would
pay best in one case would not in
another. I have always been able to
dispose of my honey at home, and mostly
at retail. For me, that is most profit-
able.— M. Mahin.

If one likes the business of peddling,
he can frequently realize enough above
wholesale rates to more than pay them
for his time while retailing his crop. I
have done some peddling myself, but
generally have sold the larger part of
mine in bulk. — S. I. Freeborn.

Sell it at retail among your village
customers. Work up a regular route of
your own. Sell, also, if you have them,
eggs, butter, vegetables, and the like.
Much better prices can thus be obtained.
If your crop is larger than you can thus
handle, ship to some reliable commis-
sion firm in the nearest city. — W. M.
Barnum.

By selling in your home market. This
has always been my best way to get the
most money for my honey, and sell
direct to the consumers. But if you
have no home market, the next best
thing is to sell through a reliable com-
mission house. This is a big question,
and not space enough here to talk it up.
— Mrs. Jennie Atchley.

Make a market for it at home by edu-
cating the people whom he meets every
day to use it, not as an occasional deli-
cacy, but three meals a day every day in
the week. This, of course, requires
a man or woman who knows how to talk.
If you do not know how, you should
learn. You cannot do it ? Then I give
it up, unless you hire some one who can.
— Emerson T. Abbott.

It has proven best for us to wholesale
it, and let those in the retail business
sell to consumers. Our home trade to
customers who come to the door for it,
usually take from 2,000 to 3,000
pounds. This particular branch of the
retail trade we will hold on to. The
bee-keeper must be governed by circum-
stances. In many localities the retail
trade is best, decidedly. — P. H. Elwood,

I could not answer your question in as
few words as I have room for in this
limited space. It depends upon where
your are situated. I have a good home
market which will take 1,000 or 2,000
pounds of honey. It has been built up
from a little start of less than 100
pounds in a season. The rest of my
crop goes to the city. I have a friend
who peddles his crop from a spring
wagon. Just simply use your talents to
the best advantage. — G. W. Demaree.

CONVEIVTIOIW DIRECTORY.

Jlme and pUwe of meeting.

Oct. 1.— Southern Minnesota, at Winona.

E. C. Cornell, Sec, Winona, Minn.
Oct. 4.— Utah, at Salt Lake City. Utah.

Jno. C. Swaner, Sec, Salt Lake City, Utah
Oct. 10-12.— North American, St. Joseph, Mo.
Frank Benton, Sec, Washington, D. C.

Sept. 11-13.— Nebraska State, at Lincoln.

L. D. Stilson, Sec. York, Nebr.
Sept. 15.— S. E. Kansas, at Bronson, Kan.

J. C. Balch, Sec. Bronson, Kans.

Jan. 28.— Venango Co., at Franklin, Pa.

C. S. Pizer, Sec, Franklin, Pa.
Feb. 8, 9.— Wisconsin, at Madison, Wis.

J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec, Madison, Wis.

Jt^~ 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 Editob.

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...Chicag-o, Ills.

National Bee-Keepers' Union.

President— Hon. R. L. Taylor. .Lapeer, Mich
Gen'i, Manager— T. G. Newman, Chicago, 111.
147 South Western Avenue.

Capons and Caponi^ing:, 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.

^° " I like the Bee Journal very much.
I like its tone. I like its fairness, and its
truthfulness."'— Rev. S. G. Oglesby, of
Alabama, March 21, 1894.

304

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

fsryfKTfKyiKyiKyfK yjv: y^ 7^y^yis:if(Ky^y^ v^ vj«c >t< >?^>?s:-^->^7jiCT?ir7|«:-^->?K-"^Tj

NON-SUVARMING— MIGRATOR Y BEE -KEEPING.

BY JOHN m'AKTHUR.

In perusing the columns of our several bee-papers, as they come to hand, it
occurs to me the question of non-swarming has taken possession of the minds of
many bee-keepers in the northern part of this continent. Many are the devices and
plans recommended. No doubt some of the plans will be of great service to many.
The devices — what I have seen of them — referring to the Langdon device — is good
for smothering bees, and preventing large surplus yields ; possibly it may be im-
proved, and be a success.

Considering the depressed condition of our honey markets, and condition of the
industry in general, I think the present a very inopportune time to invest in nos''
trums and useless appendages which may be seen rotting and wasting in every bee-
yard you visit. The rule with the writer has always been to run the bees with as
few traps as possible. The simpler the method with the least handling of bees at
any season of the year, will bring the best results.

From the valuable articles that are appearing from time to time, I think it
possible that something may be gleaned that will solve the problem of non-swarming.
It is something like the introducing of queens — no definite rule can be laid down,
governing the question. As far as my experience goes, swarming gives me no
trouble, and has hot in the last 15 years, being quite within the mark when I say
that 15 swarms would be the limit in that number of years. Many are the bee-
keepers who ask the question, " How on earth do you prevent them ?"

No doubt many reading the above statement will ask the same question, and
look for an answer, which will be given in few words.

If it will be of any service to my fellow bee-keepers, the observations and ex-
periences of the writer will be freely given ; the dimensions of hives in use, and the
rules that govern proceedings.

In considering the question of non-swarming, I would say that after 15 years
of close observation and practice, there is no reason why any bee-keeper should not
be able to control swarming without the aid of non-swarming devices, or cutting out
queen-cells, or quarrying in the brood-chamber. Simply a brood-chamber of proper
capacity, studying the flora of the locality, observing closely the working forces of
each (;oloiiy, and being able to read your apiary from external observation, as you
would a book.

The hive or brood-chamber— what shall the dimensions be ? There is no given
rule, and cannot be, because localities are so varied. Also the productiveness of
queens, like a farmer building a barn, or an artisan a house — the barn is built
according to the size of the farm and products thereof, and the house according to

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 305

the size of lot and the means to build and maintain it. Every bee-keeper must
therefore be a rule unto himself, according to conditions and surroundings.

The hive I use for extracted honey is the old Jones hive, inside dimensions
measuring 3,240 cubic inches. For my locality and surroundings it is non-swarm-
ing, also labor-saving, because it contains sufficient stores in the brood-chamber to
winter any colony at all times, which is considerable if the apiary is extensive. What
a comfort to know your bees won't swarm ! And when the season closes, feel as-
sured your bees have sufScient to winter ! These are two great items in bee-keeping.

Many of these hives in the heat of the honey-flow will have four and five supers
on top of the brood-chamber, the super being the same as the brood-chamber of the
hive in use for comb honey, measuring 2,592 cubic inches, and now report the same
success with comb honey — no swarms, with an average of 84 pounds per colony for
several seasons.

Considering the productiveness of queens, some cannot do more than keep an
8-frame Langstroth hive filled with eggs and brood. A poor locality or season is
sometimes the cause of this, while some queens will fill two 8-frame hives. Then
study the queen's egg-capacity, and accommodate her accordingly. Weed out all
bad queens. Sometimes a queen doesn't come to her best until the second season.
Having on several occasions determined to destroy such, I repented, and found them
extra the second year.

Have drones flying from colonies that do the best, selecting such colonies for
queen-rearing, and you will soon breed them up to the standard of excellence.

In many localities, after fruit-bloom, there is a period of ten or more days that
there is no secretion of nectar or bloom of any kind to be found. At this period the
bees become fat and lazy ; the young bees having nothing to do, often ball their
queens, and start queen-cells. The queen not being so abundantly fed, eases off in
laying, and before clover comes in bloom the bees have the swarming-fever ; their
usefulness is gone until a swarm issues. In such localities, feeding may be resorted
to with good effect. Where there is a perpetual flow right along until the end of
the season, swarming is more easily controlled. Put on supers for surplus as soon
as they begin to show signs of new comb on top of the frames of the brood-chamber ;
double up all weak or middling colonies, if it is honey you want; for in unity there
is strength — two will always accomplish more than one; trying always to have all,
or as many as possible, in comdition for the first harvest, which, in this locality, is
from maple, willow, dandelion and fruit-bloom ; securing a surplus from this source
means a very large surplus at the end of the season. For as backward as the season
was last year, my first comb honey was put on the market on June 10th. To ac-
complish this, means bees of proper age, and plenty of them. To secure this, means
good queens, and well-wintered bees, with great spring care, shelter and packing —
especially top-packing. A super filled with cork or cedar sawdust, is the best with
air-tight dummies ; contracting the brood-chamber to the extent of the bees and
brood then in the hive, letting well enough alone until you see evidence of crowding
at the entrance Of the hive, when you may add one or more frames to suit the re-
quirements of the colony. There is nothing that will encourage early breeding in
spring equal to new pollen.

Let the above rules guide you whether for comb or extracted honey — depend
upon it, your efforts will be crowned with success.

Migratory Bee-Keeping. — A few words on migratory bee-keeping, and I have
done. The question often arose, in my mind — Would it not be cheaper, and no risk
in wintering, nor trouble from spring dwindling, to destroy our bees in the fall and

306 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

convert everything into cash, and move them from the South to the North to gather
our harvest ? Let us see how it may be done.

A colony of bees will consume, from the end of August until the following June,
40 pounds of honey — at 7 cents, $2.80. Converting the combs into wax — 2 pounds
— 50 cents; or the combs maybe preserved at say 80 cents ; possibly the queen and
bees may be sold at say 50 cents — or the total, $3.80, may be realized per hive —
saving trouble and risk of wintering. Bringing thera through the spring has been
the greatest trouble the past three seasons, owing to continued cold weather. No
doubt many will be averse to any such proceeding, and will denounce it and declare
it impracticable and unprofitable, which is not the case.

The spring of 1893 was one long to be remembered as one of the most disas-
trous in the loss of bees in the northern part of this continent. Before they could
be gotten into condition to gather the crop, the season was nearly gone — at least a
portion of the clover crop was required to get them into condition, when fruit-blos-
som in ordinary seasons would have sufiBced.

Bees imported from Tennessee, or some such clime, can be laid down by May
10th, stronger in bees and brood, and more uniform than ours would be on June
10th, therefore in a condition to secure surplus from our earliest blossoms, yield
being as large from that source as any, if we have the bees to gather it.

If the bees imported in 1893 be a fair criterion of what they can do, then I say
a bee-keeper would be money in pocket by following the above plan. The tijne was
when I would not advocate such measures ; it has now arrived — a living has to be
made out of the business ; we have, then, to look at it from a business point of view,
laying aside sentiment. Some will say, " What a cruel thing to kill the busy bee !"
That is so ; is it not equally so to kill the calf for its veal ? If we were strict veg-
etarians, we might talk in that manner. The writer is a vegetarian, and never
passes the shambles without an uneasy feeling lest he should see the shuddering
body of the bullock in the last throes of death. One thing I know is, that I can take
the life of a bee with less compunction than I could a calf.

From experience and observation, I have arrived at this conclusion, that it is
the more profitable method, having brought a carload of bees from Tennessee in
June, 1893, as an experiment, arriving in Toronto on June 13th — one month late.
It would have been better had they arrived one month earlier, as the weather would
have been cooler, and more favorable for them. They were in transit six days, the
weather being very warm at that period, requiring constant attention, spraying the
bees, sides and roof of the car to keep them cool. They were so strong in bees that
before they arrived they nearly exhausted their stores. Each colony contained six
pounds or more of bees, and six frames of brood. Any practical bee-keeper would
know what that would mean, to have 200 colonies in that condition on May 20th,
in the northern part of this continent. It just means that enough surplus would be
gathered from early blossoms to meet all expenses, and have a larger surplus for
the balance of the season, besides solving the wintering problem. They arrived in
good condition, and I can report favorably on the project. In all likelihood I will
repeat it. The loss in transit was two colonies.

I hope these few scattered thoughts may be the means of conveying to the
minds of some of the Bee Jouknai/s many readers, some facts that may be helpful
in reducing labor, risk and expense in their apiaries. Toronto, Ont., Canada.

J^" To me, it seems that the matter of good drones is of greater value, if pos-
sible, than is that of good queens ; for I believe that the father has as much, or
more to do with the impress left on the offspring, than does the mother. — Doolittle.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 307

BRACK-COmBS AX» "BEE-HIVES."

BY H. E. HILL.

Editorially, the June Review says: "Those using flat hive-covers placed bee-
space above the frames and resting upon the upper edge of the hive, know how
such covers are stuck fast with propolis, and how, unless honey-boards are used,
brace-combs are built againt the covers ;" and proceeds to explain a method for
removing said covers without lifting the brood-frames. Now, nothing is more cer-
tain than if " those using flat covers " do encounter this difficulty, they are also
" using " faulty top-bars In connection therewith.

I know a man who has used flat covers for 15 years, and who does not recollect
having seen a brace-comb between the top-bars and the cover. Instead of devising
to tear a flat lid, which has been tied down with brace-combs, without crushing
bees and disarranging the frames, just try top-bars 1 1/16 or l>^x%, planed on top
and sides, and spaced IJ^ Inches from center to center, with a 5-16 space above,
and if a brace-comb is ever found attached to the cover or to the honey-board,
kindly advise the writer, that he " may note it in his journal."

AN EXPERIENCE WITH SO-CALLED "HIVES."

It is indeed questionable whether the designers of some of the so-called "bee-
hives" which are imposed upon the inexperienced by some of our extensive manu-
facturers, ever manipulated a hive containing bees, as their wares are incontrover-
tible evidence of total ignorance of the requirements of a hive that conforms to the
nature of the bee, and consequent ease of manipulation. Consistency demands of
such concerns that they add to their stock, and catalogue, as accessories, crowbars,
jackscrews andtorpedos.

On one occasion, most memorable, I was detailed by my employer, to take off
800 or 900 comb honey supers from such " hives" — the product of a Western manu-
factory. The sections were supported by fragile slats of wood running lengthwise
of the super. The brood-frames had top-bars %x%, interspersed with those of the
V variety, apparently as an extra inducement to brace-comb building, in addition to
the warping and sagging of slats and % top-bars.

About 1,000 of these hives were then doing service for their second season, but
the supers clung to the top-bars with a "deathlike grip," so that a small crowbar
was necessary to start them, and each one dragged with it from one to ten brood-
frames. The supers were then inverted upon the ground, and the frames pried oflE
separately and replaced in the hive. Bees were killed by the thousands by forcing
uneven and bulged combs up with the supers. Everything was drabbled with honey,
even the wheelbarrow, and bushels of brace-combs were scraped from the frames
and super slats.

The time occupied in removing 50 of these supers would have been ample to
take off the whole lot, to say nothing of the mortification and disgust incurred by
attempting to work with such "traps." Narrow, thin, and V-shaped top-bars are
still in use in some of the large apiaries, for some unaccountable reason, though I
know of no one of experience who is making additions to his grief by extending the
number already in use.

Uniform frames having top-bars as above described, nailed squarely together,
resting upon a metal bearing, having accurate bee-spaces above, below, between,
and at the ends, with full sheets of foundation supported by wires, and a level stand
for the hive, positively puts an end to all brace-comb annoyance for all time,

Titusville, Pa., Aug. 9.

308 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

H0:KHY-BHBS AXD HORTICUI.'rURE.

BY H. C. FINNEY.

The honey-bee is made the scape-goat for a good many ills that horticulture is
heir to, as well as depredations from the numerous and natural enemies of fruit.
The honey-bee is one of the greatest benefactors and friends the horticulturist has,
fertilizing bloom that would otherwise remain unfertilized. It has been frequently
and fully demonstrated that in districts where there were large orchards unvisited
by the honey-bee, they were much less productive than orchards in close proximity
to an apiary, all other conditions being equal. In a Massachsetts town, some years
ago, a number of citizens petitioned the council for an ordinance prohibiting the
keeping of bees within the city limits, because they sucked the honey from the
bloom, causing injury to the full and perfect development of the fruit. The prayer
was granted, and the bee had to go. Result : The next year the orchards were
filled with bloom. The wise ones predicted an unprecedented crop, now that the
bee was disposed of. Earvest time came, but there was less of fruit by half than in
the preceding years. Year followed year of almost failure, then the cry went up,
" Bring back the bees !"

Nearly every community has some victim who has suffered pecuniarily from the
ravages of the honey-bee ! Birds, grasshoppers, nor insects ever molest; they have
a sort of tender regard for his feelings, and his ripening fruits, in fact, are never
seen, could not be enticed to partake, no, sir ; but the accursed honey-bee (perhaps
an offspring of that Massachusetts bee) swoops down upon his vineyard, scores and
lacerates, bites and tears the ripe clusters from bottom to top, leaving them a bleed-
ing mass for wasps and thrips to gorge upon ! He relates his woes and losses to
sympathizing friends, and they condole with him in his misfortune, and pass reso-
lutions to the effect that the bee is a mighty mean animal, and the man who keeps
him Is a worse one, and ought to be prosecuted for maintaining a nuisance !

Now, for the facts : It has been repeatedly demonstrated that it is impossible
for a honey-bee to puncture a smooth-skin fruit, and any one who will take the
trouble to examine the structure of one, can satisfy himself of the absurdity of the
thing. Experiments have been made all over Europe, as well as this country, and
as yet not a single case has been found where the honey-bee punctured the fruit.
Yes, sir, they will eat or suck the fruit after it has been punctured by wasps or
thrips, but not before. I have a little experimental station of my own, and invite
all who feel disposed to visit it, and satisfy themselves in this matter of fruit-eating.

To make a practical test of the theory of puncturing fruit, I selected bunches of
the ripest and sweetest grapes, placed them on the frames over the brood-chamber
in the hives where the bees could have free access to them. This was three weeks
ago. The grapes are there to-day, and untouched. The bees run over them, but
pay no more attention to them than they would to so many marbles. I will guar-
antee any one immunity from stings who may wish to verify this statement, and
satisfy himself.

There are several brother btiO-keepers in this vicinity who have been to consid-
erable expense trying to build up an industry that will partially fill a long felt want,
viz.: A pure article of honey, both comb and extracted. It is an industry that
should be encouraged instead of discouraged. Apiculture and horticulture should
go hand in hand; the field is large and inviting, and by attention and energy will
return fair profits. I have heard the honey-bee maligned and misrepresented, so
wrongfully accused of mischief that belonged elsewhere, that I raise my voice in its
defense, and in behalf of my brother bee-keepers. Council Grove, Kans

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 309

A BEE-MAIV'S FRIEIVOI^Y CHAX.

BY J. A. GOLDEN.

Friend YoBK : — I use the word "Friend", because there is no word in the
English language that seems to be clothed with so much love to our fellow man as
the word/rie?id, notwithstanding there appears to be quite a hesitancy with some
bee-keepers to use the phrase, rather intimating that its use implies deception.
Let this be as it may, when I receive a communication from any source commencing
with the word " Friend," it instantaneously thrills my whole nature with a love of
friendship to the individual.

Thanks for the sample copy of the American Bee Journal, which we received
from you a few days ago, of Aug. 9, 1894, which we read and appreciated, and we
congratulate you in publishing so bright and terse a weekly journal — in fact, as a
weekly, and containing such information as the copy you sent me, it is the best
journal for beginners in bee-keeping that I have read ; and so long as it keeps from
long discussions by experts on topics of advanced bee-culture, it will surely meet
the wants of thousands of bee-keepers who are never heard of as writers or theorists;
however, many of them possessing a practical knowledge of successful bee-keeping
that would put to shame many a theorist's logic, if placed side by side. And while
we greatly appreciate the writings of our most eminent and learned men in apicul-
ture, there are very many that censure some of our bee-papers for giving so much
space to a few expert writers on certain topics, forgetting that this is a progressive
age in bee-culture, as well as other callings.

We cannot see why the American Bee Journal should not find a place in every
"bee-keeper's home (who is able to take it), with its valuable information in its
different departments, and giving extracts of many useful hints from other journals
that are real money to many a novice in apiculture.

Issuing of Swarms. — I notice on page 171, that Dr. Miller, in answer to Ques-
tion No. 3, says the swarm always issues before the young queen hatches out. We
admit that this is usually the case, but not always, for I have had two cases come
under my observation where the queen hatched in one case some three days before
the swarm issued, and the other was noticed running over the combs when trans-
ferring the combe to hive the swarm on the old stand.

Bee-Paralysis. — The article on page 178, by " Novice," is very misleading so
far as a more northern climate is concerned, as regards bee-paralysis, where he
says the only correct method is to destroy bees, corab and hives. The sodium cure,
properly administered, will cure the worst form of paralysis, so far as this climate
is concerned. So don't destroy the bees. We can furnish positive proof to the
above cure.

We say "Amen " to his suggestion as to purchasing diseased bees or queens. I
was making it a specialty in rearing queens when the disease made its appearance
at the house-apiary, and we refused to send out any more queens. We now chal-
lenge all beedom to produce brighter and healthier bees than we can here at the
house-apiary. We publicly predicted, some two or three years ago, that unless api-
culturists succeeded in stamping out the so-called paralysis, that many apiarists
would have to look for some other pursuit for their bread and butter ; and it seems
as though California and the Southern States will verify the prediction, according
to reports.

Success to the Ajferican Bee Journal, under its new editor.

Reinersvllle, O.. Aug. 20.

310 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAl..

VARIOUS NOTES AND COMMEKfTS.

BY DK. C. C. MILLEK.

Remedy for Swarming. — Mrs. Atchley arouses my earnest expectation when
on page 237 she promises to give a remedy for swarming. My expectations have
been aroused in that direction a good many times, and just as often I've been dis-
appointed. Guess I can stand one more disappointment.

Unsealed Cells. — The replies to the query on 238, show that it Isn't by any
means a settled question whether a colony will swarms or not when there is present
a virgin queen and unsealed queen-cells. I suppose the meaning is that only un-
sealed queen-cells are present and no sealed cells. I think, however, that some who
replied did not notice that feature. Otherwise Prof. Cook would hardly have said,
"This is always the case where second swarms issue." For always sealed cells are
present when second swarms issue, and it would be a rare thing to find any unsealed,
I think. Others answer in much the same way. It is the practice of some to give a
frame of unsealed brood to a colony having a virgin queen, or when it is not certain
whether a virgin queen is present. In such case, if unsealed queen-cells are cher-
ished, would not the impulse that made the bees continue such cells also make them
start cells from young larvae ? The experiment stations might help us out also in
this.

Honey Consumed by Bees, Etc. — Hasn't S. C. Markon, page 242, got things

just a little mixed ? He says, " What harvesting is to the farmer swarming is

to the bee-keeper." That may be true if increase is what the bee-keeper is after,
but nowadays it is not swarms so much as honey he is after. In many cases swarm-
ing lessens the chance for a harvest of honey.

His idea that he can double the number of his colonies without sacrificing any
of his surplus honey is not the idea of bee-keepers generally in his State, I think.

He touches on one point on which I wish he would give us more light if he has
been experimenting. He says, " gathering perhaps five or six fold their own con-
sumption." How much honey does a colony use for its own consumption ? I am
not sure that I ever saw any estimate except one from Doolittle, and I think he
estimated that a colony consumed at least 60 pounds of honey in a year. If bees
gather " five fold their own consumption," then out of every five pounds gathered
one pound is for their own consumption and four for surplus. In other words, they
consume }4 as much as they store for surplus. If, then, 50 pounds be the average
surplus, the amount used for the bees' own consumption is H of that, or 123^
pounds. 123^ differs a good deal from Doolittle's 60. Which is right ?

Shade in the Apiary.— I don't know whether I have the right answer to
the conundrum Friend Barnum fires at me on page 243. A little depends on the
object of the shade. I want it for the benefit of the operator rather than for the
bees. With plenty of chance for free circulation of air about the hives, I'm not so
sure that shade is often needed for the bees in northern Illinois. The present season
has probably been the worst I every experienced in this regard. The thermometer
ran up to 100- or more, and in a few cases where hives stood unprotected in the
burning sun, foundation dropped in the sections. Whether this would have been
the case if the bees had been working in the sections, I have some little doubt. I
would sooner risk hives in the broiling sun, with free chance for the breeze, than in
a dense shade in a close place. I've had brood-combs melt down and the honey run
out on the ground with hives standing under the shade of trees so dense that the
sun never shone on them all day long. But a heavy stand of corn shut out the air

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 311

Where it can be had, I don't know of any shade that suits me so well to work
under as the shade of trees. If I were out on an open plain, I think I should set
posts and make a roof of boughs or boards, having it high enough to walk under
without stooping.

REroRTiNG Conventions. — I wonder if Secretary Knoll will take it kindly if I
make his report. on page 251 the text for a very short sermon to secretaries in gen-
eral. For I think he makes the same mistake that most of convention secretaries
do in not discriminating between proper matters for record and proper matters for
report in a bee-paper, and he's no worse than others. As Secretary, he should re-
cord in his book all matters that will be needed at future meetings, and ic his
printed report only the things that will be of interest to bee-keepers outside of the
society.

In the present report, the first paragraph is proper for both. Then, "Minutes
of last meeting were read and adopted as read." All right to enter in the Secre-
tary's book, but what bee-keeper outside the membership cares a fig whether the
minutes were adopted as read, or adopted with corrections, or not adopted at all ?

" 89 colonies represented " interests us all.

40 cents paid for a book, and a committee appointed— that's a matter of busi-
ness important to be entered in the book, but I'd a good deal rather the editor would
leave white paper in its place in my copy of the journal.

Next comes the announcement of a practical question in apiculture to be dis-
cussed, and I prick up my ears with interest to hear the discussion. That's the
heart and soul of a convention — its discussions of practical questions. But, as usual,
I am entirely disappointed, for not a word is given except the question, and the
statement that several answered it, and the reader is left utterly in the dark as to
what those answers were.

Now let the good secretaries and reporters please bear in mind that the bee-
talk is what we want. Give all the ideas in condensed form if possible, and don't
send for publication matters that are of interest only to the society reported. Put
these latter in the secretary's book, in which it is not necessary to write the dis-
cussions, for, if published, the printed report can be pasted in the book.

Marengo, 111.

[For editorial remarks on the foregoing, see page 295. — Editor.]

ITAI.IAIS; BEES— HISTORICAL FACTS.
'Was S. B. Parsons Disbonest?

BY M. M. BALDRIDGE.

On pages 118, 119 and 120 of the Bee Journal, are over five columns of
what purports to be historical facts in regard to the early importation of Italian
bees from Italy to the United States. The article is written by C. J. Robinson, the
historian, and will in due time be found, as I anticipated, simply a symposium of
unreliable statements ! It contains in fact so many erroneous allegations that I
shall not try at this time to reply to them all, but will confine my remarks mainly
to the following statement:

Mr. Parsons was dishonest. In fact the word " dishonest only expresses a faint
idea of the case when the facts are known ."

Now, why does Mr. Robinson charge Mr. Parsons with dishonesty ? The charge
is based mainly, so it seems to me, upon the following allegations : That Mr. P.
was commissioned by the Chief of the United States Patent Office to purchase, in

312 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

1859, a few colonies of Italian bees in Italy, and to ship them to Washington, to
the agricultural department, for especial purpose ; that Mr. P. purchased the said
bees, but, instead of shipping them " to their proper destination," they were taken
to Mr. Parson's home, in Flushing, near New York city ; that the cost to the United
States Treasury was about $1,800 ; and that nothing was got out of the enterprise
by the United States Government in return for said investment. That is, I think,
substantially Mr. Robinson's " bill of complaint."

Now, I admit that said charges, as given by Mr. R., and without a full and
proper explanation, have the appearance of something wrong on the part of Mr.
Parsons, but when all the facts are made public, everybody, Mr. Robinson included,
will see that no wrong was done to the United States, and that the charge of dis-
honesty is a false one. It will then be understood why Mr. Langstroth, of whom
Mr. R. complains also, has given Mr. Parsons full credit for-the first importation of
Italian bees from their native land, and none worth mentioning to the United States
Government.

On page 624 of the Bee Journal for May 17, 1894, I stated that the United
States did not pay Mr. Parsons .'^1,800 to defray the expenses of importing Italian
bees ; nor not even one-tenth of that sum, which would be $180. I will now state
that the United States did not pay Mr. Parsons for said purpose the one-hundredth
part of $1,800, which would be. $18. Nor in fact not even the sum of $1 — simply
one solitary dollar ! And I defy Mr. R©binson, or any one else, to record any proof
to the contrary. No such proof has been, or can be found among the records in the
archives of the United States Treasury Department, nor among the " vouchers" on
file there from Mr. Parsons. Simply assertions to the contrary, or lost letters, are
not proof, by any means.

Mr. Robinson says, on page 120, that Mr. Langstroth has recorded that Mr.
Parsons paid Mr. Hermann $1,200 for Italian bees. Mr. Robinson also says that
said $1,200 " was money out of the United States Treasury, as shown by the indis-
putable history of the case." Now this is simply an assertion with no shadow of
proof to sustain it. Mr. Langstroth has nowhere said, as intimated by Mr. Robin-
son, that said $1,200 " was money out of the United States Treasury ;" nor that
he believed it was United States money, for he knew better.

Mr. Robinson complains that I have misquoted him as follows: That the
United States " paid about $1,800 for importing Italian bees, and got nothing in
eturn." Mr. R. says : " I challenge him to refer to any record showing that I have
made any such positive statement." It is not my purpose to misquote any one
intentionally, nor do I think I have done so in this instance. Now here is verbatim
what Mr. R. did record in the America')i Bec-Kecper, page 180, 1893 :

" Dr. Riley did not mention the fact that it cost the United States Government
some $1,800 to defray the expenses of the Government — Parsons' importation — but
the records are in the archives of the Department, or should be there."

On page 178, same issue of the American Bee-Keepcr, Mr. R. says that " none
of the 20 hives reached Washington, the proper destination, but instead thereof,
all of the hives wore taken to Parson's residence, in Flushing, N. Y."

I think now that the average reader will conclude that I have complied with
that harmless challenge. I think also that the average reader has got the impres-
sion from the past utterances of Mr. Robinson, that Mr. Parsons played the " green-
goods game " upon Uncle Sam, and that Mr. R. has tried very hard, by his so-called
historical facts, to instill that as a fact in the minds of bee-keeping readers.

Now let mo add right here, in reply to the foregoing citation from the American
Bee-Keeper, that Mr. Parsons did not purchase "20 hives" of Italian bees, nor did
he take that numbisr to his home, in Flushing, at the time Mr. R. refers. When
Mr. R. writes history, he should confine himself to recorded facts, and not place too
much confidence on an unreliable memory.

As it is 102^^ in the shade to-day, the foregoing must suffice for the present.

St. Charles, III.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

313

:^i!;;'jgfi"'iL„,

^P~ Do not write anything for publication
on the same sheet of paper with business
matters, unless it can be torn apart wlthou
interfering with either part of the letter.

Best Season He Ever Knew.

It has been the best season for honey
here I ever knew. From June 12th ujp
to the present time there have been but
a very few poor honey-days. Bees are
doing good business in the sections at
this date. The honey is of a very fine
quality. There are several acres of
buckwheat near ray bees, but they
hardly notice it this year. We have had
no dry weather here this season, and
prospects for a fall crop of honey are
good. I have bees 40 miles west (at
Lunenburg, Vt.) that did very well
there, but nothing since basswood — too
dry there. W. H. Yates.

Bartlett, N. H.. Aug. 27.

A Reasonably Good Season.

The season here has been reasonably
good for honey-gathering— with me, at
least. I had 38 colonies of bees in fine
condition at the commencement of
swarming, increased to SO colonies, and
have up to date packed in crates 2,700
pounds of comb honey, and there is more
on the hives to take off.

Wm. L. Backensto.

Ft. Logan, Colo., Aug. 27.

Northeastern Iowa— Big Chaff Box.

White clover was an entire failure
here this season. Basswood yielded an
extra qualit}' of nectar, but not as abun-
dantly as in some other seasons. I be-
lieve the linden is the only sure source
of honey in the Northern States. In
fact, I have never known it to fail in 15
years in any State I have been. No
other plant or tree yields, or, as A. I.
Root says, "begins to yield the quantity "
that basswood does. Were I a honey
prophet, I would never predict a failure
of basswood secretion. My bees are

gathering a little honey slowly from
buckwheat at present.

Last fall I packed 11 colonies of bees
in one, long box, packing with chaff and
forest leaves. It is one of the nicest
ways to winter bees yet discovered, were
it not for the fact that the bees are very
much inclined to want to all enter one
or two of the end entrances in the
spring, leaving the middle colonies
weak. Who knows a way to mark the
entrance so that the bees will find their
own doorway ? I had one entrance
painted white and the next one black
but this seemed to make no material dif
ference. I should think this would be
an objection to bee-houses.

W. P. Faylok.

Updegraff, Iowa, Aug. 28.

Small Crop This Year.

The honey crop this year is small —
500 pounds of white honey from 25 col-
onies, spring count. Last year I got
1,600 pounds from 10 colonies — two-
thirds of it being white honey.

B. H. Newland.

Melrose, Wis., Aug. 27.

Bees Did Fairly Well.

Allow me to report that bees did fairly
well in this part of the country this
year. The surplus came mostly from
Alsike clover and basswood, the latter
yielding more than the average. I am
just a beginner in the bee-business, but
I consider that my bees did extraordi-
narily well— two colonies storing 180
pounds of comb honey in sections, and
increasing to 7 good, strong colonies.
Jas. E. Holt.

Newton Robinson, Ont., Aug. 23.

Big Flow from Buckwheat, Etc.

My report for the season is as follows :
I had my bees in good condition when
the fruit-bloom came, but the weather
was so cold and wet that they didn't
make enough to live on, and I had to
feed some of my best colonies. We lost
the locust bloom, which is one of our
main honey-trees. The white clover
was "no good," but the bees worked
well on the Alsike, but we haven't much
of that here yet. I got no surplus from
clover, but when the basswood came
they made it count. Some colonies
stored 4-0 pounds in 8 days. After that
was done, the early buckwheat came in,
and they have been piling in the honey.

314

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU

I never had such a flow from buckwheat;
some colonies have already filled 80 sec-
tions, and many of them have 2 and 3
cases of sections filled. One colony,
hived on Juno 22nd, has stored 60
pounds of surplus.

If frost keeps oflP, buckwheat will last
two weeks yet. The colony that I have
on scales stores from 3 to 5 pounds per
day. Some of my neighbor's bees are
doing equally as well — others not doing
much good ; but those I have induced to
take the American Bee Journal are
having the best success. I don't see
how a bee-keeper can do without it. I
give many lessons verbally, instead of
publishing them, to my bee-keeping
friends in this county. G. W. Bell.

Bell's Landing, Pa., Aug. 23.

Drones-and-Q,ueen Episode.

On Sunday, Aug. 19th, while seated
among the shade-trees at the " Island
Apiary," enjoying my lunch, I was star-
tled by an unusual sound above my
head, and in looking around to see from
whence it proceeded, a cluster of several
hundred drones dropped almost to the
ground through the trees within eight
feet of where I sat. A portion of the
cluster broke away about 10 feet from
the ground, the balance coming so low
that the golden-rod and asters swayed
with the commotion they made. It cer-
tainly was a free fight among the drones,
proving true the old adage — " Faint
heart never won fair lady." The queen
would have none of them, and returned
to her hive still a virgin.

John McArthur.

Toronto, Ont., Aug. 23.

Abundant Fall Bloom Expected.

My bees came through the last winter
in fine condition, and did splendid work
till the last half of June. The drouth
struck us on June 14th, and our first
rain came on August 19th. My 38 col-
onies had partly filled about 300 sec-
tions at that time, and have since fin-
ished about 100; and if nothing unfore-
seen happens, I will see all those finished,
and many more by October 12th, as the
prospect now is favorable for an abun-
dant fall bloom, which will give me a
better crop of honey than for the past
two years. Last year was the poorest
in many years here, but I am hopeful
now.

My estimate now is about 800 pounds
of comb honey for this year, which I
think I will fully realize. I had 32 col-

onies, spring count, and had only 6
swarms, which is fewer swarms than I
have ever had in one year, with a less
number of colonies, and I conclude that
bees are often wiser than their keepers
in regard to their increase, especially in
time of drouth, like this year and last.

I will report again next winter and
tell how I came out.

E. F. BOULTINGHOUSE.

Rockport, Ind., Aug. 27.

Another Bee-Boy Heard From.

I saw Charlie Sanford's letter in the
Bee Journal some time ago, and I
waited for responses before I wrote, but
as I have waited two weeks and there
are no answers yet, I thought I would
write a little. I believe that more or
less of the bee-keepers' children are bee-
keepers themselves. I have a colony of
Italians. The drouth has injured the
honey crop so that there will be no sur-
plus honey. It has not only injured the
houey crop, but other crops as well.
There will not be a half crop of corn in
this part of the country. Success to the
Bee Journal. Clyde Bennett.

WalkerSville, W. Va., Aug. 23.

May Get Plenty of Winter Stores.

It has been almost a total failure here,
that is, as far as surplus honey is con-
cerned, on account of the awful drouth ;
but I think my bees will get plenty of
winter stores, and that is a good deal,
considering everything.

I bought a select tested queen of one
of our queen-breeders, and I introduced
her. I left her 30 days in the hive, and
couldn't find an egg then. So I sent to
a Texas breeder for two queens, which I
am well pleased with. They give very
good satisfaction. After I had the first
mentioned queen introduced 30 days and
she didn't lay, I wrote the breeder about
it, and the answer I got was, "If you
expected me to replace her, you ought to
have notified me sooner." But how
could I notify before I had the matter
tested ? Jno. H. Rupp.

Washington, Kans., Aug. 27.

Basswood and Alsike Clover Honey.

I send you by express two one-pound
sections of white or clear honey. Will
you please examine it carefully, and let
me know what it was gathered from.
My bees had access to Alsike clover, and
some white clover, also basswood. I

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

315

think the honey was gathered from all.
Judging from reports from bee-keep-
ers in the last Bee Journal, my bees did
very well this year. I took out 38 colo-
nies from winter quarters, 6 very weak,
and have a little over 1,000 pounds of
white honey like the sample sent you,
all in one-pound sections.
Lena, 111., Aug, 28. A. S. Crotzer.

[Bro. Crotzer, the honey came all
right, and is very fine indeed. The
basswood flavor is so clear to the taste,
and the rather " smooth " taste that it
has we think is mainly owing to the
Alsike clover in it. You should get a
good price for such honey at any time,
as it certainly is a superior article.
Thank you for the two sections sent us.
They will help us to "keep sweet." —
Editor.]

Fine Flow from Boneset, Etc.

I got one super of honey from 18 colo-
nies. White clover was a failure. The
drouth in 1893 and cold weather in
March, 1894, killed the clover. My
bees are rolling in the honey now. We
are going to have a fine honey-flow from
boneset and smart-weed. I live near
the Sangamon river bottoms, and there
are hundreds of acres of boneset, which
makes fine light honey, and of fine
flavor.

I am selling fall honey at 15 cents per
pound. My bees are all the five-banded,
and are away ahead of black bees. They
are gentle to handle, but will sting if
not properly handled. I like to have
bees stick to the frames or comb when
handling them. I think if they stick to
the combs they are pure stock. Ami
right or not ? I have had black queens
to run off the combs and hide in the
grass like quails. But if they had been
quails, I could have found them with my
Gorden setter, for I have a good one.

Riverton, 111., Aug. 24.

List of Honey and Beeswax Dealers,

Most of whom Quote in this Journal.

1^" There is scarcely a spot on the sur-
face of the earth where mankind finds sus-
tenance, that wiU not, to some extent, sup-
port bees, although they may do much bet-
ter in some localities than others. — A. I.

One-Cent Postage Sta^mps we

prefer whenever it is necessary to send
stamps for fractions of a dollar. By re-
membering this, you will greatly oblige us.

Clilcago« Ills.

J. A. Lamon, 43 South Water St.

R. A. Burnett & Co., 163 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.
I. J. Stringham, 105 Park Place.

Kansas City, mo.

Hamblin & Bearss, 514 Walnut Street.
Clemoms-Mason Com. Co., 521 Walnut St.

Albany, N.Y.

H. R. Wright, 326 & 328 Broadway.
Buffalo, N.Y.

Batterson & Co., 167 & 169 Scott St.

Hamilton, Ills.

Chas. Dadant & Son.

Cincinnati, Obio.

C F. Muth & Son, cor. Freeman & Central avB.

Contention IVotices.

Utah.— The Utah bee-keepers will hold their
semi-annual convention on the Oct. 4, 1894,
at Salt Lake City, Utah. Jno. C. Swaner,

Salt Lake City, Utah. Sec'y.

Wisconsin.— The next annual meeting of
the Wisconsin Bee-Keepers'Association willbe
held at Madison, on Feb. 8th and 9th. 1895.

Madison, Wis. J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec.

Minnesota.— The second meeting of the
Southern Minnesota Bee-Keeprs' Association
will be held at Winona, on October 1st, in the
Board of Trade rooms, commencing at 10
o'clock a. m, B. C. Cornell, Sec.

Winona. Minn.

Pennsylvania,— The Venango County Bee-
Keepers' Association of northwestern Penn-
sylvania will hold their 2nd annual meeting
in the City Hall at Franklin, Pa., on Jan. 28,
1895, at 1 o'clock p.m. All interested send
for program. C. S. Pizer, Sec.

Franklin, Pa.

The North American B.-K. A.— The Quar-
ter Centennial Meeting of this Society will be
held at St. Joseph. Mo., on Oct. 10, 11 and 13,
1894, It is the lirst convention of the North
American Association beyond the western
bank of the Mississippi, and large delegations
from the great West will be present. We
hope the East, the North and the South will
gather with them. Frank Benton, Sec.

Dept. Agriculture, Washington, D. C.

Nebraska.— The next meeting of the Ne-
braska State Bee-Keepers' Association will be
held at Lincoln. Neb., on the evenings of Sept.
lltb, 12th and 13th, 1894, at the Honey Hall
on the State Fair grounds, and in connection
with the Bee and Honey Exhibit at the State
Fair. An invitation is extended to every
reader of the Amekican Bee Journal to be
present and sample the good things presented.

York, Neb. L. D. Stilson, Sec

Haire You Read page 253 yet ?

316

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

Honey & Beeswax Market Quotations.

BUFFALO, N. Y., Aug. 17. — We quote:
Strictly fancy one-pound comb honey 13®
14c. ; second quality, 8®12c. We will advance
about 10 cents per pound on several tons of
strictly fancy No. 1 comb at any time. It is
rather early just now to sell much, but it will
soon commence to sell freely. B. & Co.

NEW FORK, N. Y., Aug. 11.— Our market
is well stocked with all kinds of extracted
honey, and trade is quiet. We quote: White
clover and basswood. 6@6V4c. a pound ; South-
ern, 50@65c. per gallon, according to quality.
A few lots of new comb honey arrived, but
the trade on these goods has not opened as
yet. In two weeks we will be able to make
prices. Beeswax is quiet at 26i4®37c.

H. B. &S.

CHICAGO, III., Aug. 23.— Choice lots of
white comb honey are selling at 15c. per
pound. The demand is not at all brisk. Ex-
tracted brings 5@7c., as quality, flavor and
package warrants. As yet little dark comb is
offered, and it does not sell at over 10c. Bees-
wax, 25c. R. A. B. & Co.

CHICAGO, III.. July 28.— We have received
a few shipments of new comb— fancy stock
for which we obtained 16c. It is impossibe to
advise shippers at this early date as to the
disposition of their stock. We would advise,
however, not to be too anxious to place their
honey on this market until say the middle or
last week of August. Owing to the severe
hot weather and dull business at present, it
would sell slow. We quote: Fancy comb,
16c.; No. 1, 15c, Extracted, 7c. Beeswax,
24c. J. A. L.

CINCINNATI, O., Aug. 9.— There is a slow
demand for extracted honey at 4@6c. a pound
on arrival, according to quality. Demand is
good for comb honey at 13®15c. a pound, in
the jobbing way, for choice white. Arrivals
are insufficient.

Beeswax is in fair demand at 20@23c. for
good to choice yellow. C. F. M. & S.

NEW YORK, N. Y.,Aug. 23.— We have had
a few Inquiries for new comb honey; also
have had some small shipments of new crop.
Demand is as yet limited, but expect a good
opening. The weather Is too warm yet and
the consumption is liardly begun yet. Prices
now ruling would not be a criterion of what
the prices will be when the season has fairly
opened. We quote: 1-lb. clover— fancy. 14c.;
fair, 12®13c.; mixed, 10@llc. Bxtiacted is
in better demand for manufacturing pur-
poses. Southern, 50@60c. per gallon: North-
ern, 5®7c. per pound. Beeswax, 35@2Hc.

C. I. &B.

Honey aw Food and ]tle<licine 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 second page of last
number of the Bee Journal for description
and prices.

A Binder for holding a year's num-
bers of the Bee Joubnal we mail for
only 50 cents; or clubbed with the
Journal for $1,40.

Advertlsemeiits.

"Bee-Keeping for Profit."

A New Revised edition of this valuable work
for only 25 cts., postpaid, will be sent by
Geo. W. York & Co. or Dr. Tinker. It is full
of the latest and most interesting points In
the management 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 1894 Price-Llst of Apiarian Supplies.
Address, DR. G. Ia. TINKER,

6Atf NEW PHILADELPHIA, O

Mention the American Bee Joitmal.

To all sufferers from

Asthma or

Consumption

Write at once for 100-page Illustrated Book.

A«re,s. "HEALTH CO."

60 McVlcker's Bldg., 84 Madison St., Chicago.
Maitwn the American Bee Journal

MDm

HONEY EXTBACTOB

PERFECTION

€old-BIa8t Smokers,

Square Glass Honey Jars, Etc.

For Circulars, apply to Chas. F. Muth & Son.

Cor. Freeman & Central Aves., Cincinnati, O.

Send lOo for Practical Hints to Bee-Keepers.

Mention thcAmericdn Bee Journal-

in PRIZES

$1,000
WALL PAPER

St prizes of $150
i/.esol $100 each
■bestdesigiislor

Rend 2c foi

i ami :

^oninleto detail information. Designs
litfore Nov 1.'), I8!)l. Designs not award-
[■ rctmiied, oi lioiiglit at private sale.
TO voM live.dim't pay retail prices for

^ in'Mkc a SI i:ilty of tlic mail order

I dircc' to foiiHuiiu i-K lit luctory prlecn.

SPECIAL FALL PRICES: {;oid'/:;:;;c;il^:s;;:l:;!;:

At these prices you can paper a small room for 50c.

Send lOc for postage on samples of onr new fall paper
aiidonrlxiok "Ilj.w t<» I'npcrniid Kcoiioiiiy In Homo

IK'coriitloii," will ho sent at onco, showing how to get
$.W ofVuct for «:"> iiivcstniont. ticiid. to nearest acUircxs.

ALFRED PEATS, dept, 86,

9 A4 1 Mention the American Pee Journal

VOL. XXXIV. CHICAGO. ILL, SEPT. 13, 1894.

NO. 11.

k^AafcAa>A<fci

= GEORGE W YORK ^7

Wintering- Bees Ont-l>oors is a

subject which Chas. Dadant knows a good
deal about. On page 338 of this issue of
the Bee Journal, he tells how it may be
done successfully. Read it.

A Cilorious Rain came to the region
of Chicago on Monday, Sept. 3rd. How it
did brighten up the withered herbage along
the streets of the suburbs ! It seemed as if
we hadn't seen any rain for two months,
so the grand down-pour that we had last
week was greatly appreciated. It will likely
help out the fall flowers, and thus assure
sufficient stores for the bees the coming
winter.

Subscription Credits are not fully
understood by some, it seems. If the label
on the wrapper of your copy of the Bee
Journal reads "Aug94" or "Aug4," it
means that your subscription is paid up to
the end of August, 1894. Your subscription
is always paid to the e7id of the month
named on your Bee Journal wrapper-
label. Please remember this. If it now
shows any month back of August, 1894, we
would be pleased to have you pay up to the
present time, and aim a year in advance.

A Sketch and Portrait of Bro.

Ernest R. Root appeared in Gleanings for
Sept. 1st. Mr. J. T. Calvert, the genial
business manager of Oleaninqs, taking ad-
vantage of E. R.'s absence on his Western
bicycle tour, inserted the half-tone portrait
and biographical sketch written by Dr.
Miller for the American Bee Journal last
year. Wonder if Bro. R., when he first
saw it, didn't think that was a pretty slick
"put up job." We think it was, and
'•served him right," too, for not letting his
many readers see his face long ago. The
picture shows him with beard, but we pre-
fer him as he was when here two weeks
ago — with simply a mustache. But owing
to a throat affection that troubles him at
certain seasons of the year, he affects to
wear a beard !

'riie C IC. 4!t Q. Railroad is the

best line to take for the North American
convention at St. Joseph, Mo., on Oct. 10th,
11th and 12th. The " Harvest Excursion "
starts from all points east of the Missouri
river, on Oct. 9th, and your tickets will be
good for 20 days. The fare for one way
and .$2.00 will take you the round trip from
any point. It's cheap! Ev^erybody can
go ! The total cost for round trip from
Chicago, on the C. B. & Q., will be $14.50.
Say, you Eastern friends, why not write
ahead, and make up a " special car " from
Chicago ? We can have it if we can fill it.
What do you say ?

Ag-ents at Fairs. — We would like to
have some good, live bee-keepers represent
the Bee Journal at the Fairs this fall.
Sample copies free. Write to us about it,
if you can attend to this work.

328

AMEHICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Soiind Advice is worth heeding. One
of our exchanges contained an item some
time ago that we feel well deserves to be
copied. Read it, and then think over it.
We don't print it because we have noticed
any dropping off of our own list of readers
lately, but because it has so much truth
in it:

SOUND ADVICE FROM A PHILOSOPHER.

These are hard times for the farmer,
there is no doubt about that, and he is look-
ing in every direction to cut down expen-
ses, and it is right for him to do so, but I
wish to say a word against cutting off one
item, and that is the farm paper. Don't
stop your pajjer! the harder the times, the
more you need the paper. If there ever is
a time — and there never is — when a farmer
can afford to do without the farm journal,
it is when times are good; then he can get
along somehow, because crops are good
and prices high, but even then he would
make more money if he kept well informed
about his business.

Now, don't s'top your paper; you can
find some way to pay for it without sacri-
ficing anything essential if you try. If you
feel too poor to pay for your paper, you
will feel still poorer after you have stopped
it; you will feel more discouraged, for
while you have the paper you will read
how other men are doing — some of them
worse off than yourself— and you will feel
encouraged to go on and try harder than
ever to earn the hard-to-get dollars.

If in the above you will substitute " bee-
paper " for " farm paper," it will be just
as truthful. By all means, read, read,
READ. It will pay you.

l>r.Wm. le.Ilowarcl, of Ft. Worth,
Tex., is now Professor of History, Pathology
and Bucteriology, in the Medical Depart-
ment of Ft. Worth University. He is also
Secretary of the University Faculty. The
"First Annual Announcement" contains
this notice of Dr. Howard's work :

This department will give instruction in
the use of the microscope in the cutting,
staining and mounting of specimens, and
the examination of healthy and morbid
tissues. Students will study in tube, plate,
drop culture and stained cover glass prep-
aration, all i)athogenic and non-jiathogenic
forms of micro-organism capable of culti-
vation. Two lectures will be delivered
each week, and four hours laboratory work
required.

From this it will be seen that the position
is an imi)ortant one, which the Doctor will
certainly /ill accejitably. His book on
" Foul Brood " is a good sample of what he
can do iu the line of careful scientific in-
vestigation.

Honey (Statistics lor 1894.— In
Gleanings for Sept. 1st, we find the following
editorial paragraphs regarding the honey
crop of the United States this year :

ONE OF THE POOREST CROPS ON RECORD.

Three weeks ago we sent out about 200
return postal cards on which were printed
these questions :

1. What has been the honey season in
your vicinity, so far as you know ?

3. What was your average yield per col-
ony, in honey, both comb and extracted ?

Space was left for a brief answer under
each, and for name and address of re-
porter :

Briefly stated, the honey crop seems to
have been most abundant in central and
lower Florida ; good in Texas ; fairly good
in spots, in Kern and Inyo counties, Calif.,
in Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Minnesota,
Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, New York and
New England ; very poor in other portions
of most of these States and others, and a
total failure in the most of California,
Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Ken-
tucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, North Caro-
lina, South Carolina and Georgia. The
general impression given by the reports for
the whole country is not flattering.

One peculiar thing we have noted from
reports is the uneven distribution. Of
two bee-keepers but a few miles apart, one
would get a fairly good crop, while the
other's bees would be starving. On this
account these reports may not fairly repre-
sent many localities, as the reports received
will not average more than five or six to
each State.

From the above it would seem that the
poor crop has been so general throughout
the United States that there would be
scarcely enough honey to supply the de-
mand. But what do we find to be the
case '. Why, judging from a recent conver-
sation with a large dealer in honey here in
Chicago, there is plenty of honey in the
country somewhere. He said he knew
where he could get it by the carload— from
the West, and also the far East. But the
limited demand for honey just now, may
have caused the appearance of a bountiful
supply.

In speaking of the honey market, on
another page of the same copy of GJmnings,
Bro. Root has this to say :

Comparing the reports of the season's
honey crop with the market report of
prices gives a vivid picture of the very de-
pressing effect on prices of the close times
through which we have been passing. Not-
withstanding a very short crop, judging
from reports, we have never known prices
to be lower so early in the season. Last
year, those who got their honey to market
early, secured the best prices, as a rule. If

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

B29

times improve from now on, as we hope
they will, the demand for honey, and price,
must also improve in view of the short
crop.

Do not be in haste to sell at^ ruinously
low prices what little honey you have
secured, but help to tone up the market by
a little more independence in asking a fair
price for your product.

That's a good hint in the last paragraph.
If you don't ask a fair price for your
honey, you certainly won't get it. Oft-
times bee-keepers themselves are to blame
for low prices of honey and a glutted mar-
ket. Let all endeavor, if possible, to secure
a more even distribution of the crop ob-
tained, and thus realize at least a reason-
able remuneration for their labor and skill.

Reduced Rate<i», (1^ for the round
trip) in addition to the " Harvest Excur-
sion " rates have been secured on many of
the roads running to St. Joseph, Mo., for
the North American convention on Oct.
10th, 11th and 12th. The following from
Secretary Benton explains the matter more
fully:

KEDUCEU RAILWAY FARES TO ATTEND THE
NORTH AMERICAN AT ST. JOSEPH, MO.,

OCT. IOth, 11th and 12th.

The Western Passenger Association, un-
der the conditions named below, will grant
reduced railway fare to those who travel
over their roads and attend the meeting of
the North American Bee-Keepers' Associa-
tion at St. Joseph. Mo., Oct. 10th, 11th and
12th.

Conditions. — Full fare will be charged
going. Return-tickets will be issued at one-
third Vie regular fare, provided the purchaser
presents a certificate from the agent of
whom he obtained his ticket, and provided
also at least 100 such certificates shall be
presented. There can be little doubt on
this last point, especially as special round-
trip excursion tickets, even such as are
issued to parties of 10, 25, or more, travel-
ing in a body, will count toward the 100,
provided each purchaser is careful to se-
cure a certificate of purchase from the
ticket agent who sells him the ticket, and
to present this certificate at the convention
to be countersigned by the Secretary of the
Association.

Therefore do not fail to secure a certificate
when you j^^rchase your ticket, whether single or
round-trip, anct no matter whether you intend to
take advantage of the reduced fare or not. It
may aid others in obtaining the reduction.

Xime of XicUets.— Valid Oct. 6th to
Oct. 15th ; that is, they may be purchased
three days (not counting Sunday) before
the first day of the meeting, and the return-
ticket may be obtained any time up to the
night of Oct. 15th.

Itail^vays.— The following are the
roads included in this reduction : Burling-
ton, Cedar Rapids & Northern ; Chicago &
Alton; Chicago & Northwestern; Chicago,
Burlington & Northern ; Chicago, Burling-
ton & Quincy; Chicago Great Western;
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul; Chicago,
Rock Island & Pacific ; Chicago, St. Paul.
Minn. & Omaha; Hannibal & St. Joseph;
Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council BluflPs ;
St. Louis, Keokuk & Northwestern; Illinois
Central; Iowa Central; Minneapolis & St.
Louis; Missouri Pacific; Rock Island &
Peoria; Sioux City & Pacific; Wabash;
Wisconsin Central lines.

When necessary to pass over more than
one line, and in case a through ticket with
a certificate cannot be obtained, it will be
necessary to obtain a certificate from each
agent from whom a ticket is purchased, in
order to entitle the holder to the reduction
on return ticket.

Those who do not live within the territory
covered by these lines should, wherever
practicable, purchase a local or a round-
trip ticket to the nearest line named above,
and secure there a ticket to St. Joseph,
with certificate of purchase.

Further notice will be given in case other
railway lines grant reduced rates.

Harvest Kxciii-sioii.— Some may be
able to take advantage of the " Harvest
Excursion" rates (one-half fare plus $2.00)
given Oct. 9th, full particulars of which
can be obtained of your local agents.

Cliang'e of l>ate. — Note the change,
as announced by President Abbott, in the
date of the meeting from the middle of the
month to Oct. 10th, 11th and 12th.

Place of Meeting'. — The convention
will meet in the rooms of the Commercial
Club in St. Joseph, at the corner of 3rd and
Edmond streets, three blocks from Francis
Street Depot. Take electric cars at Union
Depot and get ofif at 3rd street.

Frank Benton,
Sec'y. iV. Am. Bee-Keepers^ Association,
U. S. Dept. Agriculture,

Washington, D. C.

We might add to the foregoing that it is
desired to have a showing of honey, es-
pecially extracted, from every part of the
country at the convention, and it is re-
quested that every one who attends should
bring a bottle of extracted honey, with the
kind of honey and the place where it was
gathered marked upon a label to be fast-
ened to the same.

Xlie I*orti-ait and Apiai-y of Mr.

F. A. Gemmill. President of the Oxford.
Ontario, Bee-Keepers' Association, were
shown in the September Canadian Bee Jour-
nal. Both pictures are good. Bro. Gem-
mill is one of Ontario's best bee-keepers.
He says: "I find the employment [bee-
keeping] not only interesting and enno-
bling, but a moderately paying occupation
as well."

330

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

ANSWERED BY

JDIEZ,. C. C. I^^ILiIjEJK,,

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 malse "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.

Italian Bees as Comb-Builders.

Are Italian bees equal or superior to
the German brown, or common black
bees, as comb-builders ? J. F. C.

Garden City, Kans.

Answer. — I don't know that there's
any difference in general. Some colo-
nies of Italians are a little faulty as to
making white looking comb. They fill
the honey too close to the capping, mak-
ing it look dark and watery.

Why Were Queen-Cells Built ?

"What is the cause of bees building
queen-cells when they have a young
queen which has been laying about four
weeks, and the colony is strong ?

Quincy, 111., Aug. 21. H. M.

Answer. — Without knowing all about
the circumstances, it is not easy to say.
Possibly it is one of those rare cases
where they are getting ready to swarm.
Possibly the queen is not satisfactory
and the bees are about to supersede her.
This latter is quite often the case, but is
not known very often where queens are
not clipped.

Italian vs. Blacks as Robbers.

Are Italian bees worse than blacks
for robbing? While I had blacks only,
I had no trouble with robbers, but lately
(with Italians only) I have had a good
deal of trouble. Not long since I wanted
to Italianize a colony of blacks, and in
taking out the frames while looking for
the black queen I broke some comb,
which started the Italians to robbing.

They came in such numbers that I did
not know what to do. I contracted the
entrance to about % of an inch, yet they
piled up ^n the hive like a swarm. I
then got camphor and carbolic acid,
made a solution, and sprinkled them all
thoroughly, but "no go" — they never
let up until they had killed every black
bee. Now could I have done more than
I did ? If so, what ? F. M.

Answer. — My experience is just the
reverse of yours. When I had black
bees I had some pretty tough times with
robbing. This year has been one of
entire failure of the honey crop, when
there's every inducement for robbing,
and I've had no trouble whatever, al-
though my bees were never so nearly all
pure Italians.

I doubt if there's any particular differ-
ence. Once started, perhaps Italians
are more energetic at robbing than
blacks.

If you ever get into a scrape of the
same kind again, pile hay or straw at
the entrance, up to the top of the hive
if necessary, then pour on water and
keep it thoroughly wet. This will
dampen the ardor of the robbers, for
water is quite dampening, but don't be
sparing of it.

After all, prevention is better than
cure, and robbing is nearly always
started by the bee-keeper himself.

Why No Surplus Honey Stored?

This season my bees have not stored
any surplus honey up to the present
time, and I have had but two swarms,
and they issued from one hive. The
rest of my colonies haven't swarmed,
nor have they stored any surplus honey.
There are plenty of fall weeds to work
on now, as most of them are in bloom.
What is the reason they have done so
poorly ?

My bees are hybrids and Italians
mixed. My neighbor has 16 colonies
and he has had four swarms. The bal-
ance have done nothing. What is the
cause of this delay and lost time? The
bees are hard at work, but I don't know
what they do with so much wax, or
where they put it. O. D.

Mishawaka, Ind., Aug. 20.

Answer. — My bees have done just
like yours. The trouble is that you and
I both have that kind of bees that can't
store honey unless they have something
to store it from, and I don't know of
any one that has any other kind. Some
seasons blossoms are scarce, and some-

AMERICAN JBfiE JdURiSiAL,

381

times blossoms are plenty but for some
reason they don't furnish nectar. The
season has been to blame this year, not
the poor bees.

Did They Kill the aueen ?

Last evening I noticed a large ball of
bees in front of one hive (the last swarm
of the season, about July 28). On sep-
arating the bees I found they had killed
a queen. This morning they seem all
unsettled, rushing in and out of the hive
in great numbers. Do you think they
had killed their own queen, or some
other? If their own, why ? A few days
before that I found a dead queen in
front of another strong colony, but as
the bees made no fuss, I concluded they
had killed a young queen. Do you think
I was right ?

Langlois, Oreg., Aug. 6.

Answer. — Hard to tell. From the
after uneasiness I should suspect their
own queen was killed in the case you
first mention, possibly because a number
of foreign bees entered. Likely your
supposition was correct as to the second
case.

COWVEWTIOM DIRECTORY.

Time and place of meetinQ.

1894.
Sept. 15.— S. E. Kansas, at Bronson, Kan.

J. C. Balch, Sec, Bronson, Kans.

Oct. 1.— Southern Minnesota, at Winona.

E. C. Cornell, Sec. Winona, Minn.

Oct. 4.— Utah, at Salt Lake City. Utah.

Jno. C. Swaner, Sec, Salt Lake City, Utah

Oct. 10-12.— North American, St. Joseph, Mo.
Frank Benton, Sec, Washington, D. C.
1895.
Jan. 28.— Venango Co.. at Franklin, Pa.

C. S. Pizer, Sec, Franklin, Pa.

Feb. 8, 9.— Wisconsin, at Madison, Wis.

J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec, Madison, Wis.

mg/ 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.

irorth 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...Chicag'o, Ills.

National Bee-Keepers' Union.

President- Hon. R. L. Taylor.. Lapeer, Mich.
Gen'l Manager— T. G. Newman, Chicago, 111.
147 South Western Avenue.

Great Premium on page 285 !

S UlMTS.

By F. L. PEIRO, m. d.

McVicker's Building, Chicago, Idl.

Catarrh— Its Cause and Prevention.

It is not always pleasant to hear or read
the cold facts, but candor should compel all
writers or speakers to state the exact truth,
and let decisions be what they may.

Much— very much— is written and said
regarding catarrh, and all sorts of apologies
are ofifered for its existence and fearful
extension. There is every assurance that
it is making fearful progress and inroads
into the human economy, and for this rea-
son the plain truth as to its usual cause and
prevention should be stated.

Many years of special work and study in
the various forms and ravages of catarrh,
thoroughly convinces me that this inflic-
tion is largely due to want of proper hy-
gienic information and attending cleanli-
ness. I know this idea will shock some,
but let the shock come if it have the result
of earnest consideration and improvement.

Catarrh, then let me bluntly state, is the
result, usually, of neglect in observing the
laws of physical purity. It is the result of
filthy habits, in not keeping clean — just as
the itch, lice, and many other bodily in-
fections occur— from want of proper clean-
liness.

Well, now, don't hold your hands up in
holy horror ! It is .so .' Had your parents
insisted on your daily cold bath, including
abundant snuffing of water up the nostrils,
and the frequent use of your pocket hand-
kerchief, you might have entirely escaped
any form of catarrh. But, no ! you have
been permitted to allow the accumulations
in the nose (which naturally would occur)
to be retained until they became an ob-
struction to free breathing, and then in-
stead of using a handkerchief to blow your
nose freely, and so keep it clean, the hor-
rible habit of " blowing the nose the wrong
way " is resorted to, which brings the ac-
cumulations in the nose into the throat,
and is then expectorated ! Just notice the
actions of men and women in this regard —
they have handkerchiefs, but how seldom
do we see them used for their obvious pur-
pose ! One would conclude that the 'ker-
chief was an article of ornament, to dangle

332

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAju,

from the young lady's belt, or its corner
peer out of the young man's coat-pocket,
that the world may see and know he is the
proud possessor of a linen square ; but its
visit to the laundry is a matter of rare oc-
currence ! By all means cheat the washer-
woman and enrich the doctor !

Well, of course, even so lenient a friend
as Mother Nature will not tolerate such in-
fractions, and hence it occurs that the con-
stant practice of this abomination, year
after year, results in very serious organic
changes in the nose, and finally in the
whole respiratory tract. The secretions re-
tained in the nose cause destruction of
tissue, more or less serious, and the dis-
charges gradually acquire a disposition to
go backward, the mucous becomes decom-
posed and irritant, and soon affects the
parts over which it passes; hence we have
throat troubles following. When asleep it
is unconsciously drawn into the bronchial
tubes in breathing, and ultimately bron-
chitis results; the latter, by incidental
coughing, irritates the lung tissue, and step
by step the foundation is layed which cul-
minates in consumption. If we superadd
to this the habit of smoking, we greatly
hasten this dreaded disease.

Once more. The acrid secretions just
mentioned, come in contact with the open-
ing of the inner canal of the ears, and by
its action sets up inflammation of that
canal, closing it and rendering hearing
much impaired, or entirely destroyed.
Then it is that the skilled physician must
be consulted, and as the difficulty to over-
come has been years in progress, so it may
be several months in curing, when that re-
sult is possible. A cure is usually practi-
cable if the patient applies as soon as he
finds his hearing less acute than formerly.
If long postponed, the chances of success
are far less favorable.

Catarrh is responsible for eight out of
every ten cases of deafness, and the fact
that it is so alarmingly on the increase
should admonish us to early seek counsel
from the best sources attainable, always
remembering that the best service is by far
the cheapest.

But what has so far been said presupposes
persons of inherited vigorous health, and
if the conseciuences mentioned may occur
to such, how much more disastrous may it
be to those who have inherited weakness of
the lungs or general system ! Hence, it is

that we see mere children who are predis-
posed to organic diseases, fall early victims
to affections of the lungs, throat, ears, or
kidneys, through the acquirement of
catarrh. Especially is this the case in the
colder latitudes.

And how careless of parents to ascribe
laziness as a pretext to young people's in-
disposition! Children in school and at
home have often been punished for heed-
lessness in not paying prompt attention to
commands, when in reality they had not
heard what was said, through dullness of
hearing. How frequently such afflicted
children are jeered as " st upid," when, if
their hearing were as acute as that of
others, they would be considered equally
bright ! A little more discretion in our con-
clusions will award children much greater
justice, and in turn secure for us greater
affectionate esteem. Children never forget
cruelties inflicted upon them in their help-
lessness, nor are the perpetrators recom-
pensed. Anger will ever and anon rankle
in the bosoms of the sufferers, and the spirit
of resentment is ever present against those
who caused their humiliation ! Parents and
teachers will do well to consider their re-
sponsibilities, that the future may hold for
them merited love and reverence !

Parents, as you love your little ones, be
admonished by your boy's cough, by your
little daughter's feeling of "tired," by
their want of spirited playfulness, by their
lack of interest in their surroundings, to
early consult your physician, and carefully
heed his advice.

Oood Honey-Sellers will likely be
needed now, and the little 32-page pamph-
let, "Honey as Food and Medicine," has
for years proven itself valuable in making
repeated sales of honey. Its distribution
will crmie a demand for the honey first, and
then the bee-keeper can follow it up and
supply that demand. Send to us for a
sample copy, only 5 cents ; 10 copies, post-
paid, 85 cents ; SOcopies, $1 .25 ; or 100 copies
$2.00. Try 50 or 100 copies, and prove their
ability to aid you in disposing of your
honey at a good price.

*»I''oh1 Jli-ood ; 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 sold at the office of the Bee Jour-
nal. Price, postpaid, 25 cents; or clubbed
with the Bee Jouunal for one year— both
together for $1.15.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

333

CONDUCTED BY

MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY.

Beeville, Texas.

PROFITABLE BEE-KEEPING.

Lesson No. 10.

(Continued from page 270.)
HONEY-PLANTS CONTINUED.

NoKTH Carolina. — I have obtained
the following information from Mr. W.
H. Pridgen, of Creek, N. C, a reliable
man and good bee-keeper :

"The principal honey-plants, and
their time of blooming, are as follows :
Elm blooms Feb. 15th, maple March 1st,
fruit-bloom March 15th to April 1st,
white clover, from which North Carolina
gets her best honey-flow, begins about
May 15th. June 1st to 10th poplar
blooms, and when the weather is favor-
able it yields lots of honey. Also per-
simmon blooms about the same time,
and is good July 1st. We have sour-
wood, which gives our white honey.
Bees usually begin swarming in North
Carolina about April 15th to May 1st."

Flokida. — The following I obtained
from Mr. J. B. Case, a reliable man, and
a good bee-man of the South :

" Usually about May 15th we get here
in Florida a fine honey-flow from the
red bay, which grows very luxuriantly
in the hammocks. The honey is rather
dark, but of fine flavor. Gallberry opens
about the same time, and where it is
plentiful, it affords a surplus. About
May 10th to 15th saw-palmetto begins
to yield honey, and in locations two or
three miles from the ocean, and, in fact,
all along the coast, this is the main crop.
The nearer salt water the more thrifty
it grows. It blooms profusely, and
yields honey in abundance, of light
color and good quaility.

"In July the cabbage palmetto — a
kind of palm — sometime yields consid-
erable honey of fine quality, but coming
as it does in our rainy season, and the

blooms being very tender, it is quite
liable to blast, or scorch by the hot sun
coming out after a shower, and also
from other causes it is very unreliable
as a source of honey, but when every-
thing hits just right, it is hard to beat
for honey.

" Also the river bottoms are full of
red mangrove, yielding a thin, white
honey, and some seasons it affords honey
in great abundance, but as its area is
quite small and well stocked by bees
being shipped in from the surrounding
country in such quantities, it has to
be a very favorable year to get paying
yields from it, and lately its yields have
been light.

" The above will be about right for
all the eastern coast of Florida. Bees,
to be profitable here in this State, must
be kept near the Ocean or Gulf, or near
the rivers where are the large hammocks
and near large orange groves. Swarm-
ing usually begins about March 15th to
April 1st, and as this is about the time
oranges are in bloom, and as the trees
vary, the time of swarming also varies."

Kentucky.— The following informa-
tion as to Kentucky, I got from Dr. J.
W. Crenshaw, of Versailles, whom I
know to be reliable :

" Soft or water maple blooms from
Feb. 1st to March 15th, according to
the season, yielding both pollen and
honey, and is of great value, as it gives
an impetus to brood-rearing, which
stimulates the bees until warm weather.
It remains in bloom about a week, but
the bees seldom have more than one to
three days to work on it.

" Dandelion blooms March 1st, and
furnishes both honey and pollen. Fruit-
bloom continues from March 25th to
May 1st. Sugar maple blooms April
15th— mainly honey in small quantities.
May 10th black locust blooms, remain-
ing two weeks, and most years yields a
large amount of honey." [I will add
here that black locust is one among our
Southern honey-yielders that only yields
honey from its bloom one time ; that is,
it never has any honey except that on
opening ; but it is sometimes two weeks
getting done blooming. — Jennie Atch-

LEY.]

"The honey is clear, and its flavor is
second to none in the world. Unfortu-
nately it usually blooms during our
rainy season, and the bees have but
little chance at it. The bees only had
three days to work on it last year, and
they filled their brood-chambers.

"White clover blooms from May 1st

334

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL-,

to August. This plant Is the only one
we can always count on in this part of
Kentucky for a crop— June being the
principal month of its blooming, and
some years the whole face of the earth
is covered with it here. It always
blooms more or less, and always yields
honey — enough for an abundant winter
supply.

"We have a few basswoods left yet,
and some poplar, and no doubt we get
some honey from these sources yet, but
not in paying quantities. Strawberries,
raspberries, squash and tomatoes all
give us some honey and pollen. Heart's-
ease, or smartweed, which grows in
damp places, frequently yields well, but
I know nothing of the honey. Buck-
wheat for bees here is nearly always a
complete disappointment. Golden-rod
has been observed very closely by me
for a number of years, but I have never
seen a bee on it."

Alabama.— The following data was
furnished by that whole-souled bee-
keeper, J. M. Jenkins, of Wetumpka,
and will correctly apply to his part of
the State :

" My bees begin swarming about April
5th to 15th. Our honey comes from
willow, poplar, maple and swamp flow-
ers. This locality is not much for
honey. Cotton plantations are all
around me— only a little natural growth
along the rivers— no clover, and not
much basswood here."

I have correct data for nearly all the
Southern and Western States, and to
make this lesson short, considering its
great subject— the honey-plants— I will
say that the six southern counties of
California, from which counties the most
honey is obtained, that their principal
honey-plants are the black and white
sages, the white variety growing upon
the mountains or highlands, and the
black grows upon the valley lauds. The
honey from white sage ranks first along-
side of any honey in the United States,
and the black sage is also good, but has
an amber color, which spoils its sale in
white-honey markets.

Nearly all the Southern States get a
crop of nice, while honey. I used to
keep bees in Tennessee, and some of the
finest honey I ever saw was gathered
there. Also Arkansas has some fine
honey. Mississippi, the Carolinas, and
Georgia, all produce good honey. It is
a fact beyond a doubt that honey gath-
ered from plants, trees, etc., in low lands
Is not as white as that gathered from

the high lands. Bees have been kept
more extensively in the low lands of the
South, and almost all their honey has
been dark, and when shipped to North-
ern markets goes by the name of
" Southern strained," as though the
bee-keepers of the South never saw an
extractor ! There is also white honey
in all the Southern States.

Jennie Atchley.
(To be continued.)

Will Have Good Fall Crops.

It is raining again to-day (Aug. 25th),
and vegetation is growing very fast.
Our whole landscape has the fragrance
of a flower-garden. People are going to
have good fall crops here, and have
plenty. Bees are working like Trojans,
and may fill their hives again.

Jennie Atchley.

Bee-Keeping for a Livelihood.

Mks. Atchley : — I take the American
Bee Journal, and I think it the best
bee-paper printed. I am now 66 years
old, and am trying the bees for a liveli-
hood. I am going to see what there is
in bees. I have done well so far, and if
common bees will pay, I think the better
grades will pay better, and my motto is,
"Try the best." J. F. Carey.

Phoenix, Ariz., Aug. 11.

Friend C, I think you are quite right.
I am glad that you are in line with so
many other bee-keepers in thinking the
"Old Reliable" a good bee-journal.

I am also in line with you when you
say that if common bees will pay, that
better bees will pay more. I think now
that if I had to fall back to the old
native German or black bees, that I
would keep only bees enough for my
own use, as they cannot be manipulated
to pay as the Italians can.

Jennie Atchley.

Kind Words— Severe Drouth.

Mrs. Atchley: — We are just as anx-
ious to hear from you as ever. When
the "Old Reliable" comes, the first we
examine is your writings, and as the
American Bee Journal now stands, it
is the best bee-paper we have, giving
information both from North and South.
You have not said anything in regard to
the country lately. We are anxious to
hear about how vegetation is down

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

335

there. And did you have much drouth ?
We are almost burned up here. The
corn crop is our main support, and it is
an entire failure. Wheat is better than
we expected. The late frost last spring
injured vegetation badly, then we had
four weeks of beautiful weather through
June, and up to July 3rd we had plenty
of rain, but we have not had any since,
and that is more than this country can
stand. We have had but one swarm out
of seven colonies, and lost it. What
little honey we got was good — mostly
alfalfa. Mrs. L. P. Smith.

Jewell, Kans., Aug. 11.

Dear Mrs. Smith, I thank you very
much for your kind compliments, and I
assure you I shall try to interest some,
if they will read " In Sunny Southland."
I trust that I may be able to merit all
the kind words from you and others that
I receive almost daily, encouraging me,
and helping me to give more attention
to my department.

In regard to this section, I will say
that our drouth was broken up by a
heavy down-pour about a month ago,
and this country is like a May wheat-
field in Kansas, and we do not need
much rain here. There are plenty of
vegetables, and people are happy'. I
am sorry to hear of your drouth.

Jennie Atchley.

What Best to Plant for Honey.

Query 940.— Taking- into consideration its
value for other purposes besides honey, what
honey-plant will it pay best to raise in your
locality ?— Colorado.

Buckwheat. — E. France.
Alsike clover. — R. L. Taylor.
Alsike clover. — G. M. Dooi.ittle.
Alsike clover. — Mrs. L. Harrison.
Probably Alsike clover. — J. A. Green.
Fruit — almost any variety. — A. J.
Cook.

Alfalfa and buckwheat. — Mrs. J. N.
Heater.

Either white or Alsike clover. — Jas.
A. Stone.

Alsike clover or buckwheat. — J. H.
Larrabee.

Alsike clover mixed with other grasses.
—P. H. Elwood.

White clover. Alsike is also valuable.
— S. I. Freeborn.

Alsike clover is, beyond comparison,
the best. — M. Mahin.

I don't know, as I have had no experi-
ence in the matter. — J. E. Pond.

1. Buckwheat. 2. Alsike clover. 3.
Common white clovar. — Eugene Secor.

Alsike clover, just as alfalfa is, no
doubt, best for Colorado. — Emerson T.
Abbott.

Alsike and sweet clover, and protect-
ing and raising linden in forest, park
and yards. — J. M. Hambaugh.

I'm not sure but sweet clover may be
the one, if it can turn off a good crop of
hay by being cut early.— C. C. Miller.

Buckwheat is the only plant in sight
for the combined purpose. Hold on I
Alsike is far ahead of any other plant.
— C. H. Dibbern.

Horsemint is the only plant I know of
that would pay to cultivate at all here
for honey. But cotton pays in both
honey and cotton. So I suppose I might
say cotton also. — Mrs. Jennie Atchley.

In ray locality, perhaps Alsike clover.
The chief trouble in the way of this
clover is, in my locality, it is strictly
biennial in its habits. It will make but
one good crop without re-sowing. — G.
W. Demaree.

In my location I know of no special
plant that I could thus cultivate. But
if one had suitable soil with no use for
it, it would pay him to plant the poplar
{lirlodendron) . This is the greatest
honey-producing plant of the Southern
States.— J. P. H. Brown.

Alfalfa. Buckwheat is another staple
crop that yields much honey, but of a
dark character. White clover is prob-
ably the leading honey-plant of our
nation. Out here in Colorado, we de-
pend largely upon the wild flowers of
the prairies and mountains — the "Rocky
Mountain honey-plant" (a sort of teasel)
is fully what its name implies, and very
abundant. — W. M. Barnum.

Have You Read the wonderful Pre-
mium offers on page 823 ?

336

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

VARIOUS ISOTES A^D COMMBXXS.

BY DR. C. C. MILLER.

Feeding Bees for Winter. — The answers to the question about feeding (page
270) leave one somewhat mixed up as to what is best to do. Some advise to feed as
soon as possible, even in August, while others advise to wait as long as possible in
hopes fall flowers may yet yield.

I can't say for other localities, but in northern Illinois I feel safer not to put off
feeding very late. Sometimes the bees gather as late as the last of September, but
oftener not. I think I would rather run the risk of taking something away if they
are too full, than to wait till late with the risk of having freezing weather catch me
with empty combs or unsealed stores.

I generally fed as fast as the bees would take it, but I'm getting to believe I'd
rather have the feed so thin that the bees shall take some time at it. If the theory
is correct, that formic acid is furnished by the bees through the circulation, then it
is likely that the bees will have a better chance by having the feed thin as nectar.

Somewhat Surprised. — Hello ! what's this ? Page 272 opens up on some-
thing that doesn't look just like the " Old Reliable," but it says American Bee
Journal at the top, so it must be all right. Don't know for certain just how I do
like it. When any of my old friends come out in a new rig, I must get used to it
before I really like it. Makes a very pretty page, even if it does look like a stranger,
so I suppose I'll get used to it, and as there are just eight pages of that kind thrown
in the middle of the number, itsets me to wondering whether possibly Miss Godfreys-
has been giving free reign to a woman's taste.

Brace and Burr Combs. — Bro. Doolittle, what are you thinking of, to come
out as you do on page 272 at this late day ? The time for it was when such earn-
est struggles were being made to get rid of brace-combs, and not after the struggle
is pretty much over, and we have found how to prevent them. But then it is only
fair to say that you entered your protest long ago.

7/ you are right, that " for every pound of honey stored in the brood-nest at the
commencement of the season, or honey harvest, there will be five pounds less stored
in the sections," and that bees commence much sooner with brace-combs, then we
ought to cultivate brace-combs.

I don't suppose it's necessary to call you a liar, but if I could be sot down for
half an hour at your pleasant home we'd have a comfortable fight over your posi-
tion. In the first place, don't the bees always commence storing in the brood-nest

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 337

before storing in the sections ? In the second place, with bait combs I don't think
I ever knew the bees to crowd the brood-nest before starting above.

But aside from all other considerations, I want the surplus apartment detached
from the lower story by a space of clean wood with no braces or burrs, just because
I feel quite sure the sections will be a little whiter for it. The closer the section is
to a black brood-comb or brace-comb, the more black wax I find on the section.

High Ideals. — It's a good plan to have a high ideal, and Ben There would
probably make better work for the high ideal he has set for himself on page 272. I
fancy, however, I can see a quiet smile creep over the faces of the veterans as they
read, and a remark something like this may come from some of them : "Young man,
that's all right for a tenderfoot, but if ever you get fairly into the work, trying to
get enough honey to swap for your bread and butter, some of your views will undergo
modifications."

For instance, I'm quite sure you'd modify your idea as to having 36 square feet
of ground occupied by each hive, when you learn that you can have them more con-
venient for yourself, and with less danger of the bees getting into the wrong hive
by using only one-third of the ground per hive. But it's a good plan to have high
aims, Benjamin. Marengo, 111.

[*Doctor, Miss Godfrey pleads " not quilty " to " giving free rein to a woman's
taste," in the matter you refer to. No, " ye editor " must take all the blame this
time, for he thought it would be a nice change to have this department set in differ-
ent style from the rest of the Bee Jourxal. Guess you'll like it all right when you
" get used to it."

By the way, we might say for the information of the rest of our readers, that
Miss Mattie C. Godfrey is the lady that sets up nearly all the type for the Bee Jour-
nal, each week. She has done this work continuously for over 11 years, or ever
since January, 1883, so that now she feels quite well acquainted with at least the
names of all who write anything for these pages. Miss Godfrey is one of the few
women that are " worth their weight in gold." Now, we don't want any frisky
young fellow to come " snooping around " here, for he'd have to be unusually per-
fect to receive anything from her except a firm " No !" for an answer. — Editor.]

MORH ABOUX BHB-PARAI^YSIS.

BY ADRIAN GETAZ.

I must say positively and emphatically that Prof. Cook is mistaken when he
says that feeding will cure bee-paralysis. The disease is in all the apiaries of this
section of the country, more or less ; and has been in mine since I bought my first
bees. It has shown itself as well in fed colonies as in others, and often in strong,
well-provisioned colonies as much as in weaker ones.

It is early in the spring that the malady is the worst. It is shown by a large
number, often the majority of bees, being black, or rather hairless and shiny, as if
they had been polished. At the same time they are sluggish, and as if half-para-
lyzed in their movements. Those in which the disease is less advanced, show it by
uneasiness, frequent .scratching and twisting of their wings and legs, as if they
were itching. As the season advances, the old, shiny bees gradually die out, brood-
rearing increases, young bees are born by the thousand, more or less diseased ; but
in all cases not so much as the old ones, or at least they do not show it so much.
Later on the number of young and healthy, or at least comparatively healthy bees
increase considerably, and the management of the hive, if I may use that term, falls
into their hands. They soon realize that something is wrong with the old bees, and
proceed at once to throw them out of the hive. This, in this locality, and with the

338 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

average colonies, occurs during May and June. The diseased bees are thrown out
gradually, occasionally in large quantities, and the process is kept up as long as
other bees show signs of the disease.

During the summer bees wear out too rapidly to have time to show much of the
sickness ; young bees come in rapidly, and as the season advances less and less dis-
eased bees are seen, until when the winter comes, none but apparently healthy bees
are in the apiary.

By that time the inexperienced (?) apiarist thinks that the disease had run out
of itself, or if he has applied salt or sulphur, or something else, he imagines that he
has found a sure cure, and immediately writes so to some bee-paper. But, alas, for
his hopes — the following spring black, shiny bees will be as numerous as the pre-
ceding years.

In a recent article in Oleanings, Dr. Brown, of Georgia, describes some disease
of bees that he thinks caused by poisonous honey from the yellow jasmine. Accord-
ing to his description, his bees must have the bee-paralysis ; the fact that the yellow
jasmine is in bloom at the time the bee-paralysis is most shown, does not prove that
the poisonous (?) honey is the cause of it. We have no yellow jasmine here, and
yet our bees show the same symptoms as his do.

Knoxville, Tenn., Aug. 24.

P. S. — In my article on page 240, I said that bee-paralysis has always existed
in all the apiaries. I meant to say, all the apiaries of this part of Tennessee.

*

I^IIVXHRII^G BHKS OUT-DOORS.

BY CHAS. DADANT.

A good wintering of bees is the stumbling-block of bee-culture in the northern
and central States of America. There are so many cases of failure that the prob-
lem of a successful wintering of bees cannot be too thoroughly studied. The main
causes of such failures are :

1. A population too weak to maintain a sufficient degree of heat in the hive.

2. A quantity of food inadequate with the needs of the colony during the winter
months.

3. Food of so poor a quality that bees living on it cannot remain in good health.

4. A hive which cannot sufficiently protect bees against the cold of winter.

5. A hive so close that the dampness produced by their breathing wets the bees,
their comb, and their food.

6. A sequestration of bees, too long protected to allow them to get rid of their
feces before they become sick with diarrhea.

To overcome these difficulties bee-keepers have tried several ways of wintering
bees :

First. On the summer stands. Second. In rooms above gfound. Third. In
silos. Fourth. In cellars. We will examine successively all these means.

The first requisite to succeed in wintering bees on the summer stands is a large
population ; a part of it ought to be young bees. A large population maintains
easily the heat inside the hive, and the bees can easily pass from an emptied comb
to another containing honey. Besides, as the outside of tho hive is kept warm, the
bees do not need to eat so much to maintain the indispensable heat, and they can
more easily bear a longer seclusion, since their intestines are not so much loaded
with feces.

A colony containing a quantity of young bees succeeds better in its wintering

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

339

than another with old bees only, because the young bees, which have gone out of
their hives but a few times, are more careful, and do not rush out far from the hive,
as do the older bees, which, accustomed to go in quest of honey or pollen, go far away,
without looking backwards, during a bright winter day, and are often caught and
chilled by a change of wind, or by an occasional cloud which darkens the sun.

A sufficient quantity of food. Honey is the only food necessary in winter for
bees on the summer stands ; but it is to be noticed that the food is used not only to
sustain life, but to produce the indispensable warmth, for it has been often ascer-
tained that a large population has consumed less in winter than a smaller one,
whose bees were compelled to eat more to keep warm. Tt is generally admitted
that 25 pounds of honey per colony is not too much, to spare the bee-keepers all
anxiety about the needs of their bees during the whole winter.^

The llovic of ^[r. W. Z. Hutchinson, at Flint, Mich.

Several means are used to provide bees with a sufficient quantity of food. When
but a few colonies of an apiary are short of honey, the most simple means is to take
from those which have some to spare what the others need. Such an operation is
easy with movable-frame hives. But when no colony has any honey to spare, and
this case happens too often to the bee-keepers who use small hives, especially in
poor years like this one, the best food to give is sugar syrup, fed to the bees in Octo-
ber. This syrup made with a quart of boiling water and four pounds of granulated
sugar, to which one pound of honey or more is added to prevent crystallization, is
given at evening, when yet tepid, in old tin cans covered with a piece of cotton-
cloth, and inverted on the upper bars of the frames. The bees suck the syrup
through the cloth. The Hill bee-feeder, made on the same principle, but entirely of
tin, is also used, and saves much labor. A strong colony can put in the comb, in a
single night, the contents of three or four of these cans,

340 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

But theinsufficientquantityof food is not the only want to be supplied. Its bad
quality should also be feared, for honey-dew, or dark honey from fall flowers, con-
tains too much indigestible matter. When bees, during winter, can fly out once or
twice per month, they have good opportunities to void their feces, and they can re-
main in good health with food of poor quality ; but when the weather remains cold
for six or seven consecutive weeks or more, bees fed on poor honey get the diarrhea,
soil the inside of their hive, and perish.

To prevent these bad results, it is of good management to extract all the dark
honey, especially the honey-dew, and to replace ic with sugar syrup. This extract-
ing is especially indispensable when bees have stored fruit-luices. We once bought
the combs of some hundred colonies which had been unable to live in winter on
.these juices, which contains too much water and other matters, and too little sugar.

When the cluster of bees is unable to produce the indispensable warmth during
the cold days of winter, they die, sometimes partially, and often wholly. To pre-
vent such accidents, some bee-keepers use chaff bives, or hives with doubl e walls,
the interior of which is filled with chaff, or with sawdust.

Some other bee-keepers, for winter, lodge every one of their hives in a large
box furnished with a passage for bees. We have tried both systems. Bees, in such
hives, do not feel the cold days, but neither do they feel the warm days, and cannot
take advantage of the warmth to fly out and get rid of their feces. We prefer to
protect our hives during winter only, against the northern winds. Our method is to
heap around each hive a pack of dry leaves or straw, which is kept against the
hives, on three sides, with rope ladders, each of which is made with about twelve
half laths, leaving the front side of the hive free, so as not to prevent the sun from
warming the entrance during the few warm days of winter.

By the way, I should warn the young bee-keepers against the idea of transport-
ing their hives to some warmer places just before winter. One of our neighbors has
lost nearly all his colonies in consequence of this unadvisable change of place. Most
of his colonies perished, and the others were greatly weakened, for the old bees,
accustomed to fly from the hives without looking backward, return to the old place
where they used to be, and are lost.

I should add that, before winter, we remove the air-tight ceiling which covers
the top of the frames of our hives, and replace it with a straw-mat on which we
heap up dry leaves. The dampness produced by the bees passes through the mat
and condenses in the leaves, which are wet by spring, while the inside of the hive is
very dry.

By the means expounded above, bees can sustain a long sequestration without
too much loss and suffering. — Prairie Farmer. Hamilton, 111.

SEVERE DR.OXJXH— BEE-EXPERIENCES, ETC.

13Y THEO. F. CRAIG.

We have had some very dry weather for nearly a month, and everything is
nearly burned up. Pastures are almost entirely burned. White clover was nearly
a failure. Bees are gathering pollen now from pumpkin and cucumber vines and
corn-tassels. Most of the catnip is nearly dead. My bees have been working very
busily on it for some time.

We have bad a very peculiar season. Our bees began carrying in pollen on
March 7th. Most of March was very warm and nice. Gooseberries, apple trees,
and other fruit trees, were nearly in full bloom when at the last of March we had a
cold spell which continued a week, and the mercury was down as low as 18*^ above

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 341

zero, and nearly all fruit was killed. The hives were well tilled with brood, which
was chilled, and nearly half of the old bees died. When the weather did turn
warm, there was not much for them to get until poplar bloomed. Then when poplar
was in full bloom, and the third week of May, we had a week of cold, rainy weather.

Bees swarmed but little. One of my neighbors got about 100 pounds of honey
from six colonies. Most farmers who have bees are getting discouraged, and are
letting their bees die for want of care.

I had a peculiar experience with one colony of my bees this summer. About the
last of May my Italian colony (I had just one colony of Italians) swarmed, but lost
their queen and returned to the old hive. I had the combs from the old colonies
which had died last winter, and took the comb from one old hive, and about half of
the bees and a frame of brood from another old hive, and put them in a new hive on
the old stand, and moved the old hive away. The old colony had a queen-cell, and
soon hatched a queen, which soon went to laying and did well.

I also divided two other colonies of black bees and put them on the old comb
with a frame of brood each. They went to work, and soon each had a good laying
queen. I looked in the hive of the Italian colony in a week, and they had several
queen-cells sealed over. In a week I looked in again, and they had begun to tear down
the queen-cells. There were a few that were not tocn down. I looked in them two
or three times for the next month, but did not see any queen. They had filled the
hive nearly full of honey.

In about a month I noticed they had eggs laid in the comb. I had begun to
think they had no queen, and intended to give them some more brood to rear a
queen, when after two or three weeks I looked over them and found the combs full
of drone-brood, and several drones hatched out. I found a black queen, as black as
black could be, with her wings entirely eaten off. The drones were very small, and
black as could be. Now why the black queen was here is something curious, as I
positively know there was no black brood in the hive, as the frame of brood was
from as yellow Italian bees as I ever saw.

The only way I can think that it came here, was that the other colonies that I
had found had reared two queens, and had driven one out which entered the Italian
hive. What do some of the readers of the Bee Joubnal think ?

Sweet Clover, Etc. — I wish some of the readers of the Bee Journal would
give further-description of sweet clover — when to sow it, what effect cold weather
has on it, how much to sow per acre, etc. We need something that will bloom
through the very dry weather we have through July and August. Catnip, cucum-
bers and squashes furnish the only bee-pasture we have now. It is so dry now that
buckwheat will not grow, Otwell, Ind., Aug. 14.

SBASOP^ OF 1894— OUX-DOOIt BEE-CEI^I^AR.

BY JOSEPH BEATH.

My bees wintered fairly well last winter, having put 30 colonies in the cellar
the last of November, 1893, and took out 28 alive the middle of April, 1894. But
several of them were weak, of which I lost 2, leaving me 26, They gathered more
honey from apple bloom than I ever knew them to do before. But the freeze the
last of May, and the drouth since, ruined our honey crop. I have just examined
the bees, and find a very littlenew honey in the surplus of the strongest colonies.
We had a good rain a week ago to-morrow morning — the first real soaking rain this
year — in fact about equal to all that we have had before this year. In March, April
and May we had only two or three light rains. In June we had three, which made

342 AMEtllCAN BEE JOURJMAi-.

about two inches of water ; then we went from June 29th until July 31st, through
all that hot weather without enough to lay the dust. The Government test in Corn-
ing reported 2>^ inches then, but judging from several pails that were empty the
night before, there must have been about five here, six miles north.

There is some buckwheat K of a mile south, just coming into blossom ; also
some heart's-ease, from which my bees are getting their present supply of honey.

Honey fob Curing Gbavel. — In "Our Doctor's Hints" for July 19th, he says
that some authorities assert that the daily use of honey is an infallible preventive
of gravel or stone in the bladder, but he cannot verify it from personal observation.
Now I wish to say that both my father and grandfather died of the gravel, and that
I myself had begun to feel its effects some 20 or more years ago. Soon after, I got
a colony of bees, and although I did not eat honey regularly, I did eat more or less
as I had a chance to, as my bees increased, and the honey likewise, never dreaming,
however, that I was using a cure for the gravel, but after a time it disappeared,
and I have never had any signs of it since. Now, to test it, how would it be for all
apiarists that have friends afflicted in this way, to induce them to try it and report
to the bee-papers as the effects develop, for if it is a cure, not many apiarists should
be so afflicted ? We must bear.in mind, however, that there is nothing that will cure
all in this world. The only dissolvent that I can think of for calculus there is in
honey is the formic acid. If there is any other, will some of our chemists please tell
us what it is.

Out-Door Cellar or Cave. — As some of our bee-friends may want to build an
out-door cellar or cave, I will give my experience. Eighteen years ago I built one 8
feet wide and 16 feet long, with ridgepole and side logs, 4 posts under the ridgepole,
and covered with white pine 2 inch plank up and down. The plank lasted six years,
and then was recovered with the same kind of plank, which lasted four years. I
then covered it with burr-oak 2-inch plank that had been seasoned under cover for
three years, which is still there. But in about the second or third year I had to
brace it by putting plank along the middle of them, supported by more posts, which
took up too much of the room.

So five years ago this fall I needed more room, and thought there must be a
better way to build it. I then dug another of the same size about 8 feet wide. 15
feet long, and 4}^ feet deep from the level of the ground, and cut slanting in about
2 inches to the foot (the same as the old one). At about 28 inches from the bottom
I left a bench or shelf one foot wide on one side and end, for the purpose of setting
canned fruit, skimming milk, or any other use it might be put to. I then cleaned
off the top of the ground one foot back from the edge of the hole, and took 2x6
16-foot seasoned oak and laid in cement, leaving 6 inches between the inside edge
of the plate and hole on each side. I then took 12 sets of 2x8 pine rafters, 6 feet
and 3 inches long, and put on the plates, spiking so the end of the rafter was even
with the outer edge of the plate. I then took good inch rough pine boards and
covered it, boarded up the ends, put in a ventilator, and covered the whole with
cement one inch thick, mixed one of cement to 3 of coarse sand. I used common
cement, but would use Portland if to do again. I threw the dirt on as soon as the
cement was barely set.

I then took one-half barrel of lime and made a kind of grouting of fine gravel
and coarse sand, and spread it 13^ inches thick all over the bottom, so thin that the
water stood all over it. I smoothed it off, and let stand until I could walk on it. I
then put a strong inch of cement, mixed one of cement and two of sand, and covered
the whole sides, benches and everything up to the roof of the same material about

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 343

three-eighths of an inch thick ; this makes a cellar as clean as a house, and a floor
as solid as a rock.

The whole cost, including labor at the time, was a little over $30. Pine lum-
ber, $20 per thousand feet, oak, $50, and cement $3 per barrel. I have waited
five years to find out what failures there might be in it, if any. Well, two years
ago last February the ground was thawed out here, and we had a very heavy rain
which turned into a freeze, and it went below zero for several days, which cracked
the cement on the roof in a place or two, and the following spring it leaked some,
so that there were several moldy spots on the roof. I cleaned them off, and it is as
clean to-day as the inside of any building that has been built that long. There is a
crack in the cement on the straight side, and one on the rear end, but they do not
appear to get any larger, and no signs of the boards rotting so far. My wife has
sometimes piled boxes of canned fruit, two or three high, on the benches. The
cement was put directly on the dirt (being common prairie soil), but it must be
damp for it to stick.

Now, what changes would I make if I were going to build again ? Prof. Budd
says that four years ago they built two caves at the Agricultural College — one was
covered with two thicknesses of white pine one inch thick, which has rotted down ;
the other just the same, only the boards were soaked in a strong solution of salt
and lime, which is good yet. So I would treat all soft lumber to a similar solution.
I would also use 12-inch plates to put the rafters on, and board and cement solid to
and over it. I would also make it one foot wider, as it gives more clear room in the
bottom, but the rafters must be made stronger in proportion, as one of mine where
there was a knot cracked this spring. 1 simply spiked another on its side. I have
an upright door close to the side at the south end, and two small slanting doors at
the top, with 2x6 inch sides for stairs, and loose 2x10 in the steps, so we can take
them up to clean them. Corning, Iowa, Aug. 6.

BEI^O AI^QRY ^WITH DR. MII^I^HR.

BY REV. W. F. CLARKE.

I did not intend to refer again to my little controversy with Dr. Miller, being
quite willing that a man so full of words should have the last word after fully con-
ceding my right to hold my own opinion, which was all I was contending for. But
I cannot let the homily read me by John F. Gates, on page 216, go unnoticed. Mr.
Gates accuses me of being angry with Dr. Miller; not only so, but he takes it for
granted that I was angry, andexclaims with deep regret and much self-complacency:
" What a pity he should get angry so much ?"

I deny the "soft impeachment." I was not angry with Dr. Miller, but I felt
hurt at the pertinacity with which he hounded me about the sting-trowel theory,
and the apparent vindictiveness and intolerance of spirit he manifested. In his last
letter he professes to be greatly relieved that I only held my view of the sting-trowel
process as a matter of opinion. That this was a new discovery on his part is quite
sufficiently disproved by his own constant references to it as the " sting-trowel
theory," and also by my having invariably put it forth as an opinion merely, except
in my " Bird's-Eye View of Bee-Keeping," in which I naturally embodied my own
opinions, and in regard to which he once himself admitted " license of poetry" as
an excuse. But, no ; he put before me no alternative but to prove my theory or
own " that there never was any basis except a vivid imagination " for it. I had long
before stated the reasons which led me to think the bees used their stings in cell-
finishing, so that Dr. Miller's demand was, purely and simply, that I should own

344

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

that my theory had no basis except a vivid imagination, This I could not truthfully
do, and I resented the demand as a piece of intolerance.

I think Dr. Miller has never accepted Mr. Heddon's pollen theory. At any rate
there are many first-class bee-keepers who have not accepted it, but no one of them
has ever called on Mr. Heddon either to prove it or own that it never had any basis
except a vivid imagination. Why was I singled out as the victim of an intolerant
demand ? I don't know, and am at a loss to conceive.

I have a high respect and warm love for Dr. Miller, but, like the rest of us, he
has faults and failings, of which I have been frank enough to remind him when T
thought it necessary. I do not care for a friend who will not tell me of my faults,
and I cannot be such a friend to any one. There is an old proverb that he or she is
your best friend who tells you of your faults, and the Book of Books declares :
" Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful."

While on this point T will say that I think Dr. Miller has done me an injustice
by not recording his satisfaction among the " Stray Straws " in Gleanings. It was
a quotation from them in the Ameeican Bee Journal to which I replied. I did not
write to Gleanings because the Roots treated me with great injustice on the tobacco
question, and also because they rejected the last two articles I sent them. There is
a Mutual Admiration Society among bee-keepers ; I do not belong to it, and don't
want to.

One word more. Mr. Gates assumes that all anger is wicked. I put against
that idea two passages of Scripture — Mark 3:3 : " And when he (Jesus Christ) had
looked round about on them with anger," etc. Eph. 4:26 : "Be ye angry and sin
not." There is an anger that has no element of sinfulness in it. It is a duty, under
certain circumstances, to be angry. When God asked Jonah, " Doest thou well to
be angry ?" the question implied that if there was just cause for anger, Jonah was not
sinning. Guelph, Ont.

[We think the foregoing discussion has gone far enough, and further "war of
words " would be simply a waste of space. But as to there being a "Mutual
Admiration Society " existing among bee-keepers, we must confess we hadn't
thought of it at all, or heard of it before Mr. Clarke mentioned it. We hope it may
turn out to be only one of his many "opinions" — like the "sting-trowel theory," for
instance. — Editor.]

Los Anples County Conyention.

BY DR. G. A. MILLARD.

Tlie Los Angeles County Bee-Keepers'
Association met in the Chamber of Com-
merce Rooms at Los Angeles, Calif., on
Aug. 6, 1894. The meeting was called
to order by Dr. G. A. Millard, and Mr.
liurgk was elected President pro ton in
the absence of the President, Prof. Cook.

A NEW BEE-DISEASE.

A communication was received from
J. A. Oderlin, of Santa Ana, inquiring
as to the cause of his bees dying. Ac-
cording to the description given, his
apiary seems to be infected with the
new disease, as yet unnamed. Mr. Heart,
inspector for this county, reports the
disease as resembling foul brood in ap-
pearance, but decidedly not foul brood ;
as being prevalent in the northern part
of the county, and as being in every
apiary in the county so far as he had
inspected.

Mr. Jas. Janes stated that a year since
he had found the same in his apiary,
and treated it by removing old, infected
brood, and replacing it with new brood
from healthy colonies, and it has not re-
appeared.

An article was read giving starvation
as the cause, but this seems to be a mis-

AMERICAN BEK JOURNAL.

345

take, as members present, including
Inspector Heart, Mr. Janes, N. Lever-
ing, E. E. Siiattoclv, and others have
observed it where stores were plentiful.
It was also stated that in the central
portion of the State, where a fair yield
of honey was found this year, this dis-
ease was also plentiful.

Mr. Heart's experience is, that as hot
weather increases this trouble dimin-
ishes.

Mr. Shattock found last year, in his
apiary, what on casual observation he
pronounced foul brood. He marked the
hive, intending, after going through his
apiary, to attend to this one, but being
very busy he did not get around to it for
two weeks, and" on opening it for foul
brood, he found no trace of it, the bees
having cleaned up, and were doing
nicely. He was puzzled over the matter,
but now concludes it must have been
this new disease.

At the afternoon session, a communi-
cation by Pres. Cook was read by the
Secretary, taken from the Amekican
Bee Journal of Aug. 2, 1894, recom-
mending feeding for bee-paralysis. Mr.
Heart does not agree with the idea, as
cases coming under his observation,
when feeding had been resorted to, re-
sulted with no benefit. Mr. Heart de-
scribes the new disease as follows :
Brood dies at about eight days, and
when first dead looks like foul brood,
but lacks the gummy or stringy con-
sistency, and does not have the smell of
foul brood.

The writer concludes, from testimony
presented, that this is not so new a
thing as at first supposed, but has been
with us before this season, and as cold
weather seems to favor its development,
and this season having been unusually
cold, it has increased to a remarkable
degree, and we hope, with the advent of
a more favorable season, the disease will
diminish or die out. However, the car-
rying through winter will be of consid-
erable importance, even with California
bee-keepers this year.

THE SUPERS IN WINTER. '

" Is it better to remove supers with
combs for the winter ?" was asked.

Mr. Burgk advised taking off supers
so as to leave smaller space for the bees
to keep warm during cold weather.
Store the supers in a cool place. If the
super is not removed, and the colony
not strong, place a quilt of waxed cloth
over the brood-chamber to retain the
heat there. The waxed cloth is made
by running muslin through melted wax.

Mr. Shattock suggests muslin oiled with
lard as being just as good.

SMOKERS AND FEEDERS.

The bee-smoker suggested and known
here as the " Shattock smoker," was
recommended. It can be hung on the
windward edge of the hive, with the
nozzle just above the edge of the brood-
chamber, when the wind carries a light
smoke across the top of the frames,
which is usually sulficient to keep the
bees quiet.

Feeding, this season, on account of
drouth becomes an interesting question.
Mr. Burgk's feeder consists of a frame
(such as used in the hives of the apiary)
sided up so as to hold syrup. Fill and
place a beveled edge float on top of the
syrup, from which the bees take it up.
When empty, refill.

A feeder suggested by Mr. Janes, is a
glass jar inverted in a tin lid, with thin
honey for fall. But for hot weather, a
common tin fruit-can with top removed,
and filled with syrup. Use a float of H-
inch block with beveled edge, or >2-inch
holes— smaller holes will trap the bees.

To fill the feeder, take a 5-gallon can
with a screw top, and attach at the bot-
tom a small faucet connected with a
rubber hose. Let your assistant lift the
cover of the hive, place the end of the
hose in, and fill the feeder, then pass on
to the next. Before using the float,
soak it over night in water. Floats
should be washed occasionally, as they
may become coated.

TARE FOR EXTRACTED HONEY.

The weight of cans, in selling honey,
was considered. Mr. Levering refused
to allow a deduction (tare) for weight
of cans, and his honey has been accepted
so far this season in that way. It is
urged that all bee-keepers stand firm in
this matter, and there will be no need of
losing as heretofore. When the apiarist
buys a can of lard, the weight of the
can is never deducted, nor the wrappers
around his tea and coffee, but generally
he pays well for the fancy wrapper.

Although the attendance at this meet-
ing was light, there was no 'lack of in-
terest, and all present felt that " it was
good to be there." The convention then
adjourned until the first Monday in Sep-
tember, 1894.

G. A. Millard, Sec.

Los Angeles, Calif.

One-Cent Postage Stamps we

prefer whenever it is necessary to send
stamps for fractions of a doUar. By re-
membering this, you will greatly oblige us.

346

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

^^~ Do not write anything for publication
on the same sheet of paper wltn business
matters, unless it can be torn apart withou
interfering with either part of the letter.

Best Year He Ever Saw.

My bees are still booming up. This Is
the best year for honey that I ever saw
in this part of Texas.

I am very much In love with the
American Bee Journal, and don't want
to be without it. I wish it much success
in the future. S. F. Ozburn.

Meridian, Tex., Aug. 29.

Everything Full of Honey.

I have taken 3,136 pounds of honey
to date, with enough more ready to take
to bring the last extracting up to 1,100
pounds — the same as each of the first
and second extractings, if not more.
Tired? Oh, I am so tired working with
the honey ! I got all my vessels full.
Notwithstanding the terrible drouth we
have had, the bees are still bringing in
some honey. We have never had a com-
plete failure here since I have been in
the business. Last year was the nearest,
and then I got 1,666 pounds, and sold it
at 123<^ cents per pound.

Mrs. S. E. Sherman.

Salado, Tex., Aug. 25.

Feeder for Inside the Hive.

On page 182 I notice an article writ-
ten by Edwin Bevins on how to feed
bees inside the hive. I will give my
plan for feeding inside. I have tried
various ways, but none suits me as well
as the following :

I take a brood-frame, make the Joints
true with a sharp plane, then I nail on
each side a board '4; -inch thick. I leave
the board rough on the inside so the
bees can get a better hold with their
feet. I cover about % of the depth of
the frame, and that will hold from 3 to
10 pounds of honey, according to the
size and length of the frame. That

makes a narrow trough. I then take
out one frame of comb near the back of
the hive, and hang the feeder in the
place of the comb.

I have used this feeder for a number
of years, and have fed over 1,200
pounds in the last three years. Put the
feeders in with the honey between sun-
down and dark, and there is no trouble
about robbing. I fed 900 pounds one
winter in this way, and did not lose a
single colony, and there was no trouble
with drowning bees. H. C. Wheeler.

Winchester, Calif., Aug. 27.

About 80 Pounds per Colony.

My crop of honey this year will hurry
80 pounds to the hive. It is not yet all
off the hives. The brood-chambers were
contracted to % the size of a 10-frame
Langstroth. Then I fed extensively be-
fore the harvest, and kept prolific queens
in all hives. C. W. Dayton.

Florence, Calif., Sept. 1.

Sulphur a Cure for Paralysis.

About July 3rd, I discovered that 2
of my 12 colonies of bees had bee-paral-
ysis very bad. Both the colonies were
of a very shiny black color, and all the
young bees of both colonies were affect-
ed the same way, and were also dying
very fast. I took one ounce of flour of
sulphur for each colony, and put the
sulphur in a tin pepper-box, gave the
bees a little smoke, then opened the
hives and shook the sulphur all over
combs, bees, brood, and all over inside
of hive, closed it, and in 8 days I found
that the bees were all cured of bee-pa-
ralysis, and at this writing the two colo-
nies are strong in bees, and are storing
honey in the sections.

I send the above information for the
benefit of those whose bees are troubled
as mine were. The sulphur is a sure
cure, if you give them enough. Thanks
to the discoverer of the same.

Wm. H. Derham.

Rockford, 111., Aug. 27.

Had a Good Honey-Flow, Etc.

Our honey-flow in this part of the
country was good— one of my colonies
stored about 75 pounds of comb honey,
and others did exceedingly well. Swarm-
ing ! Well, one swarm was all we had.
Others had more by letting them swarm
for the second and third time.

We found one bee-tree this year so

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

347

far, and it was only about 100 yards
from the house. We felled the tree,
secured about 20 pounds of nice honey,
and a very large colony. We saved all
the comb and brood, and have a good
colony now. I think we can find another
tree if we look for it, as we got a good
course from the tree we cut.

Mr. Chas. Kirschman also found a bee-
tree but he got no honey, neither did he
save the bees. He hived them, but they
came out and left.

Next year I will try putting hives with
old combs in the woods, as others were
quite successful in catching swarms that
way.

The bees in this part of the country
are all blacks and hybrids, except mine.
I have some Italians,"hybrids and blacks,
but the yellow Italians are my choice.

The American Bee Journal is in-
deed a welcome weekly visitor, and
from its pages I learn many a lesson.
Bee-keepers of Missouri, read the Bee
Journal, and send in the reports of
your honey crops, and how your bees
did this year. Let it be good or bad, it
is always worth mentioning, so that we
may hear more from our Missouri bee-
keepers. F. N. Blank.

Prairie Home, Mo., Aug. 25.

Rain Needed for Fall Flow.

The spring was wet and cold, and
frost killed nearly all the fruit blossoms.
I lost quite a number of colonies by
spring dwindling. White clover came
in good, also basswood, which gave the
bees a good start. We had quite a num-
ber of showers this season, but it is get-
ting very dry now. If we do not have
rain soon, the fail flow will be light.

Gillett, Wis., Aug. 30. R. Howell.

"Washing'ton Flax" as a Honey-Plant

I find in this State, growing wild, and
generally coming where logging camps
have been, or slashing of timber has
taken place, a flax called here " Wash-
ington flax." The Indians, from this
plant, make a good thread, very strong,
more durable, and of a superior quality
to our domestic article. The plant
grows about as high as one's head, and
has more the appearance of hemp in its
growth than of flax. The flower is a
purplish red, and is good for bees, be-
cause it continues so long, and at the
very times the bees need it. It contin-
ues here until late in September, the
flower is rather plenty. I mailed you

yesterday a sample of the seed, and I
urge bee-men and agriculturists to give
it a, trial. I know from experience that
it is a superior honey-producer, and be-
lieve it can be made profitable as a flax.

Who knows but this is the beginning
in the introduction to civilization of a
plant heretofore untried, which can pro-
duce our food and clothing, thereby aid-
ing in settling partially the vexed tariff
question ? If our own people in this
State would raise their own food, pro-
duce, make and wear their own cloth,
the tariff question would settle itself.

Any of our bee-men sending postage
will be mailed some of the seed this sea-
son, if application is made before it is
gone. R. H. Ballinger.

Port Townsend, Wash., Aug. 25.

[The sample was received all right.
Thank you. We are always glad to
learn of new honey-plants that are
/loney-plants ; and of course if they can
at the same time be utilized in other
ways, so much the better. We trust
that so far as possible the new plants
may be tried, and reports given thereon.
Bee-pasturage must be secured by plant-
ing specially, if the natural resources
are insufficient. — Editor.]

Nucleus Plan of Introducing.

Some one has said that queen-bees are
more easily introduced when the colo-
nies to which they are to be introduced
are in a prosperous condition. But such
has not been my experience. Colonies
usually rear drones when prosperous,
and I have found it more difficult to in-
troduce a queen to a colony with drone-
brood than to one without it. I have
always found it less difficult to intro-
duce queens to full colonies early in the
spring, before the bees have built up,
and late in the fall, after they have
ceased brood-rearing, than at other
times.

When bees are so prosperous as to
think of swarming, which they usually
do when they are rearing drones, I re-
frain from trying to introduce to them
a queen under any of the ordinary plans.
The nucleus plan will work well at any
time, and if I had a valuable queen to
introduce at a time when my bees are
prospering, I would use the nucleus
plan. H. F. Coleman.

Sneedville, Tenn,

348

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Honey & Beeswax Market Quotations.

ALBANY, N. Y., Sept. 5.— There is begin-
ning to be more call for honey and receipts
are higher as yet. While there is no doubt a
moderate crop there is also a lack of money
with the consumer to pay high prices, and we
don't look for fancy prices. We quote: White
comb, 14@15c.; mixed, 12®13c.: dark.ll®
12c. Extracted, white, 7@7 He; mixed. 65/2®
754c.; dark, 6c. Beeswax scarce, 28@30c.
H. R. W.

BUFFALO, N. Y., Sept. 7.-The demand for
honey as yet is moderate, owing to the liberal
supply of fruit, etc. ; as soon as these early
fall fruits are done we anticipate quite an im-
provement and good demand. Few sales of
fancy No. 1 comb are being made at mostly
12c„ occasionally 14c. B. & Co.

NEW FORK, N. Y., Aug. ll.-Our market
is well stocked with all kinds of extracted
honey, and trade Is quiet. We quote: White
clover and basswood. 6@6 i4c. a pound ; South-
ern, 50@65c. per gallon, according to quality.
A few lots of new comb honey arrived, but
the trade on these goods has not opened as
yet. In two weeks we will be able to make
prices. Beeswax is quiet at 2654@27c.

H. B. &S.

CHICAGO, I1.L., Aug. 23.-Choice lots of
white comb honey are selling at 15c. per
pound. The demand is not at all brisk. Ex-
tracted brings 5@7c., as quality, flavor and
package warrants. As yet little dark comb is
offered, and it does not sell at over 10c. Bees-
wax, 25c. R. A. B. & Co.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.. Sept, 8.-The supply
of comb and extracted is very light with only
fair demand. We quote: Fancy white, 15®
16c.; amber, ll@12c.: dark. 10c. Extracted,
white, 6i^®7c.; amber, 6@654c.; dark. 4i/4®
bViC. Beeswax, 22c. H. & B.

NEW YORK, N. Y.,Aug. 23.-We have had
a few inquiries for new comb honey; also
have had some small shipments of new crop.
Demand is as yet limited, but expect a good
opening. The weather is too warm yet and
the consumption is hardly begun yet. Prices
now ruling would not be a criterion of what
the prices will be when the season has fairly
opened. We quote: 1-lb. clover— fancy. 14c. ;
fair, 12®13c.; mixed, 10@llc. Extracted is
in better demand for manufacturing pur-
poses. Southern, 50®60c. per gallon: North-
ern. 5@7c. i)er pound. Beeswax, 25®28c.

C. I. & B.

CINCINNATI, O., Sept. 8.— There is a good
demand for comb honey at 14@16c. a pound
for choice white, in the jobbing way. Demand
has been fair for extracted honey at 4@6c. a
pound on arrival. Supply Is good. It is un-
wise counsel to bee-keepers " to hold on " to
their honey. Our experience of the past is
ample proof that comb honey brings the be§t
prices from Septemiier on, while the n:arkct
18 not yet overstocked. The reverse has al-
ways been the case about Christmas time, and
" holders-on " were disappointed. Our expe-
rience of the past will repeat itself this year,
as usual.

Beeswax Is in good demand at 20®25c. for
good to choice yellow. C. F. M. & S.

A Binder for holding a year's num-
bers of the Bee Journal wo mail for
only 50 cents; or clubbed with the
Journal for $1,40.

List of Honey and Beeswax Dealers,

Most of whom Quote in this Journal.

Cblcago, Ills.

J. A. Lamon. 43 South Water St.

R. A. Burnett & Co.. 163 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.
I. J. Stringham, 105 Park Place.

Kansas City, mo.

Hamblin & Bbarss, 514 Walnut Street.
Clemoms-Mason Com. Co.. 521 Walnut-St.

Albany, N.Y.

H. R. Wright, 326 & 328 Broadway.

Buffalo, N.¥.
Batterson & Co., 167 & 169 Scott St.

Hamilton, Ills.
Chas. Dadant & Son.

Cincinnati, Obio.
C F. Mdth & Son, cor. Freeman & Central avs.

CJou-rention IVotices.

Utah.— The Utah bee-keepers will hold their
semi-annual convention on the Oct. 4. 1894,
at Salt Lake City, Utah. Jno. C. Swaner.

Salt Lake City, Utah. Sec'y.

Wisconsin.— The next annual meeting of
the Wisconsin Bee-Keepers'Assoclation willbe
held at Madison, on Feb. 8th and 9th. 1895.

Madison. Wis. J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec.

Minnesota.— The second meeting of the
Southern Minnesota Bee-Keeprs' Association
will be held at Winona, on October 1st, in the
Board of Trade rooms, commencing at 10
o'clock a. m, E. C. Cornell. Sec.

Winona. Minn.

Pennsylvania.— The Venango County Bee-
Keepers' Association of northwestern Penn-
sylvania will hold their 2nd annual meeting
in the City Hall at Franklin, Pa., on Jan. 28,
1895, at i o'clock p.m. All interested send
for program. C. S. Pizer. Sec.

Franklin, Pa.

The North American B.-K. A.— The Quar-
ter Centennial Meei ing of this Society will be
held at St. Joseph. Mo., on Oct. 10, 11 and 12,
1894. It is the first convention or the North
American Association beyond the western
bank of the Mississippi, and large delegations
from the great West will be present. We
hope the East, the North and the South will
gather with them. Frank Bknton, Sec.

Dept. Agriculture, Washington, D. O.

Tlie I^ovelty I»oc'l<ct-Mnife is

worth having. Mr. A. G. Amos, of New
York, says this about it: " The ' Novelty'
pocket-knife which I received with the
American Bee Journal arrived all O. K.,
and it is a dandy." Better get one your-
self, and then you will know what a
" dandy " thing it is. See page 3.53 for ad-
vertising offer.

VOL. XXXIV. CHICAGO, ILL, SEPT. 20, 1894.

NO. 12.

N GlORCE W YORK =t;p'

Uro. Ci. 1£. IlHl»bar4l and wife, of
Ft. Wayne, Ind., left last week for River-
side, Calif., where Mrs. H. finds increased
health and strength. She has been an in-
valid for several years, but California
climate helps her wonderfully. We hope
she may speedily be restored to vigorous
health.

Xo Remove Propolis from the
hands is quite a job unless you know how.
Bro. Holtermann, in the Canadicm Bee Jour-
nal, says: " We pour a little coal-oil in the
palm of the hand, and rub it well over the
parts soiled. The oil readily removes the
substance. Wash well after applying the
oil, rubbing with soap and cold (or better
warm) water, and your hands are clean."

Xlie C\ IS. &. <|. Railroad is the

hest one to take when going to the St.
Joseph, Mo., meeting of the North Ameri-
can. Please don't forget this. Also re-
member that the convention will be held
Oct. 10th, nth and 12th. The "Harvest
Excursion" on all the roads east of the
Missouri river starts on Oct. 9th. If you
want to ride on the best road to St. Joseph,
he sure to take the " C. B. & Q."

Xhe JVatloual ]VIitseiiiii at Wash-
ington, D. C, contains some bees, it seems,
though not live ones. A writer in the
Western Rural says this about it :

While passing through the National
Museum, in Washington. D. C, the other
day, my attention was attracted by a case
containing 13 small vials. These were filled
with a black liquid, and in each was a small
insect. Closer examination proved that in
this small case was a condensed history of
our honey-bee. The vials were divided into
three rows ; one being made up of those
containing the worker-bees ; the second con-
tained the queens; and the third the
drones. The vials in each division showed
the bees in four stages of development —
the egg, the larvae, the pupa, and the
imago, or fully developed bee. The ma-
ture insect must have passed through all
these stages. It is interesting to study the
bees in these different conditions.

j^ortli Aiiierieau I>eleg-ates. —

Pres. Abbott is becoming more enthusias-
tic about the future of the North American
Bee-Keepers' Association than if a whole
colony of properly aroused Cyprian bees
were after him. That's a good sign. We
need more enthusiasts on this line. Here
is what Bro. Abbott says now:

THE FUTURE OF THE NORTH AMERICAN.

Rev. W. F. Clarke, in his address at the
Keokuk meeting had the following to say
on this subject:

" I have only one word more to say about
the future of this Association. It needs to
assume a more representative character.
All along, during the course of its history,
we have tried to give it this feature. The
only defect in this meeting has been that
there were so few ' wise men from the East '
here. The distance is too great for many
whose hearts have been with us, to bear
the expense of the journey.

•'I say frankly, that but for the generous
of my fellow-members of the

360

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Ontario Bee-Keepers' Association. I should
have been absent — no great loss, perhaps,
except to myself. But I want to hold up
the body I represent as an example in this
respect. We are going to send at least one
delegate every year, and pay his expenses,
even if the Association meets as far away
as California. I think I may venture to
tell you, as a little 'tale out of school,' that
hereafter when a bee-keeper fills the presi-
dential chair among us for a year, he will
not 'step down and out.' but will be in-
vited to step up and out, by being ap-
pointed our delegate to this convention. Is
not this an idea worth adoption, at least by
every State, Provincial and Territorial as-
sociation ? I think it is, and I would ex-
press the hope, in closing, that this body,
while retaining all the good qualities it has
had in the past, will, in the future, be more
thoroughly and largely representative of
the bee-keeping fraternity, and in all parts
of North America."

In commenting on this address, Thomas
G. Newman said:

" In order to make this Association truly
representative, in fact as well as in name,
it is necessary that all local. State and
Territorial associations should send dele-
gates to every convention. We want to
see the society extend even as far as Cali-
fornia, and have representatives of that
large honey-producing country attend our
meetings. But in order to do so, they must
come as representatives, and their ex-
penses be paid by the societies. No one
individual could afford the outlay for him-
self alone. But for the many it is easily
accomplished. Able representatives would
be willing to give their time to attend these
assemblies, but all representatives should
have their expenses paid by the local
societies."

This is in line with what I said in a former
article. Can we not have at least one rep-
resentative from each State ? Friend York
suggests that California send Prof. Cook.
I second the motion, and at the same time
move that Massachusetts send Henry Alley
from the other side of the Continent. Do
I hear a second ? Emerson T. Abbott.

St. Jo-seph, Mo., Sept. 6, 1894.

Yes, Bro. Abbott, we'll be one to second
the motion that Henry Alley be sent as a
delegate to the meeting at St. Joseph next
month. We hope there may be a large
number of delegates present from all over
the country. Prof. Cook from California,
and Henry Alley from Massachusetts!
Well, that'.s almost as far apart "as the
east is from the west." It would do Bro.
Alley good to rub up against our Western
hustle, and also sniff the pure ozone of our
boundless prairies. Come on, Bro. A., and
bring a whole " special car" full of East-
ern bee-keepers with you?

Have You Read page :}83 yet ?

Xlie l'on$^titiition antl By-t,a,\vs

of the North American Bee-Keepers' Society
have been asked for, so we have concluded
to place them before our readers this week.
It seems that at the convention held at
Columbus, O., Oct. 3, 4 and 5, 1888, a new
Constitution and By-Laws were adopted,
but at the meeting in Keokuk, Iowa, Oct.
29, 30 and 31, 1890, the Constitution was re-
written for the purpose of incorporation,
was adopted, and now stands as follows:

CoiistlUitlon of the N. A. B.-K. A.

ARTICLE I.— Name.

This organization shall be known as "The
North American Bee-Keepers' Association,"
and shall include in its territory all of the
United States and Canada.

ARTICLE II.— Ob,iect.

Its object shall be to promote the general
interests of the pursuit of bee-culture
throughout North America.

ARTICLE III. -Membership.

1. This Association shall consist of its
officers, life members, annual members,
honorary members, delegates from affiliated
local associations, and ex-presidents.

2. Any person interested in apiculture,
may become a Life Member upon the pay-
ment to the Secretary of the sum of ten
dollars, and receiving a majority vote at
any annual meeting of this Association.

3. Any person interested in apiculture,
may become an Annual Member upon the
payment to the Secretary of one dollar.
Ladies interested in apiculture may be ad-
mitted free.

4. Annual Members shall be entitled to
vote, hold office, and discuss any question
before the Association.

5. Any person may become Honorary
Members by receiving a majority vote at
any regular meeting.

(). Delegates from affiliated local Associa-
tions shall be admitted free, and have all
the rights of annual members.

ARTICLE IV.— Officers.

1. The officers of this Association shall
consist of a President, 1st Vice-President,
Secretary and Treasurer, and their term of
office shall be one year, or until their suc-
cessors shall be elected and qualified. These
officers shall constitute the Executive Com-
mittee.

2. The Presidents of all the local Associa-
tions, in affiliation with this Association,
shall be cx-officlo Vice-Presidents of this
Association.

ARTICLE v.— Affiliation.

Any State, District, Territory or Province
in North America may become affiliated
with the "North American Bee-Keepers'
Association" upon the annual payment of
five dollars, which shall be due on the first

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

861

day of January in each year, in advance
for the calendar year.

ARTICLE VI.— Meetings.

Its principal place of business shall be at
Chicago. 111., and the annual meeting of
this Association shall he held at such place
as shall be agreed upon at the previous an-
nual meeting. Ten members shall consti-
tute a quorum for the transaction of busi-
ness, but a less number may engage in dis-
cussion, and adjourn until some future day.

ARTICLE VII.— Vacaxcies in Office.

Vacancies in office, by death, resignation,
or otherwise, shall be filled by the Execu-
tive Committee, until the next annual
meeting.

ARTICLE VIII.— Amendments.

This Constitution may be smended at
any annual meeting by a two-thirds vote
of all the members present.

The "By-Laws," we believe, have not
been amended since their first adoption at
Columbus, O., in 1888. so we copy them as
follows from the published "Report"' for
that year :

By-Laws of the N. A. B.-K. A.

Article I. — The officers of this Associa-
tion shall be elected by a majority ballot ;
or, if so decided, by a vote of two-thirds of
those present, the officers may be elected
by a show of hands.

Art. II.— It shall be the duty of the Presi-
dent to call and preserve order in all meet-
ings of the Association ; to call for all re-
ports of officers and standing committees ;
to put to vote all motions regularly sec-
onded; to decide all questions of order
according to the Constitution and By-Laws
of the Association, and in accordance with
parliamentary usage ; to provide for count-
ing the votes at all elections; and at the
expiration of his term of office, to deliver
an address before the Association.

Art. III.— It shall be the duty of the 1st
Vice-President (or in his absence one of
the other Vice-Presidents), in the absence
of the President, to perform the duties of
that office.

Art. IV.- -It shall be the duty of the Sec-
retary to call the names of the members of
the Association at the opening of each an-
nual meeting, and to receive the annual
dues ; to report all proceedings of the Asso-
ciation, and record the same, when ap-
proved, in the Secretary's book; to conduct
all correspondence of the Association, and
to file and preserve all papers belonging to
the same; to lake and record the name and
address of every person who becomes a
member of the Association, and transfer
the moneys received for dues to the Treas-
urer, after taking his receipt for the same ;
to make out and publish annually, as far as
practicable, a statistical table showing the
number of colonies owned in the spring and
fall, and the amount of honey and wax pro-
duced (together with such other informa-

tion as may be deemed beneficial) by each
member of the Association; and to give
notice of all meetings of the Association in
all the bee-papers, at least four weeks be-
fore the time of such meeting.

Art. v.— It shall be the duty of the
Treasurer to receive from the Secretary
the funds of the Association, and give a
receipt for the same; to pay them out
upon the order of the Executive Commit-
tee, and to render a written report of all
receipts and expenditures of the Associa-
tion at each annual convention.

Art. VI.— The Secretary shall have power
to choose an Assistant-Secretary if deemed
necessary.

Art. VII.— The Association shall be
mainly governed by the following order of
business:
Call to Order.

Calling the Roll of Officers and Members.
Reading the Minutes of the Annual and
Special Meetings, if any.

Reception of New Members and the Col-
lection of Annual Dues.
Secretary's Report.
Treasurer's Report.
Report of Standing Committees.
Reports from Affiliated Societies.
President's Address.
Election of Officers.

Selection of the Time and Place for Hold-
fng the Next Convention.
Miscellaneous Business.
Discussion of Apicultural Topics.
Installation of Officers.
Adjournment.

Art. VIII. — 1. A committee of five may be
elected, who shall have power to organize
itself into a •• Honey Company," and its
duties shall be to inaugurate plans for the
marketing and sale of the products of the
apiary. Every member of the North
American Bee-Keepers' Association, and its
affiliated branches, shall be entitled to the
benefits of the Honey Company, subject to
the terms of its By-Laws.

2. This Honey Company shall make an-
nual reports of the state of the market,
amount of business done, and of its finan-
cial condition, to the annual convention of
the North American Bee-Keepers' Associa-
tion.

Art. IX.— 1. The Secretary of each local
affiliated society shall, through its Secre-
tary or President, on the first day of Au-
gust in each year, report to the Secretary
of the North American Bee-Keepers' Asso-
ciation, the number of its members, stating
the aggregate number of colonies of bees in
their apiaries in the previous fall, the num-
ber in the spring, the increase since, and
the approximate number of pounds of
honey produced (stating comb and ex-
tracted separately), and any other desir-
able information concerning the probable
honey-production of those not members of
the society, but within the territory of the
affiliated local association.

2. K the annual affiliation fee be not
promptly paid, and the local report with-
held, the -North American Bee-Keepers'
Association " may at any time within one
month of the date mentioned, withdraw

362

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

the privileges of affiliation, which comprise
the following:

(1.) The President of each affiliated so-
ciety is er-officlu a Vice-President of the
North American Bee-Keepers' Association.
(2.) It shall be entitled to receive from
the North American Bee-Keepers' Associa-
tion two silver medals, to be offered as
prizes for honey, open for competition to all
its members, one for the best in the comb,
and the other for the best out of the comb.
(3.) The members of all the affiliated
societies shall be entitled to the facilities
which may be provided from time to time
by the Honey Company, for the sale of
honey and beeswax, upon the terms stated
in the By-Laws of the company.

(4.) Each affiliated society shall be en-
titled to the services of a judge to award
premiums at its bee and honey show, upon
the payment of his actual railroad and
hotel expenses.

(5.) Each affiliated society shall be en-
titled to elect one delegate to each 25
of its members, or fraction thereof, who
may represent it at the annual convention
of the North American Bee-Keepers' Asso-
ciation—all expenses of such delegates to be
borne by themselves or the local society, or
both conjointly, as they may provide. Such
delegates shall be entitled to vote, hold
office, and take part in all the deliberations
of the North American Bee-Keepers' Asso-
ciation.

Art. X.— A Defense Committee of seven
shall be appointed for the purpose of con-
sidering the applications of members for
defense from unjust lawsuits by those who
are prejudiced against the pursuit. This
committee shall be the officers annually
elected by the National Bee-Keepers' Union,
which is hereby declared to be affiliated to
the North American Bee-Keepers' Associa-
tion. Its President is hereby made a Vice-
President of this Association, and its Gen-
eral Manager also a delegate to the Annual
Convention.

Art. XI.— An Expert Committee of three
shall be annually elected and fully em-
powered to prepare examination blanks,
and make all necessary arrangements for
the examination of candidates for diplomas
as experts in the art of bee-kepping. This
committee shall be empowered In the name
of this Association, to award diplomas of
three grades upon candidates, according to
their proficiency in the art of bee-keeping,
and the management of an apiary.

Art. XII.— 1. The Executive Committee
of this Association shall cause the Consti-
tution and By-Laws to be printed in ap-
propriate form, and every person joining
the Association shall be entitled to a copy
of the same.

3. It shall also select subjects for discus-
sion, and appoint members to deliver ad-
dresses or read essays, and the same shall
be published with the call for the next an-
nual meeting.

:i It shall also provide free badges for all
members, and j)rocure medals for the
honey shows of affiliated associations and
diplomas for experts.

4. The Executive Committee shall also

provide a place of meeting for the annual
convention, and see that all necessary ar-
rangements are made to carry out the de-
mands of the Constitution and By-Laws.

Art. XIII. — No member shall be entitled
to the floor more than five minutes in the
discussion of any motion, resolution or
petition without obtaining the consent of
the Association, nor a second time, unless
by the consent of the President, or a ma-
jority of the members present.

Art. XIV. — All committees shall be
elected by ballot, by a plurality vote, ex-
cept by special resolution.

Art. XV. — These By-Laws may be
amended by a two-thirds vote of all the
members present at any annual meeting of
the Association.

Fee<l tlie Kees for winter, if they
need it. Don't let them starve, but see to
it that they have ample stores to carry
them through the cold season, which will
soon be here. Also properly protect them
from the cold winds and storms that are
bound to come in a northern climate. Don't
neglect your bees, whatever you may do.

COWVEWTIOM USRECTORY.

Time and place of meeting.

1894.
Oct. 1.— Southern Minnesota, at Winona.

E. C. Cornell, Sec, Winona, Minn.

Oct. 4,— Utah, at Salt Lake City. Utah.

Jno. C. Swaner, Sec, Salt Lake City, Utah

Oct. 10-12.— North American, St. Joseph, Mo.
Frank Benton, Sec, Washington, D. C.
1895.
Jan. 28.— Venango Co., at Franklin, Pa.

C. S. Pizer, Sec, Franklin, Pa.

Feb. 8, 9.— Wisconsin, at Madison, Wis,

J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec, Madison, Wis.

I^" In order to have this table complete,
iSecretaries are requested to forward full
particulars of the time and the place of
each future meetinR. — The Editor.

North American Bee-Keepers' Association

P RES.— Emerson T. Abbott St. Joseph. Mo.

Vick-Pres.— O. L. Hershiser.... Buffalo. N. Y,
Secretary— Frauk Benton, Washington, D. C.
Treasurer— George W. York.. .Chlcag-o, Ills.

Watlonal Bee-Keepers' Union.

President— Hon. R. L.Taylor. .Lapeer, Mich.
Gen'l Manager— T. G. Newman, Chicago, 111.
147 South Western Avenue.

Have You Read the wonderful Pre-
mium offers on page 383?

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU

363

answered by
Marenc.o. III.

In this department will be answered those
questions needing immediate attention, and
such as are not of sulficient special interest to
require replies from the '-lO or more apiarists
who help to make ■' Queries and Replies" so
interesting: on another pag-e. In the main.it
will contain questions and answers upon mat-
ters that particularly interest beginners.— Ed.

Fall Transferring.

Would it be well to transfer bees into
different hives as late as October 1st ?
Lewiston, W. Va. D. S. M.

Answer. — Better wait till spring.

Will Extracted Honey Sour ?

Will good, thick extracted honey sour?
That is, honey that weighs 12 pounds to
the gallon. J. V. E.

Answer. —Yes, any honey will sour if
you keep il; in a damp place, unless it's
sealed up tight. Honey, such as you
mention, ought to keep till your grand-
children are grey, if kept in a dry place,
especially if a little warmer than sur-
rounding atmosphere.

Transferring and Italianizing.

I have 11 colonies of black bees in
box-hives, and I want to transfer them
into the dovetail hive.

Also my stock of bees ; I want the
best possible honey-gatherers. Can you
give the cheapest and surest way, or is
it too late to get a full colony of bees
that has a lot of drones and drone-comb,
so they can rear plenty of drones after
my black drones are killed out? 1 would
like to change my stock this fall, and
next spring transfer the bees to other
hives. C. R. R.

Harden, N. C, Aug. 28.

Answer. — It will be of no use for you
to get drones this fall. Drones are sum-
mer birds and are not kept over winter.
One of the first things for you to do is

to get a good text-book, and read up
thoroughly. With 11 colonies on hand
you may save the price of a book a good
many times over in a year.

You can get a full colony of Italians
this fall, but you'll be about as well off
to get them next spring, and then you'll
not run any risk wintering them, al-
though I suppose in North Carolina the
risk of wintering ought not to be much.

Instead of getting a full colony it
might be a cheaper plan to get two or
three queens this fall, but there again is
the difficulty that your bees are in box-
hives, and without much experience you
would be likely to make a failure of in-
troducing queens in box-bives.

If you can't get a full colony near by,
at a reasonable rate, you can get a nu-
cleus next spring with a good queen.

But now you get a good text-book first
thing, and you'll enjoy reading up this
winter, and you will work a good deal
more intelligently next spring. Two or
three books would be still better.

A Colony with Laying Worker.

What is the best thing to do with a
colony that has a laying worker ? What
is the best method to find her in the col-
ony ? It's a hard thing, because she is
but very little larger than a common bee.

Pflugersville, Tex. E. W.

Answer. — Yes, it's a harder thing
than you think, to find a laying worker,
or else you wouldn't ask how. I don't
believe any one can tell a laying worker
by her looks, and the only way to iden-
tify her is by seeing her at work laying.
This, in all "the years of my experience,
I never saw but once, and it's doubtful
if I'll ever see it again.

Generally, the best thing to do with a
colony having a laying worker is to
break it up, uniting it where it will do
most good. Set it over a weak colony
having a good queen, having a passage
for only one bee between the two, but
allowing each its full entra'ice. In a
couple of days enlarge the passage be-
tween the two hives, and i think you'll
find them unite peaceably. You cau
also divide it among several colonies.

If anxious to preserve it, give it a
frame of brood with adhering bees and a
sealed queen-cell. Be sure to report
how you come out w!th it.

What Caused the " Matricide P"

I went to a hive yesterday which con-
tained a select Italian queen which was
introduced on Joly 4th, and which was

864

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAj-.

received all right and has been laying
all right ever since. I noticed outside —
dead — a fine, yellov/ Italian (it appeared
to be) queen lying on the ground. As I
was apprehensive that possibly some-
thing had gone vi^rong vs'ith my queen, I
looked in and found her hanging on the
bottom-bar of the outside frame with a
large "ball" of bees around her — evi-
dently trying to sting their own mother.
I smoked two or three puffs into the
entrance before I opened the hive, but
can see no reason for such behavior.

I rescued the queen and put her on
another frame in another part of the
hive, and gave the whole business a
thorough, good smoking. Can you sug-
gest the reason for such willful and
malicious "matricide?" There seems
to be lots of pollen coming in, but I can-
not tell much about whether there is
any honey with it. D. R.

Abilene, Tex., Sept. 4.

Answer. — It isn't always easy to tell
what a man is thinking about by look-
ing in his face, and it's about as hard to
understand bees, sometimes. In spite
of the fact that you thought you saw
" blood in the eyes " of the bees that you
supposed to be on murder intent, I sus-
pect that it was nearly the opposite —
simply a grim determination to lose their
lives, if need be, in defense of their
mother.

Generally, when bees are balling a
queen, you may count that it is not
from love, but sometimes it is. Let a
number of strange bees get into a hive,
or perhaps a strange queen, and the
bees may form a ball around their own
queen to protect her. Where would she
be safer than in a ball of her own bees ?

Very likely the dead queen you found
on the outside had something to do with
the case.

Beeswax Not Digestible.

Is beesv.'ax healthful to eat? That
is, will the stomach digest it readily?

Answer.— Bec.s wax is utterly indigest-
ible, but I don't know that there's any-
thing unhealthy ii eating it in small
quantities as we ^et it in comb honey.
Parts of wheat are indigestible, and yet
generally wholesome.

Om Bmrm's Himts,

By F. L. PEIRO, M. D.

McVicker's Building, Chicago, III.

|It^~ Sunday is the core of our civiliza-
tion, dedicated to thought and reverence.
It invite.s to the . noblest solitude and to the
noblest society. — Emermi .

Sometliing About ^^ Kissing."

What a flood of joy the word implies ! Is
there a more refined and blissful sign by
which to express the affectionate assur-
ances of pure hearts and minds ? If so, I
can't imagine it. But though kissing is so
irresistible and proper to those whom the
privilege rightly belongs, buUscrimiuatc os-
culation is one of the most vulgar and
dangerous performances imposed by our
insincere social customs.

How many have thought of the danger-
ous diseases that lurk in that veritable
"Judas' kiss?" Many deaths have re-
sulted directly from a thoughtless, per-
functory kiss. Stop and think! Can you
not understand how easily disease may be
thus acquired through the heavily laden
breath of a typhoidal, diphtheretic, scarla-
tina or small-pox patient just incubating
the disease ? Yes, and have you at all con-
sidered even the more possible danger of
contracting cancers, anid other easily ac-
quired contagions ?

Do you not recall in your former circles
of acquaintances a healthy, rosy-cheeked
girl who unfortunately married some weak
consumptive, that after a few years of af-
fectionate care of him, the husband died,
leaving her the legacy of his own disease,
she in turn to fill an early grave ? Each
kiss was to her a drop of poison !

And what do you know of that young
man whose lips you are so ready to re-
ceive ? He may be the verriest rake ! His
embraces may have been as varied as to
character as to frequency ! His lips may —
nay, no doubt have been— as ready for the
diseased courtesan as for the sweet and in-
nocent daughter of an honored home.

What ails that young woman ? " What ?
Doctor, you can't mm»t it! Oh, no; clonH!
You break my heart to assure me of so vile
infection 1"

" Yes, daughter, it is true. The greeting
you so cherished has contaminated you. He
was cruelly vile, and has placed his seal of
impurity upon you, which your life may
not be long enough to obliterate under
even the best medical care!" The ulcers

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

365

OQ your lips are plain evidence of constitu-
tional taint.

Who may number the ill results to babies
and little children through the promiscuous
kissing so many women indulge in, purely
out of compliment to the fond mother ? It
makes my flesh crawl when I notice what I
have so often seen, a woman full of decayed
and ill-smelling teeth clasp a pure, tiny
baby to that horrible mouth, to leave on
the innocent lips the moisture from that
poison-laden cavity? Is it any wonder
that the "sweet little thing" will soon
have sores on its tongue and gums ? Not
to me ! It isn't so many years ago when
the attempt was frequently made to impose
on our little ones in this outrageous man-
ner. Perhaps some succeeded when only
their blessed mother stood by — not when /
was near ! Visitors would feel shocked at
my supposed incivility, but I felt vastly
more interested in my little ones than in
their formal ceremonies. They were early
apprised of the fact that I did not approve
the act from them, and a second attempt
was not made.

And so I might proceed in the applica-
tion of this lesson to older people — women
in particular — who feel it their duty to kiss
and be kissed by all the acquaintances for
miles around. If they will reflect to look
and see what cavernous openings they are
about to cover with their lips, they must
conclude that their sacrifice of feeling and
good judgment is utterly wanting, to war-
rant such an indiscretion. It is not even
best for some wives and husbands to at-
tempt the task too frequently, for similar
reasons. What nice, clean little woman
really cares to kiss the tobacco-stained
bristles of a husband's upper lip ? Whew!
Women, "be ye as wise as serpents and
harmless as doves '"—but, don't !

Hoiue-lVIacle liemoiis.

Yes, as good as lemons growing right at
your door— is the common sheep-sorrel.
For any of the edible purposes for which
lemon is used, except in flavor, the sorrel
is an excellent substitute. A few plants of
it crushed to a pulp, water and sugar
added, then strained, makes as fine a lem-
onade as one wants to drink — during warm
days.

It is even more healthful than lemon
juice, because not so intensely acid. Add
a few leaves of fresh peppermint out of

your garden, and you have a " mint-julip "
that the oldest Kentuckian might envy.

Sheep-sorrel in your apple-pies gives a
more tart and appetizing flavor. And
there is nothing that will make tough meat
so tender, or that will keep it from spoiling
like wrapping it in sheep-sorrel. It gar-
nishes a steak or fish as nothing else can,
and persons who chew a little of it are
proof against serious thirst. Indeed, there
are many more uses for it, had we space to
mention.

<3o]iTentlon IVotices.

Utah.— The Utah bee-keepers will hold their
semi-annual convention on the Oct. 4, 1894,
at Salt Lake City. Utah. Jno. C. Swaner,

Salt Lake City, Utah. Sec'y.

Wisconsin.— The next annual meeting of
the Wisconsin Bee-Keepers'Association willbe
held at Madison, on Feb. 8th and 9th. 1895.

Madison, Wis. J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec.

Minnesota.— The second meeting- of the
Southern Minnpsota Bee-Keeprs' Association
will be held at Winona, on October let, in the
Board of Trade rooms, commencing at 10
o'clock a. m. E. C. Cornell, Sec.

Winona. Minn.

Pennsylvania,— The Venango County Bee-
Keepers' Association of northwestern Penn-
sylvania will hold their 2nd annual meeting
in the City Hall at Franklin. Pa., on Jan. 28,
1895, at 1 o'clock p.m. All interested send
for program. c. S. Pizer, Sec.

Franklin. Pa.

The North American B.-K. A.— The Quar-
ter Centennial Meeting of this Society will he
held at St. Joseph, Mo., on Oct. 10. 11 and 12,
1894, It is the first convention oi' the North
American Association beyond the western
bank of the Mississippi, and large delegations
from the great West will be present. We
hope the East, the North and the South will
gather with them. Frank Benton, Sec.

Dept. Agriculture, Washington, D. C.

*'Foh1 Brood; 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 sold at the office of the Bee Jour-
nal. Price, postpaid, 25 cents; or clubbed
with the Bee Journal for one year— both
together for $1.15.

llie r^ovelty Pocket-Knife is

worth having. Mr. A. G. Amos, of New
York, says this about it: "The 'Novelty'
pocket-knife which I received with the
American Bee Journal arrived all O. K.,
and it is a dandy." Better get one your-
self, and then you will know what a
" dandy " thing it is. See page 3S4 for ad-
vertising offer.

366

AMERICAN BEK JOURNAi-,

CONDUCTED BY

MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY.

BEBvrLLE, Texas.

An Experience with Bee-Paralysis.

I see on page 137 of the American
Bee Journal that Prof. Cook thinks
that starvation is partly or wholly the
cause of bee-paralysis. Now, 1 don't
like to dispute such good authority on
bee-matters as the Professor is, but I
know that starvation is not the cause of
the disease known as "paralysis" in
this part of the country, for I have colo-
nies that have from 50 to 75 pounds of
honey now, that are badly affected with
that disease, and it is almost always ray
strongest and best colonies that are
aftected first. Of course feeding will
check it, but it will reappear almost as
soon as the feeding is stopped, or if
there should come a sudden flow of
honey, it will always check it.

I have had this disease in my apiary
ever since I came to this county (Lam-
pasas), four years ago, and from what I
can find out, it had been here for several
years before I came, for several of the
old-time bee-keepers told me when I
came here that I could not keep bees in
this county, saying that the ants and
moth-worms would destroy them. All
said that the bees would gather lots of
honey, but that ants would eat the bees
in the summer after the weather be-
came hot. and leave the hive full of
honey. But I had come to this country
to make bee-keeping a specialty, and
would not believe such foolishness, and
the ants and moths have given me no
trouble, but the disease known as bee-
paralysis has, and I am sure it was this
disease that was causing the trouble in-
stead of ants and the moth-worms, for I
have had several of those old-timers to
come into my apiary and say to me,
" Why, see here, Smith, the ants are
carrying them off?" When the truth
was, it was only the dead and sick bees
that the ants were carrying off, that had
died from that disease.

Mrs. Atchley, I guess it was I whom

your Australian correspondent had ref-
erence to on page 173, where he says,
" It must be a very prevalent disease In
your country, if more than % of the
bees have fallen before it in the last
three years," as I wrote words to that
effect sometime last year for the Ameri-
can Bee Journal. I can't recall the
page just now, and haven't time to look
it up, but I am sure I wrote nothing but
facts then, and I don't know but more
than ':':< have died from that cause alone,
in the last three or four years in this
part of the country. L. B. Smith.

Lometa, Tex., Aug. 25.

Friend Smith, the reason I made the
remark that I did about Mr. Jones being
badly informed about bee-paralysis in
this country was, the term you used
seemed to implicate the tvhole United
States. You said that more than % of
the bees had fallen under bee-paralysis
in this country. Now you likely meant
your own and adjoining counties, and
our brother across the waters took your
statement as the whole of this country.
There never has been a case of bee-
paralysis in south Texas that I know of,
and you are about 300 miles northwest
of me, and as there is none in this part
of Texas, it surely does not extend far
from your county (Lampasas). I think
we should be particular about describing
certain localities when speaking of dis-
eases among bees, especially as it is
likely to injure some friend, when noth-
ing of the kind is intended.

Try the sulphur plan on bee-paralysis,
and report. Jennie Atchley.

A Bee and Snake Story.

The boys went out deer hunting a few
days ago, and Charles found some bees
watering in a knot on a tree, and he
traced them to their hive very soon, and
found them in a small live-oak tree,
scarcely larger than a common candy
jar. The bees went in about 3 feet from
the ground. Well, the boys were in a
" bad box," as they call it. They had
no smoker, nor anything that they could
smoke bees with, and they feared that
if they left the spot without taking the
bees, they would likely not find it easily
again, as it is very thickly wooded. So
when Willie came up, they concluded
to tear the left pocket out of their pants
(as they could best spare that one), and
made a smoke, the moss and rotten
wood being wet. They blew in smoke
at the entrance, and cut the tree above
and below the bees, put their coats in

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

367

the ends of the chunk, and moss in the
entrance, laid the treasure in the buggy,
and brought it home and transferred it
— a nice colony of Italian bees.

There was a" snake about 8 feet long
that also lived in the tree with the bees.
It was coiled right on top of the combs,
and the bees clustered all over it, and it
seemed to be quite at home. The boys
said it seemed a pity to break the poor
snake up in the bee-business, but the
tempation was too great for them, so
they killed it and took its bees.

Jennie Atchley.

Appreciates the "Lessons," Etc.

Mrs. Atchley : — After reading your
instructive lessons in the American Bee
Journal, I must thank you for them.
We have 1,400 colonies of bees, but no
honey this year. We will have to feed
heavily. J. B. Roberts.

Wewahitchka, Fla., Aug. 24.

Friend Roberts, I am glad indeed to
know that you are interested in my les-
sons. I hope I shall be able to help
many bee-keepers along with their bees.
I make my bees my pets and companions.
I truly enjoy their society. What I do,
or what work I perform among them, is
a labor of love. They seem to vie with
themselves as I pass by, to exhibit to rae
their beauties, and energy and useful-
ness to mankind; and whenever I can
help some one else along in this our
chosen and loving pursuit, I cannot but
feel happy.

I hope you may yet get some fall
honey, and not have to feed as much as
you anticipate. Jennie Atchley.

>aiszsssssssza:sxszzxsjtxxssgsgsss»»i

SfamiiigWitH No Drones.

Query 941.— Will a colony swarm if there
are no drones in the hive ?— Arkansas.

Yes. — P. H. Elwood.
Yes. — S. I. Freeborn.
Not naturally— J. H. Larrabee.

I am not sure. — Eu&ene Secor.

I think not. — J as. A. Stone.

Yes, sometimes. — J. E. Pond.

I don't know. I think they may. — C.
C. Miller.

Yes. I have had them do so. — G. M.
Doolittle.

I think not, though in this I am not
sure. — r. M. Hambaugh.

Yes, but a scarcity of drones discour-
ages swarming. — J. A. Green.

Not normally. They will leave if
there is no honey. — A. J. Cook.

I have had such colonies to do so,
though it is unusual. — J. P. H. Brown.

Yes, if other conditions are right; but
such is seldom the case. — C. H. Dibbern.

I do not know. They are more apt
to, where they are plenty. — Mrs. L.
Harrison.

Yes, sometimes, if crowded, but not so
readily as when drones are in the way. —
Dadant & Son.

Yes. I never knew of more than one
colony without drones, and that did
swarm. — E. France.

I really do not know, but think so, if
there are plenty in the neighborhood.
This may be worth investigation. — W.
M. Barnum.

Yes, sometimes. Especially when their
fever is high. I have had lots of swarms,
and not a drone to be seen. — Mrs. Jen-
nie Atchley.

I have never known a colony to reach
the swarming point without having pro-
vided themselves with at least a few
drones. — Mrs. J. N. Heater.

Yes, if all other conditions are favor-
able, but they generally manage to
secure the drones along with the other
favorable conditions. — Emerson T. Ab-
bott.

I have never seen a colony at swarm-
ing time, and when swarming conditions
were present, absolutely destitute of
drones. But I presume that the absence
of drones would not, of itself, prevent
swarming. — M. Mahin.

No colony arrives at the swarming
state without rearing at least a few
drones, and having the few it would
swarm ; and I think it would just the
same if all the drones were caught and
killed.— R. L. Taylor.

Perhaps it is rare, that a colony is
entirely without drones at swarming
time. But I have had from a dozen to
20 colonies at a time on worker-combs
so perfect that they practically had no
drones, and these colonies swarmed just
like other colonies. The absence of
drones does not prevent swarming. If
it did, the swarming problem would be
solved. — G. W. Demaree.

368

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

ti iti >te :!*i >t< iti >ti >fe iti >ii .i^ i^ :5K :^ >ti >Ji

KEEPING PACE WITH THE ^WORLD.

BY AV. P. FAYLOR.

Bee-keepers, as a rule, are an intelligent and progressive class of men and
women. Though like every other occupation and profession, we have the careless and
indifferent. Those who continue to keep bees after the old slip-shod-box-gum-non-
frame-hive-method are gradually growing less, and at present are becoming subjects
of ridicule. In no pursuit or business profession of life can a wider field for study
and progress be found than right in our little-big profession of bee-keeping. No
domestic creature is so little understood by the general public as the useful honey-
bee. A man pointed out to the writer recently a hive of bees out of which log-hive
had gone some ten or twelve swarms ; and yet he supposed that the original queen
was still in the old hive ! One thing puzzled him, however — that was to know why
the old queen was putting forth black bees now, where she had formerly given the
yellow type !

First, the invention of the movable frame became a necessity, and has led to
still more advanced steps in the production of honey. The comb-foundation mill,
the honey extractor, and nice one-pound sections, are all in keeping with the prog-
ress of the day. The bee-smoker has proved a great comfort to the apicultural
fraternity, as also have many other small inventions.

Pulling a cage of bees and queen-bee out of my pocket in the presence of some
elderly people, excited one old lady to her feet exclaiming, "What is it that man
won't do ?" Well, to tell the truth, there are some things that men won't do, nor
women either : They won't always do right ; but even children well-informed can
cage a queen and attendants, and send them through the mails. You see we differ
like other professionists. Some, and a majority, claim that the queen-bee is never
injured in the mails. Sometimes we grab the cage from the postmaster to find the
queen dead, or just breathing her last. Then, what injured in transit, not accord-
ing to the majority, but according to Doolittle and others, if a queen arrives dead,
she is considered as having been injured ; by the majority, not injured, only dead,
that's all.

The other day I received a queen from Massachusetts. The queen and every
attendant were alive, but one bee tumbled out and died in a short time in front of
the hive of young hatching bees. The queen is now laying, and I must say I am
thankful for the success of the mailing queen-business.

I see Dr. Miller and Rev. S. Roese are about to dispute about the kind of comb
the queen likes beat. I am having some experience along that line just now. I
have one colony building one new comb, and the queen seems to move down as fast
as the bees build the comb, and deposits eggs in cells that are not fully drawn out.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. * 369

and about four times out of five I find her royal highness on that new comb. In
another hive I have placed a new comb made from foundation, and the queen has
been laying eggs in combs on both sides of the new comb, that are two or three
years old, and passes right by the new for the old. Now, Doctor, if you ask me
what kind of comb the queen prefers, I think t might tell the truth by saying, "I
don't know." Queens act a little like bee-keepers, anyhow — each seems to have a
notion of its own.

2nd. In discussion we are keeping pace with the age in which we live.

3rd. To keep up with the times in any department of life the progressive mind
must keep posted. No bee-keeper can expect to keep up with the advance of the
age without reading bee-papers and bee-books. A politician would not be a very
strong Democrat, Republican, Prohibitionist or Populist, if he did not read some
periodical advocating his political faith. "Read and you will know."

4th. We are up with the world in another particular. We now have a honey
prophet telling in advance where there will be a honey-flow. Show up the agricul-
turist who can tell a crop of corn a year in advance ! Behold the ships pulling into
harbor in expectation of Higgins' prophetic storm, and then the storm not come !
Aye, what think you ?

5th. Another advance step in our profession is the fact that bee-keepers can
mate their queens with the very kind of drones desired, right in a country or neigh-
borhood surrounded with black bees. This has long been desirable.

6th. But the last and greatest discovery in the realms of bee-keeping is the
recently discovered method of increasing the size of the honey-bee. That fellow
down in Florida ought to receive a gold medal from somebody for this great dis-
covery. Improving the color of bees has attracted the attention of many, now let us
turn our attention to the size of the bee for awhile. May be we can yet produce
Apis dorsata in our own country. What do you say ? Updegraflf, Iowa.

*

VARIOUS I>«OXES AND COMMENXS.

BY DK. C. C. MILLER.

A " WoKiiy " Fight. — I see no other way but I must go down to Texas to have
that fight out with Mrs. Atchley, to determine whether moth or worm is the right
name for the thing that chews up our combs, and eats wood or almost anything
down in Texas. Look here, Mrs. Atchley, suppose we have Prof. Cook settle it
for us.

Professor, here's one of those dirty white things that gnaw holes in our combs,
and Mrs. Atchley insists on calling it a moth. It's a worm, isn't it ?

Then the Professor, always a peacemaker, says, "Tut, tut, children; don't
quarrel over a thing like that ; it isn't a moth, for it hasn't any wings, and it isn't a
worm ; it's a caterpillar."

Say, Jennie, let's quit quarreling about the wor— no, the moth— no, I mean the
caterpillar, and fight about something else.

Dr. Peiro wants /ottr sections of my best white honey in return for professional
services. All right, Doctor, you come out here and I'll give you all the first-class
honey I took this year.

New Things— Non-Swarming.— John M'Arthur is a little hard on some of us
that are always trying new things (page o04), but he makes some good points and
stirs up thought. He's with the Dadants in advocating a big hive, just about 50
per cent, larger than the 8-frarae hive, and they say they don't have any swarming;

370' AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

but then come the authorities and tell us that will do for extracted honey, but for
comb honey it won't do at all, for the bees once started to storing in the brood-
chamber will fight shy of the super all summer. How are we to know what to do,
anyhow?

He starts a new theory that some may be inclined to question, when he says
that the let-up in the honey-flow with the attendant decrease in egg-laying has a
tendency to produce swarming. If he's right in that, it's worthwhile to try feeding
through the dearth before clover.

Brace-Combs. — Even if Doolittle insists that brace-combs are needed under
supers, I doubt if any one wants them under flat board covers, so it's refreshing to
read that 15 years' experience given by H. E. Hill, page 307. I believe there is a
growing feeling in favor of the thick and wide top-bar he commends, only I'm won-
dering whether it isn't better to have only 14, inch between top-bars. He has % or
7/16. With % I get brace-combs. But I space 1% from center to center, to 1}4.
Can wider spacing make the difference?

Issuing of Swarms. — That seems quite an unusual case mentioned by J. A.
Golden, page 309, but I'm not sure whether I entirely understand it. Do you
mean. Friend Golden, that the young queen hatched out and staid in the hive three
days with the old queen, and the swarm issued with the old queen, leaving the
young queen in the hive ?

Italian Bee History. — I must give M. M. Baldridge credit for preserving some
degree of brevity on page 311. The tendency in all such cases is to switch off onto
a number of side-tracks, forgetting almost entirely the one point at issue in the first
place. When that occurs, it would be a good plan for the editor to switch them
back on the main track.

Marking Hive-Entrances. — Friend Faylor asks, page 313, " Who knows a
way to mark the entrance so that the bees will find their own doorway ?" I don't
know that I can give a full answer, but I can help a- little. Have a tree, post, or
something of the kind directly in front of an entrance, and not more than six or
eight inches fro-n it, and I think that entrance will get all its own bees and none
others. Let two entrances be not more than an inch apart, with a dividing board
between them, projecting out six inches or so, and I think those two entrances will
not be mixed in the heads of the bees.

Bees Sticking TO THE Combs.— In answer to the Riverton* man, page 315, I
will say that as a rule, Italians stick to the combs whether three or five banded, but
I think he has something new under the sun in those bees that hide in the grass
like quails. I have seen some well marked bees, however, that were not as quiet
on the combs as others, but that's exceptional. Marengo, 111.

[*The " Riverton man " that Dr. Miller refers to in his last comment is a
" man " all right, for his name is C. V. Mann. It seems our proof-reader wasn't
" man " enough to notice the omission. — Editor.]

, APIARY IN THE SXAXK OF ^WASHINGTON.

BV G. T). mttoov.

I send you a photograph of my apiary of 70 colonies, under a shed high enout;li
so there Is plenty of room to work with the bees and yet be in the shade. Also tin'
shed is a very good protection in winter, especially in this climate where we have

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

371

plenty of rain from October until June, with a few inches of snow in January, which
is gone in a few days, and as we leave the bees just as you see them, all the year
round, it is better to have them protected. This shed is 150 feet long, and I find it

very handy, as there is room enough to have everything close at hand that is wanted
from time to time while working among the bees.

It is also supposed that this climate is too cool for successful work with the solar
wax-extractor. You see it is just a little behind me in the picture, and all my old

372 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

combs and bits of wax have been turned into very fine light wax by its use. The
observatory hive you see is what I shall have as one of ray exhibits at the Tacoma
Exposition, and have in it one Hoffman frame with 5-banded bees, and a very fine
yellow 5-banded queen.

Also you will notice two sticks just in front of the Otis hive, with queen-cells
on. I have been rearing queens this summer on the Doolittle plan, with partial
success, and got some very fine, large queens out of 50 cells, also some small ones,
which I destroyed. I only succeeded in getting 15 queens, as the weather was too
cool for rearing good queens until the latter part of July and August, and now the
bees are not getting any honey, so I may have to wait until next season, or feed.

You will see I am using the closed-end frame hive, or Heddon hive. I saw so
much in the Bee Journal and Oleanings in reference to the section9,l hive, that I
thought to experiment with it this season, and see which I should adopt, as I had no
authority to refer to for assistance in this most important implement in bee-culture.
Hence my article in the Ameeican Bee Journal, of June 7th. I believe the editor
asked for information on that from Mr. R. L. Taylor, but as yet I have seen no reply
that would assist a beginner. Now my experience is this, that the sectional (or
Heddon) hive is very handy. I rub tallow on the edges of the frames before putting
them in the hive, and I can take out any frame just as easily as the Hoffman frame,
that is, when I wish to do so, which has not been often, as I simply reverse the case,
turn the screws, and let down the frames 3< inch, and turn the screws tight, and
that is all for the season. For my use I like them better than the regular 8-frame
hives, but this is only my first season with them, and next winter will tell on them,
how they are for a winter hive.

Last winter, in the dovetail hive, I lost 10 colonies out of 55, and they had
plenty of stores left, so I could not account for the loss. The stands under the hives
are 8 inches high, which makes the hives about 9 inches above the ground. I think
for this climate it is best to have the hives high enough up so as to keep them as dry
as possible in winter. I aim to keep all weeds and grass away from the front of the
hives.

We are busy making a hot-house where a hot-bed formerly stood, and now have
it full of cucumbers, which you can tell by their leaves.

You see me in the picture as I work most of the time with the bees, except I
pull down the veil and either tuck it under my vest collar, or let it hang down loosely.
I also use the Bingham smoker, which is very handy when needed. Often smoker
nor veil is used by me; but when blacks or hybrids are worked with, smoke and veil
are needed.

My brother stands back of me with a "Globe" veil in his hand, and also
another younger brother sits on a hive, so now you have three of us this time — I
may send you more some other time. Tacoma, Wash., Aug. 26.

BEE-PARALYSIS-AIVOXHER IVEW DISEASE.
Supposed Causes and Cures.

BY C. W. DAYTON.

I notice your mention of sulphur for " bee-paralysis." Sulphur was no cure in
my hands, and I tried it in ev(!ry conceivable way and extent ; also salt. A change
of the queen has cured in every instance of some 30 colonies — last season and this.
Some diseased colonies which went through the winter showed it again last spring.
It appears to be caused by imperfect queens, which become imperfect through ex-
tensive egg-laying.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 373

I have seen the disease in Iowa, but it was slightly different from the California
kind. Here it usually attacks a colony about the time it gets populous enough for
the surplus receptacles. Then the colony gradually weakens until the surplus
receptacles will not be occupied, and they are taken off as empty as when put on.
Even in an abundant honey-flow they are unable to get much ahead, and often are
unable to gather their daily food. It begins gradually, so that by keeping a few
newly-reared queens they may be introduced as soon as the first symptoms appear,
and avoid very great loss.

I do not discredit the statements of those who have recommended salt and sul-
phur, but I write this for those who having tried those remedies with failure may
try the supersedure. Caging the queen for awhile, or in any way restricting her
egg-laying, seems to be influential. Colonies which lose bees rapidly in summer,
lose none in winter. This was the same in Iowa.

Another disease, if disease it proves to be, has appeared, which has enough sem-
blance of foul brood that considerable parts of apiaries have been destroyed by
burning. But the affected brood is apparently like common dead brood. This I
have not had enough experience with to be certain of the cause, but I will advance
a theory that the larvae die a death of starvation from not being sufficiently supplied
by the nurses. This might happen from there being a lack of food because of the
near approach of the nurse-bees to starvation, or too few nurses for the amount of
brood to receive care. Then again, I believe the nurses might be a little too lazy
to be sure their work was thoroughly done. It has been said that to bring bees to a
warm country where there was honey all the time, they lose their industrious habits.
While this is false in the main, it is slightly true. There may be two different
localities not over 10 to 15 miles apart. In one, the colonies must have enough
stores left in their hives to last until the next season's honey harvest. In the other
locality they can gather enough from the flowers nearly every day in the year, and
that without regard to how dry the year. In many localities, with only 3 inches of
rain last December, 10 to 15 colonies could find enough flowers to obtain their sup-
port all the year round. Of course when 100 to 200 are gathered into one place
they would then require a store in the hives, because the flowers would not be
numerous enough.

In the first-mentioned locality, on the approach of starvation, the young brood
is allowed to die, and then afterward the capped brood is devoured by the working-
bees. Then the bees begin to drop off, and finally the queen and her retinue ; these
last dying some days after the last morsel of honey disappears. No matter what
the weather may be, they are dependent upon the store in their hives.

In the other locality a colony can gather honey every day the sun shines. In
Southern California there are almost solid months of sunshiny days, but this is very
much more so in some localities than others, although the respective localities may
not be far apart. For example : Willows have been constantly in bloom here since
last November, and there is now a variety just putting forth its blossoms. Every
day when the sun shines the bees can fly out and return with loads of honey and
pollen. But in this willow locality there is less sunshine. While the sun shines
clear all day long in the mountains, here there is fog until ten o'clock in the morn-'
ing. Then it clears up for three or four hours. Then come clouds. This is the
every day procedure. But occasionally there come several days of clouds all day,
or there may be cold or wind which would keep the bees in the hives. This leads to
starvation of a somewhat different kind. These spells are liable to happen during
the winter and early spring. This constant supply of a little honey and much
pollen makes brood-rearing boom even in January.

I had my first swarm Feb. 2nd ; the latest, about two hours ago, with a good

374 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi-.

supply distributed between those times. The more honey they have, or are able to
get from the flowers, the faster they rear brood. If there was 60 to 100
pounds of honey in the hive, they would use it all up in three or four months, unless
there was a constant and heavy supply from the outside. This season the outside
supply has been constant but light. This made brood-rearing of a still more exten-
sive.kind. To carry a large stock of brood through several days of unfavorable
weather, would require several pounds of honey. In this way a few days may
starve the brood, but not the bees. I presume the queen's work goes steadily on,
and the bees eat the eggs laid. When the queen is starved so as to stop depositing
eggs, it takes considerable time to recover, but in the starving of the brood only, as
soon as the clouds pass away, the brood-rearing bounces forward again with in-
creased activity. For a batch of brood to be starved and destroyed it divests the
colony of the requisite number of nurse-bees there should be a little later on.

Eucalyptus, willows, mustard, oranges, and alfalfa represent so many honey-
flows, each of which in common seasons might yield from 20 to 75 pounds to the
colony of surplus, but this year there was scarcely one-fourth of a crop of bloom.
The very best colonies got ahead not over three to five pounds of honey, and then
came a slight dearth between. During the dearth the bees could live, but they
could not maintain the large stock of brood. Last week a colony might have eight
combs of brood, and this week little or none. We could see no future honey harvest
to warrant feeding such large amounts of brood, and if they were fed, it simply
resulted in more worthless brood. It would have been advantageous to restrict
brood-rearing, but this would involve a great deal of labor and expense in a system
of contraction.

As the colonies since early in January have been overflowing with bees, where
swarms issued and were hived they nearly always had to be fed while the stock of
brood in th.e old hive was so dependent upon the daily gather of the bees which went
with the swarm that that required feeding also. The natural result of about half
of the swarms was to build a little comb, and after a few days abscond, and then go
traveling about the country, roosting on a bush or fence at night. I have had such
migratory swarms stay around the apiary for a whole week, taking wing every day
and alighting in a different place. Sometimes they would disappear from the apiary
for a day and then come back again. The bees seemed to leave the cluster and go
for loads of honey, about the same as if they were located in a hive. If honey be-
came very scarce, some of the bees starved, and dropped from the cluster. If honey
was abundant, they constructed a few combs, and were it not for the sun melting
such combs, there would be hundreds of colonies dwelling in the branches of trees
in open air.

Of the localities here, there are the mountains where there is one main honey-
flow during the year ; the valley proper, where honey-yielding flowers abound all
the year round, and the medium or hill country. In the mountains this year it is
positive starvation except by constant feeding ; but in the valley the bees may be
able to obtain a living. In the hill country, this year, bees are as liable to starve as
n the mountains. In good years the hill country has not the abundant supply of
flora, of either valley or mountains, so that those bees would be on the verge of
starvation then.

All last fall and up to about Jan. 15th I had about 40 colonies which had 40 to
60 pounds of honey as winter stores. Then there were some 40 others which had
their honey all extracted last November except 5 to 10 pounds. Neither of these
two lots have been helped, or had any more honey taken away, and to-day they are
in about equal condition as to bees, honey, brood and swarming, and only one has
died of starvation. Brood-rearing in the light ones was gauged by the outside

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 375

honey-flow, while the heavy hives kept up a heavy supply of brood all the time. Of
course the colonies where brood-rearins was restricted are worth the most now,
because their queens have preserved their fertility. This new disease appeared in
the scantily supplied colonies early in February^ at about the time of the first starv-
ing of brood, but not in the well-fed colonies until they had exhausted their supplies
and became dependent upon daily forage about the first of April. In 10 to 12
colonies which had previously had the disease, when abundantly fed, the disease
disappeared entirely. Of the affected brood the cells have (usually) the pin-holes in
the caps as in foul brood, and the caps are flattened or concave, and apparently
darker. The flattening is probably caused by scarcity of wix to cap, and when the
bees discover the occupant to be dead, they discontinue the work, which results in
leaving a hole in the cap. After the larva dies it turns black, and this gives a dark
appearance to the thin cap of the cell. By feeding the colonies well, the cells re-
turn to the usual healthy color by the supply of more and newer wax for sealing,
and the plump convex shape.

In 1889, in Iowa, I noticed dead brood in many colonies, which was located
near the center of the brood-nest, where the supply of wax would naturally be ex-
hausted soonest. At the time I had secured a quantity of unfinished section honey
from fruit-bloom, but our clover harvest was a total failure. To secure the comple-
tion of one-half of the sections, I fed back the honey from the other half. Instead
of capping the sections when level full, they persisted in lengthening the cells out
through the slots in the separators and sections. So I thought to put the filled sec-
tions over unfed colonies, and they would immediately seal them, which they did,
but in place of new wax they used propolis. From this I concluded that they sealed
the brood with propolis and smothered it.

In Iowa, or, for that matter, any Eastern State, in the spring, about the time
the winter stores are exhausted, and about the time, or a little before, clover comes
into bloom, apiarists begin to feel a little nervous because of danger of starvation
and destruction of the brood upon which depends the results of the harvest a few
weeks later. This season usually lasts not more than a week, or sometimes only
two or three days. Here this same condition has existed for a continuous four
months, or since the first of March. About the first of February it began to dawn
upon us that there was to come a dry year. For experiment four colonies having
their hives heavy with honey had their queens caged. Occasionally the queens were
given their liberty one or two days, and then recaged. This caused the colonies to
grow weaker and weaker until about a week ago, when the queens were released to
renew the force of working-bees. At present there are three to four patches of
brood in each hive, about the size of a man's hand, while the rest of the hive is
entirely filled with honey as last fall. The scant supply for brood-rearing in other
colonies, in the case of these broodless ones, has constantly augmented the old store,
and there is more in any one of these four hives than in any fifty others.

Our prospects for a winter supply are no brighter for the future than they have
been all the spring and summer, for there is no more certainty of a honey-yield
from the dead and parched mountains or fields, than from a field of clover w"^hich
has been mowed and stowed in the mow. We may have abundant honey-yields from
flowers that customarily yieM but little, but it is easy to know what flowers are
going to bloom. Some flowers yield honey in dry years— alfalfa, for example — but
sage I believe never does. Basswood yields dry years, but clover is soon parched
brown. The only yield which cannot be foretold is that of honey-dew. But even
that is not excepted in many localities in California, because of the lack of leaves or
grain-stubble upon which it forms.

A few bees, a prolific queen, and a hive full of honey, promise something far in
the future ; but bees, brood and queens, with no honey, "are a weak affair.

Florence, Calif., July 7.

376

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

ISr Do not write anything: for publication
on the same sheet ol paper with business
matters, unless it can be torn apart withou
interfering- with either part of the letter.

Have Some Nice Honey.

No spring dwindling here this year.
It has been too dry for a heavy honey
crop, but we have some very nice honey
for the people here. A village of 1,000
people, and those living near, want lots
of honey.

The 4 days at the World's Fair last
year, and the one hour among the honey
exhibits, are sometimes in my mind's eye
yet, and from what I learned I have
been paid back many times.

O. E. Clark.

Brillion, Wis., Sept. 10.

Plenty of Honey for Winter Stores.

Bees did fairly well here for a short
time, but we had two weeks of dry, hot
weather the first of August that checked
the honey-flow, but since then we have
had rain, and the weather is cooler, and
the bees are working lively again. I
harvested over 400 pounds of comb
honey from 12 colonies this year. I got
but one swarm.

I think the bees will have plenty of
honey to winter on, and there will be a
fair crop of corn in this (Polk) county,
or at least a part of it.

J. A. SCOTTBN.

Bolivar, Mo., Aug. 28.

Introducing and Absconding.

On page 204 Dr. Miller says he intro-
duces queens after the bees have sealed
queen-cells. I have just lost two queens
by not tearing down queen-cells. I re-
leased the queens on the fifth day, and
they were accepted, as they had laid in
three or four frames, but when the
young queens were hatched they at-
tacked the laying queens and killed
them.

In "Lessons in Bee-Keeping," Mrs.
Atchiey says bee-keepers may be mis-

taken when they say bees go off to the
woods from the parent hive without
clustering. I hnow I am not mistaken,
as I lost one of my most valuable queens
in that way this summer. This was
their first attempt to swarm, and with
all that I could do I could not induce
them to settle, for there were plenty of
fruit and shade trees near to cluster
upon; and another queer part to me was,
just as I was returning from pursuing
them, a swarm was issuing from another
hive, and without clustering entered the
parent hive of the absconding swarm,
and all was happy (except myself).

Lawson Heglek.
McLean, Ohio, Sept. 3.

Bee-Keeping in Australia.

Bee-keeping in Australia is making
very rapid strides, the industry being
largely developed in New South Wales
through the department of Puplic In-
struction sending a paid lecturer into
the country districts, giving information
to induce settlers to better their position
by keeping bees, and assisting those al-
ready started. The past season has
been a failure in the coastal districts,
but excellent in the Western plains,
most apiaries in the plains averaging
200 pounds and over per colony. I
happen to be in the unfortunate part,
and only averaged about <iO pounds,
though bee-keepers within 1(5 miles of
my bees did not get a single pound, and
had to feed their bees for winter.

W. S. Pendek.

W. Maitland, N. S. W., Aug. 3.

XJnwired Frames — Building Comb.

In a late issue of your excellent paper
(page 240) Dr. Miller attempts to point
a moral — and hits the unwired frame a
hard slap.

Let me suggest to those who have not
yet tried it, to tier up by placing the
empty body at the bottom instead of on
the top, as is usually done. It is a sure
and excellent way to have every comb
securely attached to the bottom- bar. By
this method you may safely dispense
with wired* frames.

One word of caution, however: If
the colony has not yet swarmed, you
must use full sheets of foundation,
otherwise you will get all drone-comb.
If it is this season's swarm, you may
safely give them starters — I use a strip
about an inch deep. My experience is
that bees will build combs much more

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

37T

quickly during a honey-flow if the room
is below the brood.

The brood-combs, after the bees are
hatched out, make excellent extracting
combs, and will be securely attached all
around— except two little passage holes
at the bottom corners. Try it.

Bees promise to do well in the Palouse
valley. They have swarmed some, and
all have stored more than enough to
winter on. John A. Balmer.

Pullman, Wash.,' Aug. 31.

Wintering- — Rolling in the Honey.

After reading W. P. Faylor's letter,
on page 813, 1 concluded to let the craft
know how I winter my bees, which is
similar to his plan. I build a shed 5
feet deep, and 5 feet high at the front,
or high side, open to the soath, and 3
feet on the north side, closed tight. I
place the hives in a single row, about
one foot apart, and fill in between the
hives with forest leaves packed down as
solid as I can with my own weight (not
very light), till the top is reached, then
I cover the top with leaves and straw,
leaving the entrance open on all fair
days. In stormy weather 1 spread a
gunny bag loosely over the front till the
storm is over.

By the way, I must tell you that I had
a great treat a few days ago. Bro.
Frank Coverdale called on me. He is a
live bee-man, sure enough, and well up
in bee-lore.

Bees have been doing well since the
drouth was broken, about three weeks
ago. They are just rolling in loads of
honey from an enormous crop of heart's-
ease. Perhaps I will report when we
round up. S. H. Clark.

Elwood, Iowa, Sept. 8.

Poor Season for Bees, Etc.

It has been dry and hot here all sum-
mer. The dry weather last fall and the
hard freezing that we had the latter
part of last March finished up the white
clover in these parts, which was our
main source of a honey crop. So my
bees had nothing but red clover to work
on, and the season was so dry that it
did not secrete much honey. About
half of my bees will have enough to win-
ter on, and the rest will have to be fed
or they will starve. I did not get a
single section of honey this season, and
I don't know of a man around here that
did. This was the poorest season that I
remember seeing in my lile, and I am in
my 61st year. Of course the forepart

of my life I would not remember much
about, but in my young days there were
many wild flowers here, but now there
are but few.

I think we all will have to go east,
where oui- bees can get pine rosin from
which to build their combs, I will refer
the reader to pages 77 and 78 of the
Bee Journal for July 20, 1893. That
is about like queens reared in the fall
and mated in the spring, and making
good, prolific queens. I don't know
what kind of beeswax the rosin would
make, as I have never had a chance to
try it, but I think that it would be a
good thing. I don't believe that the
moth would bother our bees if the comb
was made of rosin, and I suppose the
honey would be more healthy if it did
not partake too much of the taste of the
rosin. I don't know whether the foun-
dation machines could make sheets from
it or not. But 1 think it would do for
those six-months-old virgin queens to
lay in, that had not been previously
mated ! Thos. S. Wallace.

Clayton, 111., Sept. 3.

Two Honey-Plants.

I send samples of two honey-plants.
Please name each, and tell us their
value as honey-producers. The white
flower grows on low bottom lands, and
is just blooming. The other has been in
bloom since early spring.

J. D. GiVENS.

Lisbon, Tex., Aug. 26.

[The white blossomed plant is boneset,
sometimes called thoroughwort, which,
as Prof. Cook says, " fills the marshes of
our country, and the hives as well, with
their nectar."

The other plant is Diclipterabrachiata.
It seems there is no common name in
the botany of Texas for this plant.
Doubtless the bees get some honey from
it. — Editor.]

The Lebanon, Ind., Fair, Etc.

Our Lebanon Fair was held Aug. 20th
to 24th. Premiums for the exhibits of
bees, honey, etc., were awarded as fol-
lows :

Best queen-bee, J. V. Emmert, $2.00.
Best display queen-bees, J. V. Emmert,
1st, $2.00. Comb honey, 10 pounds in
most marketable shape, J. R. Reynolds,
1st, $4.00. Extracted honey, 10
1 pounds, J. W. Henderson, 1st, $2.00 ;

378

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL-.

J. R. Reynolds, 2nd. Display of honey,
J. \V. Henderson, 1st ; J. V. Emmert,
2nd. Comb foundation for comb honey,
J. W. Henderson, 1st, $2.00; J. R.
Reynolds, 2nd. Comb foundation for
brood-nest, J. W. Henderson, 1st, $2.00.
Display of beeswax, J. V. Emmert, 1st,
$1.00. Display of supplies, J.V. Emmert,
1st, Diploma. Collection of honey-
plants, Fred Gibbons, 1st, $3.00. The
jud^e was H. L. Harlan.

I had a fair yield of honey this year,
my crop averaging about 45 pounds of
comb honey to the colony. I have also
extracted 20 gallons from two colonies.

Lebanon, Ind. J. V. Emmert.

Got a Partial Honey Crop.

The clover was an entire failure in
Missouri this year. Linden (basswood)
did well, but the bees were weak, and a
partial crop was the result.

Thos. a. Anderson.

Montgomery City, Mo,, Aug. 27.

Heavy Rains in Utah.

Salt Lake City is under water. We
are never troubled with floods very
much, but we had a small one at noon
to-day. For about 30 minutes rain and
hail came down in torrents — more than
I ever saw fall in the same space of
time. Some of the streets were under
water for a time, and bridges floated,
but it soon passed oflf, and it has made
all nature look as fresh as a daisy. The
many rains that we have had here this
summer have been of great benefit to
the country, making things grow all
over, whether irrigated or not.

We have a fine country here, but like
all other places, some of our land is
worthless, but our best land grows every-
thing in abundance. E. S. Lovesy.

Salt Lake City, Utah, Aug. 31.

Bees Did Finely — Honey-Dew.

Bees have done finely for me this sea-
son. Wo have had one continual flow
since early spring, removing all sections
betimes when completed, and returning
such needing completion. I now have a
few hundred soon to remove. I would
like to ask if it would be wrong to ofl^er
for sale sections if finished up with
honey-dew? I do not think the bees need
them, as their brood-nests are well filled.
I have surmised of late that they were
busy in the morning on poplar trees. Is

there any way to detect honey-dew from
fall honey, such as bnckwheat and
goldenrod ? I am inexperienced in this
line. Is honey-dew nasty and unwhole-
some? I have frequently seen it men-
tioned in the Bee Journal.

Our honey-producing plants here are
apple-bloom, raspberry, white ciover,
milkweed, basswood, cucumber, melon-
bloom, corn tassle, buckwheat, golden-
rod, and many other plants.

"F. W. Carrier.

Bennington, Vt., Sept. 4.

[Will some one who has had much ex-
perience with honey-dew, please answer
Mr. Carrier's questions in the Bee Jour-
nal ? — Editor.]

Fine Prospects for Fall Crop.

Bees are still doing well in this local-
ity. Goldenrod is beginning to bloom,
and we are having a few swarms. In
my experience I have never before
known bees to swarm here in Septem-
ber. The prospects for a fall crop of
honey are fine. H. F. Coleman.

Sneedville, Tenn., Sept. 3.

Working on Fall Flowers.

We have now 110 colonies of bees,
and at present they are doing well on
fall flowers. We expect about 8,000
pounds of honey. Our apiary is situated
on the bluffs, near the Mississippi bot-
tom, about a mile south of Quincy. We
think that bees near to river or creek
bottoms will get enough for winter, but
we fear the others must be fed if they
live till next spring. Hayck Bros.

Quincy, 111., Sept. 5.

Honey and Other Texas Crops.

I have 25 colonies of pure Italians
and hybrid bees, and I am very fond of
them, not only for pleasure but also for
profit. I have taken about 40 pounds
of fine honey per colony, but will have
another good flow this fall. I use the
Bingham Perfect Conquerer smoker, and
for fuel I use old, half-rotten chips from
my wood-yard, and the smoker will burn
about one hour before it needs refilling.

Farm crops are good here this year.
Corn will yield from 30 to 40 bushels
per acre, oats from 50 to 75 bushels,
and cotton from >^ to % of a bale to the
acre. Ernst Wuthrick.

Pflugersville, Tex., Sept. 1.

weekly, $1 a Vear. [ °^''''''^°l^iro^^^i^-6^TU»B.

Sample Copy Free.

VOL. XXXIV. CHICAGO, ILL, SEPT. 27, 1894.

NO. 13.

September I>ay«!i, so bright and fair-

We welcome them with glee ;
For sweet-faced Asters smile and nod,
And dear, delightful Golden-Rod —

They cheer us now — both you and me.

Then let us to our duties go,

With hearts all light and gay ;
For flowers sweet around us bloom,
To drive away the doubt and gloom—
And thus make bright our way.

Meiubersliip f asnls for the annual
members of the North American Bee-Keep-
ers' Association have been issued by Secre-
tary Benton. They are of very heavy card-
board, and neatly printed in the form of a
receipt, having the names of President
Abbott and Vice-President Hershiser in
type, and blanks left for the pen signatures
of the Secretary and Treasurer.

By sending the Dues (.SLOG) for 1894, to
the Treasurer, at this office, we will imme-
diately mail you a Membership Card all
properly filled out. Then at the meeting
next month, we believe you are to receive
a badge free, upon showing your Card to
the Secretary. By securing the Card re-
ceipts before the meeting, it will save the
Secretary much work at that time.

I'Ue Full-Page EngraTiiig- on

page 403 explains itself. It certainly makes
a "full page "—no mistake about that. It
shows what imitation of the habits of the
industrious bees will accomplish. It's a
pretty big "hive," but differs in some re-
spects from the hive in which bees live. It
has the same busy industry, but instead of
collecting and storing up, all the time, this
Root "hive of industry" is continuously
making within it, and sending out to the
world, every conceivable requirement of
the well-equipped apiary. It is widely
known as " The Home of the Honey-Bees."

;^Ir. P. S. Eustis is the genial Gen'l
Passenger and Ticket Agent of the Chicago,
Burlington & Qcinct Railroad, with
headquarters in the elegant general office
building of the company located in Chicago.
You know the " Burlington Route " is the
best to take when going to St. Joseph, Mo.,
to attend the North American convention,
Oct. 10th, 11th and 12tb. Please don't for-
get this,. if you want to ride on " a railroad
as is a railroad!"

lA^ink!^ ill IBee-Bieepiiig-.- On page
402, Bro. F. L. Thompson gives a good arti-
cle on the subject of "kinks " in bee-keep-
ing. We are glad he has written as he has,
for it is just what is needed. What bee-
keepers need to-day is to know more of the
time and labor saving kinks used by others,
and the only way in which such kinks will
ever be learned by those who don"t know
them, must be by describing them for the
bee-papers.

We are always glad to publish any useful
knowedge about bees or their successful
management, no matter who may write it

3132

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

— whether it be written with a golden pen
or with a lead-pencil. We just believe that
half of the Bee Journal list of readers
know lots of good things that the other
half never thought of, and what we want
is, to have those who know these valuable
kinks to give them to the bee-keeping pub-
lic through the Bee Journal.

In a great measure, the Bee Journal will
be only what its subscribers and contribu-
tors make it. No editor — be he as wise in
bee-lore as a Solomon of old — can possibly
get out an interesting and satisfactory bee-
paper all alone. Besides, who'd want to
read such a one-sided affair, anyway ? If
the writer knew as much about bee-keeping
as a Doolittle, a Miljer, or a Dadant, he
wouldn't nauseate his readers with his own
ideas to the exclusion of others equally
entitled to know at least a few things about
bees!

Let's have your ideas — tlie ijood ones — the
more the better ! Send them along. De-
scribe them as clearly as you can, and thus
(jive as well as receive.

•Ta«. JPoi-ncrook;, of Watertown,
Wis., stopped at the office of the Bee Jour-
nal for a few minutes on Tuesday, Sept.
18th, being in Chicago on a business trip.
He is the manufacturer of the "Boss " one-
piece sections, besides other supplies used
by bee-keepers. He is one of the largest
makers of bee-fixtures in the Northwest.

More Ke«liice«l Kates.— The Cen-
tral Traffic Association will also grant the
same reduced rates (IX fare for the round-
trip) to the St. Joseph, Mo., convention on
Oct. 10th, 11th and 13th. This includes
roads east as far as Buffalo. Next week we
will be able to give a list of the roads in-
cluded in the Central Traffic Association.
In the meantime, begin to arrange your
business affairs so you can go.

■fro. K. JVIiller, of Compton, Ills.,
gave the Bee Journal office a pleasant call
last week. He had been over in Micliigan
looking up the farming possibilities, with a
view to locating permanently if suitable.
His honey crop Avas small this year, but
from sweet clover he obtained the lightest-
colored honey he ever saw from that
source. He is a great believer in sweet
clover as a honey-plant. And his faith
seems to be well founded.

Moving- Kig-litly.— Pres. Abbott, of
the North American, received a letter from
Mr. E. K. Terry, of Burlingame, Kans.,
saying that his article on page 302, "is a
move in the right direction." He wrote
further that they have a bee-association in
its third year, of which he has the honor of
being the President, and that they expect
to send a delegate to the St. Joseph conven-
tion. That's good! Let every bee-associa-
tion in the land imitate this Kansas ex-
ample. We would suggest that, so far as
possible, the presidents of the local associa-
tions be selected for the honorable position
of delegate to the North American. But
don't expect him to be a " walking delegate "
— but purchase his railroad ticket for him,
and send him on the (rail) way re3oicing.

<(iiee]is to Awstralia.— One of the

largest shipments of queens that ever left
for Australia at one time was sent by Mrs.
Atchley on Sept. 14th. There were nearly
100 queens in the shipment. Some of the
queens were sent by mail, and some by ex-
press. One lot of 30 was shipped by ex-
press to San Francisco, with instructions
to the express agent there to mail them on
the steamer leaving Sept. 30th. The cages
being already stamped and addressed, the
agent would have nothing to do but hand
them to the mail clerk.

The lot of 30 by express to San Francisco ,^
is an experiment, as 50 per cent, of those
sent to Australia this year and last died,
and Mrs. Atchley believed that most of ^
them perished in the mails before they
reached San Francisco, as the plains to be :
crossed between Beeville, Tex., and San \
Francisco are fearfully hot. ;,,

No doubt all will be glad to learn how {
many of the nearly 100 queens reached |
their Australian destination alive, and in ;;^
good condition. Later on we hope to be t
able to report perfect success in the matter. ;'!

'foo 4iJoo«l to liecp.— Yes, that's
what Pres. Abbott says of the contents of a
letter he received from Bro. L. D. Stilson,
editor of the Nebraska JJee- Keeper, which he
mentions as follows:

Dear Bro. York :— I am just in receipt
of a letter from Friend Stilson, in which he
says :

"In regard to our Nebraska bee-keepers
coming to the meeting of the North Ameri-
can, I will say that jjresent arrangements

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

893

are to leave Lincoln on the morning of Oct.
10th, making a daylight run, reaching St.
Joseph about 4 p.m. We will have a special
car over the Missouri Pacific, retaining the
same for a reception either the evening of
the 10th, or sometime on the llth. Our
mark is for an attendance of 40 or more."

Good for Nebraska! Those- people up
there never do anything by halves. All
right. Friend Stilson, we will see that you
get plenty of time for that reception— but
the evening of the 10th is to be taken up
with a general reception.

Who will be the next to report ? Can we
not have just such a crowd from Missouri,
Kansas, Iowa — yes, and several other
States ? Let us make this the largest
"swarm of bee-keepers'" that was ever
seen on this or any other continent, in
spite of a short honey crop in many locali-
ties. We have not had a word from Texas
yet. How is it, Sister Sherman ? Can you
not put some of that big crop of honey in a
trip to St. Joseph— the "Queen of the
West?"

Nebraska bee-keepers should take notice,
and join the train referred to by Mr. Stil-
son, at the nearest point. Reduced rates.
Write to L. D. Stilson, at York, Nebr., for
particulars. Fraternally yours,

Emerson T. Abbott.

We don"t see what we can add to the
above inspiring announcement by Bros.
Abbott and Stilson. It's just splendid!
Certainly, other States will duplicate that
arrangement. We'd be glad to announce
something like 40 more " special cars " of
bee-keepers that will be oflf for St. Joseph
next month. Let's make this Quarter-
Centennial Meeting the grandest of all !

But, say, Bro. Stilson, don't you dare
" show up " at St. Joe without that big-
hearted old " war-horse "— E. Whitcomb—
and his bigger-hearted wife ! D'ye hear ?

Anotlaei- Lastly Bee-Keeper. — We

learn that on Aug. 3.3rd, a young lady bee-
keeper came to the home of Mr. and Mrs .
S. F. Trego, at Swedona, 111. She weighed
8 pounds. Her father, in notifying a friend
about the event, said: " If you hear a noise
up this way, do not get scared, as it is only
Miss Florence Trego making herself
known."

Mr. T. writes us that his good wife's life
hung in the balance for several weeks,
which, of course, required his entire time
and attention, so much so that his queen-
business suffered greatly during that time.
He will arrange everything satisfactorily
to all. So now he's ready to be congratu-
lated upon his new title—" papa."

Reduced Ratei«, (l^ for the round
trip) in addition to the " Harvest Excur-
sion "rates have been secured on many of
the roads running to St. Joseph, Mo., for
the North American convention on Oct.
10th, llth and 12th. The following from
Secretary Benton explains the matter more
fully:

REDUCED RAILWAY FARES TO ATTEND THE
NORTH AMERICAN AT ST. JOSEPH, MO.,

OCT. IOth, Uth and 13th.

The Western Passenger Association, un-
der the conditions named below, will grant
reduced railway fare to those who travel
over their roads and attend the meeting of
the North American Bee-Keepers' Associa-
tion at St. Joseph. Mo., Oct. 10th, llth and
12th.

Coiidif ions.— Full fare will be charged
going. Return-tickets will be issued at one-
third the reyuhir fare, provided the purchaser
presents a certificate from the agent of
whom he obtained his ticket, and provided
also at least 100 such certificates shall be
presented. There can be little doubt on
this last point, especially as special round-
trip excursion tickets, even such as are
issued to parties of 10, 25, or more, travel-
ing in a body, will count toward the 100,
provided each purchaser is careful to se-
cure a certificate of purchase from the
ticket agent who sells him the ticket, and
to present this certificate at the convention
to be countersigned by the Secretary of the
Association.

Therefore do not fail to secure a certificate
when you purchase your ticket, whether single or
round-trip, and no matter whether you inte?id to
take advantage of the reduced fare or not. It
may aid others in obtaining the reduction.

Time of Tickets.— Valid Oct. 6th to
Oct. 15th ; that is, they may be purchased
three days (not counting Sunday) before
the first day of the meeting, and the return-
ticket may be obtained any time up to the
night of Oct. 15th.

Railways.— The following are the
roads included in this reduction : Burling-
ton, Cedar Rapids & Northern ; Chicago &
Alton; Chicago & Northwestern ; Chicago,
Burlington & Northern; Chicago. Burling
ton & Quincy; Chicago Great Western;
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul; Chicago,
Rock Island & Pacific ; Chicago, St. Paul,
Minn. & Omaha; Hannibal & St. Joseph;
Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs;
St. Louis, Keokuk & Northwestern; Illinois
Central ; Iowa Central ; Minneapolis & St.
Louis; Missouri Pacific; Rock Island &
Peoria; Sioux City & Pacific; Wabash;
Wisconsin Central lines.

When necessary to pass over more than
one line, and in case a through ticket with
a certificate cannot be obtained, it will be
necessary to obtain a certificate from each
agent from whom a ticket is purchased, in
order to entitle the holder to the reduction
on return ticket.

Those who do not live within the territory

394

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

covered by these lines should, wherever
practicable, purchase a local or a round-
trip ticket to the nearest line named above,
and secure there a ticket to St. Joseph,
with certificate of purchase.

Further notice will be given in case other
railway lines grant reduced rates.

Harvest. Exciirsioii.— Some may be
able to take advantage of the " Harvest
Excursion " rates (one-half fare plus $2.00)
given Oct. 9th. full particulars of which
can be obtained of your local agents.

Clia.ng'e of l>ate.— Note the change,
as announced by President Abbott, in the
date of the meeting from the middle of the
month to Oct. 10th, 11th and 12th.

Place of Meetius-.— The convention
will meet in the rooms of the Commercial
Club in St. Joseph, at the corner of 3rd and
Edmond streets, three blocks from Francis
Street Depot. Take electric cars at Union
Depot and get ofif at 3rd street.

Frank Benton,
Sec'ij. N. Am. J^ee-Keejxrs' AsuociaUuti,
U. S. Dept. Agriculture,

Washington, D. C.

We might add to the foregoing that it is
desired to have a showing of honey, es-
pecially extracted, from every part of the
country at the convention, and it is re-
quested that every one who attends should
bring a bottle of extracted honey, with the
kind of honey and the place where it was
gathered marked upon a label to be fast-
ened to the same.

IVoineu lSi«ling IBicyt-les.— Bro.
A.I. Root was recently asked for "his
opinion in regard to women riding wheels."
Of course he sanctioned it, as his two
daughters and a daughter-in-law all ride
bicycles, and are the better for it. It is
such a common thing here in Chicago to
see women riding bicycles, that we think
nothing of it at all. Why, that widely-
known American queen — Miss Frances E.
Willard— rides her bicycle daily, and is now
reported to be writing a book on the sub-
ject of women bicyclists. Certainly, almost
everybody would be the better to have a
good wheel to run on the ground, rather
than (as some would-be bright people say)
have "a wheel in their head!"

(J^°"The Bee Journal is a welcome
visitor with me, and I hope success will
follow the undertakings of the publishers of
our Bee Jouunal."— Joseph Hentrich, of
Wisconsin, Sept. 8, 1894.

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 ao 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.

Gretting Rid of Moth-Worms.

How can I get rid of moth-worms ? In
looking through most of my light colo-
nies I found that the moth-worms had
been at work, and in some of the hives
they had killed a great deal of brood. I
lifted the hive from the bottom-board
and cleaned it, and killed all the worms
I could find. Is there any way that I
can prevent their hatching in the hive ?
I am using the 8 and 10 frame dovetail
hive. In some of the hives I killed as
many as 20 worms, and they made a
bad looking job of some of the combs.
I tell you I am not very friendly to that
kind of visitors, and the sooner they
leave the better I shall feel. L. S.

Aurora, 111.

Answer. — Italian bees and strong col-
onies are the best cure and preventive.
A strong colony of black bees are not
likely to be troubled with the pests. It
is said that combs covered with bees
are not troubled with them, and yet
they are often found in the middle of
the brood-nest. If there were no other
advantage in Italian bees, I should have
them for the sake of keeping out bee-
moths. Even a nucleus will take care
of a number of combs.

Kill all you like the way you've been
doing, but put your principal trust in
Italian blood.

Great Pretniuni on

415 1

Artificial Shade for Hives.

I would like to get advice in regard to
making shade for my bees, for next year.
I have 20 colonies, and have had them
partly under oak trees the past summdr.
I find they need better shade than those
trees, for the limbs are quite a distanc'i^

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL,

395

from the ground. The bees hang on the
outside of the hive when they have
plenty of room in the supers. I do not
make this statement about the bees
hanging out on hives knowing I need
better shade on this account, for there
may be other reasons why they hang
out so much, but I want shade, and I
think life is too short to wait for shade
to grow in the way of grape-vines or
trees.

I am thinking of making a roof about
12 feet wide and 20 feet long, and
about 6 feet from the ground, using
cedar posts to support the same, and
boards one foot wide, painted, for a roof.
I would use no battens for cracks, for
some water would not hurt the hives,
and it would let some of the hot air out
of the shed. I think T could board up
the north side of this shed for protection
against north winds in winter, and take
it down in the spring.

I am using a modification of the Hed-
don hive-stand having the front board
on an angle, so the bees can walk up
easily. Is this plan all right ?

We have very hot, sultry days here.
I find that the better they are shaded,
the more honey they store — which was
not much this year. "About all of mine
was dark, and almost unsalable.

Sutton, Mo. A. W. D.

Answer. — If you don't mind the ex-
pense, I think you'll like the plan you
have outlined. Even with cracks two
inches wide, you'll find it a great protec-
tion. Rough, cheap boards of any kind
will do, so they are fastened to keep the
wind from taking them off. At the same
time it might not be a bad idea to plant
grape-vines or woodbine, so that when
your roof needs renewing the vines will
do it. Vines on stakes close to the hive
have been voted a nuisance, but I think
I should like them on a trellis six feet
overhead.

Bee-Paralysis, Most Likely.

I want to know what can be the
trouble with my bees, and would be
pleased to have a remedy suggested.

Since Sept. 4th I have noticed at the
entrance of one hive, day by day, the
bees have been clustered as is the case
where robbers are trying to enter, and
the same appearance was indicated by
numbers of bees seen dragging out
numerous small-sized bees.

Upon close examination the victims
are seen to be black, shining specimens,
evidently undersized, and apparently
undeveloped in some way, for many of

them seem to fly with difficulty. Those
that can fly or crawl are curled or
tucked up just like bees will do when
stung by others. Only a few are dragged
out of the hive alive, and when they are
dragged out they seem to be nothing but
a shell, being so light that the wqH bees
can fly away with them easily.

About li pint are dragged out in a
day and night. The entrance smells
just like decaying bees. I enclose you a
sample of the bees. R. T. S.

Fellowsville, W. Va.

Answer. — You seem to have a case of
the much-talked-of and much-written-
about bee-paralysis. I don't know any
cure. Several have been given, and
those who have given them seem very
certain as to their efficacy, then directly
some one comes along who says he has
tried them and they have failed. I sus-
pect that in the case of some of the
cures, if not all, the disease disappeared
of itself and the remedy had nothing
whatever to do with its disappearance.
My bees have had more or less of the
disease for several years, but each year
it has disappeared without my trying
any cure. If I had changed queens, fed
salt, powdered with sulphur, fed honey,
or used any of the other cures, I might
believe in them. But I did nothing, and
never suffered any great loss. But as
we go farther South the results of the
disease become more serious, till it be-
comes a veritable scourge. You will
find considerable about it in very late
numbers of the American Bee Journal.

The "Miller" Bee-Feeder.

Do you keep for sale the feeder which
I suppose bears your name — the Miller
feeder? If you do not sell them, who
does? Can the same feeder be used on
a 10-frame and <S-frame hive, or must I
get one for each size of hive? If I
understand, they are iarge enough to
feed 15 to 20 pounds of syrup at one
feed. I would like to get a circular
with the cut of the feeder. Is it much
of a job to put them together if bought
in the flat ? What is the cost? L. S.

Answer.- I don't keep supplies of
any kind. The Miller feeder is manu-
factured by A. I. Root, and for aught I
know, by others. Price, nailed up, 25
cents each, or §2.20 for ten. In the
flat, 16 cents each, or $1.40 for ten.
They are made to fit an 8-frame hive,
but can be used on a larger hive by put-
ting a piece of board over the part of
the hive that the feeder doesn't cover.
It's no great trick to nail them together.

896

AMERICAN BEE JOURMAi_.

Transferring— Wintering Bees.

I have 13 colonies, having increased
from 7, that I got through the last v?in-
ter with. I have 5 dovetailed hives with
8 Hoffman frames, that I got this sum-
mer. I have 7 box-hives with 8 frames
of my own make, of course being irregu-
lar and void of science or system. I
took off 25 pounds of honey from each
of the box-hives in July. I have M acre
of buckwheat, and M acre of horse-mint
growing along a spring branch, besides
quite a good deal of golden-rod, catnip,
etc., all in full bloom now. My bees are
working almost as strong as they did in
May and June.

1. Is this a suitable time to transfer
to the dovetailed hives ? or should I
wait until spring ?

2. In preparing my bees for winter, I
propose to make an outside case of ordi-
nary 1-inch plank or boards, large
enough to admit of 2 or 3 plies of tarred
paper roofing, as a lining. I will put
them on by having a small screw at each
corner of each board — set them up each
in its place, confine them by passing
small annealed wire from one screw to
the opposite one, around the corner ;
and so at each corner, drawing the wire
sufficiently tight to bring the case to the
hive. This may be made sufBciently
warm, and proof against vermin or in-
sects, and is quickly taken off or put on
without disturbing the bees. What do
you sav to this? Will it do? If not,
why not ? W. H. H.

Parkersburg, Ind.

Answeks. — 1. It's desirable to put as
little extra labor as possible on the bees
after this time of year, so you'd better
postpone transferring till spring. You
see they probably have everything in
about the shape they want it for winter,
and If you go to tinkering with them
they may not get it in as good shape be-
fore winter catches them. You would
not gain much anyway by transferring
this fall, unless the comfort of feeling
that yo.u had them in hives that will suit
better, but it is doubtful if it will suit
them as well— that is, if you change
them now.

2. "Very likely it will work all right.
If it keeps them dry and warm, with
full chance to fly when the weather is
favorable, it ought to work. And yet
what succeeds in one winter doesn't al-
ways do so well another. You can only
tell by trying it several winters in com-
parison with other methods. Some
think that in a mild winter, when bees
have frequent chances for flight, it's bet-

ter not to have much in the way of let-
ting the heat of the sun get to the bees,
and you must remember that any kind
of packing that helps to keep the heat
of the bees in will also help to keep the
heat of the sun out. But in a severe
winter, when the heat of the sun doesn't
count for much on a hive, then thick
protection counts.

CONDUCTED BY

MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY,

Beeville, Texas.

Sending Queens Long Distances.

Mrs. Atchley : — In conversation with
bee-keepers at our late convention, the
following ideas respecting importing
queens cropped up :

As the bees die, they choke up the
feeding places, so there should be at
least three or four of such accessible
from the one center.

Another : Send only a very few bees
with the queens. They are less liable
to panic and fretting.

It is presumption for me to think to
tell you what you don't know, but as
these ideas were spoken of by men like
Mr. H. L. Jones, of Goodna, Queensland,
and Mr. Mansfield, I thought perhaps it
may be some guide to you.

Our late convention will, I feel satis-
fied, lead to good results. I trust things
are prospering with you in your South-
ern home. E. Tipper,

Editor Australian Bee Bulletin.

West Maitland, Australia, July 24.

Friend Tipper, I am very much
obliged to you for the information you
give regarding queen-cages. It is by
the exchange of ideas that we gain
knowledge, and I am glad to know that
you have some bee-keepers who are ex-
perimenting on shipping queens long
distances. I will be very glad indeed
when we arrive at plans or ways of put-
ting up queens so that they will go
safely, as it pains me to learn of the

AMERICAN BKE JOURNAL.

397

death of good queens when the pur-
chasers are so anxiously awaiting their
arrival. Then what a disappointment
to find them dead !

I would so much enjoy meeting your
bee-keepers in convention. Your con-
vention reports are very interesting and
instructive to us over here. I like to
read your Australian bee-talks ; and, by
the way, your Bee Bulletin is an excel-
lent journal, and you are deserving of
patronage and success. I trust that
Australian bee-keepers will sustain your
efforts. Jennie Atchley.

To Beginners in Bee-Keeping.

Dr. Miller's talk on answering ques-
tions by letter strikes me very forcibly,
and I cannot help offering a few more
words in addition to what the Doctor
has said. First, I will allow you to read
one of hundreds of just such letters,
then you can better understand my ex-
planation :

Houston, Tex., Aug. 6, 1894.

Mrs. Jennie Atchley : — I saw a com-
munication from you some weeks since,
in the Houston Post, concerning bee-
culture, so I thought perhaps you would
be kind enough to answer a few inquiries
that I would like to make about the
business, and also about Beeville.

I am a widow with five children, have
a little money, and would like to go into
some business that a woman could at-
tend to herself, and still beat home with
her little children. I know nothing
whatever about bees, but after reading
your letter, it occurred to me that prob-
ably I might buy just a few acres of
ground, have one or two cows, and so
almost raise my living, then make some-
thing with the bees, as I should not sup-
pose it would take all one's time to at-
tend to them.

Please excuse me for troubling you
with my private affairs, but I thought if
I explained the whole situation, you
would be better able to advise me
whether you thought any one with no
experience whatever, could venture to
undertake the business, with any hope
of success.

If you would kindly write me about
what it would cost to get started, and
about what a small place would cost,
etc., I would be very thankful to you in-
deed. Is there any opening in Beeville
that you know of that a lady could take
hold of, except the bees — any business, I
mean ? I have a great notion that a
person could get on better in a small

place where everything is not already
filled. Are there good educational ad-
vantages there, so my children would
not suffer?

Hoping that I have not asked too
great a favor, and that you will answer
at your earliest convenience, I am.
Very truly yours,

Mrs. B. B. R.

Now, it seems that such letters mxist
have a personal reply. Well, that is
only the beginning of trouble, as the
answer just opens up a place for ques-
tions four times in number, and to cut
off such correspondence is next to an im-
possibility, unless one just drops it, and
that won't do, for if we wish to promote
apiculture, we must answer questions.

Now, after writing the good lady
above mentioned, and explaining things
in as short a manner as I knew how,
telling her if she would subscribe for the
American Bee Journal I would there
answer all her questions, and she would
gain knowledge faster, and be less bur-
den on me, then came a second letter,
asking if she had better get a colony or
two of bees, and correspond with me a
year or two and get some experience,
then take the Bee Journal. Of course
I always advise a beginner to get from
two to four colonies of bees (not more),
and then take a bee-paper, etc.

Now, after considerable correspond-
enc3 I wish to give the last letter re-
ceived, and you will at once almost
catch the middle correspondence :

Houston, Tex., Sept. 4, 1894.

Mrs. Atchley :— This is the first op-
portunity I have had to answer your
kind letter, owing to serious illness in
my family. Your letter gave me a good
deal of encouragement. I am very fond
of an out-door life, have always been,
and would neglect my household duties
any time in order to work in my flower
garden.

I think I possess the qualities you
speak of, viz.: energy and determina-
tion, and am certainly not afraid of
work. I had about made up my mind
that I had made a mistake in regard to
the bee-business not taking my whole
time — just as you said anything will,
properly attended to.

One thing troubles me. I am not at
all nervous or timid, still, would it be
safe, do you think, for a woman to live
alone with five small children, out in
the country, or is it pretty well settled
up around Beeville? Would it be wise
to undertake as many as 30 to 50 colo-
nies right at first? I thought probably

398

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi^,

it would be best to start out with a few,
until I understood the care of bees bet-
ter. I shall act on your suggestion, and
come there to look around for myself —
that is always the most satisfactory way.

I thank both yourself and your hus-
band for you kind offer, and will be glad
indeed to have your help and advice.
Were it possible, I should come right
away, but circumstances will not per-
mit. My mother-in-law is a helpless in-
valid— has not walked in 25 years— her
limbs are drawn and twisted with rheu-
matism, and in these late years she has
been a great sufferer from kidney and
other trouble. Out of eight children she
has only one daughter, one son and my-
self left. She leans and depends so much
on me, that I have not the heart to leave
her, although I think it would be to my
advantage to do so. I fear she will not
be with us many months (possibly
weeks) longer, hence my desire to have
some plan in view for mine and my chil-
dren's future.

Are there public schools in your place?
That would be an item of importance to
me, having so many children to educate.

Again thanking- you for your interest
and trouble, and hoping to hear from
you again, if not asking too much, I am,
Yours very truly,

Mks. B. B. R.

p. s.— Would you advise me to sub-
scribe for the paper you so kindly sent?
I thought it would be a good idea to be
reading up on the subject, then I
thought perhaps it would be better to
learn by experience, as I find 1 always
do better that way. Please advise me.
Your letter served to give me strength
and courage, for it seems to me what
one woman has done, another can do, if
she will only persevere, and not be dis-
couraged by the dilBculties that must
arise. Mrs. B. B. R.

Now, dear friends, I do not wish you
to understand that I am not willing to
answer letters by mail, etc., but I would
be proud if I were so circumstanced in
life that I could devote at least a part
of my time to helping those that I could
help. But I have yet to work hard for
my living, and my time is not my own —
it belongs to my family and my business,
and it is a great burden on ray strength
to answer all these letters.

Why, you see my report got into the
common press of the country, last year,
and reached England, France, Germany,
etc., (and I am sorry to say It was some-
what magnified before it got across the

ocean), and the letters that have teemed
in to me for ten months past, would sur-
prise any one; and all from people ig-
norant of bees. I do not care to have
my report published any more.

Well, now, to the point : I am paid to
write for the American Bee Journal,
and to answer questions through its
columns is "copy" for me, and good
reading for all beginners, and good mat-
ter for the Journal, as this is one
branch of the Bee Journal to answer
questions, and be of as much help to its
readers as possible, and if a bee-keeper,
not now a subscriber to the Bee Jour-
nal, will send me his or her subscrip-
tion, and ask questions, I will take
pleasure in answering in full, and give
all the information I can. When you
must have a reply by letter, please ex-
cuse me if it is cut short, and do not
accuse me of selfishness, for I trust you
may believe me when I tell you I have
not the time to answer you by letter.

In conclusion, I will say that this
is my advice to all beginners : Get some
bees, subscribe for the Bee Journal,
aslf questions, and soon learn to be a
bee-keeper. Jennie Atchley.

Beevilie, Bee Co., Tex.

Best Season in Ten Years.

Mrs. Atchley : — This is the best sea-
son I have had in the ten years I have
kept bees. My 27 colonies, spring
count, have increased to 49, and I have
taken 9U0 pounds of comb honey, and
2,700 pounds of extracted, and still
honey is coming in from buckwheat.
C. J. Baldridge.

Kendaia, N. Y., Aug. 80.

Profitiftltic Kee-Iieepiiig-, by Mrs

Atchley, will continue for some time in her
department of tbe Bee Jouhnal, at least
each alternate week. Until further notice
we can furnish the back numbei's from May
1st, beginning with her >' Lessons," to new
subscribers who pay .fl.OO for a year's sub-
scription to the Bke Joukxal— that is, we
can commence their year with the number
having the first lesson, if they so desire.

Capons and Caponi^ing:, 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.

AMERICAISI BEE JOURNAI..

399

CMef Sources of Surplus Honey, Etc.

Query 942.— 1. What is your chief source
of surplus honej' ?

2. What plant, if any, will it pay for you to
cultivate for honey alone ?— Indiana.

1. Linden. 2. None. — Eugene Secor.

1. White clover. 2. None. — M. Maiiin.

1. Basswood. 2. None. — P. H. El-
wood.

1. White clover. 2. None. — J. A.
Green.

1. Basswood. 2. Not any. — G. M.

DoOhlTTLE.

1. Clover and linden. 2. None. — J.
H. Larrabee.

1. Heart's-ease. 2. Alfalfa. — Mrs.
J. N. Heater.

1. White clover. 2. White clover. —
Mrs. L. Harrison.

1. White clover. 2. I don't know of
any.— C. C. Miller.

1. White clover. 2. Sweet clover, if
any. — Jas. A. Stone.

1. White clover and basswood. 2.
None. — R. L. Taylor.

1 and 2. Liriodendron tulipifera (pop-
lar).—J. P. H. Brown.

1. White sage and wild buckwheat.
2. Not any. — A. J. Cook.

1. Clover, basswood and heart's-ease.
2. None. — C. H. Dibbern.

1. White clover and basswood. 2. I
believe sweet clover, but I have not
tried it.— E. France.

1. White clover, Alsike clover next,
then basswood. 3. None that I know
anything about. — II. D. Cutting.

1. Clover, knot-weed (also called
smart-weed) and Spanish-needle. 2.
Melilot (sweet clover). — Dadant & Son.

1. Our chief sources are catclaw,
horsemint and raesquite. 2. I thfnk it
will pay in this country to cultivate
horsemint for honey alone. — Mrs. Jen-
nie Atchley.

1. Frnit-blossoras in the spring ; white
clover in the summer, and golden-rod in
the fall. 2. I don't believe it will pay
to cultivate any single plant from which
to obtain a yield of nectar.— J. E. Pond.

1. White clover and basswood. 2.
None. Alsike clover vi^ill produce fine
honey, and make good pasture and hay,
so what is the use of cultivating a plant
that is good for honey only ?— Emerson
T. Abbott.

1. Basswood. 2. Nothing that I
know of where land is good enough for
farming. Perhaps on poor and stony
land it might pay to sow sweet clover,
and on very sandy land to sow mint.—
S. I. Freeborn.

1. My chief source for surplus honey
is white clover, though black locust
gives the " send off." 2. I know of no
plant that will pay the cost of cultiva-
tion, in honey alone. The cultivation of
plants for honey alone is entirely im-
practicable, and it requires but little
reflection to see it. — G. W. Demaree.

1. White clover, linden and Spanish-
needle. 2. I know of no plant worthy
of cultivation alone for its honey, but
Alsike clover can be substituted as a
fertilizer, hay and pasturage on our
farms, with beneficial effect to our
honey crops. Sweet clover is a splendid
by-way pasturage. — J. M. Hambaugh.

1 and 2. See reply to Query 9-iO. The
"Rocky Mountain honey-plant" is a
marvel in its way, and alfalfa, white
clover, basswood, buckwheat and the
like, are of great value. I am glad to
see some interest manifested in this
direction. Take note of the honey-
plants of your locality, the time of
bloom, etc. — W. M. Barnum.

**Foiil fSi'ood ; 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 sold at the office of the Bee Jour-
nal. Price, postpaid, 2.5 cents; or clubbed
with the Bee Journal for one year— both
together for $1.1.5.

Xlie I^ovelfy Pocket-Knife is

worth having. Mr. A. G. Amos, of New
York, says this about it: " The • Novelty'
pocket-knife which I received with the
American Bee Journal arrived all O. K.,
and it is a dandy." Better get one your-
self, and then you will know what a
" dandy " thing it is. See page 416 for ad-
vertising offer.

Have You Read page 415 yet ?

400

AMERICAN SEE JOURNAL..

.,„-,,. -.„ .... *:

\^fiK xt/ xtx >tx >i<^ >t^ >i< ytx xt/ xty >tx xt/ >i<^ j^ >!^ xt^ xV xtx xtx >tx >V >!/. >t»(>t<>i<( xV j^
HOIVEY OUXI.OOK IN THE SOUTH, ETC.

BY DK. J. P. H. BROWN.

This year has been a very discouraging one for the bee-keepers in most of the
Southern States. The honey crop has been nearly a total failure, excepting in
Florida where the product has been the heaviest and finest they have had in years.

While all this is very discouraging to the bee-keeper, it is not any worse than
the failures that frequently occur in the production of many other crops. Because
adverse seasons destroy and cut short the cotton, corn, fruits, and horticultural
products, the farmer does not abandon the culture of these crops, but he " picks
flint and tries again," and endeavors to bring to bear, in his renewed efforts at their
culture, all the skill and knowledge he can command. Hundreds of colonies have
already perished, and hundreds more will " go up " unless fed before April comes
again. In many localities bees can gather enough winter stores from the fall
flowers, particularly from the asters. The golden-rods in my locality yield com-
paratively little honey, and we have acres of ground covered with them, while the
asters yield abundantly until frost.

By the first of October all colonies should be examined, and if any have less than
20 or 25 pounds of stores, they should be fed until they have about this amount.
It is always best to place the feed, at evening, within the hive, and to give as much
as they can take up.

As the patched-up tariff bill of the political solons has caused an advance in the
price of sugar, the honoy-producers must see that they get more for their honey.

BENDERING COMBS INTO WAX.

All comb that is not intended to be saved for future use should be rendered into
wax. For small quantities the sun-extractor is the best contrivance for doing it,
but where the quantity is large, a large iron pot, water and a bag properly worked
are the best for the business. The wax comes out bright and yellow, and superior
to that rendered by most of the wax extractors.

The combs that are intended to be saved, should be well fumigated with sulphur,
for, unless this is done, the worms will soon destroy them. In our climate broods of
the wax-moth continue to develop until frost.

SPREADING COMBS TO PROMOTE BREEDING.

When Mrs. Ellen Tupper was in her apicultural zenith, there was started a
spreading-comb craze that was carried to such an extent that many colonies were
injured thereby. Theory and practice do not always tally. Theory is more often
based upon the imagination than upon solid facts. The idea advanced by Mrs. T.
and others was, that after the queen started to laying in the spring and established

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 401

her brood-nest, it should be spread by placing unoccupied combs in the center, and
the amount of spreading should be governed by the laying capacity of the queen.
In carrying this idea out an experienced bee-keeper would seldom make a mistake,
but the novice very often made mistakes by spreading the brood too much — away
beyond the covering capacity of the attending bees. Result — chilled and unprotected
brood that died — resources of the colony wasted, and its strength diminished in-
stead of increased. If spreading is practiced at all, it should be done with a cau-
tion— one comb inserted at a time, or not more than the colony can care for, should
there be a stress of bad weather.

If a colony is kept in good condition with nice worker-comb in the center of the
brood-nest, and plenty of stores, there is no use for any such tinkering. The bees
know quite as much about their ability to take care of brood as their keeper — in
fact more, because they always regulate the amount by their capacity to provide for
for it, whereas he often has more young than he can properly rear.

Augusta, Ga., Sept. 14.

FACTS ABOUT Sl^VEBX CLOVER..

BY M. M. BALDKIDGE.

On page 341, a reader of the Bee Journal says that he desires to know when
to sow sweet clover seed, how much per acre, and what effect cold weather has
upon it.

If for honey alone, sow not more than five pounds of seed per acre. This will
give the plants plenty of room to stool, but none too much. If for hay or pasture,
sow from 10 to 15 pounds per acre, so the stems will make a finer growth. Early
in the fall or spring is perhaps the best time to sow the seed. Sow alone or with
grain. I should prefer to cover the seed by harrowing lightly. I have planted the
seed in my garden, as an experiment, the same as I would vegetable seeds, and have
had the plants in sight in four days ! I planted some the first of this month, and
they are to-day (Sept. 15th) two inches in hight.

I have been quite well acquainted with sweet clover since 1858, and have no
remembrance of a winter that has ever done it any iniiiry. It will stand the coldest
weather that we have in the Northern States, when the plants have become thor-
oughly established. When very young the plants are rather feeble, and at that
stage of growth will not stand severe freezing weather, nor perhaps a long-pro-
tracted drouth. Last spring one of my correspondents sowed 80 acres to sweet
clover upon an uncultivated tract of land. The clover germinated and grew fairly
well, but before the plants had secured a proper growth that cold freeze the last of
March came on and destroyed them. This correspondent keeps no bees, but he grows
sweet clover for a double purpose and extensively, namely — for hay and pasture,
and to enrich the soil. There is perhaps no plant that will improve the soil so
rapidly as sweet clover. The plant being a biennial, the roots die and rot at the
end of the second year. The roots being large, and several feet in length, fill the
ground with an enormous amount of rich vegetable matter, and this can be depended
upon, on the same land if so desired, every two years.

There is, in my opinion, no one plant now known that will produce more and
better honey per acre than sweet clover ; and, as it is at last coming to the front as
a fertilizer for worn-out soils, and as a hay and pasture plant for many kinds of
stock, it will in the near future be grown more extensively than the majority of
bee-keepers at present imagine. St. Charles, 111.

402 AMKRICAN BEE JOURNAL-.

SUGGESXIONS ABOUT APIARIAIN " KIIVKS."

BY F. L. THOMPSON.

The editor makes a good point on page 103, when he asks, " Have you dis-
covered any new kinks that are worth knowing ?" Our bee-papers are already
about as good as they can be editorially, but there is plenty of room for improve-
ment on the part of contributors. We all know the man who successfully runs large
apiaries and attends all conventions, at which he is continually letting fall words of
wisdom in the shape of kinks — though even there he does it principally in conver-
sation before and after — but the bee-papers never hear from him.

It has been said that the periodicals have gradually taken to themselves all
functions of conventions except the face to face meeting. It ought to be so ; but it
is not entirely so yet, by any means. Mr. Hasty says it is because most bee-keepers
don't know how to write. I don't believe it. It is because they have not the right
attitude of mind toward writing of this kind. If by association of ideas a man
unites in his mind the Century, The Nation, or Harper's Monthly with the American
Bee Journal, and does not write for the latter because he could not for the former,
that does not prevent him from writing business letters which are plain and to the
point.

The American Bee Journal needs no more style from its contributors than a
collection of business letters would. Besides, we are working toward a plain and
simple style even in purely literary performances ; unless we except certain erratic
schools of poetry, which do not concern sensible people. Indeed, one characteristic
of modern style is the absence of style. The matter is looked to more sharply than
the manner. Practical men like bee-keepers have nothing to fear on that score.
The Senate Chamber no longer resounds with stately imitations of Burke and Web-
ster. It would be considered bad taste. W. D. Howells, the greatest living Ameri-
can novelist, takes particular pains to erase all passages from his works which
sound too literary.

But, after all, it does not matter so much in what shape the kinks come, as that
we get them all right. If a kink is spread over a page, which might be put in a
paragraph, let us be thankful it is no worse. We want kinks. If we don't help
one another to them, we shall not get them. The bee-books contain a few, but only
.1 few ; revisions occur too seldom, and there is not room enough for them all, any-
how. I cannot agree with Mr. Heddon in thinking it best to compress everything
into the smallest possible compass. That is all right as a department of bee-litera-
ture ; but it would be a serious blow to progress if it was the whole of it. Plenty of
kinks are the life and soul of bee-culture. By their aid we comprehend the essen-
tial principles much more fully than we otherwise could. We need such periodicals
as the Review ; but no less do we need the American Bee Journal and Gleanings.
Concentrated food alone, weakens the digestive powers.

But, it may be said, it is the business of editors to prod up the successful men,
as they know "who rides this hobby and who that," in Mr. Hutchinson's words.
That may be; and in the essential principles of bee-keeping this plan leaves nothing
to be desired ; but in the department of kinks, to .judge by results, they do not reach
one onc-huudreth of the men we ought to hoar from, nor is it to bo expected. To
get kinks, wc must look to the number, as well as the reputation, of bee-keepers.
One would think, for instance, that R. L. Taylor would be an experiment station in
himself ; but one of the first things he did on being appointed was to ask for sug-
gestions— not from a select few, whose names were known — but from everybody who
is a practical bee-keeper. Let us not forget, in our zeal at condensing, boiling
down, getting the "cream" — that the "General Public" is an old veteran at bee-

-:i^V| .^v^

ll

404 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

keeping. The old gentleman is occasionally behind the times, but he knows a
thing or two.

Besides kinks and short cuts, there is another department depending largely
upon the general contributor for support. You know how provoking the bee-books
are sometimes. You look up something, and apparently find out all about it ; then
work according to directions, and fail : and after finding out the right way by ex-
perience, you look it up again, and find that it did tell you of that point, but in such
a way that you failed to appreciate its connection with the rest. Or, that point
may have been omitted entirely in the book. You can't expect everything of a book.
If all details were given so as to preclude any possibility of a mistake in any de-
partment, the result would be a regular encyclopedia, and would defeat its own
object— people would care neither to buy nor to read such a book. But an article
describing the process, in a bac-k number of the Bee Journal, would likely be much
more detailed and satisfactory than the description in the book ; the writer, writing
from fresh experience, and not bothered with the desire to be brief, would probably
be so impressed with that particular point, that there would be no mistake about
what he meant. There is considerable value in articles which treat of nothing new,
but only tell how some man successfully did something.

Who will write such articles ? Not the "veterans," altogether; they are too
much occupied with the "unsolved problems " of apiculture; it must be largely the
rank and file, providing, of course, they have a certain amount of experience. They
should be given in few words if possible ; but better too many than none at ^11.

Finally, let contributors remember that they are casting bread upon the waters;
every contribution which is a fruit of their experience adds not only to knowledge,
but also to the desire of imparting knowledge, and they will reap the fruits of it in
lea.rning more of the experience of others. The " let us hear from all the brethren "
idea, being an essential principle of human nature, must be represented somewhere.
It will not "overboard into the deep, deep sea " yet awhile, though a dozen Mr.
Hastys flourish their scissors at it. Arvada Colo.

[See page 391 for editorial comments on the above " kinky" article. — Editor. 1
XHAX BEE-ESCAPE HONEY-BOARD.

BY W. C. LYMAN.

I should like to say in reply to Dr. Miller's question on page 275— "Why not
merely leave a hole for drones to get out without any escape, in that plan of W. C.
Lyman's ?"— because the idea is to have all the bees get to work as a part of the
working force of the colony as soon as possible, and not to have any division of in-
terest caused by a second entrance to any part of the hive.

Young queens could return through a hole as well as drones, and thus set up a
little kingdom, or queendom, of their own in the upper brood-chamber, which would
be a bad state of things if that brood-chamber is to be removed, or exchanged for
the lower one, as will be seen farther on.

I first used a cone escape, but it was not satisfactory, for the bees returned
through it.

• In this plan I want the hive to return to its normal condition of brood-chamber
with supers as soon as possible.

In using this plan of preventing increase, I hive the swarms on frames having
very narrow starters of foundation, the foundation projecting below the comb guide
of the frames about one row of cells. I use a wood-zinc honey-board between the

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 405

brood-chamber and supers, and full sheets of foundation in the sections. Thus the
bees have full chance to build their own brood-comb — which answers the purpose of
contraction very well — and they are not very likely to swarm again until they get
them nearly completed. At this time, or later as desired, the places of the brood-
chambers can be changed, putting the old one below, and the queen in it, and the
new one containing the newly-built combs above the bee-escape honey-board, where
the brood will soon hatch out, and the combs be ready to be removed and sorted.

The bees will thus be ready to winter on the same combs which they had in the
first place, and little honey will be stored, except what goes into the boxes.

While the bee-escape honey-board is on the hive the escape acts as an excellent
ventilator, and the bees are not so likely to swarm out by reason of the heat.

Downer's Grove. 111.

MIORAXORY BEE-KEEPIXG QUESXIOXS.

BY CHAS. F. JAESSING.

Migratory bee-keeping, as discussed and advised by Mr. John McArthur in the
Bee Journal of Sept. 6th, is a subject which has interested me very much ever
since I have made bee-keeping my exclusive business, and Mr. McArthur's is the
best article on the subject I have ever read.

I have been thinking that sending South every spring for as many packages of
bees of one or two pounds (and a queen with each package) as I wanted colonies for
that year, laid down about 4:5 days before the honey harvest began, so that I could
get them good and strong for section honey, would be profitable, and would also
relieve me of the work and risk of wintering bees. But I think that Mr. McArthur's
scheme of getting full colonies of bees just before the honey harvest, is far better
than mine.

I would be very much obliged to Mr. McArthur if he would write the details of
his undertaking of 1898 for the Bee Journal, and also answer the following
questions, for I am sure that many subscribers of the Bee Journal are as much
interested in this subject as I am :

1st. Will it be necessary for one to go personally and purchase the bees, and
then accompany them all the way to their destination ?

2nd. Did you purchase the hives as well as the bees, or did you ship them in
light shipping-boxes, and then transfer them at home into hives of your own ?

3rd. Please describe your method of preparing and shipping the bees, number
of colonies that can be put into a car, and cost of shipping a carload that distance.

4tb. Lastly, will Mr. McArthur, or any Southern reader of the Bee Journal,
please answer whether plenty of bees on good combs and Simplicity frames can be
purchased in latitude of Tennessee or thereabouts ? Also the range of prices in May.

I ask these questions, hoping to hear from others who have tried the scheme,
as well as from Mr. McArthur, and whether they have been as successful as has
Mr. M.

If the American Bee Journal, with the help of its many practical writers,
both in the North and South, can solve this problem, it will have accomplished very
much for the cause of apiculture. Maumee, O., Sept. 10.

[As Mr. Jaessing says, this is an interesting subject, and likely worth investi-
gation. Will Mr. McArthur and others who can do so, please comply with the re-
quest to answer the questions propounded in the foregoing article ? We shall be
glad to publish anything reliable on both sides of the matter referred to. — Editor.]

406 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

BEE-KKEPIIVG AI^D CROPS IP« UTAH.

BY E. S. LOVESY.

Friend York : — The " Old Reliable " comes regularly and on time every week,
and while we always find In its pages many good things, we often cull, from a
single number, points of information of more value than its subscription price for
a whole year. While we get many other papers, we receive none that we relish
with a keener interest than the American "Bee Journal. No matter how far ad-
vanced, or how scientific our bee-keepers may become, there are none that will not
be benefited by scanning its pages.

The honey-flow here, so far as we can learn, is above the average. While we
have not heard from all points, we have heard from many places, and nearly all
send good reports, and some say that the honey crop this year is unusually heavy —
in fact, for crops of every description Utah is unusually blessed this year.

I have just returned from a trip through the northern counties to Bear River,
north of the Lake. Now while we have pretty good crops nearly every year in most
places, I do not think that I ever saw anything to quite equal this year. Fruits of
every description — the trees and vines are groaning and breaking under their heavy
loads ; and the grain crops are also good. In potatoes and roots I don't like to state
how much is often grown on an acre, because in this instance the truth would sound
stranger than fiction.

I was surprised to see what is being accomplished in the Bear River country. It
is not long since the coyote made his home there, and even now when we look on
that portion of the soil that is still in its native or unbroken state, we are loth to
believe that it will grow such immense crops, but I saw corn standing 8 feet
high, and lucerne, the third crop, now ready to cut, averaging seven or more tons
to the acre for the three crops ; cabbage as large as a water bucket, and I saw over
30 potatoes dug from one hill, and other crops in proportion. I noticed a growth of
fruit trees, vines, and shade trees, this season, of from 5 to 7 feet.

It seems to be an excellent country for bees. We visited one bee-keeper that
had 63 colonies; he robbed 35 of them the second time two days before I called on
him, taking out 2,300 pounds. This honey was gathered entirely from lucerne
and the Rocky Mountain honey-plant. Shall we tell our friends the secret of all
this ? It is water — iife-giving water. Water is on top in Utah. It is first and
foremost. Next is our invigorating climate. We have no hot nights, no malaria,
no cyclones, but it is claimed that Utah has a greater variety of minerals than any
other State, and as she will soon be coming into the Union, we flatter ourselves that
she will soon be one of the brightest stars in this great Nation. Please pardon this
bit of enthusiasm for our own bright little gem that will soon be a shining star.

I visited several bee-keepers in this Bear River section, and they all reported
that the bees were doing well. I am very much tempted to try and start a bee-
ranch up there. The reason this land was not settled many years sooner, was the
immense cost of getting the water on the land. There is plenty of water now which
they can turn out of the river. The dams, tunnel, 70 miles of the two main canals
30 feet wide in the bottom, and 200 miles of laterals have been built at a cost of
$2,250,000. They have about 9,000 acres under cultivation, and there is about
180,000 acres under the canals.

I met people there seeking homes from Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota,
Nebraska, Kansas, the Dakotas, and other places. They expressed themselves as
being well pleased with this country — the land seems to be adapted to the sugar
beet. The sugar industry here has proven to be a grand success. Our climate

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

407

seems to be changing to some extent. We had more rain here in May, June and
July this year than there was in those three months in ten whole years during the
early settlement of the country. We have no fear of getting too much rain in Utah
— it increases the honey-flow, and insures good crops.

I saw a gentleman from one of the upper counties, and he said that the bees
were booming, and that the grain crops were never better. He said that in two
valleys to the southeast of Salt Lake City, the entire wheat crop would average over
50 bushels to the acre, and that barley and oats would go much more. I have been
nearly all over Salt Lake county, and to many other places, and while nearly all say
that the honey crop is good, some complain. While location may be the cause, it is
generally bad management, the bees getting neither room nor care. Some never go
near them except when they want to rob them.

In and near Salt Lake City the season has been good. First we had the fruit-
bloom, then the honey-locust, and the bees have been working on the lucerne since
about June 1st. Now we also have the sweet clover and the Rocky Mountain honey-
plant, and the bees are still gathering honey from those plants. For about three
weeks I had several colonies that gathered 50 pounds and over, each week, and
three brought in nearly 100 pounds in a week. They are strong colonies ; in the
afternoon a person could not count them as they rushed into the hive.

Salt Lake City, Utah, Aug. 31.

Om Bo€T9r's Eikts.

By F. L. PEIRO, M. D.

McVicker's Building-, Chicago, III.

liOokont for Typhoid and. Malaria.

" About now look out for rain," the old
almanacs used to advise us. And quite
aptly we suggest that about now see that
your cellars are thoroughly cleaned and
fumigated, by burning some sulphur over
hot coals. This kills all the bugs, worms,
and other creeping things, and leaves your
cellar nice and sweet. Then make one
good, long resolution, and stick to it—
never to put therein cabbages, potatoes,
turnips or other vegetables that are likely
to rot and set up sickness enough in your
one family to supply a whole village! Why,
I have seen malaria and typhoid fever at-
tack every member of a large family, last-
ing, from first to last, from early fall to
early spring, and leaving some of its vic-
tims with a broken constitution for months
longer, to say nothing of the suffering and
money spent for doctor's bills— all traceable
to decaying vegetation in the cellar! Far
better build a root-bouse or other recepta-
cle for your garden stuff, than run such
great risks of suffering, and perhaps death I
Your water supply is another of the
great blessings you should be especially

considerate of. It is amazing how reckless
some people are regarding the location of
their wells and cisterns. Only a few weeks
ago the writer visited a family in a village
in this State, and in their kindness for my
comfort, they furnished me with water
from their cistern, becase it was softer to
wash with. Why, that water simply was
awful! Whew, what a horrible smell — and
' ' wigglers " by the thousands ! Such water
is simply abominable, and to think of hav-
ing it under your very nose the year
round, is certainly courting the most vio-
lent form of miasmatic fevers ! No wonder
the man was sick, and the wife little better,
and baby's life threatened! My advice
was to immediately fill up that putrid
cavity, or move away from it. No use to
pay for the doctor's advice and medicines,
and live right over a pest-hole like that!

See to it that your well or cistern is far
from your barn or out-house, that the
water supply may not be contaminated by
the barn-yard, pig-sties, or other sources of
contagion. And see to it right noiu.' You
have more time now. and it can be looked
after better this and next month, before
freezing cold weather sets in. Don't neg-
lect it. Mothers, see that this important
matter is carefully looked after. When
sickness comes, it is upon ijou that the bur-
den of your suffering family comes. If you
insist in time, you may save yourself great
trials. " A word to the wise is sufficient."

408

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL,

Hints for the Hiiisband and Wile.

Dear Mrs. Green: — Your suggestion is
certainly admirable, and a reply to it so
important that I yield to your request by
stating the facts as delicately as consistent
with a proper appreciation of the subject.
Yes, I am not unmindful of the silent suf-
fering of many wives from the unreason-
able exactions of — I was about to say —
beastial husbands! But what the remedy ?
Ignorance of physical results to both man
and wife is largely responsible for this
legalized kind of brutality, and diet is the
next most important factor.

If men would only be taught to curb their
passions, what peace would follow ! How
much more amiable they would be, and
how sweet the disposition of wife and chil-
dren. Where now discord reigns, mutual
joys might be supreme !

Aside from a manly determination to
subdue a perverted appetite to reasonable
bounds, the importance of projier hygienic
living is next in line of consideration. But,
there, again, you touch a man in a tender
spot— his stomach ! The idea of limiting
meat to once per week (or better still, not
at all), would at first astound him with a
sense of oppression little short of madness.
But such is the practical fact. And why
not ? Do not others in the world work
much harder, and live a more hardy, happier
life who never even tldnk of meat ?

Meat is no more essential than intoxicants.
Both are excitants in various degrees, and
because of this fact both tend to lower
human sensibilities. A diet of fresh vege-
tables and fruits tends in the very opposite
direction— they more effectually nourish
the system and exalt the mind to a higher
plain of living. Meat stimulates, and thus
develops latent disturbances of mind and
body within us. Fruits and vegetables
cool the blood, and give the body and mind
greater vigor of thought and action. Oh, if
these simple rules of living were steadfastly
adhered to, how much brighter this world
would be, and how little business for the
divorce courts !

Honey a,s Foo«l iin<l IVIedicint; 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. 8ee the second page of last
number of the Bee Journal for description
and prices.

^i'" Do not write anything for publication
on the same sheet of paper with business
matters, unless it can be torn apart wlthou
interfering with either part of the letter.

>*<fcA^i»^<

Bees Booming Yet.

I had 25 colonies on May 1, 1894,
and I have 53 now. I secured 395
pounds of comb honey and 4,000 pounds
of extracted. Bees are booming yet.
Henry Stauk.

Pulclver, Wis., Sept. 10.

Booming on Alfalfa.

Our bees have done excellent work
this season, and the way they are bring-
ing in the alfalfa clover honey to-day
(Sept. 13th) would make glad the heart
of any apiarist. Our alfalfa bloom will
last about three weeks yet, during which
time our bees will advance their season's
record wonderfully. F. M. Weiland.

Fowler, Colo., Sept. 13.

Had Pleasant Calls.

I cannot keep it a secret any longer.
I have had a very pleasant call from
Ernest Root and " Blue Eyes." This
place is quite a summer resort, and Miss
Root was here for a few days, getting
the lake breeze, with her aunt, Mrs.
Gardner, whose family was here from
Manistee. Ernest's was, it seemed to
me, a flying visit. We wanted him at
least one whole day.

But we shall not forget their short
and very pleasant call, and hope the
next one will be a longer one. Now,
Bro. York, it's your turn.

Walter Harmer.

Onekama, Mich. Sept. 11.

[Thank you, Bro. Harmer, for your
very kind invitation. But the Bee Jour-
nal requires our attention so constantly
that it is next to an impossibility to go
anywhere. We want to go to St. Joseph,
Mo., next month, however. Some day

AMERICAN BKn; JOURNAL.

409

we hope to have our business so arranged
that we can call on our bee-keeping
friends in various parts of the country.
But until then we will have to be con-
tent with knowing the most of them
through their pleasant letters. — Editok.]

Had a Splendid Honey Season.

This has been a splendid season with
me. I have secured 3,000 pounds of
comb honey. I have had considerable
experience with the bicycle as a means
of traveling to and from my apiary,
which is located about 4: miles from
home. I have boarded at home and
taken care of my bees without any
trouble whatever. I am now en{
in preparing my honey for market.

G. F. Tubes.

Turtle Point, Pa. Sept. 14.

In Good Condition for Winter.

My crop of honey is small this year,
^ith few swarms, but all colonies are in
good condition for winter.

L. C. Pierce.

Otsego, Mich., Sept. 12.

Bees Did Fairly Well.

It has been very dry here — no rain
from June 15th until Sept. 7th. My
bees have done fairly well, several colo-
nies having gathered 56 pounds each.
H. W. Brown.

Scottville, Mich., Sept. 13.

Bee-Keeping in Louisiana.

I am in the north part of Bossier par-
ish, Louisiana, I have only 50 colonies
of bees, situated on the hills, and the
Red river runs within 100 yards of it.
For 28 miles north it is swamps and
natural growth of willow, and west it is
about 4 miles to the hills.

The spring flow of honey is from wil-
low and maple, and sumac, which is
very fine in flavor and a bright color.
The summer yield of honey is from the
abundance of wild flowers which grow
in the swamps, and some clover. A
good portion is from the large farm
fields of cotton and corn. We don't
have any fall flow, only enough for win-
ter.

Up to July 1st I took 2,700 pounds
of extracted honey from about 30 colo-

nies. From July to October they will be
in big luck to fill up for winter.

Louisiana bee-keepers hardly need to
think of their bees during winter— the
hives are left on the stands from one
year to the next. We manage to leave
them enough stores for winter, and
hardly ever have any to freeze. Some-
times a weak colony freezes up.

The only drawback is, that I lose so
many swarms, and I know they are
properly cared for, but I think they
want to swim in the honey of the
swamps. I hope some bee-keeper will
give his idea about the cause of the
swarms leaving. T. J. Lusk.

Plain Dealing, La., Sept. 12.

Working on Golden-Rod and Asters.

So long as I can sell a dollar's worth
of honey I shall take the American Bee
Journal. I have had very poor luck
with my bees this season. I lost 31
colonies last spring, and have not had a
new swarm this season, and but very
little honey. But I never have seen bees
work busier in all my life than they do
now on golden-rod and asters.

J. W. Miller.

Rodney, Mich., Sept. 14.

A Fair Honey Crop, Etc.

My 20 colonies of bees came through
the last winter all alive, but two colonies
were queen less and one was very weak.
The other bees got away with one of the
queenless colonies the next day after
they were put out of the cellar. I sent
for an Italian queen for the other, but it
was late before they got started, yet she
saved the colony, and they have stored
one super of 28 sections full of honey.
The weak colony has stored no surplus
nor cast a swarm, but are in good shape
now for winter.

Fruit-bloom was good for building up
on, but white clover was a failure.
Basswood was splendid while it lasted.
I have taken from 19 colonies, spring
count, over 500 pounds of basswood
honey, and there is considerable to take
ofif yet. After the basswood flow they
scarcely made a living until about two
weeks ago, when they commenced gath-
ering from buckwheat and golden-rod,
and although it is terribly dry they are
now storing some honey in the sections.
I think I will have at least 500 pounds
to take off yet. Have increased to 34
colonies.

In the "Old Reliable," page 309,

410

AMERICAN BEE JOURMAi^.

among Friend Golden's valuable items
he says: "We cannot see why the
American Bee Journal should not find
a place in every bee-keeper's home (who
is able to take it) with its valuable in-
formation," etc. I say, where is there a
bee-keeper in this broad land, even if he
keeps but two or three colonies, who is
able not to take it? I am but a novice in
bee-keeping, having bought my bees to
start with two years ago last July, but I
w^ould not do without the American
Bee Journal, even if its price should
be raised to ^1.50, as suggested by Mr.
Hutchinson on page 297. In fact, the
departments of either Dr. C. C. Miller or
Mrs. Jennie Atchley are worth more to
me than the subscription if it were raised
to $2.00 per year. Scott LaMont.
Jarrett, Minn., Sept. 6.

An Eflfective Little Sermon.

Last February I started with the
American Bee Journal, and since that
it's about all I read, and can hardly wait
from one week to the other for it. After
reading the editorial on page 295, re-
ferring to Dr. Miller's comments on page
311 of the same Bee Journal, my next
move was to read what the Doctor calls
a little sermon, and its a good one for
me. I thank him very much for taking
such an interest in the secretaries, and
I hope that more secretaries besides my-
self gained by the sermon. Hereafter I
will try to do a little more condensing,
and then I hope to hear from the Doctor
again. J. C. Knoll.

Glenwood Park, .Nebr.

Wet Weather and Ants.

We live in the borders of the Brazos,
or " Cross-timbers," and near enough to
the (jrUif of Mexico to hear the breakers.
I think you will be interested to know
that we have had a very poor honey sea-
son here, because of the unusunlLy wet
weatlicr. Our "dried out " friends would
have been more than welcome to two-
thirds of our rain the past summer. Here
the driest seasons are tlie best for honey.

Though this is my first year with beos
here, yet it is long enough to learn what
a pest ants are. There were thousands of
them in the honey-house. If a frame
containing eggs was set down for a few
moments, the eggs were all removed. If
young bees fell to the floor, they were
immediately attacked and killed in a
very short time, and a drop of honey
would be covered with ants.

I discovered that many of the nests

were in loose earth raised on top of the
ground. I took a pail of water and an
old ax, and made a mud-and-ant pie
wherever a nest could be found. I as-
sure you the mixing was not slighted.
That was over two months ago, and I
have not been bothered since.

Before ridding them out, I found it
necessary to place some hives on a plat-
form, letting the hives rest on four
blocks, about 1-inch cubes, and the
blocks surrounded with pyrethrum or
insect powder. I have since heard of a
bee-keeper who pours coal-oil in the
nests to drive them off. When ants
entered a hive under the cover, I found
that a light dusting of pyrethrum on the
edge of the hive would keep them away.
T. J. Adams.

Velasco. Tex., Sept. 8.

Sulphur Cure for Paralysis, Etc.

I have noticed a good many inquiries
in the bee-papers about the sulphur cure
for bee-paralysis, and therefore I will
give my experience with it.

Last summer I had a colony affected
with this disease, whose queen came
from the North. The queen was a good
layer and seemed to be all right, but as
soon as they would gain in strength they
would begin to die off, until there were
not more than enough to supply and
take care of the brood-nest. It aggra-
vated me very much to look on these
Italian bees, I expected more of them,
and didn't get anything, while I had 30
colonies of black beos in healthy condi-
tion that were storing in the supers
right along. I tried the salt cure several
times with no effect. I also moved them
into a new hive with frames of founda-
tion, but it did not help any, either. I
was so disgusted that I had" a good no-
tion to burn them, and I would, too, if
it had not been for an item in the Amer-
ican Bee Journal, telling about the
sulphur cure. I went to work and took
out each frame, at the time, and sprink-
led it well with fine dry sulphur. I then
threw some down at the entrance, and
the rest on the ground around the hive,
with the most satisfactory results, as I
have not had any more bee-paralysis in
my apiary since.

Bees have done fairly well in this sec-
tion this year. From 30 colonies I ex-
tracted 600 pounds, and had about 40
swarms. I did not extract until after
all the honey-flows were past. I have
51 colonies in good condition now.

Leonard Lundquist.

Upsala, Fla., Sept. 7.

VOL. XXXIV. CHICAGO, ILL, OCT. 4, 1894.

NO. 14.

GEORGE W YORK.%0

, EC'-c." y^cSi^

*' Xlie Sun may warm the grass to light,

And dew the drooping flower.
And eyes grow bright and watch the light

Of Autumn's opening hour;
But words that breathe of tenderness,

And smiles we know are true,
Are warmer than the summer-time,

And brighter than the dew."

Xlie jlfortli Aniei-ica^n Convention^
next "Wednesday, Thursday and Friday — at
St. Joseph, Mo. Don't forget to go.

The meeting will be held in the rooms of
the Commercial Club, corner of 3rd and
Edmond Sts., three blocks from Francis
Street Depot. Take electric cars at Union
Depot, and get off at 3rd St.

]flr. J. Van l>eu!>ien. Sprout Brook,
N. Y., the flat-bottom comb foundation
maker, called at the Bee Journal office
last Friday, on his way to the St.. Joseph
convention. He will visit a brother in
Iowa before the meeting. Bro. Van Deusen
is 80 years old, but no one would think him
over 65 or 70. He is wonderfully vigorous,
and we hope good for another 20 years, at
least. New York is sure to have one repre-
sentative at the convention, but we trust
there will be present many more " wise
men from the East."

Ho, for St. Joe ! — Bro. Hutchinson,
in a letter to us, suggests that all bee-keep-
ers who are going to St. Joseph next week,
and can possibly do so, please meet in Chi-
cago on Tuesday, Oct. 9th, at 5 p.m., in the
Commercial Hotel, northwest corner of
Dearborn and Lake Streets, and then all go
in a body to the Union Depot, to take the
C. B. & Q. train for St. Joseph, which
leaves Chicago at 6:10 p.m. All who get
their through tickets hefore reaching Chi-
cago, will please buy them over the C. B. &
Q. road, and thus be able to join the crowd
Tuesday evening. Let's fill a whole car, if
possible, and have a pleasant time together
all the way to St. Joseph.

Xlie Editorial »• We " will be ex-
changed for the singular pronoun "I" in
Gleardngii hereafter. And a new and neat
editorial heading is used, with the name
" E. R. Root" engraved thereon. The
American Bee Journal still prefers to use
"we "in its editorial department, though
both the Review and Oeeanings will now
be putting in their " I's " instead.

Seini-Annnal JVIeetings of the

North American Bee-Keepers' Association
we believe would be a good thing — yes, two
good things every year. We have been
thinking a little bit "along this line," and
would like to make the suggestion of semi-
annual meetings now, so that it may be
considered at St. Joseph, next week, if
deemed advisable.

You see, our country is so large that
when the North American convention meets
in the West, bee-keepers of the East are un-
able to afford the expense of going so great
a distance, and when the meeting is held in

424

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

the East then those living in the West feel
that they cannot bear the cost incident to
attending the annual convention.

Now, it seems to us, in view of existing
conditions, that it would be best to hold
two meetings a year — one in the West, the
iirst week in October, and another in the
East, the first week in April. By such an
arrangement the Association could have
almost twice its present membership, and
there would be two jollifications, or genera-
tors of bee-enthusiasm, instead of one each
year as at present. These meetings would
advertise the business of honey- production,
the beneficial use of honey, and all else in
connection with it, in such a way as no
other agency could do. It would also help
in many ways to insure unity of action in
all matters pertaining to the best interests
of bee-keepers themselves, and especially
in the line of the great benefit bees are to
farmers and fruit-growers everywhere.

Occasionally meetings could then be held
as far west as California, and as far South
as Texas. Maine and Canada would have
the conventions, and thus there would be
twice the opportunity there now is to hold
the meetings in favorite cities or parts of
our great country.

We believe this is a matter worth think-
ing about, for in so extensive a domain as
is ours, the conventions of the North
American must remain largely local in
membership, and thus in most cases per-
mitting only biennial attendance when it
should at least be annual. There should be
a grand rally of all the bee-keepers in this
country every year, but the way things are
now, it practically prevents the rallying of
one-half of the. clan by reason of their great
distance from the place of meeting. Hold
two conventions a year, and then all may
be happy if they so choose.

Brethren and sisters, what do you think
of our suggestion ? Let's hear from the
other bee-papers, too.

l>r. IV. R. Howard, of Ft. Worth,
Tex., had the misfortune to lose his horse
and carriage (worth about $300) in a big
livery-stable fire there on Sept. 11th. Over
40 carriages and 23 fine horses were burned,
among them being one horse and a carriage
each worth $1,200. We regret to learn of
the Doctor'.s loss, and hope he may soon be
" rigged " out again with a finer rig than
ever.

TvKO Contributions to the " Lang-
stroth Fund " that we received some time
ago, and which we see that we have not as
yet reported, are these : S. H. Clark, El-
wood, Iowa, 60 cents ; and John M. Seller,
Chanhassen, Minn., 35 cents. In all, then,
there has been given to the " Fund," $92.40,
during a little more than a year past, all of
which we have forwarded to Father Lang-
stroth. After sending him the last remit-
tance, we received the following letter from
his daughter, Mrs. Anna L. Cowan :

Dayton, O., Sept. 24, 1894.
Mr. George W. York.

Dear Sir : — My father requests me to
thank you for your favor of Sept. 22nd. re-
ceived by hira to-day. He is grateful to
you for the interest you have taken in his
welfare, and appreciates the assistance he
has received from his bee-keeping friends.
His health is somewhat improved, but he ,
still has but little relief from his head
trouble. Respectfully yours,

Anna L. Cowan.

Father L.'s many friends will be glad to
hear that his general health is improved,
and will wish for him yet many years ere
life's end shall come and eternity's dawn
appears.

JSro. Clias. F. Iflittli, of Cincinnati,
Ohio, wrote us. as follows on Sept. 26th:

Friend York ; — I am advised just now

by the C. H. & D. R. R. Co., that the rate

for bee-keepers from Cincinnati to St.

Joseph, Mo., and return, will be 1)4 fare.

Yours truly, Chas. F. Mutk.

We shall expect to meet a large number
of bee-keepers next week from the region
around Cincinnati. Our big and jolly-
hearted Bro. Muth is able to head a good-
sized delegation. Hope he will have the
chance.

Harvest Excursion Xiclcets. —

We open the " forms " of the Bee Journal
to say that we have just learned that the
"Harvest Excursion Tickets" mentioned
in connection with the St. Joseph conven-
tion, are good for return trip only on Oct. 19th
and 26th. As the majority of bee-keepers
would not care to wait so long after the
meeting before they could return, it will
probably be best to take advantage of the
IX rate offered by the Central Trafiic Asso-
ciation and the Western Passenger Associa-
tion. Don't fail to get a certificate receipt
when buying your ticket to St. Joseph.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

425

Toronto and ICiifTalo are both be-
ing urged for the place of holding the next
meeting of the North American. We have
received splendid endorsements of the two
cities named, by Wm. McEvoy and O. L.
Hershiser, respectively. Mr. McEvoy urges
Toronto, and September as the month, on
account of the great Fair held there each
year at that time. Mr. Hershiser urges
Buffalo on account of railroad facilities, etc.

Not having room to publish the letters
received in favor of Toronto and Buffalo,
we make this simple mention of them.
Personally, either place will suit us— we
have no choice, but are quite willing to
" go with the crowd " in this instance. We
shall work for a good meeting, no matter
where it is held.

Bro. Root almost " fell in love " with
charming young lady in Michigan while

on his bicycle trip recently. It was baby

Pern Hutchinson!

Oon^t Forget— tlie C B. & Q.

(Chicago, Burlington & Quincy) is the hent
road to take when going to St. Joseph, Mo.,
next week. The " Harvest Excursion " is
next Tuesday, Oct. 9th, and the rate is
" one fare and $2.00" for the round trip;
or the reduced rate for the North American
convention by both the Central and the
Western Passenger Associations, is IX
fares for the round trip. Be sure to get a
certificate when purchasing your ticket,
and also take the " C. B. & Q." Train
leaves Chicago at 6:10 p.m., daily, at the
Union Depot, corner of Madison and Canal
Sts., and is due at St. Joseph, Mo., at 9
o'clock the next morning.

Kedlitced Railvjay Fares. — As

stated last week, the Central Traffic Asso-
ciation grants 1)4 rates on the same condi-
tions as those named on page 431 of this
number of the Bee Journal. The territory
of the Central Trafiic Association extends
from Lakes Michigan and Huron to the
Ohio River, and from Toronto, Buffalo, and
Pittsburg westward to Chicago and the
Mississippi, and includes, therefore, Michi-
gan (south peninsula), Southern Ontario,
Western New York, Western Pennsylvania,
Ohio, Indiana and Illinois (except north-
west part) .
Vert Important.— Certificates must be

obtained from local agents when purchas-
ing going tickets, and must be presented at
the Convention to be countersigned by the
Secretary, or no reduction can be obtained
on return ticket. The rate is not secured
unless 100 certificates are presented, Uiej-e-
fore do not fail to secure a certificate when you
purchase your ticket, whether single or round
trip, and no matter whether you intend to
take advantage of the reduced fare or not.
Tickets are valid Oct. 6th to 15th, inclusive.

Rev. W. R. Muudlienlce, Wheel-
ing, 111., dropped into our office last week.
He is much interested in bees, and doubt-
less we shall have something from his
(fountain) -pen some day.

Jfliss IVIattie Ed-wards, daughter of
Mr. D. M. Edwards— one of the largest bee-
keepers in southwest Texas — was drowned
Aug. 30th, in the overflow at Uvalde, Tex.
She was 16 years of age. All will sympa-
thize with Bro. Edwards in the loss of his
beloved daughter.

I»res. A1>t>ott, of the North Ameri-
can, is making a tour of Missouri in the
service of the State Board of Agriculture,
lecturing at all the principal places on bees
and bee-culture. Missouri knows how to do
things. So does Pres. Abbott. Result —
the spread of valuable bee-information.
Which State will be next to thus honor
itself ?

l>r. l*eiro now fully expects to be at
the North American convention next week.
E. R. Root said in last Gleanings that he'd
like to see Dr. Miller and Dr. Peiro at a
convention together- -he thought there'd be
lots of fun. Well, if he wants to see that
combination of Doctors, he'll have to be at
the St. Joseph meeting. But we under-
stand that Medina will be represented by
Bros. A. I. Root and J. T. Calvert, and
Ernest Root wiU have to stay at home to
''keep house." It's too bad that all can't
come, but then, Bro. E. R. has just recently
been "kiting" around the country on his
bicycle, so we presume he's content to re-
main at home this time, and let his father
and broad-shouldered Canadian brother-in-
law go.

Great Prexniutn on page 444 I

426

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 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.

Maple Sugar for "Wintering.

What kind of a feed for bees would
maple sugar or syrup be, especially for
•wintering ? That is, diluted with water
to the common proportion of granulated
sugar syrup. T. E. D.

Lexington, Ohio.

Answer. — Root's "ABC of Bee-Cul-
ture " says : "Maple sugar, poured into
wired frames while hot, makes excellent
bee-candy. Cakes of maple sugar laid
over the frames answer equally well." I
have some doubts whether it would be
as well made into syrup, for there is
some tendency in maple sugar to attract
moisture, and it might become too thin.
Very likely there is a difference in this
respect in different lots. On the whole,
I think I would rather have granulated
sugar syrup if I couldn't have good
honey.

Untested. Queens in the Fall.

1. Do you consider the fall of the year
a good time to introduce young laying
queens?

2. Would you advise a person to buy
queens this time of ihe year, or not ?

3. What do you think of the young
queens that are being offered at 50
cents apiece? Are they just the thing
for one to buy for the purpose of improv-
ing his bees ? Or would It be better to
wait until spring, and buy tested queens?

Anamosa, Iowa.

F. M. W.

Answers. — 1. I have often seen it
stated that fall is a good time for intro-
ducing queens, and I don't remember
seeing anything to the contrary. Not

having much direct experience myself, 1
have just looked over a number of books,
and am surprised to find nothing about
it.

2. A queen successfully introduced in
the fall has the advantage that in the
spring there is no stoppage in laying
caused by introducing, and queens can
be bought for less money in the fall. On
the other hand, there is the danger of
loss in wintering.

3. At the same price, I'd rather have
a tested queen in the spring than an un-
tested one in the fall, or indeed any
time. But if from the same breeder I
can get three or four untested queens in
the fall for the same price as one tested
queen in the spring, I believe I would
take the untested queens. For if he is a
reputable breeder, the probability is
that most of his bees are purely mated,
and in the three or four you would stand
a good chance of having two queens as
good as his tested one. If a breeder has
a lot of queens to get rid of in the fall, I
don't know any reason why they should
not be just as good sold at 50 cents each
as if he sold the same queens for a dol-
lar. But I think some breeders claim
that they cannot be afforded at so low a
price.

Keeping Honey in Barrels.

Will honey in barrels keep good ? Or
is there danger of it getting sour in a
warm climate ? E. M. K.

Cape Charles, Va.

Answer. — I've had no experience in
that line, but from what I know of
honey in general, I should think there
might be danger. C. F. Muth is the
man who can tell. In any case I should
want such honey thoroughly ripened,
and if possible taken from combs with-
out pollen.

Fall Extracting and Uniting.

I make one artificial swarm a season
by dividing, and have got to the limit of
colonies I wish to keep, and now require
some information. After the breeding
season is over late in the fall, can I ex-
tract good, clean honey from the frames,
using a honey extractor ? Can I return
these frames to the hives, which are
porticos, nailing wire-cloth over, put
them in a cool, dry place, and in that
way preserve them for next season's
use ?

Then what shall I do with those bee« '.'
Will it do, after killing off the old queen,

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

427

to shake off the bees from the frames of
both colonies in front of the hive, and
unite in this way, or is there a better
way ? Had I better smoke them ? Is
there any danger to the queen in adding
so many strangers ? If this manage-
ment would do, I should have the laying
of each queen two seasons, and should
have the old, infirm queen to be super-
seded ; and then I don't need to be in a
fever of excitement during swarming-
time. S. H.

Prosser, Nebr.

Answer, — Yes, you can extract "good,
clean honey " from the frames late in
the fall, providing the honey has been
gathered from good sources. A good
many years ago I had the editor of our
local paper come to see me extract
honey. I was somewhat chagrined when
I put the combs in the extractor and
turned and turned, to find no honey
coming out of the combs. The honey
was white clover, very thick, it was late
in the season, cold, and the honey utter-
ly refused to leave the comb. So you
may have to put your combs in a warm
room for 24 hours.

No, I wouldn't put away the sticky
combs in the way you propose. I would
first have the bees clean them off. You
can put a hive full of combs under or
over a colony. Or, you may perhaps do
better to have them cleaned up a few
rods away from the bees.

If you set out a single frame where
the bees can get at it, they'll clean it
very clean, but they may tear the comb
pretty badly. Set out a hive full, leav-
ing only an entrance for two bees at a
time, and they'll clean it up without in-
juring the combs.

If you have a big lot of them to clean
up at one time, take B. Taylor's plan.
Scatter the combs so that the bees will
have free access from all sides, and then
they'll not need to gather by the hundred
on a little spot and tear the comb. It
will work perhaps as well to have the
combs in hives, each hive uncovered.

I have never had much experience in
your proposed plan of uniting, but it is
well spoken of. If you feel uncertain
about the queen, put her into cage
stopped with "Good" candy, and let
the bees eat her out. Yes, smoke them.

Try uniting some of them this way :
After destroying the queen of one colo-
ny, set the other colony over it, leaving
an entrance to each hive, but allowing
no direct passage from one to another
except a place large enough for two or
hree bees to pass. In a day or two

enlarge this passage, and in two or three
days more allow free communication.
Then at any time you like you can
take away half the combs.

Keeping Syrup from Granulating.

In what way can I make granulated
sugar into syrup for bee feed to keep it
from granulating in the comb ?

Ousted, Mich. L. E. E.

Answer. — There seems to be some un-
certainty about the matter. Some have
no trouble under any circumstances,
while others have the syrup granulate
in the combs badly even when using
acid. There may be something in the
sugar, and I think there's a good deal in
the way it's fed. I have always used au
even teaspoonful of tartaric acid to 20
pounds of sugar, stirring it in just after
taking the syrup off the stove, the acid
being previously dissolved in a little
water. This year I am using no acid,
but feeding without boiling, using a pint
of water to a pound of sugar. I don't
think it will granulate. See the article
on "Feeding Simplified," in this num-
ber of the Bee Journal.

Increasing the Size of Bees.

1. What does Mr. Faylor refer to on
page 369, 6th ?

2. Can't some one tell us how to in-
crease the size of the honey-bees ?

Englewood, 111. J. E. A.

Answers. — 1. Mr. Faylor refers to
the large bees reared by Dr. J. P. Mur-
dock, of Florida. They are of such size
that comb built by them is considerably
larger than common. I have seen some
that were about half way between ordi-
nary drone and worker, and other of the
worker-cells were about as large as or-
dinary drone-cells. Drone-comb was of
course larger.

2. Dr. Murdock is probably the best
man. He says he turned his direction
particularly to the drones, and I think
fed them in the larval state. The easi-
est way to increase the size of your bees
would be to get some of his stock.

"Foul Brood; 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 sold at the office of the Bee Jour-
nal. Price, postpaid, 35 cents; or clubbed
with the bEB Journal for one year— both
together for $1.15.

428

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi..

Our Doctors Simts.

By F. L. PEIRO, M. D.

McVicker's Building, Chicago, III.

Pimples on the Face.

Louis E. S. writes for a treatment for
pimples — usually called " black heads."

In the first place, dear Louis, it is always
necessary when writing to doctors for ad-
vice, to state your age and occupation, as
both are essential factors in determining
the probable cause. So I must infer you
are perhaps 16 or 18, going to school, and
living on the farm. So far so good. A
boy's habits have much— nay, everything—
to do with the occurrence of these pimples.
They are an unsightly eruption, always
carrying the conviction of filthy habits,
and hence a great humiliation. These
"blackheads" are not really worms, as
some suppose, but diseased roots of the
hairs ; but why the trouble should manifest
itself especially on the face and neck is a
matter of conjecture. Exposure to light
and weather is perhaps the principle rea-
son of occurrence on these parts instead of
the more protected ones, under the clothing.

As before mentioned, there are a number
of causes for the appearance of these pim-
ples, and besides such as we do not men-
tion in print, are those of diet and cleanli-
ness. Insufiicient or improper food is one
of the chiefest. Greasy dishes, whether of
meat or pastry, are responsible for a large
number of eruptions. Pork, in any form,
is one of the worst. Salt meats are bad.
Eating rapidly, without time for proper
mastication or digestion, necessitating the
flooding of the stomach with big drafts of
water, or, worse still, numbers of cups of
tea or coffee, is one of the quick methods of
bringing out these pimples and establishing
an enduring dyspepsia at the same time.

All unclean habits, whether local, from
want of cleanliness, or constitutional from
immoral practices, lead to the permanent
establishment of these diseased hair-bulbs
which finally disfigure an otherwise pleas-
ant and intelligent face. To suggest their
discontinuance should be considered the
common-sense course to be followed.

The diet should be a plain but nutritious
one, consisting principally of fresh fish,
vegetables, fruits, eggs, soups, and the

coarser grains— rolled oats and cracked
wheat.

The cold morning bath is indispensable,
with good, hard rubbing in drying. At
night a towel wrung out of as ?iot water as
can be borne, held to the face for a few
moments, will do great good.

As a remedy use No. 11, night and morn-
ing (if you have one of the Family Med -
cine Cases advertised in the American Bee
Journal) . Continue the remedy for sev-
eral weeks, until all the pimples have dis-
appeared. This line of treatment will b e
certain to cure you if persistently and
faithfully used.

C«»IVVG]VTION DIRECTORY.

Time and place of meeting-
1894.
Oct. 10-12.— North American, St. Joseph, Mo .
Frank Benton, Sec, Washington, D. C.
1895.
Jan. 28.— Venango Co., at Franklin, Pa.

C. S. Pizer, Sec. Franklin, Pa.

Feb. 8, 9.— Wisconsin, at Madison. Wis.

J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec, Madison, Wis.

D^" 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-Pres.— O. L. Hershiser Buffalo, N. Y.

Secretary— Frank Benton, Washington, D. C.
Treasurer— George W. York...Chicag'o, Ills.

National Bee-Keepers' Union.

President— Hon. R. L. Taylor . .Lapeer, Mich.
Gen'l Manager— T. G. Newman, Chicago, 111.
147 South Western Avenue.

Xlie I^ovelty Pocliet-Knife is

worth having. Mr. A. G. Amos, of New
York, says this about it: " The ' Novelty '
pocket-knife which I received with the
American Bee Journal arrived all O. K.,
and it is a dandy." Better get one your-
self, and then yon will know what a
" dandy " thing it is. See page 448 for ad-
vertising offer.

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.

HaTC You Read page 444 yet ?

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

429

CONDUCTED BY

MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY,

Beeville, Texas.

Look Out for the Rattle-Trap Man.

Willie tells me that he met a man a
few days ago, down near the coast, with
a rattle-trap he called a patent bee-hive;
that he had sold "rights" to all the
leading bee-keepers in the country ; and
that A. I. Root had written him a bar-
rel of letters trying to buy the sole right
to make his hive, and he would not sell
it to him ! When Willie pinned ques-
tions close to him, he soon found that
the fellow knew nothing of bees, and
was a general fraud. He spoke to Willie
in the following language : " Young
man, do you think you can learn me a
d — n thing about bees ?"
him at this point, and says,
for him ; he is a fraud !"

Jennie Atckley

Willie left
"Look out

A Case of' Foul Brood.

Mrs. Atchley : — I send you a sample
of what appears to be foul brood. Will
you please inform me if it is, and what
to do ? The combs are full of honey.
Can the honey be saved by heating?
Will bees winter safely on such honey ?

D. LiNDBECK.

Bishop Hill, 111., Sept. 10.

Friend L., the foul brood arrived, and
I happened to be at the office myself
when it came, and I detected the foul
brood by its odor before I opened the
box or saw your letter. It is surely foul
brood in a bad stage, and I am real
sorry for you. Now, in giving advice in
such matters, it is necessary to know
more of the particulars before an intelli-
gent answer can be made. But if you
have only a few colonies, I would simply
burn lock, stock and barrel, and get
some more healthy bees. But if you
have a large apiary, or say 20 to 50
colonies I would try Mr. McEvoy's cure.

He is curing it right along in Canada,
and I see no reason why you could not
cure it in Illinois the same way. Dr.
Howard's little foul brood book will give
the plan — 25 cents at the Bee Joubnal
office.

I would not like to use the honey at
all for feeding bees any more, or for any
other purpose. But if you will add one-
fourth water, boil it 15 minutes, skim
well and strain it, I do not think it
would give the bees foul brood, or hurt
them in any way, but be careful not to
scorch the honey, as burnt food is not
good for bees, especially when they are
not active or flying.

Jennie Atchley.

Non-Swarming' Bees Again.

Dr. Miller thinks he must have the
non-swarmers I classed as being of no
account. I did not mean. Doctor, that
non-swarmers, on account of poverty,
would likely be of no account. It was
bees that were prosperous, and in years
when we have good honey seasons ; and
I do believe that when a race of bees is
found that will let a good honey season
pass (or come and go), and show no dis-
position to swarm, that they will, as a
rule, be worthless, because it is against
nature, and never will be the case, in my
opinion, Jennie Atckley.

Bee-Keeping in Australia.

Mrs. Atchley :— " So that we may
become acquainted," as some of your
American advertisements run, I enclose
a newspaper notice of my apiary,
and a sketch of my countenance
into the bargain. You see I am follow-
ing a similar occupation to yours, and as
"a fellow feeling make us wondrous
kind," as a certain Englishman, yclept
William Shakespeare, remarked, I find I
entertain that quality towards yourself,
and I presume it will not be entirely un-
reciprocated. I may also inform you
that I am a regular reader of the Ameri-
can Bee Journal and Gleanings— the
two leading apicultural papers of your
country— and a casual reader of several
others.

From your numerous writings, and
dtscriptions of your " new location " by
others, I can almost fancy myself at
Beeville, witnessing transportation of
bees in your covered wagon, and Willie
busy forming his queen-cups and trans-
ferring larvK, etc.

Perhaps a word or two about this re-

430

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.,

gion of the earth may interest you.
Likely you are already aware that the
prevailing flora (at least the forest flora)
belongs to the eucalyptus order, com-
monly called "gum-trees," on account
of the gum resin which oozes out from
any wound in their bark. The timber
of most of the species is extremely hard
and durable— a bridge near here has just
been renewed, and piles of the original
bridge were dug up quite sound after 60
years in the ground ! But the bloom of
the trees have the greatest interest to
the bee-man.

Most sorts bloom with the greatest
profusion, and are marvellously mellif-
erous. One bee-keeper has taken over
1,000 pounds each from some of his •
hives during the past season. The honey
varies from dark to the palest amber,
and, if properly ripened, has great den-
sity. Some sorts possess rather a pro-
nounced flavor, which is in a milder de-
gree common to all eucalyptus honey.
In fact, some samples of this honey give
one the idea that it has been derived
from orange or almond blossoms.

Then near cultivated tracts we have
white clover in abundance, lucerne
(called by Americans " alfalfa"), pump-
kins, and other crops, besides a vast
number of flowering shrubs and vines
(wild), all more or less honey-yielding.

As for our bees — as in America, so
here— the old black German was the
pioneer, and has spread through nearly
the whole of this continent. Tons of
honey are obtained from their nests in
hollow forest trees. But some 20 years
ago Italian bees were imported, and
their superior qualities being so mani-
fest, all pretending to any standing in
apiculture, have secured Italian blood.
Many Australian bee-keepers make reg-
ular annual importations from Italy
(Bologna) in batches of eight; and
more recently extensive importations
are made from America.

C. Mansfield.

Maitland, N. S. Wales, June 6.

The above is only a portion of Friend
Mansfield's letter— the rest being purely
business, I of course omit it. I am sure
all the readers of the Bee Journal will
be greatly interested in what our Aus-
tralian bee-friends are doing, and will
be glad to know that they are a wide-
awake and progressive class.

Jennie Atciiley.

One-Cent PoHlagre StampM we

prefer whenever it is necessary to send
stamps for fractions of a dollar. By re-
membering this, you will greatly oblige us.

Preyenlion of Burr-Comls.

Query 943.— What will prevent the bees
from building- comb between top-bars and sec-
tions ?— Ohio.

A honey-board.— R. L. Taylor.

Correct bee-spaces. — J. H. Larrabee.

Correct bee-spaces. — Mrs. L. Harri-
son.

Correct spacing is a great help. — H.
D. Cutting.

The proper spacing, in part ; nothing
entirely. — A. J. Cook.

Deep, wide top-bars of frames, and
proper bee-spaces. — C. H. Dibbern.

Anything that will make the space
small— M of an inch.— Jas. A. Stone.

A slat honey-board and proper spac-
ing—5/16 of an inch.— J. A. Green.

Wide and deep top-bars, and a scant
bee-space with joints broken. — Dadant
& Son.

A little less space. Occasionally a
change of queens is necessary.— P. H.
Elwood.

I don't know, unless it would be only
or barely a bee-space left between them.
— Mrs. Jennie Atchley.

A correct bee-space — 5/16 of an inch
— with proper width and depth of top-
bar. — G. M. Doolittle.

Top-bars % of an inch deep and bee-
space — just deep enough for bees to
move freely.— S. I. Freeborn.

Proper spacing will obviate the dlflR-
culty largely— 34 to % of an inch, is
about right. — I. M. Hambaugh.

Space the frames just bee-space apart,
will as nearly accomplish the matter as
any one thing will do.— J. E. Pond.

Small space. Put on a queen-excluder,
and then put the case of sections on the
zinc — with no space between the sections
and the zinc— E. France.

Wide top-bars, with bee-space be-
tween top-bars and surplus sections.
The edges of the top-bars should be
about M inch wide. — Mrs. J. N. Heater

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

431

Wide top-bars and }^ inch space be-
tween super and frames will come near
enough to it for all practical purposes.
— Emerson T. Abbott.

Use a honey-board. But if there is a
full JC-inch bee-space, a good honey-
flow, and plenty of bees, I am never
bothered much in this way. — J. P. H.
Brown.

Having them just the right distance
apart, and having the top-bars and the
bottoms of the sections as smooth as
possible. Painting the top-bars helps
much. — M. Mahin.

A bee-space, the thickness of the fore-
finger, will answer as well as anything.
We have to expect a few brace-combs
here and there ; they do no serious
harm. — W.' M. Barnum.

Some say a space of % inch between
the top-bars and sections. I have been
successful by combining with that a top-
bar 13^ wide and % thick, having }4
inch between top-bars. — C. C. Miller.

Deep top-bars, so spaced that only X
inch between the tops of the frames and
JC inch bee-space between the top-bars
and sections. Or second, with the com-
mon V top-bar frame use a Heddon
slatted honey-board between the frames
and sections. — Eugene Secor.

Have the top-bars heavy enough to
not " sag a bit," so that the bee-space
can be kept accurately at flush ^ of an
inch, between the bottom of the case
and the tops of the top-bars. If this
will not hinder the burr-comb nuisance,
" come again," as the doctors say when
they have prescribed a "dose." It has
occurred to me that if there is anything
dearer to the heart of the honey-bee
than a little knot of wax on top of the
frame — well, I give it up for want of
room. — G. W. Demaree.

REDUCED RAILWAY FARES TO ATTEND THE
NORTH AMERICAN AT ST. JOSEPH, MO.,

OCT. IOth, 11th and 12th.

The Western Passenger Association, un-
der the conditions named below, will grant
reduced railway fare to those who travel
over their roads and attend the meeting of
the North American Bee-Keepers' Associa-
tion at St. Joseph, Mo., Oct. 10th, 11th and
12th.

Conditions.— Full fare will be charged
going. Return-tickets will be issued at uue-
third (he regular f<in, provided the purchaser
presents a certificate from the agent of
whom he obtained his ticket, and provided
also at least 100 such certificates shall be
presented. There can be little doubt on
this last point, especially as special round-

trip excursion tickets, even such as are
issued to parties of 10, 25, or more, travel-
ing in a body, will count toward the 100,
provided each purchaser is careful to se-
cure a certificate of purchase from the
ticket agent who sells him the ticket, and
to present this certificate at the convention
to be countersigned by the Secretary of the
Association.

Therefore do not fail to secure a certificate
ivlien you purchase your ticket, whether single or
round-trip, and no matter V}h.ether you inteiid to
talce advantage of the rediiced fare or not. It
may aid others in obtaining the reduction.

Xinie of Xickets.— Valid Oct. 6th to
Oct. 15th ; that is, they may be purchased
three days (not counting Sunday) before
the first day of the meeting, and the return-
ticket may be obtained any time up to the
night of Oct. 15th.

Rail^vays.— The following are the
roads included in this reduction : Burling-
ton, Cedar Rapids & Northern ; Chicago &
Alton; Chicago & Northwestern; Chicago,
Burlington & Northern ; Chicago, Burling
ton & Quincy; Chicago Great Western;
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul ; Chicago,
Rock Island & Pacific ; Chicago, St. Paul,
Minn. & Omaha; Hannibal & St. Joseph;
Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs ;
St. Louis, Keokuk & Northwestern ; Illinois
Central; Iowa Central; Minneapolis & St.
Louis; Missouri Pacific; Rock Island &
Peoria; Sioux City & Pacific; Wabash;
Wisconsin Central lines.

When necessary to pass over more than
one line, and in case a through ticket with
a certificate cannot be obtained, it will be
necessary to obtain a certificate from each
agent from whom a ticket is purchased, in
order to entitle the holder to the reduction
on return ticket.

Those who do not live within the territory
covered by these lines should, wherever
practicable, purchase a local or a round-
trip ticket to the nearest line named above,
and secure there a ticket to St. Joseph,
with certificate of purchase.

Further notice will be given in case other
railway lines grant reduced rates.

Harvest Excnrsion.— Some may be
able to take advantage of the " Harvest
Excursion " rates (one-half fare plus $2.00)
given Oct. 9th, full particulars of which
can be obtained of your local agents.

Cliange of Mate.— Note the change,
as announced by President Abbott, in the
date of the meeting from the middle of the
month to Oct. 10th, 11th and 12th.

Place of j^Ieeting". — The convention
will meet in the rooms of the Commercial
Club in St. Joseph, at the corner of 3rd and
Edmond streets, three blocks from Francis
Street Depot. Take electric cars at Union
Depot and get off at 3rd street.

Frank Benton,
Sec'y. A\ Am. Bee-Keepers^ Association,
U. S. Dept. Agriculture,

Washington, D. C.

432

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

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VARIOUS NOTES AND COMMENTS.

BY DK. C. C. MILLEK.

Constitution and By-Laws of the N. A. B.-K. A. — I don't know just why the
publication of the Constitution and By-Laws of the North American have been
called for (see page 361) unless it be to see whether something in them needs
mending. Certainly they were not carefully considered by every one at the time of
their adoption six years ago. The report of that convention says they were adopted
" with but a very little discussion or consideration." Indeed 1 have no distinct
recollection that there was any discussion. Not, I think, that any one tripd to rush
them through, only that no one seemed to care enough about it, and the committee
that had been appointed a year before to report on them, had perhaps forgotten all
about it.

Possibly it doesn't make so very much difference what they are, for the princi-
pal thing that bee-keepers want when they get together is to have a good, practical
bee-talk. Still, if they are to be reconsidered, it might be well to have some
changes and omissions, and it may not be out of place to call attention to a few
points.

In Art. Ill, item 1, says: "This Association shall consist of its officers, life-
members, annual members, honorary members, delegates from affiliated local asso-
ciations, and ex-presidents." Why should officers and ex-presidents be mentioned ?

The payment of $1.00 makes any person interested in apiculture an annual
member, no vote being needed, but a life-member must not only pay his $10, but
receive a majority vote. Why ?

I think no mention is made as to the particular time when the President goes
out of office. For very good reasons, it has been the custom for years, for the
President to continue in office until the close of the annual convention which
occurs in the year following the year in which he is elected. Might it not be well
to have this mentioned ?

Art. IV of the By-Laws makes it the duty of the Secretary " to call the names
of the members of the Association at the opening of each annual meeting." Is this
desirable? Has it ever been done ? What use at St. Joseph to call the names of
those who attended last year at Chicago?

Perhaps I would better hold up, for a whole lot of things more need considera-
tion if anything is to be considered.

Kissing. — Look here, Mr. Editor, can't you speak to Dr. Peiro and tell him to
keep in his place ? There he goes on about kissing, on page 364, and kissing is
neither a medicine nor a disease. Hold on, let me think. I'm not sure but it is a

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 433

disease sometimes. I think I've known some pretty severe cases, both acute
and chronic, some incurable. Come to think of it, it's a medicine too, at least some-
times. In some cases it has a remarkably stimulating effect. Say, Mr. Editor,
never mind speaking to Dr. Peiro.

Drones and Swarming.— In view of the replies on page 367, it hardly seems
that drones or no drones has anything to do with the matter of swarming. As a
rule drones are present at swarming, not because they are necessary for swarming,
but because the conditions necessary to produce swarming will also secure the
presence of drones.

Mating and Laying of Queens. — Rev. W. P. Faylor is an exasperating sort of
individual, when on page 369 he speaks of " the fact that bee-keepers can mate
their queens with the very kind of drones desired, right in a country or neighbor-
hood surrounded with black bees," and then doesn't say a word about how it's done.
Bro. Faylor, tell us who, where and how.

He also leaves us in some suspense in giving that interesting item about the
queen laying, for the very point in the case that we'd like to know about he says
nothing about. That queen that lays eggs in new comb before the cells are fully
drawn out— does she use this new comb in preference to the old ; that is, are there
empty cells that she does not use in old combs on each side of the new comb ?

Herr Reepen, commenting on this in Centralblatt, thinks my observations ought
not to be considered conclusive, as the entrance plays an important part — meaning,
I suppose, the position of the combs with regard to the entrance. I can readily see
that would be the case where combs hang parallel to the entrance, but my combs
are all perpendicular to the entrance.

Spacing Combs.— What in the world does that man mean in that paragraph on
page 370, about brace-combs ? "He says, "But I space 1% from center to center,
to IJi." I've read it over and over again, and can't make any sense of that " to
13^." Wonder if he doesn't mean " instead of 13^."

Introducing Queens. — That's an unusual case, I think, mentioned by Lawson
Hegler on page 376. I have introduced a great many queens by simply putting
them on the combs after queen-cells were sealed, and have met some losses in that
way, but in case of loss the queen was always killed without commencing to lay.

That convention report on page 379 is an improvement.

Marengo, 111.

*

PACKING BHES FOR ^WINTER.

BY ELMER TODD.

The wet leaves spoken of by Mr. Chas. Dadant, in his article on page 340 (6th
paragraph), can be almost entirely prevented by leaving an empty space of from 4
to 6 inches above the, leaves, chaff, or whatever other absorbent is used above the
bees.

In preparing for winter, I put on a 10-inch extension and X story telescope
cover, with a %-inch hole in each side of it ; fill the extension full of leaves or chaff
In a burlap cushion, having the cushion big enough so the packing will go in loosely
and fit down into the corners, then put on the cover. I have yet to see a colony
come out in the spring with the absorbents wet when so prepared. I have prepared
for winter, as above, for four years in southeastern Nebraska, and never lost a

434 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL^

colony thus prepared. I have successfully wintered 2-frame nuclei on the summer
stands with the same preparation, excepting that I filled the vacant room below
with the same kind of absorbents as was used above.

I have used ground cork, oats and wheat chaff, cut wheat and oats straw, flax
straw, Cottonwood and box-elder leaves, and clover hullings— all with good results.
I prefer the different packing mentioned in the order named above, ground cork
being the first choice, as at no time is there any signs of moisture about the upper
story, while with chaff or leaves, during a cold spell with the thermometer anywhere
between 15° and 30° below zero, if the cover is lifted a light frost would be stand-
ing on the top of the burlap cushion, but the absorbents would be dry just below the
top of the cushion, and the frost would melt and pass away when the weather
warmed up. They needed attention during winter at no time only after a blizzard
or hard driving snow-storm, when I examined all hives and brushed out what snow
drifted in above the cushion, before it had time to melt. At such times it would
drift in through the joint between the cover and extension, and the auger-holes in
the cover, if I failed to close them before the storm, as I sometimes did.

If the cover fits perfectly tight, I think these' auger-holes play an important
part in allowing a circulation of air above the cushion.

One fall I packed six hives with the covers fitting down to the cushions
with no vacant space above. When unpacked, the following spring, the cushions
were rotted so they would not hold together, and the chaff in them was wet and
starting to rot ; but the bees were in good condition, and no signs of moisture below,
excepting a little dry, bluish-colored mildew on the outside combs. In these cases
the moisture was the greatest on the top of the cushion next to the cover, which
was also wet. Virgil City, Mo.

GREAT LOSSES FROM EOUI. BROOD.

BY WM. M'EVOY.

Enclosed please find a copy of a letter received from a bee-keeper in New Zea-
land, who is, and has been, sorely troubled with foul brood. By publishing Mr.
Stevenson's letter, and my explanations why he failed to cure his apiary of foul
brood, it may be the means of helping many of the unfortunates to cure their api-
aries of that disease. „ . , T -.or>^
Waerengaahika, Gisborne, New Zealand, June, 1894.

Mr. Wm. McEvoy.— Dear Sir :—I am exceedingly obliged to you for taking the
trouble to write me so long and valuable a letter. About a year ago I read a pre-
liminary article of yours in the American Bee Journal on foul brood, and after
some delay a further article was to appear giving your method of curing the dis-
ease. Why, I do not know, but that number of the Journal, which I had been
getting regularly from A. I. Root with Oleanings, miscarried.

When I started keeping bees in 188:}, there was no such thing as foul brood
known in this district, and a great number of colonies were kept all in box-hives. I
was the first to use frame hives and an extractor. In 1884 foul brood appeared in
a large apiary of 500 colonies, and in two years not a colony was left. Gradually
it crept up the country, and the next year I noticed it in one of my hives, which I
destroyed, but in the following spring the early brood was all diseased. By remov-
ing these frames, however, all the summer brood seemed healthy.

Meantime another box-hive apiary of 400 colonies, two miles off, was struck,
and the owner let it run riot, throwing out rotten combs in heaps for the bees to
feast on, and spread destruction to every hive. Soon silence reigned in that apiary
also, and 1 was left in possession of the field. At this time the Cheshire cure was
all the talk, and I worked away, spraying and medicating combs, but with. no (effect.
It only got worse. I was now reduced to 50 colonies, and when these swarmed I

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 435

hived the swarra on foundation, and after a second swarm issued I shook the bees
remaining in the hive into the swarm, and destroyed the combs. This checked the
trouble for a time. Next year I had very strong colonies, and increased my stock
to 300, securing a crop of nine tons. That was three seasons ago.

The spring following (1892) many of the colonies had foul brood, and in the
autumn, as recommended by D. A. Jones in his book, I shifted them all into empty
hives, and fed them on sugar syrup. The weather was fine, but the honey-flow had
entirely ceased, and I found it impossible to prevent the bees from getting at the
honey taken from them. They drew out the foundation I gave them, and seemed
to be wintering all right, but when spring came they dwindled away, and I had only
40 colonies left in the home apiary, and 70 in an out-apiary two miles away. These
I did not interfere with, and they wintered much better.

Last summer I had every intention, when the flow came, to adopt your method,
but such a season was never known here before. I hope we will not have another
like it. The early spring was fine, but in October rain set in and continued day
after day until the middle of January, so that working with bees was impossible,
and we never had a honey-flow at all. In January and February I extracted a little
honey brought in chiefly by the hybrids, about 2,500 pounds in all — the smallest
crop I ever had from so many colonies.

For years we had only the black bee, but I now get Italian queens from
America, and hope next season to work out the black strain. I find an immense
difference in their honey-producing qualities. I have all along paid great attention
to the get-up of my honey, and the result is that my brand is well known in the
large towns, and my only difficulty is in producing enough to fill my orders. I have
also been successful at taking awards at every exhibition in Wellington, Dunedin
and Melbourne, and by request of the Government, I had a display in the Colonial
Exhibition in 1886.

Now to answer your questions about New Zealand as a honey-producing country:
The coast- line running from north to south, nearly 1,000 miles, there are all
sorts of climates, sub-tropical in the north, and somewhat bleak in the south. In
the north are great forests, and all the trees are more or less honey-bearing. In its
natural state there are no flowers on the ground in New Zealand, as in some parts
of Australia, it is all overhead. The swamps are full of flax, which yields immense
quantities or honey, but of rank flavor, and it may be said of New Zealand bush
honey in general, that there is plenty of it, but the quality is poor.

In rich alluvial plains, such as this district, the bush has disappeared, the
swamps are drained, and the whole country is laid down in rye grass and clover as
pasture for sheep and cattle. The climate is mild and humid. Oranges and lemons
thrive, and there is very little frost. The winters are wet, as a rule, and the sum-
mers fairly dry, but we have no two seasons alike, and the weather is very change-
able. Spring begins in August, when the willows, which line the rivers, come into
leaf, and the bees get some honey from them. Then comes such bush as is left in
patches in gullies, among the hills, or groups of cabbage palms left in the paddocks.
Every year this scource gets less and less, and is not to be relied on. About the
middle of October the clover opens, and bees begin to swarm, and continue swarming
all through November, or, if the weather is bad, begin November and continue until
Christmas. A great many of these swarms swarm again in January and February,
so in a good season increase is easily attained. The honey crop comes from the
clover, and, as with you, from the thistle which blooms in January. With us, how-
ever, clover continues all along, sometimes yielding well in February. Most farmers
drive the stock from the paddocks in November, and close them for rye-grass seed
until Christmas, so the bees have a good show, and when the machines have cut the
grass, if good rain falls, clover comes up again, and flowers better than ever. The
thistle honey is certainly the most delicate and whitest we have. Unfortunately in
all the paddocks closed for grass seed, they are entirely destroyed, being entirely
cut down by the machines before they come into flower, but in the paddocks of the
dairy farmers, and along the roadsides, they still abound, and are a valuable plant
for the bee-keeper.

Here we have no fall honey, which is a great pity, as we often have beautiful
autumns. This year, for instance, after all the rain, March and April were lovely
months, but useless for the bees. Still, in a good season a strong colony will yield
70 or 80 pounds of honey, and stores for winter besides. I extract almost all my

436 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

honey, and there is a greater demand for extracted than comb honey. The price of
honey is always a puzzle to me. The Wellington traveler of a large firm tells me he
gets all he requires at 3 cents, and yet grocers in the same town pay me 4J^ cents,
and in Dunedin I sometimes get 5 cents in 60-pound tins. I consider 4 cents a fair
price, and am contented, if it gets no lower.

It is difficult to arrive at any conclusion as to the prevalency of foul brood in
New Zealand. There is a bee-column in the New Zealand Farmer, but bee-keepers
never write in it, and it mainly consists of clippings. There is a bee-journal in
Australia, and there are many extensive bee-keepers in that country. Our honey is
thought more of in London than theirs, which is chiefly gathered from gum trees.

I shall look forward to the arrival of your kind gift of Dr. Howard's book. I
hope it will be in time for next spring's operations. Again thanking you for your
letter, I am. Yours very truly, George Stevenson.

Mr. Stevenson failed, like all others in the world, when he followed the Cheshire
method, and tried to cure his apiary of foul brood by spraying and medicating the
combs in foul-broody colonies. The germs of foul brood are very hard to kill, and
any drugs that would be used strong enough to destroy them, would kill all the bees
and all the good brood in the unsealed cells, and then leave the disease just as bad
as ever in the sealed brood and capped honey. No foul-broody apiary was ever
cured, or ever can be cured, of that disease by drugs of any kind.

When Mr. Stevenson's colonies swarmed, if he had shaken the bees remaining
in the hive into the swarm, and destroyed the old combs, then hived each swarm on
comb foundation starters, his bees would have drawn out the starters in four days,
and stored the most of the diseased honey which they took with them from the old
combs. Then by removing the new combs made out of the starters, the fourth even-
ing, and giving full sheets of foundation, he would have made a perfect cure in every
case so treated.

In the honey season, when the bees are gathering honey freely, any apiary can
easily be cured of foul brood by removing the combs in the evening, shaking the bees
back into their own hives, and giving them comb foundation starters for four days
to work out, and store the diseased honey in, which they took from the old combs.
Then in the evening of the fourth day, by removing the new combs made out of the
starters, and giving full sheets of foundation, the cure will be complete in every
case.

When the honey-flow stops, this same method of curing can be continued right
along by feeding plenty of sugar syrup in the evenings. All the old combs must be
burned, or made into wax, and all of the combs made out of the starters during the
four days must be made into wax also or burned. All the work should be done in
the evenings, so as to have no confusion, mixing of bees, or robbing done to spread
the disease.

I feel certain that if Mr. Stevenson, who is a good bee-keeper, had known of
my methods of curing foul brood at the time he was trying other plans to cure, and
had carried out my methods of curing the disease, he would have cured every colony
in his large apiary, and secured more than the nine tons of honey the following year.

Mr. Stevenson, of New Zealand, is one of the leading bee-keepers of the world,
and being a man of so much push, pluck and energy, I would be very much pleased
to have my method of curing foul brood thoroughly tested by him.

Woodburn, Ont., Canada, August, 1894. Wm. McEvoy.

[The major portion of the foregoing article appeared in the Canadian Bee Jour-
nal for September. Mr. McEvoy, after making some alterations, desired its pub-
cation in the Amekican Bee Journal also. — Editor.]

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 437

EAST XEr<JNESSEE HOKfEY-YIEI^DERS.

BY H. F. COLEMAN.

So many persons are making inquiry as to the honey-producing plants of East
Tennessee, that I think it advisable to answer through the columns of the Ameri-
can Bee Journal. But to those interested I will say that my answer will be con-
fined to the mountainous parts of East Tennessee. The flat lands, however, are
well adapted to honey-producing, but the mountainous sections of East Tennessee,
in my opinion, can be excelled in but few parts of the United States.

In the early spring we have elm, willow, fruit-bloom and other flowers. Later
in the spring come buckeye, locust and blackberry. Locust blooms every other
year, but the blackberry is a sure bloomer, and a good honey-producer. White clover
and poplar come simultaneously, and both are plentiful.

Poplar is a sure producer, and in my opinion is the greatest producer of all the
honey-producing plants or trees. The only difficulty with the poplar is, that it
blooms-rather early, and it takes care and attention to have the bees in a condition
to gather from it. In this locality bees usually gather it 20 to 30 days. It usually
begins blooming by May 15th, and continues until in June.

Basswood comes next, and is plentiful along the rivers, in the coves, and on the
rich north lands. It does not bloom so long as the poplar, and is not as sure a pro-
ducer, though it seldom if ever entirely fails. Sourwood and basswood lap — the
sourwood beginning to bloom the latest, and it is probable that the sourwood, in a
measure, gets credit that is due the basswood. Basswood usually begins to bloom
by June 20th — sourwood by July 1st, and sourwood continues, if a fair season, until
the first of August. Sourwood produces more or less every year, and some years
enormously. The honey produced from it is lighter in color than that produced
from basswood, and is equal to it in flavor.

Golden-rod and asters abound, and with us are next to sure producers. Golden-
rod usually begins to bloom by Sept. 1st, the asters by Sept. 15th, and asters con-
tinue until killed by the frosts of fall.

It will be seen that if a favorable season, we have almost an unbroken honey-
flow from the blooming of the willows, early in March, until frost does its deadly
work in the fall.

As to the quality of honey produced from the different trees and plants, poplar
honey among the people here stands first. It is darker than either basswood or
sourwood, but its flavor is relished by those who have it, and they hold it in high
esteem. Basswood and sourwood come next in quality, and golden-rod and asters
last. In some localities the honey from golden-rod and asters constitutes a large
per cent, of the crop, and in such localities the people speak high in its praise, and
sell it for more per pound than they do honey from poplar, basswood or sourwood.

Sneedville, Tenn.

FEEDING SIMPI^IFIED— A BIG IMPROVEMENX.

BY DR. C. C. MILLER.

I've been having lots of fun trying different ways of feeding. It seemed that,
to do all the feeding I should want to do this year, the percolator I had would make
too slow work. Yet, after trying it, and finding how little work it was, I was loth
to go back to the old plan of boiling syrup. I might make additional percolators, or
a larger percolator; but while I was about it, I thought I might as well try to have
a plan by which the percolating would be done on the hives. If I could just carry
the dry sugar to a hive, also the water, it would save a good deal of work, as well as

438 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

annoyance frotn robbers. Especially would this be desirable with the out-apiaries,
for only the sugar would have to be taken there, the water being readily at hand.

Another point of advantage would be, that, to each colony, I could more easily
give just the amount I thought desirable ; for with syrup it isn't so easy. You may
have a measure that is exact ; but with the dripping stuff there is likely to be some
variation, and there may be some variation in the strength of the syrup. But the
dry sugar is uniform in strength, and easily measured to a quarter of a pound. Be-
fore trying the thing on any large scale, I tried small quantities ; and in this I
think I struck on what might be very satisfactory for those who want to practice
stimulative feeding.

First, I tried letting the bees directly on the sugar. In England a damp quality
of sugar is used, and what is called dry feeding is much practiced. I thought I
would vary that by taking granulated sugar and wetting it. I nailed a bottom on a
T super, and made an inch hole in the bottom for the bees to come up through.
Remember, this was hot weather in Augnst, and it took no baiting to get the bees
to come up. In the super I set a saucer, poured granulated sugar into it, then
poured on water. The bees promptly went to work at it, worked out all the mois-
ture, and left the geater part as dry sugar. Of course, by pouring on more water
more feed would be taken ; and I can easily see that, for stimulative feeding, where
fresh feed must be given every day, or every other day, here was an excellent plan.
Just put into a super prepared as I have mentioned, or into any box on top of the
hive, a tin dish containing 5 pounds of sugar. Pour water on, but not enough to
have any standing on top. Next day it will be worked dry, and you will put on a
little more water. The less water put on, of course the slower the feeding will be.
You will see that this stimulative feeding will be simply giving a little water each
day.

I tried putting on more water at the first, so as to have it wet enough for the bees
to carry it all down without any second filling, but I failed. To have enough water
on to dissolve all the sugar, I left the water standing on the top with so little sweet
in it that the bees didn't care for it, and with the chance of drowning if they did
work on it. Then I thought I would try percolating on the hive.

First, on a small scale. I took a tumbler, filled it half full or more with
water, then filled it up with granulated sugar. I laid over the tumbler a piece of
flannel large enough to completely cover it, and over this I turned a saucer upside
down. Then taking hold of the saucer with one hand, and the tumbler with the
other, I quickly reversed the whole business. I put this into the super over the hive
that I have already mentioned, and in about 48 hours it was empty. This would
also do well for stimulating, and I'm not sure but it would be well to have the tumb-
ler two-thirds full of water before filling up with sugar. No unusual machinery is
needed ; cups and saucers are always on hand, and any cloth, cotton or woolen, will
answer. Several tumblers can be used on a hive at a time, or a fruit-can or other
larger vessel can be used, in the case of feeding up for winter.

I tried a jelly-tumbler with a tin cover. The bees couldn't get anything out of
it. Then I bent the cover open a trifle at one spot, so the bees could get a very
little, and it took about two weeks for them to empty it. So the matter can be
gauged for fast or slow feeding.

Then I studied on a plan for something larger. A percolator, like the one I had
been using, only larger, could be arranged to operate on the hive ; but to have a
number of these would make troublesome storing, to say nothing of the expense.
Would a percolator work if it were shallow instead of deep ? Was it necessary to
have a thickness of several inches of cotton for the syrup to percolate through ?
The working of the tumblers seemed to show that it was not ; and, really, all that
I could see to be necessary was for the syrup to be allowed to come through slowly,
and at the bottom. A little crack in the board would be all right if small enough.
It must be at the bottom ; for if at the top, only water would come through.

I could easily try the thing with a Miller feeder. I took one of the original
pattern, stuffed cotton rags under the board where the syrup passes through, put a
mixture of hot rosin and beeswax in the corners so nothing could get through ex-
cept at the bottom, put it on a hive, poured in sugar, then water, at the rate of five
quarts of sugar to four of water, and found it " all my fancy painted it."

Having a goodly number of Miller feeders, I didn't need to get up any other
feeder; but with what experience I had had I felt I wanted to make at least one
feeder such as I would now make if I had none. I made one a little simpler than
either the original Miller feeder, or the one with Warner's improvement, but on the

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

439

same principle. The old Miller feeder had two feeding places for the bees, one on
each side ; the new one has two feeding places in the middle. The percolating
feeder has only one feeding place, and that is at one end. This allows, by having
the hive tip a trifle, a full supply at the feeding place just as long as any feed Is
left, and I find one end gives room for the bees, without crowding.

Those who are familiar with the Miller feeder will need no further description.
Others may understand it from the diagram (Fig. 1) showing e^ transverse section of
one end of the feeder, the only end where any feeding is done. Take a T super, or
a box that will nicely fit over the hive, with a bottom % inch short, leaving the
passageway E for the bees to get up through ; % inch from the end A of the super

J

Fig. 1.

Fig. 2.

put in another wall, B, extending to within % inch of the cover H, and fitting tight
at the bottom. A third wall, C, with a % space between it and B, comes clear to
the top and down to the bottom ; but in putting it in, two thicknesses of flannel are
put under it, or between it and the bottom G.

When the feeder is put on the hive, the mixture of sugar and water is put into
the main compartment ; it soaks through the cloth at the point D into the small
compartment F, where the bees get it, coming up from the hive through the open-
ing at E.

On the very night after I had finished making this feeder, I had a visit from the
junior editor of Gleanings. In the morning we went out and put it on a hive. I
carried the sugar, and he carried the water and a quart cup. I put in 10 pounds of
sugar, and said to him, " Now put in four quarts of water."

" Why not put in five quarts ?" said he. " H. R. Boardman has come to the
belief that it is better to use equal parts of sugar and water in feeding."

"All right," said I, " Five quarts it is. H. E,. Boardman is a pretty solid sort
of man to follow. Very likely he is right."

I had thought I was pretty radical to use, for every 5 pounds of sugar, 4 pounds
of water instead of two, the orthodox quantity ; but it seems to work all right with
equal quantities, and, as Doolittle would say, it's more according to nature, for
nectar is pretty thin stuff.

I was anxious to have that feeder show off in good shape while Ernest was here;
but the bees didn't touch the feed until I baited them in. Then they worked it in
good shape, and in about 48 hours it was dry. I wish I had 40 like it. But I'll
stuff in rags and make the old Miller feeders do. Marengo, 111.

The editor of Gleanings, in which appeared the above valuable article by Dr.
Miller, commented upon it as follows ;

In my opinion, Dr. Miller has made what promises to be one of the most impor-
tant improvements, in the way of feeding, that has been made for many a year. Of
course, the idea of using dry sugar, and pouring just simply water on it, to make
bee-feed, is old. Years and years ago, the senior editor of this journal experimented
a good deal, but he did not succeed in attaining satisfactory results. In all his ex-
periments the sweetened water would be taken up by the bees, leaving the dry sugar
to stick to the feeder. In order to get the bees to take up all the sugar, it required
constant moistening with water. This took so much time and bother that he con-

440 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

eluded it was better to pour boiling water on the sugar, and make an actual syrup,
the same to be poured into the feeders from a syrup can. But Dr. Miller has taken
a long step in advance, in what apparenDly is a success. That being the case, all he
has to do is to carry the dry sugar and a pail of water ; pour an equal quantity of
each into the feeder, close the hive, and the work is done. You will observe he has
simply adapted the percolator idea to the feeder ; and herein lies the success of the
plan.

We have been trying the plan outlined above by Dr. Miller, and so far we are
pleased with it. •

Although I saw the plan working successfully at Marengo, on my recent bicycle
trip, when I got home one of the first things I asked our apiarist to do was to try
this new way of feeding. I was in such a hurry that I could not wait to get common
flannel, but asked him to go to the book-binding room and get some common cheese-
cloth and poke it under the inside partition of the ordinary Miller feeder, as we
make and use it. That you may understand a little better, I herewith show a cross-
section (Fig. 2) of the feeder in question. The cloth was crammed in under the
boards B, right where the arrows are coming out into the larger compartment ; and
it was crammed in tight enough so as to make the syrup percolate through it, in
order to get into those narrow passage-ways under A on either side. Well, what
was the result ? " All that my fancy painted it," in the language of Dr. Miller,
where the cloth stuiBng was properly put in. Where we failed to crowd the cloth
in tight enough, some of the water escaped before it had incorporated very much
sugar ; but in all other cases the bees used up all the sugar syrup.

I forgot to tell you that we put into the feeders equal parts of sugar and water,
and, of course, the syrup, as the bees got it, was thinner than they ordinary get it —
more like the nectar from the field.

As Mr. Boardman says, this syrup will never granulate, because the bees ripen
it ; and right here I ought to credit Mr. Boardman with the idea of making the
syrup of sugar and water, half and half. The fact that Dr. Miller was leaning
the same way, only shows that great minds sometimes run in the same channel.

Without percolation, the water would not have time to take up the sugar suifi
ciently before the bees would have it taken down into the brood-nest. Well, when
there is not enough water to take up the sugar, the latter simply dries, because the
bees will take away the former in very short order. The cloth seems to prevent the
water from escaping before it has had time to take up all the sugar ; now, then, by
putting in an excessive amount of water — that is, perhaps twice as much as is neces-
sary for actual saturation, the sugar is more apt to dissolve, and, when dissolved, to
percolate slowly through the cloth.

Perhaps the majority have not already in use the Miller feeder. Well, as Dr.
Miller intimates above, you can secure the results by the use of a tumbler, a piece
of cloth, and a saucer. But suppose you desire to feed faster, you have plenty of
upper stories that you can put on the hives. The same plan, perhaps, can be
secured by using a gallon crock inverted over a piece of flannel, the whole set on a
plate or large tin pan.

Later. — Since writing the foregoing, we have tried three one-gallon crock
feeders, inverted over several thicknesses of cheese-cloth on plates. So far as I can
judge, the experiment seems to be a success ; but instead of using flannel we used
on one plate four thicknesses of cheese-cloth; on another six, and on another eight.
The last mentioned seems to give the best results. In each crock was, of course,
put an equal quantity of sugar and water by measure ; and in 48 hours, when they
were examined, the syrup was all taken out of two of them, and in the third a
little yet remained. In what is regularly the bottom of the crocks, was a slight
residue of sugar still clinging. The water had probably settled away from it. This
would make no trouble, because the crocks can be used on other colonies, or the
same one if more feed is required, putting in more sugar and water as before. The
slight residue of sugar still in the crock would make no trouble with a fresh supply.
I hope others will try this experiment, and report results. In the meantime we
shall continue the experiments on a larger scale.

This plan of feeding by percolator feeders is a little slower — that is, it takes the
bees about twice as long to get the same amount of feed as by the old plan, when
syrup is given to them ; but this is rather an advantage; the syrup, being thinner
in the first place, is taken down more slowly, and will be ripened better.

Ernest R. Root.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

441

BP~ Do not write anything for publication
on the same sheet of paper wltn business
matters, unless it can be torn apart withou
interfering with either part of the letter.

Report for the Season.

My honey crop this year was 2,800
pounds from 43 colonies, spring count.
H. E. Ballou.
Ellicottville, N. Y., Sept. 20.

in Good Condition.

We had a fine prospect for a big fall
flow of honey, but it lasted only ten
days. My bees are in fine condition for
winter. There is a fine prospect for
white clover in 1895. Clover is coming
up nicely this fall. Some clover is in
bloom now. We are having a fine rain
this morning. We had good crops of
wheat and oats. The corn crop is fair —
it will yield from 45 to 50 bushels per
acre. Irish potatoes are about half a
crop, but sweet potatoes are good. We
have about half a crop of apples. The
hog crop is rather short, with cholera
raging. C. V. Mann.

Riverton, 111., Sept. 22.

Splendid. Season for Bees.

We have had a splendid season for the
bees. The horse-mint was better than
for years, commencing to bloom about
May 1st and lasting till the middle of
July, which gave surplus of about 60
pounds to the colony. We are having
nice rains, which give us a good fall
crop. Honey is coming in very fast
now, from cotton blossoms. My bees
are all blacks but two colonies. I pur-
chased three five-banded queens this
fall, and lost one in introducing; the
other two are doing nicely. The beauti-
ful golden bees are making their appear-
ance in large numbers.

Although times are hard, give us the
Bee Jouknal, for I could not well do
without it. Jas. W. Hodges.

Rockdale, Tex. Sept. 12.

Bees Didn't Do Well.

Bees did not do well this season.
They wintered well last winter, and the
first of May were very strong, then cold
weather set in so they stopped breeding,
and on May 25th they had scarcely any
brood and were some weaker. It took
till June 20th till they got strong again,
then dry weather began, and it did not
rain any more till Sept. 3rd, when we
had enough. My honey crop is small,
as I did not get more than 20 pounds
per colony. It was basswood honey.
No bees did any better in an area of 20
miles around, while some have no honey
for table use.

Bees did not swarm much, and those
that did swarm are worth but little. Old
colonies are in poor condition to winter.
I have 112 colonies, and I think I shall
unite some this fall, or I will have to
feed them, as there is nothing to do now
but try to rob each other.

M. J. KiSTLER.

Colllngwood, Ind., Sept. 17.

A Fine Honey Exhibit in Minnesota.

The Minnesota State Fair closed Sat-
urday, Sept. 15th. It was a good one,
and one of the finest exhibits (so said
one of the Fair Association), was the
Minnesota honey exhibit. We have as
good honey as any State in the Union,
but the fine, large exhibit was largely
due to the never tiring work of our
worthy Superintendent — Mr. J. P. West.

H. G. ACKLIN.

St. Paul, Minn., Sept. 18.

Queer Way to Get Surplus.

I have visited a great many bee-keep-
ers in this State the past summer.
Down in Goodhue county I met a farmer
that kept bees. A friend of mine intro-
duced me to him as a bee-keeper, and the
farmer asked me how much I would
charge to look at his bees. I told him I
would not charge anything to look them
over. The next morning I went there at
T o'clock, and looked at his bees. He
had about 14 colonies, using mostly the
Langstroth hives with those deep, heavy
covers. The first hive I came to I took
the cover off, and was surprised — it was
so heavy. All the bees were in the
cover, and none in the brood-chamber,
only those that went through, as there
was no cloth or board on top of the
brood-frames.

I went to the others, and found all
were the same. "My friend," I said,

442

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

" here is lots of work to do." "I believe
so," he replied, I asked him if I should
put them in good condition, would he
give me a colony for my work. " Yes,
sir," he said, "you can take any one you
please." And then I commenced the
operations.

I transferred the combs from the
covers to the movable-frame hives. In
other colonies I cut all out in the covers
— the old colonies I mean. You ought
to have seen what honey he got. He
had washboilers, dishpans and milkpails
full. I asked the lady of the house if I
should help her take care of the honey.
" Oh no," she said, " I understand how
to do that," and she cut up the comb in
small pieces, and laid it down in stone
jars, one piece on top of another, until
the jar was full, and then she put cloth
over it, and took them to the cellar. I
told her to strain the honey, and then
she said she wanted comb honey, and
she would keep it in the cellar to have it
fresh.

I advised the gentleman to subscribe
for some bee-papers, and buy some bee-
books. Then he went to his library and
showed me the "A B C of Bee-Culture,"
and sample copies of Oleanings and
other papers. I told him he had all the
information he needed. I had to answer
so many questions that I was really
tired, but at the same time I had lots of
fun.

When all the work was done I re-
ceived a good colony of bees for my
work, and then I said good-bye, about 5
o'clock in the evening.

John A. Holmberg.

St. Paul, Minn., Sept. 1.

Had a Fair Crop of Honey.

It was very dry here the past summer,
but I got a fair crop of honey — over 60
pounds per colony, spring count, and all
comb honey, mostly in one-pound sec-
tions. I increased about 30 per cent.,
and they all have plenty of stores for
winter. I am well pleased with the
American Bke Journal. It is worth
many times its cost to any person that
keeps kees. C. Monette.

Chatfield, Minn., Sept 26.

Harvesting and Swarming, Etc.

In reading the Bee Journal of Sept.
6th, I find that Dr. Miller rather mis-
takes the meaning in my article on page
242.

When I compared harvesting and
swarming I meant to infer that harvest-

ing included more than it really does,
perhaps; that is, the result of causes un-
til the time of harvesting, and by swarm-
ing the result of preceding tendencies.
I believe that swarming measures the
quantity of honey more than any other
part of bee-culture. I believe that in a
good honey-flow, with my method, I can
get more honey from a colony allowed to
swarm (making two swarms — a young
one and an old one), than can any per-
son with any method which prevents
natural swarming. Am I right, Dr.
Miller ? That was the idea before.

I am interested in an apiary of 240
colonies, and I am satisfied that the
above is true from experience.

But in regard to the amount of honey
a colony will consume, I cannot tell ex-
cept from observation. The amount of
honey they consume in winter is easily
known, but for the amount in honey-
gathering I don't believe any one can
possibly know, except by comparison.
Mr. Doolittle guessed too high for my
ideas, yet he may know exactly.

Onondaga Co., N. Y. S. C. Markon.

Lard for Removing Propolis.

I saw in the last Bee Journal a
recipe for washing propolis off the
hands. Change that for this, to prevent
propolis sticking to the fingers, which is
vastly better : Keep along with the
tools a small box with lard in it, and
grease the inside of the thumb and
fingers occasionally when handling the
frames, and propolis will not stick either
to the fingers or smoker, which will get
greased by the fingers in holding it. Mr.
Root, to whom I sent the idea, wrote
about using vaseline. That may do, but
it suggests an extra expense, which I
believe entirely unnecessary. I consider
the use of lard most important for com-
fort in handling frames.

Utica, 111. Alfred Mottaz.

Oood Honey-Sellers will likely be
needed now, and the little 32-page pamph-
let, "Honey as Food and Medicine," has
for years proven itself valuable in making
repeated sales of honey. Its distribution
will create a demand for the honey first, and
then the bee-keeper can follow it up and
supply that demand. Send to us for a
sample copy, only 5 cents ; 10 copies, post-
paid, 3.5 cents ; 50 copies, $1.2.'); or 100 copies
$2.00. Try .50 or 100 copies, and prove their
ability to aid you in disposing of your
honey at a good price.

weekly, $1 a Year. [ ^^^^^^-^-^^^^^Ve^'-'cUZ^URE. { Sample Copy Free.

VOL XXXIV. CHICAGO, ILL, OCT. 11, 1894.

NO. 15.

GEORGE W YORK.%5^
, — EP'^c" ^i;^*^

A Couveution Rliyine has come to
us just in time for the North American
meeting this week. Here it is :

Another year has passed away

Since we each other met —
A year of changes to us all —

But we are happy yet.

Though many friends have Homeward gone,
Have ceased this earthly strife —

Still we rejoice that we are blest
With health and peaceful life.

O may the future ever hold

For all abundant store ;
And may we often meet again —

At last, to part no more !

Xlie Progressive Bee-Keeper

will " fill out the unexpired subscriptions of
iSuccess ill Jiee-Culture," which expired re-
cently, as it proved to be a " success " only

4]}riins1ia,\v^s "Apifuge," which
is still used in England to prevent stings
and bites of insects, doesn't suit the Cana-
dians very well. Bro. Holtermann says that
" careful manipulation, a good strain of
bees, straight combs, and properly made
hives, will do much to prevent stings from
bees."

Father I^aiiig'strotli was visited re-
cently by Bro. A. I. Root, who '' was re-
joiced to find him feeling so well." Bro.
Root says that Mrs. Cowan — Father L.'s
daughter — with whom he lives, "has a
beautiful family of seven children — four
boys and three girls." Also, that "the
father of this little flock was called away
some two years ago, and now the charge—
at least the greater part of it — of looking
after the seven children and the aged
father, falls on Mrs. Cowan;" and that he
" never saw a more beautiful household."
Surely, all who read this will be delighted
to hear these good things about Mrs. Cowan
and Father Langstroth.

** I5ee-I«eepiiig- in Ontario, and

Its Development," was clearly explained
and fully illustrated in the Toronto, Out.,
Glube recently. We are inclined to think
that Editor Holtermann had a hand in it
all, and we don't blame him a bit, for it's
well done, and should help to advertise the
bee-business wonderfully in Canada. If
more of such work were done, we believe it
would aid greatly in creating a more gen-
eral demand for honey.

Why Not l>o It?— Brother Leahy
of the Progressive Bee-Keeper, suggests that
those who are so fortunate as to possess
"Heaven's best blessing"— a wife— bring
them along to the convention at St. Joseph
this week. Certainly, it's just the thing to
do, if you possibly can arrange it. We
haven't forgotten the. splendid attendance
of comely women at the Columbian meet-
ing, and should be pleased to see as many,
or more, at St. Joseph.

456

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Here's a €roo<1 One.— In an essay
read before a certain Farmers' Institute
not 500 miles from Chicago, were these
words :

As Rev. E. T. Abbott, of England, has it,
" Apis is Latin for bee, and an apiary is
where bees, and not apes, are kept."

We have thought for some time that Rev.
E. T. Abbott was the present President of
the North American Bee-Keepers' Associa-
tion ; and also that he lives in St. Joseph,
Mo., not in England! The 'ape-y" part
of the quotation sounds more natural, but
you can't prove it by us. May be he did
say it.

Xlie St. JTo^iiepli Convention will
be in session while most of our readers are
perusing these pages. Next week we hope
to be able to tell something about the meet-
ing, that may interest those who were un-
able to attend. Then the following week
we expect to begin publishing the proceed-
ings in full, as we have employed an expert
to report the convention specially for the
American Bee Journal. W. Z. Hutchin-
son is the man who will " take down " the
"doings "in a short-hand way, and then,
after the convention is over, write it all
out so the rest of us can read it in the Bee
Journal.

Yon iflay Ke Sni'pi'ise<l to receive
this number of the American Bee Journal
earlier than usual, but it is on account of
our going to St. Joseph, Mc, this week to
attend the North American bee-convention.
If your next week's copy of the Bee Jour-
nal is late, you will have to blame that
same convention for it. It has required
some hard work for us to arrange matters
in our office so as to get away for nearly a
whole week, but we have succeeded in doing
it, and now expect to have a delightful
time with the members of the North Ameri-
can at the St. Joseph meeting. All our
correspondence will have to be neglected
for about a week, when we expect to be
again at the " old stand," and with our ac-
customed promptness.

Rev. IVni. F. VlarUe, of Guelph,
Ont., Canada, called on us last week. He
was visiting friends and relatives in Chi-
cago. Most of our readers know that Mr.
Clarke, over 20 years ago, was editor of the

American Bee Journal, having removed
it from Washington, D. C, to Chicago,
where it has been published ever since. In
1873 he sold his interest to Mr. Thomas G.
Newman, who edited and published it until
June 1, 1892, when the present proprietors
assumed full control of the destinies of the
old American Bee Journal. Mr. New-
man's financial interest in it ceased when it
passed into our hands, though we find that
the mistaken idea is still abroad, that he is
yet closely connected with its management.
Mr. Newman continued in the bee-supply
business in Chicago, and publishes the
monthly lllmtrated Home Journal. He is
also the General Manager of the National
Bee-Keepers' Union, which has done so
much in defending bee-keepers against un-
just and malicious persecution.

X^venty-One Xons^ of Honey. —

Mr. Thos. B. Blair, of Neenah, Wis., sent
us the following item that he had clipped
from a local newspaper, and whose truth-
fulness he was inclined to doubt:

Mrs. W. J. Pickard, of Richland Centre,
Wis., shipped to New York a carload of
honey weighing 36,000 pounds. Her entire
product this year was 42,000 pounds, which
amount was procured in 31 days, making
an average of two tons a day.

Wishing, before publishing the item, to
be assured that it was something near the
truth, we wrote Mrs. Pickard herself, and
here is her reply, which came promptly:

Richland Ctr., Wis., Oct. 1, 1894.
George W. York & Co., Chicago, 111.

Dear Sirs .-—This clipping is worded almost
exactly as I gave it to our home editor, and
there need be no doubt about the truthful-
ness of the statement. Although this is a
large amount of honey, it is nevertheless
the truth. Yours respectfully,

Mrs. W. J. Pickard.

P. S.— There is one statement which
might be corrected, and that is, it ought to
be 2,000 pounds instead of two tons per
day. Mrs. W. J. P.

Certainly the words " Well done," can
aptly be addressed to Mrs. Pickard, for her
crop of honey is indeed something glorious
in this year of drouth and unfavorable re-
sults in the majority of the apiaries of our
land.

It would be interesting to know the num-
ber of colonies Mrs. Pickard had, and any-
thing else about the matter that she may
be good enough to tell us all.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

457

Rev. E. X. Al>1>o«t, and Mr. O. L.

Hershiser, President and Vice-President of
the North American Bee-Keepers' Associa-
tion the past year, we take the pleasure in

President Abbott.

showing by portraits on this page. Gleaiduijs
for Oct. 1st also contained a picture of Mr.
Abbott, but as we had decided, before see-
ing GlearuHc/.s, to insert these two portraits
this week, we have done so even at the risk
of being thought to follow too closely in
the footsteps of our worthy contemporary.
We presumed that our picture of Mr.
Abbott was exactly as it should be, until
we saw the one in Olecmbigs, which shows
him slightly bearded. Not having seen
him for a whole year, we are unable just
now (Oct. 4th) to tell you which portrait is
" up to date," but after the convention we
will be qualified to speak intelligently upon
this important (?) subject. At the risk of
disagreeing with Bro. A.'s good wife, how-
ever, we will say that we think he's more
handsome with simply a mustache — as
shown in the picture herewith.

Rendering- Rees^vax. — B. Taylor,
in the Farm, Stock and ITotne, says that he
had some old brood-comb that had re-
mained in a tank of water for some weeks.

and upon squeezing a handful of it lately,
found the wax separated from the black
comb easily. On testing some of it in the
solar wax extractor he found that it yielded
more than double the wax of comb not so
treated. The comb seemed to have rotted,
leaving the wax free. The easy and thor-
ough rendering of wax is an important
subject, and we hope others will investigate
the matter and report their experience.

l^Mrse-Bees l^liiting: Kggs. — Mr. S.

E. Miller, in the Progressive Bee-Keeper, says
that he " has noticed some things that seem
to indicate that nurse-bees eat eggs when
rearing queens." He isn't sure about it,
and would like to know whether any other
observing bee-keeper has noticed anything
of the kind.

Pollen as a Ferment .—We read

that pollen is used by the French as a fer-
ment for hydromel. Then some one asked,
" Why doesn't some enterprising Yankee
start the manufacture of yeast from pol-

Vice-Pres. Hershiser.

len !" W e'U guarantee that if it can be
clearly shown that " there's millions in it,"
there will be plenty Yankees who would
soon go into the pollen-yeast business.

458

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

\9^ I

ANSWERED BY

DR.. C. O. li^H-jLiBK,,

Marengo, III.

In this department will be answered those
questions needing immediate attention, and
such as are not of sufficient special interest to
require rep ies from the 20 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.

Uniting' Colonies for Winter.

What is the best method of uniting
colonies for the purpose of reducing the
number for winter? J. P. S.

Sunapee, N. H.

Answer. — You will find a good deal
about this in the last few numbers of
this journal. When bees are gathering
honey there seems no trouble about
uniting, but when forage is scarce there
Is more inclination to fighting. I think
you will like the plan of putting one
hive over the other with only room for a
bee or two at a time to pass from one to
the other.

Protection for Winter— Transferring.

1. Will a three-inch plank hive with
tarred paper and rough boards tacked
on the outside, six-inch super packed with
chafif, and double bottom-boards with
tarred paper between, be sufficient pro-
tection for outdoor wintering, where the
mercury frequently hangs BO-" to 40^
below zero, and sometimes goes to 60'^
below, on a snap? If so, how wide
should a %-inch entrance be left ?

2. Would it do to transfer bees on
frames from board hives' to plank hives
(inside dimensions are the same) as late
as the forepart of October, if we have a
few warm days ? M. N. B.

Sand Creek, Wis.

Answers. — 1. Your arrangements
seem pretty good, only I don't believe
you will like B-iuch plank for hives. It
will add greatly to the weight as also to
the expense, with no corresponding gain.
% lumber seems to be pretty well agreed
on for all climates.

In a place where the temperature is
fool enough to lower itself as much as
60° below, it hardly seems as if it would
be safe to winter bees outside of a cel-
lar, and it would be certainly well to try
part in a cellar. Still, you can't always
go by the thermometer. My bees are
worse off out-doors with the thermom-
eter 10^ below and such fierce winds all
day long as we sometimes have, than
they would be in a much colder place
with no wind stirring.

After all, there's nothing like experi-
ence in the matter of wintering bees.
Cut and try. When you find a plan that
succeeds best for you, that's the plan for
you to stick to.

2. There will be no danger in chang-
ing the frames from one hive to another
any day when warm enough so bees are
flying. But look out that you don't get
started so late In the day that the bees
can't keep on the move for some little
time after the change is made.

Wants Golden-Bod Described.

Please give a description of golden-
rod ; also state whether there is more
than one variety. The so-called golden-
rod here is of bushy top, yellow, compact
flowers, about three to four feet high,
and nothing but potato bugs work on it.
Where can I procure the seed of the
true golden-rod, such as the bees work
on, or of any other plant that I could
raise with profit for the bees ?

I anxiously await the weekly appear-
ance of the "Old Reliable." H. H. H.

Hermon, 111.

Answeb. — The picture of a spray of
golden-rod given herewith is one of the
most common kinds. You will recognize

it from this picture better than from
any description. Yet this is only one
kind, and there are about 40 different
kinds in the U. S. They vary from the
widely-branching spray form to the sol-
idly compact head. At this time of year

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU

459

when vou see a plant from one to fuur
feet high, with very bright yellow flow-
ers iu clusters, you are pretty safe to
guess it may be golden-rod. I suspect
the kind you have is the genuine article.
There is great diversity as to the matter
of bees working on it. Some say it is a
valuable honey-plant; others say it is
not visited by the bees. In my locality
I often find bees on it, but oftener not.
I don't think I ever saw the Colorado
potato beetle on it, but often the bluish
beetle.

Supply dealers may furnish seed, but
I doubt if you will find any golden-rod
better than what you already have. If
you have ground to fill with golden-rod,
I advise you to try sweet clover.

Questions on Clueens and Drones.

This is my first year with bees. I
have 17 colonies. I bought 7 Italian
queens from a Texas breeder, and intro-
duced them Aug. 8th. On examination
Aug. 19th, I found them all received
and laying. I had removed and killed a
black queen from each of the 7 colo-
nies previous to introducing the Italian
queens, which were 5 untested and 2
tested. On examination Aug. 22nd I
found that the tested queens were miss-
ing, and one of them had queen-cells
started ; the other one none.

Four days after this I took a queen-
cell from the one and engrafted it into
the other. The day for the queens to
hatch I found the one where the cells
were reared was hatched, and the one
engrafted destroyed, finding the comb
filled with eggs. On close examination
I found a black queen. I know that the
Italian queen was laying when she was
in there, for there is her brood to show
for itself.

I have also exchanged Italian brood
into some of my black colonies, after
killing the queens, and they had sealed
queen-cells in four days after I put it in
there. Now from reading bee-books it
seems that it takes the eggs three days
to hatch and eight days to be sealed ;
also that they cannot rear a queen from
an egg that had been layed more than
three days when I exchanged the comb,
and the four days after that would be
seven days in sealing. I am young in
the business, and would be glad to re-
ceive all the information I can get, so I
will proceed to a few questions :

1. Will a colony receive a queen when
it has one ?

2. Why were my tested queens killed,
and the untested ones not?

3. Are drones of any account, that
are reared in worker-cells, as that is all
I liave in my apiary?

4. Will the bees seal a queen-cell
under eight days ? L. C. B.

Ivanhoe, Tex., Sept. 8.

Answers. — 1. I think not.

2. I don't know of any reason why
the bees should discriminate, unless the
tested queens had received treatment
different from the others before intro-
duction.

3. Opinions difi'er. I'd rather have
full-sized ones. But I will venture the
opinion that for once in your life you're
mistaken as to having no drones. I
think some one would have a paying job
if you would give him a dollar apiece for
every full-sized drone found in your api-
ary.

4. According to the books, I believe,
the cell should be sealed about eight
days after the egg is laid. I have some
thought that there may be exceptions to
this, from the small size of grubs I have
sometimes found in sealed queen-cells.

If you will look again I think you will
find that the books teach that bees do
not usually rear a queen from a larva
more than three days old— although in a
strait they may do so — and not as you
put it, "that they cannot rear a queen
out of an egg that has been laid more
than three days." They can rear a
queen from a larva that is three days
old, that is, three days after hatching
from the egg, or six days after the lay-
ing of the egg. Now if they chose a
larva three days old, or one whose egg
had been laid six days, and you found
the cell sealed four days later, that
would be ten days from the laying of the
egg ; so there was nothing in the case to
differ from the teaching of the books.

J»Ir. E. K. Xei-ry, of Burlingame,
Kans., President of a Kansas bee-associa-
tion, called at our office on Sept. 29th. He
was visiting a son who is a dentist in Chi-
cago. Mr. Terry expected to attend the
St. Joseph convention.

^^° "The Bee Journal is the best bee-
paper, all around, that I ever saw. I have
kept bees for 33 years, and would feel lost
without them." — Dr. A. Puderbaugh, of
Kansas, on Sept. 25, 1894.

i^° The valuable and interesting Ameri-
can Bee Journal is a welcome guest at my
desk. Best wishes for its success." — W. A.
Choate, of California, Sept. 16, 1894.

460

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAIj.

Our Bocwrs Hiets.

By F. L. PEIRO. M. D.

McVicker's Building, Chicago, III.

Asthma— Prevention and Treatment.

If I had an enemy, and I cordially bated
him, I would, notwithstanding, pray for
his deliverance from asthma! Only those
who have suffered it— or have seen great
suffering from it, as I have, can form any
idea of its terrible character. Suddenly
the sufferer is awakened out of compara-
tive slumber, with a sense of suffocation,
as if one's throat was grasped by a power-
ful hand, and the grip so tightened as to
exclude respiration.

A feeling of oppression in the chest pos-
sesses him, his lips are blue, face an ashy
color, eyes protruding, and every gasp is
one of determined effort to obtain air— air
to keep from choking to death !

If only the lungs would loosen, if that
tight feeling under his breast-bone would
relax ! O if he could only expectorate,
then, ah, tJie/t he would feel blissfully re-
lieved! But there is the difficulty. Neither
of these greatly desired results will take
place unless, in some way, the troubles that
occasion these symptoms are removed— at
least temporarily. And what will the
sufferer not do to obtain this surcease from
so horrible oppression ?

But before any treatment is considered,
certain facts should be stated with a view
to the prevention of these attacks.

He who knows himself a victim to this
trying condition, termed Asthma, should
remember how much depends upon himself
for immunity from it. His diet at evening
should be light. If experience has taught
him that certain food is conducive to an
attack, he should, of course, abstain from
its use. He should wear light or heavy
flannels, according to the seasons, to avoid
the evil results of sudden changes in tem-
perature. He had best keep out of the
cold, damp night air; if compelled to be in
it, he should protect himself by adequate
clothing.

The treatment must be largely preven-
tive. With this end in view, the brisk fric-
tion over the chest and back, night and
morning, with a towel wrung out of cold
water is excellent; but it must be rubbed
hard, and the skin made red. if an attack
is feared, a few drops of spirits of camphor
dropped on a piece of sugar and taken, is
likely to prevent serious trouble.

Or, if you have the remedies at hand,
contained in the Family Medicine Case, ad-
vertised in the Bnn JouiiNAi,, take the
remedies there directed for Asthma, and
good results will follow. If the feet are
placed in hot water, with a handful of salt
added, all the better.

But from abundant observation, I know
of nothing so effective, not only as a pre-

ventive, but oftentimes a positive cure, as
the inhalation of oxygen, prepared by the
American Oxygen Co., of Chicago. Children
and young people are often cured of asthma,
and it is at these tender ages that greatest
success attends proper treatment. At more
mature time of life relief, more or less
permanent, only can reasonably be ex-
pected.

;xig;gTsz8gx«zgx»»TTgzggg;ggTTTTya

CONDUCTED BY

MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY.

Beeville, Texas.

PROFITABLE BEE-KEEPING.

Ijesson No.

(Continued from page 334.)
HOW TO PREVENT SWAKMING.

Now after I tell you how to keep your
bees from swarming, and you think it is
too much trouble, why then let them
swarm. If you do not desire any more
bees, or any more colonies, and you are
bent on keeping down swarming at all
hazards, cage your queens and let them
remain caged in their hives until the
brood all hatches out. Keep down all
the cells for eight or ten days, or until
they have no chance to start any more,
and if you are determined to stop the
swarming, you rmist not overlook a
single cell. Then, when the brood is all
hatched, turn loose the queens, and I
will guarantee that your bees will not
swarm naturally any more until they get
sealed brood, and by that time your
honey-llow or the swarming-fever will
likely be over. But if they show signs
of swarming, starting queen-cells, then
cage again, and I will go you a nickle
that they will be so reduced by the time
you get through the second round that
they will be content to stay at the old
home for the rest of the season.

Now, this I know is a heap of trouble,
but I give it as a remedy to prevent bees
from swarming, and it will surely do it,
for I have tried it, and when you put
out a long grin, and doubt my remedy,

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

461

try it and be convinced. If you do not
thinif I can walk into an apiary of 100
colonies, and in less than three days'
work knock the swarming business in
the head, give me a chance and I will
convince you, unless I happen to miss
some cells like you are apt to do. But
that must come under the head of an
exception, and not a rule.

Here is another good remedy. But
first I will say where there is trouble
there must of necessity be a cause, then
remove the cause and a cure is easily
affected. Well, the cause of swarming
is sealed brood, sealed queen-cells, and
sealed drone-cells. Now keep the sealed
brood away until the swarming-fever is
over, and no swarming will take place.

I wish you to understand that bees do
not swarm naturally with unsealed
brood, so the main cause of swarming is
an abundance of sealed worker-brood,
sealed drone-brood, and of course when
this is the case they are in a prosperous
condition, or they would not have the
hive full of sealed brood. Then this is
the cause — remove it, and a cure is ef-
fected.

You are heard to ask, " What will I do
with that sealed brood?" Well, in large
apiaries I have always found some weak
colonies that can be built up and made
equal in bees to the balance, and made
ready for the honey-flow, but if such is
not the case, put your sealed brood off
into empty hives, protect from ants and
sun, and leaving a few bees to care for
it, is best. Do not let them rear a
queen, and when the bees have all
hatched out, take them and the empty
combs they occupy, and put back with
the old queen and old hive where they
came from, removing all the brood as
before. Put on the sections, get a crop
of honey before they get another hive
full of sealed brood, and let the bees
know that you can beat them at their
own game, and don't be one bit afraid
of their swarming until they get a lot of
sealed brood, for they won't do it if there
are two bushels of them.

Now you may say all this is a heap of
work and bother, which I will admit
that it is, and I love to see my bees
swarm too well to practice it much, but
it is a remedy for swarming, just the
same, and wnen I am determined to pre-
vent a colony from swarming, I can do
so by the above plans.

I have kept down swarming by keep-
ing all the queen-cells torn down, by
going through the hives once a week
until the swarming season was over. I
know that it has been reported that bees

do sometimes swarm without having
queen-cells started at all, but it must be
exceptions and not a rule when they do
so. I never had a natural swarm to is-
sue in all my :^0 years of bee-keeping,
without starting cells first, and seldom
until one or more queen-cells were sealed;
but I have a few times had swarms is-
sue before any queen-cells were sealed.
I am of the opinion that those who re-
ported swarms without any queen-cells
started at all, were not natural swarms,
as I have often had pretty fair colonies
swarm out on account of starvation and
other causes, and also there would be a
few young bees left in the hives, but
they were only what we term " pauper
swarms." It may be that Italian bees
sometimes swarm without making any
preparations, but it has never come un-
der my observation.

BEST PLAN OF INCREASE.

To close this swarming question, I will
add that unless you have all the bees
you can possibly handle and care for, I
would allow them to swarm one time
each, or divide them artificially, which
means about t^e same thing in the
South ; for if you take away the largest
part of the brood with the new colony,
leaving the old queen on the old stand,
and give empty frames, or frames of
comb foundation, if done just at the
proper time, it is as near natural swarm-
ing as anything I know of, and the
proper time is just at the time they be-
gin to prepare for natural swarming by
starting queen-cells. I do not wish to be
understood that the starting of what we
call "stubs " of queen-cells in nooks and
corners, etc., but when the cells have
eggs in them, and the bees commence to
build them out. Then take the brood,
queen-cells, and all to a new stand,
leave the old queen a frame or two of
unsealed brood, and shake off some
young bees on the old stand. The bees
will then take care of and finish up those
natural cells, and you have natural
queens, and just as good as natural
swarming. Of course only allow one
cell to remain in the new colony, lest
they cast a swarm— leave a nice large
one. This is really my best plan of in-
crease, as I have stated before, and one
that will likely give satisfaction.

The next lesson will be different races
of bees, queens, etc.

Jennie Atchley.
(To be continued.)

Have You Read the wonderful Pre-
Qium offers on page 451 ?

462

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi-.

WMcH Orlers tie Swarming

Query 944.— When a colony swarms, which
orders the "walk-out"— the queen or the
workers ?— Florida.

The workers.— J. H. Laekabee.
The workers, no doubt. — R. L. Tay-

LOB.

Both. They work in unison. — P. H.
Elwood.

I don't know. The workers, I think.
— J. A. Green.

In prime swarms, the workers.-—
Eugene Secor.

Both, in harmony witQ Nature's laws.

— G. M. DOOLITTLE.

Workers are "boss," and control the
queen. — Mrs. L. Harrison.

The queen — for want of room to de-
posit her eggs.— E. France.

I doubt if there is any ordering about
it. No order is needed. The queen is
late in going. — A. J. Cook.

The workers, many of them, will be in
the air before the queen makes her ap-
pearance.— S. I. Freeborn.

It must be the queen that leads — not
orders — for the simple fact that if she
leads back, they go.— Jas. A. Stone.

Nature ; but it seems there is occa-
sionally internal dissensions, as the
queen fails to go.— J. M. Hambaugh.

It would seem — the workers. But no
doubt the "walk out" is ordered by
" Nature's first law."— J. P. H. Brown.

I suppose a little like it was in the
late great railroad strike. The chief
boss (queen) sort of "requests" the
swarm to march forth.— C. H. Dibbern.

We think they are unanimous on that
point. The queen is angry because
^'oung queens are reared, and the bees
are uncomfortable for want of room. —
Dadant & Son.

Neither of them. The economy of a
bee-hive is not managed on the Debs
plan. Each one has a mind to work the

best she knows how, and when the time
comes for doing a thing, they all do it
without any ordering. The workers
generally go out first, however. — Emer-
son T. Abbott.

Does any one know? I don't ; and I
don't see how one can ascertain. As a
guess, I will say, there is probably a
community of interest that governs the
matter. — J. E. Pond.

The workers. I have repeatedly seen
them persecuting the queen and driving
her out. When a queen cannot fly, the
bees will endeavor to prevent her return
to the hive. — M. Mauin.

" I don't know ;" but I think there is
usually an understanding between bees
and queen. Possibly the bees create
the emergency, and the queen gives the
"signal."— W. M. Baenum.

With a normal first swarm the queen
is among the last to leave the hive ;
while with after-swarms with virgin
queens, the queen is about the first one
to leave the hive. — Mrs. J. N. Heater.

I suppose both must work together to
get things in shape for swarming. I
suspect the immediate instigators are
the workers, as I have known a swarm
to issue with no queen in the hive, hav-
ing been removed a short time before. —
— C. C. Miller.

I never have yet been fortunate
enough to hear the orders given, but I
have often seen bees make a rush, and I
believe Nature has taught the whole
business — queen and workers — to move
out when the proper time comes. I do
not think there are any orders at all,
but the bees sometimes seem about half
way mad at their queen at swarming-
time. — Mrs. Jennie Atchley.

The worker-bees control the whole
proceeding. This very season I was
watching for the queen at the entrance
of a hive where the bees were in the act
of swarming, and the queen did not
make her appearance until % of the
swarm was in the air, and when she did
appear, she was being hustled out by
force of arms. I distinctly saw an ireful
worker bite her as she sullenly " va-
cated." I once had a swarm to issue
while I had the hive open, and saw the
internal excitement, and I saw the
queen make repeated attacks on a sealed
queen-cell, but the guards stood firmly,
and even used force to drive her away.
The old idea that the queen "leads out
the swarm," looks romantic, and all
that, but it is not according to solid
facts. — G. W. Demabee.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU

463

XO SEPARATOR, OR NOX XO SEPARAXOR?

BY G. M. DOOLITTLE.

A correspondent writes, saying : " A party writes me that just as nice comb
honey can be secured without separators as can be with their use. Is this so? I
am about to prepare for another season this fall, and if separators are not necessary
in producing comb honey, I wish to know it in time so I can make my preparations
accordingly. Please reply through the American Bee Journal, as your answer
will doubtless be interesting to others besides myself."

This question of separators or no separators is something which must come up
for the decision of each one. None can decide the matter for another. Many have
claimed during the past that separators were useless, and wishing not to appear
wedded to my fixtures, I have tried dispensing with them in a part of my apiary,
and actually found that I could, by taking great precaution, as to the hive being
level, the foundation fastened to the sides and top of the sections securely, and by
giving just the right amount of room, so that the bees would commence in all at
once, get combs built true enough to crate, especially if care was taken in crating,
so that the " fat " side of one section was placed next to the " lean " side of the one
next to it; but when it came to the glassing of them, that was out of the question.
To be sure, most markets do not desire glass on the honey ; but as a few do, it
makes it very handy to have our honey so we can glass it if we wish.

While, as I said, I had succeeded by using much precaution in getting a fair job
done without separators, yet I found that this same precaution cost me more than
the separators, and that, unless I used this precaution, the loss by bulged and un-
evenly filled sections was still greater than the first. So I found that there was
nothing gained in trying to dispense with separators, but, on the contrary, such a
trial would be very likely to result in a loss, owing to the nicety of the work required.

Again, I found that I must leave the case of sections on the hive until finished,
before they were disturbed, for if I added more room, except by way of a full case,
on the tiering-up plan, I was sure of getting the combs so badly bulged that I could
do nothing with them, save to sell them as "chunk honey." This spoiled one of the
best ideas I know of in bee-keeping, namely, the putting on of a small amount of
surplus room at first, and gradually increasing it as the bees become strong, until
the full capacity of the hive was reached. I am satisfied that this one idea has
much to do with successful honey-production. So if I dispensed with separators, I
lost quite a share of my success also, and all because some were prophesying and
saying that " separators were fast becoming things of the past."

Once more : I could not take my sections off once every week to ten days, as I
had formerly done, while the combs had a snowy whiteness, which always gives

464 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

honey a good name in market, but I must leave them on the hive until the nice
white comb was more or less travel-stained by the bees, for as sure as I took a comb
out and put an empty section in its place, the combs in the sections next to it would
have their cells so lengthened that they could not be crated at all.

Then each section must be filled with foundation, if I would succeed, no matter
how short I was of cash to purchase it. To be sure, I did succeed tolerably well by
putting strips of foundation two inches wide in the two outside tiers of sections ;
then IX inches wide in the next two tiers inside of them, then one inch wide next ;
and in the center two tiers, foundation only 3^ inch wide ; but all this required a
nicety that was much greater than the use of separators demanded.

From the above it will be seen that I have given the non-separator business a
fair trial, and was at last driven to the conclusion that, for me, separators are an
actual necessity, if I would secure the most comb honey in the best marketable
shape.

Not long ago I ran across the question asked in one of the bee-papers of the
past, "Will all bee-keepers agree that it is more profitable to dispense with them
(separators) than to keep them ?" to which one of our noted writers replied : " It is
not at all likely that all bee-keepers will, as some are so wedded to their fixtures
and methods that it would be almost impossible to induce them to even try some
better method ;" and yet, if I am correctly informed, that noted writer has left that
" better method " (non-separators) and gone back to using separators again. It is
well, as a general thing, to know that a certain thing which we may advocate, is a
" better method " before we herald it broadcast before the world, for by this herald-
ing we may induce others to go to a great expense in changing their fixtures, only
to be disappointed in the end.

Some have thought that separators cost them considerable of their crop of
honey ; but from careful observations during the past twenty years, I fail to find
anything pointing toward such a conclusion. The only thing that I can see against
separators is their original cost, and the time consumed in attaching them to the
super or wide-frames, and I believe that the advocating of the production of comb
honey without their use, is a move in the wrong direction, and I hope that all will
take an interest in seeing that good prices in our markets can be maintained only
by putting upon it that which is as nearly perfect as possible.

Borodino, N. Y.

THE "NE'W BEE-DISEASE" INVESXIGAXEO.

BY WM. B. HOWARD, M. D.

Having noticed on page 344, in the report of the Los Angeles County conven-
tion, by Dr. G. A. Millard, under the caption "A New Bee-Disease," that they are
having some trouble in California from this new infection (?), I wish to call the
attention of those interested to page 14 (my work on " Foul Brood "), commencing
at the last paragraph on the page, where the condition is treated of in full.

We have been troubled with this condition in this county, and have lost several
colonies of bees from it. The treatment mentioned in connection with this condi-
tion, where rigidly carried out, has not failed to cure it. During the profuse honey-
flow it frequently disappears, from the fact that the bees clean out the dead brood
and fill the infected cells with honey. Later in the season, or perhaps the next
spring, when the honey has been removed, and the cells have been used again for
brood, the disease reappears. In all the cases which I have examined, I have found
that the most of the dead brood was sealed. Many putrefactive bacteria increase

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 465

rapidly when exposed to the air, and when the air is shut out, as by sealing the
brood-cells, they are deprived of the oxygen necessary to their growth, and fermen-
tation obtains, thus destroying the sealed pupa.

A familiar illustration is noticed in the souring of milk, or cream ; while the
cream is exposed to the air, or frequently stirred to admit the oxygen from the
atmosphere, souring is hindered. The chemical change is the result of the growth
of a microscopic organism of the same origin as yeast, and like common yeast, re-
quires oxygen for its development — this it gathers from the air, if the latter have
access ; but in the absence of air, as when growing in milk, or in the " yeast batter "
of the baker, decomposition of the milk (its sugar) and lactic acid obtains. When
the " batter " of the baker is made into dough, the oxygen is excluded, and decompo-
sition takes place, and fermentation is the result, and the bread is said to " rise ;"
stirring or agitation causes it to " fall."

I mention this familiar illustration so that it may be made plain how fermenta-
tion is produced, and to show how this process may be destructive to animal life.

I have had this " new disease" (?) under consideration during the present sea-
son, and out of several careful examinations I have not found a single specimen of
bacillus alvei ; I have it still in my laboratory, under culture and investigation, and
may arrive at something definite, which may be of interest to bee-keepers. I will
give the readers of the American Bee Journal the results of my investigations.
This is possibly McEvoy's " foul brood " from rotten brood. A careful reading of
Proposition II, in my work on " Foul Brood," will give a clear understanding of this
disease. Ft. Worth, Tex.

SOMH OF THE PAST SEASON'S " KIIVKS."

BY F. L. THOMPSON.

Weak Colonies and Nuclei. — I had a weak colony last spring. By the time
the honey-flow came, they had but two frames of brood, and barely enough bees to
cover them. I did not want to spread the brood, and so placed a dry comb next to
it, and moved the honey-combs back (which had been filled with feed honey by other
colonies), thinking that now they would develop. Instead of that, they promptly
plugged up every cell of it with new honey. Then I moved that back and put in an
empty frame with a starter. This they built out and filled mostly with brood, and
subsequent frames in like manner, until they became strong enough to swarm.
Query : What would have happened if I had let them alone ? Wanted : An article
on all the " kinks " in developing nuclei and weak colonies after the flow has begun.
Is not a large proportion of an apiary run on the let-alone plan, all weak swarms
saved, etc., apt to become honey-bound?

Late or Early Breeding. — One ten-frame colony did not begin to breed until
after April 1st — I forget just when. In a very short time it had four frames of
brood, and when the honey-flow began it had eight, and not long after cast a strong
swarm. Bees here usually begin very early, and increase gradually. It is still an
unsettled question when breeding should begin. It depends upon locality, of course;
but are there not some absolute principles about it ? The weight of authority seems
to be in favor of late breeding, if the old bees are not too near their end.

Anointing Frame Edges. — Having a number of new combs to be built this
year, I anointed the edges of some 50 closed-end frames with an inferior quality of
machine oil. (Not patient enough to wait to get vaseline.) It was a particular job
to keep such stuff from spreading too much, and it did not smell very nice. But the

466 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

bees did not object (I did not use such frames on swarms), and the frames handled
beautifully. There is now a very little propolis alons their edges. How would it do
to apply vaseline to the board designed for end-bars before it is sawed up?

SwAKMS — High-Flieks AND Low-Fliers. — An old bee-keeper told me that
when a swarm on the march is observed to be flying low, it is pretty sure to stop
within half a mile or so, while if it flies high there is no use in following it.

Wet Bee-Brush. — He also told me, and I proved by experience, of the advan-
tages of keeping a bee-brush wet when in use. This has been given before in
Gleanings, but it pays to bring up such matters periodically. A wet brush is more
effectual, irritates the bees less, and does not get sticky with honey.

Absconding — Peculiar Case. — The same man once had a peculiar case of an
absconding swarm. It was found to be queenless shortly after being hived, and he
gave it a frame of brood. It stayed until a number of queen-cells were sealed, when
it suddenly left bodily, and went half a mile to a neighbor's yard, clustered on a
tree for half an hour, then returned to the hive it had just left, and stayed there.

A Sw arming-Time Pole. — When there are tall trees about the apiary, a handy
and simple tool in swarming-time is a long, light pole with a hook on the end. With
this, light branches can be entirely torn off with a single pull, if it is applied at just
the right place; the boughs may be shaken with it to prevent the swarm from
clustering again, and spots inaccessible from the ground may be reached from the
middle of the tree. But clipped queens are nicer.

An Improved Super. — I have tried several of Aikin Bros. & Knight's supers.
For keeping the sections absolutely clean, they are very superior. They are in-
tended to be used in connection with wood-zinc honey-boards. Some of the sections
went from the super to the crate untouched by the knife ; and none required any
but a very little scraping. This super uses separators between every two rows in-
stead of between every one, though more can be used if desired. That seems a
good idea. The honey is straight enough to crate ; in fact, it rarely bulges too
much on the side opposite the separator, when there is but one more comb between
it and the next separator ; and the sections are nearer full weight.

Who Can Answer ? — Why don't we ever hear from the Vermont and Nebraska
experiment stations ?

Foreign Bee-Papers.— Those who can do so will do well to read the foreign
bee-papers, especially UApicoltore. They may not have many ideas that we can
assimilate without digesting first ; their methods and hives are different from ours.
But they are suggestive.

An Experiment. — Here is a desirable experiment : Find the average tempera-
ture of the upper corners of the comb-spacers in a number of colonies in closed-end
frames during a freezing spell in winter, and compare it with the average tempera-
ture of the same in the same number of colonies of the same strength on open-end
frames at the same time. It will not do to got the temperature of the center of the
cluster ; for the inside bees of (;olonies on open-end frames are doubtless just as
warm as the inside bees of colonics on closed-end frames ; but if there is any differ-
ence, the crust of inert bees on the outside of the cluster when closed-end frames
are used ought to be less thick than on open-end frames ; the vitality of the colony
will not be so soon expended, and more brood will be reared in spring.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 467

ExRACTiNG AT NiGHT. — Those With a limited amount of extr9,cting to do after
the flow, when robbers are plenty and honey thick, need not spend money for a
honey-house, or go into the house and daub the floors up. Extract out in the yard
at night. A piece of wire-screen over a strong colony, and the extracting chamber
cleared of bees, set over it and covered up on the previous morning, will keep the
combs warm until wanted. When a set of frames is finished, it can be at once re-
turned to the bees for cleaning up with little disturbance, leaving the tiering, if any,
until next day. Extracting by moonlight, with the crickets singing about you, and
an occasional croaking of frogs in the distance, is lovely. The honey will be cooled
by the sides of the extractor ; but if you cover up the receiving vessel and leave it
in the yard next day to warm up in the sun, the honey may be strained without
diESculty as soon as the bees stop flying. Arvada, Colo.

THE BEST HIVE FOR W^IISfTERING.

BY .J. W. PETERSON.

As there seems to be a great deal now being said through the different bee-
papers on the subjects of large vs. small hives, wintering, etc., I beg leave to briefly
say a few words concerning my experience and observation.

I fully agree with Mr. Bender (see September Nebraska Bee-Keeper), viz.: that
bees winter and spring much better in a deep hive than a shallow one. This is a
fact that I think is acknowledged by the majority of our prominent bee-keepers of
to-day. I further think that better results can be obtained, take it the year round,
with a frame deeper and shorter than the Langstroth, than with any frame as shal-
low as the Langstroth.

I have used the American hive, and found that my bees came through the win-
ter without loss, and in splendid condition, while those of my neighbors who used
the Langstroth hive, wintered poorly, and their loss by spring dwindling was greater
than mine. The weather here in the spring is so cold and changeable, that it is
really harder on the bees than the winter is, consequently there is a great deal of
dwindling. I do not think, however, that this is just to the hive, as the frames are
a little too deep for easy handling, also the brood-chamber somewhat deep for pro-
ducing comb honey, especially in the supers ; and I do not like the idea of using
any part of the brood-chamber for surplus honey, either comb or extracted.

I think a frame 13% inches long by 10 or 103^ deep, about right for an all-
purpose hive, at least I shall give it a fair trial. I also notice that some of my
friends who have been opposed to a deep frame, are thinking of trying a deeper one
than they are now using. I have never had any experience with the Heddon or any
hive so shallow as that, but I think with proper management it would be a good
hive for comb honey, but not for wintering, unless the frames be tiered up so that it
would make a deep hive ; and even then, it seems to me, it is longer than would be
advisable.

I know some will say that a hive for successful wintering and springing is not
all that we are after. We are after the best results in the production of honey
(large yields, etc.) But I would like to ask them how they can expect to get the
largest yields of honey without having their bees winter and spring in the best pos-
sible condition, and be strong and healthy for the commencement of the honey-flow
(if there be one).

I favor out-door wintering, every time. It is true, the bees may require a greater
supply of stores than when wintered in the cellar, but then I think it gives so much

468 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

better satisfaction, that it more tlian pays for the extra stores consumed. We find
a man occasionally who says he winters his bees on the summer stands witho ut any
protection — not even a cushion over the frames ; but I prefer to winter them on the
summer stands with an outside case, packed with chaff, and a chaff cushion over
the frames. Bees wintered in this way, having proper care the previous fall, have,
in my experience and observation, been no other than satisfactory.

As has already been said, what would be a good practice in one part of the
country would not be good in another ; and I will further say, that a method suc-
cessful with one might not be with another.

This subject of hives, in my estimation, is a very important one, as our success
largely depends on a good hive ; and it behooves us to use the best that can be ob-
tained for the particular locality in which we live; also that we may have our
frames of a uniform size, so that there may be no call for altering and fitting frames.

Of course, some who are acquainted with my not very ripe age (as I have but
few gray hairs) and short experience, will undoubtedly say : "0 he is only a young
fellow with but little experience, and his views are not to be compared with older
heads in the business !" Or, perhaps some may say, as they have of Ben There,
" Young man, that's all right for a tenderfoot." But have we younger members of
the craft not a right to express our ideas, as well as the older ones ? Some one,
however, may convert us to using such hives, and to thinking as they do.

Omaha, Nebr.

ONE-POriVO OR XW^O-POUND SECTIONS.

BY CHAS. DADANT.

The query was lately in the Amebian Bee Journal : " Which colony will store
the more surplus honey, the one provided with one-pound sections, or the one having
two-pound sections ?

The answers to this query were almost unanimously in favor of the two-pound
sections, although everybody agreed that when it came to selling the honey, it was
much better to have it in one-pound sections.

To the farmer who keeps but a few colonies, and who wishes to produce honey,
especially for his private family use, the question of sale is but secondary, and he
desires, above all things, to get as much product as possible from the few colonies
of bees that he keeps. It is, therefore, important for him to know whether there
is really an advantage in using large honey-sections. It is my intention, in this
article, to explain why bees prefer large receptacles.

Bees, in a state of nature, lodge themselves in the hollow of trees, principally.
They store honey in provision of future needs, especially for food during the cold
season. Their instinct leads them to place the honey at the upper part of their hive
above the brood, and far from the entrance, so that the cluster of bees being placed
between their stores and the entrance, they can better defend these against in-
truders. They also want the honey in a place easily accessible during cold weather,
and therefore as near the brood-nest as possible.

When we give our bees an empty box above their breeding-room, we act accord-
ing to their requirements, but when the box is cut up into small compartments they
readily perceive that some parts of this surplus room may become of difficult access
to them during the cold weather, and they work in them much more reluctantly.

The first step taken for the securing of surplus honey, after the invention of
the movable-frame hive, was the invention of a small box, glassed on four sides,
and holding about four pounds of honey. The bees had access to this small box

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 469

through only one hole about an inch in diameter. It was soon perceived that there
was less honey harvested in this style of box than formerly in the old wooden bucket
plan, laid bottom side up on top of the box-hive.

We used these boxes for a short time, but after the invention of the extractor
in 1867, we tried surplus cases of full size with open frames right over the brood-
combs, and without any partition or honey-board. These frames were used for ex-
tracting. The result was so much in favor of the large frames that we soon dis-
carded the glass boxes altogether.

A little later on, the honey-section, holding about a pound, was invented, and
found just the thing for the comb-honey market. We tried these sections, in broad
frames to hold them in the supers, and we used them side by side with the long ex-
tracting frames. The result was by far in favor of the latter, and were it not that
the city trade demands honey in small packages, we dare the assertion that no one
would think of using anything else.

To show how evidently the bees prefer a long, open frame to a small section, we
will say that we tried both the long frames and the frames containing four sections
each, side by side in hives, placing the small sections in the center over the brood-
nest. In every instance, the bees filled the large open frames first, although they
were placed in a less favorable place. In some instances they even sealed the honey
in the open frames on both sides before filling the center sections. In a compara-
tive test between large and small sections, the result was similar, although the
difference was not so plainly marked.

This shows without doubt that it is best to use long open frames, or large sec-
tions, in the supers, when the intention of the bee-keeper is to produce honey es-
pecially or exclusively for his family's use. But, if honey for market is wanted, one
must either use the one-pound sections which are the only comb-honey packaee of
marketable value, or he must use the long, open frames with the honey-extractor. —
Prairie Farmer. Hamilton, 111.

VARIOUS NOTES AND COMMENTS.

BY DR. C. C. MILLER.

Bee-Field Competition. — I'm quite interested in reading Mrs. Atchley's experi-
ence in the matter of correspondence. Incidentally a point comes up upon which
she is silent, perhaps from modesty, but it would be greater kindness to all to talk
right out. She is asked about matters at Beeville, and it is not hard to read be-
tween the lines that Mrs. Atchley has in substance said, "Yes, it might be a good
thing for you to settle down at Beeville ; come and look the ground over for your-
self, and I'll help you all I can." That idea, " What one woman has done, another
can do," is sometimes quite a " booster," and sometimes it's a bare-faced fraud. No
other woman in all the world can do what Mrs. Atchley has done, unless Mrs.
Atchley gets out of the way. That is, no one can sit down beside her and have as
free a field as Mrs. Atchley now has.

Now if there is twice as much pasturage as Mrs. Atchley's bees can ever be ex-
pected to use, then it's all right to encourage others to occupy the ground. But in
general it's better to say plainly, " The chance on this field is not as good as it was
when I came here, for then it was unoccupied, and now there is no more pasturage
than my bees can use, and if more bees are brought, it will not only be just so much
taken from my bees, but it will not give your bees so good a chance as if you find an
unoccupied field."

I can hardly think of a greater absurdity in the line of selecting a location than

470 AMERICAN BEE JOURMAI-.

for a man to settle down close beside an established bee-keeper who has one or more
out-apiaries. For if there is room for the bees of a new-comer, the man is a fool not
to occupy it with his own bees instead of taking them to an out-apiary.

Planting FOR Honey. — The replies on page 399 are not very encouraging to
any one who thinks of planting for honey alone. Hope in that direction has, I
think, pretty much died out. And there was at one time a good deal of it. I well
remember some years ago Prof. Cook's mildly reproachful protest against my saying
anything to discourage attempts in that direction, and it is well known that he ex-
perimented quite largely. Now his brief reply, " Not any," shows that he has gone
over to the majority.

It is true, white clover and alfalfa are each mentioned once as proper to sow
for honey alone, but it seems to me .there are few places where it would pay to sow
white clover and let it stand year after year without cutting or pasturing with any
thing but bees.

Four of the repliers show still a lingering belief in sweet clover as a profitable
thing to plant for honey alone. In some places, and on some kinds of soils, it may
be. But if there is any future for sweet clover — and it is quite possible there may
be — it is because of the fact that it is useful aside from its use as a honey-plant.- On
this account I'm glad to see the article from M. M. Baldridge, page 401.

In addition to what he has said, I think it worth while to mention another
point. It is very desirable to cut sweet clover early. This for more than one rea-
soh. If left until in bloom, or even if only budded for bloom, there will be too large
a quantity of coarse, heavy stalks that will not be eaten. Another reason for early
cutting is, that after early cutting it will branch out and give a lot of splendid pas-
turage for the bees after white clover is out of the way. I think it would be better
to cut it before it attains its full height, when there is no sign of blossom buds.

Friend Baldridge has had probably more experience with sweet clover than I,
yet on one point I'm a little skeptical. He says, " I should prefer to cover the seed
by harrowing lightly." One spring I had some covered that way— sowed with oats.
It made a good stand, but the following winter killed every plant. I don't know
how deep it could be covered without hindering its coming up at all, but if that seed
had been covered, six inches — providing it had come at all — I don't believe it would
have heaved the following winter. Or, if the ground had been hard, the result
might have been different. But shallow sowing on mellow ground was certainly a
failure that time.

Spreading of Brood. — Dr. Brown's words, on page 401, suggest the idea that
It would be well to have a standing rule, " No one should spread brood till he has
had a long experience." And after he has had an extended experience he'll not do
such a great deal at spreading brood.

A "Kinky" Fraud. — That man F. L. Thompson, that writes on page 402, is
a fraud. Yes, a fraud of the first water. Any man who can handle a subject as he
has done, and give it in such style that one reads it with pleasure even if not inter-
ested in the topic, and then keeps back from view the " kinks " that are rattling
around in his brain — I say a man who *,hus keeps back his fair share of contribu-
tions is defrauding us out of our just rights. But if he's ready t(5 "shell ouf'in
reasonable season, I'll take it all back and apologize* for calling names.

Cellars and Cisterns. — Look here, Dr. Peiro, I'm quite willing to make my
cellar blue with burning brimstone, but I just won't build any root-house. I'll

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 471

promise you to keep all decaying stuff out of the cellar, and I think I can keep it fit
to live over, or even in, and I want pure air in it for my bees. I'm strongly inclined
to the belief that bees don't winter so well in cellars as in mild winters out-doors,
just because the nasty rotting stuff down cellar makes the air unfit to breathe.

You leave me in rather bad shape in another direction. One of the cisterns to
our house has water fit to drink, and the other doesn't smell good, and isu't used.
Now if you insist on it, I might burn down the house and build another at some
distance — that vs^ould give a chance to have a later style of paper on the walls— but
then the new cistern in the new place would get to having the same smell, and then
another conflagration would be necessary. Now if you'll just tell us how to make
that cistern sweet — it was cleaned out only a little while ago — if it's anything within
reason, I'll try to take the medicine like a little man. Marengo, III.

[*Say, Doctor, don't you think you'd better offer an apology instanter, and with
out any "kinks" about it, after reading pages 465 and 466? We believe you
ought to, and do it as meekly as you can. — Editok.]

SOMH PERSONAI. BEE-HXPERIENCES.

BY EDVFIN BEVINS.

A few years ago the writer thought he would like to. have some bees. I had
never had anything to do with bees except to shy away from them for fear of getting
stung. I had seen other folks have bees — some in sections of hollow logs, and some
in box-hives with holes in the top, over which in summer was placed a smaller box
or " cap," inside of which was a many-cornered piece of glass covering a circular
hole. I had never read any bee-book or bee-papers, but was taking some agricul-
tural papers, some of which had a bee-department. One of the writers for one of
these departments said that a beginner should begin with one colony, and increase
his colonies with his increase of knowledge and experience.

This writer, or some other, recommended the use of the dovetailed hive ; so
looking over a stray copy of the American Bee Jouenal, which I happened to have
at that time, for the advertisement of the nearest supply dealer, I sent to him, a dis-
tance of 200 miles or so, for a dovetailed hive. It came, and had on it something
which I afterwards found was called a super, which was filled with something I did
not know at the time were called sections. This hive, super, sections and all, I took
just before swarming-time to a neighbor, and engaged with him for a dollar to hive
an early swarm for me. The swarm I left with this neighbor until fall. When
taken home the hive was found to be entirely filled with honey — brood-chamber,
sections and all, with lots of bridges and brace-bombs intermixed, though I did not
know at that time by what names to call them.

That same fall I came into possession of some more colonies of black bees, which
were in log hives. These came through the winter succeeding all right, but my bees
in the dovetailed hive died before spring.

I wish here to record my opinion, parenthetically, that the bee-department in
the agricultural paper is not altogether indispensable to the modern bee-keeper.

When apple-bloom came, I tried my hand at transferring the bees in the log
hives to dovetailed hives, and was reasonably successful. The winter previous I
had procured some more dovetailed hives, this time not sending so far for them, but
when they came to hand I found to my surprise and disgust that they were not like
the first one. In other words, I found that there were dovetailed hives and dove-
tailed hives. The first had what I found by reference to the catalogues were called

4T2 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

T tins in the supers ; the others I found in the same way had pattern slats, and,
besides, the first hive was not quite so wide as the others.

I began to question the need and the economy of sending away for hives at all.
The dovetailing didn't seem altogether necessary, nor the grooved cleats, nor the %-
inch strips between hive and bottotn-board. These cleats might be made a little
heavier, without any grooves, and nailed to the underside of the bottom-board and
cover. The sides and ends of the hive-body might be made % inch wider, and have
an entrance cut in one end, and the hive could just as well stand on a smooth bot-
tom-board as on any intervening strips. Some long, slender wire nails with flat
heads would hold the corner together with sufficient firmness ; if not, some strips of
tin tacked around the corners would assist in holding them tight. I made some
hive-bodies, bottoms and covers on this plan, and I am so well pleased with them,
and the saving in cost, that my dovetailed hives will henceforth have to get along
without any "tails."

Some of the winter leisure which hangs so heavy on the hands of some bee-
writers can be put in as above indicated.

While I was working along with the dovetailed hive and its possible supplanter,
it occurred to me that possibly the bee-department in the agricultural papers was
not doing its whole duty ; so I bought a copy of Dadant's revision of Langstroth's
work on the honey-bee to -help it out. This work I read with all the eagerness and
interest of a boy who comes in possession of a Waverly novel. But I had not read
long until I discovered that the work I had been doing was wrong — all wrong, and
altogether wrong. The Dadant idea of bee-keeping seems to be big colonies of Ital-
ians in big hives, and extracted honey and— little work. They tell the beginner to
begin with these big hives, and assure him that he can produce twice as much of
extracted honey as he can of comb honey, and that it will sell for about two-thirds
the price of comb honey.

Well, I thought I wanted some of these big hives, and the consequent easy time
in hot weather. But where could I get the hives ? Dadant did not ofifer any for
sale, and nobody else made any that I knew of, so with the description contained in
the book before me, I set to work to make one. I got along nicely until I had one
completed — almost — but then my comprehension failed and I had to send to Dadant
for a sample hive. Since then I have made several of them, and have the big colo-
nies in some.

But about this time, when I had made up my mind to have more of these big
colonies in more of these big hives, and produce lots of extracted honey, and have a
good, easy time, the bee-papers began to get numerous about the house, and every
paper had something to say about adulteration. Its terrible spectre stood between
me and my vision of honey and happiness. I scanned the papers for the market
quotations for extracted honey, and they were not encouraging. I would go slow in
the matter of increasing the number of those big hives. The Dadants were luring
me to my ruin. I would resume the use of some of those little hives, and produce
some comb honey. I had only just got settled down to this idea when up sprung
that infernal discussion in the bee-papers about sugar-honey. Here 1 was up
another stump ! If every other fellow was going to set his bees to making honey
out of granulated sugar, what was a fellow to do who let his bees get their honey in
the old-fashioned way ? The sugar feeding might go on from early spring to early
winter, and perhaps the year round, while the nectar-gathering bees had only a few
weeks in which to labor ! What could they do against such competition ? Happily,
the handle of this discussion got so hot that the fellows who had the firmest grip of

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

473

it had to let go, and the whole thing fell to the ground with a shudder-producing
thud.

Dr. Miller, I believe, lately told one of his questioners that it is a matter of
course that no honest person will feed sugar syrup to his bees with the design of
having it stored in the sections and sold for honey. Well, it is a satisfaction to
know that it is sometimes easy for a man to call a spade a spade, though at other
times he may find it expedient to write an article of less or greater length in order
to avoid saying anything about it.

But to return. When the clamor was all over, and a general hush fell upon the
apicultural world, I found myself in possession of some colonies in the little hives,
and some in the big ones — and I am not sorry. I shall work that way the rest of
my apicultural life. I shall work for honey and some other things connected with
the pursuit that have no market value, and let the money part of it take care of
itself. Strong colonies of Italians in the home apiary, large enough for the home
field, and worked for comb honey and increase of colonies, which apiarists say you
are sure to have, and these big natural swarms Lived in the big Dadant hives and
sent to the out-apiary — why will not work along this line give as good returns with
as little labor as any other, to the man who would devote all his time to bee-keep-
ing ? To the man who will work along this line unremittingly from year to year,
there is much honey, considerable money, and some indiscribable things that are
pleasant besides. I appeal to Dr. Miller and to Mr. Doolittle, and to all the old
veterans, and to some who are not veterans, to say if there are not many things
about this pursuit which they would not sell for cash if they could. Into this in-
viting field of apiculture I may never enter far. The shadows are falling around
me, and with a sigh I surrender to the conviction that I never shall do much of
what I love to do so well. Leon, Iowa.

1^~ Do not write anything for publication
on the same sheet of paper with business
matters, unless it can be torn apart withou
interfering with either part of the letter.

Best Year He Ever Saw.

I put out my bees on April 18, 1894.
I had 7 colonies, spring count, but sold
one, which left 6 in good condition. I
lost the queen of colony No. 5, and they
reared another and did not swarm till
August, when I hived them back.

I lost the first swarm of the season,
which came out on June 22nd, at the
first appearance of white clover. I in-
creased to 13 colonies, and got 50
pounds to the colony — 280 pounds of
comb honey and 364: of extracted.

Mr. GriiBn spoke of Mr. Tarr some
time ago. I for one should like to hear
from him.

The Amekican Bee Jouknal is a wel-
come weekly visitor, and I have learned
many a good lesson from its columns.
May success always attend it.

F. M. Poland.

Freedom, Me., Sept. 20.

Very Tedious Work.

I have 19 colonies of bees, and no
honey to sell this fall. I was well pre-
pared for it, too. It was too dry this
summer — no white clover — all burned
up. I think it was Solomon who said,
"Hope deferred maketh the heart sick."
Well, I am not sick yet, but really it is
very tedious getting ready year after
year, and then be dissapointed.

Joseph Mason.

Wallace, 111., Sept. 4.

Fairly Good. Season for Honey.

The season here has been fairly good
for the production of honey. A contin-
uous rain during fruit-bloom prevented

474

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU

the bees getting much honey from that
source, and white clover yielded but lit-
tle surplus, but we had a good ten days'
run on basswood — the weather being so
hot that it only lasted that length of
time— and the buckwheat yielded more
than I have known it to do before in
many years. The swarming fever was
simply immense during the white clover
bloom, and made us no little trouble in
trying to keep our colonies in such con-
dition as we wanted them for obtaining
surplus. Twenty-two colonies, spring
count, increased to 35, and gave 2,600
pounds of extracted honey, with abun-
dant stores left for winter.

David Hall.
Warsaw, N. Y., Sept. 24.

A Simple Bee-Feeder.

Of all the feeders that I know of, the
Hill bee-feeder is the best for me, but I
object to having the feeder so arranged
that it gives a chance for the bees to fly
up into one's face when refilling. To
overcome this I have made a 3x3x3^
inch rim over what I would call a bee-
excluder. The wood rim is simply cov-
ered with screen-wire. I place the bee-
excluder over the hole in the honey-
board or oil-cloth which covers the
brood-frames, and make a Hill feeder
out of a pint Mason fruit-jar, by break-
ing the porcelain bottom out of the
cover, then puncture the cover with a
scratch-awl, and I have a feeder that is
practical, cheap, and with proper care it
will last a lifetime.

The feeder is to be placed over the
bee-excluder, and the bees have to reach
through the excluder to get at the feed,
but that does not delay them. I am
writing from experience.

August Bartz.

Chippewa Falls, Wis.

Finding Their Own Hive-Entrance.

I want to tell Mr. Faylor (see page
313) that the winter problem has never
been a problem with me, and his plan so
nearly resembles mine that I think I can
answer his question.

I always winter my bees successfully
out-doors, and think they can be so win-
tered in any place where it is profitable
to keep bees. To give full details would
take up too much space. If Mr. F. will
begin at the approach of cold woatlxir to
move his hives together about six inches
each day (provided it is flying weather),
until they are close together, facing the
south, with the front }4 inch below level,

place boards along the back and ends of
the rows, to extend about two inches
above the brood-chamber, about one
inch from the hives, and fill the space
with sawdust, chaff, dry leaves or fine
shavings ; rip off the sealed cover, place
over the frames a piece of burlap, put
on a super and fill it up to within an
inch or two of the cover with sawdust or
chaff, protect all from the rain and
snow, his bees will find their own homes,
and he will have but little loss. I have
always from my first experience with
bees, followed this plan with entire sat-
isfaction.

I have taken more than 100 pounds
of nice comb honey per colony, spring
count, from my bees this summer, be-
sides increasing from 55 to 80 colonies,
and could have done better had I not
lired entirely out ; being alone, and 60
years old, I soon tired out.

I don't like Dr. Miller's tree or post to
shade the entrance of the hive, and al-
though I admire the man very much, I
am afraid to tell him I don't like it.

J. S. Scott.

Springville, Utah, Sept. 22.

[We are very certain you need not
fear to disagree with Dr. Miller. He
will think more of you for having spoken
out in the plain way you have done. All
true men are always open to kindly and
well-meaning criticism. Dr. Miller is
no exception in that regard. — Editor]

COWVENTIOIW DIRECTORY.

Time and place of meeting.
1894.
Nov. 13, 14.— Illinois State, at Springfield, 111.
Jas. A Stone, Sec, Bradfordton, 111.
1895.
Jan. 28.— Venango Co., at Franklin, Pa.

C. S. Pizer, Sec. Franklin, Pa.

Feb. 8, 9.— Wisconsin, at Madison, Wis.

J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec, Madison, Wis.

t^" 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 Amerioan Bee-Keepers' Assooiation

Pres.— Emerson T. Abbott St. Joseph, Mo.

Vick-Prew.— O. L. Hershlser.... Buffalo, N. Y.
Secretary— Frank Benton, Washington, D. C.
Treasurer— George W. YorR... Chicago. Ills.

National Bee-Keepers' anion.

President— Hon. R. L. Taylor.. Lapeer, Mich,
Gbn'l Manager— T. G. Newman. Chicago, 111.
147 South Western Avenue.

Weekly, $1 a Year. [ °^'^°'^^°3^To^^^eE-C^\JRE. 1 Sa">Pl« ^^VY P^ee.

VOL XXXIV. CHICAGO, ILL. OCT. 18, 1894.

NO. 16.

GEORGE W YORK.%$^

Xlie IVortli Ainorican CoiiTeiitioii

for 1894 is now a matter of history. We
were at the meeting in St. Joseph, Mo.,
last week, and had a most enjoyable and
profitable time. President Abbott outdid
himself several times over. The next meet-
ing will be held in Toronto, Ont., Canada,
and the new officers elected for 189.5 are as
follows :

President — R. F. Holtermann, of Brant-
ford, Ont., editor of the Canadian Bee Jour -
tial.

Vice-President— L. D. Stilson, of York,
Nebr., editor of the Xebraska Bee-Keeper.

Secretary — W. Z. Hutchinson, of Flint,
Mich., editor of the Bee-Keepers^ Review.

Treasurer— John T. Calvert, of Medina,
O., Business Manager of Oleanittffs in Bee-
Culture.

At this time (Oct. 13th) we have just
arrived at our office, and there is not time
to give any of the particulars concerning
the meeting. Next week we will tell you
all something about it, and likely begin the
report of the proceedings, which were
voted to be published in full in the Bee
Journal.

Bro. Oeo. \¥. Bvodbeck, of Los

Angeles, is one of California's progressive

bee-keepers. In a very cordial letter re-
ceived last week, he says that since his
return from Arrowhead Springs, he has
disposed of his Arrowhead Apiary, and is
at work now building up another, using a
shallow, self-spacing frame, with the object
of running exclusively for comb honey,
securing the early spring flow there in the
valley, after which he intends moving them
to the mountains in time for the sage
honey. The shallow frame is a novelty,
and as yet an experiment in California,
but Bro. B. is disposed to test it, and if his
health permits, he will also carry out the
migratory project as well. We wish him
every success in his undertakings.

Prof. I'^rank R. Cliesliire, we

regret very much to learn, died in England
on Sept. 16th, while undergoing an opera-
tion for a painful internal malady, from
which he suffered for some time. Particu-
lars are promised later. Prof. Cheshire's
investigation of foul brood, with the pub-
lished results, together with his magnificent
two volumes on "Bees and Bee-Keeping,"
made him a prominent figure in apiculture
throughout the world. All will revere his
name. We learn of his death through the
BriiisJi Bee Journal.

Mr. W. M. Barniim, of Denver,
Colo., was married recently. We have not
learned the particulars. Bro. B. is one of
the number who have long been answering
questions in our department of " Queries
and Replies." All our readers will unite
with us in extending to the happy couple
heartiest congratulations and sincerest
wishes for a long and happy life together.

488

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Illinois Fair Apiaria.ii Exhibit.

— The honey show at the Illinois State Fair
in September, at Springfield, was quite a
success, considering the poor crop. There
was a good display of comb and extracted
honey, candied honey, beeswax, apiarian
implements, etc.

Mr. Kirkpatrick, of Indiana, was present
with a fine display of comb and extracted
honey, and carried off the blue ribbons on
both, as well as the apiarian implements.

Miss Kennedy, of Pasfield, 111., took 2nd
premium on comb honey, and her display
was not much behind the first best.

Chas. Becker, of Pleasant Plains, 111.,
secured 3nd on extracted honey, and his
display was (as was Miss Kennedy's)
almost, if not fully, as good as that which
took 1st— but not shown to the same ad-
vantage.

W. J. Finch, of Springfield, exhibited a
very fine lot of beeswax, though others who
had arranged for designs in wax, carried
off the ribbons. Mr. Finch obtained the
blue ribbon on foundation mill in operation.
Mr. Becker took 1st on extractor in oper-
ation.

Jas. A. Stone, of Bradfordton, 111., took
1st on candied honey, and the same on best
display of beeswax.

Keeping' Combs from IVIotlis. —

Mrs. L. Harrison tells how it is done, in the
Americnn Bee-Keqjer, as follows:

A year ago last spring we put a number
of hives containing combs into the cellar.
In a week's time we looked them over care-
fully, destroying all grubs. The third time
we looked them over we failed to find one,
not a moth developed in the cellar, and not
one entered, as the windows were covered
with wire-cloth. There has not been in-
crease enough to use those combs this sum-
mer, and there has not a grub appeared in
any of them.

Bee-Keeping in Cuba is very en-
tertainingly written in QUaniwjn by Fred
L. Craycraft, of San Jose de las Gajas.
(Whew! but isn't that a whopper of a
name? It's almost as big as the island of
Cuba itself!) Mr. Craycraft's report on
July 28, 18'J4, is summed up in this para-
graph:

Beginning in October, 1891, with 16 colo-
nies, all very weak, none of them having
over seven combs, I have increased them to
300 colonies, and extracted 58,0U0 pounds of
honey. I might have had more last year,
but did not have time to attend to them as

I should have done, and had only about 160
colonies ready for the honey-flow, as I had
to superintend the work on aSOOacre farm.

Extracted honey brings from 3 to 3}.j
cents a pound there, inclusive of package.
It is gathered principally from the campa-
nula vine, or bell-flower, which is not af-
fected by drouth, and blooms from Novem-
ber to August. Mr. C. prefers the leather-
colored Italian bees, for the reason that his
" experience proves them to be superior to
the five-banded or golden Italians, for they
seem to be harder and stronger, and the
queens remain more prolific than the others
during cool weather, which is very impor-
tant here, as the honey-flow comes during
the winter months."

According to the writer named, what is
needed in Cuba is " practical, experienced
men who are not afraid to work." Guess
that's what is wanted almost everywhere,
isn't it ? "Scarcity of Spanish bee-litera-
ture " is also mentioned. Now if the peo-
ple there would only learn to read English,
the Bee Journal would be glad to " smile "
upon them every week. Mr. Craycraft
might perhaps get up a reading class, using
the Bee Journal as one of the text-books.

Protliictiou an<l Marketing.—

Bro. S. E. Miller, in the September Progres-
sive Jiee-Kceper, offers the following very
sensible ideas on marketing a crop of honey
when you have one to dispose of :

Producing a crop of honey is not an easy
task, but after it is done, our work is not
ended. Disposing of it at anything like a
decent price takes about as much brains
and hustling around as securing a crop,
unless one happens to have a good near-by
market. For the law's sakes, brother bee-
keepers, try to dispose of what you have
without sending it to the large cities where
an over-supply grinds down the prices, so
that when you go to sell your merchant a
case of honey, he will look up St. Louis
prices on honey, and offer you the same.
Every bee-keeper should try to keep his
honey away from the large market centers,
for that is where prices are made, and we
must then abide by them.

A Sweet 4'liil«l Wone.-Bro. J. M.
Jenkins, of Wetumpka, Ala., on Sept. 26th,
informed us of the loss of his dear daughter,
in the following letter:

Friend York:— After a long, lingering
illness, my oldest child — a daughter 14 years
old— passed away on Aug. 31st. Her re-
mains were carried to Bozeman, Ala., Sept.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

489

1st, on a special train accompanied by a
large concourse ■ of loving friends, among
whom were her Sunday-school teacher and
class; and little members of the Sunday-
school society of which she was president.
She was a very bright, sweet child, and
much beloved by everybody, both white
and black. I enclose a memorial card.
Yours truly, J. M. Jenkins.

On the memorial card referred to by Bro.
Jenkins, we find these tender stanzas :

" A precious one from us has gone —

A voice we loved is stilled ;
A place is vacant in our home

Which never can be filled.

God in His wisdom has recalled

The boon His love has given,
And though the body slumbers here,

The soul is safe in "Heaven."

The readers of the Bee Journal will
unite in extending sincerest sympathy to
our bereaved brother. We rejoice to
know that his faith, like that of the beloved
daughter's, is placed in One who is mighty
to save, and will also comfort the sorrow-
ing heart.

llliiioi<< CJonvenliou Reporlii*.—

The Illinois State Bee-Keepers' Association
still have a good many copies of their Sec-
ond Annual Report on hand, and no post-
age to send them out. Any one sending
eight cents in stamps to pay postage and
wrapping, will receive a copy of same by
mail ; or seven cents in stamps will pay for
a copy of the First Annual Report, if any
one desires it. Address, Jas. A. Stone,
Sec, Bradfordton, 111.

A Carbolic Aeicl »' Bee-Escape."

— Bro. Holtermann, in the Canadian liee
Journal, says that he uses, instead of a bee-
escape, " a cloth dipped and wrung out in
a weak solution of carbolic acid laid over
the section-crate." Here is his own de-
scription of it :

There is no doubt that the escape adds
much to our comfort, but we doubt very
much if it is a labor saver. Comb honey
can be removed very rapidly without the
bee-escapes. Our method has been given
before, but we will repeat it. Some years
ago we read in the British Bee Journal that
a cloth dipped and wrung out in a weak
solution of carbolic acid laid over the sec-
tion-crate would drive out the bees. For
several years we have removed all our
comb honey in that way. The bees appear
to leave the sections instantly, and only
cling to the bottom-bars of the section-
holders, or the bottom wood of the section.
From these the bees ran be brushed, and

the honey can be removed almost as quickly
as the escapes can be put in place.

We could not be induced to make, during
the honey-fiow, a practice of putting on
bee-escapes during the day. Such must
tend to demoralize a colony and suspend
the gathering of honey for the day. We
perhaps do not sufl3ciently consider that
every change in the hive, and every dis-
turbance temporarily checks the gathering
of the honey. This is especially true dur-
ing a season such as the past.

lVon<Iei-iul •' Science."— Mr. W.

K. Fisher, of Lake George, N. Y., sends us
the following, dated Sept. 5th :

Editor York:— Very recently I came
across this clipping in the Boston Baihj

Traveller :

no longer -'the busy bee."

Science has shattered another tradition.
The bee, so long praised for its habitual
diligence, is at last shown up as a loafer.
An investigator of the habits of the honey-
makers informs us that the popular impres-
sion that the bee is a "busy" creature is
all wrong, and that as a matter of fact the
little fraud works only about three hours
per day, and is a most thorough-going
loafer for the rest of the time. However,
ages must come and go ere mortals will
cease to think of the bee as other than a
hustler improving " each shining hour."

I think the writer of that might have bet-
ter improved the "shining hour." If any-
one agrees with him, why just let him look
at an apiary in clover, basswood or buck-
wheat season I Not much loafing then !
W. K. Fisher.

How tired Science must be after making
such an astounding "shattering" discov-
ery ! Who'd have thought it ? The poor,
lazy bee— and the "busy" scientist! We
think the best thing t6 do is to let such
"scientists" work themselves to death—
the Fool-Killer will hardly care to waste
his time on them.

Iniliaiilaud and Wonderland is

the title of a most beautiful tourist booklet
of over 100 pages, 7x93^ inches in size, just
issued by Mr. Chas. S. Fee, General Passen-
ger and Ticket Agent of the Northern Pa-
cific Railroad Company, St. Paul, Minn. It
is diflferent from the ordinary railroad pub-
lication, in that it is instructive, entertain-
ing, valuable, artistic, and worth reading
for itself. It can be obtained by sending 6
cents in stamps with your address to Mr.
Fee, as above.

HaTC YOM Read page 5X0 yet ?

490

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

ANSWERED BY

OR,. C. C. IwULiIjBK,,

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 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.

Source of the Royal Food.

Where do the bees get the royal food ?
L. T.

Answer. — Much the same way as a
cow gets her milk. She eats food and It
becomes milk ; the workers eat honey
and pollen and It becomes royal jelly.
Indeed, it was formerly supposed that
the royal jelly was a secretion of glands,
the same as milk, but at present I think
the resemblance is not considered so
close, but that the royal jelly, which, by
the way, is the same as the food given
to worker-larvai during the first three
days, is chyle from the chyle-stomach of
the worker.

How the Queen Lays Eggs.

Please tell me whether or not the
queen-bee lays all of the eggs in one
cell, and the brood-bees place the eggs
around? Please inform me of all par-
ticulars, as I would like to know about
this matter. II. N.

Ashton, Nebr.

Answer. — It would save a good deal
of travel on the part of the queen if she
were allowed daily to drop her two or
three thousand eggs all in one spot, but
perhaps the workers think tiiat would
leave her too little exercise for her
health, so they let her go from one cell
to another and put an egg in each. She
doesn't spend as much time to lay an
egg as a hen, and she never cackles —
just goes straight along to lay another.
The workers do all the work of cleaning
out and polishing the cells for her.

In the busy season, if you carefully
lift out of a colony of Italians the comb

having the queen, you may often see her
go right along with her egg-laying.
First she puts her head down in the cell
to see if it is all right. If the chamber-
maids haven't been around to slick it up
to suit her, she goes on to another. If
she finds that all right, she takes out
her head, straddles her long legs over
the cell, doubles up her long abdomen,
thrusts the end of it down into the cell,
and after a very short time withdraws
it, when you can look into the cell and
find an egg.

Stings of the Queen and the Worker.

Why has a queen that is reared from
a worker larva a crooked sting, and a
worker-bee of the same kind of larvae a
straight sting ? E. L.

Answer. — I don't know. Perhaps the
same reason that makes any one of the
differences between a quoen and a work-
er. You see a queen is a fully-developed
female, and a worker is the same as a
queen, only not fully developed. The
amount and quality of the food given to
the larvas is what makes the difference.
To the young queen is given a surplus,
some of it being left in the cell when she
emerges, but the young worker has to
be satisfied with barely enough to bring
it to the point of a full-grown worker,
and not a speck of extra food is ever
left in the cell.

To attempt to go any farther would
be to enter the field of speculation, and
that hardly comes in the province of
general questions. If you want to theor-
ize about it, you might take this theory :
The amount of food given to the worker-
larva suffices to produce the sting and
polish it, but just at the point where the
bending is to be done that makes the
graceful curve, the supply of grub gives
out, so the poor worker has to put up
with a plain, straight sting. Other
theories come crowding for expression,
but I forbear.

dueen-Cells, Italians, Etc.

Well, Doctor, it's questions, questions,
all the tima with you, I suppose. But I
think you will say so, when they get too
numerous.

I introduced an Italian queen to a col-
ony nearly black, about 10 days ago. I
took the old queen out the day before,
and introduced the new one by putting
in the cage just as she came, and let the
bees release her by eating out the candy.
Five or six days afterwards I looked, of

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL,

491

course, to see how things were coming
on, and about the second frame I took
out had 5 or 6 queen-cells on it, one or
two already capped. I thought my new
queen was a " goner," sure ; but on tak-
ing out another frame, what should I
see but my yellow queen walking around
as if everything was all O. K. I didn't
see any eggs, but robbers were bad, and I
wished to have the hive open as short a
time as possible, so I didn't look very
much for eggs. To-day I looked again,
saw the queen, and she looked all right,
had " fleshed up " some, was laying nice-
ly, for this time of year — I have been
feeding every night — but they had some
queen-cups started again (I destroyed
the others), and one of them had an egg
in it.

Being anxious, for the reason stated
above, to close the hive, I looked at only
two frames, so I don't know whether
there were more cups with eggs in or
not. I have read your " Year Among
the Bees," Root's "A B C of Bee-Cul-
ture," Doolittle's " Scientiflc Queen-
Rearing," and several papers, but I do
not remember seeing anything about
bees building cells except to supersede
or swarm. So I thought I would ask
you, as I dislike opening hives late in
the fall.

Do you think they will supersede her ?
If so, why ? Would you advise any one
to buy another queen in case they do,
and introduce her this fall ?

Do you use the Hoffman frame? The
Hoffman frame and Italian bees have
just about made me disgusted with bee-
keeping. Mrs. Atchley says if she had
to keep black bees she would only keep
enough for her own use. I am just on
the point of saying the same, only I will
change black to Italian. I never had
bees come four or five rods from the hive
and hunt a person up on purpose to
sting him till I kept Italians. I never
knew what robbing was till I got Ital-
ians. The little, yellow sinners will rob
rather than work on the flowers, except
in an extra honey-flow. True, they
stand on the comb better than blacks,
but when one pops off it means business
with the sharp end. There is nothing
delights her quite so much as to kill
other bees. Why, Italians of mine will
actually tackle other bees 20 rods away
from the apiary, at the watering trough!
A small nucleus of them will sometimes
rob a full colony of blacks !

I have had six or eight Italian queens,
and not one as prolific as a black queen
reared by a small colony to supersede
the old one in the forepart of May,
1893. Now you will say, like my wife.

"What in the name of sense are you
buying Italian queens for, then ?" Well,
in the first place, Dr. Miller, Mr. Root,
Mr.Doolittle, and 99 out of every iOO
that write on bee-keeping, say they are
the best. In the second place, they have
been introduced into Denison and vicin-
ity to such an extent that it would be al-
most impossible to keep blacks anywhere
near pure. In fact, my blacks are mon-
grels— hybrids— but I've got some that
are pretty black.

What is the matter in my case '? Have
I not had a fair sample of Italian bees,
or am I one of those individuals that
turns up every once in a while, that
don't like anything just because every-
one else does? Please don't say, "I
don't know," but give us a good " out
and out," if it takes all winter !

Now, Doctor, I will beg your pardon
for being so familiar, as I might happen
to see you some time. E. S. M.

Denison, Iowa, Sept. 25.

Answer. — Yes, I'll say so when ques-
tions become too numerous, but that
will not be, so long as I can answer in
print and the questions are such that
answers cannot readily be found in the
text-books.

You say you have seen nothing about
bees building cells except to supersede
or swarm. You mean bees with a
queen, for of course you know that bees
build cells intended for neither super-
seding nor swarming when they have no
queen. I don't think bees with a queen
ever build cells with any other inten-
tion than to supersede or swarm. There
is a case, however, that might almost be
considered an exception. A colony may
have a queen that is entirely satisfac-
tory, and one perhaps that they will re-
tain for the next two years, but if some-
thing seems to threaten the life or
usefulness of that queen, they'll start
cells. Cage the best queen you have,
and the bees will likely start cells. It's
a plain case to them that their mother
doesn't make very good work laying,
and it is natural for them to suppose
she's about played out. This summer
the bees of colony No. 2 hadn't things
to their mind in their own hive, and
entered the nearest hive, No. 1. Next
time I looked in No. 1 I found queen-
cells started. I let them alone and I
think the bees tore them down. Very
likely the queen was balled by her own
bees for safety on the influx of foreign-
ers, and the committee which had that
matter in charge concluded she wasn't
fairly discharging the duties of her
office, so thought it was best to rear a

492

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

successor. Better counsels prevailed
when they saw her properly at work
again.

As to your case, I shouldn't think it
very strange to find the first lot of cells,
and then have things all right, but that
egg in a queen-cell after you had de-
stroyed the first lot looks pretty plainly
towards superseding. Still I think it
quite likely the queen will not be super-
seded this fall, especially if you stop
feeding every night.

You mustn't ask v/hy bees supersede
queens. That's one of the things I don't
know. Old age is a sufficient reason for
it, but there must be other reasons. I
have had plenty of queens superseded
before three months old. I could see
that some of them were poor queens,
and therefore it was right to supersede
them. In other cases I could see nothing
wrong with the queens, but I suppose
the bees could. Sometimes a queen will
be laying bountifully, then fail all at
once. You and I could not anticipate
this, but perhaps the bees could.

If I should give a guess in the case, I
should say the bees may supersede your
queen, but just as likely she'll bo kept
through the winter and superseded next
spring.

In case she abdicates the throne this
fall, it's perhaps an even "toss-up"
whether you furnish them another
queen or leave them to their own de-
vices. I believe I would take the latter
course.

The first Hoffman frames I had were
so hard to get started at taking them
out of the hive that I would rather
tackle a hive of the old hanging frames ;
but the latest pattern are a real pleasure
to handle.

Your Italians are a bad lot. Are you
sure they are not hybrids ? They are
not a fair sample, sure. Try a queen
from entirely different stock. I have
serious doubts whether yours are pure.

Ciiood Iloney-Scllers will likely be
needed now, and the little 32-page pamph-
let, "Honey as Food and Medicine," has
for years proven itself valuable in making
repeated sales of honey. Its distribution
will create a demand for the honey first, and
then the bee-keeper can follow it up and
supply that demand. Send to us for a
sample copy, only 5 cents ; 10 copies, post-
paid, 35 cents ; .50 copies, $1.25; or 100 copies
*2.00. Try 50 or 100 copies, and prove their
ability to aid you in disposing of your
honey at a good price.

Om Boeim's Eiets.

By F. L. PEIRO, M. D.

McVicker's Building, Chicago, III.

Tomatoes and Cherries.

Isn't it remarkable what singular notions
take hold of people, and how long ridicu-
lous theories are entertained, even to the
third generation !

Now, there is the one about tomatoes.
Since I was a boy— and that's many years
ago— I have heard repeated, hundreds of
times, what terrible results followed the
eating of this fruit— even to the production
ot cancers! What nonsense! There is, to
my mind, no better or healthful fruit (or
vegetable if you prefer to call it) than that
beautiful red or yellow globe that grows in
all well-regulated gardens. Its acid juices
are exactly adapted to digestion, and keeps
the stomach and bowels in splendid condi-
tion.

A hundred years, or more, ago, much
sentiment attached to this splendid fruit.
It was called "love apples" then, and
though not in general culinary use, it was
supposed to possess remarkable amatory
influence, so that if a young lady could
only, by hook or crook, induce her "steady"
young man to eat any portion of one, he
would soon forget his bashfulness and ar-
rive at the essential point that would en-
able the thoughtful young lady to say
"yes" — and make the services of the
preacher p, matter of rapid necessity. Smart
girls in those days !

Then there are the luscious cherries. In
ye olden times, and since, many have
shunned the "snake berries," under the
superstition that because Mr. Black-Snake
often partakes of them, he poisoned them
for the people. How absurd ! And you'd
be surprised how many people are yet to
be found who still entertain this silly no-
tion. But those of us who know anything,
need not be told how beautiful on the tree,
and delicious to the taste, are the inviting
cherries. Indeed, the best medical opinion
now prevails that no fruit is so certain to
do good in all forms of liver trouble.
Fresh, dried or canned, they should form a
bountiful supply in the pantry of all intel-
ligent house-wives who can possess them.

Oreat Premium on page 510 1

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

493

CONDUCTED BY

MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY.

Beeville, Texas.

Moths Destroying Comb Honey.

Mrs. Atchley : — I have been bothered
lately with moth-worms eating my comb
honey. They eat the caps off, and the
honey runs out. What can I do to pre-
vent it? Also, how shall I get those
destroyed that are on my honey ?

Walter R. Wood.

Bellevue, Del., Sept. 11.

Friend Wood, I would put the honey
in a tight, small room, and fumigate it
with sulphur sufficient to kill the moth,
then air the honey well, and crate it and
send to market. Or, if the honey is not
too badly injured, you can just soak the
sections in clear water long enough to
drown all the moth, and destroy all the
eggs. Dry them off, and they will be
sweet and clean. But some times the
wood of the sections gets a little blue,
and does not look so white, but I like it
better than the sulphur plan, as I have
an idea that I can taste sulphur on
fumigated honey.

If the unsealed honey in the sections
is dissolved in the water, it will be bet-
ter, as then they will not leak when
crated again. Jennie Atchley.

Broom-Weed as a Honey-Plant.

Mrs. Atchley: — Yours of Sept. 11th,
as well as specimens of the honey-pro-
ducing plant, duly received. Accept my
thanks for your trouble in sending them.

The plant is Outierrezia Texana, of the
order compositse, named from Gutierrez,
a noble Spanish family. Botanical lists
do not give any common name for this
plant, but the one in use in your locality
— " broom-weed " — seems a good one. It
Is near to the golden asters (Chrysopis)
and golden-rods (SoUdago), and the but-
ton snake-roots or blazing stars (Liatris).
I should think on account of its slender
branches it would be difficult for the

bees to find a lodgment, the blossoms
being also small, and hence not easy for
them to forage on. When fresh, how-
ever, I presume the stems are stiffer.
No doubt it stands drouth better than
many other honey-plants.

Yours truly, Frank Benton,

Assistant Entomologist.
Washington, D. C.

I am pleased to have the name of our
common broom-weed known. The stems
of this plant are quite stiff, and it is
easy for the bees to gather the honey
from the flowers. It is just now (Sept.
22nd) getting well into bloom, and will
furnish food for the bees until frost.
Jennie Atchley.

The Death of Miss Mattie Edwards.

The late terrible catastrophe that
swept away both life and property in
Uvalde county, Texas, and opened wide
the flood-gates of sympathy among a
generous and sympathetic people, re-
moved forever from human help and
view many who, from various estimable
reasons, had endeared themselves to a
community that however heretofore ob-
scure, has within the last few days ac-
quired a world-wide prominence. Nota-
ble among the victims of so appalling
and lamentable an event, was one young
in years, who had reached that period
in life as regards her sex denominated
all the wide world over as "sweet" — a
blessing and a delight not only to her
grief-stricken family, but also to the
town of which she was a resident. In
the death of Miss Mattie Edwards, a
bright and shining light has been ex-
tinguished, an ornament to her native
State and country is missing, and a
promising member of the rising genera-
tion has been cut down just as the ten-
der bud of young womanhood was be-
ginning to expand into a realization of
all that is innocently pleasurable in life.
But this sweet, and pure, and noble girl
is to be named with those of whom it is
written, "An unspotted life is old age."

The father of the subject of this
obituary — a prominent and extensive
apiarist in Texas — has in this doubtless
saddest experience in his life, the heart-
felt and tenderest sympathies of the
entire apicultural world.

Beeville, Tex. R. S. Foster.

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.

494

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

L:;ij!i:*t^:*.tj( >V >tx xV >i<c >t/. >V. >^x >V, >!< >!<. >i^ >t/^ >V. j^ >te >te >«te >fa xtx xv xv xtx xv jj
THE HONBY SBASOX OF I894-H01VEY-DE1JV.

BY G. W. DEMAREE.

I believe I have written something under head lines similar to the above each
year for several years past. We have not had a good honey year since 1891 ; since
then the honey-yield has graded downw^ard to no good at all this year. We have
reached the bottom, surely, for there is no vision beyond. If I have seen a drop of
honey in the season of 1894, up to Sept. 19th, I was unable to recognize it. Since
the latter date, our bees have been gathering honey slowly from golden-rod and
white aster. The best colonies may get winter stores yet.

How have our bees lived? Well, we had a visitation of "honey-dew" in the
month of June, amounting to " surplus " — the like of which has not been seen here
during my career as a bee-keeper. It was the salvation of the bees, though some
have starved in the long dearth that followed. I took with the extractor five or six
hundred pounds of " honey-dew," and it is a curiosity in the way of a natural pro-
duct. Perhaps the bees "made (?) it," according to the "wise men" of the West !

I have been a close observer of "honey-dew" for a long time, and I have found
that this product varies more in quality — if that term can be properly applied to an
article that has no recognized standard as a point to judge from — than any other
natural product that. has come under my observation. It may safely be said that
honey-dew grades all the way from " filth" to the threshold of pure honey. But the
characteristics that never forsake " honey-dew" are " stickiness" and the total
absence of cane-sugar. No product wholly composed of the substance ingeniously
called " honey-dew," will granulate like pure honey ; but a mixture of pure honey
with it, will show granulation in cold weather, therefore the only sure test of honey-
dew is "stickiness." By this characteristic it maybe known from true nectar
(honey) by any close observer. It's "sticky" texture, like "stick 'em fast," is so
well marked that no person need mistake honey-dew for honey.

It is sometimes asked if it is proper to sell honey-dew. This must depend upon
its quality. Some of it is a good, wholesome sweet — long experience has proven
this. I sell it when it is good, telling my customers just what it is. It is one thing
to be honest, and another to escape censure. I prefer the former.

Severe Drouth. — The rainfall here has been so uncertain and local and disap-
pointingly light all the season, attended with high temperature, that everything has
assumed the dread appearance of extended drouth. Notwithstanding, our staple
crops, wheat, corn, oats, tobacco and hemp, are fairly good. But our pasture lands
have suffered for moisture, and this includes bee-forage.

It would be interesting to have short reports from the localities where honey-

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 495

dew has appeared this season. I feel anxious to learn in what localities in this
country it has been most abundant, and where it has appeared in any form.

Pkevention of Swarming. — I think Dr. Miller's query, " Why not leave a hole
for the drones to get out without any ' escape ?' in that plan of W. C. Lyman's," is
well put. I should say, why not ?

In practicing my plan to prevent swarming — whicli consists in the simple
manipulation of raising the brood above the zinc excluder, and starting the queen
afresh below — I make a hole in the upper story for the drones to escape from the
upper story, as they cannot pass out at the entrance because the excluder is between.

In my experience of five years, I have never had a young queen mated above
the excluder. The reason why young queens do not mate above the queen-excluder,
is because, in my practice, I use plain sheets of perforated zinc strung taut in wood
frames, and while the excluder effectively excludes, it ventilates so thoroughly that
the two departments of the hive are practically one, and therefore the bees will not
permit a young queen to mate unless they are ready to supersede the old queen. If
wood and zinc honey-boards are used, they practically divide the hive into two de-
partments, and the young queen may be permitted to mate from the flight hole made
for the drones in the upper story.

Water for Bees. — In all my experience I have never seen bees make such a
scramble for water as they have since the middle of July. So many of my bees
have been drowned and otherwise killed about the watering-places, that it has told
visibly upon their normal strength. Putting out water for them proved no remedy
whatever.

Bee-Paralysis. — I have not seen a sign of bee-paralysis among my bees this
hot summer. There were no blooming plants to secrete opiated nectar, to produce
the trouble. Christiansburg, Ky., Oct. 1.

VAI^UE OF B£BS XO BI.OSSOMS.

BY W. H. MORSE.

Almost all bee-keepers are aware of the great value the honey-bees are in the
economy of nature, but the general public, and even the agriculturists, in many
cases, are sadly Ignorant on this point. In fact, some plants are so constructed
that without the aid of the bees and other insects of its class, the plants in time
would cease to exist, because not being able to reproduce their species, the old
plants would die, and, no seed being produced, the result would be extinction of the
class. As all vegetation has a limit to its age, and no matter how we may propa-
gate, we only extend the growth of the individual unless we start with the seed,
which will give us a plant endowed with the vitality of the parent.

Again, there are varieties of fruit-trees which our California friends well know
that are barren of fruit, owing to some defectiveness in the pollen becoming ripe
previous to the stigma, or vice versa ; or, as I am inclined to think, through a dis-
ease in the pollen. But be that as it may, the bees will overcome that difficulty, as
we all know who have given the subject careful thought.

For instance, suppose we have any fruit-tree which blooms but fails to set a
crop of fruit. In such a case, if the trouble is in the pollen, which it generally is,
the bees visit a healthy tree and load up with pollen, and then carry the healthy
pollen to the tree which has the diseased pollen, and the result is a healthy set of
fruit, and in all cases it benefits the fruit. And if the honey-bee and other insects

496 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

of its kind had not been in existence, I doubt very much whether we would eat such
delicious fruit as we do to-day ; as the knowledge of hybridization was not in former
years so generally understood as it is now.

But the point I am trying to show is, that bees are of inestimable value to the
fruit-grower, and that it is ridiculous in any one to suppose that the honey-bee does
any harm to the fruit-blossoms which they visit, by abstracting the nectar, which
they think should go to nourish the embryo fruit. But from the writings of the
most scientific botanists, and my own experience, the nectar is produced most
copiously at the time the stigma is nearing maturity, and when the whole flower
may be said to be in a state of extreme vigor, and if the pollen fails to come in con-
tact with the stigma, the nectary continues to secrete nectar for a short time, as if
to try to keep up the fast falling energy of the stigma ; but, on the other hand, if
the stigma is fertilized, then all the energies of the plant is directed to the young
fruit, the nectary becomes withered, and the leaves take its place ; so, as a result,
we see the bees load the pollen baskets generally with the fresh-matured pollen,
and in its travels carries it to the matured stigma, thereby helping Nature. So we
see that Nature has provided a surplus of nectar as if to entice insects to help her
to perform a task for the general building up of the vegetable kingdom.

Planting Basswood Tbees. — Dr. Miller said in his "Notes and Comments"
awhile ago, that you must first get trees before planting them. It would be comical,
Doctor, to plant them if you did not have them ; but if you seek out some basswood
trees that were cut last year, you will find a lot of young growth around the old
stump, and if early next April you cut them all off close to the stump, and plant
them in a row as soon as cut, you will have some young basswood trees in a short
time. Florence, Nebr.

ISVINXERINO BHHS IN CI^OSBD APARTMENTS.

BY CHAS. DADANT.

In warm countries, as in Italy, for instance, the hives are often placed in frame
buildings, each hive having a hole in the southern wall, through which bees can fly
out. The room is carefully closed in winter, and, as the outside temperature gets
rarely lower than a few degrees under the freezing point, the bees can stay in good
health for the winter, even when they have nothing else to live on but heath honey
or honey-dew. But, in this country, such a dwelling would not succeed. We have
seen it tried, and the owner of the bees lost all — about 40 colonies — when he made
the experiment.

It is true that such a room could be warmed, but the results would be about the
same, for it is diflScult, if not impossible, to maintain the temperature of the room
exactly between 42"' and 46°; for, very often, a warm day is followed by a very
cold night, or vice versa. When the mercury rises to 48^\ or more., the queen be-
gins to lay, and the bees, unable to fly out, become uneasy. On the other hand, at
35^ or 38 , the bees eat more to raise the temperature, and as soon as their intes-
tines are filled, they get the diarrhea. Besides, in both cases, they suffer from
dampness.

It is, therefore, less diflBcult and more safe to winter bees in silos or in cellars.
I have tried the silos or in cellars. I have tried the silos for three years. These
silos were dug in a sound and well-drained field. They consisted in ditches as long,
large and deep as was necessary to accommodate the hives. Un the bottom of these
ditches I placed two scantlings to support the hives a few inches above the ground.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 497

When the hives, without tops or bottoms, were placed, I covered the ditch with a
slanting roof made also of scantlings, on which I spread a good coat of straw, then
of earth, and a second coat of straw and earth. To give some air to bees, I b lilt
two chimneys, two inches square inside, at both ends of the silo.

During the first two years, the winter having been dry and cold, I succeeded
splendidly ; but, when I unearthed my hives after the third winter, I found every
comb damp, or even moldy, a part of the colonies were dead, and all the others were
more or less depopulated, the winter having been warm and moist during the usually
coldest months.

Some bee-keepers build, on purpose, cellars which are half below and half above
the surface of the soil. I have never tried them, and I suppose that such cellars
may succeed on the condition that their walls are suflSciently thick, and furnished
with double doors for the entrance, with straw between to shield the inside against
the fluctuations of the outside temperature.

As to the cellars under inhabited houses, I have tried them with success, yet I
prefer to winter bees on the summer stands.

As a part of the subscribers of this paper live farther North than I do, and as
bees cannot endure a seclusion of two or three months, I will give the conditions
which I think the best to succeed.

The cellar ought to be mice-proof, dark, well aerated, and as dry as possible ;
yet I have seen water wetting the soil under the hives without bad results.

The cellar ought to be deep enough under the surface of the soil to prevent its
temperature from being too much influenced by the outside fluctuations of the
weather. Of course its ceiling, unless it is vaulted, ought to be plastered, or other-
wise well protected. The space of ours, between the floor above and the ceiling, is
filled with sawdust, and the bee-room is separated from the part of the cellar used
for the needs of the household, by a double wall made of boards with sawdust be-
tween the sides.

A bee-cellar must be provided with some ventilation from the outside. Some
bee-keepers ventilate their cellars by means of pipes dug in the earth. I did not
try these pipes. My cellar has two windows and shutters with a wire-gauze between.
The air that slips through them seems to suffice, although these windows and shut-
ters are nearly always closed ; for we never open them, except during cold nights,
when the weather has been too warm in daytime. Of course we keep a thermometer
in the cellar ; but we could do without it, for, as long as the thermometer remains
between 42° and 46-, the bees are so quiet that it seems that they are all, or nearly
all, dead ; while at 48°, or more, the bees are uneasy, the queens have begun to
lay, if this temperature has been maintained for a few days, and the workers are
impatient to fly out. On the other hand, when the temperature of the cellar goes
down to 40^ or less, the workers flap their wings to raise it ; then they eat more,
their intestines are soon filled, and they get the diarrhea. So the noise of the bees
is a good indication in the wintering in cellars.

Some German bee-writers advise bee-keepers to give water to bees wintered in
cellars. I tried it long ago, with bad results.

A wise precaution, not to be forgotten, is never to put bees into a cellar but
after a clear and warm day, during which all the bees have flown outside to get rid
of their feces, as there is more room in their bowels to keep the residues of their
digestion during their long captivity.

I consider it also necessary to mark the place of every colony in the apiary, so
as to return them as exactly as possible on the same spot, and to commence the
moving of the bees by those which are located the farthest.

498 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL^

The best time to bring the hives in the cellar is during a cold day following a
warm one. If the bottoms of the hives are movable, it is better to leave them on
their place, using a false bottom to convey them to the cellar, where a bottom is not
useful. As soon as a hive is placed, its top ought to be moved, so as to give the
bees a current of air inside, and wedges about two inches in thickness should be laid
on the top of tbe ceiling to separate the hives from one another.

The bees ought to remain undisturbed in the cellar until March or April, ac-
cording to the latitude. They should be removed in the morning of a warm day, to
give them a chance of flying out. As soon as about 10 are returned to their old
place, it is well to wait about 15 or 20 minutes before removing another batch, to
prevent a too crowded flight of bees at the' same time, for sometimes they fly out in
such numbers that they mix together and go in the most populous hives, to the detri-
ment of the weaker ones.

When bees have not suffered during their seclusion, this removal is easy ; but if
they have become uneasy, especially if they have suffered from the warmth of the
cellar, during one or two weeks or more, they are ready to leave the hive in which
they have suffered, and desert in crowds. They mix with others. Then you find
hives with two or three balled queens, which have deserted their own with all the
bees. You try to return these queens with some bees, but you do not succeed very
often, and cure the business. I have experienced such annoyances, which have
deterred me from wintering bees in cellars. — Prairie Farmer. Hamilton, 111.

XOVEI. METHOD OF FIIVDING BI^ACK aUEENS.

BY J. E. AKMSTKONG.

"One swallow does not make a summer," nor does one fact prove a rule, but
my one experience in this line may be of interest if not of value to others. All bee-
keepers who have kept black bees, or Carniolans, complain of the difficultyof find-
ing the queen while examining the colony. During the past summer I tried an ex-
periment which thus far has been a success.

The power of a young queen to mark her home so that she may return to it
after her nuptial flight, has long been known. Any one who has watched the first
flight of young bees must have noticed how they fly with heads toward the hive,
circling farther and farther away as if surveying every object around the entrance,
then the surroundings of their hive. The young queen does the same, though prob-
ably in a more critical manner. I say probably, for nature has displayed wonderful
forethought in caring for the queen-mother in her peculiar instincts.

In uniting colonies it is a common practice to spray both colonies with pepper-
mint. We thus recognize that the sense of smell plays a part in recognizing friend
or foe. I speak of this because I believe the sense of smell may also assist the
young queen in finding her home, or in distinguishing it from others.

During the month of July, this year, I reared some queens in cages. I took oni;
of these young queens into my conservatory and opened the cage in my hand, allow-
ing the virgin queen to fly for the first time. She circled round my hand for some
time before she would venture away any distance. I allowed her to remain at
liberty for about an hour, and during this time she came back several times and
circled around my hand as if she recognized it as her starting point.

I then put her into a queenless nucleus, where she was accepted. She soon
made a successful flight, and began laying. 1 built up the nucleus into a good-sized
colony, and every time I pick up the frame she is on, she quickly crawls up to my
hand, crawls about on ray hand a few moments, and then goes back to her family.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 499

I have opened her hive about once a week since the middle of July, and she has
never failed yet, to come up and make me a visit. I fear each time that she will
fail to do me the honor of such a visit, but so far she has not.

I have now five other colonies — some Italian and some Carniolan — and at no
time has any other queen of either race paid me such a visit. I am seldom able to
find my other Carniolan queen, though I have frequently searched the frames over
twice. It may be this is only an accidental freak, and old bee-keepers may laugh,
but it seemed to me those engaged in rearing Carniolan queens, might easily test it,
and if it proves true, would be a great help.

Why not educate the queen that is hard to find, to come up like a lady and
receive us royally when we call upon her, instead of running away and telling the
children to say she is " not at home ?" Englewood, 111.

VARIOUS ]VOXES AND COMMENTS.

BY DK. C. C. MILLEK.

The Nokth American.-tI think it can hardly be said that the American Bee
Journal has taken no interest in the matter of the convention of the North Ameri-
can Bee-Keepers' Association at St. Joseph. Every number for some time has de-
voted a considerable space to it, the last number before the convention giving to it
about 2J^ pages. Gleanings has also given more space than usual to it, and has
also some sensible things to say as to its constitution and by-laws. Progressive also
is wide-awake.

It will be a fine thing if so much interest can be awakened that the Association
shall be made more nearly what it ought to be, a representation of the bee-keeping
interests of every State and Province in Canada and the United States. By the time
this is in print the St. Joseph convention will be a thing of the past, and I am hope-
ful that some steps in advance will have been taken.

The suggestion of Bro. York as to semi-annual meetings will, I think, have
serious consideration. A meeting in California would interfere with one in Canada
to no very great extent if both should be held on the same day. I doubt if ten that
go to the one convention would be likely to go to the other. And whatever inter-
ference there might be would be almost entirely set aside by having the meetings
six months apart.

Editorial " We " or " I."— On page 424 I find : "The American Bee Journal
still prefers to use ' we ' in its editorial department, though both the Review and
Gleam7igs will now be putting in their 'I's' instead." Yes, Mr. American, and I
don't believe they are putting out their eyes by putting in their I's. And I'm glad
you say ''still prefers." I was still in bed at 4 o'clock this morning, but I'm not
now. And although you still prefer to be counted two men instead of only one,
you'll not always prefer that sort of foolishness. Why, bless your heart, you dear
old fogy, don't you know that " the world does move ?" Don't you know that the
women of the great State of Colorado are now the equals of the men, voting for all
offices, and that the next State legislature will have women in it, whichever party
wins? Oh, yes, this is an age of progress, and you'll notalways present the anomaly
of being abreast of the times on other matters, and away behind the procession on
this. And on this point did you notice* the wicked wink in Ernest's left eye, when
in last Gleanings he said to me, " Say ; ask York whether he likes figs."

NoN-SwARMERS. — Mrs. Atchley thinks it's against nature to have bees that don't
care to swarm, and if you get 'em they'll be worthless. I can't fight you very hard

500 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

on that, Jennie, 'cause I don't know, but this fact stands out, that some of the best
yields I've had were from colonies that made no attempt to swarm, and others have
reported in the same way. But we don't get on very fast at getting bees that are
non-swarmers. Heddon thinks he's getting there, but Hasty thinks it's the seasons
and not Heddon's bees. In the meantime I'm going to rub along with the swarmers,
and try to keep them from swarming all I can, in spite of nature.

Swarming and Increase. — "Many men of many minds." S. C. Markon (page
442) thinks that with swarming, byhis method, he can get more honey in a good
honey-flow " than can any person with any method which prevents natural swarm-
ing," and then asks if he isn't right. I don't like to be too positive. Friend Markon,
for there are a good many things I don't know, but it looks a good deal as though
the majority of bee-keepers did not agree with you. Years ago the number of
swarms obtained was considered the measure of success, and the man who had three
or four swarms from each colony was very " lucky." Later, the question began to
be asked, " How can increase be prevented ?" "Within a few years the question
changed to "How can swarming be prevented?" Why should this question be
asked so often and so earnestly, if swarming be desirable, or how does it come that
lately non-swarmers can attract so much attention '? Marengo, 111.

[*Yes, yes, Doctor, we hear all you say, but we haven't time now to attend to
your questions. We are getting ready to be off to St. Joe. But just wait till ive get
back, and maybe you'll wish you hadn't put in your "I's" at all. — Editor.]

BEE-KBEPING IIV CAI.IFORNIA.

BY W. A. PRYAL.

The bee-region of California, as almost every one knows by this time, is in the
lower counties. These counties are all south of the Tehachapi Pass, on the line of
railroad running south from San Francisco, and may be designated as the counties
of Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, San Diego and
the new county of Riverside. What is usually referred to as Southern California
includes the counties just named, and the southern portions of San Luis Obispo and
Kern counties. Of course, there is no real geographical division to distinguish any
particular portion of the lower part of the State from that more to north. It is
generally admitted that the counties first named have the most equable climate in
the State, though even counties three or four hundred miles further north have fine
climates— so much so, that their oranges and other fruit come into the market
earlier. But for all this, there is no doubt that a large portion of the lower part of
the State is more than able to hold its own against the rest of the State.

In many of the level places, and in patches through the hills and mountains of
this southern part of California, the celebrated white and black sages of honey-fame
grow. As the plains where these sages were once wont to grow in all their native
luxuriance are now mostly given over to orchards and smiling gardens, the bee no
longer finds sage bloom there. The sages still grow in the hills and mountains,
though not as numerously as in years gone by. This is owing, mostly, to the fact
that the ranges have been pastured to sheep. Then fires have swept over great
tracts of sage fields, destroying, as it went on its mad career, thousands of acres of
this grand bee-pasture. Through the timely forethought of some bee-keepers these
devastated pastures have been in a measure restored to their former usefulness ;
this was done by reseeding the districts burnt over, with sage and other seeds. It

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 501

s said that replanted ground gives better pasturage than that which was burned
over.

Besides the sages, the lower counties have several other kinds of bee-forage.
None of them, however, are considered as good for the bee-keeper as the sages. The
honey is not as light-colored as the former. In some of the districts in southern
and central California, are large alfalfa fields which make fine bee-pastures. The
honey gathered from this species of clover is very clear, and commands a ready
sale. Kern and Tulare counties are, I believe, the great alfalfa growing counties
of the State.

It would not be well for the prospective bee-keeper to locate too near a big city,
for he would have to pay a very high price for his land in the first place, besides
the forage for the bees would not be as likely to be as plentiful. The only reason
why any one following an agricultural pursuit might with safety locate near a large
settlement is that, being near a big market, he can sell his goods to better advan-
tage— they would go off quicker and realize a higher price. Near such a place he
could carry on a mixed farm in a profitable manner. There is hardly a season but
that he can find the market in a condition to take some of this produce at an ad-
vanced price. Last year, for instance, butter, eggs and honey were above the
usual figure. The consequence was, the small producer did pretty well. Some
years he does not do as well, for everything he raises is at bedrock figures. I will
not discuss what the bee-keeper here can carry on along with bees, but pretty much
anything that will go well with them in the Eastern States will do equally well out
here, I am sure.

It is no longer necessary to bring bees to this State. The man who intends to
go into the business here can find all the bees he wants for sale at prices lower than
what the freight would cost him on his bees from the East. I have known colonies
in box-hives to be sold for 25 cents apiece. All the bees that the apiarist starting
in the business here might want, may be had at $1.00 per colony, at most. Of
course, bees in serviceable hives will cost a little more. Occasionally an apiarist
can be found who wants to dispose of his apiary. Often these men who are going
out of the business sell at a figure that is a big inducement to one who is desirous
of buying an apiary.

I would not undertake to advise any one just where to locate ; the person him-
self must determine this question. He must be governed by the other occupation
he intends to carry on in connection with bees ; also, whether or not he wants to be
near or far from civilization. Though there are some fine bee-ranges in the upper
part of the State, I would not recommend any one to try any of them until such
person is sufficiently satisfied that the northern range he has in mind is a real good
one. It would be far better to stick to those that are fully tried than to fly to those
we know not of. If one wants to produce alfalfa hay, then he should try the upper
San Joaquin country ; that is, in the counties of Fresno, Tulare and Kern. This is
an irrigation country, and large crops of hay are " raised" by means of water. The
finer honey comes from near the hills where irrigation is not relied upon so exten-
sively. Land in these irrigated districts is sold differently from other lands, owing
to the fact that it is, for the most part, owned by irrigation companies. The irriga-
tion laws of the State have given companies certain privileges, and it is a good
thing, for it is doubtful if the dry sections of the State would ever have been re-
claimed. In the upper part of the State, and along all the coast counties for the
greater portion of the State, irrigation is not required.

Fruit trees grow anywhere in California ; some varieties do better in one por-
tion than another. The finest oranges are said to be grown at and around Duarte,

502 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

22 miles east of Los Angeles, and about Riverside, in the new county of the same
name. Equally as good oranges come from Butte and Placer counties, all of 500
miles further north. Apricots and peaches and prunes do splendidly in the lower
counties, while cherries do better in Alameda county, opposite the metropolis, than
anywhere else. Raisin grapes do well almost anywhere, though the greatest raisin
country in the world is in Fresno county. The great fruit counties are Alameda,
Santa Clara, Solano, Orange, Butte, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, Tu-
lare, Ventura and Yola.

It is estimated, from what figures that were available, that 323,915,185
pounds of fruit were shipped from California by railroad in 1890. What the out-
put will be in a couple of years from now, when the large acreage of young trees
that have been set out come into bearing, it is hard to tell. It is sure that it will be
something surprising. It is the rapid strides that the fruit industry has made that
has been one of the stones that were thrown in the path of the apiarist. In some
places the aggressive horticulturist who says that the bees destroy the fruit, has
compelled the apiarist to seek pastures new, much to the latter's discomfiture.
There is a constant war going on between the two industries ; the fruit-grower
somehow or another manages to crowd the bee-keeper to the wall every time. I am
of the opinion that after a few years there won't be such a fight between the two
occupations. Why, I will not discuss at this time. I will say, however, that I think
the apiarist will come out at the larger end of the horn.

North Temescal, Calif.
(Concluded next week.)

SXROXG COI.OP«JIES-NON-SlSVARMI?«JG.

If there is one question of more interest than any other it is in keeping strong
colonies. If there is a secret in bee-culture it is in manipulating your bees so as to
always keep them strong. If they are strong they will stand the winter and spring
better, and they will keep down their enemies easier, such as ants, wasps, moths,
etc.; and when there is a honey-flow they will gather it. I regard this as an inter-
esting question. Who among our bee-keeping friends will give us their experience,
or some pointers on this subject ?

NoN-SwAEMiNG. — I have noticed much of late in the Bee Journal on this
question. You can count me as a " non-swarmist," even if I am in the minority. I
work my bees on the non-swarming plan simply because it pays the best. With the
right kind of bees and hive, and with proper care, you can run them as strong as
you like, and they won't loaf, hang out on the hive, or swarm. I think there is as
much difference in bees as there is in stock as regards the scrub and best breed.

Last spring, through the burning of a neighbor's barn, we had the misfortune
to have our bees all burnt up. Of course I had to buy more, and some of our friends
thought that I exhibited more grit than judgment; but I have sold more honey and
wax of this year's crop than my outlay, and I still have the bees, hives, and more
than half of the crop to dispose of. But the point I was going to mention is this :
I bought four lots of bees — three of which I hauled home, and all that were not In
the Langstroth hive I transferred to that hive. I increased them about 20 per
cent., and they have gathered honey to exceed 100 pounds to each colony.

One lot of over 20 are still out where I purchased them, and in every conceiv-
able kind of hive, with the combs crossed so that I could not get them into shape to
control them. Some of those bees have swarmed themselves to death. Two of

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

503

them, with only a small handful left, were finished up by the moth; and they
have not gathered over one-third as much honey as the non-swarmers.

Again, by the non-swarming method you can rear your queens from the very
best stock, and thus improve them. Of course, if you over-divide, it would be like

over-swarming they will not do as well. I cannot name the many conditions for

want of space. I am aware that a large swarm will sometimes gather considerable,
but it is often at the expense of the colony that they swarm from. But I do not
wish to argue this point with our bee-keeping friends, aside from which pays the
best. Many are opposed to any method of increase except by swarming, as they
say it is the natural way ; but why stick to nature on the swarming question any
more than on any other question in bee-culture ? Who will give us any reason why
we should ? ^^.It Lake City, Utah.

pr* Do not write anything for publication
on the same sheet of paper witn business
matters, unless it can be torn apart wlthou
interfering with either part of the letter.

Fine Crop of Honey.

I have 50 colonies of bees, and a fii
crop of honey. Frank Wilkins.

Pelham, N. H., Sept. 30.

Feeding Bees— The Season, Etc.

I hear a great deal about feeding bees.
I raise the front of the hive up about
four inches with a block, so that the
honey will not run out. Then I pour in
10 or 12 pounds of honey at night, and
by morning the bees have it put where
they want it. I used to take out frames
of bee-bread and put in frames of honey,
but maybe I wouldn't put the honey where
they wanted it. Bees want bee-bread to
winter on ; if they didn't want it they
would not gather it. Bees in the North
need 30 pounds of honey to winter on.
Bees want bread to eat with their honey
—and so do I.

I got no surplus honey this year, but I
am thankful that the bees gathered
enough to winter on, and enough for my
family, for we all like honey. We had
only three rains in four months, but we
are having a good rain to-day. If we
have plenty of rain this fall, so as to wet

the land well, we will expect a good crop
next year.

This has been a good year to raise
chickens — no rain to drown them. I
raised 300 Partridge Cochins this year,
and they are good ones. I run a mixed
business — farming, bees and chickens.
I find that these all work well together.
When it gets too dry for the farm and
bees, 1 can raise chickens. I look after
the sitting hens, young chickens and
bees at noon while I am resting. I feed
the young chickens three times a day.
If you want to raise chickens, you must
get from a large breed, as the small
breeds are not worth their feed. I have
tried them. Geo. W. Nance.

Anthon, Iowa, Oct. 1.

Beady for Winter.

Bees are in fine condition for winter
here. Feank Covebdale.

Delmar, Iowa, Oct. 4.

Hives Favoring Moth-Worms, Etc.

In regard to the query about moth-
worms, answered by Dr. Miller on page
394, I believe the fault is often as much
in the hives as in the bees. My own
bees are hybrids, and I am confident of
their ability to handle the moths as well
as pure-blooded Italians, if in a hive of
proper construction. But in a hive with
the bottom-board nailed on, and the
frames nearly resting on it, with space
so small at the bottom and sides that the
bees cannot get between the hive and
frame, you have conditions that dis-
tinctly favor the moth.

Outside of the large apiaries run by
advanced bee-keepers, a large propor-
tion of the hives in use are faulty in
regard to proper bee-space. There
should be no place in the hive large
enough to shelter a moth or worm and

504

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

not large enough for the bees to enter
freely.

The hive I use has no bottom-board,
being set on a platform in the yard, and
has a bee-space of i^s-inch at the top,
sides and bottom of the frames. In an
experience of ten years I have never lost
a colony or even a square inch of brood
from moth-worms.

Some years ago I bought a number of
colonies in tight-bottom Langstroth
hives. On overhauling them I found the
bottom of the frames stuck to the bot-
tom-board with propolis, the same being
honey-combed and alive with worms, and
the bottom of the hive an inch deep with
dead bees and mould (in May). I think
even Italians would not have been able
to hold their own in such hives.

This has been a rather peculiar season
with us. There was plenty of clover,
but little honey from it. Our crop came
from basswood, on which we had only
one week, but in that one week secured
over 3,000 pounds of surplus in the
comb. Spring count, we had 87 colonies,
and increased to 113. The bees are in
good condition to winter, with an aver-
age of 40 pounds of honey to winter on.
T. B. Blair.

Neenah, Wis., Sept. 27.

Will Not Have to Feed.

We have had a bad honey season here.
I got only 400 pounds of comb honey,
and the most of it was from sourwood
bloom. I had 35 colonies, spring count,
and some of them were so weak as to be
of no good in the honey harvest. I have
increased to 53 colonies of Italian and
hybrid bees. Bees are booming on a
new fall honey-plant that has come into
this country in the last few years. It is
in full bloom now. We will not have to
feed any for winter stores.

Jacob Framk.

Sutton, W. Va., Sept. 29.

A Laying Worker "Kink."

I like that idea about writing up the
"kinks." No doubt wo greenhorns
that are young in the bee-business,
would sometimes give an experience that
would be of some benefit to the young-
sters, while the old hands would prob-
ably think it a waste of paper and time,
to tell what they had known for a quar-
ter of a century. The thought of that,
I suppose, makes a good many of us
loth to appear in print and be laughed
at by the professionals.

Now I had my first experience with

laying workers the past summer, and I
am going to tell how I got rid of them,
at the risk of being laughed at by all of
you.

You will observe before I got the best
of it, that it was a costly job, but I
gained my point, and that was what I
was working for, regardless of cost.

Well, it was a queenless colony (of
course we all know that). The first
queen introduced was killed, the second
shared the same fate, then I commenced
to think something was wrong. I called
in an old bee-keeper, who showed me at
once what the trouble was, and advised
uniting with another colony. It would
have been much cheaper, but I wanted
to experiment.

I sent for another queen, and in the
meantime gave the colony two frames of
hatching brood. In three days the
queen arrived; I then changed places
with another colony and introduced the
queen the usual way, and now what was
formerly a black colony, is a beautiful
Italian. As it was at the end of the
honey-flow, jumping with another col-
ony did no material harm.

After looking over this, I think it
would fill a " kink " in the waste-basket
admirably. F. T. Brooke.

Brookewood, Va.

"Washington Flax" Again.

"Is it a good honey-plant?" will be
asked. The following answer must
suiiBce :

Heretofore I have found my bees in
the city cease storing honey about July
10th to 15th. In other places in the
county, where flax is plentiful, they con-
tinue until September 15th, and this
season many colonies having access to
the flax have put up in supers 100
pounds of surplus comb honey.

About July 20th, this season, I re-
moved my whole apiary three miles out
among the flax flowers. One colony
with an Italian queen from Massachu-
setts, I had reduced by taking frames
to rear queens for other colonies. I put
it on the scales the first day (about April
20th) and it weighed ;'>4>^ pounds ; a
week after, it weighed 3b ; a week later,
40 ; exactly a week later it weighsd 42
pounds — sutiicient to winter, as the
hives weigh 18 pounds. All my other
colonies did equally well or better. After
I saw this, which was a test, I made up
my mind that the "flax "is a superior
honey-plant.

The Department at Washington has
ordered seeds, and the plant itself, and

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

505

possibly we will icnow what it is very
soon.

I have been a bee-i<eeper for 40 years,
and believe I know a little about the
business, but my principal study the
past few years was to determine the
proper plant to propagate so as to fur-
nish the busy workers food when from
drouth or other causes the crop was cut
off.

I find by sowing buckwheat, a failure
some seasons ; dries out ; the same with
hoarhound, catnip and other plants.
The Washington flax grows here almost
everywhere in the timber, especially
where part has been removed, or in log-
ging camps, but this year's experience
shows that about Sept. 15th it goes to
seed.

I have had the best luck with sweet
clover. Here I have it 10 or 11 feet
high, and my two colonies I have at
home are working on it, and it shows in-
dications of being in bloom until frost.
As a honey-plant, I pronounce sweet
clover superior to all, and the flax next.
If the bee-culturist had an acre of
sweet clover and one of flax, he would
need no other fall feed, as both stand
the drouth — both are perennial — and
after you have the roots once growing it
will take care of itself. All stock should
be excluded.

In States as far south as Kentucky,
plant either as soon as the seed arrives.
In States where the freeze is consider-
able, I would take early spring for it.

I mail the Editor a specimen of Wash-
ington flax, buds taken while out at my
apiary last week. R. H. Ballinger.

Port Townsend, Wash., Sept. 24.

Honey Thieves Caught.

On the night of Aug. 15th two un-
known men entered my bee-yard and
stole 86 sections of honey, supers, and
what bees were in the same. I had
them tiered up, and was going to take it
off the next day, but they saved me the
trouble. They went Ji of a mile and
built a fire to smoke and burn the bees.

When I arose in the morning, I dis-
covered a smoke, and at once looked
into its cause, and discovered bees,
empty sections, and some honey; that
the sections were burnt off, and lots of
dead bees. I scratched my head a mo-
ment, and then, not like a bloodhound
with my nose on the ground, but like a
greyhound, went by sight, looking for
tracks. I soon discovered the direction
they took. I then used the telephone.
At 5:30 p.m. of the same day I was

called by the prosecuting attorney, and
after answering the call, he said : " We
have caught your honey thieves; have
tried them, found them guilty, and they
are sentenced to the house of correction
for 90 days !"

I went the next morning to see them,
and give them a little advice, but they
had gone, accompanied by the sheriff,
to take a free ride of 195 miles.

This is how I described the thieves :
•' Two men having honey in supers,
smoked and leaking. Honest men do
not carry honey that way. Men are
daubed with honey, and faces and hands
swollen by bee-stings."

My description gave satisfactory evi-
dence as to cause the arrest.

J. W. Miller.

Rodney, Mich., Oct. 1.

Laying- Workers — Introducing Queens

If any one has a colony with a laying
worker, and he wishes to introduce a
queen, all he has to do is to remove the
old colony and place a hive on the old
stand ; then shake oflf all the bees from
four frames (leaving the brood in the
hive with the laying worker), and put
them into the new hive on the old stand,
then go to any hive and take out a
frame of honey, bees and brood (the
more bees the better), put the frame be-
tween the four frames, and then intro-
duce the queen. As soon as the queen
is laying, shake all the bees back. There
is no use losing on account of a laying
worker.

My honey crop is very light, on ac-
count of dry weather, I have 40 colo-
nies of nice, yellow bees, and should
have had lots of honey if the weather
had been favorable. A. S. Straw.

Edwardsburg, Mich., Sept. 26.

Dr. Howard and His Book.

I am much pleased that Dr. Howard
has been appointed Professor of Bacteri-
ology in the Medical Department of the
Fort Worth University, as he will fill
the place with credit to himself and his
country. His book on " Foul Brood " is
a credit to him. I mailed nearly 100
copies of it as presents to the best bee-
keepers in Ontario. Canada. Many of
those I sent his book to "had been
through the mill " and had an experience
with foul brood. I am sure that Dr.
Howard would have been very much
pleased if he had read the unlimited
amount of praise of his book that I did
in the letters I received from the bee-

506

AMEHICAN BEE JOUHMAL.

keepers that I had mailed them to.
Every bee-keeper that is in the business,
or any person that ever intends going
into bee-keeping, should buy Dr. How-
ard's book on "Foul Brood." The books
are a credit to the American Bee Jour-
nal, office, where they were published,
as they show the good work that Mr.
York and his staff can turn out.

Wm. McEvoy.
Woodburn, Ont., Canada, Sept. 20.

[Thanks, Bro. McEvoy, for your ap-
preciation of our work on Dr. Howard's
book on " Foul Brood." It is a valuable
little work, as we have shown by the
excellent testimonials by the best bee-
keepers in the land. The Editor of
Gleanings mentioned it in terms of high-
est praise at the time it first appeared —
last April or May. We mail it for only
25 cents, or club it with the Bee Jour-
nal for one year — both together for
$1.15.— Editor.]

The American Bee Journal.

BY DAVID KILL.

This old Bee Journal we have read for
twenty years and more,
And its teaching we have always found
to be,
What the progressive bee-man needs, who's
studying bee-lore
And the habits of the blithe and busy bee.

Like an old friend with genial face, and

kind, familiar way,
It comes to band and makes more bright

the hours;
Or like a day of sunshine in the merry

month of May,
With the humming of the bees among the

flowers.

Long may it live, and may we all frater-
nally extend
A helping hand to speed it on its way.
That bigotry, and apicultural ignorance
may end.
In the clear dawning of a brighter day.
Warsaw, N. Y., Sept. 2.3.

Capons and Caponizing:, by

Edward Warren Sawyer, M. D., Fanny
Field, and others. It shows in clear
language and illustrations all about
caponlzing 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 Bek Journal one year for $1.10.

CJon-rention IVotices.

ting-

the Wisconsin Bee-Keepers'Assoclation willbe
held at Madison, on Feb. 8th and 9th. 1895.
Madison, Wis. J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec.

COLOKADO.— The 15th annual meeting: of
the Colorado State Bee- Keepers' Association
will be held on Monday and Tuesday. Jan. -Zl
and 22, 1895. in Denver. H. Knight, Sec.

Littleton, Oolo.

Connecticut.— The semi-annual conven-
tion of the Connecticut Bee-Keepers' Associa-
tion will be held at the Capitol, at Hartford,
on Wednesday, Oct. 31, 1894, at 10:30 a.m.
Mrs. W. E. Riley. Sec.

Waterbury, Conn.

California.— The next regular meeting of
the ( entral California Bee-Keepers' Associa-
tion will be held on the first Wednesday in
December, at Hanford, Calif. You are cor-
dially invited to attend.

Lemoore, Calif. J. F. Flory, Sec.

Pennsylvania,— The Venango County Bee-
Keepers' Association of northwestern Penn-
sylvania will hold their 2nd annual meeting
in the City Hall at Franklla, Pa., on Jan. 28,
1895, at 1 o'clock p.m. All iaterested send
for program. C. S. Pizer, Sec.

Franklm. Pa.

Pennsylvania.— The Susquehanna County
Bee-Keepers' Association will meet at the
Tarbel House, in Montrose, Pa., on Thursday,
Oct. 25, 1894, at 10 a.m. Ofiioers tor the
coming year will be elected. All are cordially
invited to meet with us at that time.

Harford, Pa. H. M. See ley, Sec.

Vermont.— The next annual convention of
the Vermont Bee-Keepers' Association will
be held in Middiebury, Vt.. on Jan. 30 and 31 ,
1895. Programs will be prepared and mailed
later. Let every Vermont bee-keeper begin
NOW to preoare to attend, and all those who
can reach Middiebury, whether you live in
Vermont or not, we want you to come.

Barre, Vt. H. W. SCOtt, Sec.

Illinois.— The Illinois State Bee-Keepers'
Association will meet at the State House in
Springfield, on Tuesday and Wednesday. Nov.
1 3th and 14th, 1894. On account ot the meet-
ing of the National and State Granges at the
same time and place, railroad rates of l}i
fares for the round trip are sure, if each per-
son attending will not fail to get a certiflcate
when he buys his ticket. The time has come
when bee-keepers of the State, if they take
proper steps, may obtain recognition in the
experiment station. So let us have a full
representation from all parts of the State, as
well as from other States.

Bradfordton, 111. Jas. A. Stone, Sec.

Honey as F'ood and IVIedicine 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 second page of this
number of the Bee Journal for description
and prices.

One-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.

VOL. XXXIV. CHICAGO. ILL, OCT. 25, 1894.

NO. 17,

I>r. Itliller spent two or three hours
with us on Tuesday of last week, when on
his way to Jacksonville, 111., where he at-
tended the State meeting of the Presby-
terian Synod. With bee-writing and
church and Sunday-school work, Dr. M. is
kept exceedingly busy. He'll never rust
out. that's sure.

•Vaoo1> r. ISoi'gei', and his brother
Henry, both of Medina, O., dropped into
our office on Tuesday, Oct. 0th. The former
(Jacob) has been in the employ of Bro. A.
I. Root for 14 years, having charge of the
shipping department, and is a faithful and
pushing young man.

Mr. Fraiilc Beutoii, Secretary of
the North American, went home from the
St. Joseph convention with Mr. C. P.
Dadant, of Hamilton, III., and remained
until the following Monday. Mr. Benton
reports having had •' a very enjoyable visit
with him (C. P.) and his father, as well as
their families." He also found much in-
terest in their comb foundation factory,
etc. We can easily imagine what excellent
entertainers the Dadants would be. Com-
mend us to a Frenchman for genuine en-
joyment, every time.

jVIi*. Jolin H. I^a.rra.1>ee and Miss
Edith Osband, of Lansing, Mich., are to be
wedded Oct. 31st. They will be •■ at home "
after Nov. 12th, at 813 Michigan Avenue,
W., Lansing. Mr. L. has for a long time
replied to Queries in the Bee Journal, but
is now succeeded by his brother, W. G.
Larrabee, of Larrabee's Point, Vt., who is
also President of the Vermont State Bee-
Keepers' Association.

We wish Bro. John and his soon-to-be
better half, long life, lots of happiness, and
all sweetened with the purest honey of
mutual love.

Mr. Jolin ^Viiiii, of Richland Cen-
tre, Wis. , called on us last week, on his re-
turn from Boston, where he had been on
honey-business. His locality is the great
basswood region, and this year a large crop
of honey was taken. Messrs. Freeborn and
Hatch, and Mrs. W. J. Pickard (mentioned
on page 4.56) , are all located at Richland
Centre, and are extensive bee-keepers.

Xlie Report ISegMii.— The proceed-
ings of the recent North American conven-
tion at St. Joseph, Mo., is barely begun in
this number of the Bee Journal, owing to
an unavoidable delay in receiving more of
the report at this office. Next week we
shall expect to make up for it, by giving a
" big slice " of the convention loaf.

Half Worker and Half Qiteen.

— Mr. N. Staininger, of Tipton, Iowa, has
sent us a bee whose front part is worker,
and back is queen. The colony from which
it was taken has a good queen. It is a queer
freak.

620

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Mr. H. E. Heatli, editor of the
weekly Xfbnisha Farmer, Lincoln, Nebr.,
was at the St. Joseph meeting a portion of
the time, after which he went on to Chi-
cago. While here he called on us. Mr.
Heath is a progressive farmer publisher, and
is making an excellent paper for the coun-
try people of Nebraska. The subscription
price is $1.25 a year. We can club it with
the Bee Journal — both together for one
year for $1.75. This is certainly a liberal
offer.

Mr. E. V. Beeler, of Berwick, Nova
Scotia, has sent us a nice picture of his
apiary of 56 colonies. Mr. Beeler is located
about as far northeast as one can get, and
still keep bees on this continent. His api-
ary shows that much care is given to it, and
that its owner believes in neatness and
attractiveness.

Mr. C Xlieilinaiiu, of Theilmanton,
Minn., called on us just as we were about
to start for the St. Joseph convention. He
has about 300 colonies of bees, and is one
of the best bee-keepers in Minnesota.

l^Iice in a Bee-Hoiise. — From an
exchange the following was clipped by the
American See-Keqxr, telling how to destroy
the mice that often infest bee-houses, etc. :

We do not believe in advocating cruelty
to animals, but we are forced from last
year's experience to advocate most strongly
the use of any and every means to rid the
hives from mice. It is very important in-
deed that this should be closely looked
after— equal quantities of arsenic, white
granulated sugar and flour mixed dry, put
on little pieces of paper about the hives or
apiary, where it can remain for some time
without being exposed to dampness, is a
very sure way of ridding the place of mice,
yet in some instances where they can feed
on bees in hives, they seem to care little
for the poison.

Here is another plan we have adopted,
which frequently gave us good satisfaction:

Take a tin pail half full of water, scatter
a little wheat chaff on the top to make it
look like a chaff bin. A board from two to
four feet long, with one end on the floor,
and the other on the side of the pail — in
fact, better one on each side of the pail,
then scatter a little bran, meal or flour,
dust it lightly on the board. The mice will
run up and look down upon the chaff where
you have the meal scattered, they will
jump down off the board on the chaff in the
pail to get the meal, the chaff will sink
around them, and the mice drown. We

have caught five or six in a pail in one
night in this way. We recollect once,
in one of our out-apiaries, having several
deer-mice and a chipmunk, which had gone
into the bee-house from a neighboring wood
about 20 rods away. They were so anxious
to investigate the pail business that they
got into it. Perhaps rats might be caught
in the same way.

Prol'. <'ooI^ writes us that the next
California State bee-convention will be
delayed until in February, 1895, as by that
time abundant rains may have fallen, and
thus will encourage bee-keepers, and cause
a larger attendance at the meeting. Re-
cently an inch of rain fell, which was a
very rare thing for September in Califor-
nia, and all hope it will keep on.

r¥oii<' Paid Better. — Mr. C. D.

Duvall, of Spencerville, Md., who adver-
tises queens, etc., almost constantly in the
American Bee Journal, wrote us on Oct.

8, 1894:

Friend York : — I have sold all the queens
I have this fall. No paper has paid me
better for advertising than the American
Bee Journal. Yours truly,

C. D. Duvall.

It pays to advertise regularly and con-
stantly, oin order to get the best results.
Try it, you who have anything to sell to
bee-keepers.

East Friends.— We want to thank
those who have written such kind words
about the Bee Journal. We appreciate
them greatly, and shall try hard to merit
them. Here is a fair sample :

Friend York:— Find enclosed 25 cents to
pay for three months' subscription for that
friend of mine, the "old reliable" Bee
Journal. We are faster friends than I was
aware of when I ordered you to stop its
visits at my place every week. I have
missed two copies since the flrst of the
month ; send them along, I do not want
to miss a number. I tell you, I can see the
benefits of its visits as I look back. When
I take a paper devoted to bee-culture, I
want bee-business. Your paper is the best
complete bee-paper I ever saw or read.

Burns, Mich., Oct. 11. Fred Card.

I^" " I think the Bee Journal well and
ably conducted, and no one, I think, would
read it every week without drawing both
proHt and pleasure therefrom." — John
Chrysostom, of Indiana, Sept. 38, 1894.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

521

i^oiiventioii Ki^Iioe*!!.

To tell of all the good things on the gen-
erous " bill of fare " at the St. Joseph con-
vention, week before last, would require a
great deal of time and space. Thinking
that a few paragraphs might be acceptable,
we undertake the pleasant task, though we
hardly know where to commence.

Beginning at Chicago, we may say first,
that Dr. Miller, W. Z. Hutchinson, Dr.
Peiro and " ye editor " formed a quartet
that thoroughly enjoyed the meeting from
start to finish. To us, one of the best parts
of the whole convention was the conversa-
tional discussions " on board the train " to
and from Saint Joseph.

Arriving in the " Saint-ed " city about
10:30 a.m., the first day of the convention,
Oct. 10th, we were met at the station by E.
F. Quigley, of Unionville, and F. H. Rich-
ardson, of Laclede — two typical Missouri-
ans. They kindly escorted us four tired
travelers to the beautiful Commercial Club
room, where the convention was to be held.
Soon after having met the genial Pres.
Abbott, and others who had arrived, the
meeting was called to order. Much good
work, we believe, during the sessions, was
done. Among the important things was
the revising and condensing of the con-
stitution and by-laws.

We think the new President, R. F. Hol-
termann, has mistaken his calling. He
should have been a lawyer, judging by the
way he plead for Toronto as the next place
of meeting. He was successful, too, against
a whole " special car " of those determined
Nebraskans. Oh, but didn't they make a
strong pull for Lincoln ? And how grace-
fully they "gave up " in favor of Toronto !
But we'll expect to "pack our grip" for
Lincoln in 1896. We heard some wonder-
fully nice things about that place, and now
we are very anxious to see it.

Only a very few ladies were in attend-
ance ; but let us tell you that what they
lacked in quantity they fully made up in
quality! Now. there was Mrs. J. M. Null,
of Miami, Mo. Why, she's a whole conven-
tion herself, though she is awfully quiet
about it. Probably the next Froc/re.mw
J3ee- Keeper will be her " mouth-piece." We
noticed she kept her pencil going very
faithfully nearly all the time.

Then Mrs. Whitcomb, of Friend, Nebr.,
was there. It's queer, but Sister W. "talks

through her fingers," and does it very em-
phatically, too. You should have seen the
exquisite piece of beeswax-work she had
made and brought with her. It was a
"Musical Lyre," surrounded at the base
with beautiful flowers — the whole thing
made out of beeswax. It won a $10 prize
at a certain fair this fall. It certainly was
the slickest Lyre (not "liar ") we ever saw.
(Some other time we wiU tell what became
of Mrs. W.'s " Musical Lyre.")

Mrs. Strawbridge, the pleasant President
of a Kansas bee-keepers' association, was
there. Also Mrs. Leighton, of Lincoln.
Her son " took down " the proceedings in
shorthand for Secretary Benton, so we
may expect to have an excellent report.
Mr. Leighton is a court reporter as well as
a bee-keeper.

There were some other ladies present,
among them Mrs. Abbott, the good wife of
the President. You can tell her, if you
wish, that we said she is the best cook in
Missouri— surely, so far as we know. " The
proof of the pudding is in the eathtg "—and
that's how we can speak so positively about
Mrs. Abbott's culinary accomplishments.
If Missouri has any young ladies who will
likely ever approach Mrs. Abbott in effi-
ciency and capability in the housekeeping
line, we'd advise our young gentlemen
friends to seek their life partners in that
portion of Uncle Sam's domain.

Besides being a practical farmer, teacher,
preacher and bee-keeper, Pres. Abbott is a
most able presiding oflScer. He keeps
things moving, too. No danger of any one
going to sleep in hi.x audience! And what
a worker he is ! Why, he had St. Joseph
plastered with big card-board notices of the
meeting ; he wrote several hundred letters
to various agricultural papers about the
convention, and was for a whole year plan-
ning and working for a good meeting. And
best of all, he succeeded.

Dr. Miller, of course, made everybody
happy with his songs and comic readings.
But we believe he was happiest when in the
midst of a general convention bee-talk — the
result of an attack upon the question-box.

Dr. Peiro's occasional humorous sugges-
tions in the midst of a heavy discussion were
enjoyed by all. He knows how to make
things lively and pleasant. He thoroughly
enjoyed his first bee-convention. We hope
it won't be his last.

Mr. Richardson, to whom we referred be-

522

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

fore, is just chock-full of bee-euthusiasm—
and is a regular question-box himself. He
believes in sticking to "bee-talk" from
first to last. He wasn't alone in that idea,
either.

Mayor Shepherd and ex-Mayor Hartwig
welcomed the convention most heartily,
the latter offering the free use of the ele-
gant room of the Commercial Club. The
city papers— the Daily JVews, Herald and
Gazette— a\l extended every courtesy, and
gave unlimited space to reports of the
meeting. Some of the essays were pub-
lished in full.

The Mayor generously invited the mem-
bers to go with him to see a local Musee, on
Thursday evening at 9 o'clock, and also to
attend a miscellaneous entertainment after-
ward. The principal attraction in the
Musee was a " talking seal." It seems its
natural bark had been translated into the
clear and unmistakable order— "Go out!"
As we did not hear or see the seal, you
can't prove it by us. The after perform-
ance, Bro. A. I. Root called a "Variety
Show." He seemed to regret (?) having
consented to go, but Dr. Miller afterward
insisted that Ms morals hadn't been im-
paired in the least degree. Bro. Hutchin-
son and the writer went to the hotel, and
to bed, like Christians (?), so neither of us
know anything personally about the ques-
tionable character of the entertainment
referred to. Bros. Holtermann and Calvert,
it seems, left before the " show " was over,
but we are inclined to think they did so to
get a joke on Bro. Root and Dr. Miller!
Probably we shall hear more of this joking
matter later on. But evidently Bros. HoL
termann and Calvert thought it best to fol-
low the seal's advice, and " go out."

The St. Joseph convention was perhaps
the most numerously edited of any of the
North American meetings. Let's see, there
were present, Leahy, Holtermann, Stilson,
Root (A. I.), Hutchinson, and the writer.
We believe the only bee-papers not thus
represented were the Ameriam AjdculturiM
and Amerinin ]ier- Keeper. It certainly was
a pleasing sight (to us, at least) to see
what brotherly feeling existed among all
the bee-editors that were present. It's a
good sign. May that " sign " never fail !

There are many other matters that we
would like to refer to, but this is already
too long, i'erhaps at some future time we
may mention them. Take it all iu all, we

believe it was one of the very best meetings
the North American ever held. 'Twas not
large in numbers, but for downright — and
upright— good work, we believe it has not
been excelled. We feel well repaid for all
the efforts and expense involved in attend-
ing, and we never shall willingly be absent
from a convention of the North American,
so long as we are at all interested in bee-
keeping.

'Xiw *" JVI^ti'iinony Vine." — Mr.

A. J. Duncan sent us a specimen plant to
be named, and wrote thus concerning it:

I send enclosed a sprig of a shrub we call
"Washington willow," which, I think, is
ahead of anything I have ever seen as a
honey-plant, not excepting basswood. The
basswood, perhaps, is the best while it lasts,
which is from a day or two to two weeks at
farthest; this shrub commences blooming
early in the season, and is in continuous
blooming until killed by freezing weather.
It is not affected by drouth or hot weather.

In an early day here there was planted
perhaps a dozen or more in different parts
of our little village, as an ornamental
plant ; they have been let grow and spread
until there are considerable patches of it,
and from morning until night, every day
when bees can be out, they are just swarm-
ing on it. They were working on it yester-
day, though all other flowers are killed by
the frost.

I can't say as to the quality of the honey,
but I think it is good. If I had an acre or
two well set with it, I would feel sure of a
good crop of honey every year.

A. J. Duncan.

Hartford, Iowa, Sept. 25.

Prof. T. J. Burrill, to whom we forwarded
the specimen from Mr. Duncan, says this
of it:

This is matrimony vine, Solammi jasamin-
oides. It belongs to the same family in
which are found the potato, tomato, egg-
plant, etc., though it looks so different
from these.

The shrub is very hardy, succeeds every-
where in our country, but I do not know
that it lias been recommended as a honey-
plant, neither do I know anything about
the value of the shrub as a honey-producer.
T. J. Burrill.

■ lliiioiM Coiiveiilioit Rcporis.—

The Illinois State Bee-Keepers' Association
still have a good many copies of their Sec-
ond Annual Report on hand, and no post-
age to send them out. Any one sending
eight cents in stamps to pay postage and
wrapping, will receive a copy of same by
mail; or seven cents in stamps will pay for
a copy of the First Annual Report, if any
one desires it. Address, Jas. A. Stone,
Sec, Bradfordton, 111.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

523

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 ~0 or more apiarists
who help to make "Queries and Replies" so
interesting- on another page. In the main, it
win contain questions and answers upon mat-
ters that particularly interest beginners.— Ed.

Keeping Brood-Combs with Honey.

I have 100 brood-combs partly filled
with sealed honey and pollen. Can I
keep them till next spring and then let
the bees clean them out ? Or will freez-
ing make them unwholesome for bees?
They are selected combs, the drone and
crooked combs being used up. J. M.

Answer. —Freezing will not hurt them
unless it be to candy the honey some-
what, and it will kill worms. Don't let
mice get to them.

Sweet Clover on Pasture Lands.

What is the best time to sow sweet
clover on pasture lands ? F. M. P.

Freedom, Me.

Answer. — If you mean on freshly
ploughed land, either spring or fall. If
you mean to sow on the sod, in the fall ;
but you're not likely to get a catch un-
less the sod is well trodden by stock.

Very Late Swarming, Etc.

1. I am a new bee-keeper with only 5
colonies. I had no swarms during the
summer ; only one colony stored any
surplus until fall, then two others stored
about 10 pounds each, and on Sept.
29th one colony cast a large swarm, and
in less than 10 hours it was freezing
cold. The next day, of course, they
could not fly, and I gave them three
empty frames and some sugar syrup.
They now have eggs. Will they be likely
to live through the winter if I give them
plenty of sugar syrup ?

2. Will the old colony which has

plenty of stores be O. K.? I might state
that there are still some drones in the
yard.

8. Did you ever know of a colony
swarming so late in the season ?

4. If I have not done the right thing
with these bees, what shall I do ?

5. Can bees rear brood when the
nights are cool, or say when it freezes
slightly at night? J. R. S.

State Line, Ind., Oct. 8.

Answers. — 1. Although it might have
been better to have returned so late a
swarm, still with plenty of stores it
ought to go through all right. If you
have the combs to spare, better give it
two or three more.

2. I think the chances are in its favor,
although there is a possibility of its be-
coming queenless.

3. I don't remember how late I have
read about. I am sure I never had one
myself anywhere near so late.

4. I don't know of anything to be
done specially different from other
cases, unless it be to supply combs and
stores.

5. Yes.

Stone or Lumber for Bee-Cellar.

I am going to build a bee-cellar in a
side hill. I have more stone than lum-
ber. Would a stone wall, or rather, an
arch, made of stone, do to keep bees in,
or would it be too damp, as stone draws
moisture ? J. W. M.

Answer. — Some who have used lum-
ber for such caves, have afterward used
stone, as being more durable.

Slats in Section-Holders.

I have a theory on which I would like
the opinion of an experienced bee-keep-
er. Some of my hives have slats for
sections, but I have had no experience
with them on account of the grasshop-
pers. Honey has been almost a failure
for the last three years in this locality.
I had thought that tin rests would give
better results than slats, on account of
being above the frames — nothing to hin-
der them coming up where they please.
My theory is to get advantage of this,
and also the cleanliness of the slat.

I thought during cold weather I would
make what hives I need and put them
away for the swarming season. I would
make them J^-inch deeper, and then cut
the rabbet J^-inch lower, and put a nar-
row peice J^-inch thick across each end
to prevent sagging. I. will put one in

524

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAjL.

the center, then lay on the slats. If
there are any burr-combs they will come
under the slats, and not mark the sec-
tions. If there is any criticism to offer,
I shall be pleased to hear it. W. C. A.
Wood's Cross, Utah.

Answer. — The point in question seems
to be the desirability of having a middle
support to keep the slats from sagging.
I can hardly see that it could do any
harm, bnt I've had very little experience
with such slats, and that little has not
made me dead in love with them. I
should hesitate about making many
hives on the plan mentioned, for you
may want to change after trial. But
now the matter is before the whole Bee
Journal family, and possibly some one
can answer from experience. Do the
slats in section-holders sag in an objec-
tionable manner?

Alsike and Alfalfa,

Please name the difference between
Alsike and alfalfa clover— the character-
istics of both— as spoken of on page 335.

Decorah, Iowa. C. L.

Anwser.— Alsike has a blossom much
like white clover, but pinkish and larger.
Grows much like red clover, but with
smaller leaves and stalks. You cannot
miss it if you look for something that
appears like a cross between red and
white clover.

Alfalfa grows more upright and makes
a stronger growth, with a flower quite
unlike the clover. I don't like to give a
more minute description, for I might get
into trouble, having «never seen any-
thing of it except the hay in winter in
Colorado. Perhaps some one else will
describe it.

Wintering in West Virginia.

Please tell me, as nearly as you can,
how my bees should be protected through
winter, or if they need any protection at
all. They are in the Langstroth portico
hive. Sometimes it is 23^ below zero
here. W. C. K.

Penbro, W. Va.

Answer.- Whilst there is a great di-
versity of opinion as to the matter of
winter protection, I think there can be
little doubt that certain kinds of protec-
tion are desirable. Generally the first
question is whether bees should be win-
tered in the cellar or out-doors. In
your locality I suspect they are better
off out-doors, for 23 -' below is probably

exceptional. Still, I'd rather take the
opinion of one in your own locality who
has tried both kinds of wintering.

Very likely the thing for you to do is
to protect your bees against sweeping
winds. Dense timber growing on the
sides from which come the prevailing
winds is perhaps the best thing. Lacking
this, you can supply its place by plant-
ing, and for immediate protection you
can put up a close fence. Plenty of
corn-stalks packed closely around your
hives will serve a good purpose, of course
leaving entrances free. But some expe-
rienced West Virginian can tell you bet-
ter than I.

A Feeding Scheme.

I have been thinking of trying the fol-
lowing scheme next season. What is
your opinion of it ? It is this: To set
apart one colony for feeding early in the
season, and confine the queen below by
a queen-excluding honey-board, give
drawn combs above, feed sugar syrup as
fast as they will take it, removing combs
as fast as capped over, and substituting
fresh ones until I have enough combs of
sugar syrup capped over to supply all
colonies with winter stores ; in the fall
remove all honey and substitute syrup
combs. This would do away with fall
feeding, and give me all the honey stored
and the bees, and, I believe, better
stores. I might make the colony queen-
less and give bees from other colonies to
keep up the strength, but by that plan
get laying workers.

My crop this ye ar is TOO pounds of
extracted honey f rom 21 colonies. No
increase. F. H. R.

Laclede, Mo.

Answer.— Like many another thing,
you can tell better about it after trying
it with the bees. There may be some
difficulty about getting the bees to store
continuously from feeders. I shouldn't
want to try it on too large a scale at
first.

Ciiood Iloney-Sellers ought to be.
needed now, and the little 32-page pamph
let, "Honey as Food and Medicine," has
for years proven itself valuable in making
repeated sales of honey. Its distribution
will ermtc a dema?ul for the honey first, and
then the bee-keeper can follow it up and
supply that demand. Send to us for a
sample copy, only 5 cents ; 10 copies, post-
paid, 3.5 cents ; SOcopies, $1 .25 ; or 100 copies
$2.00. Try 50 or 100 copies, and prove their
ability to aid you in disposing of your
honey at a good price.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

525

Our Doctors Himts.

By F. L. PEIRO. M. D.

McVicker's Building, Chicago, III.

Only a Cold !

How often we hear the term used, and
with a degree of so perfect indifference
that fairly appalls more thoughtful persons.
The physician only too well recognizes the
folly of so slight an estimate of what is
usually called " a cold." Not that the
primary effect of a disagreeable cold is, in
itself, dangerous, but the results that may
follow it is the end to be greatly feared. So
long as a cold remains within certain
bounds, it is only a matter of inconven-
ience and perhaps trifling suffering for a
few days, at worst. But if neglected, or
carelessly increased, may become the fore-
runner of most painful and fatal disease.

" Only a cold " is the usual beginning of
a severe pleurisy or dangerous lung fever.
" Only a cold " is often the first and certain
step to that horrible torment— inflamma-
tory rheumatism! Can any suffering be
worse ? And is a patient ever again free
from tendency of recurrence after the first
attack ?

" Only a cold " has been responsible for
various forms of kidney-trouble, of which
Bright's disease is one, and incurable, so
far as yet known.

Inflammation of bowels and stomach is
another frequent result of a common cold,
to say nothing of neuralgias, diarrheas,
dysentery, sore throats, catarrhs, and
many other difficulties, the results of colds.
My object in stating facts so plainly is the
hope of warning my readers, and thus,
mayhap, be instrumental in warding off
great suffering.

Now, when / have a cold I endeavor to
take the best possible care of myself. I am
free to acknowledge I may be a little cow-
ardly about the matter, but after thirty
years' pretty close observation of others'
sufferings, largely through their want of
knowledge or willfulness, I conclude best to
use the judgment I have acquired, and
take smallest chances to encourage pain or
shorten my years. To this end I take the
proper remedy in time— No. 1 — contained
in the Bee Journal Family Medicine Case.
Keep comparatively quiet, in a warm room ;
eat very lightly, drink all the hot water or

hot milk I wish, cover up well in bed, and
in 24 hours I come out all right, whereas,
neglected a few days, I might be laid up for
as many days suffering agonies !

The public have a general idea that doc-
tors use some secret remedy to keep off
disease and avoid contagion. Nothing of
the kind. They simply use their knowl-
edge of possible results, and are careful to
avoid unnecessary exposure — advantages
that any one may profit by, if equally
painstaking.

CONDUCTED BY

MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY.

Beeville, Texas.

PROFITABLE BEE-KEEPING.

liesson No. 12.

(Continued from page 461.)

DIFFERENT KACES OF BEES AND THEIR
HABITS.

I think it is about time I was telling
about the different races, strains, etc.,
of bees kept in America.

BLACK OR NATIVE BEES.

I will take up the black or native bees
first. These bees have been here since
civilization began, as far as I know, and
we could have made out with them if we
had never gotten anything better. These
bees will store honey almost as well as
Italian bees during good seasons, and
enter the supers readily, too, and some-
times it seems that they are too hasty
to enter the supers and leave the brood-
nest almost without honey, and have
been known to starve and suffer just
after the supers were removed, as they
had all their honey above, and the supers
came off at the close of the harvest, and
the bees had no more chance to gather
honey, and so perished.

These bees usually turn out whiter
section honey than Italians, as they do

526

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi-,

not quite fill the cells full, and the honey
does not color the cappin^s.

Black bees are fearful robbers, and
also become discouraged very easily
when no honey is being stored. They
are also poor soldiers, as they are more
easily discouraged, and their sentinels
driven from the entrances, and robbers
can then walk in and help themselves.
Last, but worst of all, they are more
subject to moth-worms than other bees.
And to close my remarks on native bees,
I will advance my idea that they are a
genuine wild bee. We have a wild and
tame variety of a great many animals
that very much resemble each other,
and the black bees seem to want to pull
right out to the woods as soon as possi-
ble after they swarm. Also, when their
hives are opened they run as if they
were scared almost to death. All these
characteristics seem to prove to me that
they are a wild variety of bees. The
queens are usually prolific, and the bees
hardy.

ITALIAN BEES.

This race of bees made its appearance
in America about 40 years ago, by some
of our most enthusiastic bee-fathers, but
by whom it is hard to tell. But I would
be very glad indeed to know just who it
was, so that I could note it down for
future generations, but I will leave it
blank for the present.

The Italians are evidently our tame
bees, or bees that have been worked and
manipulated by the hand of man more
or less since the world was created. I
am told by some Italian history that 100
years ago, or less, there were no black
bees in Italy. The truth of this I could
not endorse, as the historian might have
been mistaken.

Italian bees are somewhat larger than
black bees, and always, almost without
an exception, they leave honey in their
brood-nests, and seem a little slower to
enter the supers, but store very rapidly
when once started in the sections. They
are not so much disposed to swarm as
blacks, and consequently usually a great
deal stronger in bees, and of course
gather more honey. They seem more
gentle, adhering to their combs while
being handled, and sometimes hang
around the bee-yard or house longer
than blacks, and giving every evidence
of a tame variety of bees. They are
not so readily disposed to rob, protect
their hives against robbers and moths,
and I might say, against any intruder
better than blacks. Having a tame dis-
position, they stay at home and fight to

a finish, when the blacks get scared and
run.

Comb honey stored by Italian bees is
not so white as that stored by blacks,
inasmuch as they usually fill the cells
full, and the caps are placed right on
the honey, as a little hole is left in the
cappiugs, and they put in honey until
it comes clear up to the cappings. Any
way, the cappings are against the honey,
which gives the comb the color of the
liquid honey. But when this is once
understood by consumers, they seem to
like it all the better, as the rich, golden
color looks well.

The Italians are harder to get off their
combs at extracting time, or any other
time. Being tame and gentle, they hold
fast. The queens are large, and very
prolific, and easy to find, as they seldom
run down in the hives like blacks. I am
satisfied they will go farther for honey,
and carry larger loads, are more hand-
some tnan blacks, pay better, and, all
in all, are a race of bees hard to " take
down " when all things are considered.

GOLDEN OR 5-BANDED BEES.

This is an Italian bee also. I suppose
that almost all old-time bee-keepers, as
well as some younger ones, have noticed
that the longer the Ilalians are kept
pure, and bred in America, they get
more yellow. This seems to be the case
with people that come here from Africa
— they get lighter after being domesti-
cated. I began looking after this par-
ticular trait in the Italian bees in 1885,
and for the last five years I have reared
bees almost solid yellow, and no bands
at all. These bees have about the same
traits as the old Italians, except they
are quicker to enter supers, and seem to
delight in how much honey they can put
into their hives. And swarming is not
indulged in quite as much as with com-
mon Italians. This characteristic alone
proves that they will be likely to store
more honey per colony, all things being
equal, for some bees are hard to keep
together long enough to store a super of
honey, and the non-swarming quality in
the 5-baiided bees is worthy of notice.
But they will swarm, too, occasionally,
and by an honest, fair, and impartial
test I have found them, as a rule, more
cross than common Italian bees.

But they are easily handled ; and,
Great Scott ! what robbers they are !
Whether their being so yellow makes
them conspicuous or not, I don't know,
but during a scarcity of honey the yel-
low " ladies" can be seen all over the
apiary, and if the weak colonies do not

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL-.

527

look out, it is good-bye. But this only
proves them to be rustlers, and where
the apiary is all 5-banded, they do not
stand much show, as they are as good to
defend as they are bad to rob.

After a five years' carefui test, I am
satisfied to hold on to my " Goldens," as
well as to the old mossback or leather-
colored Italians. They both suit me to
to a "t." If I were going to run an apiary
for comb honey, give me 5-banded bees ;
if for extracted, common Italians.
Either one of these strains of bees is
good enough for the Joneses, and it is
said they are the best people in the
world. For beauty, the "Goldens"
stand at the head, but for business I
cannot find any improvement worth
mentioning over the old three-banded
Italians.

CARNIOLAN BEES.

This beautiful race of silver-gray bees
I have given a thorough test the last
two years, and their queens are the most
prolific of any strain of bees I ever saw.
They build up faster, and get ready for
a honey-flow quicker than any bees I
ever had. They are, as a rule, the most
docile race of bees in America, or that is
my opinion. Out of the six fine breeders,
this year, only one produced bees that
cannot be handled without smoke. They
store white honey, or, like the blacks,
do not quite fill the cells, which leaves
their combs white.

They are not disposed to rob, nor do
they let a robber in if there is any
chance to keep her out. But I do be-
lieve that they are the worst swarmers
of the whole business. They would
swarm and re-swarm, and then rest
awhile and swarm again. But they
seem to know that they must stop long
enough to fill their supers before frost,
and all colonies that had a chance came
out with well filled supers on the home
stretch.

CYPRIAN — HOLY-LAND — ALBINO.

I have given the Cyprians, Holy-Lands
and Albino bees a fair test. The Albino
is too much on the sleepy order for me,
and the Cyprians and Holy-Lands are
too stingy to be used by most people,
otherwise they are good bees, and I can
produce fine honey crops with them.

Now, I have written out this history
of the different races of bees, giving
their characteristics just as experience
has taught me, by actual practice right
in the bee-yards, without the least bit of
partiality on my part. While my ex-
perience along these lines may not be in
accord with others, I mean to give my

own experience pure and simple, for
what it is worth, to ray readers, and you
may rest assured that I have given it
as nearly right as I know how.

Jennie Atchley.
(To be continued.)

DnltliiE Bees in llie Fall.

<luery 945.— What is your favorite way of
uniting- bees in the fail ?— Wisconsin.

My favorite way is not to unite them
— Eugene Secor.

My experience along this line has no
been very satisfactory. — J. M. Ham-

BAU6H.

I never unite any in the fall. We
make all of our increase by division or
artificial swarms, and never have weak
ones in the fall.— E. France.

By filling one brood-box with the
frames and all the bees of both swarms,
and plenty of honey for winter, then
smoke thoroughly.— W. G. Larrabee.

Read a bee-book upon the subject.
The space here at command is entirely
too small to intelligently answer such
questions as you ask. — W. M. Barnum.

I seldom unite. I don't want them
in that condition that they must be
united. In many cases it is best to use
a little sulphur and " unite the hives."
— H. D. Cutting.

I remove the poorest queen, use frames
from both hives, and shake all the bees
into the hive from which the poorest
queen was taken. Before this I have
moved the hives close together. — A. J.
Cook.

Remove the poorest queen, if any dif-
ference ; alternate frames from each to
be united in a new hive, or a hive that
neither of those to be united have oc-
cupied. When thoroughly mixed, smoke
moderately.— S. I. Freeborn.

My hives tier up nicely. I Just set
one colony on top of the other, quietly,
on a cool evening, without arousing the

528

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

bees. They will become scented alike
before mixing, and there is never any
fighting, with me. If one queen is poor,
kill her before uniting. If they are
equally good, let the bees decide the
matter. — B. Taylok.

Simply put the two together after it
has become so cool that bees do not fly
much. Lean a wide board over the en-
trance of the hive into which they are
put. Sometimes it is best to smoke
them thoroughly. — J. A. Gkeen.

At a time when the weather is so cool
that no bees are flying, I set one hive
upon the other — of course first removing
the bottom-board of the upper hive, and
the cover of the lower one. In a few
days the bees will usually unite without
farther attention. — R. L. Taylor.

Shake two or more weak colonies to-
gether in an empty hive, close it up
awhile, then give them their honey and
brood, and the best queen of the lot, by
introducing her by the candy plan. See
that they have plenty of honey for the
winter, and the job is over. — Mrs. Jen-
nie Atchley.

Either place the hive containing the
weaker colony on the other, or remove
enough frames from the one to put in
the brood-nest of the other during a
cool evening when they are not disposed
to fly. Kill the poorer queen previously,
so they may have but one queen. —
Dadant & Son.

Set one hive on the other, allowing
each colony its own entrance, with pas-
sage from one hive to the other only
large enough for one or two bees at a
time. This passage is to be enlarged in
a day or two, or if heavy paper separates
the hives, the bees will enlarge the pas-
sage.—C. C. Miller.

Smoke well the bees to be united.
Select the best frames of comb, and
place them with the adhering bees al-
ternately in the hive to receive them.
Do this after sundown. If there is any
choice of queens, cage the best. IJ(!tter
pinch the heads off the inferior ones be-
fore uniting.— J. P. H. Brown.

Near night, when too cool for thorn to
fly much, put the hives on a wheelbar-
row and " trundle " them to where you
wish the hive of the united colony to
stand, smoking thoroughly before load-
ing. In unloading, jar about much, and
when the bees are filled with honey, say
five to eight minutes from the time of
smoking, unite as you wish. Remove
all signs of " home " from the old stand,
and no loss will occur.— G. M. Doolit-

TLK.

Select the best queen ; then take a
frame of brood and bees alternately
from each hive, and fill up the new one.
Ordinarily golden-rod is being gathered,
so no trouble arises from want of stores
to gather. If no stores are being gath-
ered at the time of uniting, I feed for a
few days before and after the union. I
don't have trouble in one case in a hun-
dred.— J. E. Pond.

I have not done very much uniting, so
I can hardly say that I have a favorite
way. By spraying the bees with sweet-
ened water strongly scented with pepper-
mint, they unite readily, either by alter-
nating the combs, or by shaking the bees
down together in front of the hive they
are to occupy. If the hives are not side
by side, the latter is the better way. If
you put slices of onion in the hives, the
bees will unite without trouble. I have
tried this plan with entire success. — M.
Maiiin.

First, I place the colonies that are to
be united near together. Second, when
they have marked their location, I re-
move part of the combs, leaving only
those that I propose to put into the
united colony, and remove the queen at
the same time. The queen that I choose
for the united colony, remains for the
present. Third, I take a hive that be-
longed to neither of them, brush off the
bees from the combs in front of it, which
they enter and unite peaceably. — Mrs.
L. Harrison.

Queens ancl Qiieeii-Kea.i*inK. —

If you want to know how to have queens
fertilized in upper stories while the old
queen is still laying below ; how you may
safely introduce any queen, at any time of
the year when bees can fly ; all about the
diflferent races of bees ; all about shipping
queens, queen-cages, candy for queen-
cages, etc. ; all about forming nuclei, mul-
tiplying or uniting bees, or weak colonies,
etc. ; or, in fact, everything about the
queen-business which you may want to
know— send for Doolittle's " Scientific
Queen-Rearning " — a book of over 170
pages, which is as interesting as a story.
Here are some good ofTers of this excellent
book:

Bound in cloth, postpaid, $1.00 ; or clubbed
with the Bee Jouknal for one year — both
for only $1.65 ; or given free as a premium
for sending us three new subscribers to the
Bee Journal for a year at f 1.00 each.

Bound in paper cover, postpaid, 65 cents ;
or given free as a premium for sending us
two new subscribers ; or clubbed with the
Bee Jouknai- a year— both for only $1.40.
Send all orders to the Bee Journal office.

Read our great offer on page 541.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

529

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

Twenty-Fifth Annual meeting

OF THE

MTU ANERICAIV

BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.

BY FRANK BENTON, SEC.

The 25th Annual Convention of the
North American Bee-Keepers' Associa-
tion was called to order in the Commer-
cial Club rooms, at St. Joseph, Mo., at
11 o'clock, a.m., by the President, Rev.
E. T. Abbott, of St. Joseph, Mo.

After hearing the report of the Secre-
tary, the following members were en-
rolled for the year 1894:

ANNUAL MEMBERS.

D. B. Abbott, Overbrook, Kans.

E. T. Abbott, St. Joseph, Mo.
L. L. Alspaugh, Auburn, Nebr.
N. Arnold, Burlingame, Kans.

A. Y. Baldwin, DeKalb, 111.
H. G. Barber, Lincoln, Nebr.

D. E. Barker, St. Joseph, Mo.
Frank Benton, Washington, D. C.
Ralph Benton, Washington, D. C.
H. E. Bliss, West Winfield, N. Y.

J. W. Blodgett, Empire Prairie, Mo.
J. H. Brown, Rochester, N. Y.

E. L. Carrington, Maryville, Mo.
C. C. Clemons, Kansas City, Mo.
Dr. T. J. Conry, Florence, Kans.
W. H. Dancer, Lamoni, Iowa.
Chas. D. Duvall, Spencerville, Md.
Paul M. Francis, Mulberry, Mo.

B. Fredenburg, Johnson, Nebr.
E. B. Gladish, Higginsville, Mo.
Goold, Shapley, & Muir Co. (Lim.),

Brantford, Ont.
E. Ford Gordon, Adams, Mo.
P. C. Gress, Atchison, Kans.
Hon. C. Grimm, Jefferson, Wis.
G. V. Hagaman, Brenner, Kans.
W. S. Hart, Hawk's Park, Fla.
H. E. Heath, Lincoln, Nebr.
O. L. Hershiser, Buffalo, N. Y.
R. H. Holmes, Shoreham, Vt.
P"'rank G. Hopkins, Jr., St. Joseph, Mo.
R. F. Holtermann, Brantford, Ont.
W. Z. Hutchinson, Flint, Mo.
Wm. James, Pleasant Hill, Nebr.
Geo. M. Kellogg, Pleasant Hill, Mo.
W. L, Kemp, Farmiugton, Pa.
T. Frank King, Landover, Md.
J. C. Knoll, Glenwood Park, Nebr.

C. F, Lane, Lexington, Mo.

E. C. L. Larch, Savannah, Mo.
Louis R. Leighton, Omaha, Nebr.
Mrs. LydiaT. Leighton, Omaha, Nebr.
R. B. Leahy, Higginsville, Mo.
M. H. Mandelbaum, Chicago, 111.
H. Martin, Ashland, Mo.
J. R. Milne, Elm Grove, Mo.
Horace J. Newberry, Topeka, Kans.
H. C. Nichols, Amity, Mo.
C. E. Parks, Watertown, Wis.
Dr. F. L. Peiro, Chicago, 111.
W. L. Porter, Denver, Colo.

E. F. Quigley, Unionville, Mo.

F. H. Richardson, Laclede, Mo.
T. J. Rimmer, Richmond, Mo.

G. W. Schock, Falls City, Nebr.
John Schumacher, Weston, Mo.
L. D. Stilson, York, Nebr.

Col. T. H. Strickler, Solomon City,

Kans.
Hon. R. L. Taylor, Lapeer, Mich.
E. K. Terry, Burlingame, Kans.
C. F. Thomas, Dorchester, Nebr.
J. Van Deusen, Sprout Brook, N. Y.
J. T. Van Petten, Linn, Kans.
E. Whitcomb, Friend, Nebr.
John Wier, Carbondale, Kans.
Geo. W. York, Chicago, 111.

LADY MEMBERS.

Mrs. E. T. Abbott, St. Joseph, Mo.
Mrs. Hiram Barker, St. Joseph, Mo.
Miss E. A. Conry, Florence, Kans.
Miss Mattie M. Florence, Adams, Mo.
Miss Nellie Florence, Adams, Mo.
Mrs. M. E. Fredenburg, Johnson, Nebr.
Mrs. H. H. Larch, Savannah, Mo.
Mrs. LydiaT. Leighton, Omaha, Nebr.
Mrs. J. R. Milne, Forbes' Station, Mo.
Mrs. Ella Nieble, St. Joseph, Mo.
Mrs. J. M. Null, Miami, Mo.
Mrs. E. M. Phelps, St. Joseph, Mo.
Mrs. S. E. Sherman, Salado, Tex.
Mrs. L. D. Stilson, York, Nebr.
Mrs. Thos. Strawbridge, Ottawa,Kans.
Mrs. E. Whitcomb, Friend, Nebr.
Miss Loulu Williams, Sedalia, Mo.

LIFE-MEMBERS PRESENT.

J. T. Calvert, Medina, Ohio.
C. P. Dadant, Hamilton, 111.
Dr. C. C. Miller, Marengo, 111.
A. I. Root, Medina, Ohio.

Reports as to the number of colonies
owned by members, the yield of honey,
etc., were then listened to, questions
proposed by members were read, and
discussion of them deferred until later.
The convention then heard the follow-
ing essay, by J. W. Rouse, of Mexico,
Mo., which, in the absence of the writer,
was read by the Secretary :

530

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

Profits in Bee-Keeping.

I will not attempt an estimate of all
the profits to be obtained in keeping
bees, but will refer merely to one phase
of the question.

I take the position that it pays any
fruit-grower to keep a few bees, even
should no honey ever be obtained from
them. Many bee-keepers do not advise
others to undertake the keeping of bees,
for the reason that so many beginners
will not study up how to care for the
bees nor attend to them properly, and
so make failures. While this is true in
many instances, so far as honey is con-
cerned, there are also very many in-
stances of failures in all avocations of
life. The bees are very great aids in
the proper fertilizing of fruit-blossoms,
and while, in favorable seasons a few
bees may accomplish much in a consid-
erable territory, in an unfavorable sea-
son, such as a cool or wet time during
fruit-bloom, it may be only those blos-
soms that are near where bees are kept
that receive any benefit from the latter.

Trusting this is enough to open the
discussion, I hope now to hear from
others. J- W. Rouse.

(Continued on page 560.)

Utali Bee-Keepers' ConYention.

BY GEOKGE E. DUDLEY.

The Utah Bee-Keepers' Association
met on Oct. 4, 1894, in Salt Lake City.

George E. Dudley, of Provo, was
chosen Secretary in place of Mr. John
C. Swaner, resigned,

RAILROAD RATES ON HONEY.

A committee of three was appointed
to confer with the proper officials of the
various railways in regard to obtaining
lower rates for the shipment of honey
from this territory to Eastern markets.
The following were selected as the com-
mitt : Mr. Scott, Mr. Reese and Mr.
Dudley.

It appeared from the discussion that
followed, that railway rates were much
higher from Utah to Chicago and inter-
mediate points than from California —
to those States. Such discrimination by
the railroads met the disapproval of the
members, and steps were taken to place
the matter before the proper authorities
in order to get rates redu(;ed.

A discMission followed relative to fix-
ing the price of honey for the home

market. Nothing definite was arrived
at on this proposition.

THE WINTERING OF BEES.

Wintering of bees next claimed the
attention of the convention. As much
loss has been sustained in wintering col-
onies of bees in Utah, Mr. Scott, of
Springville, was requested to give his
method of wintering, as he has been
successful in his home apiary. He said
he uses the eight-frame Langstroth
hives, and sets them side by side and
close together on 2x4 inch strips of
lumber. He packs the backs with saw-
dust, after having nailed boards along
the back ends of the hives, about one
inch from the hives, to receive it. He
places an empty super upon each hive,
and nearly fills it with leaves or saw-
dust, and puts the flat board hive-covers
(which he uses) on the top of the super.
Over all these he places a simple board
roof that lies loosely upon the covers.
By this means there is a light upward
ventilation through each hive that car-
ries off the dampness and keeps the bees
dry and healthy, and prevents loss.

Interesting remarks were also made
by George Hone, of Benjamin, and
others, on the same subject.

An essay was received from Mr. Alex.
D. Frazier, bee-inspector of Tooele
county, which was read and ordered
placed on file. This report gave the
total number of colonies in Tooele coun-
ty as 647, and the number of pounds
of honey produced about 31,300.

President Lovesy, in a very able man-
ner, spoke of the necessity of crowding
the hives with bees by the time the
honey-flow commences, in order to ac-
complish the best results.

The meeting adjourned to the usual
time, next spring.

George E. Dudley, Sec.

Provo, Utah.

Profitable Hee-Keeping:, by Mrs

Atchley, will continue for some time in her
department of the Bee Journal, at least
each alternate week. Until further notice
we can furnish the back numbers from May
1st, beginning with her " Lessons," to new
subscribers who pay |1.00 for a year's sub-
scription to the Bee Jouknal — that is, we
can commence their year with the number
having the first lesson, if they so desire.

One-l^eiit I»osfa,g:e S^tamps we

prefer whenever it is necessary to send
stamps for fractions of a dollar. By re-
membering this, you will greatly oblige us.

Oreat Premium on page 544 I

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

531

BEE-KEEPING IN CAI.IFOR1VIA.

BY W. A. PRYAL.

[Continued from page 502 of last week.]

Many Californian bee-keepers live at their bee-ranches only during the spring
and summer months, when the bees require the most attention. During these
months the hives are prepared for the reception of the crop that is expected
to flow into them ; the harvesting done, and after the colonies are found to
be in a condition for the winter, they are then left to themselves while the owner
goes to town to spend the balance of the year, or perhaps, he goes to look after
some other property he owns. Some of these "bee-ranchers" have farms or
orchards elsewhere that they can devote the remainder of the year to with profit.
As a general rule, though, they live at their apiaries and cultivate a piece of ground
in connection with their bee and honey interests. The wise bee-keeper looks towards
being a landed proprietor; he secures a forty-acre lot or more. This he improves
at the leisure, and almost before he knows it he has a little "Garden of Eden"
about him. With a small stream of water he is enabled to work wonders in the
warm canyons that are to be found almost everywhere in California.

I know a bee-keeper who came to this State some years ago for his health — he
had lung troubles. Knowing that open-air exercise was the most beneficial thing
for him, he sought and obtained work with a bee-keeper in Los Angeles county. He
had no previous knowledge of the business ; in a year or so he was so familiar with
all the work about the apiary that he concluded to embark in the occupation him-
self the next year. He did so. He purchased a suflBcieut number of colonies to
handle conveniently, and obtained a quarter section of land (at that time land was
not as high-priced as it has since become in that county — neither was the climate
sold as a regular commodity !) Our young friend cultivated a small portion of this
land, so as to have all the vegetables he and his mother and brother required. His
bees rolled in large quantities of beautiful honey, which he sold at a fair price. His
health was by this time fully restored ; he therefore branched out in business. More
land was cleared and cultivated. It was ascertained that his neighborhood was a
fine one for the successful cultivation of all kinds of fruits, except cherries. The
settling of his vicinity, and the planting of fruit trees, seemed to have had the
effect of causing the sumacs thereabouts to bloom at the same time the white sage
was in bloom. The consequence was that the beautiful honey he previously obtained
was no longer of that delightful transparent color that it used to be before the
sumac bloomed at the same time as the sages. His honey was no longer as mark-
etable as previously ; he determined to abandon apiculture for this reason.

There are a few others who gave up their bees for the same reason. And yet

582 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

these abandoned bee-ranges are as prolific in honey as they ever were. To those
who will be content to produce a dark-colored honey, these ranges offer a fine field
for operation. There is no doubt that the time is not far distant when all kinds of
honey, .as long as it is of good flavor, will sell readily enough. And the difference in
the price will not be so great as to make it an object for the producer to desire to
produce white honey to the exclusion of the darker grades. The noise that the
sugar-honey controversy made will have the effect in making consumers believe that
all light-colored honeys are the product of the sugar manipulators. Of course, this
will be a very erroneous belief, but it will work to the benefit of the man whose bees
have a " dark " honey range to work upon. Verily, " it is an ill wind that does not
blow somebody good." But, I am digressing.

Some of California's old-time apiarists have become fruit-growers of no mean
order. To cite instances, I will name first the man who, perhaps of all others, did
more to make the State famous as a great honey-producing gar den — J. S. Harbison.
Then there is Mr. Corey, Mr. Touchton, Mr. Bliss, and, I believe Mr. Wilkins, and
a number of others. Now, strange to say, none of these men file serious indictments
against the bees being the worst kind of fruit robbers. Experience has taught them
that, though the bee may help itself to all the loose fruit-juice it may find, it does
not maliciously and burglariously break into the fruit and steal the contents there-
of. It is the fruit-grower pure and simple who makes this broad and unjustifiable
charge.

The senior editor of OLeanings, who made two trips to this State, and who wrote
up these trips in an interesting manner for his periodical, made some statements
about the country which were a little " off color." I am sure he made these mis-
takes unknowingly. Often a traveler will get things a little tangled up in his notes.
This is nothing uncommon with newspaper reporters, and is the reason some people
say they never believe what they see in a newspaper. It will not be my purpose to
try and set Mr. Root right ; in fact, I did not keep track of his writings, and I am
sure that at this time I am unable, without re-reading said articles, to tell just
where he did misstate things. I remember one thing, however, which seemed too
funny to me to forget in a hurry. It was something he said about the kind of hay
we raise; about it looking so much like straw. I am afraid some of those "stray
straws " from Dr .Miller's hay (?) stack must have become raveled in my good friend's
brain. The Doctor would do well to keep those straws of his under control.

I don't know where Mr. Root saw that " hay-straw," but it could not have been
up this way ; and, from what I saw in my southern travels, I am sure they are not
engaged in raising bamboo for fodder for their horses. True, we don't raise timothy,
but we do raise a hay that gives us the fastest horses in the world. A hay that will
produce such horse-flesh it not to be laughed at. Surely, somebody must have im-
posed upon the sage of Medina.

A word about our hay. It is as easy to raise as grain. In fact, it is cut out of
the same field ; the difference is that the hay is cut before the seed of the oats or
wheat has got well into the " dough " state. When it is passing from the milk into
the more advanced state, it is ready to cut. It is not left to dry up in the field, but
raked up after the mower and left in winrows for a day, when it is cocked up, as we
call it. Then in a weesk or so, it is stacked up and let cure for a couple or more
weeks, when It is pressed and is ready for market. Some growers do not stack it,
but haul it directly to the press. When this sort of hay is properly cured, it looks
anything but like straw. Grain sown for hay is scattered thicker than that for
grain ; the consequence is that it comes up finer, and is not so rank. This hay is
sold at about $12 per ton. The price varies with the conditions of the season.
When we have had a sufficient rainfall the price is reasonable ; when the season is

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 533

a dry one the prico is as high as $15 or $20 a ton. These conditions also regulate
the wheat and other produce markets.

Much of the truck gardening is carried on by Italian and Chinese gardeners.
The islands in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers offer splendid opportunities
for truck gardening, as there is plenty of water always handy, and the soil is of the
richest nature. Even here the Chinese have large gardens, and ship largely to the
San Francisco markets. Such a thing as a dry year is unknown on these islands.
The only thing that the occupants dread is a flood, which is occasioned by the over-
flow of the river, or the breaking of the levees. Some of these islands were flooded
by the excessive rains that visited this State last year.

There are some apiaries along the rivers named in the last paragraph. The
average honey crop is good, though the honey is not as light-colored as that obtained
on high ground. The comb honey stored by the common bees on the islands is suffi-
ciently light to command about the same price in the market as the clear honey
from the southern part of the State. It has not the high flavor that the sage honey
has, and in other ways it is not as good. However, the islands, or rather the banks
of the rivers, in the central portion of the State, are not bad places to establish an
apiary, all things considered.

ANSWERS TO CERTAIN CORRESPONDENTS.

No, don't come to California unless you have several hundred dollars with you,
and expect to make a fortune from the time you set your foot on the soil. It is as
hard to make a fortune here as it is in any other part of the world. Californians
earn their living by the sweat of their brows.

Numerous styles of frames are in use here. The one that is most preferred is
the Langstroth. Any sort of a hive will do, so long as it is not too small. Small
hives are a nuisance, as the bees in them will throw off too many swarms.

Mostly extracted honey is now produced. This is mainly owing, I believe, to
the fact that it is easier to ship. The freight rates are lower on it, and it is easier
to handle.

Second-hand coal-oil cans that have been thoroughly cleansed, are used mostly for
shipping honey. Some producers use new cans, but the majority use the old cans.
I have heard that it is getting to be a hard task to get second-hand cans any more,
for the reason that the importers of coal-oil are buying up all the old cans to refill.

No, most emphatically, don't wait to get married in the East before you come
out here. This State is full of as charming ladies as are to be found anywhere, and
who are looking for the right man* to put in an appearance. Perhaps you are that
gentleman. You may be sure that the aforesaid ladies want you to come out here
and make your matrimonial intentions known.

When you have lived in the State a year, you won't want to leave it. It is
worthy of remark that anyone who has resided here for any length of time will
never go elsewhere to live. Those who have tried to do it have surely come back.

North Temescal, Calif.

[*It must be that Bro. Pryal isn't quite the "right man," for we believe he has
not as yet surrendered to any "charming lady." And how about Rambler? He
must be the wrong man, too. — Editor.]

A KIXD OF MIGRATORY BEE-KEEPIISfG.

BY JOHN CRAYCRAFT.

The subject of shipping bees to the North for the honey crop has been thought
over a great deal for several years. I had several long conversations on this subject

534 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

with Dr. N. P. Allen, of Smith's Grove, Ky., some twelve years ago. I had about
forgotten the subject until I read Mr. McArthur's article on page 305. I wrote
Mr. MArthur a letter in regard to his shipping his bees to the South instead of
killing them, and then buying in the spring. I made the suggestion to him about
as follows :

That on or about the first of September to prepare his bees thus: Extract all
honey except some 10 pounds per colony ; fill the hives with the best strong combs,
with a small amount of brood — not more than one frame full per colony (in several
frames), and about one quart of young bees and a queen. To ship them South, to
Florida, and come with them and care for them, and get a crop of orange honey in
March. Breed his bees up full in April, and ship them home by May 1st, or at such
time as suited. Or arrange with some practical, experienced bee-keeper here who
could receive them, care for them, get a crop of orange honey, and have what in-
crease was made by swarming ; all that swarmed having young laying queens re-
turn to him, others with such queens as were sent, if living.

I feel sure If the railroad charges were not exorbitant, it could be made profit-
able to both parties, if all were conducted in good faith and honorably. I know that
they could be returned full of bees and brood, ready for harvest in store for them.

In shipping them from the North to winter here, it might be better to leave
more honey in the hives than I suggested (10 pounds) some seasons, as our fall
honey along the St. John's River is not very certain. They would not get much
until the maple and willow came in, which is about Jan. 1st. Some years it is a
little earlier. Orange commences blooming usually about Feb. 20th, and lasts until
about April 1st, so that bees on Christmas, having plenty of honey and two quarts
of bees, can be made full of bees and brood, and ready for the orange crop the last
of February, although more bees and brood to start with would be better.

I commenced the first of last March to build a new apiary. I had 20 fair to
good colonies to start with. I made 112 new cypress hives for 10 short or cross-
wise Langstroth frames, which I prefer. I have now 110 good colonies on 10
frames each, got 170 gallons of honey, 200 pounds of comb honey, and my bees
are gathering honey from golden-rod and motherwort. I will move my bees to the
orange groves this winter for orange-blossom honey.

I hope some bee-keepers in the North will make a trial of moving their bees to
the South to winter, and gather a crop of orange honey, then move them North for
the clover and basswood honey.

I would be pleased to correspond with bee-keepers who might think of embark-
ing in this kind of migratory bee-keeping.

Astor Park, Lake Co., Fla., Oct. 1.

I^II^DHN OR. BASSl^OOD HOIVEY DEFEXDEO.

IJY C. THEILMANN.

On page 212 is an article written by Chas. F. Muth, on "The Best Honeys of
the World," wherein he gives the preference to the different kinds, namely : White
clover, mangrove and California sage. All other honeys go to manufacturers, prin-
cipally, almost exclusively.

Mr. Muth has advanced similar ideas heretofore, and it is time to put in a pro-
test against such misleading ideas, at least as far as linden or basswood compared
with sage honey is concerned, for table use. It would surely be better judgment in
putting Northern linden honey at the head of the list, and sage honey for manufac-
turers. There is no whiter honey than Northern linden. There is no honey that is

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 535

more crisp than linden. There is no honey that seems to have the same medical
properties for lung and chest troubles as has linden, and there is no honey that has
that peculiarly fine aroma and flavor that linden has to Northern people. There is
no honey that sells for more in the markets from Portland, Oreg., to Philadelphia
Pa., except probably at Cincinnati, where Mr. Muth has been educating people to
use sage honey.

A great portion of the linden honey does not get credit due itself, and is sold as
clover honey, and thereby clover gets the credit which belongs to linden. To prove
this, I will give only one of the many instances that came under my observation.

Sometime in August I went to Minneapolis to sell my linden honey (I had no
other). The first question I was asked there by the honey-dealer was : " Is your
honey white ? Is it clover?" I told him it was white, and there wasn't a drop of
clover in it. That it was all linden. " Well," he said, " send me 500 pounds of it,
so I can see what it is."

I did so, and after the arrival of the honey there, I got a letter to send him all
the clover honey I had. I told him again that it was linden honey, but his reply
was, " Send it along."

About a week after I had sent him ray honey, I went to our State Fair, and
gave my customer a call, and there my linden honey went oflf like hot-cakes for
" clover honey," and since then I have received a number of letters from those that
bought some of that honey, asking me if I had any more of the " clover" honey I
sent to Minneapolis! Hereby the readers can see that clover gets credit which
belongs to linden 1

I could give many more cases on this question, but this will be enough. By the
way, I got two 1st and one 2ud premium at our State Fair, on a lot of linden honey,
amounting to $30.

Now, what is California sage honey ? It is nearly as white as Northern linden,
but the eye gets the most good of it, as it is gummy, with no particular flavor, ex-
cept of alkali and sage-brush. Whenever I taste any of it, it reminds me of the
same strong smell, only in a less degree, which was so offensive to me when I
traveled through alkali and sage-brush some years ago on the Pacific coast. I
never tasted any other honey that is as flat as is sage honey — just like it is with
some of the California fruits compared with our Michigan fruits. Many of the
people are beginning to know the difference. The other day I wanted to get a
crate of Eastern peaches at St. Paul to take home with me. (It was towards even-
ing). But I could not find any in the city. A number of carloads came in that
morning, but were all sold, while there were many thousands of crates of California
peaches waiting for buyers at low prices. It is the same way with honey. My
linden honey always sells from one to two cents higher than does California sage.
It seems that Mr. Muth had the blues over the honey market, when he wrote

that article, as near the end of it he condemned all honeys — clover and all to

manufacturers. Theilmanton, Minn., Sent. 25

THE XORTH AMERICAN— OTHER IVOTES.

BY MRS. B. J. LIVINGSTON.

Now let US get our faces fixed to hear all the good things from St. Jo. We hope
every one will emulate that character in "The Hoosier Schoolmaster," who had
been "to Bosting." Early and late, tell us what you did, heard and saw when you
were "to " St. Jo.

Now please don't have two conventions yearly. Have pity on those who don't
wish to feel so badly twice a year because they can't go.

536

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Does She Ever Rest ? — On page 469 Dr. Miller said the very things to Mrs.
Atchley that I wanted to say. Is there no end to the responsibility that that woman
is willing to shoulder ? Do you suppose she ever sits down in a sleepy hollow of a
rocking chair, and, folding her arms, lets go of things for ten minutes ? I doubt it.

Mrs. Atchley, when do you rest ? Tell us, please.

Not Honey-Dew. — Mr. Taylor, in Farm, Stock and Home, suggests the possi-
bility of our light fall honey being honey-dew. The drouth in this State threatened
our bees with starvation until after the first of August. The basswood here was
minus, for some reason, for I had sections with drawn comb on all my strongest
colonies, and I did not get a pound of sealed honey from that source. However, the
bees are in good condition for winter, and late in the season they stored from 30 to
50 pounds of surplus, per colony. The drouth that has troubled us for two years
has dried out the sloughs, and developed some honey-plant that is new to us. We
have traced the bees to our big sloughs, but have not found one plant. It cannot
be honey-dew — it is too fine a honey — flavored like the asters.

Those " Othek Things." — Edwin Bevins, shake hands! I, too, have found
those " other things" (see page 473) connected with bee-keeping, and have all too
little time to do " what I love to do so well."

Centre Chain, Minn., Oct. 12.

t^T" Do not write anything for publication
on the same sheet of paper witn business
matters, unless it can be torn apart wlthou
interfering with either part of the letter.

Bees Doing Well.

Some of my bees are doing well. I
have 15 colonies. One swarm issued on
August 10th, and it is doing well.

D. a. Payne.

Caddo Mills, Tex., Oct. 11.

Two Meetings a Year.

I read the suggestion about "Semi-
Annual Meetings" of the N. A. B.-K.
A. with delight, and with some regret.
I was pleased to see that two such meet-
ings were advocated by the editor, and
that he took Maine and Canada, on the
east, and Texas and California on the
west, and named times of such meetings
as the first of October for the West, and
for the East in April. I regret that he

failed to give any recognition to all the
Southern country lying east of the Miss-
issippi river and south of the Ohio river.

He says that the membership will re-
main largely locil. Having all of its
meetings in the North will always keep
it so. I know that there are a great
many Southern bee-keepers who to-day
would be members if they could enter-
tain the hope of meeting with the fra-
ternity of bee-keepers.

I will not complain further, but will
make a few suggestions : In the event
that through the great wisdom of the
members they have two meetings yearly,
that they decide them North and South
instead of East and West. Starting
with one about March 10th, say in Cal-
ifornia, in ISBf); then in October, in
the East, for Maine and Canada ; in
Florida in March, 1896 ; then back in-
to the central North, say Ohio, in Octo-
ber, 1896; back South to Texas in
March, 1897 ; and then back to the
present vicinity in October, 1897. Thus
making the meetings every third year
within the territory named. This would
make it National, and would add great-
ly to its membership ; it would give
members in the South an opportunity of
meeting with its members, for the meet-
ings in California at that season would
be better for the cold Northern members
to attend the same in Texas, and espe-
cially so in Florida, where many of the
Northern and Eastern members would
delight in meeting, and enjoy hearing

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

587

the busy hum of bees on the orange
bloom in March, while their cherished
workers were wrapped up in ice and
snow in the North.

" Brethern and sisters, what do you
think of our suggestion."

Astor Park, Fia. John Craycraft.

[We stand corrected, Friend Cray-
craft. Certainly, the South is entitled
to its turn in having a meeting of the
North American within its borders. We
should like to see it go to our Sunny
Southland sometimes. Doubtless it will.
— Editor.]

Central Iowa Convention.

The Central Iowa Bee-Keepers Asso-
ciation met at Oskaloosa on Oct. 5th
and (3th. The attendance was light, but
an interesting meeting was had. The
discussions were full and instructive.
The next meeting will be held at Oska-
loosa, in December, 1895. The officers
for the following year are as follows :
President, T. C. Mendenhall, of Oska-
loosa; Vice Presidents, Hon. Hardin
Tice, of Oskaloosa, T. J. Howard, of
Cedar, and G. W. Rhine, of Taintor;
Secretary and Treasurer, W. E. Bryan,
of New Sharon. The meeting in 1895
should be well attended, as this should
be the best bee-keepers' association in
Iowa. W. E. Bryan, Sec.

New Sharon, Iowa.

Varieties of Golden-Rod, Etc.

I will send you with this three or four
stalks of golden-rod of different varities.
One has a large bushy, top, grows from
three to four feet high, and is worthless
as a honey-plant. Another kind that
somewhat resembles corn-tassel, I think,
is also worthless for bees, so far as I
have seen. But then there are two other
kinds that are good, as I have frequently
seen bees working on them. One is a
square top, about two feet high, with a
reddish looking stem, and deep yellow
flowers. The other kind — the best of
all for bees or honey — is a small kind,
and grows from one to two feet high,
with reddish purple stem, and spire or
cone-shaped top, with bright yellow
flowers. I have watched this plant
quite closely this fall, and I never saw
bees working on anything better. The
trouble is, there are not enough of them.

I would say for the benefit of H. H.
H., on page 458, get of this last-named

variety, if he thinks of planting golden-
rod.

I have been a reader of the American
Bee Journal for nine or ten years. I
have had my ups and downs with bees,
and some experiences not worth while to
mention here. I started last spring with
(iO colonies, and worked them for comb
honey, but got only a little surplus
honey — about 400 pounds in all, but
they are in good condition for winter
quarters, with plenty of basswood honey
to last them until spring.

My apiary is located about two miles
north of the Iowa river, and about one
mile from the nearest basswood trees— a
little too much to one side of the bass-
wood for best results in times when it is
yielding nectar, which it did this year to
perfection, or at least it bloomed well,
and lasted for fully two weeks, but our
bees were in poor condition to gather
the nectar- — too weak in numbers.

Ackley, Iowa, Oct. 15. N. Young.

[Friend Young, the specimens of gold-
en-rod came all right. Thank you. We
are quite sure that several of the vari-
eties you sent do not grow around Chica-
go. The only kind we have noticed here
is the one with a bunch of bloom at the
top. — Editor.]

In Good Condition for Winter.

I took from the cellar 22 colonies of
bees on March 24, 1894, having lost
only two colonies by uniting in the cel-
lar. They did well up to June 1st,
when the drouth, which lasted until
Sept. 1st, shut them off so that they
gathered a small amount of surplus. Of
light honey I got 370 pounds, and of
dark 330, or TOO pounds in all ; but
my bees (30 colonies, including increase)
are in good condition for winter, with
plenty of stores. My honey was all in
one-pound sections.

Austin Reynolds.

Cataract, Wis., Oct. 8.

Second Year's Experience.

We are very much inserested in bees,
have read the Bee Journal one year,
and think we cannot do without it. This
is our second year. We started with
seven colonies, and only increased to 10
the first season. The past season we in-
creased to 26. We lost a part of one
swarm. They were going to the woods
as fast as they could go. They had only
been hived about one hour when we saw

538

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

them leaving. They never stopped to
cluster. My husband shot among them,
and about half came back, but without
the queen. We gave them eggs from
another hive, and they are a good, strong
colony now. We have averaged 110
pounds per colony, spring count, with
300 pounds left unsealed.

Olive Artman.
Artman, Colo., Oct. 13.

Honey from Golden-Rod.

I notice in this week's Bee Journal
that H. H. H. would like to know the
kind of golden-rod which the bees get
honey from. We have a good many
kinds of golden-rod here, but there is
only one kind that bees work on. The
golden-rod with the flat top is the kind.
I have had bees gain llj^ pounds a day
on golden-rod. It lasts about two weeks.

If you want the seed, I can furnish it.
Geo. W. Nance.

Anthon, Iowa, Oct. 13.

One of the Asters.

I send a blossom of a plant which
grows in great abundance in this neigh-
borhood. The bees work on it more
than any other flower. I would like to
know the name of it.

Agency, Iowa. D. S. Farnsworth.

[This is Aster Ucvis. It seems to have
attracted considerable attention recently
from the numbers of bees found upon it;
still there is a question as to whether
they are getting much nectar. The bees
certainly gather pollen from the plant
in considerable quantities. — T. J. Bur-
rill.]

Another Apicultural "Don't.

Now and then the bee-papers come
out with a string of apicultural "Donts."
I want to be allowed to add one more to
the string, though it may be that it has
appeared before. I want to say to be-
ginners in bee-keeping, don't presume
too much on the good nature of your
bees.

I have a lively recollection of the con-
sequences, once upon a time, of over-
confidence on the part of the writer. I
had been working along through the
early part of the season without the use
of much smoke, and so I got careless
about having the smoker in good work-
ing order every time I opened a hive.

One hot day, a year ago last summer, I
fired up, and went out about noon to re-
move a case of sections from the hive.
I smoked a little at the entrance and set
the smoker down, and then pried up the
end of the section-case. The bees began
to come out pretty lively, and I paught
up the smoker to check their advance
but the smoker would not work, and
their advance was not checked. There
was a hole in the knee of my overalls
about as big as the palm of my hand,
and my knee was just on a level with
the opening I had made between the
hive and super. The reader can imag-
ine what followed. I beat a retreat for
the time being, but soon returned and
got that case of sections.

Persons having the rheumatism and
wanting to apply the bee-sting remedy,
can possibly get some good suggestions
from the above experience. They will
see at once how easy it is to get, the
remedy applied right on the exact locali-
ty of the disease. Edwin Bevins.

Leon, Iowa.

Bees Did Splendidly.

I began last spring with 7 colonies,
six in good condition and one very
poor. Bees did splendidly for this year.
I had an average of about 40 pounds
per colony, and 4 swarms. My bees are
in the Langstroth frame hives. The
bees in this vicinity are all in box hives,
or in Root hives, but their owners never
see the inside of a hive from one year's
end to the next, yetthey know (!) all about
bees, and say, "You tinker with your
bees too much !" Why cannot we have
a bee-inspector ? I tell you, their hives
are foul-brood traps ! Fred Card.

Burns, Mich., Oct. 11.

[Friend Card, you probably wil have
to get a foul brood law in your State,
and then bee-inspectors will be ap-
pointed to see that the law is enforced.
— Editor.]

'^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 sold at the office of the Bee Jour-
nal. Price, postpaid, 25 cents ; or clubbed
with the bEE Jouknal for one year— both
together for *1.15.

Have You Read page 51.^) yet ?

VOL. XXXIV. CHICAGO. ILL, NOV. 1, 1894.

NO. 18.

'* It is i\ot jfJIitc'Ii the world can give,

With all its subtle art ;
And gold and gems are not the things

To satisfy the heart ;
But oh, if those who cluster round

The altar and the hearth,
Have gentle words and loving smiles,

How beautiful is earth !"

^Ii*. H. KeeiM'ii, of Germany, we are
sorry to hear, has been suffering from sev-
eral attacks of "la grippe." His health is
improving, however, and he hopes soon to
be all right again. Mr. Reepen, it will be
remembered, wrote some interesting notes
on bee-doings in Germany, for the '• Ameri-
can Bee Journal" last year. He keeps
close track of bee-matters* in "the father-
land."

Xliose i%'eM- Sul»!»cribei-s, that you
have long been thinking of getting, are
very likely ready now to give you their
names. You know that besides " throw-
ing in "the numbers for the rest of this
year to new subscribers for 1895, we also
give each one of them a free copy of the
160-page book. "Bees and Honey." Yes,
and we will give you a premium for get-
ting the new subscribers, as you will see on

page 546. Better at once " get after " those
bee-keeping friends of yours, and secure
their subscriptions, so you can send it with
your own renewal before the end of Decem-
ber. To double the present list of readers
of the " American Bee Journal " will mean
more than a doubly better paper for all.
We can guarantee that. If each subscriber
sends only one new name, the thing will be
done. Will you do it ?

Mr. Alfred H. ]\ewmaii, of Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, gave us a pleasant call last
Saturday. The majority of our readers
will remember him well as the eflBcient
business manager of the "American Bee
Journal " for so many years when his
father, Thomas G. Newman, was its editor.
Mr. Alfred H. Newman is now the Secretary
and Treasurer of the Cedar Rapids Candy
Company — a large concern that manufac-
tures candy on an extensive scale, and at
present employing some 30 persons, seven
of which are kept constantly on the road
as salesmen for the firm. It's a "sweet"
business, especially as extracted honey is
used to a certain extent in making some
their candies.

Xlie Convention Report, on ac-
count of the sickness of Mr. Lighton, the
short-hand reporter, has been delayed in
reaching us. We had hoped to publish a
"big slice" of it in this number, but we
can now safely promise that after this
week we can place it all before our readers
in rapid and satisfactory manner.

Though we had not the regular report of

the proceedings to publish this week, we

are not entirely "left in the cold," for on

I page 560 of this number of the " American

550

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Bee Journal," will be found a kind of "epit-
ome " of the St. Joseph convention, by
Bro. Hutchinson, together with sugges-
tions and comments that cannot help being
interesting to all. We asked Bro. H. to
write up his impressions of the meeting for
the "American Bee Journal," and what
you find in this number from his pen is the
happy result. We think it is one of his
best productions, as everything is told in
such a captivating way.

Next week, besides a large part of the
regular proceedings that we will be able
to place before you, we will publish some
more "Convention Echoes," which have
been sent us by an interested member of
the convention. The "Echoes" we refer
to here, will doubtless cause " echoes " of
laughter to be heard by the one who reads
them, as they are told in a mirthful way.

We are going to heed Sister Livingston's
request on page 535, viz. : " Early and late,
tell us what you did, heard and saw when
you were 'to' St. Jo."

Bi-o. Ernest IS. Root has been quite
sick with " la grippe," we regret very
much to learn. Also his little 3-year-old
son, Leland, is just recovering from an at-
tack of congestion of the lungs. On his
return from the St. Joseph convention,
Bro. Calvert writes us, he found Ernest R.
confined to the house with that " grippy "
disease. We are very glad to know that
both E. R. and Leland are now (Oct. 24th)
on the way to health again. By the time
this is before our readers, we hope the two
sick ones may be fully recovered.

A Midwinter Bec-l^Ieeling-. —

Mrs. Atchley is a regular steam-engine.
She's now working up a big bee-meeting,
to be held at Beeville, Tex., on Dec. 2rth
and 28th. Here's her letter about it:

Deak Bho. Yokk:— After writing a num-
ber of prominent bee-keepers of Texas, and
receiving great encourageiiieut about a
midwinter bee-meeting. I have decided to
call a meeting at Beeville, Tex., on Thurs-
day and Friday, Dec. 27th and 28th. Tell
all to come and see our beautiful "Sunny
Southland " country, and let's have a
good time.

The meeting will l>e at my house, or api-
ary, 2l<f milles nortli of Beeville. No hotel
bills. Free hacks from the depot to the
place of meeting. All that will come,
please drop a card to Jennie Atchley, Bee-

ville, Bee Co., Tex., and special arrange-
ments will be made for you. All railroads
will give half fare.

Set to work right now, and let's see how
many will be here. And bring all your
bee-keepers with you— wives, daughters,
etc. Yours truly,

Jennie Atchley.

Now we think that's just splendid! We
don't see why Mrs. Atchley shouldn't be
able, with the help of other Texas bee-folks,
to get up a bigger convention than the one
held at St. Joseph, Mo., a few weeks ago.
Everybody in the South should begin to
plan now so as to be able to go. It will
pay you grandly ! You never will get a
better chance to attend a big bee-meeting
so cheaply. Half fare on the railroads,
and no hotel bills! What more do you
want ? Why, if it did not come in our very
busy time of the year here in the " Ameri-
can Bee Journal " ofiice, we would be greatly
tempted to be there, too.

We do hope that Texas bee-keepers, and
those from adjoining States, will just over-
whelm Mrs. Atchley— just " swarm " there
in such numbers that the good Beeville
folks will have their " hives " crowded for
two days! We understand that the people
of Beeville are going to help Mrs. Atchley
entertain. That's the way to do it. Now
let everybody be there, who can possibly
do so, and help make it a rival of. the late
North American Bee-Keepers' convention !

Tlie Convention Pliotograpli

mentioned by Bro. Hutchinson in his
" Notes " on page 505, is a splendid one. In
fact, it is the finest group picture we have
seen in a long time. Surely, every mem-
ber of the St. Joseph convention will want
it, and everybody else ought to have it.
We are very certain A. I. Root never be-
fore looked as happy and " pleased " as he
does in this picture. Dr. Peiro looks " per-
fectly natural," and Mrs. Strawbridge—
well, " perfectly lovely " expresses it. All
are ijoud. Better send 75 cents for a copy,
to W. Z. Hutchinson, Flint, Mich.

l6ro. 1']. F. <Jnisley was uninten-
tionally omitted from the list of editors
given by us on page 522, as having been
present at the St. Joseph convention. He
is the associate editor of the "Progressive,"
and of course stands in the row of " seven
editors " in the convention photograph r^r
ferre4 to above,

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

551

Sof teiie«l Feoliiigs need not always,
or at any time, be --soft feelings." Bro.
Hutchinson refers to something of the kind
in his comments about the St. Joseph con-
vention, on page 56:1 He truthfully says :

We are a band of brothers; but some-
times some of us get to feeling a little edge-
wise towards some of the brethren. We
think there is good reason for it, and per-
haps there is ; but when we meet the offender
face to face, take him by the hand, sit by
his side and see an honest soul shining out
of his eyes, we find our emnity melting
away. It would not surprise me if several
people went away from St. Joseph with a
better opinion of somebody else than they
had when they came. For this alone, the
meeting is worth all it cost.

We want to say that we think Bro.
Hutchinson is just right in the above.
When we all sang together that very ap-
propriate closing song, " Blest be the Tie,"
we thought we could almost imagine an
occasional tear on some of the faces. We
certainly felt it was indeed "good to be
there," and sad to " asunder part."

Yes, Bro. H. has expressed it exactly, in
the above paragraph. We can recall sev-
eral people that we met at the convention,
for whom we shall hereafter have a higher
esteem. Indeed, the " social part of a con-
vention " is a mi(j?t(y bitj part !

^l\: au<l Mrs. I>. t>. Siiiitli, and

little son Leonard, who are bee-keepers in
Jewell, Kans., have been visiting Beeville,
Tex., where Mrs. Atchley lives. They are
seeking out a home in that part of " Sunny
Southland." We hope they may be en-
tirely successful and satisfied.

Xlie Ne\»- l*ei-colafor Feeders. —

On page 437 we reprinted Dr. Miller's de-
scription of " Feeding Simplified," followed
by Bro. E. R. Root's comments and experi-
ments. In the next number of "Gleanings "
we find something more about it, showing
that Mr. Root believes Dr. Miller's dis-
covery is " one of the most valuable ideas,
in the line of feeding, that have been pro-
posed in many a year.'' Here is the most
important part of the editorial to which we
refer :

We have been making some quite exten-
sive experiments in the line of feeding, on
the percolator idea. I am happy to an-
nounce that it is a success ; but we get alto-
gether the best results with the crock, a few
folds of cheese-cloth, and the plate. We
have fed a good many colonies by the gal-

lon-crock plan. Into each crock, by meas-
ure, we put equal parts of granulated sugar
and cold water. The mixture is then stir-
red, after which several folds of cheese-
cloth are laid over the mouth of the crock.
A dinner-plate is set on top, and the whole
is inverted, and set over the colony.

At first the bees show a disposition to
take the feed down slowly ; but after a
little they "catch on," and will empty out
a crock in from 24 to 4S hours; but in
nearly every instance there will be a very
slight residue of sugar clinging to the bot-
tom of the crock. This does no harm on
the subsequent feeding; for more sugar
and water are put in. and the operation is
repeated as before. If you desire to have
every particle of the sugar used up in one
feed, put the requisite quantity of sugar
itself into a cheese-cloth bag, tie its mouth,
drop it into the crock, and fill it with water.
In a day or two, both the sack and the
crock will be empty ; and not only that, but
nice, clean and dry.

We have been trying the Miller feeders
by pushing folds of cheese-cloth up under
the partitions. But we find it is difficult to
get the cloth properly tucked in so that in
all cases the sugar and water will percolate
properly. Although we have fed a good
many colonies with Miller feeders on the
percolator plan, we very much prefer the
crock. I am rather glad that the crock
gives the better results. It may spoil the
ftuppbj dealer.'^' demand for feeders ; but
every bee-keeper will have in the house just
the very articles that will make the best
feeders in the world, without a cent outlay
or expense.

Now that we have given the percolator
feeders a good trial. I do not hesitate to say
that Dr. Miller has contributed one of the
most valuable ideas, in the line of feeding,
that have been proposed for many a year.
It will save daubing up the good wife's
stove, the handling of dripping feeder-cans,
and the carrying of water, incorporated in
the old-fashioned syrup, to out-yards. By
the new idea, during the worst robbing
time it is possible to carry a barrel of gran-
ulated sugar out into the center of the
apiary, and give colonies their doses of
food, made up of sugar and cold water,
right in the middle of the day. There will
be no robbers to speak of. Before the syrup
has actually been made, it is enclosed in
the feeders, in the hives. Then, too, this
pei'colator syrup, if good authorities are
correct, will not crystallize.

A Koiuiciil lioiiiposifioii.— Last

winter we attended an entertainment
called "The Deestrick Skule," given by a
certain chapter of the Epworth League here
in Chicago. The following " Komposition "
was written and read by our esteemed
friend, Mr. Thos. R. Cone, who took the
part of "Ruben Rubenstuff er " — one of the
scholars who lived in the "deestrick." He
was so badly afllicted (?) with stuttering

552

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

that he could scarcely read at all, which
made it still more enjoyable, as well as
' ' komical. ' ' Here it is :

KOMPOSITION ON THE BEE.

The bee is a double-winged critter what
has a hidden power that cannot be seed.
When he gets mad he is a .holy terer, and
when he climes upon your bee-in, he gives
vent to his feelins that can't be heard but
felt.

The bee can do more damage in a minit
than most animals kin in hole week. If you
have any bisnis with a bee, never 'proach
him from the rear, fur it would not be
wise. Most fowels have only two legs, but
the bee what chased me and Deacon Way-
back last Sunday, when we were out hunt-
in, hed 500 legs. So Deacon Wayback sed.

The fust bee was diskivered by Georgie
Washington when he cut down his ma's
cherry tree, and he could not tell a lie,
'cause it stung him to the heart.

Me and Ikie Schnickelfritz found a bum-
ble-bee's nest tother day, and Ikie he sed he
knowed how to lick bumblebees; and he
jest put puckerin' strings on the bottom of
his britches, and then he jest dared the
critters to find where he was at ! And then
he got down on his face and put his head
under a haycock, and acted awfully brave!
He said he was infallible. I guess Ikie's
ma had not zamined his clothes very soon,
fur the bumble-bees found a thin spot, and
they jest backed up over that there thin
spot, and they tetered up and down, and
Moses ! you oughter to have seed that thar
haycock move ! I almost split a lafin !

The poet Shakespeare talks of bees in his
novels, when he sed, "To be, or not to be,
that is the question."

MORRALL.

Oh, bumble-bee, thou sweet-winged creeter,
Upon our anatomy thou doth teeter.
With eyes protruded, with a wild cry and

a jump,
The small boy doth murmur, " Ah, feel that
lump!"

Yours troly,

Ruben Rubbnsxuffer.

One-Cent PoNtag^e Stampn we

prefer whenever it is necessary to send
stamps for fractions of a dollar. By re-
membering this, you will greatly oblige us.

Read our great offer on page 546.

COWVEKTIOIV DIRECTORY.

Time and place of meeting.

1894.
Nov. 10.— Western Washington, at Tacoma.
G. D. Littooy, Sec, Tacoma, Wash.

Nov. 13. 14.— Illinois State, at Springfield, 111.
Jas. A Stone, Sec, Bradfordton, 111.

Nov. 14, 15— S.W. Wisconsin, at Montford,Wis
A. A. Arms. Sec. Hurlbut, Wis.

Dec. 5.— Central California, at Hanford.

J. F. Fiory, Sec, Lemoore, Calif.

Dec.18, 19— Northern Illinois, atRockford,llI
B. Kennedy, Sec, New Milford, 111.

1895.
Jan. 9.— Indiana State, at Indianapolis, Ind.

Walter S. Pouder, Pres., Indianapolis, Ind.

Jan. 21, 22 rada State, at Denver, Colo

H. Knight, Sec, Littleton, Colo.

Jan. 28.— Venango Co., at Franklin, Pa.

C. S. Pizer, Sec, Franklin, Pa.

Jan. 30, 31.— Vermont, at Middlebury, Vt.
H. W. Scott, Sec, Barre, Vt.

Feb. 8, 9.— Wisconsin, at Madison, Wis.

J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec, Madison, Wis.

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 American Bee-Keepers' Association

OFFICERS FOR 1895.

Pres.— R. F. Holtermann Brantford, Ont.

Vice-Pres.— L. D Stilson York, Nebr.

Secretary.- W. Z. Hutchinson... Flint, Mich.
Treasurer.— J. T. Calvert Medina, Ohio.

National Bee-Keepers' Union.

President— Hon. E. L. Taylor. .Lapeer, Mich,
Gen'Ij Manager— T. G. Newman, Chicago, 111.
147 South Western Avenue.

»• TIk- Jerome ISimuer!^,^* by Miss
Irene Jerome, are something new in the
line of artistic designs. Each Leaflet or
Banner consists of four panels beautifully
decorated in colors and gold, attached by
ribbons of appropriate colors, combined
with elegant extracts from popular authors,
and enclosed in decorated envelopes. This
unique set of publications differs from any-
thing previously given to the public, both
in illustrations and form. It consists of
four designs in color and gold, which are
called Banners, each being composed of
four separate panels or cards, 5x7)^ inches,
connected by colored ribbon, so that it
I can be displayed on the wall, or folded into
an ornamental envelope which accompanies
it, in book-form. The price of each Banner
is 50 cents. Sold separately if desired, or
$2.00 for the entire set. Each Banner,
when hung, is about 21 inches long by 7^
wide. Address, Lee & Shepard, Publish-
ers, Boston, Mass.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

553

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 make "Queries and Replies" so
interesting: on another page. In the main. It
win contain questions and answers upon mat-
ters that particularly interest beginners.— Ed.

Loss of Queens in Introducing.

I introduced a queen on the 5-day
plaj?. She was all right when the 5 days
were up, but I found her 4 or 5 days
afterward thrown out in front of the
hive. Why did they accept her, then
kill her ? Or is that often the case ? I
have lost X of my queens in introducing
this fall. Is that above the average
lost ? W. P.

Choctaw City, 0. T.

Answeb. — Yes, your loss is heavier
than usual. With regard to the queen
you mention, if a queen is fully accepted
and goes to laying, she is rarely rejected
afterward. Sometimes, however, the
bees seem to think she'll only do till
they can get another queen started.

Wintering Nuclei, Etc.

1. Can I with safety (to queens) unite
in one hive for winter two nuclei, sepa-
rated with a division-board having queen-
excluding metal 4x4: inches on each side
of the opening in the division-board?
How shall I prepare nuclei for winter ?

2. On Aug. 5 I purchased a select
tested queen. I found on Oct. 2, two
frames containing two or four eggs in
each cell, four frames partly filled with
honey and no eggs. Is this indication
(more than one egg in a cell) a detriment
to the quality of the queen ? Please
give the reason for this excessive laying.

R. C. W.

Answers. — 1. I have wintered prob-
ably a hundred or mora nuclei in the
way you mention, only no excluder zinc

between. Simply a division-board %-
inch thick between the two nuclei, then
wintered the same as any colony.
There's surely an advantage in letting
one have the heat of the other, I think.
In all cases where the two are clustered
up against the division-board, making a
solid cluster with the division-board in
the middle, I am afraid the zinc would
not be quite so good.

2. If a queen is present, and there are
not bees enough to cover well the other
combs, the plurality of eggs in a cell
shows a good queen. If the eggs are in
drone-cells, I should suspect laying
workers.

Cedar Wood for Feeders and Supers.

Are bee-feeders made of cedar lumber
any detriment to the bees? I made
some percolator feeders as described by
you recently, and the very next day
the water above the sugar tasted of
cedar. Also, could surplus honey get
any flavor of cedar on account of using
cedar lumber for supers ? J. F. R.

Puyallup, Wash.

Answer. — While I wouldn't want to
keep extracted honey in cedar vessels,
on account of the taste, still I hardly
think it would do any harm to the bees.
It might be well to let the feeders stand
for some time filled with water before
using. That would take away some of
the rank flavor.

Cedar supers would be all right for
comb honey. The flavor of pine is quite
strong, but I never knew it to afifect sec-
tions of honey.

Section Slats— Winter Protection.

1. In using sections for comb honey,
how can best results be obtained from
slats or tin rests ? I have had no expe-
rience, as I am a new hand, and the
grasshoppers have interfered with the
honey crop for three years.

2. About what is the cheapest and
best winter protection for bees ?

Wood's Cross, Utah. W. C. A.

Answers. — 1. There is a difference of
opinion. Some like one, some the other.
For my own part, I like the T tins,

554

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

They don't sag. The wood slats cover
the bottoms of the sections, but that
makes a temptation for the bees to
crowd in propolis along the edges, and I
think I'd rather have the sections bare.

2. That's a pretty hard question to
answer. There are so many ways and
so many conditions. In my locality I
think cellars are the best protection,
and I suspect they are in yours. But if
I were in your place I would try to find
out what was successful in the hands of
bee-keepers near by. If you don't cel-
lar, try to have something in the line of
a wind-break on the side of the prevail-
ing winds, even if it is nothing more
than a pile of corn-stalks.

"Wire Staples for Bottom-Boards, Etc.

You speak of having taken a fancy to
those wire staples for securing bottom-
boards, covers, etc. I have used them
for years — got the idea from the double-
pointed tack. Unlike some things I
have become enthusiastic over at one
time and another, the longer I use them
the better I like them. I have made
mine in a slow, " pokey" way, by hand,
using a hammer and dies, and cut them
from steel wire. If you find any place
where they are manufactured, you
would confer a favor by sending me the
address of the firm. J. A. N.

Answer. — These are the staples men-
tioned by L. Highbarger. After some
inquiry I got a supply from Bullard &
Gormly Co., 78 Randolph St., Chicago.
They call them " tobacco staples." Cost
7 cents a pound. I got the 1}4 inch size
— }4 inch larger than the size Friend
Highbarger has been using. There are
about 2()0 staples to the pound, so the
expense is light.

A Kind of Bee-Grub or Maggot.

One of my neighbors who keeps a few
bees found quite a number of dead bees
on the alighting-boards, and as the lady
of the house is the chief worker of the
family among the bees, she examined
tliein and in each bee she found a grub
or maggot, white, with two black points
resembling eyes on the larger end or
head. They were in the abdomen of the
bees, and were in size from a 4-days-oId

larva to one nearly ready to seal over,
but whether it will kill all the bees or
not is hard to tell. I have found but
one so far in my bees. We cannot find
any description in any of our bee books
or papers, and I write you to see if you
could let us know through the "Amer-
ican Bee Journal " what the plague is,
and how it gets into the the bees. Is it
probably fatal ? Did any of the " bee-
ologists " ever see or hear of anything
like it before ?

The yield of honey was very good here
this year, and the bees have their brood-
chambers full. J. S.

Westfall, Oreg.

Answer. — I don't know a thing about
it. I asked the convention at St. Joseph,
but could get no light. Send one of the
affected bees to L. O. Howard, Entomol-
ogist, Department of Agriculture, Wash-
ington, D. C. Possibly he may be able
to identify it.

Queen Stopped Laying, Etc.

In looking over my bees a few days
ago, I found the colonies strong, with
plenty of honey, but no brood nor eggs.
I have only three colonies ; all were
alike. I looked for the queen in one,
and found a fine looking queen but no
eggs or brood. Do the queens quit lay-
ing at this time of the season ?

There was very little honey for them
here the past summer, and they were
quite weak last spring, and I did not let
them swarm, or at least I tried not to,
and, in fact, I saw very little inclination
to swarm until quite late, and I never
saw but one drone all summer among
ray bees. Could it be possible that they
swarmed, taking the old queen and leav-
ing a young one, and with no drones for
them to mate with, and so leave the
queens barren ? Or would they swarm
under such circumstances? C. W. C.

Sac City, Iowa.

Answer. — I don't believe you need
worry a bit. It's nothing unusual for
queens to stop laying in October, and
this year they seem to stop earlier than
usual. Some of mine stopped in Octo-
ber.

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.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

655

Our Bqctors Himts.

By F. L. PEIRO, M. D.

McVieker's Building, Chicago, III.

Tlie Care of Clilldreu.

O Ignorance, how much suffering is laid
upon your broad altar, the] fires on which
are not quenched by torrents of human
tears! Are you destined forever to hold
us in bondage, that our cries and sufferings
may rise to your indifferent senses, and be
unheeded ? Will the day ever come when
the intelligence, or even the thoughtful-
ness, of our humanity may free us from
your enthralling grasp ? If so, Heaven
speed the day that, at least, our children
may be spared the results of our seeming

How the heart goes out in deepest sym-
pathy for the little child so unfortunate as
to be in the care of those reckless fools who
lift, swing and jerk the little one's arms as
it is often seen done ! There go that man
and woman — whom it is a sacrilege to call
its father or mother — arrived at that ditch,
and taking each a hand of the little one,
jerk it across as they jump over! That its
arms are not dislocated at the shoulder is
no credit to their contemptible folly. Many
a child's arms have been put out of joint in
this criminal manner, and when the child
has cried with resulting pain, been whipped
for its protest. Far better had that man
taken the tender burden and carried it in
safety.

Many a cripple has had to suffer a life of
humiliation and pain because of such fool-
hardy practices. Many a poor hunch-back
has been made so by being thrown up in
the air when a babe and its spine weakened
and curved. Many a " pigeon breasted "
child owes his deformity to being swung
repeatedly by the arms. Many a sufferer
from hip-joint disease— from crooked legs—
from dislocations— from enlarged and stiff
knees— from permanently paralyzed lower
extremities, conditions worse than death
itself, are to-day walking illustrations of
the ignorant cruelty of those whose bounden
duty it is to protect their little ones with
their very life, if need be. Little need or
value to deplore these results in after
years. Loving care and reasonable judg-
ment would have avoided the evils that
now no physician can heal.

Dr. C. C. miller's Cisterns.

Anent the questions asked on page 471
by that hard-headed, soft-hearted brother,
I am a little "stumped." He says he luouH
build a root-house, and so that point is
settled.

Now, as to reconciling his ill-smelling
cistern next to his residence, I can offer
little consolation. A man of so clear per-
ception need not be told how dangerous it
is to have bad smells so near his home, and
the feasibility of filling up the said cistern
with nice, clean gravel, must occur to him.

I cannot recommend that he burn the
house— the law does not permit me to be a
party to the crime of arson. Nor could I,
from humanitarian reasons, advise a meas-
ure that would likely insure the destruction
of a whole menagerie of fleet and creeping
things; four-footed, many-legged, and
winged inhabitants. To disturb so large
and domesticated family would be cruel in
the extreme !

Only another suggestion occurs how Dr.
Miller may "make that cistern sweet:"
Dump in all the honey and sugar you can
find : I think that'll do it.

Queens aucl Queen-Reariiis:. —

If you want to know how to have queens
fertilized in upper stories while the old
queen is still laying below ; how you may
safely introduce any queen, at any time of
the year when bees can fly ; all about the
different races of bees ; all about shipping
queens, queen-cages, candy for queen-
cages, etc. ; all about forming nuclei, mul-
tiplying or uniting bees, or weak colonies,
etc. ; or, in fact, everything about the
queen-business which you may want to
know— send for Doolittle's " Scientiflc
Queen-Rearning " — a book of over 170
pages, which is as interesting as a story.
Here are some good offers of this excellent
book:

Bound in cloth, postpaid, $1.00 ; or clubbed
with the Bee Journal for one year^both
for only $1.65 ; or given free as a premium
for sending us three new subsci'ibers to the
Bee Journal for a year at $1.00 each.

Bound in paper cover, postpaid, 6.5 cents ;
or given free as a premium for sending us
two new subscribers; or clubbed with the
Bee Journal a year — both for only $1.40.
Send all orders to the Bee Journal office.

Honey a.s Food and ITIedicine 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 page .571 of this num-
ber of the Bee Journal for description and
prices.

556

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL,.

CONDUCTED BY

MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY.

Beeville, Texas.

Another Remedy for Paralysis.

Mks. Atchley:— TellMr. L. B. Smith
to try this recipe for bee-diarrhea :

One ounce of carbolic acid, and 8
ounces of salt, to 13 pints of water.

I effectually cured 12 colonies— two
with diarrhea, and ten with paralysis —
last spring. I sprinkled the tops of the
combs and the bottom-boards three times
a week. In eight days all symptoms
disappeared. I got ray hint from the
" American Bee Journal," seeing where
the recipe had been successful in pre-
venting foul brood. John B. Black.

Pattonsburg, Mo.

Friend B., I am glad to have your
remedy, and among so many thousand
bee-keepers in the world, we surely can
find a sure and effective remedy for this
dread disease among our pets. Some
one that has the chance, try this and
report. Jennie Atchley.

Bee-Keeping in South Texas.

Mrs. Atchley :— I have been think-
ng of going to Texas for some time. Ts
there room for more bee-men ? Bees
are my most delightful pets. How have
you come out in that part of Texas ? Do
you like that part better than North
Texas ? I wish you would write another
article about how you like that part of
Texas, and have it published in the
"American Bee Journal," for my inter-
est and others who are talking about
going there. J- H. Bekry.

Gale's Creek, Oreg.

Friend Berry, I will inform you that
there is plenty of room here, and will be
for many years to come. You see Dr.
Miller gave me a good lecture lately,
and his advice has done me good, as I
had not heretofore made my answers
as plain as I should.

Now I do not mean that there is an
abundance of room right at Beeville, as
we have this territory pretty well
stocked. We will have about 1,500
colonies here, scattered in different
directions, and of course it would not be
best for either myself or the other bee-
keeper to locate in my territory, but I
am the only practical apiarist in this
county, or adjoining counties, as far as
I know. I mean by "practical," one
who gives his or her ivliole attention to
bee-culture, and depends upon it for a
living entirely.

But I will say that the counties of
Bee, Live Oak, McMulIen, San Porticio,
and Goliad can support 50,000 colonies
of bees, as there is carload after carload
of honey wasting every year for want of
bees to gather it.

I can place 100 bee-keepers in good
localities for honey, and not interfere
with my territory, or have them crowd
each other.

Yes, I like this country better than
North Texas for a bee-country. It is
more healthy, drier, and the most pleas-
ant country I ever lived in. We can go
out and look after our bees any day in
the year. It rains but little in the sum-
mer, and that is fine for the bees. We
have now been here a season, and have
all the short cuts noted down, so we can
run our bees more profitably another
year. We have all the honey-plants
down, and can tell you in a few minutes
just when to have your bees ready to
catch the harvests. Mr. A. and I will
take pleasure in locating all who may
come to this part of the country to keep
bees. We really need 20 more good
bee-keepers in this county.

Jennie Atchley.

Bee-Eating Birds.

Mrs. Atchley says they never trouble
her bees. Well, if they do not, where
did those hundreds of birds come from
that passed over here about two weeks
after she left Greenville ? They began
flying over on Friday evening, about
half an hour before sundown. They
were very hungry, and passed right
through my bee-yard, not over 15 or 20
feet high. On Saturday evening hun-
dreds more passed over. I was ready
for them this time with a shot-gun. The
bees were after them, and fighting for
life. I could see from one to a lot of
bees after each bird. The birds would
hide in trees near the yard.

I learned one thing, and that was, the

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

557

bees knew the birds were their enemies.
The birds have returned, and I am
waging war to exterminate them, as
they will eat up my bees.
Terrel, Tex. David Grossman.

Friend C, I never saw such a thing in
my life. May be the bees just fought
to run them away, and the birds did not
eat them. Jennie Atchley.

Melting Honey.

Mrs. Atchley : — We have some honey
stored from fireweed. and we warmed it
to bring it back to its liquid state, as it
was candied. We placed it on the stove
by putting the can containing the honey
into another vessel of water, and brought
to a boil, as given in the "Bee Journal,"
but it gave the honey a strong taste.
We would like to have your opinion on
this matter. We also have white clover
and fruit-bloom honey candied.

W. H, Daugherty.

Mt. Tabor, Oreg.

Friend D., I am of the opinion that
you boiled your honey too much, as it
should not injure honey to melt it. Mr.
R. Wilkin, of California, told us that he
scorched several hundred pounds by
heating it too much by a jet of steam. I
would suggest that you try it again, and
put two strips of wood for the honey to
rest on, and warm it gradually until
melted. Jennie Atchley.

Bees on Turpentine and Sulphur.

Mrs. Atchley : — I thank you for an-
swering my questions. I wish to ask
another through the "Bee Journal."
Why do bees collect on turpentine and
sulphur ? My chickens were sick, and
I put turpeniine and sulphur in their
water. The bees gathered around the
water just as if it was honey.

Dorchester, Nebr. F. C. Lee.

Friend Lee, I am puzzled this time,
and I do not know. Will some one ex-
plain this for Friend L.? Prof. Cook
would be the right one to do it, I think.
Jennie Atchley.

A Namesake.

Mrs. Atchley : — My wife has a sweet
little baby girl two weeks old. Being
enthusiastic admirers of you as a bee-
keeper, we have decided to name her

"Jennie," for you, and hope she may
some time be a noted bee-woman, too.
If you will send her a queen, I will start
her in bee-keeping, and when she gets
old enough I will try io interest her in
apiculture by telling her how the start
was make for her, etc. It would cer-
tainly be pleasing to us to have her be-
come a successful bee-keeper.

We have 12 colonies of bees on Lang-
stroth frames. We have black bees,
but wish to change to Italians soon. We
had the poorest season for honey last
season ever known in this section.

Demorest, Ga. J. E. Free.

Friend F., I gladly send little Jennie
the queen, and trust that she may grow
up to be a successful bee-keeper, and be
a pleasure and honor to her parents.

Jennie Atchley.
zszs

gggggamggtggggggggiggw'

Best Maiiapmenl of Swarnis.

Query 946.— Which will give the better
results — hiving two swarms together at
swarming-time, or hiving each separately on
a reduced number of frames, one-half or one-
third, owing to size of swarm, and when the
white honey-flow is over unite by removing
the queen from one hive and filling up others
by placing in frames and bees alternately ?—
Indiana.

The latter, probably.— Eugene Secor.

Hiving two swarms together. — Mrs.
L. Harrison.

We would put the two together at
once. — Dadant & Son.

I should prefer hiving the two swarms
together. — G. M. Doolittle.

Hiving the swarms separately in hives
of proper size. — J. A. Green.

By hiving two swarms together at
swarming-time.— W. G. Larrabee.

I always give a good prime swarm a
hive. I think it pays best. — A. J. Cook.

If the swarms are primary ones of
good, average size, hive separately for

558

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL-.

the best results. If they are only
"casts," hive together for the best re-
sults.—J. P. H. Brown.

The latter method, decidedly, unless
the swarms are very small. — R. L. Tay-

LOK.

Much depends. In my locality I
would practice your first suggestion.—
J. M. Hambaugh.

Hiving them separately in a contracted
hive, and then uniting, will give the
most white honey. — B. Taylor.

I don't know. If the honey-flow is to
last long, perhaps hiving separately ;
otherwise uniting. — C. C. Miller.

If swarms are weak, I always unite
them at swarming-time, and never unite
at any other time.— Jas. A. Stone.

If the swarms are not too late or too
light, better results will be obtained by
hiving separately.— Mrs. J. N. Heater.

If the swarms are large, hive them
separately ; if small, put enough to-
gether to make a strong colony.— E.
France.

It all depends upon the condition of
the swarms. If small swarms, put them
together; if good fair swarms, hive
separately.— H. D. Cutting.

The success of either method will de-
pend upon locality — that is, time of
making swarms, and time of main honey
harvest, whether early or late.— P. H.
Elwood.

This will depend upon the size of the
swarms. I do not think I would care to
unite two good swarms, but there might
be times when it would pay. If I in-
tended to unite at any time, I would
prefer to do it when the bees swarm. —
Emerson T. Abbott.

So much depends upon circumstances
that a definite answer cannot be given.
What would give the best results in one
locality would fail in another. Nothing
is to be gained by uniting large swarms,
and two small ones will do better united
than separate. — M. Mahin.

I have never tried the plan, so I don't
know. I don't intend to have such
small swarms as are indicated in the
question. I return second or third
swarms, or, in fact, all small swarms, to
the parent colony, as it does not pay me
to fuss with them.— J. E. Pond.

If the swarms were not too large I
would hive them together. Good, strong
swarms, at the beginning of the tioney
season, is what wo should aim for. One
such colony is worth three or four weak
(or '• middling fair") colonies. One of

the secrets of success is to have our
colonies strong and in working condition
during the working season. Let in-
crease be always secondary to the good,
healthy and vigorous condition of our
colonies. — W. M. Baknum.

That would depend upon the season.
In a good season, hiving two such
swarms together would give the most
surplus — if they do not swarm again.
I believe, however, that hiving separately
on a reduced number of frames, and
uniting afterwards, will generally pay
best. — C. H. Dibbern.

I would do neither in the way you
state it. But if one of the queens is re-
moved at the time the two swarms are
hived together, there is less trouble
about absconding, or, what is little bet-
ter, sulking, and wasting of valuable
time. I only "contract" when I decide
to work the bees into cash, in way of
surplus honey. — G. W. Demaree.

I do not know in your State, but for
Texas I will always take the swarms
separately, large or small, and build
both up for our honey-flows. But for
your latitude, you may get more honey
by hiving both together, contract the
brood-nest, and force them into the sec-
tions— a la Hutchinson. I would not
unite at all in my latitude. — Mrs. Jen-
nie Atchley.

It would seem by 946 that honey in-
stead of increase is your object; if so,
and your honey harvest is likely to be a
short one, it would be best to unite at
swarming-time, as two moderate-sized
swarms might, if united, gather some
surplus. If hived separately, they
would no more than gather enough for
their own wants. If the honey season
was to be a long one, it might change
conditions. — S. I. Freeborn.

Sam and MaMy " Keep Bees."

BY A. B. keeper.

(Continued from page 246.)
Having finished my work in a couple
of hours, I strolled down to Sam's dom-
icile to see the new candidates for api-
arian honors, and help them out with
some instruction. Arriving near the
place, I was arrested by sundry exclama-
tions and an excited colloquy. Ap-
proaching the fence, I paused, and see-
ing Sam and Mandy in front of the
bee-hive, I waited to see what they were
"up to." Sam had a burning rag

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL-.

559

wrapped on the end of a stick, and was
blowing the smoke into Mandy's eyes
and the hive.

"Hi, dar ! you fool nigger! Stop
blowin' smoke in mah eyes, er I bust
you ober de head wid dis pan !"

" How you specs Ise gwine to make
all de smoke go one way, huh ?" replied
Sam. "Keep yo eyes outer de way.
Dars er lot uv 'em now — ketch 'em !"

Mandy made a dash at the entrance
with a cloth she held, and covering the
entrance and alighting-board, she held
fast, while excited and angry bees buzzed
about her head, occasionally stinging,
judging by the way she bobbed her head
and uttered excited grunts. Sam re-
treated promptly when Mandy dashed
the cloth over the entrance, and from a
safe distance gave instructions.

" Hoi' 'em tight, niggah ! Don' let
em git loose !"

" Bettah come heah and blow dat
smoke, 'stead ob stannin' dar and talk-
in'."

Thus admonished, Sam cautiously ap-
proached.

" Now hoi' dat 'lasses 'n I feed 'em !"
A light dawned on me, and with diffi-
culty I repressed a hearty "Haw, haw,
haw !"

Sam and Mandy were about to feed
their bees. Sam had a 'Small stick, and
Mandy turned up her cloth cautiously,
and when a bee appeared Sam pinned it
with the stick, and from the end of an-
other small twig a drop of syrup was
dropped on the poor bee's head.

"Dar, honey; eat yo se'f full. Poor
little fellah was hungry. Aunty Mandy
feed urn."

Thinking things had gone far enough,
I put on a veil I had brought, and ap-
proached. Sam espied me first, and
arose with a broad grin on his black
face, which quickly changed to a howl
as a bee " kissed " him.

" Gosh a-mighty ! U-u-u-u-u !" sput-
tered Sam. " G'way frum hyar ! Lem-
me 'lone, pesky debbil, yo !"

Mandy pulled her cloth from the hive-
entrance, and quickly retreated behind
a tree, where she laughed long and loud.
" Ki, yi, fool niggah git stung ! Hi,
hi, hi ! Reckon ef Brudder Jones har
yo talk dat ar way, he gib it to yo 1"

Matters finally cooled down. Sam
was consoled by the word-picture of the
honey he might get next fall, and the in-
furiated bees returned to the hive. Man-
dy's face, upon examination, was found
to have no less than a dozen stings in it,
yet no swelling appeared.

"Don't min' um," quoth Mandy.
"Only fool niggahs make er fuss ober
nothin'" — with a sidelong glance of con-
tempt at Sam.

" Wuh ! wouldn' min' er common little
bee-sting eeder. It war de king-bee
wat stung me !"

Mandy was forced to subside at this
startling statement of facts (?), but
she looked doubtful.

"What were you two doing?" I in-
quired.

"Feedin'de bees, boss," replied Sam.
"Mandy cudent wait, kase she sed de
bees was mighty hungry, so we jest
gwine to feed um."

" How were you going to do it ?"

Sam described the process as I have
related it, and ascribed its invention to
Mandy with an alacrity which made me
think he suspected the method was not
what it should have been. I could not
repress a hearty laugh at the conclusion,
at which Mandy looked crest-fallen.

"How yo do um, Mars Frank ?" she
queried.

"Why, Mandy, you just take these
sections out, having this super empty,
then set a dish in on the frames, fill it
with large, clean chips from the wood-
pile, and pour syrup over them. Close
the hive, and leave it till next evening.
Then I would advise you to repeat the
dose, and if honey does not come in
soon, you might feed them once a week
until it does."

" Well, I 'clare to gracious ! who ebber
tink ob dat? Tink I hab to feed ebery
bee by heself."

A broad grin had by now overspread
Sam's face, thougb it was one-sided on
account of the swelling caused by the
" king bee's " sting.

" Who er fool niggah now ? Hi, hi, hi !
Gwine to feed um wi' er stick ! Bettah
git er spoon, nex' time, n' tie er bib on
dere chin, hi, hi !"

Sam's mirth was brought to a sudden
close by the fat hand of Mandy coming
with a resoundiiig slap across his cheek.

"Bettah button up dat big lip ob
yourn. Specs yo didn' know any bettah
yose'f."

Peace being restored, I gave them
some further instructions regarding the
best location for their hive, and about
keeping the weeds down around it, and
told Sam whenever they wanted further
help, to call on me. I had them feed
the bees, and giving them an old smoker
I had brought along, I left them to their
own devices once more. How they got
along with their bees I may tell you in
the future, if this interests you.

Darktown, Blackland.

560

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

^yfi T^yii.yii:y(Ky^yf<i.yfs:yii:y(fy^ytKj^yiKyfKiipKyfiK vj^t^vt^tj

NOTES ON THE ST. JOSEPH CONVENTION.

BY W. Z. HUTCHINSON.

How much watching, planning and contoiving, and how much hard work is
required of an editor that he may be absent even for only a few days. Monday
morning, Oct. 8th, found me at the end of such a preparation for an absence of
nearly a week to attend the St. Joseph (Mo.) convention. The " Review " was out
and mailed, all possible correspondence answered, all queens mailed, Mrs. Hutchin-
son given numerous instructions as to how this and that was to be looked after, and
such and such answers made to such and such inquiries ; the coal stove was blacked
and set up, coal in the bin, wood in woodshed ; care taken that there was a stock of
groceries on hand, that the good wife might not be obliged to leave home on a
marketing expedition, the little black sachel, that had been standing for several
days on a shelf near at hand, so that when I thought of anjfl^hing that I might wish
to take with me, I could put into the sachel and thus not forget it, received a dainty
but wholesome lunch as its last consignment, and I kissed the wife and babies and
was off.

I have several times been over the road between here and Chicago, hence there
would be nothing new in the scenery, so, to pass away the all-day's ride, I had sent
for a book to read. It was " Picter Making by Photograph." It came a day or
two before my departure, but I resolutely put it away without even looking at it,
because I knew too well what even a glance at its pages would mean.

I reached Chicago between five and six o'clock, and went at once to the office of
the "American Bee Journal," where I found Bro. " George" putting the finishing
touches to a preparation for absence. Six o'clock found us on the train for a six-
mile ride out to where the editor of the " American Bee Journal " and Dr. Peiro live
as neighbors. Bro. York has a pleasant home. Mrs. York is not only an excellent
house-keeper, but, if I mistake not, she is also an excellent " business manager."
Bro. York once wrote me that although Mrs. York was not publishing the " Ameri-
can Bee Journal," she knew all of the time pretty nearly what was going on at the
office. As I am more than willing to admit that Mrs. Hutchinson is a better busi-
ness woman than I am, I feel sure tliat Bro. York will not be offended at my throw-
ing out these vague hints.

I had supposed that there would be something of a little crowd gather in Chicago
to go on the same train to St. Joseph, but when six o'clock came, and Bro. York
and myself and Dr. Peiro climbed aboard of the " Eli " (the train is given this name,
I suppose, because it " gets there"), we were all the "crowd " of bee-keepers there
was on board. Out at Aurora, 111., we picked up Dr. Miller, which, in one sense,
doubled our crowd. Soon we were snugged away in one of the compartments at the

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 561

end of the car, and I brought out my collection of apicultural photographs and
passed them around. Then we talked of the past, and built castles in the future,
and, as Dr. Miller remarked, enjoyed the best part of the convention. At last we
were tucked away with a Doctor in each berth, and my last memory was of raising
the curtain a wee bit, and seeing the moonlit, prairie landscape apparently slipping
silently back towards Chicago.

When we awoke in the morning the sun was shining brightly on what might be
fairly called the garden-spot of the earth. How homelike it did seem to see rolling
land again, with good-sized trees growing upon it. Then there was orchard after
orchard bending with bright-red apples that glistened in the morning sun. The
soil was dark and rich, and, with one exception, there was a thrifty look about the
farms, and that was the great fields of corn-stalks going to waste ; that is some-
thing seldom seen in Michigan.

As we left the " Eli " at about ten o'clock on Oct. 10th, the first man to meet
and greet us was E. F. Quigley, of the "Progressive." He is a nice-appearing
young man, but, like myself, is a little too quiet in conventions. Bro. Quigley, you
must talk.

President Abbott had left no stone unturned to make our stay in St. Joseph a
pleasant one. The Commercial Club rooms, at which the meeting was held, were
the most pleasant of any place at which the North American has ever met. They
were really luxurious. Carpets on the floor, stained-glass windows, tables furnished
with writing materials, and covered with magazines and illustrated papers, while
the chairs were great, big, comfortable, leather-covered, platform rockers. A few
members had already arrived, and Secretary Benton was at his desk taking in the
dollars and giving out badges and " numbers."

The " Numbering " Scheme. — Just a word of explanation about the "num-
bers." At all conventions there will always be present members who are strangers
to the one reporting the proceedings, and when such a member addresses the meet-
ing, and the President does not know him, and announce his name, it must be asked
for, which makes an awkward break in his remarks. By numbering the list of
members, and attaching the respective number to the lappel of each member's coat,
all this annoyance is done away with. This plan ought, however, to be carried one
step farther. Let the Secretary make arrangements with some near-by printing
office, to put the names and numbers in type at the end of the first session, and
print enough copies to furnish each member with a copy. Then a simple glance at
the list will show everybody who is present, and a glance at the numbers and the
list will show who is who. If many new members should come in after the list had
been printed, a new list could be printed and distributed. It has happened that a
man has gone home from a convention not knowing that some one he very much
wished to meet was present. The value of a convention is greatly increased by an
early acquaintance among the members. If one objects to appearing upon the
street with a number attached to his clothing, it can be removed upon leaving the
hall. Friend Benton is to be congratulated upon inaugurating this scheme.

Some Criticisms. — The criticisms brought against the Chicago meeting of last
year — that of opening the meeting with no programme arranged, and of holding
only a two days' session when three days had been advertised— cannot be urged
again the St. Joseph meeting, but there was one mistake made in getting up the
programme, and I am not sure but it is a worse one than that of having no pro-
gramme at all. It is not pleasant to point it out, as it is evident that this feature
was secured at the expense of considerable trouble and correspondence, and with

562 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL^

the best of intentions. I have reference to the securing and reading of long essays
descriptive of bee-keeping in foreign lands. They were evidently prepared with
great care, and were really interesting reading, but they could have been read in
the bee-papers and enjoyed just as much as to have heard them read at the conven-
tion. We cannot afford to travel hundreds of miles to listen to what we can just as
well read in the papers. The only use for essays at a convention — no, I think I
would better modify that a little — the principal use for essays at a convention,
should be to provoke discussion. A long, exhaustive essay by a master hand— an
essay that covers every point — leaves little room for discussion, and would better be
printed in some periodica! instead of read in a convention, A convention should be
discussion— red-hot discussion— from beginning to end, and essays that tend to bring
about this condition are a help ; otherwise not.

But there is such a thing as holding a convention down too closely to bee-talk.
The brain becomes tired, and refuses to do good work. To begin in the morning
and continue it until noon, then spend the whole afternoon in bee-talk, and stop for
supper only to begin again and keep it up until' a late hour, is too much of a good
thing. Then think of continuing this for three days ! There should be frequent
intermissions, or the introduction of music or something of this sort, and it is better
that it be scattered through the sessions than that one whole session be given up to
this sort of thing.

Having made these criticisms, it is a pleasure to say that the St. Joseph meeting
was a grand success. Those western men are whole-souled and open-handed, and
so kind and cordial in their manners that some of them actually persuaded their
wives to come with them ! After the long essays had been read, and the question-
box was opened, the convention also seemed to " open up," and there was a lively
discussion.

Feeding Back Honey.—" What valuable facts were brought to the surface ?"
That is what the non-attendant wants to know. Now let each person who was
present be honest with himself, and go carefully over the points that he learned at
the convention, and see how many he can count up. Those who are not readers of
the bee-papers may find quite a number ; otherwise I think it will puzzle some of
them to say what they learned. I have put myself to this test, and I can remember
just one thing, and that made me prick up my ears and go over and sit down by Mr.
C. F. Lane, of Lexington, Mo.; also to quiz him still further at the hotel. The
question of the profitableness of feeding back honey to complete unfinished sections
came up, and Mr. Lane said that he made it pay, and he succeeded by putting one
or two colonies in a tent, piling supers of unfinished sections on top of the hives to
the height of eight or ten supers to the hive. He then brought in weak colonies, or
those liaving poor queens, or those that for any cause he did not consider very
desirable colonies for wintering, and united the bees with the colonies over which
the sections had been piled. This course filled the hives and the cases of sections
"jam full " of bees.

To feed the bees, he simply took unfinished combs of honey, uncapped the honey
that was capped, and stood the combs up around the hives, and the bees came out
and carried in the honey and finished up the sections. Of course it is not necessary
to use unfinished combs for feeding purposes, any kind of combs will answer, but one
would naturally use such if there were any, in preference to using full combs.

Mr. Lane also said that after the bees had been in the tent a few days, they
could be fed from a feeder placed at the opposite end of the tent. They would fly
out and visit the feeder, load up, and then return all right. His tent is 40x20 feet
in size. He admitted what I can readily believe is true, viz.: that there are quite a

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 563

number of little kinks about the business that can be learned only by actual practice.
To one who is making a practice of feeding back, the acquisition of this little
item of information might be worth all that it cost to go to St. Joseph. I seldom
attend a convention without running against some such chunk of wisdom ; but to
leave home with the idea that every hour will be fraught with startling revelations,
and that words of wisdom will drop out whenever lips are opened, it is to court dis-
appointment.

Convention Advantages. — The most of our bee-papers, if not all of them, are
edited by bright men. Nearly all of them are practical bee-keepers, and know a
good thing the moment it is brought to their notice. All of them are on the alert
for these good things with which to enhance the value of their papers, and some of
them don't wait for these good things to " turn up," but go out and " rustle " around
the country and turn them up. The moment that a discovery is made it is caught
up by the papers and spread broadcast over the country. Under these conditions it
is well-nigh impossible that anything so awfully, awfully new should be brought out
at a convention. Sometimes we get hold of a veritable gold-mine in the shape of a
practical man that won't write, but who can be made to stand up and talk ; then we
sometimes get hold of something worth going a long distance to hear. Then, again,
the leading bee-papers always have representatives present, and little of value is
said that does not appear upon their pages.

We may as well admit that the inducements to attend conventions are not what
they were once ; but, let us be thankful there is one feature that the papers can
never usurp, even if they have given us pictures of most of the prominent bee-keep-
ers, and that is the social part of a convention. It is the main thing left for con-
vention-goers, and there is nothing small nor mean about it, either. We are a band
of brothers, but sometimes some of us get to feeling a little edgewise towards some
of the brethren. We think there is good reason for it, and perhaps there is, but
when we meet the offender face to face, take him by the hand, sit by his side, and
see an honest soul shining out of his eyes, we find our emnity melting away. It
would not surprise me if several people went away from St. Joseph with a better
opinion of somebody else than they had when they came. For this alone, the
meeting is worth all that it cost.

Then, again, it is an advantage to have a personal acquaintance with those
who write for the bee-papers, even if that acquaintance is only a short one. For
instance, during quite a lengthy discussion last summer in the " American Bee
Journal," I fell to wondering several times whether one of the disputants was a man
of real good sense, or the reverse. Later 1 had the pleasure (?) of his company for
one-half hour, and in that short space of time he had " given himself away ;" I had
been enabled to decide in regard to the value that ought to be placed upon his
observations and conclusions. An acquaintance with the writer increases the
value, to us, of his writings.

The Revised Constitution.— One good stroke of work accomplished at this
meeting, was the revision of the Constitution. All of that matter relating to affilia-
tion, delegates, honey companies, etc., was thrown out ; in fact, there are no By-
Laws left, nothing but a short and simple Constitution. The salary of the Secretary
was placed at $25 ; now when a man accepts the office he knows what to expect
for his services, and there will be no chance for any wrangling over the matter.

Speaking of the Secretary, reminds me of another suggestion that I would like
to make, and that is, that there is nothing gained in spending a large sum of money
In printing notices of the meeting and paying postage on them in sending them out
to agricultural papers. A man who is not sufficiently interested in bee-keeping to

564 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

be a reader of some one of the bee-papers, will not come any great distance to the
meeting because he saw a notice of it in some agricultural paper. Notices in the
agricultural papers of the region in which the meeting is to be held might possibly
induce the attendance of a few farmer bee-keepers, but, aside from this, notices in
the bee-papers are all-sufBcient,

Having made this criticism, it is only fair to praise Secretary Benton for his
success in persuading non-attendants to send in their dollars. By sending out
circulars to all old members, thereby calling their attention to the advantages of
keeping up their membership even if they could not attend each year, twenty mem-
bers, some of whom did not attend, were induced to send in their annual fees. Such
an accomplishment is without precedence. It seems wise to each year point out
the mistakes and the successes, that the latter may be patterned after in the future,
and the former not repeated.

A Bee-Paper Offer. — One quite sweeping change was made, the wisdom of
which is yet to be decided. To each annual paying member in 1895 the association
promises to give the choice of any bee-paper published in the United States or
Canada. To help the Association do this, all of the editors present, except myself,
promised to furnish their papers at very low rates — away down below their lowest
clubbing rates. I presume j: should have made the same promise if I had been
asked, but, through some oversight, I presume, the question was not put to me. I
fear the matter was not given sufficient thought. Why, at first thought, in his
exuberant manner, Mr. Root offered to give " Gleanings." Suppose all of Mr. Root's
subscribers should decide to join the North American, where would he be ? Suppose
half of them should take that course ? At the figures that were given, some of the
papers cannot stand it if any great number should join the Association. Any sum
of money coming into the treasury as the result of this scheme, would come out of
the pockets of the publishers.

Then there is another side to the question. Suppose that only the usual num-
ber, say 100, should pay their dues, then about half of that money would have to
be used in buying bee-papers, and there might not be enough left to pay the running
expenses.

If some plan could be devised whereby the membership and usefulness of the
Association could be increased, it would be very welcome, but I fear it cannot be
done by making ourselves presents, or asking the publishers to make us presents.
The whole thing is wrong in principle, and was adopted without sufficient considera-
tion. It is true that the Canadian societies furnish their members with journals,
but the money to buy them comes from the government; besides, no journal has
yet been furnished below cost.

Bee-Paralysis.— As the convention was held pretty well South and West, I
had hoped to learn something in regard to bee-paralysis. The subject was freely
discussed, and I had several private conversations with those who had experience
with the disease. The reports are all very conflicting. That the disease is likely to
disappear of itself is a fact that I fear has been overlooked to a great extent. When
this is remembered, a great many strange things are explained.

ToKONTO Chosen. — A pleasant incident occurred when it came to choosing the
place for the next convention. The choice really lay between Lincoln, Nebr., and
Toronto, Ont., Canada. Last year Toronto nearly captured the convention for this
year, and there was a sort of tacit agreement that we would all vote for Toronto
this year ; but when Bro. Stilson read invitations from the Nebraska State bee-
keepers, from the Mayor of Lincoln, from the City Council, from everybody who

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 565

could have any interest in the matter, and followed this up with a warm personal
appeal, there was an evident wavering upon the part of some ; but when Dr. Miller
explained that the voting for Toronto was a matter of honor with a large number,
what did Bro. Stilson do but get up and withdraw his invitation ?.— an act that
" brought down the house," and in all probability will take the convention to Lin-
coln in 1896. The choice for Toronto was made unanimous.

Reduced (?) Railroad Rates.— Mentioning the next meeting brings up
another point upon which I wish to make a suggestion. As a rule, it has been im-
possible to secure the necessary attendance for obtaining the desired reduction in
railroad rates unless the meeting is held in some railroad center of the North.
These rates were secni*d at Detroit, Mich., Brantford, Canada, and at Albany, N.
Y. At Washington, D. C, and at St. Joseph, Mo., there was not sufficient attend-
ance.

Publishers can show by their subscription lists that the great mass of bee-keep-
ers is in the Northern and Eastern States, and Canada. Draw a line due north
from St. Joseph, Mo., to St. Paul, Minn., and another from St. Joseph to New York
city, and the great mass of bee-keepers will be found north and east of these lines
and a great crowd can be gathered only inside these lines. Even inside these limits
it is better not to depend upon securing reduced rates by the crowd of bee-keepers
alone. For instance, I believe that the meeting of 1895 can be held in Toronto at
the time of a great Industrial Fair, when very low rates will be given for long dis-
tances. "Where this cannot be done, it would probably be well to hold the meeting
in connection with the meeting of some other society, when the two combined would
secure the requisite number for obtaining reduced rates.

The Convention " Picter."— About 10 o'clock of the last day, all of the mem-
bers gathered in a group on the steps of the Court House, and were photographed.
The brick of different colors with which the street in front was paved, furnished a
neat foreground, while the fluted columns and ornamental front of the Court House
formed a pleasing background. I spent at least an hour one morning in looking
for just this spot. A local photographer made the exposures, and I brought home
the plates and developed them. For so large a group the faces are unusually good.
There is not a person present that would not be instantly recognized by his friends.
That little numbering scheme of Secretary Benton's came in very nicely here as
nearly all of the numbers show, and I have had a list of the members with the cor-
responding numbers printed and attached to the picture, which enables even a
stranger to decide in regard to the idenity of each person. The size of the picture
is 8x10 inches— twice the size of those taken last year at the World's Fair convention.

Home Again.— The journey home was uneventful ; simply one long, swift, con-
tinuous ride of 800 miles, broken only by a change of cars at Chicago. I reached
home in the evening, just as Baby Fern was dropping off to sleep, but when she
heard my voice, she roused up with, "Papa, did 'oo ditmy 'ittlepictou boot (book)?"

(Regular Report continued on page 590.) Flint, Mich.. Oct. 22.

BBB-KKHPIXG AS A BUSIXHSS.

BY CHAS. DADANT.

I am asked whether It pays to make a business of keeping bees, and I find it

difficult to answer such a question in as short a way as it is stated, for a great many

•cumstances can have an influence on the results. Among these influences. I mav

566 AMERICAN BEE JOURJSlAi-.

mention the ability of the bee-keeper to understand his business, and to give to his
bees the necessary attention at the right time ; the location in which the hives will
be placed ; the kind of hives to be used, etc. A great many persons imagine that to
keep bees successfully it is but necessary to locate them on a quiet spot, to watoh
them during the swarming season, and to take the surplus of their harvest. Such
was, indeed, the only conditions required before the invention of the movable-frame
hives — an invention which afforded to the bee-keepers the means of studying more
carefully the habits of bees, to obtain larger crops with less risks of losing them in
winter.

From the above it follows that a man who does not know the business of keeping
bees ought to begin cautiously with but a few colonies, say,(^wo or three, and study
the habits of bees in books first ; then, in verifying the teachings of the books, by
opening the hives and examining the combs, and by watching outside, the going in
and out of bees. Such a study will take at least one year. Then if the apprentice
bee-keeper finds some pleasure in the work, he can buy a few more colonies and
increase their number either by natural or artificial swarming, or by buying bees.
But I advise him to go slowly.

The locality in which the bees are kept has also a large influence on the honey
crop, yet it is but a question of larger or smaller profits ; for an apiary surrounded
with lindens, white clover, or alfalfa, and bordered with cotton lands covered with
marshy flowers has better chance to succeed than any other ; but a skilled bee-
keeper can have some success, even in a poor location.

Another stumbling block in bee-keeping is the kind of hive to use ; above all
advise a beginner not to buy patented hives, for most of these venders of patent
hives do not know the habits of bees, and sell inventions more injurious than useful.
As beginners are inclined to risk as little as possible, I think that I have to
warn them against the use of small hives, which require more work, more feeding
of bees for winter and spring, and do not give as good results as larger ones. To
my mind a lO-frame Langstroth hive is not even large enough. We prefer hives
containing ten or eleven Quinby frames. These frames are larger and longer than
the Langstroth, and although white clover is our only resource, our crop can com-
pete for quantity with those of bee-keepers using small hives located in more pros-
perous districts.

The conditions of success in bee-keeping, after the selection of the hive, can be
summed up in a few words : To know what to do, and to do it in time. — Prairie
Farmer. Hamilton, 111.

BRACH-COMBS AOAir«(— FRAI»IH CHAPiOBS.

BY G. M. DOOLITTLE.

I see by the different bee-papers that Doolittle has caused quite a commotion
on the smooth, placid waters of bee-keeping, by what he wrote on page 272 of the
"American Bee Journal" for Aug. 30th. That this commotion may not result in
harm to myself and the fraternity, with your leave, Mr. Editor, I will explain my
position a little more, to see if we may not have a little bettor understanding of the
matter at issue.

Years ago, soon after I commenced bee-keeping, considerable difficulty was
experienced in getting bees to enter the sections readily to store surplus honey,
many colonies refusing to go into them during the whole season, where box-hives
were used, having an inch board for a top with holes cut through for the bees to
pass up into the sections. Few frame hives were then in use, when compared with

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 56T

the vast number of box-hives and gums w^hich were found standing at very many
of the farm-houses all over the country. To obviate the difficulty of getting bees
into the sections, Mr. Miner invented a box-hive having no permanent top-board,
but in its place slats were used, standing up edgewise, for the bees to build their
combs on, and when the sections, or what were then six-pound boxes, were put on,
they were put directly on these slats. When no surplus arrangement was on the
hives, a cloth was laid on these slats, or more properly over the top of the hive, as
brace-combs were built between the slats, and on top of this cloth a board of any
thickness was placed, while a cap or hood, deep enough inside to go over the boxes,
was used to cover the whole. It was with this Miner hive that I commenced my
bee-keeping career, purchasing bees in said hive to start with.

When I commenced to use frame hives I thought of these slats in the Miner
hive, and so made my frames very much like those described by Mr. Hill on page
307 of the " Bee Journal" for Sept. 6th, which he found at an apiary that he was
sent to work in. After using such frames for a year or two I became disgusted with
them, as Mr. Hill did, on account of the sagging propensity of the top-bars to the
frames, and the general "mess " which always occurred in taking off the surplus
honey. I then began experimenting, and finally adopted a top-bar a plump inch
wide by iive-sixteenths of an inch thick for the Gallup frame, and for the Lang-
stroth frame, a top-bar one and one-sixteenth inches wide by seven-sixteenths thick,
that being the size which gave me the best results, all things considered. I would
have preferred the thinner, but when I came to use them so, the top-bars would sag
when the bees filled the frames solid full of honey, and if made narrower the bees
insisted in covering the tops of them with comb, and in times of a great honey-flow,
filling this comb with honey, so I was driven to the adoption of the above. I have
always used a bee-space of five-sixteenths of an inch at the ends and tops of the
frames, with seven-sixteenths bee-space at the bottoms of the frames.

With such frames and bee-spaces it is a rare thing that any honey is ever stored
between the sections and tops of frames, while not to exceed from five to fifteen
brace or burr combs are found jutting up above the tops of the frames, and these
brace-combs are always left, as I told in my former article. I still consider these
few bits of comb as great helps, nearly as much so as I consider the "bait" sections
which I use on every hive to start the bees into the sections early in the season, as
I have so often given in the different bee-papers. Wherever bits of comb are, there
bees are at home on them, and are climbing over them, inspecting them, etc., when
they would not be there at all otherwise, unless crowded there by on over-populous
hive, and this is why I called these bits of combs " little ladders."

After having decided on the above frames, certain supply dealers began advo-
cating a top-bar made from % lumber, and from X to % inch thick for top-bars for
the Langstroth frames, the claim being put forth, that by using such, the sections
would be so near the brood that the bees would enter the sections without hesita-
tion, and better results in honey be obtained. Henry Alley, myself, and others,
expostulated, but the thing was pushed to such an extent that those ordering frames
different from these, were told that unless they fell into line with those using the
regular goods they must expect long delays in having their orders filled, as the
machinery was kept busy nearly all the while turning out this regular line; and
next, all were cited to these " regular goods " being the standard and pleasing, as
they had orders for them by the carload from all over the country, till the majority
of frames in use were of that " regulation size."

Thus things went on till thousands, if not millions, of these narrow, thin, top-
bar frames were in use, and when it was found that they sagged, tin bars were put
in the center for a support when wiring them for the use of comb foundation. Thus

568 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

every one buying supplies was forced to use these sagging, burr-comb provoking,
section-daubing frames, who did not have the " back-bone " to stand out about the
matter, till the apiary that does not now have, or has not had, such frames in it, is
the exception, and not the rule.

In the above, Mr. Hill will find his " unaccountable reason " explained.
But, presto ! a change comes, and we go to the other extreme, now having a
frame put before us with a top-bar as much too heavy as the other was too light,
and all bee-keepers are called upon to fall " into line " once more, and some wonder
why it is that Doolittle insists on keeping on in the "even tenor of his ways," and
fears that his teachings will lead others astray. I wonder if it has never entered
the heads of supply dealers that these changes involve much expense to the bee-
keeping fraternity? Let me draw a picture:

A man with a family consisting of wife and little ones, has been struggling on
as the apiary increased, to pay for the necessary hives, etc., and each year looking
toward the desired number of colonies he wishes to keep, all the surplus from the
bees which can be spared from the actual necessities of the family, is being put into
these fixtures for the apiary. The goal is in sight, and he comes in some morning
with a smiling face, and says to the " good wife:" " Next year we shall have all the
bees and fixtures we shall want, except sections and shipping-cases, and this ex-
pense for hives, etc., we have had heretofore will be stopped, when I shall be able
to get you a better dress, and the children better clothes, so they may be more
respectable for Sabbath-school, and, if Providence smiles upon us with a good honey
year, I may be able to have that luxury I have so long longed for— a small telescope
to study the works of my Father above in the starry heavens."

The countenances of all are lighted up, as only such little comforts and luxuries
can lighten them, and a happy looking forward is the result. The next year burr-
combs, and daubing and killing of bees are much worse than usual, with the "reg-
ulation frames," while the supply dealers have found out that what they formerly
pushed are not just the thing, so a change is inaugurated, and in his vexation over
getting off his surplus, our bee-keeper resolves, that, come what will, he never will
stand this thing any longer, so instead of the nice things which had been planned,
the money from the surplus is all sent off again to get the thick top-bar frames,
which will overcome the difficulty, and the use of which requires a general over-
hauling of all the hives in the apiary, if new are not bought.

Next, frames at fixed distances looms up, then a divisible brood-chamber hive,
to lessen the cost of production, and so on, until the bee-keeper is obliged to put off
his long-looked-for pleasures, year after year, and before realizing them Death
comes and calls him away. This is not an overdrawn picture by any means, for all
this has come under my notice as above described.

In the interests of poor, struggling humanity, I plead for as few changes as
possible, and that none be made until after a trial of several years, to know whether
such change is of advantage or not. Borodino, N. Y.

SEASON IN EAST XENNESSEE-BEE-PARAI.YSIS (?)

BY H. K. COLEMAN.

The honey season in East Tennessee is just now closing, ano in some respects
it has been a remarkable season. In March, as all will remember, we had two ex-
tremes as to weather. In the early art of the month it was warm and pleasant, and
the bees got into a rapid rate of brood-rearing, and then came a blizzard that not
only set the bees back, but killed the poplar and other buds, and Cowers that pro-

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 569

duce early honey. Bees and bee-keepers were discouraged, and many bees were
suffered to die, and those that survived lived from hand to mouth until the blooming
of basswood late in June.

Since the blooming of basswood bees have never done better, and have never
been in better condition for winter, in my knowledge. Fully half of the season was
a complete failure, but the honey crop is an average.

Is IT Bee-Paralysis ? — I have noted with interest the answer of Dr. Miller to
the question of R. T. S., on page 395. The Doctor thinks that the trouble with the
bees of R. T. S. is bee-paralysis. To this I do not dissent, but it is not what we
know as bee-paralysis in this section. Here we have this same trouble, every fall,
and consider it no serious matter, and so far as I am able to judge, it affects the
prosperity of the bees but little.

The difference between bee-paralysis proper, as we understand it here, and the
trouble in question is this : In bee-paralysis the bees become hairless, slick and
shiny, and the other bees carry them out of the hive while alive, with as much vigor
as they do drones at the close of the season. In the beginning the diseased bees
seem to be unconscious of their affliction, and continue to work. I have seen hun-
dreds of them gathering nectar after they had become weak and tottery, and
so slick and shiny that persons unacquainted with bees would hardly believe them
to be bees.

In the trouble spoken of by R. T. S., the bees seem to get smaller, and never
shed their hair, and the first indication of the disease, so far as my observations go,
is the carrying of them out by the other bees in a dead or unconscious state.

Bee-paralysis proper, readily yields to the sulphur treatment, or at least that
has been my experience, and the other trouble will get well of itself ; but in cases
with me, where I have any fears as to the result, I stimulate the queen by feeding a
little sugar syrup until the disease disappears. Sneedville, Tenn.

ISSUIXQ OF SW^ARMS-BEE-PARAI^YSIS.

BY .1. A. GOLDEN.

I want to. say to Dr. C. C. Miller that the first Italian queen I ever had was pur-
chased of A. I. Root in the fall, and the following season I watched them very
closely, for 1 was very anxious to have them swarm, and one morning they rushed
out and I sprayed them as they circled around, and then they all went back. So I
opened the hive, took out a comb, hung it on the comb-rack, and took out the second
with the old queen thereon. I thought I would see how many queen-cells there
were, and the third frame had a large cell with the cap cut off, and to my surprise
a young queen came walking up the comb from the direction of the uncapped cell.
There were but two cells ; I cut the other out and introduced it into a nucleus, put
back the combs with the queens, shut up the hive, and on the third day the old
queen came out with a rousing big swarm. You see, Doctor, I was a novice, and
thought that was the way bees did. Yes, Doctor, the young queen remained, and
the old queen went out.

The other case occurred with a colony of Mr. Adam Smith, who is a bee-keeper,
and 85 years of age, quite nervous, and lives on the second lot from me. I handle
his bees for him mostly. Two years ago a swarm issued, and I was going to remove
the old brood-frames to another hive, and hive the swarm back in the parent hive.
You see it's a house-apiary, with stationary hives, and about the third frame I saw
a queen and thought she hadn't gone out, and said, "Why, Mr. Smith, here's the

572

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

Honey & Beeswax Market Quotations.

CHICAGO. III., Sept. 17.— The honey mar-
ket is quite active. We are getting- good
prices, considering- the hard limes, owing to
the reported scarcity of crop. We quote:
Fancy white, 15c. ; No. 1, 14c. Extracted,
6@7c. Beeswax, 25@26c. J. A. L.

CHICAGO, III.. Oct. 25.— White clover hon-
ey continues to bring 15c. The receipts are
about keeping pace with the demand. The
quality is very satisfactory as a rule, being
heavy and of good flavor. Extracted contin-
ues to sell chiefly at 6@7c., according to color,
flavor and style of package. Beeswax scarce
and in good demand at 27@28e.

R. A. B &Co.

NEW rORK, N. Y., Oct. 25.— Comb honey
arrives quite freely, our receipts up to date
numbering 10.119 crates. The demand is fair.
We quote: Fancy white. 1-lbs., i4c.; fair
white, 12c.; buckwheat, 10c; 2-lbs.. l@2c.
less, according to quality. The market for
extracted is dull, with plenty of stock. We
quote: Basswood and white clover, 6@6^c.;
Southern, 50@55c. a gallon. Beeswax scarce
and in good demand at 29c. H. B. & S.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept, 8.-The supply
of comb and extracted is very light with only
fair demand. We quote: Fancy white, 15®
16c.; amber, ll@12c.: dark, 10c. Extracted,
white, 6i4@7c.; amber, 6@6!4c.; dark. 4'/2@
bViC. Beeswax, 22c. H. & B.

NEW YORK, N. Y., Sept. 20. -The demand
for comb honey is increasing, in a jobbing
way, in spite of the continued warm weather.
Both comb and extracted honey is arriving
freely. We quote: Fancy clover. 1-lbs., 13®
15c.; white clover. 12@13c.: fair, 10@12c.;
buckwheat, 10@Vlc. Extracted, clover or
basswood, 6@6Hc. ; buckwheat, 5@5i4c. ;
Southern, 45@(i0c. per gallon, according to
iiuality. Beeswax, 25®27c. C. I. & B.

CINCINNATI. O., Oct. 19.-There is a very
good demand for choice white comb honey at
14@15c. Demand is fair for extracted at 4®
7c., according to quality. Comb honey brings
best prices now, when it is something new
yet and comparatively scarce, and not at
Christmas-time, when markets are generally
overstocked.

Beeswax is in good demand at 22®27c. for
good to choice yellow. C. F. M. & S.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 4.-The receipt
of comb honey iti this market so far has not
been very large, and demand is very good.
We quote: No. 1 white, l-lbs., 15c.; JNo. 2
white. 13®14c. ; No. 1 amber, 14c.; No. 2 am-
ber, 10®12c. Extracted, white, «i4®7c. ; am-
ber, 5®6!4c. Beeswax, 25c. C.-M. C. Co.

CHICAGO. III., Oct. 18.— We quote: Fancy
white comb honey, l-lbs., 1.5c.; No. 2 white,
13c.; buckwheat, 10c. With cooler weather,
demand Improving, and our stock on hand at
the present time extremely light. Extracted,
5i4®7c,, depending upon quality and style of
package. Beeswax, 28c. S. T. F. & Co.

ALBANY, N. y..Sept. 21.-Honey in better
demand, especially the high grades of v/hlte
comb honey. We quote: No. 1 white, 14®
loc; No. 2 white. l;J®14c.; Mixed white. 11
@12c.: No. 1 buckwheat. 12®12'/2C.; No. 2
buckwheat. ll®1154c.; common, 10@llc.
Extracted, white (Northern), 7®8c.; amber,
@6»/4c,; buckwheat, 5!4@6c. Beeswax, 27®

29c. Do not look for much of any change in
these prices, and advise now to have honey
on the market as early as possible for best
prices. H. R. W.

BUFFALO. N. Y.. Oct. 17.-The demand is
improved, fancy moving somewhat better at
14@15c. ; choice. 12@13c. : buckwheat and
other, 9®10c. B. & Co.

Xlie Novelty Pocket-Knife is

worth having. Mr. A. G. Amos, of New
York, says this about it: " The ' Novelty '
pocket-knife which I received with the
American Bee Journal arrived all O. K.,
and it is a dandy." Better get one your-
self, and then you will know what a
" dandy " thing it is. See page 448 for ad-
vertising offer.

FOR SALE.

An Apiary of 70 Colonies, mostly Carniolan
and Italian, all with plenty of stores for win-
ter. -3 of the hives are li4-story. the half-
stories removed and filled with starter sec-
tions in Root's section-holders. The balance
are 2 stories— all made for the regular Lang-
stroth frame. Also 1 new Cowan 2-f rame re-
versible Extractor, one 5-gal. percolator for
making syrup by the cold-water process, and
1 Solar Wax-Extractor. All for $200. Reason
for selling— old age and chronic ill-health.
Dr. C. FISHER, Deui^^oii, Tex.
Mention the American BcejuurnaL

If \ ou Want the

World's Best Bee ■ Smoker

Constructed differently from all others- send
$1.20, and receive it by return mail. 3-inch
lire-barrel. Address at once—

W. C. R. KEmp,

6Atf ORLEANS. Orange Co., IND.

Promptness Is What Counts !

Honey -Jars, Shipping- Cases, and ev-
erything that bee-keepers use. Root's
tiioodM at Root'Ki f ri<^eM, and the

)cst shipping point in the country.
Dealer in Honey and Beeswax. Cata-

;«mAv».Walt(!rS. Ponder

INDIANAPOLIS, IND.

((

Bee-Keeping for Profit."

A New Revised edition of this valuable work
lor only 25 ciisi., postpaid, will be sent by
Geo. W. Vork&Co. or Dr. Tinker. It is full
of the latest and most interesting points in
the management 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 1894 Price-Llstof Apiarian Supplies.
Address, I>K. «• I.. TIMCER,

6Atf NEW PHILADELPHIA, O.

weekly, $1 a Vear. f °^^°"°_^>^«^^eV.cUI:;ure. \ S'^'»P»« ^^P^ ^'■««-

VOL. XXXIV. CHICAGO, ILL, NOV. 8. 1894.

NO. 19.

Dandelions are in bloom around Chi-
cago now— Oct 30th— and have been for
some weeks. At this rate, we may be able
to truthfully say that "December's as
pleasant as May."

Tlie Perfume of Flo>vers is more
clearly perceived just before or after a
rain, because the air, then laden with a
moisture, better conveys the essential oils
that contribute the odor. So we read in
one of our agricultural exchange papers.

Xlie American Apicultnrii^t has

appeared for some months without a cover.
It doesn't look familiar. Probably Bro.
Alley wanted the " Api." to look more like
the " American Bee Journal." All right,
Bro. A., we have no patent on the cover-
less- bee-paper idea.

]flr. A. F. Rro^n, of Florida, re-
ported in " Gleanings " a trifle over 26 tons
of honey from 193 colonies, 4^^ tons being
comb honey mostly in 12-ounce sections.
Five tons of the crop was " orange " honey,
and 21 tons from palmetto and mangrove.
Mr. Brown practiced migratory bee-keep-
ing, and his crop averaged about 275 pounds
per colony. Pretty good for a poor year !

Xlie September '* Review " was

mainly devoted to a study of the disease
known as "bee-paralysis." Nothing new
was developed, but Editor Hutchinson
asked those who have had experience with
the disease to let him hear about it. The
" American Bee Journal " has published
much on this disease, but its cause and cure
are still quite mysterious. Probably
another season some new light may be
thrown upon it.

E«litor E. R. Root says in "
ings:" "Since I have discarded that edi-
torial ' we,' somehow I feel more natural."
Now the " we " seems more " natural " to
us. How funny it would be to use the
" editorial I " in the " American Bee Jour-
nal." "I" is sometimes egotistical, but
" we " isn't. Now, there's a fine sentence—
"I is "and "we isn't." But it's correct.
Guess we'll stick to "we" — but let the
"I's" have it, if they want it.

Eight IVum1>ers for lO Cents.—

Yes, we will send the last eight numbers of
the " American Bee Journal" for 1894, to
any 7ieiu name, for only 10 cents (stamps or
silver). Now, here's a good chance to get
some of your bee-keeping friends started in
taking the •' Bee Journal " regularly. You
just get them to read the eight numbers
mentioned, and more than likely they will
want to keep it up after that. If you have
thi-ee bee-friends that you want should have
the eight numbers, send us 25 cents with
their names and addresses, and we will
mail them to each. Remember this offer is
for the last eig?it members of 1894 — dated, Nov.
8, 15, 22 and 29 ; and Dec. 6, 13, 20 and 27.
If, theo, at any time between now and

582

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Feb. 1, 1895, you can secure the subscrip-
tions of these " short termers " for the year
1895, you can count them as new subscrib-
ers and get the premiums as per our ofifers
on page 578 of this issue. Eight "short
term " subscribers at 10 cents each, will
count the same as one new subscriber for a
year, in earning premiums.

If you wish sample copies to use in secur-
ing the " short term " or other subscribers,
let us know, and we will be glad to mail
them to you free.

We ought to add thousands of names to
our list on this very low offer — 8 numbers
for 10 cents ! Xow is the time for earned work .'

Mi*. C. is. ISaiilcstou, of Chriesman,
Tex., has been employed by Mrs. Atchley
to work in her apiaries in 1895. Mr. B. is
one of the many queen-breeders of the
South, and will be a valuable help in Mrs.
A.'s bee-yards.

Xlie Van Oeiiseii Fou.n<1ation,

as nearly all bee-keepers know, has flat bot-
toms to the cells. Heretofore the manu-
facturers have been putting it up in boxes
holding 25 pounds each, but we learn from
the "Review" that "another year it will
be put up in smaller packages — as small as
61^ pounds. Retailers are often called upon
for small quantities, and the work of pre-
paring it for shipment takes up a good
share of the profits. The proposed plan
will do away with this objection."

Xennossfc Uee-l>4^alers.— One of
our Colorado subscribers writes us as fol-
lows:

" Can you not induce some of the Ten-
nessee apiarists to advertise in the " Bee
Journal." I, as well as a number of my
neighbors, want to buy bees for next May
delivery, and I fail to see the advertiseraeut
of any one from tliere in the '-Bee Journal."
I hope to find the advertisements of a num-
ber of responsible bee-shippers in the "Jour-
nal" soon, from the State of Tennessee."

We are ready at all times to receive the
advertisements of reliable bee-shippers
from Tennessee or any other State. Come
on with your advertisements.

A llaIi-l>o%4>ii Mercers are shown
on a page of "Gleanings" for Oct. 15th.
They're a fine-looking group — father,
mother, and four healthy-looking, hand-
some sons. It's a good "ad" for Califor-
nia climate. They all live in Ventura.

i^tiug-Iess Kees in Costa Rica. —

Mr. Richard Pfau, of San Jose, Costa Rica,
in a late number of "Gleanings," wrote as
follows about the stingless bees in Central
America :

In Costa Rica there are about five known
kinds of stingless bees ; but only two of
them are valued for their honey, and are
kept for that purpose in rough logs hung
down alongside the verandas. One sort,
called " jicote " (he-co-tay), is a handsome
bee, nearly of the size of a German bee. Its
color is a brilliant black, with fi.ve very
narrow golden bands, which, to be discov-
ered, need close attention ; hence, its gen-
eral appearance, which, at first, seems to
be a brownish yellow, as compared with
the bee of Yucatan, which probably is
nothing but the same jicote, common all
over Central America.

The jicotes build circular combs, with
small hexagonal cells for the brood, and
large pockets of blackish wax for the

Stingless Queen, Drone and Worker.

honey, which is taken off once every year.
I always keep some logs with jicotes in the
midst of my apiary of Italians ; but all my
trials to get them to work in a more civi-
lized fashion in my dovetailed hives proved
useless; neither have I much hope that
some day hybrids may result, as the queen
of the jicotes is very distinct from her
majesties of other races, her abdomen be-
ing a large snow-white ball, full of eggs.

The other sort of stingless bees, called
" mariaseca," is rather scarce, but cele-
brated here for its delicious honey,although
to my taste it rather resembles Italian
honey mixed with some syrnp and plenty
of water. The mariaseca bee is exceedingly
small — scarcely larger than the head of an
Italian drone, and it is leather-colored.
Although in av)pearance the mariaseca
seems to be very distinct from the jicote,
its way of building brood-combs and honey-
bags is nearly identical, except that the
wax is leather-colored, and everything has
much smaller proportions.

Xlial Texas Ifee-Meeting at Bee-

ville, on Dec. 27th and 28th, premises to be
a notable event for Southern bee-keepers.
Mrs. Atchley is making extensive prepara-
tions, and looks for a big crowd. Mr. F. A.
Lockhart, of Lake George, N. Y., expects
to be there, and also other prominent bee-
folks of the North.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

583

]fIore Coiiveiition Eclioes.— On
page 521 we gave a few comments on the
St. Joseph convention, and now comes our
friend Emm Dee with some more in about
the same strain — though probably less
"strained" than were ours. Here they
are:

EMM DEE IN CLOVER HONEY.

Can I ever forget the glories of that bee-
convention ? It was my first love (of the
kind), and I confess to being softly smitten.
Had I known that Bro. York had such a
surprise in store for me, I could scarcely
have trusted myself to its enjoyment. But
what can you do when embarked on the
voyage ? It's cowardly to turn back. So
I followed my guide, and feared no danger.

We shipped on board of one of Pullman's
schooners, and away we went. On our
way we took on at least two other passen-
gers— one short and stout, the other lean
and tall, and I was dramatically introduced
to each. Now, I had heard of, and read
much after the party of the first part, and
when I heard Dr. Miller's name mentioned,
and looked him square in the eye. thinks I:
Young man, you're not the kind of a chap
I thought you to be ; you're not so tall, but
better looking ; you're not "stuck up," as
I expected, but a very agreeable compan-
ion, with a good open countenance (for
pie!).

The six-footer I learned was Editor
Hutchinson, and so clever was he that I
actually occupied the same bunk with him
the very first night. But, bless your heart,
he wrapped himself up in those Pullmaa
blankets, and so wound himself up in them
that I— well, I got left, out in the cold !

But daylight came on apace, the gentle
tones of the ebonized porter were abroad
in that car, and I felt that the best thing I
could do was to get up and rehabilitate my-
self in my modest attire, slip out to the
wash-room, and let Dr. Miller, York and
Hutchy snore away ! And they did it to
perfection. Barring a few loose nails and
timbers of that car, I believe their united
effort did little damage.

After early breakfast (which we did not
have), we arrived in the city of Saint
Joe-seph, Missouri, situate on the raging
river of the name. We were escorted by a
gentlemanly committee of bee-keepers to
the convention hall, and it seems to me
that in ten minutes every son and daughter
in that select assembly knew each other as

if acquainted for years ! Thinks I, "Verily
this is the right sort of welcome.

And then began a system of questioning
that would have driven a Philadelphia
lawyer out of his town and State. Besides
wanting to know where we were from,
they immediately inquired concerning our
families— of bees. Whether the circle had
multiplied much, and if much honey had
been hatched this season, and if Whatshis-
name's hive wasn't the dandiest in exis-
tence, and whether there was pollen
enough scooped in to fill all the cells, and
if the bee-bread was really an improvement
on the baker's kind or not, As for me, I
unhesitatingly replied in the affirmative to
all these questions, recognizing that I was
looked upon as the chief intelligence on
these intricate subjects !

Well, by and by, pretty soon, up looms a
man they called "President Abbott" — a
very good looker, too; he gave a few raps
on the table, and commanded order. Well,
I swow ! But then we sat down quite com-
fortably in great, big chairs, 'pears like
stuffed with feather beds; and then the
man that stood up laid down the law.

Up gets a tall, suggestive chap from
Laclede, and down sits the other fellow.
The Laclede brother, he 'lowed we'd come
to hear about honey, and he didn't want
any other kind of sweet'nin' in his'n.
Then another pretty handsome feller from
Canada, he had his say, and it was pretty
good, too. Then the sisters present were
asked their testimony, and they were
mighty slick in giving it — why, say, to my
mind they seemed to know a heap sight
more than the men-folks !

Well, it ran along smooth enough, thir-
teen or seventeen trying to tell all about it
at once, when, sudden-like. Father Root,
who had been sitting alongside of a hand-
some sister all this while, got up and said
he thought so, too. Only that he— he — well,
I've forgotten his exact words, but his ideas
were all right, though I didn't know what
to make of his direct look at me when he
said something about people not being just
what they should be— or words to that
efifect! O I tell you, I got kinder spunky,
but I didn't say much.

Then Dr. Miller he was elected to give us
a hymn-tune, which he did, and he actually
played the big music-box all by hisself!
Then he gave us a Dutch solo, and after
that he told us how nice the honey made

584

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

by the motbs was, and how king-bees
could be turned into queens, or something
like that. I think he got all mixed up on
the subject, or maybe it was me that was
just a trifle "off."

Now, what do you tliink ? Not a soul in
that convention asked my opinion in regard
to those many and momentous questions !
The slight sorter rankles in my bosom yet.
Of course, a few of the more considerate
availed themselves of my wise counsel re-
garding the proper food for bees, and as to
the best time in the day to feed them—
whether only morning and bed-time, or at
noon, too. I was pleased to impart all the
knowledge in my power!

But I am real glad I went to that bee-
convention, if only for the pleasure of
meeting the sweet sisters and big brothers.
The nice blonde man from Canada told us
folks what a grand time we could all have
if we came to see him. So we voted to go
there next year, and elected him President,
so he could look out for nice accommoda-
tions. Maybe his house won't hold all of
us, but Dr. Miller and I, and York and
Hutchinson, can sleep up in the haymow,
just as well as not.

Good bye, sisters, until we meet again.
Emm Dee.

JBotli are Asters. — Mr. Wm. S. Knox,
of Dickey ville. Wis., writes as follows:

By this mail I send you samples of
two honey-plants. Please name each, and
tell their value as honey-producers. They
grow mostly on places where the timber
has been chopped off. Success to the " Old
Reliable." Wm. S. Knox.

Prof. T. J. Burrill, of the University of
Illinois, at Champaign, kindly replies to
the above as follows:

These plants are both asters,and probably
Anter keuis and Anter cwridce, but it is impos-
sible to be absolutely certain from the
specimens in regard to the species. How-
ever, all asters are very much alike in re-
gard to their honey value. I do not think
this very great. Immense quantities of
pollen are collected from them, and no
doubt a fair atnount of nectar.

The plant belongs to the sunflower
family, of which there are an immense
number of species, and among them some
honey-plants. T. J. Buhuill.

A Binder for holding a year's num-
bers of the Bee Journal we mall for
only 50 cents; or clubbed with the
JotJBNAL for $1.40.

answered by

Marengo, III.

In this department will be answered those
questions needing immediate attention, and
such as are not of sufliclent special interest to
require replies from the "40 or more apiarists
who help to make "Queries and Replies "so
interesting on another page, lathe main, it
will contain questions and answers upon mat-
ters that particularly interest beginners.— Ed.

The Hoffman Frame.

Please give me your opinion of the
Hoffman frame. I notice Mr. Barnett
Taylor condemns it in an article on page
272 of a March number of the "Amer-
ican Bee Journal " for 1894. I want to
use the self-spacing frame in full brood-
chamber, if there is no better.

Gaylord. Va. E. E. A.

Anwser — Referring to the page you
mention, it is easily seen that Mr. B.
Taylor is quite positive in his condemna-
tion of the Hoffman frame, and he is a
man whose opinions I respect. He does
not say why he condemns them, but if I
understand him correctly, he condemns
them because he likes the kind he is
using better, and I suspect it is on ac-
count of the matter of ease or difficulty
in handling.

I have had considerable experience
with the Hoffman frames, as well as
with several other kinds. Exact spac-
ing seemed to be a thing out of the ques-
tion with my old, loose-hanging frames,
and among other self-spacing frames I
tried the Hoffman. They gave exact
spacing against which there could be no
criticism, but after being in use for some
time I began to dread having to open a
hive containing them. There was so
much prying and pulling to get out the
dummy before getting out the first
frame, that the old, loose frames seemed
ever so much nicer to handle. The

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

585

whole thing was wedged up tight, all
was glued tight, glue gradually accumu-
lated, making everything tighter, and
making my face redder each time I
opened one of the hives.

Then I got some of the Hoffman
frames with the V edge, against which
edge I was strongly prejudiced, but
after a full year's use, I must say that
they are very nice and easy to handle.
I don't wedge them at all, just push the
frames tight together each time, and
there's no trouble about picking out the
dummy or taking out the first frame by
simply pushing the dummy back. So I
condemn the old Hoffraans, but I like
the new ones better than anything I
have tried. I would like still better to
have no chance for glue.

Prevention of Granulation.

In a late issue of the "American Bee
Journal" Mr. Doolittle gave directions
for making a winter feed that will not
granulate in the cells — 5 pounds of
honey, 30 pounds of sugar, and 15
pounds of water, I believe. Will granu-
lated honey, liquefied as usually directed,
answer for the purpose ? E. B.

Answer. — I think the granulated
honey will be all right.

Two Colonies in a Hive.

I am satisfied with my success in bee-
keeping this year. I think I have done
fairly well for a novice. I started last
spring with two colonies of blacks in
box-hives, and increased to six by swarm-
ing— all in frame hives. I got about 30
pounds of honey in transferring. The
two colonies got no surplus, as "we"
were swarming in the honey-flow, which
.was basswood this year. My neighbor,
an experienced bee-keeper, started last
spring with 3 colonies of Italians, and
increased to 11 by dividing, and took
130 pounds of comb honey, and will not
have to feed for winter. I have fed 15
pounds of syrup to two of my weakest
colonies, and am through feeding except
the hybrids.

I introduced two Italian queens last
summer, one was received all right, and
the other, after looking thoroughly for
her six or seven times, I found a black
queen in possession. I am sure there

were no queen-cells or queen in the hive
when I introduced her in the cage. I
think she must have come from some
other hive. It seems that such things
do occur sometimes, as the above-men-
tioned neighbor in introducing some
Italian queens on the combs years ago,
when there were no other Italians in this
part of the country, accidentally let one
go, and after awhile found her in a col-
ony of blacks of his.

What would be the probable result
of wintering two small colonies in one
hive, if a frame covered wiih screen-
wire, and fitted so that no bees could
pass, were placed between them ? Would
they likely be restless, or quiet, and like
a large colony ? The object would be
economy of room, heat and feed, as I
believe it is claimed that a large colony
will winter with less feed in proportion
to its size than a small one.

Belleville, Wis., Oct. 22.

Ans. — I've wintered many small colo-
nies two in a hive, with a 9^-inch board
between them, and it works well.
Whether wire-cloth would work the
same I don't know, but I am inclined to
think it would be all right. But you
can't be sure till you try.

Changing Size of Hive-Entrance.

Should the hive-entrance always be
the same size ? If not, when should the
changes be made ? Missouri.

Answer. — As a matter of actual prac-
tice, I think most bee-keepers leave the
entrance the same the year round, al-
though those who winter in cellars and
who do not give upward ventilation pre-
fer to have the entrance much enlarged
while in the cellar, even to taking away
the bottom-board entirely. If there is
any time when it seems profitable to
lessen the entrance, I should say it is
when first flights begin in spring, so as
to save the heat as much as possible for
breeding purposes.

Uniting Colonies — Moth-Proof Bees.

1. I have some more questions to ask.
This week I united some of my weak
colonies and caged one of the queens,
and left the other free in the hive.
What bothers me is, in one hive that
contains two of the small colonies they

586

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

have a queen at liberty, one queen in a
cage set between the frames, and queen-
cells with an egg in one of the cells.
When I looked at it yesterday, it was
nearly ready to be capped over. Whai
will be the outcome of this? Will the
bees kill the queen that is at liberty in
the hive, or not 9 I would not like to
lose her as it is one 1 value highly.

2. By the way, you said I should keep
pure Italian bees to keep out moth-
worms. All my bees are the best Ital-
ians I can get, from such as Doolittle
and Mrs. Atchley. If they are " no
good," then I am sure I don't know
where to get any that are.

3. One thing I have noticed, that the
bees that I united fought a great deal
and killed a greit many. Now wouldn't
it be better to unite them just as I am
about to put them in the cellar for win-
ter, or would you do it now, and let
them fight it out until ihey settle down,
as the one that I united has done ?

Aurora, 111., Oct. 18. L. S.

Answers.— 1. What made you leave
a caged and uncaged queen in the hive ?
If you caged a queen so the bees would
not hurt her, you were lessening her
chances by allowing another queen in
the hive. I have had bees kill their own
qneen for no other reason, I think, than
that I had caged another queen in the
hive to be kept till I needed her. So
the caged queen would make the free
queen's chances of safety less. On the
other hand, if the bees should not kill
the free queen, then the caged queen
would stand a poor show when liberated.
If you want one of the queens saved,
kill the other. If a queen is caged in a
hive, it is the common thing for the bees
to start queen-cells, and it seems some
of the bees friendly to your caged queen
acted on that plan. If not too late, the
best thing you can do is to destroy the
queen-cells, remove the poorer queeo,
and cage for a time the other queen, if
you think that is necessary for safety.

2. It seems to me the source from
which your Italians come is all right,
and unless there is a predominance of
other blood worked in, the moths ought
to be held at bay.

3. I think I would a little rather .have
Ihe uniting done before going in the cel-

lar. Following up some one of the plans
lately given in the "Bee Journal," there
ought not to be much fighting. Smoke
'em like sixty if they start fighting.

Pollen in Early Spring.

I am in a quandary again regarding
my bees and know of no better source
to go to for information than the "Old
Reliable."

I was out bee-bunting the other day,
and came to a bee-tree that had lately
been cut and robbed of all the honey,
leaving a good-sized colony of hybrids to
perish, as it is too late in the season to
get another store for winter ; and when
I happened to see that the queen was all
right, I concluded to take them home
and feed them on sugar syrup and see
how I came out next fall with my invest-
ment.

I put them on 3 Langstroth frames of
old combs and 2 of foundation. I made
a feeder by tacking a piece of wood sep-
arator on each side of a Langstroth
brood-frame, and put in a bevel-edged
strip of wood for a floater to keep the
bees from drowning. This they will
empty in about three hours, and I should
think it would hold three or four pounds
of syrup. It is about 4xl7x% inches,
inside measure. I place it at one side
of the combs, and it seems to answer the
purpose well.

Now, is it necessary for them to
have pollen for brood-rearing next
spring before pollen comes (I winter
bees in the cellar) ? If so, can I feed
anything to supply it? If so, what and
how? I looked in all jny strong colonies
for help, but pollen is scarce, and unless
it is in the bottom of the cells and cov-
ered with honey, there is none to spare.

Bellevue. Wis. Sub.

Answer. — They will rear no brood
next spring without pollen. You might
swap one or two of their frames of stores
for one or two from the other colonies,
for most likely you would thus give
them pollen, although you might not see
the pollen. Or, you can wait till next
spring, and then when the honey is
eaten out you'll have no trouble in find-
ing frames of pollen in the other hives,
from which you can draw.

Have You Bead the wonderful Pre-
mium offers on page 578?

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL

587

CONDUCTED BY

MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY.

BEEvrLLE. Texas.

Getting: Alon^ With Cross People.

Mrs. Atchley :— As we Southern bee-
keepers have now learned to look to you
for advice on matters pertaining to bees,
I wish to ask you what is the best way
to get along with people that are always
cross and trying to find something to
accuse the be'es of being a damage? It
seems that some people get angry when
everything doesn't go to their liking.
Please answer in the "American Bee
Journal." Subsckibek.

Friend Subscriber, whoever you are, I
will say that you have me in a tight
place, to answer or give advice, and
without more of the particulars it would
be hard to prescribe for your case.
However, you ought to know whether or
not your bees are a real nuisance or
damage to your neighbors. If so, I
would remedy the matter if I had to
move my bees, for I do love peace. Now,
if your bees bother your neighbors at
preserve-making time, I would furnish
them with mosquito-bar or wire-cloth
enough to cover or enclose the room,
etc.; and, besides, take them a mess of
honey occasionally, and this will usually
sweeten people unless they are a lemon
straight.

If your bees bother grapes, or what-
ever they do to annoy neighbors, try to
remedy the evil. I've had hard feelings
from people, or they thought hard of
me, because my bees visited their stock-
watering troughs, but I have always, so
far, made matters right and satisfactory
in some way.

Please bear with me a little right here.
One of ihe worst things that has come
up in my rounds was in locating out-
apiaries. I almost always put my bees
at or near some residence, and I have
never yet, that I remember, had any one
to make a charge for my bees being on
their premises. Often I have asked

what they would charge me, and the re-
ply was: "Nothing at all." I would
say, " Well, I will give you some honey
to eat, anyway." These people knew
nothing of bees, and thought where there
were bees there was honey. If the sea-
son would open up badly, and continue
so for a time, and I had no honey to
offer them, I would feel ashamed to visit
the yards, and actually I have bought
honey and given it to people, when they
thought it came from the bees at their
place. And, oh, how it would please
them ! I would rather pay a moderate
price for the use of space than to have it
free — I would get off cheaper. I nearly
always leave a colony of bees when I
move the bees away.

Now, back to your questions, and I
will close by giving my experience with
ugly neighbors. It is this :

There are some things in this world
not to our liking, which we cannot
change. Much of our happiness, as well
as usefulness, depends upon our ability
to adapt ourselves patiently to disagree-
able and troublesome things which are
inevitable and incurable. The river can-
not remove the mountain, so it grace-
fully flows around it; so we must pa-
tiently go around many things which we
cannot remove.

This principle applies to our relations
and dealings with the people about us.
Some of them are uncongenial, disagree-
able, provoking. Strive and fret our-
selves as we will, we cannot change
them. We must accept their peculiari-
ties, and even their faults as inevitable,
and adapt ourselves to them. People
who have grown up crooked, are hard to
straighten. We must learn to help peo-
ple, and love them, and be happy in
their society in spite of their peculiari-
ties and defects.

Now, I trust that you may get some
ideas out of this that will enable you to
study those cross neighbors, and make
them your friends.

Jennie Atchley.

BxifiEalo Clover.

Mrs. Atchley : — I see that you name
buffalo clover as a honey-plant of Texas.
Now I always thought so, too, but I
have kept bees for three years, and for
two years as a specialty, and have
watched it closely, and I have not seen a
single bee at work on buffalo clover.
Now what I wish to know is, do bees
work on it in some localities, of your

588

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAj

own knowledge? Please answer in the
" American Bee Journal."

We have a plant in this county (Hill)
of considerable importance as a honey-
plant, that I would like to know the
name of. It is a bushy weed, small
leaf, grows from 1'2 to 18 inches high,
and blooms from May 1st to 15th. The
blooms are constructed something like
the sunflower, only the center is more
round, and as large as a half dollar. The
outside row of petals are dark red. If
you can tell what it is, please do so. If
not, can you give me the address of some
one who can tell me ? I will send a sam-
ple to some botanist next spring, if nec-
essary, and notify you of the result.

Abbott, Tex. J. D. Prosise.

Friend P., I have had splendid yields
from buflfalo clover in Lampasas county,
where I kept bees in 1884-85-86-87,
and it bloomed there in May, and gave
a fair crop, even in the driest year we
had there during the three years' drouth.
I do not know whether it furnishes
honey only in certain localities or not,
but I had supposed it furnished honey
wherever it grows. Who else has no-
ticed this clover in their localities? Buf-
falo clover belongs to the mint family,
as do all plants with a square stalk

Prof. A. J. Cook, of Claremont, Calif.,
can tell you the name of the other plant.
Jennie Atchley.

About Boyal Jelly.

1. How long will royal jelly keep good,
out of the cells ?

2. When it gets thick and hard, can it
be used ?

3. How much do you use in a cell ?
Alliance, Tex H. L. Bolton.

Friend B., I will answer as best I can.

1. I never tried how long it will keep,
but it will soon become too tough and
hard to be used for grafting.

2. I never try to use it when it gets
old or turned yellow. I prefer to use
Jelly as thin as I can get it. Still, we
often mix the thin and thick jelly to-
gether, when it is scarce, and it works
all right. We do not now use the jelly
plan from queen-cells — we move the
larva, jelly and all, together, which is
much better.

3. Only a small quantity is sufficient-
say what would lay on the point of a
small pen-kriiic. Jennie Atchley.

Great Premiums on page 578 l

Bees MnrlateJ-Wliat to Do.

Query 947.— 1. What would you do, sup-
pose the bees in your apiary had become un-
manageable, by careless handling, accident,
or otherwise, so that they would sting every-
thing in sight ?

2. Have you ever known such a state of
affairs in your experience ?— Illinois.

1. Run. 2. No.— P. H. Elwood.

1. I don't know. 2. No.— J. M. Ham-

BAUGH.

1. Subdue them with smoke or water.
2. No.— H. D. Cutting.

1. I would probably feel like swear-
ing. 2. No. — W. G. Larrabee.

1. I would probably wait until they
got over their fit. 2. No.— C. C. Miller.

1. I would keep out of sight. 2. Oc-
casionally, through carelessness. — Mrs.
L. Harrison.

1. All would depend upon what was
the trouble. 2. I never had any bees
that were unmanageable trom any
cause. — E. France.

I have never had such a case. I
should use smoke, and if that failed, use
a bee-tent, which always subdues even
the most vicious. — A. J. Cook.

1. I would let them alone until they
became quiet. 2. I have had a case or
two of that kind with single colonies,
but their fury was of short duration. —
M. Mahin.

1. Leave them severely alone for two
weeks, and they will forget all about it.
If not more than 100 to 200 bees did
the stinging, kill t'hem with a paddle at
once.— G. M. Doolittle.

Leave them alone as much as possible,
and when handling them, smoke thor-
oughly. Moving the hives might do
some good, as some of the old bees would
be lost.— Dadant & Son.

1. I would give an upper story with
wire or cloth top, then shower them all
in and close the entrance with wire-cloth
In the day time, and open it at dark.
Keep the hive well shaded, and the en-

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

589

trance darkened during the day. Adjust
all entrances to about four inches, or
less if that much is not needed for free
passage of the bees in and out. 2. Not
in my own apiary. — Mrs. J. N. Heater.

1 and 2. I have never had such an ex-
perience, and can't imagine how such a
state of things should arise. In such
case, I should either kill the whole col-
ony, or re-queen it.— J. E. Pond.

1. I'd keep out of their reach, and
send the children in the house. A big
smudge might help. 2. No. Something
is wrong somewhere when such a state
of affairs exists. — Eugene Secor.

1. Stop "careless handling;" guard
against " accidents ;" look out for the
"otherwise;" feed each colony late in
the evening — if their pasture is very
poor. 2. Not in any well managed api-
ary.— J. P. H. Brown.

1. I would get everything out of
" sight" as rapidly as I could until the
bees cooled down. 2. Yes; it was caused
by the jarring of the earth made by the
use of a road scraper in the neighbor-
hood of the apiary. — R. L. Taylor.

1. I should use the smoker and the
fountain pump the best I knew how. If
salty water is used in the pump, it will
help to secure quiet. Of course the best
plan is not to provoke such a condition
of things by carelessness. 2. Yes. —
Emekson T. Abbott.

1. Keep away from them as far as
possible, until they get over it. Use
plenty of smoke. Find out if possible
which colonies are doing the stinging —
usually there are not many — and see
that they are subdued. 2. To a limited
extent. — J. A. Green.

As I have never known bees to get
that way, I am of the mind to answer as
the young physician did on examination :
" What would you first do in case a
man had been blown up by an explo-
sion ?" He replied, "Would wait until
he came down." — J as. A. Stone.

1. If near night let them severely
alone, and after it has become dusk, and
they have quieted down — remedy the
cause. If early in the day, I would con-
tract entrances to every hive, and in-
troduce a little " feed " into the inside of
the disturbed colonies ; if necessary,
cover them up entirely. — W. M.Barnum.

1. Prevention is better than a cure,
but if the thing has happened, and they
are endangering the lives of animals
and folks, terrify them with smoke.
They will respect this when they will
nothing else. Get so much smoke

around them that they can't recognize
themselves or the hives. A bee is not
likely to sting unless it does it soon after
leaving the hive. 2. Yes, I have known
it, and known of it to such an extent
that it would be hard for me to fix the
distance from dwelling-houses and high-
ways at which it would be absolutely
safe to establish large apiaries. — S. I.
Freeborn.

1. An ounce of prevention is W9rth
more than a pound of cure in such case,
but as such a condition may happen, it
is well to consider what is best to do. I
should lose no time in getting the
smoker going, and give every colony
showing unusual activity a good dose of
smoke. 2. No. — C. H. Dibbern.

1. Leave them entirely alone for a
few days until they forget the cause of
their irritation. Then handle them gen-
tly until they get all right. 2. Yes,
nearly every season my bees, or rather
a part of them, at times, get cross and
handle badly. But in a general way I
have no trouble with them. — G. W. Dem-
arke.

I would let them get over their excite-
ment by keeping all sweets out of their
reach about the apiary. It is never safe
in a large apiary to leave honey exposed
except during a good honey-flow. To
stop their stinging, smoke each hive
with tobacco smoke just before dusk. 2.
I have had them to sting everything in
sight, but tobacco quieted them.— G. L.
Tinker.

1. I would begin at once to handle in
a careful way, using smoke so as to keep
the bees always subdued. I would never
leave a colony I was working with until
it was thoroughly subdued. I would
then re-queen as soon as possible with
gentle Italian queens. 2. Yes, I have
known bees to become so cross from bad
handling that they drove everything to
shelter. — B. Taylor.

1. I would light the smoker, and go
into them and right all wrongs as quickly
as possible. In case of accident, clear
things up quicker, and let them' quiet
down. 2. I have many times had acci-
dents—hives bursted, etc., also bad
cases of robbing by bad management
but I have always as yet managed them'.
I know it tries one's patience in such
cases, but I think we should always try
to remedy the evil in as quiet manner as
possible.— Mrs. Jennie Atchley.

One-Cent Postagre Stamps we

prefer whenever it is necessary to send
stamps for fractions of a dollar By re-
membering this, you will greatly obllg* us

590

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.,

PROCEEDINGS

or THE

Twenly-Fiftli Annual Meeting

OF THE

mm AMERICAN

BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOGIATIOH.

BY FRANK BENTON, SEC.

[Continued from page 530.]
The followingr discussion took place
after the reading of Mr. Rouse's essay
on page 530, entitled,

Profits in Bee-Keeping.

Dr. C. C. Miller— I have not sold my
crop yet (1% ounces per colony), sol
don't know what the profits will be.

A. I. Root— Since starting for this
convention I have heard a great many
reports from bee-keepers, and we have
had correspondence with many other
bee-keepers, but 1 have heard very little
said which will lead one to believe that
there are very large profits for the bee-
keepers in the United States. I remem-
ber a supply-dealer in Ohio remarking :
"Say, Mr. Root, there's just one ques-
tion 1 want you to answer : Do you think
bees are ever going to pay one as they
used to pay ?" If I am not mistaken, a
good many of the friends are asking if
bees are going to pay again as they used
to pay. Well, before you get discour-
aged and join in with the ranks of those
who do not think bees are going to pay,
let me say a few words to you. There
are some people who say that grocery-
keeping don't pay, and there have been
people who said farming did not pay 50
years ago. 1 cannot remember 50 years
ago, but I can remember nearly 50.
The world has gone on with its ups and
downs. If bee-keeping does not pay,
what will ? Is it the trouble of the sea-
son, altogether, or the bee-keeper ?
There is a young man within two miles
of our apiary, having 300 or 400 colo-
nies. I ran out that way on ray wheel
a few weeks ago, and Ernest told me I
had better go and see him. We had
quite a little talk, and, to my surprise,
he had a crop of honey last year, and he
said, " I have had a good crop of honey
ever since I have kept bees." Now you
may say he had a good locality, but he
has not— no better than others. We
have pretty good basswood and willow.
He is not In a very good locality, but he

has lots of faith in the great God above.
My friend Grimm, there, looks happy.
The Grimms have always made money,
and always got honey, I guess. Now
friends, there have been some bad sea-
sons. We have been traveling in Mis-
souri, and while I have been travelling I
have been looking over your State, and
I have been sorry not only for the bee-
keepers, but for the farmer, and when
we feel sorry for the farmers we ought
to feel sorry for the grocers, and when
we feel sorry for the grocers we have to
feel sorry for other people, and so it goes
on. Some of the hotel people charge 75
cents for breakfast. 1 do not go there,
and so I feel sorry for them, too. I feel
certain that there are some places in
Missouri where they have fair crops,
and I have been told in some places that
they did not get any honey. Now I wish
all of these local things would come out.
I do not want to be all the time looking
on the dark side, but I want to look on
the hopeful side. I know that there are
some good times coming even for the
bee-keepers.

Dr. Miller — Mr. Root always, under
the pretense of encouraging us, says
some discouraging things. There may
be a man right by you who has a good
crop of honey while you have none.
This is as much as saying that you
failed because you have not got faith in
God. Now, there may be something in
that, but I do not think that is the
whole cause of the failure. There is a
good deal in that, that others are having
crops, but it is not true that some of us
fail because we have not got faith. I
know what I know, if I don't know
much, and I do know that I have got
faith in God, and this year I have had
a bitter failure. It is true that not over
20 miles from me I spent a night with
a man who had a fair crop. There are
those things going on all about us. I
do believe this : If we do not know of
any reason why we are having these
failures, we have the right to expect
that, in the course of time, things will
come about so that the crop will come to
my place, and if it does not come this
year, perhaps it will come the next. If
it pinches me so hard that I have to do
something else to make a living, I will
do it. I am not discouraged. I am not
working for that. This last year has
been the happiest of my whole life.
Every year is happier than the one be-
fore it, and I am expecting it to keep on
as the days come, and I will be happier
every year. We may expect the honey
crops to come back any time. I expect
the crops of honey to come back again.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNA3

591

C. Grimm — I will admit that there is
not as much profit in bee-keeping as
there was years ago. There was a time
when bees could be sold for $50 a col-
ony, and honey, that is, the comb honey,
sold for 50 cents, and extracted, for
about the same. And my brother sold
queens from Italy at $20 apiece. There
was then a good deal of profit, and my
brother made in bee-keeping about $50,-

000 clear money. There was no ques-
tion about it. He had it when he died.

1 made a little money, but I was not " in
it "as he was. We shipped honey by
the carload to New York, two or three
carloads at once, but we lost money on
that. At the present time, when you
have to sell a good colony of bees for $5
in the spring, it is rather low, and honey
at a shilling a pound is not much money.
I am not discouraged. My wife has told
me a good many times to give up bees,
but I don't intend to do it. I will keep
it up all my life. I think it is a good
business.

R. F. Holtermann — I think that as
Mr. Root and Dr. Miller said, there are
conditions under our control, and others
not under our control, in connection
with our failures. It appears to me
that every season we find more and
more that there is a premium on under-
standing our business, and in using that
understanding in the right way. One
man cannot do another man's thinking.
In the past season I have gone through
Ontario, and I do not know how the sea-
sou has been with you, but with us the
season has been good. The bees built
up strong. Then we had wet and cold
weather so that in every instance the
queen stopped laying entirely, and then
the drones were about killed oft. In a
season like that I found that those men
who practiced stimulative feeding to
keep the queen laying, had very strong
colonies, and secured far better crops
than the men who did not do it. I am
one of those men who say I do not be-
lieve in stimulative feeding, but this
last season was an extraordinary one,
and under those conditions it was neces-
sary. The difificulties are greater at the
present time, but we are still able to
secure and make a living. We find peo-
ple in all directions claiming that one
thing does not pay, and another thing
does not pay, and that it does not pay
to do this or that, and go from one thing
to another. What little experience I
have had, I think it pays to stick to one
thing. The men who were careful in
bringing their colonies through the win-
ter, and watched out in the spring, are
going to fare better than if we had had

a really good spring. In regard to our
profits, we are making a great mistake
in trying to enlarge our markets. We
should produce a good article and put it
before the public in the right way, and
we can increase the consumption of
honey in our own territory very consid-
erably, and before I go away I hope I
may show you a copy of a paper that
devoted a whole page to bees and honey
in the Toronto Exposition. If that was
done throughout the country, we would
find a greater sale for our honey, and
better prices, and we could increase our
markets at home.

Spring Stimulative Feeding — Breed-
ing for Color.

Dr. Miller — I would like to ask Mr.
Holtermann how much he thinks was
the advantage of stimulative feeding
last spring.

Mr. Holtermann — Before I answer
that question, I would like to say I ata?
one of those people who have condemned
stimulative feeding, but under these
conditions I am sure stimulative feeding
gave fully 30 per cent, more in honey.
I don't know exactly, but I think there
is that much of a gain. The weather
was cold continuously for three weeks
every day, and wet ; there was no honey
coming in, and the colonies would prob-
ably have starved unless attended to in
that way. There was very little honey
and much brood, and not much uncapped
stores. This continued for at least two
or three weeks. The queen ceased de-
positing eggs, and in this condition
stimulative feeding was of great advan-
tage.

P. H. Richardson — What flowers were
your bees gathering from ?

Mr. Holtermann — The early flowers,
of course — clover. I am one of those
who have taken the stand that I want to
get all the bees I can before the early
bloom comes. Some say that they do
not want to get bees strong before the
honey comes. That is absurd.

Mr. Root — Mr. H. R. Boardman told
me he was pretty sure he would have no
crop at all unless he fed his bees with
sugar syrup until up to the honey-flow.
He would have the brood-chamber well
filled so that ail surplus honey that came
must go into the sections. He crowded
his brood-combs so full of feed that the
bees had no other place to put the sur-
plus. He had about two tons, mostly
from basswoood, and in his opinion if he
had not fed them as he did, he would
not have had any crop at all.

Mr. Richardson — Stimulative feeding

592

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

under certain circumstances and condi-
tions will undoubtedly pay so far as my
experience goes, but it is like other
things connected with our occupation,
that is, it is rather risky. Sometimes it
will pay, and sometimes it will not pay.
Sometimes you feed and build colonies
up strong until about white clover time,
and then you have no crop, and the bees
will undoubtedly starve unless you look
after them pretty closely. What I am
keeping bees for, and what I am in the
bee-business for, is the dollars and cents,
and I expect to stay in it. I have 160
acres of corn, meadow, etc., and I would
hate to tell you whet I have got off of it.
I am not going to throw up farming just
because I do not get anything at all, and
I am not going to throw up bees be-
cause I do not get any honey. I do not
believe any amount of faith will put
honey in the pail when it is not there.
I have bees that are going to get honey
if there is any. I have not had any
honey-flow since I have been in bee-keep-
ing. But I am going to build up my
business just as fast as I can.

Frank Benton — I have contended for
very many years that stimulative feed-
ing is at the bottom of all success in bee-
keeping. But it is only with myself
that I have contended— have tried to
consider the matter from all standpoints
and subject it to careful experiment, be-
cause there have been so many against
me, some of them especially being those
with whom a controversy once entered
upon would be never-ending. I believe
that to obtain the best results it is nec-
essary to stimulate whenever bees are
not gathering honey and yet can fly
out for exercise. I would have a prolific
race of bees, and I would have the
choicest and most prolific queens of that
race. A prolific queen is the corner-
stone of success. Whenever bees are not
gathering honey, and the winds are raw
and cold, 1 would still stimulate them,
but this can be carried too far. When-
ever in the middle of the season an im-
portant yield of honey is anticipated it
is easy by stimulative feeding to get the
hives crowded with bees ready for that
harvest. After that it may, or, accord-
ing to circumstances, it may not bo profit-
able to stimulate them. If no honey
comes in for a time, so that brood-rear-
ing ceases, and if it is still possible to
rear workers in time for a fall flow, by
all means resort to stimulative feeding
if the time can be found to attend to it.
Or if the colonies have become reduced
too much during the last honey-flow, the
remaining bees being mainly old ones, it
will pay to stimulate some even though

no fall flow can be expected. They will
be in better condition for winter. To
illustrate: the past summer from about
the first week of July to the end of
August my bees brought in no honey.
My time would not permit me to go all
over them and stimulate them regularly,
but it would have paid me 100 per cent,
to have done so. They had honey in
their combs, in fact many of them much
more than they needed, for I had been
otherwise too busy to remove all they
might have spared, knowing I would not
have time to feed regularly. Yet I know
as the result of repeated experiments
along this line that it would have been a
profitable undertaking to have stimu-
lated brood-rearing by frequent feeding.
What comes in daily is, in general, dur-
ing mild or warm weather, what regu-
lates the amount of brood a given queen
will produce. Pew colonies will draw
much on their sealed stores to keep up
brood-rearing. If the workers have
passed through a harvest, they dwindle
rapidly after that, and their places must
be supplied by others, else the colony is
in no condition for another honey-har-
vest that season nor for the winter, es-
pecially if they have much time to fly
out and get reduced before cold weather
commences. In September we had a
moderate yield (chiefly from wild asters),
and just those colonies which had been
stimulated occasionally during the long
summer drouth and honey-dearth, stored
more than the others — many of them
four or five times as much. They were
so much stronger in bees they could send
a force into the fields. I am sure the
immediate return in honey from my bees
would have been greater had I not in-
creased my colonies beyond such a num-
ber as I could have stimulated regularly
during the summer. But I have shown
my faith in the future profitableness of
bee-keeping by increasing my apiary
until it numbers 140 colonies. In this
connection I wish to make one other
statement. I have kept bees from my
childhood, and for more than 20 years
have engaged in this business exclu-
sively ; my experience has, moreover,
been in several different States of the
Union, and in a number of foreign coun-
tries under conditions of climate and
pasturage which have diff'ered very
widely from each other, having been
located in tropical, again in sub-tropical,
northern and Alpine regions, yet when
my colonies have been in excellent con-
dition—such as they can always be kept
up to by feeding at the proper time — I
never yet experienced a season when
they did not gather enough to last all

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

593

winter, and rarely one which gave no
surplus. My experience is, that, by
paying very close attention to the selec-
tion of queens, and by having an exact
knowledge of what I might anticipate in
the way of blossoms which ordinarily
yield honey, and by having the bees
there whether any great harvest came
or not. in the course of the year they
have always found a yield ; and when-
ever I fail to stimulate part of my colo-
nies, and the natural sources fail to
secrete enough at all times to keep
brood-rearing going on from spring un-
til fall, the difference in the condition of
the colonies, standing side by side, seems
to be in favor of those I have stimulated,
by 50 per cent., hence I believe that on
this account alone stimulative feeding
pays.

Mr. Richardson— I would like to know
what we put in the honey-buckets: it is
honey, isn't it? I have been riding
around to see some of those queen-
breeders, and they have led me to be-
lieve that it was " color " that I wanted
to put into the honey-buckets. I would
write to this one and say, "I want a
queen ; what have you got?" And they
would reply, " I have got some beautiful
queens that are all yellow." They do
not say whether they get any honey or
not, but they say that the queens are all
yellow. They say if you are not satisfied
with that, you don't have to buy. I don't
care whether a bee is as black as my
hat. I have had queens from bee-deal-
ers that I would not give a cent for a
thousand of them. They were of no use
I have not got a black bee in my apiary,
and I never have had. I don't want to
be understood that I want black bees,
because I don't, but what I do want is a
bee that will get the honey when there
is any honey to get. You give me a
queen that will give me 180 or 190
pounds of honey every year, and I will
stand it if their sting is a yard long.

Dr. Miller — So far as we have gotten,
it would seem to prevail either that
stimulative feeding is a good thing all of
the time, or that it is a good thing some
of the time. I would like to know some-
thing about this matter. I would like
to have those who don't approve of stim-
ulative feeding, tell iis the harm in it.
Tell us the bad time to stimulate, and
the harm in it.

Pres. E. T. Abbott— I would like to
say something about those yellow bees.
The tendency to yellow is sporty. Every
one that has raised chickens, for in-
stance the Golden Wyandottes, where
the color is yellow and black, knows
there is a tendency to^ extreme yellow-

ness or to extreme blackness. This
splashing of yellow denotes sporty chick-
ens. It simply indicates that it is a
mongrel. You mix Cyprian blood with
Italian blood, and you will get yellow
bees for four generations. If I may be
allowed to use the expression, we want
the "feathers" of the bee distinctly
marked, the same as in the chicken. It
is a mistaken idea that all yellow bees
are sports, and not good breeders, but
some of the queen-breeders have got the
idea that the bees should be yellow all
over, and that is all that is necessary.

Dr. Miller — Let me ask you : Suppose
you have Italian bees which you know
are pure, and there are nothing but pure
Italian bees in your locality, I would
like to know if you go on breeding from
these alone what will be the tendency in
regard to the color. Will they stay the
same?

Mr. Abbott — The tendency of imported
bees is to become lighter all the time.
Every generation will make them a little
lighter, but the markings will be the
same. The color would be lighter, but
there would be no change in the mark-
ings.

Dr. Miller — I would like to have an
answer to my other question. Some say
that stimulative feeding is a good thing,
and others say that it is not. I would
like to know how that is".

Mr. Holtermann — I can answer that, I
think. It is objectionable at all times,
possibly with a few exceptions. There
are some bees after the basswood flow
that do not get anything, and as the
bees are getting old, it is a good thing
to stimulate them to get them to care
for the brood. I don't think it is a good
thing to stimulate them early in the sea-
son, because they get too much brood in
the hives, and unless the hives are pro-
tected when cold weather comes along,
the brood will chill, and harm is done in
this case ; but one man cannot judge for
another, and in my locality the bees get
enough naturally to keep the queen lay-
ing as rapidly as the bees are able to
take care of the brood. Just before the
cold spell came on, the bees got a good
deal from the fruit-bloom, and they were
assisted very much, while others were
not. My hives were clogged with bees,
and if I were to stimulate them I would
clog the brood-chamber.

Mr. Richardson — Now in regard to
that color question. I was talking to a
queen-breeder the other day, and I said
to him, *' I want you to answer a ques-
tion about these bees. You have been
breeding them, and I want to know just
what you think of them, and he says.

594

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU

" Well, I will tell you, they are not much
good, they are too short-lived."

John Wier— In regard to those yellow
bees. I have some of them in my api-
ary, and they have secured upwards of
50 pounds per colony, and the yellow
bees have done the very best for me this
year, and have done the best on red
clover, better than any other bees. I
have yellow, three-banded, and black
bees, and I think my yellow bees have
done the very best this year.

J. Schumacher— I have been handling
Italian bees since 1866, when I reared
my first Italian queen. I sent for a
5-banded queen seven or eight years
ago. The first one I got T reared queens
from, and they were 5-banded. The
yellow bees are better workers by one-
third, and they are longer-lived and
gentler. I reared about 50 queens last
year, and about 25 this year, and I was
sorry that it was not so that I could rear
more. I got some that did not give sat-
isfaction, but I would not give them up
for the 3-banded or the common Ital-
ians. I prefer them over all others.

Mr. Richardson — There is just as
much difference in bees as there is in
anything else. I can get 3-banded
queens that I would not have on my
place, and I can get other 3-banded
queens that are worth $10 of my money,
and I would rather pay $5 for a queen
and know what I am getting than to
pay 75 cents and have to take a queen
that is bred altogether for color regard-
less of everything else. I would like to
hear from some who are not queen-
breeders, and who have used both kinds.

The convention then adjourned till 2
p.m.

(Continued on page 622.)

Xliose TScw Siil>scril>ers, that you
have long been thinking of getting, are
very likely ready now to give you their
names. You know that besides " throvv-
ing in " the numbers for the rest of this
year to new subscribers for 18'.t5, vi^e also
give each one of them a free copy of the
IfiO-page book. "Bees and Honey." Yes,
and we will give you a premium for get-
ting the new subscribers, as you will see on
page .'iTS. Better at once " get after " those
bee-keeping friends of yours, and secure
their subscriptions, so you can send it with
your own renewal before the end of Decem-
ber. To double the present list of readers
of the " American Bee Journal " will mean
more than a doubly better paper for all.
We can guarantee that. If each subscriber
sends only one new name, the thing will be
done. Will you do it ?

Have You Read page 578 yet

COWVEJVTION DIRECTORY.

Time and place of meeting.

1894.
Nov. 10.— Western Washington, at Tacoma.
G. D. Littooy, Sec, Tacoma, Wash.

Nov. 13. 14.-Illinois State, at Springfield, 111.
Jas. A Stone, Sec, Bradfordton, 111.

Nov. 14, 15— S.W.Wisconsin, at Montford,Wi8.
A. A. Arms. Sec. Huilbut, Wis.

Nov. 21, 22— N.E. O. and N.W.Pa.,at Corry.Pa.
Geo. Spitler, Sec, Mosiertown, Pa.

Dec 5.— Central California, at Hanford.

J. F. Flory, Sec, Lemoore, Calif.

Dec 6.— Carolina, at Charlotte, N. C.

A. L. Beach, Sec. Steel Creek. N. C.

Dec.18, 19— Northern Illinois, at Rockford.Ill.

B. Kennedy, Sec, New Milford, 111.
1895.

Jan. 9.— Indiana State, at Indianapolis, Ind.
Walter S. Pouder, Pres.. Indianapolis, Ind.

Jan. 21, 22 rada State, at Denver, Colo.

H. Knight. Sec, Littleton, Colo.

Jan. 28.— Venango Co., at Franltlin, Pa.

C. S. Pizer, Sec. Franklin, Pa.

Jan. 30. 31.— Vermont, at Middlebury, Vt.
H. W. Scott, Sec, Barre, Vt.

Feb. 8, 9.— Wisconsin, at Madison. Wis.

J. W. Vance. Cor. Sec, Madison, Wis.

. .—North American, at Toronto, Can.

Frank Benton, Sec, TJ. S. Dept. Agriculture,
Washington, D. C.

la^ 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

OFFICERS FOU 1895.

Pres.— R. F. Hoitermann Brantford, Ont.

VicePres.— L D Stilson Vork. Nebr.

Secretahy.— W. Z. Hutchinson. ..Flint, Mich.
Treasurer.— J. T. Calvert Medina. Ohio.

National Bee-Keepers' Union.

President— Hon. R. L.Taylor.. Lapeer. Mich.
Gen'i. Manager— T. G. Newman. Chicago, 111.
147 South Western Avenue.

■11inoi«« 4:;oiiveiitioii Reports.—

The Illinois State Bee-Keepers' Association
still have a good many copies of their Sec-
ond Annual Report on hand, and no post-
age to send them out. Any one sending
eight cents in stamps to pay postage and
wrapping, will receive a copy of same by
mail ; or seven cents in stamps will pay for
a copy of the First Annual Report, if any
one desires it. Address, Jas. A. Stone,
Sec, Bradfordton, 111.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

595

f<r?jff>i?7rj<7j^>j<>j<r7?ir7K"^"??<'>?«'?l<r7|^ ???:>?? 7?^"^

t<t >t<>i< >!<L>fe >i< >i< >i<: >!< >t<: >!<: >!< >V- >!ot<>te>!>(>i>( >t>(>tx xt/ xV >l»( xV >tx xt^ >t< >j

, DEEP FRAMES VS. STORIFYING.

A Possible Compromise Between Eight and Ten Frame
Hives. Locality ^ot Enough Considered.

BY F. L. THOMPSON.

On page 367 of " Gleanings," the editor suggested increasing the capacity of
the 8-frame hive when desired by adding another 8-frame story. I tried the scheme
on about a dozen colonies the past season, adding the additional stories about May
1st. At the opening of the honey-flow more than half had considerably more brood
than they could have had in a single 8-frame story. One had 12 frames of brood,
one 11, and two or three 10, while the average could not have been less than 7,
and was probably more. But such hives are very cumbersome to look into, or to
handle in any way as a whole. Storifying with half-depth frames throughout would
be better.

I experienced one objection to storifying, however, which I have never seen
stated in print. In raising up an upper story, I broke open as fine a queen-cell as I
ever saw, which had been built so as to be fastened to frames in both stories, I
found the queen failing, and not another cell in the hive. Later another cell was
started, and a queen reared, but egg-laying was suspended for some time, and the
colony is not now so strong.

These colonies were given work to do in building brood-combs by inserting
empty frames after the flow had commenced. I do not see how they could profitably
be used for comb honey. The average capacity of a queen, when the flow is not too
early, may exceed that of an 8-frame chamber, but cannot attain to a 16-frame one.
Some of the crop would have to be in the form of extracted honey, and the bees
would be loth to go above. For producing both comb and extracted in the same
hive, shallow extracting-frames would be much better, so as to allow of tiering.

Now this experience of mine with vertical expansion is in line with what Mr. W.
C. Frazier says, on page 546 of " Gleanings :" " A colony will do about as well on
8 as on 10 Langstroth frames, and I don't know but they will do better, as a 10-
frame colony's brood-nest is in the wrong shape. But make the 8-frame hive the
same capacity as the 10-frame, by adding two inches in depth to the frames, and
they will rear as great a percentage of brood in it as they did when It was only the
Langstroth depth." I have been waiting with much interest for the veterans to
arise and say either "Them's my sentiments," or "Fiddlesticks," on this point.
Surely, it is an important matter. Just think of it— with a frame 11?^ inches deep,
there should be over li more brood, at the same time of year, with the same queen,
and the same bees ! But even the editor did not bestow a foot-note upon it. I

596 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

wonder if there is a hitch somewhere. Possibly there would be a slightly greater
amount of sealed honey at the top of the frames to make the bees unwilling to enter
the sections. Still, that would contradict Mr. Frazier's assertion of as great per-
centage of brood. It would pay to look into this. Some points might be brought
out which would tend to clear up that perpetual mystery wbich is worrying Dr.
Miller — why ihey should get big crops down at Hamilton. Then, too, it might set-
tle the vexed question of "section honey " in the side frames. There would be no
reason for grudging a 10-frame colony 10 pounds of white honey in the side combs
of the brood-chamber, any more than to grudge 8 pounds to an 8-frame colony, if
the former had reared a correspondingly larger amount of brood, which would put
50 pounds of surplus above instead of 40.

It is only fair to mention that the Heddon hive fulfills the condition of 8-frame
width with 10-frame capacity ; and those who run big apiaries, and who handle
hives instead of frames, need look no further ; but there are some of us (and I
think there always will be) who prefer to handle frames instead of hives ; and 8
frames, in one story, are certainly easier to handle than 16 frames in two stories.

But, for the present, let us imagine that Mr. Frazier will be proved to be cor-
rect. What follows? That the Langstroth frame should be superseded by a
deeper one.

Three objections may be urged : Deeper frames could not be so easily handled ;
deeper frames would not be interchangeable with extracting frames, or if they were,
the latter would be too large ; deeper frames would not be the standard size. The
first two sufficiently account for the prevalence of the Langstroth over the Quinby
size, without supposing that there is something mysteriously superior about it.

Answers: — 1st. I have tussled with Dadant frames of the ordinary hanging
type, and want no more of them. But we are getting smarter now, and may get
smarter yet. I don't think this objection would amount to much if the frames were
the latest style Hoffman (they would have to be wired, of course) ; and I know it
would not if they were Aspinwall frames, as I have had an Aspinwall deep-frame
hive on trial this season, and taken solid comfort in it. (Closed-end frames, too; —
take notice. Dr. Miller.) Incidentally, it may be noticed that the Aspinwall hive
may be contracted without division-boards or dummies — one objection to 10-frame
Langstroth hives.

2nd. The greatest good to the greatest numbers: most '^of us produce comb
honey; and quite a respectable array of authorities favor shallow frames for ex-
tracting supers.

3rd. This is indeed a terrible objection to encounter. I may be annihilated,
but I will try it. In the first place, is not the length and width of the chambers of
more importance in preserving the standard than the depth of the frame? Then,
though it might not pay to make it even a minor change like this all at once, or to
make a change at all if we have all the hives we want already, that ought not to
stand in the way of future perfection. If we cannot do what we think best now,
suppose we imagine what it may be possible to do a hundred years from now, and
begin to work toward it. To cling to a standard because it is a standard, though it
may be a strong argument, is never a sufficient one. Looking at it from that point
of view — considering what is absolutely best — it seems useless to try to settle on one
depth of frame. There ought to be two— shallow and deep— because each has
advantages which the other has not. Some one has said that the Langstroth is a
happy medium between shallow and deep frames. If a medium always retained the
advantages of the extremes, that would close the argument. In this case it does
not, and would do so still less if what Mr. Frazier says is true.

The cubical contents of hives has been the bone of contention hitherto ; now let

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 567

us see what the shape has to do with it. If it is really true that a hive is possible
which will combine the advantaRes of the 8 and the 10 frame, and be better than
either without storifying, it should not lightly be passed by because it would not be
the standard size.

And it is really important that the question should be discussed without refer-
ence to a standard, for some of us will kick over the traces anyhow (witness Dadant,
Heddon, Tinker, and a crowd of lesser lights), and we want to know all the bear-
ings of the case. The answers to Query 926 seem very authoritative ; but put it
this way : Suppose there was no standard, how many would have settled on 17%
by 93^, or nearly that? I strongly suspect that although the querist did not add
the words, "and taking into consideration the desirability of conforming to a stan-
dard size" — he probably left out that condition purposely— yet nearly every one of
those who answered mentally supplied them. And then, how much authority can
we attach to the answer of a man who has had little or no experience with other
sizes? The very fact that the Langstroth is so prevalent, proves that fevf are com-
petent to consider the question of absolutely the best size. In fact, there are plenty
of indications to show that this claim of Mr. Frazier's is nothing new, but has been
known all along to a few of the best apiarists ; and that it has probably only been
prevented from receiving recognition because of the reverence paid to the standard.
That is all right, but it may be carried too far. Kest assured that some time the
absolutely best will be the standard. "Progress" is the watchword of the day.
Ours is not a Chinese civilization. We had better yield gracefully while we may.
That once admitted, there is plenty of room for discussion as to how fast to change.
If it seems best to go very slow, so be it.

Mr. Dayton has an article bearing somewhat on this subject, from the honey-
storage point of view, on page 173 of Vol. XXVIII of the " American Bee Journal."
He comes to the conclusion that small hives are better when the Langstroth frame is
taken as a basis. That really leaves the question unsettled.

Mr. Doolittle's article in the July "Review," shows that he has settled the
question for himself without considering the shape of the brood-nest as an impor-
tant element — or the standard frame either, for that matter.

It will be found interesting in this connection to read, in " Dadant's Lang-
stroth," paragraphs 302 (with Fig. 60) to 307 inclusive, some additional argu-
ments in favor of the Quinby size. But this precise point of Mr. Frazier's is no-
where touched on, in this book or any other, so far as I know, unless it may be
indicated in the words which I have italicized from paragraph 307: "We have
used on a large scale Quinby, American and Standard Langstroth sized frames for
years, and have obtained better results from the Quinby, both for wintering out-of-
doors, and for honey -producing."

Note, too, that H. D. Cutttiug says in reply to Query 926 : " I have had the best
success with a frame a little shorter and deeper" than the Langstroth.

If the Dadants would favor us with their views on this matter, it would be help-
ful. Their use of 10 frames instead of 8 implies that they would not altogether
agree with Mr. Frazier.

There is one criticism I would make on the recent 8 and 10 frame discussion in
"Gleanings." There is never enough said about locality. A remark is dropped
about it here and there, but not enough to keep the unwary from being misled. It
seems to be taken for granted that all the readers of "Gleanings" have a white
clover flow. It is admitted, I think, by those competent to judge, that there are
parts of the country in which a 10-frame Langstroth is better than an 8-frame,
whatever may be their opinions in regard to the locality in which they are. Mr.

598 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Hutchinson prefaces his recommendation of 8-frame hives with the words, "When
the flow is early and short." That condition, or an equivalent, should never be
omitted.

To put a home question — if you are selling hives to a customer living in a re-
gion of protracted flow, would you advise him to take 8-frame hives ? But that, in
effect, is just what the catalogues of supply dealers usually do; and that is the
conclusion a beginner would probably come to, no matter where he lived, if after
reading the recent discussion the 8-frame arguments seemed to him to prevail.
Harm has already been done in this way. Arvada, Colo.

BBBS AND FRUIX-BEE-DISEASES.

BY PROF. A. J. COOK.
(A.n essay read at the recent Farmers' Institute, in Santa Barbara, Calif.)

There are a few facts regarding bees which are not generally known, and which
ought to bo understood and appreciated by all, especially in a region where fruit-
growing is the leading industry.

Bees never injure plants while in bloom ; indeed, the blossoms exist for the very
pr.rpose of attracting the bees, and without the bees or other sweets-loving insects
to pollinate the flowers, many of our most valued fruits would fail to produce. I
have proved conclusively the present season that some varieties of plums, cherries,
pears, oranges and olives are wholly sterile to their own pollen, or to pollen of the
same variety of fruit, while other varieties are largely so. Apricots and navel
oranges alone, of all the fruits I have experimented with, were entirely fertile with
their own pollen.

It is true that other insects than bees will do this work of pollination ; but no
other insects can be depended upon. Seasonal peculiarities and insect or fungoid
enemies may so deplete — often will so deplete — the numbers of other sweets-loving
insects that they will be wholly inadequate to this great accomplishment. Bees, if
in the region, can be surely counted on to effect pollination, in all such countries of
genial sunshine as California.

Again, it is just as positive that bees never attack or pierce sound fruit. If
over-ripe fruit bursts, or if wasp or bird break the skin, than the bees are quick to
sip the oozing juice. Thus the honey-bee is not the first aggressor, but the waiting
sentinel to discover the leak and prevent waste.

There should be no quarrel between fruit and bee men. Each is a genuine and
substantial aid to the other. The apiarist needs the nectar-secreting bloom of the
orchard, and the pomologist must have the pollinating bees to secure the largest
fruitage.

Fortunately, the diseases of bees are not very numerous or very serious. In
California there are only three, and probably none of these need be at all disastrous
to the well-informed bee-keeper.

A New Bee-Disease. — The present season a new malady was discovered In our
apiaries in Southern California and several other States. The brood died in the
cells in all stages of growth. The black or discolored Jarvas of all sizes and the dead
pupae were found scattered, often thickly, throughout the maturing brood. I
secured several colonies, all showing the disease to a greater or less degree, and fed
them honey or syrup, variously medicated, and also that which was not medicated.
All recovered wholly in a few weeks. Other colonies in the same apiary, where I

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. ' 599

procured mine, did not recover. Upon close examination I found two colonies
among the 20 in the apiary, which had abandoned honey, and neither showed any
sign of the disease. Thus I have wondered if this disease were not owing to a sort
of partial starvation. If bees have not sufficient stores to properly feed and breed,
we can readily see that many immature bees might fail to develop. I am inclined
to bejieve that our recent trouble came wholly from this condition. We have never
heard of any such disease in Sunny Italy, or previously in our own country. We
have rarely had such an utter honey-dearth in Southern California. In many api-
aries, those well-cared-for, when stores are abundant, there has been no show of
the disease. All of these facts, together with my own observations and experiments,
lead me to conclude that scant stores, too meager nourishment, and, consequently.
Imperfect nutrition, caused the mortality so much commented upon the past few
weeks. The obvious suggestions are, more care and attention, more honey left in
the hives at the close of the season, and careful attention, and, if necessary, feeding
in such years of honey-dearth as the present has been.

Bee-Paralysis. — This is also called the "nameless bee-disease," and has at-
tracted much attention the last few years, not only in California, but in several
States. In this disease the imago, or immature bees, are the ones that die. The
dead or enfeebled bees are carried by other bees outside, and thus the ground in
front of the hives has constantly a mound of dead bees. Usually the colony does
not wholly succumb, but it is so weakened that it produced little or no honey.
Generally the colony recovers after a time, usually after the bees have replaced the
queen with a young one. This disease has worked considerable havoc in some parts
of this State the present season ; I think in some cases the loss has been as much
from the "new bee-disease," already described, as from the "bee-paralysis."

I am much inclined to the opinion that partial starvation may cause weak
mature bees as well as enfeebled larvse, and so it is quite possible that, in some
cases, the " nameless bee-disease " may have been credited with harm due to insuffi-
cient stores. From my own observation, and from what I can learn from others, I
think this last disease comes from some constitutional weakness of the queen, which
shows itself in debility of her progeny, the worker-bees. I have known, in several
cases, the disease to soon disappear after the queen was superseded ; and in other
cases, where the bees replaced their queen with a young, healthy one, the disease
soon vanished. It is quite possible that those who claim to have cured the evil by
some treatment, as giving the bees salt, or salt water, gave their treatment just
after the bees had superseded their queen. Others who were unsuccessful with the
same remedies, were less fortunate in the date of application. The best advice
which can be given, in case the old bees die off too rapidly, is to see that the bees
have abundance of food, and in case that fails to bring relief, try re-queening of all

affected colonies.

(Concluded next week.)

VARIOUS NOTES AND COMMENTS.

BY DR. C. C. MILLER.

" Smelly" Cistern. — I have to thank more than one of the friends for suggest-
ing that a " smelly " cistern may be cured by putting in a bucket pump. It seems
that when the water is allowed to stand still for a long time it sort o' decays, and
the backet pump stirs it up. I wonder how much stirring up some lazy people
would need, to keep them from having dry rot.

600 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

That Kinky Man. — Here's a square, out-and-out unkinked apology to that
kinky man Thonapson. He's given us on page 465 a good quantity of kinks, and
they're of good quality, too.

Personal Experiences. — On page 471 are " Some Personal Experiences " that
I read while traveling on the cars. I laughed aloud at some passages, and I suppose
the other passengers v?ondered what ailed me. Then an exquisite tenderness at the
close brought a sigh that would not be repressed. All in all, if the writer had been
at hand I would have given him a very hearty grasp. But say, Mr. Editor, who is
Edwin Bevins,* anyhow ? Is he a farmer, shoemaker, lawyer, or what ?

In reply to your appeal. Friend Bevins, I assure you there are pleasures in bee-
keeping that can never be rated on a cash basis. I keep bees for the money that's
in the business, but I hardly know what other business I would stick to so persis-
tently with the same discouraging results I have experienced this year with an out-
lay of 1,500 pounds of sugar and an income of 20 pounds of honey !

I have some doubt whether a bee-keeper could be considered a thoroughbred if
he didn't begin first thing to try to make improvements. But as he gets settled
more soberly, he'll begin to think that among the hundreds that have preceded him,
some one else may have thought of the very improvements that have suggested
themselves to him, and in time he'll get to be more slow in making changes. I
haven't a word to say against your making your own hives, but you'll take it good-
naturedly— won't you, Bro. Bevins ?— if I say a word about your changes.

I don't like the cleats projecting below the cover at each end, but I think you
will like the cleats nailed on the end of the cover rather than under or over it. You
think you will like better to have your hive so deep that there will be a space below
the frames no matter upon what flat surface it is placed. Possibly you may, but I
doubt it. I have had such hives for a third of a century— have more than 100 in
use now. For several years I have had some that require the %-inch strip on the
bottom-board. So you see I ought to know pretty well which kind suits me,
although I'm not going to insist that you must be governed by my taste. The past
summer I sawed off % of an inch from some of the old ones, and I shall be glad
when they are all replaced. When you go to pile hives one upon another, whether
bees are in them or not, it's so nice to have them pile up bee-tight, mouse-tight and
moth-tight. With your improvement it is no little trouble to get the entrances
securely closed, and the older the hives the greater the difficulty. With the others
there's nothing to be done but to pile them up. When you want to allow your bees
more than one story to work in (and you'll want to do that some time, even if you
don't now), your arrangement won't allow it without having more than double the
space you want between the top bars in one story and the bottom-bars in the next
story. But having said thus much, I'll be magnanimous and allow you make your
hives just as you please.

I sincerely hope that you'll carefully compare the results of the big and little
hives side by side in the same apiary, worked for the same kind of honey, and help
settle this war that's on. It is one of the things I very much want to know about.
You say that I now condemn feeding sugar syrup to be stored in sections, and
intimate that at other times I have upheld it. Now look here, Frend Bevins, I've
been misjudged no little in that direction, and have generally kept quiet about it,
but I can't stand it to keep quiet and have you think that way. A man with as
much brains as I think you have, ought to be able to see the truth without preju-
dice, and a man with as good a heart as I think you have, I can't bear to have think
ill of me.

Now suppose you put your finger on the spot where I ever said a single word In

AMERICAN BKh. JOURNAL. 60l

favor of the practice in question I am safe in saying that you can find no single
word in that direction, for I never favored it, and I am not in the habit of thinking
one way and speaking another. You hint about its being expedient " to avoid say-
ing anything about it." Does that condemn? Weren't there thousands of good
men who were entirely silent about it? Do you condemn them? Were you not
silent about it yourself ?

But if you'll take the trouble to look, I think you will have no trouble in seeing
that I committed myself on the side you think right. I have an impression that no
man did any more than I did to stop the discussion that we thought was doing harm,
what I said being all the more effective just because it was not said publicly.

1 think I hear you say, " Yes, all you say may be true, but then you cannot
deny that you defended the man who started the discussion." Let us look at the
nature of that defense. Prof. Cook said he thought bees could make genuine honey
out of cane-sugar. No matter how much he may have been mistaken in his view,
he was honest in his belief. Prof. (3ook is no deep-dyed villain. If there's an
honest man in our ranks, he's one. But we thought he was wrong in his views, and
we called out, "Shut up." He shut up. Then the cry was raised, "He must
apologize." And for what ? For uttering what he believed to be a truth — a truth
that he thought would be of benefit to bee-keepers ? Just look that thing square in
the face. Friend Bevins, and see if you think it looks reasonable. Is there anything
about it that looks kind or just ? Against that wicked demand I raised my voice in
protest, and if I have any regret in the case, it is that that protest was not more
vigorously expressed.

Now there are two things that are entirely separate, that I think you and some
others have been inclined to mix. One is that Prof. Cook is mistaken in his belief,
and that it is not wise to discuss that belief. That's a thing by itself on which you
and I are agreed, and I think you will give me credit for calling a spade a spade.

The other is an entirely separate thing, and I will try to call " a spade a spade "
as I attempt to characterize it. It was the frantic effort to make him apologizef for
speaking what he believed to be a good and useful truth — an effort that I denounce
as unjust, uncharitable, unchristian. Those who participated in 1g, and who know
Prof. Cook for what he is, when they come to give the matter a sober second
thought will have no feeling of self-gratulation at having wounded a heart so loving
and true, and as the shadows of life's evening gather about them, and the softened
feelings of their better natures assert themselves, their only regret will be that they
did not themselves apologize to Prof. Cook. Marengo, 111.

[*We'll have to call on Bro. Bevins to " stand up" and identify himself. Sorry
to say that all we know of him, Doctor, is that he's one of our regular subscribers,
and a splendid writer. Further than that, "this deponent saith not."

fWe think Dr. Miller is greatly mistaken in saying that anybody wanted Prof.
Cook to "apologize" for anything he conscientiously believed in regard to the sugar-
honey matter. We certainly didn't. What we did want, was that those who were
the main originators und defenders of the sugar-honey idea should at least express
a regret if the result of their suggestions should finally be detrimental
to the interests of honest honey-production. That could have been done in one sen-
tence. But no ; they chose to say nothing at all if they couldn't press their favorite
(but to us, and to most others, much mistaken) claims for sugar-honey. The whole
thing was most unfortunate. But that matter is not going to be " aired " again in
the "American Bee Journal" right away. Bro. Bevins may reply to Dr. Miller's
question, if he thinks it worth while, but that must end it in this bee-paper. — Ed.]

602

AMERICAN BEE JOURMAU

l^r Do not write anythlng^ for publication
on the same sheet of paper with businesB
matters, unless it can be torn apart withou
interfering with either part of the letter.

Report for 1894.

I had 13 colonies, spring count, with
no swarms during the season. I in-
creased by the nucleus plan, after Aug.
5, to 24. I bought 2 prime swarms on
June 25 at $2.50 each, and furnished
the hives. One gave about 90 pounds
of surplus, and the other nut one pound.
There is no basswood in this locality, so
I moved my bees about 6 miles on July
3, then on August 5 I moved them 15
miles for buckwheat, which lasted 36
days. Bees are all at home now and in
good condition for vi^inter. My crop is
as follows, all extracted honey : From
clover, 15 pounds; basswood 82 pounds;
buckwheat, 1283 pounds. I have sold
about 800 pounds of the buckwheat
honey at 10 cents per pound.

George A. Forgerson.

Rosemount, Minn., Oct. 22.

One of the Asters.

I enclose sample bloom of a kind of
plant we have in this pai-t of the world
that we call " wild aster." It comes in-
to bloom about Sept. 10, and continues
in bloom until freezing weather, and
furnishes more honey and pollen than
any other plant we have. If it had not
been for it, I don't believe that one col-
ony of bees in 50 would have had stores
enough for winter, unless they had been
fed. Sept. 1 the bees were about out of
honey, but now every frame is full of
honey, and some colonies are working
in the supers. I never saw boos work
stronger on clover than they have on
* the asters since Sept. 15.

This plant came to this country in the
last few years. At first there were only
a few plants here and there, but now It
has about taken all the waste land In
the country. It seems to take on old
meadows and clover fields best, and dur-
ing the hot, dry weather the past sum-

mer, when all other plants were dried
up, the asters were green and fresh as in
springtime.

If any bee-keepers want seed of the
asters, if they will send me six cents in
stamps, to pay postage and putting up,
I will take pleasure in sending a small
package. I am confident that if the
plant does as well in other climates as It
does in this, it would save bee-keepers
hundreds of dollars, and solve the winter
stores problem.

This has been a very dry season here,
and very little surplus honey.

The "old reliable" "American Bee
Journal" is a welcome weekly visitor —
always on time, and something good in.
every number. W. S. Feeback.

Carlisle, Ky., Oct. 13.

[The plant is an aster, but the speci-
men sent was not complete enough to
tell what species. — Editor.]

Varieties of Golden-Rod, Etc.

I notice on page 538 G. W. N. de-
scribes the varieties of golden-rod from
which bees get most honey in this lo-
cality, viz.: SoUdago lanceolata — nar-
row leaved golden-rod -the edges of the
leaves not toothed, notched or divided,
the flowers in*flat-topped heads in little
clusters crowded. Grows 2 to 3 feet
high in moist soil. This variety yields
nectar during the latter part of August
and forepart of September, and when
abundant in the hives, gives off a very
disagreeable odor, while the bees are
evaporating it, so that a novice some-
times imagines that a bad case of foul
brood has developed in his apiary.

Gray's "Manual of Botany of the
Northern United States," revised and
extended to the 100th meridian, gives
42 varieties of golden-rod, 20 of which
are found in our (Conn.) State. We
have had a fine honey-flow here from
this plant and the asters. Bees work
but little on either of these plants on dry
ground, but in moist and wet localities
they can be found from the time they
commence to bloom until killed by frost.
John K. Goodrich.

Waterbury, Conn., Oct. 20.

Called "American Colombo."

Being a subscriber, and something of
.a bee-man myself, I deem it my duty to
do whatever lies in my power to assist
the fraternity. Having occasion to make
repeated trips into the mountains the

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU

60B

past summer, I noticed a plant upon
which the bees fairly swarm, to the neg-
lect of everything else in the vicinity of
it. I send a specimen in the shape of
the seed-pods and seeds.

The leaves of this plant resemble
somewhat the tobacco plant, or more
nearly what in the New England States
we used to term "skunk cabbage."
From the clump of leaves a stalk is sent
up to a height from six to twelve feet,
and with flowers surrounding the stalk
from the bottom to the top, as is shown
by the small piece of the top. of the stalk
inclosed in the package. Passing by one
of these plants, from the humming one
would suppose that a whole colony of
bees was busily at work on a single
stalk.

This plant grows in ravines where it
is damp during a good portion of the
year, and I think that an acre of the
plants would keep a whole apiary busy
during the flowering season. Whether
it would yield a good-flavor^d honey, or
whether it would be healthful. I cannot
say. Perhaps you can classify it, and
give me some information about it.

Wm. N. Kelly.

Prescott, Ariz., Oct. 7.

[The plant is Frasera speciosa, or
American Colombo. The reason the bees
like it so well is that on the middle of
each petal, on the inside, is a pair of
hairy glandular bodies. — T. J. Bukrill.]

Queens anH Ctiieen-Rearin;;. —

If you want to know how to have queens
fertilized in upper stories while the old
queen is still laying below; how you may
safely introduce any queen, at any time of
the year when bees can fly; all about the
different races of bees; all about shipping
queens, queen-cages, candy for queen-
cages, etc. ; all about forming nuclei, mul-
tiplying or uniting bees, or weak colonies,
etc. ; or, in fact, everything about the
queen-business which you may want to
know — send for Doolittle's " Scientific
Queen-Reaming" — a book of over 170
pages, which is as interesting as a story.
Here are some good offers of this excellent
book:

Bound in cloth, postpaid, $1.00 ; or clubbed
with the Bee Journal for one year— both
for only $1.6.5 ; or given free as a premium
for sending us three new subscribers to the
Bee Journal for a year at $1.00 each.

Bound in paper cover, postpaid, 65 cents ;
or given free as a premium for sending us
two new subscribers; or clubbed with the
Bee Journal a year— both for only $1.40.
Send all orders to the Bee Journal oflHce.

Read our great ofler on page 578.

ConTention I^otices.

Wisconsin.— The next annual meeting of
the Wisconsin Bee-Keepers'Association wlllbe
held at Madison, on Feb. 8th and 9th, 18P5.

Madison, Wis. J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec.

Colorado.— The 15th annual meeting of
the Colorado State Bee-Keepers' Association
will be held on Monday and Tuesday. Jan. -Jl
and 22. 1895, in Denver. H. Knight, Sec.

Littleton, Oolo.

CALirORNiA.— The next regular meeting of
the I entrai Calil'ornia Bee- Keepers' Associa-
tion will be held on the first Wednesday in
December, at Hauford, Calif. You are cor-
dially invited to attend.

Lemoore, Calif. J. F. Flory, Sec.

PENNSYLVANIA,— The Vcuango County Bee-
Keepers' Association of northwestern Penn-
sylvania will hold their 2nd annual meeting
In the City Hall at Franklin. Pa., on Jan. 28.
1895. at I o'clock p.m. All interested send
for program. C. S. Pizer, Sec.

Franlilin, Pa.

Illinois.— The next annual meeting of the
Northern Illinois Bee-Keepers' Association
will be held on Dec. 18 and 19, 1894, in the
Supei visor's room of the Court House, in
Rockford, 111. All interested are invited to
atrend. B. Kennedy, Sec.

New Milford, 111.

Vermont.— The next annual convention of
the Vermont Bee-Keepers' Association will
be held in Middlebury, Vt.. on Jan. 30 and 31 ,
1895. Programs will be prepared anj mailed
later. Let every Vermont bee-Jseeper begin
now to preoare to aitend. and all those who
can reach Middlebury, whether you live in
Vermont or not, we want j ou to come.

Barre, Vt. H. W. Scott, Sec.

Indiana,— The Indiana State Bee- Keepers'
Association will hold its fllteenth annual
meeting at the State House, Indiannpolls, on
Jan. 9, 1895. There will be three sessions-
morning, afternoon and evening. Several
other associations will convene here at the
same time, thus securing reduced rate of \}i
fare for the round trip, but a certificate must
be asked for when purchasing your ticket.
Programme will be issued in December.

Walter S. Pouder, Pres.

Indianapolis, Ind.

Illinois.— The Illinois State Bee-Keepers
Association will meet at the St«te House in
Springfield, on Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov.
1 3lh and 14th. 1 8M4. On account ot the meet-
ing of the National and Stale Granges at the
same time and place, railroad rales of 1^
fares for the round trip are sure, if each per-
son attending will not fail lo get a ceriittcate
when he buys his ticket. The time has come
when bee-keepers of ihe State, if they take
propT t-teps, may obtain recognition in the
experiment station. So let us have a full
representation from ail parts of the State, as
well as from other States.

Bradfordton, 111. Jas. A. Stone, Sec.

Wisconsin.— The Southwestern Wisconsin
Bee-K.eepers' Association will meet In the
Opera House in Montford. Wis.. Nov. 14and
15,1894. There will be a free-lor-all - Ques-
tion-Box and Answers," also a grand display
of races ot bees, implements and supplies. If
you have anything of interest to bee-culture,
please bring or seud it. Montford has offered
(■lenty of music, and special reduced board.
The lollowing is only a part or the progmm:
Prtsident's Address, N. E. France. Queen-
Rearing, J. W. VanAllen. Swarming— NatuP-

60i

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

al or Artificial. Uelos Kicks. Pasturage, Jas
Fisher, Jr. Marlieting Honey, M. M. Kice
How to Winter Bees. Austin Dexter. Location
of Apiary, E. Pike. Removing Queens During
the Honey-Flow. A. A. Arms. Best Hive, F.
F. Zellmer. Experiments, Geo. Lee. Comb
Foundation, N. E.France. If you are inter-
ested in bees you cannot afford to miss this
meeting. Come and bring your lady wiih you.
Hurlbut, Wis. A. A. Arms. Sec.

N. E. Ohio and N. W. Pa.— The Northeast-
ern Ohio and Northwestern Pennsylvania
Bee-Keepers' Association will hold Its next
regular annual meeting in the parlors of Ho-
tel St. Nicholas, at Corry. Pa„ on Nov. 21 and
22, 1894. A good program has been arranged.
Bring your questions for the question-box.
The hotel is opi osite Union depot; rates have
been reduced to $1.50 per day to those attend-
ing the convention. Programs can be had by
addressing the Secretary. Everybody, espe-
cially ladies, is invited to attend.

Mosiertown, Pa. Geo. Spitler, Sec.

North Carolina.— The Carolina Bee-Keep-
ers Association will meet at the Court House
in Charlotte, N. C, on Dec. 6, 1894, at 11
o'clock a.m. A full attendance is desired.

Steel Creek, N. C. A. L. Beach, Sec.

Capons and Caponizing:, by

Edward Warren Sawyer, M. D., Fanny
Field, and others. It shows in clear
language and illustrations all about
caponlzing 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 Jouknal one year for $1.10.

List of Honey and Beeswax Dealers,

Most of whom Quote in this Journal.

Clilcag;o, Ills.

J. A. Lamon, 43 South Water St.

K, A. Burnett & Co.. 163 South Water Street

New York, N. Y.

F. I. Sage & Son, 183 Reade Street.
HiLDRETH Bros. & Seoelken.

28 & 30 West Broadway.
Cha8. Israel & Bfios.. 110 Hudson St.
I. J. Stringham, 10.> Park Place.
Francis H. Leggett & Co.. 128 Franklin St

Kansas City, i?Io.

Hamblin & Bearss, 514 Walnut Street.
Clemoms-Mason Com. Co., 423 Walnut St.

Albany, N.Y.

H. R. Wright, 326 & 328 Broadwa7.

Buffalo, N. Y.

Batterson & Co., 167 St, 169 Scott St.

Hamilton, Ills.

Chas. Dadant & Son.

Cincinnati, Oblo.

C. F, MuTH & Son, oor. Freeman & Central ave,

Honey & Beeswax Market Quotations

CHICAGO, Tll., Sept. 17.— The honey mar-
ket is quite active. We are getting good
prices considering the hard limes, owing to
the reported scarcitv of crop. We quote:
Fancy white, loc; No. 1, 14c. Extracted,
6@7c. Beeswax, 25@26c. J. A. L.

CHICAGO. III., Oct. 25.— White clover hon-
ey continues to bring 15c. The receipts are
about keeping pace with the demand. The
quality is very satisfactory as a rule, being
heavy and of good flavor. Extracted contin-
ues to sell chiefly at6(5)7c., according to color,
flavor and style of package. Beeswax scarce
aud in good demand at 27@28c.

R. A. B & Co.

NEW YORK, N. Y., Oct. 25.-Comb honey
arrives quite freely, our receipts up to date
numbering 10,1 19 crates. The demand is fair.
We quote: Fancy white. 1-lbs., 14c.; fair
white, 12c.; buckwheat, 10c ; 2-lbs., l®2c.
less, according to qualitv. The market for
extracted is dull, with plenty of stock. We
quote: Eastwood and white clover, 6@6Vic.;
Southern, o0@55c. a gallon. Beeswax scarce
and in good demand at 29c. H. B. & S.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept, 8.— The supply
of comb and extracted is very light with only
lair demand. We quote: Fancy white, 15®
16c.; amber, ll@12c.: dark. 10c. Extracted,
white, 6'/4®7c.; amber, 6@6i4c.; dark. 4y,@
Si/jc. Beeswax, 22c. H. & B.

NEW YOitK, N. Y.. Sept. 20.-The demand
for comb honey is increasing, in a jobbing
way, in spite of the continued warm weal her.
Boih comb and extracted honey is arriving
freely. We quote: Fancy clover. 1-lbs., 13®
15c.; white clover. 12@13c.: fair, 10@12c.;
buckwheat, 10®llc. Kxtracted, clover or
basswood, 6@6'/4c ; buckwheat. 5(S5i4c ;
Southern, 45@60c. per (gallon, accordir'g to
quality. Beeswax, 25®27c, C. I. & B.

CINCINNATI, O., Oct. 19.-There is a very
good demand for choice white comb honey at
14@15c. Demand is fair for extracted at 4®
7c., according to quail' y. Comb honey brings
best prices now, when it is something new
yet and comparatively scarce, and not at
Christmastime, when markets are generally
overstocked.

Beeswax is in good demand at 22®27c. for
good to choice yellow. C. F. M. & S.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 4.— The receipt
of comb honey in this market so far has not
been very large, and demand Is very good.
We quote: No. 1 white, 1-lbs., 15c.; ^o. 2
white. 13® 1 4c ; No. 1 amber. 14c.; No. 2 am-
ber, 10@12c. Extracted, white, 6!4®7c.; am-
ber, 5®6i4c. Beeswax, 25c. C.-M. C. Co.

CHICAGO. III., Oct. 18.— We quote: Fancy
white comb honey, l-lbs, 15c. ; No. 2 white,
13c.; buckwheat, 10c. With cooler weather,
demand Improving, and our stock on hand at
the present time extremely light. Extracted.
5^®7c., depending ui>on quality and style of
package. Beeswax, 28c. S. T. F. & Co.

ALBANY", N. V.. Sept. 21.— Honey in better
demand, especially the high grades of white
comb honey. We quote: No. 1 white, 14®
15c.; No. 2 white. 13@14c.; Mixed white. 11
@12c.: No. 1 buckwheat. l2®i2V4c.; No. 2
buckwheat. lI@llV4c.; common, 10®llc.
Extracted, white (Northern), 7®8c.; amber,
®6^c,; buokwtieat, 5H®3c. Beeswax, 27®

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

605

29c. Do not look for much of any change in
these prices, and advise now to have honey
on the market as early as possible for best
prices. H. R. W.

BUFFALO. N. Y.. Oct. 17.— The demand is
Improved, fancy movintr somewhat better at
14@l.5c.; choice, 12@13c.: buckwheat and
other, 9@10c. B. & Co.

m^" We are pleased to again call our
readers' attention to the advertisement of
the Famous Manufacturing Company, of
Chicago, who, if all do not, should know by
this time, manufacture the "Champion"
Incubators and Brooders. They have for
this season a machine that cannot fail to
give satisfaction, as it embodies all of the
best principles that their years of experi-
ence have proven to be correct, as well as
new improvements that they have found
valuable in artificial incubation. Their
elegant catalogue, full of practical infor-
mation, will be sent free on application, if
you enclose a two-cent stamp to help pay
postage.

Profitable Bee-Keeping:, by Mrs

Atchley, will continue for some time in her
department of the Bee Journal, at least
each alternate week. Until further notice
we can furnish the back numbers from May
1st, beginning with her " Lessons," to new
subscribers who pay $1.00 for a year's sub-
scription to the Bee Journal — that is, we
can commence their year with the number
having the first lesson, if they so desire.

**Foiil Brood; 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 sold at the office of the Bee Jour-
nal. Price, postpaid, 35 cents; or clubbed
with the Bee Journal for one year — both
together for $1.15.

Honey as Food and ]9Iedicine 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 page 571 of this num-
ber of the Bee Journal for description and
prices.

It^^ " As for me, I could not very well
live without the weekly visit of the " Old
Reliable."— H. Dupret, of Caaada, Nov. 1,
1894.

Giood Honey-Sellers ought to be
needed now, and the little 33-page pamph-
let, "Honey as Food and Medicine," has
for years proven itself valuable in making
repeated sales of honey. Its distribution
will create a demand for the honey first, and
then the bee-keeper can follow it up and
supply that demand. Send to us for a
sample copy, only 5 cents ; 10 copies, post-
paid, 35 cents ; 50 copies, $1.35; or 100 copies
$3.00. Try 50 or 100 copies, and prove their
ability to aid you in disposing of your
honey at a good price.

Advertiseineiits.

UDNFY PAII ^ On present stock all orders
nUliLl fnlLO are subject to prior sale, all
pails tested. 101b pails, per 100, $«. GO; 5-lb.
pails, per 100, $4; 'ZV^-lb. pails, per 100, $3.50
at our warehouse. Terms net cash.
19A3t HORN <Sk^ CO., Keokuk, Iowa.
Mention the American Bee Journal

t;i^~ OaIa —An Apiary of 76 Colonies
r Or »a>16 of Bees in No. 1 hives, loca-
ted in a spleniiid place for bee-keeping and
also pouliry-raisin^.

J^~ Write for particulars.

W. L. Backensto, Fort Logan, Colo.

MeraUm the American Be' JoumaL

T7__, Qrtlrx —150 Strong: Colonies of
£ or Da;i6 Italian Bees in painted
hiv('S-$;5 50 pt-r colony. In lots of 10— $3.00
each; 20anl over, $2.50 each. Must sell on
account of sickness, Sfpeak Quick !
G. E. SEEIilTIAN,
Westbury Station. Queens Co., N. Y.

When Answering this advertisement, Mention this •'

^mmm

'E,

A Great
Business

Training

'S^^0 school.

45 Randolph St., CHICAGO.

Young Men and Women prepared for Profita-
ble Employment.

Individual Instruction. Able teachers.

Thorough Courses in

English, Business and Stenography.

Catalogue sent free. Address,

A. C. GONDRINQ

Please mention the
'American Bee Journal.'

i JT. B. VJHDKN.

606

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

BEESWAX WANTED !

For Cash at Highest Price ;
Or In Exchange for Foniidaiion at
liO^vest Price, Wholesale and Rt tall.

Don't fail, before buying- or selling, to write
for Prices and Samples— to

GIS JttlTTMER,

AUGUSTA. WIS.
Reference— Augusta Bank. 16Att'

Mention the American Bee Journal.

"Bee-Keeping for Profit."

A New Revised edition of this valuable work
for only 25 cts., postpaid, will be sent by
Geo. W. York & Co. or Dr. Tinker. It is full
of the latest and most interesting poiuts in
the management 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 1894 Prlce-Llstof Apiarian Supplies.

Address, DR. <J. £.. TINKER,
6Atf NEW PHILADELPHIA, O.

Mention the AmeHcan Bee Journal.

^ ATTENTION, BEE-KEEPERS ! ^

REITIEMBER, that Jennie Atchley Is pre-
pared to mall you an Untested Queen for
$1.00 any day In the year. She will rear for
her 1895 trade, the old Leather-Colored or 3-
Band Italians; 5-Band and Silver-Gray Carnl-
olans reared in separate yards at a safe dis-
tance. Prices, from January to June, Un-
tested. $1.00; $.5.00 for 6: $9.00 per dozen.
Tested 3 Baud, $1.50. Tested 5-Band and Car-
nlolan. $2.50 each. Fine Breeders, of either
race. $5.00. My very best straight 5-Band
Breeders, $10.00 each.

Bees by the Pound, $1.00; Nuclei, $1.00 a
Frame; Full Colonies, $6.00, with Untested
Queens.

It is now proven that Bees shipped North In
April and May pay well, and strong 2-frame
Nuclei and Queens will build up and give a
honey crop. This Is one of my Specialties.
Safe arrival and satisfaction guaranteed.

I am now preparing to be ready to fill all
orders for BEES and QUEENS promptly,
and if you contomplate buying any Bees or
Queens It will be to your Interest to write me
lor Prices on Large Lots and to the Trade.
Let me book your orders.

ALL BEE-SUPPLIES KSan^d^."'^'^'

JST" Send for Catalogue. _sSll
MRS. JENNIE AXCHI.Y,

BEEVILLE, Heo Co., TEX.
Mention the American Dee JaiimaU

B

TAKE NOTICE!

EFORE placing your orders for SUP-
PLIES, write for prices on 1-Piece Bass
wood Sections, Beo-Hlvos, Shipping -Crates
Frames, Foundation, Smokers, etc.

PAGE & IvYON MFG. CO.

NEW LONDON, WIS.
Mention the American Bee Journal.

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1^- Write us at once for prices and agency.
There is money in this mill. Made only by the

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or we will send you Smoker
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READERS

VOL XXXIV. CHICAGO, ILL, NOV. 15, 1894.

NO. 20.

>A^A^A^A<fcO<fcA^A<^<l><fcA<fcA*

Saying- IVotliing- is sometimes the
kindest thing you can say of some people.

Somnambulist, in the "Progressive
Bee-Keeper" for November, gives a very
good condensed report of the St. Joseph
convention. Sommy knows a good thing
when she (or he) sees it ; and also knows
how to tell about it.

Mrs. Clias. "%VIiif e, of Aurora, Nebr.,
died from heart disease Oct. 18. This sad
announcement was given in the " Nebraska
Bee-Keeper " for October. Our sincerest
sympathies are with Bro. White and his
family in their severe affliction.

Xlie Kansas Fai-mer, published at
Topeka, Kans., contained in its issue for
Oct. 24, the most interesting condensed re-
ports of the St. Joseph convention that we
have seen in any of our agricultural ex-
changes. The "Kansas Farmer " is one of
the brightest and best farm papers pub-
lished in the West. Its representative at
the convention, Mr. H. J. Newberry, is a
wide-awake gentleman, with Western ideas
of push and pluck well developed. He " gets
tbere," consecjuently.

Editor Holtermann, in the " Cana-
dian Bee Journal " for November, quite
enthusiastically congratulates Canadian
bee-keepers upon his success in taking the
next North American convention to To-
ronto, Ont. He did make a most earnest
plea for it, at St. Joseph, and so he is prob-
ably excusable for feeling somewhat elated
over what he terms their " Victory."

One thing is certain — if all is well, the
Toronto meeting in 1895 will be a grand
one. Those " Canucky cousins " of ours do
have a way of turning out to conventions
that almost equals the " swarming " of the
bee-folks in "the Fatherland." So we are
looking forward for the biggest and best
meeting, next year, that the North Ameri-
can has ever held. And we don't expect to
be disappointed, either.

£t1itor Ideally 's "IVife has been
quite sick for two months, we regret to
learn. Her illness has caused Bro. Leahy
to lose so much sleep that he hasn't yet felt
equal to the task of wrtting up an account
of his trip to St. Joseph for his paper — the
"Progressive Bee-Keeper." We hope Mrs.
L.'s recovery may be speedy and complete,
so that her good husband may tell his
readers all about his St. Joseph experi-
ences.

^Villie Atcliley— one of Mrs. Atch-
ley's sons— will go through the whole pro-
gram of queen-rearing — (dipping cells,
grafting, moving cells, etc.)— at the Mid-
winter Bee-Meeting to be held in Beeville,
Tex., on Dec. 27 and 28. This feature alone
would justify an extra effort to attend.
As Willie is called "the greatest queen-
rearer in the world," "how he does it"
would be worth seeing.

614

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Xlie Con^'ention Keport is entirely
omitted in this number, for the simple rea-
son that no " copy " came in time to put
into it. We waited as long as we dared,
and then finally had to put in other matter.
We regret the delay very much indeed, as
we had hoped to crowd through the whole
Report as rapidly as we possibly could, but
through some hook or crook we are pre-
vented in carrying out our plans. It is no
fault of ours, however, for we have stood
ready to do our part ; but if the matter is
not sent to us in time, we can't very well
publish it promptly. Doubtless there is a
good reason for the delay outside of this
oflSce, and we will be glad to announce it as
soon as we learn it.

Xo Keep Ant!^ Away. — In a recent
issue of the " Old Homestead," we read this
about keeping ants away, and as it may
help some bee-keeper who is troubled by
ants, we give it a place here:

Rub a light film-coat of balsam Peru
around near the bottom of table or kitchen
safe legs — just a narrow band will do — and
renew the balsam every two or three
weeks. This will keep ants away from
tables, kitchen safes, etc., and what they
hold or contain, provided there is no other
ant-way than up the legs. One drop
of balsam Peru spread around the upper
part of a syrup bottle will keep the ants
away for months. Boil one ounce of balsam
Peru in one gallon of rain-water for half an
hour, and sponge this water, while hot,
over wooden floors and walls, and it will
keep ants away for a long time.

A Mutual A<1]uii*ation Soei<'ty—

whatever that may mean, and wherever it
may be located — received quite a little at-
tention at the hands of Bro. Hutchinson
in the October "Review." After saying
several good things in regard to speaking
and writing kind words about each other,
Bro. H. says this :

That editors and correspoudeuts have
been praising one another simply that they
may receive the same in return, I don't be-
lieve. All the kind things that I have said
of others have come from my heart— they
have been honest, and have been uttered
with no hope or thought that I should re-
ceive praise in return unless I deserved it.

Bro. Hutchinson has expressed our own
sentiments exactly in the above paragraph.
Whatever we have said in these columns in
praise of our friends surely were the sin-
cere expreBsJons at our best oature, aod

without the slightest expectation of '• praise
in return." We feel certain that all who
are acquainted with us, well know that we
don't hesitate to "call a spade a spade,"
when it is necessary, and also that we are
just as free to bestow praise when and
where we feel that it is deserved.

After all, that so-called "mutual admira-
tion society " is pretty much of a myth.
We have already devoted too much space in
the " American Bee Journal " to a discus-
sion of this particular specimen of mythol-
ogy, and trust our readers will excuse this
one more reference to it.

Mrs. S. M. Brooks and her husband
keep bees about 5 miles west of the Court
House building in the city of Chicago.
Their apiary consists of 30 colonies at pres-
ent, and their crop this year will amount to
about 2,000 pounds, nearly all in the comb.
For their comb honey they get 18 cents
cash per pound at the grocery store near
them, or 80 cents a section when called for
at their door. All their honey is sold in
the home market, hence the good price
secured. Sweet clover is the principal
source from which their surplus is obtained,
an abundance of it being found around
Chicago. They have had as high as nearly
3,000 pounds of honey in a season.

All of which is pretty good for a city
apiary.

ISro. Xltoinas ^i. I^ewiuan, we

are glad to learn, has about recovered from
the severe assaults of his old enemy — "la
grippe." In the November "Illustrated
Home Journal," he says this, in referring
to Bro. E. R. Root's recent attack from the
same heartless 'gripper:"

Having had it for six years, we know
how to sympathize with our brother. We
hope it will not take so long for him to con-
quer it as it did in our case. We are thank-
ful to state that we are now about through
with it.

'I'aKe a NIei;>-1i-Ri(1e as soon as the
snow falls in sufficient quantity. See the
buggy-sleigh offered on page ()38 in connec-
tion with a year's subscription to the
" American Bee Journal." We don't know
of a cheaper sleigh, and equally good. It
is also a no-tip-over affair. The "beautiful
snow " will soon be here— better get ready
to "take a good slide I"

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

615

Some Stolen Stra-»vs. — We find the
following among Dr. Miller's " Stray-
Straws " in " Gleanings " for Oct. 15th :

" Honey-plant " is a common term in this
country, and •' bee-flower " stands for the
same thing in England.

To shake bees off a heavy comb, hold the
frame with both hands: if the comb is
light, better hold it with the left hand, and
pound with the right fist on the left.

In shipping bees, C. Dadant says, in
•'Revue," he would give no water, no pol-
len, no brood, only mded honey. All this to
avoid having the bees' intestines distended.

A writer in " Sehweizerische Bienenzei-
tung " says bees don't propolize their hives
for warmth, but as protection against the
bee-moth, closing the cracks where eggs
might be laid.

To avoid cracks in cakes of wax, don't
let the outside cool rapidly. Cover a cloth
and board over the dish while cooling, or
let it stand in a stove oven while the fire
dies out over night.

Gerstung says extracting during fruit-
bloom is good, as returning the extracted
combs to be cleaned up excites brood-rear-
ing, but the same thing is not advisable in
the main harvest, as it excites swarming.

Remember, when the robbers are trouble-
some, do anything, anything, rather than
take out of their way the thing tbey are
robbing, without leaving something in its
place. Outside appearances must remain
unchanged.

Eggs, 2.000 daily, is only an average for
a good queen. Before the development of
her ovaries she weighs .2 gram ; 2,000 eggs
weigh .42 gram, so she lays more than
twice her own weight of eggs daily. But
the workers digest her food for her.

A balled queen, we are told to release by
blowing smoke on the ball. But there's a
right and a wrong way. Hold the nozzle
of the smoker close to the ball, and blow
hot smoke on them, and you might as well
step on the ball. Hold your smoker at a
distance, and blow cold smoke on the bees,
and all will be lovely.

"Fegling" is the German name for a
kind of artificial swarm originating with
Gravenhorst. and indorsed by Gerstung as
coming nearest to a natural swarm. From
a strong colony, take one frame of brood,
with adhering bees and queen; put in
empty hive on a new stand; fill out with
partly built combs; brush into it all the
bees, and trust old bees to return to the
old stand and rear a queen. Hardly looks
right, does it ? But remember Gravenhorst
is no spring chicken.

Haudsonie Sections have been re-
ceived at this oflSce as samples, made by Mr.
O. H. Townsend, of Alamo, Mich. They
are nice enough for any one.

Bees an<l Honey in Eng^land.—

We find the following from a "Country
Gentleman " correspondent in Sussex, Eng-
land, dated Sept. 1.5th :

We poor bee-folks have had a disappoint-
ing summer; the season opened early, and
swarms came freely, even under all the
anti-swarming aids of the day. Honey was
rapidly stored, and sale in sections prom-
ised well; but wet, or rather "broken,"
weather followed, and the busy workers
got disappointed, as they could do no more
than hold their own, gathering on one fine
day what was needed for sustenance in the
three or four stormy or wet days that fol-
lowed. So the clover and summer-flowers'
season went, and the heather followed, but
with no better encouragement, for it is now
fast going off bloom on the moors, and
little good is done. There will be a moder-
ate supply of "run honey," but of sections
next to none. This enhances the value in
the neighboring fashionable towns, Brigh-
ton, Eastbourne, and Tun bridge Wells,
where there is a ready market; but the in-
creased price will not by any means atone
for a deficient yield.

I notice with satisfaction one new profes-
sion which apiculture has introduced. Each
district has its perambulating "profes-
sional," who, for a very modest charge,
oversees the colonies, " drives "the swarms,
removes the honey, and advises as to all
future management.

illr. T. B. Xerry— Ohio's famous
farmer — attended the first evening session
of the St. Joseph convention, and delivered
a most helpful and entertaining talk on the
great value of growing clover on farm
lands as a renovator and fertilizer of the
soil. The attractive feature of Mr. Terry's
talk was the fact that he spoke from per-
sonal experience. He bad thoroughly tried
and clearly proven on his own farm what
he presented to his hearers. He was em-
ployed to speak at some 40 farmers' insti-
tutes in Missouri this fall, and no doubt if
his instructions are well followed out, farm-
ing in that State will be made very profit-
able in a few years. We very much en-
joyed meeting Mr. Terry, and listening to
what he had to say.

Foul Brootl.— The editor of the " Aus-
tralian Bee-Bulletin," in the September
number, gives this account of a little ex-
perience with foul brood :

We have had a little foul brood experi-
ence that may be interesting. We visited
our out-apiary on July 31, and discovered
foul brood bad in No. 2 hive. The day had
been fine, but as we were looking at this

616

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

hive, a cold wind came up from the sea,
accompanied with drizzling rain. The foul
brood was in two frames, and it was a pitia-
ble sight to see. We hastily cut out all the
aflFected brood and threw it in the fire ; pro-
cured the sprayer, filled it with carbolic
acid (1 part in 17), and poured it well into
the combs and about the hive. The bees
were soon all outside. We covered the bees
and hive with bagging, and they were back
in the hive the next day. On Sept. 14 it
was one of the most prosperous colonies in
the yard— not a trace of foul brood in it.
A good sprayer is a necessity in every api-
ary. That alone will reach the bottom of
the cells, where the home of the disease is.

I?Ir. jr. C IValleiiinoyer, of Evans-
ville, Ind., we are pleased to learn, secured
the 1st premium on the best display of
honey, and diploma for best display of api-
arian implements, at the big Fair held in
Evansville, Ind., this fall; also 1st premium
on best comb honey, 1st on best extracted,
and 1st on best display of honey. He also
took the 1st premium for the best imported
Italian queen at the New Harmony, Ind.,
Fair. Bees in Mr. W.'s locality were still
gathering nectar from white aster on Oct.
17. Their first killing frost set in on Oct. 14.

Xlie IVebraska. Bee-Kecper for

October was nearly wholly devoted to quite
a full report of the Nebraska State Bee-
Keepers' convention, held at Lincoln, in
September. Editor Stilson said that on
account of too much State and County Fair
business, and three bee-conventions which
he had attended the past few weeks, the
October number of his paper was very late.
He surely had a good excuse, and no doubt
his readers will overlook the delay this
time, and— give him another chance!

Big'g'Ie Berry Boole.- This number
2 of the Biggie Farm Library, is published
by Wilmer Atkinson Co., Philadelphia, Pa.
It is edited by Judge Jacob Biggie, a prac-
tical berry-grower and berry-lover, who
has arranged in a systematic and attractive
way not only what he has to say himself,
but also the valuable advice and experience
of many leading berry experts of the coun-
try who have contributed to its pages. It
contains 144 pages, neatly bound in cloth,
price, 50 cents.

Jt^" "Long live the 'American Bee
Journal.' "— M. D. Andes, of Tennessee, Oct.
29, 1894.

TO COBBESFOUDENTS.

Tie Bee ifotu-nal Is sent to subscribers
UHtil an order is received by the publishers for
its discontinuance, and all arrearages are paid.

A Samjyle Copy of the Bee Jouknai. will
be sent FREE upon application.

Hove- to Send Afoney.— Remit b/ Express,
Post-Office Money Order, or Bank DruftonNew
7ork or Chicago. If none of these can be had,
Eegister your l^etter, affixing Stampi- both for
postage and registry, and take a receipt for it.
Money sent thus, 18 AT OUlt RISK; otherwise
it is not. Do not send Checks on Local Banks—
we have to pay ;i5 cents each, to get them cashed.

JVever Send Silver in letters. It will
wear holes in the envelope, or may be stolen.

Alake all Money Orders Payahle at
Chicago, 111.— not at any sub-station of Chicago.

Postae-eStampsof any denomination may
be sent for any fraction of a dollar; or where
Money Orders cannot bo obtained, stamos for
any amount may be sent.

Subscription Credits.— The receipt for
money sent us will be given on the address-label

Jo 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.
Bmerson Binders, made especially for
the AMERICAN Bee Jouknal, are convenient
for preserving each weekly Number, as fast as
received. They will be sent, post-paid, for 50 cts.
eachc They cannot be sent by mail to Canada.
f,ost Numbers.— We carefully mall the
Bee Journal to every subscriber, but should
any be lost in the mails, we will replace them if
notified before all the edition is exhausted.
Always State the Post-Office to which
your paper is addressed, when writing to us.

Save Money by Using the Following

Cl^tJBBirWU L.1SX.

"We Club the American Bee Journal
for a year, with any of the following papers
at the club prices quoted in the I^AST
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 oi'der for another paper :

Price of both. Club,

The American Bee Journal II 00 —

and Gleanings in Bee-Culture.... 2 00.... 175

Bee-Keeoers' Kevlew 2 00.... 175

Canadian Bee Journal 2 00 ... 175

Proaresslve Bee-Keeper .. 150 — 135

American Bee-Keeper 150 — 140

Nebraska Bee-Keeper 150 135

The 7 above-named papers 5 50 6 00

Otlier Periodicals.

The Lever— Temp, wkly 2 00 170

Ladies' Home Journal 2 00 180

OranjfeJudd farmer 2 00 — 175

Am. Poultry Advocate 2 25 2 20

Youth's Companion— new... 2 75 2 40

Illustrated Home Journal.. 150 140

Prairie Farmer. 2 00.... 180

Chicag-o WfteiclyTnter-Ocean 2 00 ..1 80

Nebraska Farmer 125 — 175

Phrenological Journal 2 50 2 25

The Michigan Farmer 2 00.... 150

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

617

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 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.

Does tha Queen Will It ?

If the queen wills the sex of her eggs,
why does she will to lay a male egg, for
we know she needs no male herself ;
neither is she inclined to accommodate
other queens ? F. C. M.

Answer. — Now you've got to the spot
where I don't know. I don't know
whether the queen wills the sex of the
egg, and if she does I don't know why,
and I don't know whether she knows
why. " We know she needs no male
herself," but I don't know that she
knows that. While she may be on
friendly terms with other queens, I don't
know but what she is " inclined to ac-
commodate other queens," provided they
are her own daughters. In fact this Is
one of the many subjects about which I
don't know.

Why Did the Queens Die ?

What caused the death of my queens ?
I clJDped the wings of all of them. On
July 21 one colony cast a swarm, and
on July 23 another colony cast a swarm.
The queens died in half a minute after
they came out of the hive. I was pres-
ent the first time the bees came out to
swarm, and I saw the queen coming out
swiftly, and turning round on the ground
a moment, instantly died. Both queens
acted the same, and died. First I
thought she had jumped down from the
frame and struck her head against the
hive-bottom, and split her skull. But
since then I have thought it came from

the sun, as it was 103-^, and the ground
was warm, and no fresh air. She had
no wings to vibrate so she could get
some fresh air. What do you think of
it? A. P. C.

Answer. — I don't know what to think.
I don't think the queen's wing being
clipped would make an appreciable dif-
ference as to keeping cool. I never saw
one ventilating. The queen's wing be-
ing clipped, the swarm might be delayed
till a young queen emerged, and the
young queen might sting the old one,
but in that case she would hardly come
out of the hive in such a lively manner.
I give it up. If any one knows, let him
tell.

Plan of Uniting Colonies.

In uniting bees, how would it do to
take the queen away from one colony,
put a screen on top of the hive the queen
is in, then in the evening, when the bees
are all in, take the queenless colony and
set it on top of the hive with the screen
on it, with the bottom-board off the
upper story? After they have been
there say 24 hours, open a small hole in
the screen from Ji to 5/16 inch in di-
ameter, then in 24 hours more draw out
the screen and let them have the run of
both hives. A. P. R.

Answer. — I think the plan will work
satisfactorily, as it is much like what
has been advised in the "American Bee
Journal."

Fears Queenlessness.

I have one colony of bees that has re-
jected their new queen. I have given
them a frame of brood and eggs every 8
or 9 days. I sent to Arkansas for a
queen for them, but the breeder cannot
send it {his fall, owing to sickness. How
would it do to let the colony go as it is
till spring ? I suppose they will have a
queen, but she won't be mated, as the
drones are all gone. Please tell me how
to manage such a colony. W. W. P.

Choctaw City, Okla. T.

Answer. — It's hard to say what you
ought to do without knowing whether
your colony has a queen or not. It's
quite possible thit you may find next
spring that they have a good queen.

618

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Although drones are all gone, she may
have mated earlier and not commenced
laying very promptly, or there may have
been drones that you didn't see. If
there's a fairly strong colony, I think I
would let them alone to winter over.

Refuses to Take Winter Stores.

Once a week the "American Bee Jour-
nal " comes to our house. I suppose we
could get along without it. So a man
miqht worry through a Wisconsin winter
without mittens, but he would lose more
time slapping his hands to warm them,
than the cost of mittens would amount
to. So with the "Bee Journal" — one
gets five times its cost in little " kinks."

I have one colony that for the past
two months I have tried to get to store
their winter supply, but nary a store.
It is a good, strong colony, with one of
Hutchinson's queens, and has had plenty
of brood at all times. I have fed honey,
both comb and extracted, granulated
sugar syrup, both thick -end thin, but
they will not store more than four or
five pounds. I would trot them in with
another colony, only for their queen be-
ing an Italian.

The honey was a very light crop this
year. I got 95 pounds from 13 colo-
nies. My neighbor, with 45 colonies,
took but 150 pounds of honey. Honey
sells at 12Ji cents for cash, or 15 cents
in store trade.

I have taken the hives from their sum-
mer stands, and set them in a small
building until time for cellaring; the
bees are out on warm days, still gather-
ing pollen. E. G.

Cylon, Wis., Nov. 3.

Answer.— When a colony refuses to
take winter stores when others do so
freely, the first question that arises is
whether they haven't had enough al-
ready. Still, there's a difi'erence in ray
colonies about taking feed, and I can't
tell why. If you had told how you gave
the feed it would have been well.

When you gave comb honey, if you
gave It in frames anywhere near their
brood-nest, they may have folt satisfied
with it there without disturbing it till
they wanted it. But wherever it was,
if you uncapped it, or daubed it over
with honey in case it was not sealed,
you might count pretty safely on their

cleaning it up, and putting it in reach of
the brood-nest if needed there. I had a
colony to which I gave some combs to
empty, setting the combs under the col-
ony, but they said it was all right there
and let it alone. Then I set an empty
hive over the hive containing the combs,
and set the colony over the empty hive.
The combs in the lower hive were then
promptly emptied.

Sugar syrup will be taken down hot
when it would be neglected cold.

One thing you could have done. When
you found they would not take the feed,
you could have given them filled combs
from another colony, then fed up this
latter —providing you had such a colony.

If you got them to take four or five
pounds of syrup, and they had the
chance to take more during two months,
I shouldn't feel very uneasy but what
they had enough to take them through
till spring, then give them more. Re-
member the spring is the time when
they consume stores more rapidly than
in winter.

Seems to me I'd rather let the bees
stay on their summer stands till put into
the cellar.

Borage as a Honey-Plant.

Why don't some one say something
about borage as a bee-plant? I have
not seen a word regarding it in all that
has been written on bee-pasturage. It
began to blossom here with the bass-
wood and continued until the drouth
withered it, and as soon as the fall rains
came it began again and lasted until we
had a frost that froze ice as thick as
window-glass. I do not know what the
bees get from it, but it must be useful to
them or they would not be fooling their
time away on it when basswood is in
bloom. J. H. D.

Belleville, Wis.

Ans. — Borage is a well-known honey-
plant, formerly more spoken of than
now. I suppose less is spoken of it than
would otherwise be if it were found in
larger quantities, or if it were valuable
for some other purpose than bee-pasture.

Read our great offer on page 610.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU

619

CONDUCTED BY-
MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY.

Beeville, Texas.

PROFITABLE BEE-KEEPING.

licsson No. 13.

(Continued from page 527.)

RECEPTACLES FOR HONEY — HOW TO PUT

IT UP.

As we have now learned to produce
honey, I will tell you how to put It up,
and how to keep It. The best vessels
for extracted honey are the 5-gallon
square cans with screw caps, and two to
a case. This is getting to be a standard
package for extracted honey. But in
the South, where cypress barrels are so
cheap, and freight high on the cans
from factories, 24-gallon kegs are ex-
tensively used, so the next best thing for
extracted honey, to the tin cans, is the
kegs. But we had better use none but
the iron-bound, as the wood-bound kegs
are likely to burst in shipping.

Right here I will give you a pointer
that will save you some trouble and
time : If you live near enough to a bar-
rel factory, go and attend to your own
barrels while being built, and have good
ones put up, telling the cooper what you
want them for, and after one head is
put in, have your beeswax ready (or
beeswax and parafiBne will do, mixed
half and half, but I don't like all paraf-
fine, it doesn't stick tight enough), and
pour in the melted wax, twirling the
barrels in a way that they will be thinly
coated with wax all over, and also give
last head a coating before putting it in,
and you will have a honey-barrel that
will not leak if properly built, and honey
will not soak up into the wood, nor will
the wood injure the taste of the honey.
And if your honey is ripe, as it should
be, it will keep any length of time. I
have heard mother say, the older the
honey the better. She has kept it for
20 years, and it was still as good as at
first.

The public, by some reason or other,

especially the consumers of honey, have
come to believe it won't do to buy honey
in large quantities, thinking it will sour
and spoil. But it is a mistake, for good,
ripe honey kept in a good vessel will
keep for a life-time and be good. It will
no doubt solidify, but it can be brought
back to its liquid state by melting it in
boiling water, by placing the vessel con-
taining the honey in another with the
water, and let it remain until all is
melted; and the honey will be as clear
and as good as the day it was put up.

I would keep the barrels in the cellar
or some cool place, but a warm place
will not hurt it, only the barrels may
shrink, and eventually leak if kept
where it is too warm. But a warm room
will not affect the honey.

Now, the foregoing directions are for
keeping honey for home use, and for you
to tell your customers how to keep their
honey when they buy a barrel or keg
from you at a time. Of course I do not
expect you to keep your honey any
longer than you can find sale for it, and
sometimes we may have our honey en-
gaged before we extract it. You may
say that people ought to know how to
keep honey, but I tell you the public
need schooling, and they look to you to
tell them how, etc. Some bee-keepers
fail to build up a honey (home) market
just by not schooling people about honey,
and being ready and free to advise.

Comb honey is somewhat more trouble-
some to keep than extracted, and ought
to be kept in a warm, dry room instead
of a cellar. Keeping section honey free
from moth and ants in Southern coun-
tries is sure enough a problem. But I
have kept it nice and good for years, by
keeping it in tight cases on benches or
tables, with the legs in water tn keep
ants from getting in it. Preserves can
be kept free from ants the same way.
Just place a table in the center of a
small room, for instance, or any room,
and keep the legs in pans of water, and
a little kerosene oil put into each pan
will make it all the better and surer, as
ants can spoil honey quickly, so we can-
not well be too careful.

Stone jars or crocks are splendid to
keep honey in for family use, but are a
little hard to keep covered tightly ; but
I can place a beeswaxed cloth over the
top, then the cover, and it does splen-
didly. I have kept green fruit in jars
for a season by sealing tight with bees-
waxed cloths.

I am satisfied that If you will follow
the above instructions, you will have no
reason to complain about keeping honey.
Jennie Atchlet

620

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAju.

Keeping Sugrar Syrwp IJngranu-
lated in the Combs.

Query 948. — 1. What will keep sugar
syrup from granulating in the combs ?

2. If mixing honey is the best, what is next
best, providing no honey is to be had ?— Colo.

I don't know. — Eugene Secoe.

Use a little tartaric acid.— Dadant &
Son.

1. Mixing honey. 2. I don't know.—
W. G. Laerabee.

1. "I don't know." 2. "I don't
know."— Jas. a. Stone.

1. Twenty-five per cent, of honey. 2.
Tartaric acid.— B. Taylor.

1. I don't know. 2. Use granulated
sugar syrup. — I. M. Hambaugh.

1. I don't know. 2. Honey has been
my best remedy.— S. I. Freeborn.

1. We mix honey with the syrup. 2.
Make the syrup with the percolator.—
E. France.

1. Plenty of water, 2, I prefer hard
cakes of sugar for winter use. — Emerson
T. Abbott.

1. One-tenth part in bulk of honey
added to syrup while hot. 2. Buy some
extracted honey.— G. M. Doolittle.

1. Tartaric acid ; but I don't think
such doctored syrup is good for the bees.
2. Granulated sugar.— J. P. H. Brown.

1. Plenty of water, and feed early
enough for bees to thicken it. Honey is
good, and so is tartaric acid. — P. H. El-
wood.

1. I've tried many things, but they
have been failures in my hands. 2. I
would try percolating, and report. — Mrs.
L. Harrison.

Feeding the syrup quite thin during
warm weather. If one-half honey is
added it is as good as the best honey.—
C. H. Dibbern.

1. It is said a little honey mixed with
it. 2. Tartaric acid— an even teaspoon-
ful to 15 pounds of syrup. I have had
no experience in this line. — Mrs. J. N.
Heater.

I have had no trouble. 1 pour boiling
water on the granulated sugar, stir until
all is dissolved, and feed warm. If you
boil the syrup, it is liable to granulate.
— H. D. Cutting.

1. Mixing JC honey is good. 2. I am
inclined to the opinion that if the syrup
is thin— say half sugar and half water —
the bees will ripen it as much as they do
nectar. — C. C. Miller.

1. Adding tartaric acid or cream of
tartar with the syrup. 2. As you vir-
tually answer your first question with
the second, I will say, use the acids. —
Mrs. Jennie Atchley.

1. I don't know certainly. Many
methods have been given from time to
time, but as I have never fed sugar for
winter stores, I am unable to give a
positive answer. — J. E. Pond.

Mixing honey is the best, but I have
had no trouble from granulation when
well boiled, using a piece of tartaric acid
the size of a hickory nut to each 10
pounds of sugar. — J. A. Geeen.

If you will make the syrup quite thin
— simply dissolve the sugar in hot water
— and let it set in a warm place for two
or three days before you feed It to the
bees, it will not granulate to hurt any-
thing.—G. W. Demaree.

One-third honey, or use of tartaric
acid. I presume percolating syrup J^
sugar and % water would notcrystallize.
The bees take it so dilute that It is more
fully digested, and that is what keeps it
from granulation. — A. J. Cook.

There may be something in the way
the syrup is made. I never had any
trouble with granulating In the combs,
though I never used anything to prevent
it; soldo not know whether honey or
tartaric acid would be the better. — R. L.
Taylor.

1. Do not use granulated sugar — cof-
fee A Is better. Have the syrup toler-
ably thin, not less than a pint of water
to two pounds of sugar. I have had no
trouble with the feed granulating. It Is
better not to feed very rapidly, and to
do it early. 2. I have fed a mixed feed.
— M. Mahin.

There is no sure remedy for the gran-
ulation of sugar in the combs ; but when
feeding becomes necessary (it is an evil
at best), and th^re is no honey to be
spared, I would fall back upon the best
"A" sugar. It answers the purpose,
and will sometimes save a colony. In
preparing the syrup, be careful not to
scorch the mixture— It is surely fatal to

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

621

the bees if fed in that condition. Feed
honey when possible. — W. M. Barnum.

Don't make the syrup too thick. It wiil
winter the bees just as well if fed a little
thin. No honey is required with the
syrup to keep from granulating, but the
honey adds to its good wintering quali-
ties. Only the pollen-theory crank would
keep all honey from the bees in winter.
— G. L. Tinker.

Reports of 9Ienibcrs of Illinois
Bee-Keepers' Association.

I herewith send a report of the honey
crop at the close of the season, from a
portion of the members of the Illinois
State Bee-Keepers' Association.

The answers which follow correspond
with the questions by number :

1. How many colonies have you?

2. What are the prospects for a honey
crop ?

3. How much honey gathered to date?

4. Is the honey gathered No. 1 or not?

Thos. B. Allen, Stirrup Grove— 1. 31.
2. Not good — no white clover. 3. About
36 pounds. 4. Not very good.

A. B. Anthony, Coleta— I. 26. 2. All
right for next year. 3. 300 pounds of
comb, 400 of extracted. 4. No. 1.

F. X. Arnold, Deer Plain— 1. 102. 2.
The crop is over. 3. About 3,300 lbs.
4. X honey-dew, the remainder yellow,
from fall flowers.

C. M. Beall, Clayton— 1. 8. 2. We
have had nice rains, and I think the
bees will get enough to winter on. 3.
None.

Peter Blunier, Roanoke — 1. 52. 2.
Season is past. 3. No surplus, but
about enough to winter on. 4. Dark.

Jas. Bertram, Bristol— 1. 12. 2. Fair
for next year. 3. 180 lbs. of extracted.
4. No. 1 amber, mostly from Alsike and
sweet clover.

M. Bevier, Bradford— 1. 40. 2. Very
poor. 3. 90 lbs. 4. Dark color.

S N. Black, Clayton— 1. 30. 2. Bees
will require feeding to winter safely. 3.
No honey gathered.

C. Covell, Buda— 1. 35. 2. Fair, as
the red clover bloom furnished honey
this year. 3. Nearly 1,500 lbs. 4. Very
good, but amber colored, being a mixture
of basswood and red clover.

Dadant & Son, Hamilton— 1. 350. 2.
None. 3. None. 4. Have not harvested
enough to make up for what feed they
will need.

Peter Dahl. Granville— 1. 135. 2.
None. 3. 300 or 400 lbs. 4. No. 1.
P. J. England, Fancy Prairie— 1. 28.

2. Bees are adding slowly to their stores.

3. 600 lbs. of extracted honey. 4. A
shade below No. 1.

J. D. Everett. Oak Park— 1. 30. 2.
Good. 3. 900 lbs. 4. Yes.

E. T. Flanagan, Belleville— 1. 250.
2. None— all over now. 3. 2,500 lbs.

4. No. 1 fall.

J. M. Hambaugh, Spring— 1. 120. 2.
Honey crop all in for this season. 3.
Will be in the region of 7,500 lbs. 4.
3^ poor, balance fair, no gilt edge.

B. W. Hayek, Quincy— 1. 97. 2. Fall
season so far (Sept. 27) good. 3. 2,500
lbs., expect 1,000 more. 4. No. 1 fall.

Wm. Little, Marissa— 1. 60. 2. Sea-
son past. 3. 600 lbs., and bees have
enough to winter on.

Dr. C. C. Miller, Marengo — 1. About
200. 2. Nix. 3. 20 lbs. 4. No.

Adna Phelps, Springfield— 1. 10. 2.
None at all. 3. None. 4. Answered
above.

George Poindextor, Kenney — 1. 73.
2. About U. 3. 250 lbs. 4. No. 1
heart's-ease.

James Poindexter, Bloomington — 1.
What would make about 160 full colo-
nies. 2. All vanished. 3. No surplus
— enough to winter on. 4. No. 1 heart's-
ease mostly.

Daniel E. Robbins, Payson — 1. 30. 2.
None. 3. 225 lbs., basswood. 4. Very
nice, as I only took the good, leaving
honey-dew in the hives. A neighbor
living nine miles south of me on the
bottom, reports a fine flow from large
smart-weed.

Geo. F. Robbins, Mechanicsburg — 1.
64. 2. Rather late to prospect. 3. Get
out! What! the only complete failure
I have ever known in my 12 years of
bee-keeping.

F. A. Snell, Milledgeville— 1. 112. 2.
Honey-flow over. 3. 1,500 lbs, 4. Very
good.

P. E. Vandenburg, Jerseyville — 1. 37.
2. Very poor. 3. About 100 lbs. of
extracted. 4. Not what I call No. 1.

Walter M. Van Meter, Era, Tex. — 1
7. 2. Light. 3. 50 lbs. 4. Honey
very good.

F. C. Vibert, Hockanum, Conn. — 1. 7,

2. Poor— reasons given in July report

3. 38 lbs. 4. No. 1.

E. Whittlesey, Pecatonica— 1. 70. 2,
The season is past. 3. 100 lbs. all told!

4. Third grade. Jas. A. Stone, Sec.
Bradfordton, 111., Oct. 25.

HaTe You Read page 638 yet ?

622 AMERICAN BEE , JOURNAjL,

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UNOER.GROUNO 'WINTERING OF BEHS.

BY G. M. DOOLITTLE.

The wintering of bees in some kind of an underground repository has come to
be quite an absorbing thought ifi the minds of all apiarists living north of latitude
40"^, and, in my opinion, whoever lives in the year 2,000 will see nearly, if not all
colonies of bees then existing north of this degree of latitude, wintered in an under-
ground repository. If this is to be the case, it is of some moment that the ideas
which are now assuming form on this subject be turned toward the best solving of
this question.

Why I make a prophecy like the above is, that, with each succeeding year, the
timber land of our country is growing less and less ; so that when the year 2,000 is
ushered in, very few if any of the forests which now exist here at the North will be
allowed to stand. In these forests have been our protection from the extreme cold
which now is beginning to be experienced in many localities where the timber is
already becoming scarce. This timber has been of two-fold protection against cold,
viz.: First, it holds the water in the ground so that many springs have existed
which otherwise would not, and these springs where they abound, modify the air to
a much larger extent than many suppose ; and, second, the force of the wind is
broken, so that when a warm day appears, the bees in a sunny nook, out of the
wind, can have a nice flight, while those in an exposed situation can do no such
thing.

Thirty-five years ago there was scarcely a winter in this locality when bees
could not fly as often as ouce in six weeks, and the mill on the stream which flows,
or used to flow, about 60 rods from where I live, was run by water nearly every day
in the year. Now we often have from four to five months in which the bees cannot
fly, and the mill is run nearly, if not quite half of the time with steam, on account
of lack of water. I used to leave two-thirds of my bees on the summer stands, dur-
ing winter, putting the other third into the cellar; now I put four-fifths of the bees
into the cellar, leaving but one-fifth out, packing those out in the best possible
manner; yet, with all my care, the cellar seems to be winning favor with each
succeeding year.

Now, aside from the causes given above, there is another reason why the cellar
is gaining favor. When I first began wintering bees in the cellar, I used one under
the house in which we lived, while now I use one entirely away from any building,
and this latter is so much superior to the former that it is winning my affections
altogether. In what is it superior to the former? Chiefly in the fact that the
temperature is entirely controlled without any interference of mine during the
whole time that the bees are in their winter quarters. Some bee-keepers are favor-

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 6:3

able to a warm room overhead, presumably to keep the cellar warm, yet we find
these same bee-keepers carrying ice into these cellars and opening doors at night to
lower the temperature during warm spells in winter. Now, this is just where a
cellar under a superstructure fails. Just in so far as a warm room is an advantage
in extreme cold weather, it is of positive disadvantage in a warm spell in winter.
Who wants to be obliged to keep a fire in or over a cellar all winter, every time the
mercury sinks to zero? or open all doors and windows which the cellar contains,
carry in ice, etc., every time the mercury rises to 50^ or 60° above zero? There
may be fun in the thing for a few times, but after a little it becomes "vanity and
vexation of spirit."

And even after we have had all this trouble, our pets are not nearly as well off
as they would have been had the temperature been kept evenly at 45^. Of course,
where one has no other place in which to winter bees, they must do the best they
can with what they have, but the point which I object to is that followed by some
in recommending a thing which requires so much fussing and anxiety of thought,
above something which requires nothing of the kind, and over one, which, after a
thorough trial by even the most prejudiced, would be recommended as much superior
to the old way.

Some claim the matter of a living-room over the bees has little if anything to
do with the matter of good wintering to the bees. Such claim can only be made
from lack of knowledge. For many years before I moved to where I now live, I
wintered my bees in the cellar under the house we lived in, and during nearly every
one of these winters there would come times when I had to build a fire in this cellar
to keep it warm enough, or else open the doors at night, or carry in ice to keep it
cool enough. Several times it kept warm so long that there was no snow or ice to
be had, and the outside air during the night was warmer than the air in the cellar,
then I had such a state of affairs in that cellar that caused me to declare that I
would never try cellar-wintering again ; bees roaring in the hives and flying out to
the cellar-bottom and crawling about there until I feared I should lose the whole
thing. At such times at this, where one is obliged to winter bees in such cellars,
the only salvation is to have total darkness inside. But with a cellar entirely under
ground, with earth overhead as well as on the bottom and at the sides, nothing of
this kind ever occurs ; and I would advise all, where it is possible, to construct such
an underground cellar for wintering bees, where they are permanently located and
have 25 or more colonies.

In the underground repository which 1 use, and which has been several times
described in the bee-papers, the mercury rarely varies more than 2° all winter,
standing at from 44- to 46° during the time the bees are in it, and as no ray of
light ever enters, it is simply one long, dark night to the bees for five to six months,
and they seem to winter perfectly.

The above is offered as suggestions to those about to build bee-cellars.

Borodino, N. Y.

MIGRATORY BEE-KEEPIIVG— BEHS BY THE POUND.

BY EDWIN BEVINS.

That article by John McArthur, on " Migratory Bee-Keeping," on page 306,
makes me feel chilly. After Langstroth, Dadant and other writers have gotten a
generation of bee-keepers educated away from the sulphur pit, here comes a man
advocating the wholesale murder of bees to save the trouble and expense of winter-
ing ! I am glad the winter problem here is not as serious as it is in Toronto. Don't
think I would kill the bees, though, if I lived in Labrador.

624 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

On page 405 of the "American Bee Journal" are to be found some questions
and remarks by Mr. Chas. F. Jaessing, on this same subject of migratory bee-keep-
ing. Mr. Jaessing seems to think that he would prefer the scheme outlined by
Mr. McArthur, viz.: that of getting full colonies of bees from the South just before
the honey harvest, to the one of getting the bees in lots of one or two pounds, and a
queen with each lot. My experience in this matter is too limited to be of much
value, but such as it is it inclines me to the belief that I would prefer Mr. Jaessing's
plan to that of Mr. McArthur's, especially if the latter is to carry with it the
slaughter of the bees every fall.

It was a question by Mr. Jaessing and its answer by Mrs. Atchley which ap-
peared in the " American Bee Journal " last February, that led me to send South
for two lots of bees by the pound. One was a two-pound lot, the other a three-
pound lot, and each lot had a tested Italian queen. Each lot came on two frames of
comb with just honey enough for the journey, and on arrival were placed in 8-
frame dovetailed hives, between two frames of honey left by a colony which had
become queenless and died the winter before.

These bees reached me May 19, and we fed sugar syrup every third or fourth
day until about June 20, at which time they were as strong as any colonies in the
yard, and there were some pretty strong ones. Sections were placed on the hives
about June 20. This has been the poorest of all poor seasons for honey here, but
the three-pound lot of bees completed more than sections enough to pay all its cost.
The other fell a little short of that result. Had the season been an ordinarily good
one, I am sure they would have paid two or three times their cost. I shall try the
experiment next spring on a larger scale, but shall not send so far for the bees, and
shall get untested queens— the expense can thus be considerably reduced. In the
absence of frames of honey I will try frames of comb, and feed some extracted
honey. I would not get bees in less than two-pound lots — three pounds would be
better.

" Shake!" — Here's my ^W, Mrs. Livingston. I am more than willing to shake
hands with any bee-keeper who is in love with the bees for something besides the
money they bring in. I might draw the line at the man or woman who would kill
his or her bees just before winter, then buy a new supply in the spring to be slaugh-
tered when cold weather comes again. To tell the truth, I do not believe such an
idea would ever originate in the brain of a woman. Yes, I think I would shake
hands with Mr. McArthur, for I think he is a very estimable man, notwithstanding
his bee-killing notions. We will "have it out" in a friendly way when we meet at
Toronto, next fall ! Leon, Iowa.

bee-:notes FRom ax octoghi^ariai^.

BY E. L. HOLDEN.

Perhaps I cannot write anything that will interest the readers of the " Ameri-
can Bee Journal," as I am an old man, an octogenarian, but the editor gave a gen-
eral invitation to his patrons to write, and as I have been in practice among bees
for more than 60 years, I will give a few items of my experience.

I once wintered in my house a colony that I found in a tree. I cut out a section
of the tree, about 2X feet long, and set it in the buttery (or pantry, now), and fed
them at the bottom every few days, by slipping a saucer of honey in through a door
cut for the purpose. The next spring they were in excellent condition, though they
had no chance for a flight all winter.

Next, I will astonish some by saying that I once hived a fine swarm in a hive

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 625

filled with comb and considerable honey of the last year. I moved the old hive away
and put the new swarm on the old stand, with one tier of sections from the old hive,
partly filled. In just seven days a swarm came out, and I hived them in a box till
I could look over the combs they came from. On looking I found queen-cells, and
as many as two were sealed cells ; the eggs from which they came could not have
been laid more than seven days, for the combs were old combs, remember. After
cutting out all the queen-cells I returned the swarm, and gave them another tier of
sections, and in two or three days gave another tier. The result was, I took over
180 pounds of section honey from that hive.

Now a few words about the Langstroth frames: In 1858 I bought of Rev. L.
L. Langstroth the right to use his hive, for which I paid him $5. At the same time
I bought two hives, both of which I still have, and have just taken the trouble to
measure them. The inside measurement of the hive is 18^^ inches one way, and
155i the other, and 10% deep. The frames are, inside measurement, 12}4 and
103i inches. This is the common hive, the other is his observing hive, of two or
more stories, the frames are of the same length, but the depth is only 8}-i inches.
These frames are the very ones I bought of Father Langstroth 36 years ago, and
of course are the correct size of the Langstroth frames.

I have never been an extensive bee-keeper, but in connection with farming have
always kept a few bees. I am now using a hive called, around here, the " Man-
ning " hive. North Clarendon, Vt.

BLACK COATS VS. STRIPBO AND I.EAXHER. COI^OR.

BY KOBT. PESTELL.

" Fine feathers make fine birds," is an old adage. Is the opinion current
amongst bee-keepers of the present time that fine jackets make fine bees ? The
black bees to-day are looked down upon as being an almost worthless race, if one is
to be guided by the general tone of the bee-literature of the time, as great distinc-
tion being made between the races of blacks and Italians as between civilized beings
and savages. Would this distinction be made were it not for the difference in color?
I think not. The color of insects and animals is the one infallible nature clothes
them with to meet the exigencies of their lives concomitant to their surroundings.

The honey-bee is not a native of this continent. We must, however, concede to
the black the right of claiming fitness to surroundings by priority. I am a staunch
friend to the blacks, appreciating thair many good qualities. Foremost amongst
them are their provident habits, they rarely breed up to their full income In early
spring as do the Italians, consequently their lesser liability to spring dwindling ;
their superiority as masons compared to their more splendidly attired relatives ;
their lesser propensity to swarm, and their greater hardihood. Surely, they are a
bee more fitted to survive in this climate when left solely to Nature's care than are
other races which have been introduced recently. If admitting them to be so, why
are they not as well, or better, adapted to be made a source of profit to the bee-
keeper, as are the fashionables of to-day ?

In a country like this — Mr. Vanderbilt's broad lands where many thousands of
acres of forest abound — I am decidedly in favor of the blacks for the reasons above
stated, added to which is the almost impossibility of keeping other races pure from
crossing with the wild blacks which are quite numerously domiciled in the forests.

Writing " wild bees " unfolds the book of my memory at the page of a bee-con-
versation of a recent date with a gentleman acquaintance. I then stated as an
opinion of mine that the blacks— or wild bees, as he termed them — were better

626 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi-

adapted to this section of country than other races. He said: " Don't you think
the bees can be improved as have been the cattle ?" My answer was, " When the
white man first put in an appearance upon this continent, he commenced to ex-
terminate the native cattle — the buffalo — filling at that time its place with cattle of
the North Carolina scrub type. It is open to doubt whether there exists a bee better
fitted to thrive in these surroundings than the present wild (as you term it) inhabi-
tant of the forests. If this wild bee is destined to be exterminated, I hope its place
will be occupied with something more desirable than the North Carolina scrub as
compared to the buffalo. From this simile I infer it to be dangerous to supersede
the old until the new is proven to be better."

It constantly proves one of the hardest lessons of our lives to judge our sur-
roundings, including our bees. Sartor Eesartus-like, notwithstanding the early
lessons precepted by our copy-books, to do the contrary: "Judge not by appear-
ances." Epictetus also tells us the nature and being of the good is not in external
things — the utility of things, I take him to mean in the sense he uses the words,
conducive to worthy and profitable ends. The surface of things is to be but little
considered — it is to be discarded, to be dug beneath to find out how a matter hinges.

Cannot Mr. Doolittle tell us a little about the good qualities of the blacks, and
cannot Dr. Miller also say why it is the stream of opinion is so tending to drift the
same into oblivion ? I admit they bear the character for being truculent, nettlers.
"One touch of nature makes the world akin" (Shakespeare). I stung a man in
Biltmore last summer— by mistake, I'm told— for which I got a quantity of smoke ;
in fact, I was fired, narrowly escaping getting much scorched by taking refuge
behind a non-inflammable, barren substance.

Where is Mr. Thompson ? Will he give a kink, or kick, on this subject ?

Biltmore, N. C.

BY KEV. WILFOKD HORSFALL.

I came to these islands about the beginning of May, 1894, and soon after com-
ing to Lahina, the place I am now living in, I bought a colony of bees for $4, trans-
ferring them to a frame hive. Since then I had a few swarms given to me by an
old bee-keeper in the place, who says he cannot make honey pay. Three of these
swarms I united so as to make one good, strong colony. The fourth I united to the
colony I had bought in the first instance. Already these bees have produced some
very delightful section honey, which is now being sold at one of the village stores.

The honey here is really beautiful, it is clear and white, with a distinct flavor.
The wax is of snowy whiteness, without an approach to yellow. Never since I have
kept bees have I seen such lovely sections as the 22 I took from the hives the other
day. I am at a loss to discover from what flowers the bees get the greatest part of
their honey, but it is evidently from trees. We have large numbers of tamarind,
mango, algaroba, pandanus, royal palm, and many others. The humming of bees
in the tamarind trees speak clearly of their being favorites; while, when the royal
palms are in flower, one would think it was a swarm of bees, rather than bees
attracted by nectar, hovering about the heavy plumes of flowers.

Bee-culture is making progress in these islands. I have been told of several
persons who have apiaries, but whether they make them profitable I cannot say.
Honolulu is well suited for bees, owing to its wealth of tropical trees and shrubs.
Lahina, once the old capital, is not so well adapted to a large apiary, not to speak
of apiaries. The settlement runs about two miles on the sea-beach. The houses

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 627

for the most part are surrounded with trees about 300 or 400 yards. Behind the
beach road stretch sugar-fields for about a mile inland to where the mountains begin
to rise. Here there is no vegetation. Nothing but dry earth and volcanic rocks.
So then we only have a honey-field some two miles long by one broad. Here and
there in the sugar-fields are houses surrounded with groves of trees. The bees are
thus limited, but nevertheless they do well. But where a small apiary of 20 to 30
colonies would be successful, the apiary of 150 or 200 might be a failure. The old
bee-keeper already referred to has about 30 colonies of bees in soap and other
boxes, old style. Other people have bees, but one person has rarely more than two
or three colonies.

The bees on this island are the ordinary English or German variety, but prob-
ably owing to the climate, having some decided characteristics of their own, the
queens and drones are small, some drones ridiculously small. The bees are bad
tempered, and require much smoke before they can be mastered. In fact, the
tropical climate has caused them to degenerate. I feel sorry for the queens, that
never seem to get any rest from their labors at all. I am informed by my friend,
the same old bee-keeper, that there are two swarming seasons in the year.

Now, as to bee-pests : We have the moth, a much smaller one than the cousin
in New Zealand, and certainly more destructive in its depredations. Any little bit
of wax it can find is a happy find for it, and in the smallest chink of the hive is the
the dreaded grub to be found. Then the Mynah birds, the Indian starling, make
many a good feed on bees. They perch on or near the hives and pick the bees up in
the coolest manner possible. Other pests, such as foul brood and bee-diarrhea are,
I believe, unheard of here.

As to these islands being well adapted to bee-culture, I should have some
doubts. Except in places here and there, there is no forest worthy of that name,
and a greater part of the islands are barren and desolate to a degree. True, in the
mountains there is a stunted forest, consisting of metrosideros and acacia trees, but
too hard of access for any one to pick on it for any apiary. The famed Honolulu
was at one time merely a desert. Every tree and shrub in and about the city has
been introduoed. And so on with other places. Nearly all our trees and flowers
are foreign introduction, while the native flora is not to be found except occasionally
on the mountains and in the gulches away from the ordinary haunts of man.—
Australian Bee-Bulletin.

SOI»IB CAI^IFORXIA NOXES.

[Mr. W. A. Pryal, one of our'California friends, has been traveling around the
northern part of the State lately with Messrs. J. H. Martin (Rambler) and H. E.
Wilder. Mr. Pryal kindly sends us some notes on his trip, from which we select the
following : — Editor.]

I found several small apiaries in Humboldt county. The part of the county
where they were is not a great way from the ocean. I should think that it is not
as favorable a place for bees as it is here in this vicinity, excepting, though, that
there they seem to have a more sure yield of honey-producing flowers every year.

I saw in the " American Bee Journal" some months ago, where one of your
correspondents disputed the fact that white clover was grown In this State. I knew
that we had small patches of it through this county (Alameda), but I never knew
until I was in Humboldfcounty, that it was cultivated as a crop. It is quite a dairy
county ; that is, a small portion of it is, for the county is almost " a complete aggre-
gation" of mountains and big hilsl.

It is the great redwood countv of this State. There it is where one should go

628 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

to see big trees. The account " by one of the younger Roots," in a recent issue of
"Gleanings," about a sawmill in Michigan, does not begin to describe how logs are
worked up into lumber in a California sawmill. I saw them take logs 8 or 10 feet
in diameter and saw them up with band-saws. Great big slabs, one or two inches,
would be taken off that would be of various sizes or widths, as the saw worked its
way toward the center of the log. These big boards would be all handled by auto-
matic machinery, and come out boards of the desired size. I did not see any pre-
cautions taken against fire ; none are needed I should judge, as the logs are taken
out of the water where they have lain for months or years. Then redwood is hard
to burn (that is one of the reasons we have no big fires in this State ; all our wooden
buildings are mainly constructed of that wood). Another thing, the wood is not
piled in big heaps at the mills; it is nearly all put aboard vessels at the mills about
as fast as sawed, and shipped to various parts of the coast. I did not go into the
forests where the biggest timber is to be seen ; I saw some, however, that was 12
or more feet in diameter. I have seen bigger trees in Santa Cruz county, south of
here— some 80 miles away. But enough of this ; I was going to tell about the white
clover.

In one section along and west of the Eel river, where the redwood trees had
been cut off some years ago, and where potatoes had been grown for a number of
years, there is nothing now but cow-ranches, so to speak. The laud is low and rich.
Then Humboldt county is one of the most rainy in the State. It is no uncommon
thing there to have 70 or more inches of rain every year. You know that in the
southern portion of the State they often fail to have 2 inches. Well, this abundance
of rain always insures them crops of every thing they wish to raise. Both red and
white clover have been sown, and they do well ; the former having the preference.
But white clover is now spreading in every direction, and it won't be long before
the whole section of country along the lower Eel will be well covered with white
clover. It is now growing all along the roadsides. It blooms the year through,
and, of course, furnishes good pasturage for the bees.

If it were not for the weather being cool a good portion of the year, there would
be enormous yields of honey in and around Ferndale. I was told by one bee-keeper
near there, that it is no uncommon thing for him to take 100 pounds of honey from
a new swarm. He said the honey is finer than that from the southern portion of
the State. I do not know about this ; I have only his word for it. He said that
with a hundred colonies of bees he could make more money than is made off any
three dairies in the valley.

I left the Rambler and Mr. Wilder at Hydesville, where they had been for five
weeks, last Saturday morning. I took the steameiV from Ferndale at 2:30 the same
afternoon, and arrived in San Francisco a little after 8 the next evening. At 9 I
took the ferry boat Piedmont (the finest ferry steamer in the world) for Oakland,
and I arrived home at 11 o'clock that night. I was away a little over two months.
I enjoyed the trip immensely. I saw more of the country than did my two friends,
as they were more tied down to business than I was ; they were taking pictures
right and left in and about Hydesville.

I find that my own bees are in better condition than I expected to see them.
The early rains we had brought out a lot of early, or, perhaps better, late flowers,
which they have been collecting honey from very industriously. I think they will go
through the winter better than they have usually done heretofore. Here, near the
ocean, it is not so easy to carry bees over the winter as It is more inland. The
climate is much damper in winter, as might be expected.

Mr. Wilder wanted to go to a part of Humboldt county where bear hunting Js
said to be good. He is about as anxious to kill a bear as anybody I ever saw. At

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 629

Hydesville I was talking with an old settler there who had killed 512 bears in and
about that county. He has but one arm, and the other hand is crippled so that he
has but one finger.

We have been having more rain this morning ; it looks as if it has set in to be
quite a wet time. I think Mr. Martin does not like the climate in Humboldt county
much now. He refers to it in a joking sort of way, as " The Land of the Mist." 'Tis
rather foggy there at times, but that is what makes it such a good dairy country.
Then it is not as cold as it is near the ocean. You have read of course that it is not
cold along the coast of California, owing to the Japan current washing our coast.
Here I might remark that the "current " of Japanese that has been flowing into
China the past few months have been making things rather warm there, too !

North Temescal, Calif., Oct. 23. W. A. Pryal

BEHS AND FRUIX-BEE-DISEASES.

BY PROF. A. J. COOK.

(An essay read at the recent Farmers' Institute, in Santa Barbara, Calif.)

(Continued from page 599.)

Foul Brood.— This is a microbe, or fungoid malady, and is by all means the
most fatal and serious of our bee-maladies. It was known to Aristotle, and has
wiped out whole apiaries in our own time. Its true nature was not known until
within a few years, as is true with all microbe diseases, and like most microbe
maladies, it is terribly contagious and terribly fatal. But as we have come to know
its true nature, intelligent, well-informed bee-keepers have lost their fear of this
evil. So true is this, that Hon. R. L. Taylor, director of the Michigan apiarian ex-
periment station, keeps a living sample in his apiary for his special study and
amusement. He has no longer any fear at all of " foul brood." Is this not encour-
aging? Imagine in the future our keeping a little typhoid, tuberculosis, scarlet
fever, diphtheria, or cholera, about the premises, with the fangs down, as a thing
to play with. I see no reason why we may not, if knowledge can rob terrible
diseases that now lie in wait for human victims. I believe it can and will.

" Foul brood " takes its name from the two facts — its disgusting odor, and the
further fact that it attacks and destroys the brood while yet in the cell. It is not
difiBcult to identify the disease. The cells, if capped over, will usually be punctured
and sunken, or concave. The contents of the cell will have no form or semblance
of a bee-larv£e. It will be brown in color, salvy in constituency, so if drawn by aid
of a pin or toothpick from the cell, it strings out, and when it breaks from the pin,
will fly back with some force. This brown, ropy, viscid, putrescent mass is sure
evidence of " foul brood." The odor is also characteristic, but may not be notice-
able in case of only a few affected bees. It is very disagreeable, and often betrays
the disease as soon as we raise the cover from the hive. I have often received
specimens of foul brood by mail in a close box, and wrapped closely with two or three
layers of paper, and yet members of my household would detect the contents at once
upon taking the package from the mail-carrier, by the odor alone.

Cure for Foul Brood. — The late Moses Quinby, the renowned pioneer bee-
keeper of the United States, first gave the method to cure foul brood. His method
is practically that which is everywhere so successful to-day, and, what is the more
remarkable, he discovered the cure without knowing at all the true nature of the
disease. As we now know it to be a microbe enemy, which we can detect and study
with our microscopes, we easily understand why the " Quinby cure," as I should
call it, the so-called starvation method of cure, is so entirely effective.

630 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

To treat this disease the bee-keeper should be a man of rare good sense and
intelligence, who has studied the disease until he knows its exact course and nature,
like Mr. R. L. Taylor ; or else he should visit some first-class hospital and see with
what care the operating surgeon disinfects his hands, his bandages, his instruments,
everything he uses, before he commences his surgical operation. The realizing sense
that the microbes are infinitesimally small, and that the escape of one from a dis-
eased colony to a healthy one as surely carries the malady, will alone insure the
caution requisite to treat safely this evil. Unless one will use every caution to pre-
vent spread, it is doubtless wisest, as some have advised, to burn up all affected
colonies. But this is unnecessary. It is wiser to use all care and precaution, and
wipe the disease entirely out, root and branch.

The method is to drum the bees from the hive into any box, and set them in a
cellar or other cool dark place for 48 hours, and then hive in a clean hive on comb
foundation. Drumming the bees out causes them to fill with honey, and secures
them from the hive without any danger of scattering the honey which must be
entirely avoided. This should be done when the bees are busy gathering, so that no
robbing will occur, and the bees can get food when hived on the foundation. Else
it may be done under a bee tent, or late in tbe day when the bees are not flying, and
the transferred colonies must be fed. The old hive must be set aside where no bees
can possibly get at it for 25 days, when all the young bees will be developed, when
the operation can be repeated and a second colony secured, which will have, of
course, a young queen.

The honey may now be extracted and boiled, the combs melted into wax, and
the hive thoroughly burned out by "use of kerosene or straw, or else boiled. In all
this, greatcare must be exercised that no bees get to the honey or hive until they are
entirely disinfected. Of course there is no great difficulty in this. But it does
require a use of the wits and exceeding caution, which many having not used have
signally failed, and so have condemned a method instead of their own incautious
procedure.

Mr. Taylor always keeps dilute carbolic acid in a dish ready to wash his hands
after handling a colony with "foul brood," before he touches another hive. We
have only to remember that the honey and cells of the diseased colony have myriads
of the microbes, and that if these gain admittance into another hive, either by our
careless handling, or the bees carrying honey, then the disease is spread. Thus,
attempting to cure by this method without great caution, only spreads the disease
and makes a very bad matter infinitely worse.

In closing, let me say that Southern California is the bee-keepers' and fruit-
growers' paradise. As in balmy Italy, so here, there should be fullest reciprocity
between these classes ; each needs the other, and for either to drive the other away
Is really killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. Claremont, Calif.

THE ABSCONDING OF Sl^ARMS.

BY LEWIS K. SMITH.

In a recent number of the " American Bee Journal," T. J. Lusk desires the ideas
of other bee-keepers about the cause of his numerous swarms leaving. He lives in
Louisiana, near an immense swamp where bee-forage is abundant. He thinks they
are properly cared for, but that " they want to sWim in the honey in the swamps."

While my surroundings are not so favorable for honey, and there is no tempting
ocean of honey near by, still I think perhaps my experience may be beneficial to Mr.
Lusk and others. *

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

631

In the first place, I will say that I never lose a swarm when I take all the pre-
cautions that appear necessary at the time. I am governed more or Jess by the sea-
son—whether early or late — the kind of weather, the size of the swarm, etc. When
swarming-time approaches, my hives — 10-frame dovetailed — are prepared, ready at
a moment's notice, and at once I proceed to business when the swarm settles. If
two or three come out near the same time, and do not cluster together, I first hive
those most exposed to the sunshine, after giving each swarm a good drenching with
cool water sweetened with granulated sugar. I always put one or two frames of
unsealed worker-hrood into the hive, being sure there is no queen-cell on either of
them.

Give the bees a large entrance, sprinkle them well with sweetened water, and,
if a hot day, give the outside of the hive a generous dose of the same. As soon as
they have about all entered, remove the hive to a shady place some distance away.
Be sure of abundance of ventilation at the bottom, having the hive much more
elevated from the bottom-board than you intend it to remain permanently. Have
the hive-cover to fit well, so there shall be no light from any place except the bottom.

Another important consideration is to have abundant room, especially if the
swarm is large, or the weather warm. This you can provide by empty supers, or
one or two empty brood-chambers without combs, on top of the hive you intend them
to occupy permanently. After a few days you can regulate the room as required.
Abundance of room, shade, ventilation, sweet water, etc., always save them for me,
and I would be glad to hear whether they charm Mr. Lusk's bees from their inclina-
tion to hie away to the swamps. Gainesboro, Tenn.

^P~ Do not write anything for publication
on the same sheet of paper witn business
matters, unless it can be torn apart withou
interfering with either part of the letter.

Dr. Gallup and "Business."

Mr. Editor : — What has become of
our old friend that wrote such charming
letters from Santa Ana, California? I
hope he does not intend to keep mum all
the rest of his life I Say, Doctor, you
are too old a man to be squelched by one
nervous man's growling. I don't believe
one other reader of the "American Bee
Journal " feels just as thatawful "busy"
man did. I believe he is so very terribly
busy that he eats concentrated foods,
and — well, it don't seem to agree with
him very well. You see, he does not eat
soups, vegetables, fruits, etc. — it takes
too much time, so he uses them dessi-
cated. I believe all the other bee-keep-

ers are interested in the surroundings
and the families of the contributors who
do so much to help us on to success.

Mrs. B. J. Livingston.
Center Chain, Minn., Nov. 1.

[Why, dear Mrs. Livingston, it takes
more than "Business" to "squelch"
Dr. Gallup. He's not the squelching
kind. We had a personal letter from
Dr. G. a few weeks ago, saying he had
been so very busy that he didn't have
time to write, but thought he would soon
get around to it again. Oh, no, Dr. Gal-
lup don't "go down" so easily as one
might think, for he's not quite 75 years
young yet! We say "young," for in
heart he'll never grow " old." — Editor.]

A Kind of Flies.

Enclosed please find insects, and if
agreeable, please inform me what they
are. I have noticed quite a number fly-
ing about my yard, and upon the flowers.
Their appearance resembles bees, to
some extent, and they appear to gather
the nectar from the flowers. On open-
ing my hives a few weeks ago, just at
the close of the honey-flow, several flew
immediately on the frames. One that I

632

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

watched staid there for a minute or
more, before it was driven away, and
busied itself with the honey in uncapped
cells. Many here have noticed them,
but do not know what they are, more
than to call them " flies." W. G. G.
Providence, R. I.

[We sent the insects to Prof. Cook,
who says this about them : — Editor.]

The insects sent are Syrphus flies.
They like sweets, and are usually seen
about flowers. I have never before
heard of their visitin? hives. They are
evidently thieving. They like the sweet.
The maggots feed on plant-lice and do
much good. The flies mimic bees very
closely, which I remark upon in my
"Manual." — A. J. Cook.

Did Fairly Well.

My bees have done fairly well the past
season. I took off some 800 pounds
from 30 colonies. There was no swarm-
ing. D. C. Wilson.

Viola, Iowa, Nov. 1.

Poor Season for Honey.

My report for 1894 is as follows : I
commenced the spring with 24 colonies,
and increased to 2.5, all in good condi-
tion for winter. I got about 500 pounds
of extracted honey of good quality,
mostly gathered from fall flowers. The
season of 1894 has been a poor one for
honey. Fred Bechly.

Searsboro, Iowa, Oct. 30.

Bees Way Up North.

As I have never seen any reports from
bee-keepers in the "American Bee Jour-
nal " living as far north as I do, I
thought perhaps it would interest some-
body to know that bees can be kept up
here at a very gocd profit. Of course,
last summer was the first time that I
had bees enough to make a little show-
ing. I ana located 22 miles from E-<ca-
naba, a seaport town on Green Bay —
the most northerly point, about the 46th
degree north Latitude.

I took the bees out of the cellar April
15, 1894, after being in there 5 months,
and found them all in nice condition.
On April 17 tliey began carrying in pol-
len. They built up nicely, and the first
one swarmed on May 25, in spite of the
heavy frost we bad in the forepart of
May, which killed all fruit-bloom. The
crop from 7 colonies, spring count, was

400 pounds of comb honey, and 360 of
extracted, all white and first class. I
have not one pound of dark honey. I
increased to 21 colonies. I have doubled
up and sold colonies to reduce the num-
ber. I have now 11 colonies which I
will put into the cellar about the middle
of November, and I am anxiously look-
ing towards spring.

My bees are mostly Carniolans. They
are a good, hardy bee, quiet in handling,
but very much inclined to swarm. I
think I will like the Italians better, as
they will stay together in larger force
and work, without swarming.

I have kept bees here for four years,
and have read the " American Bee Jour-
nal" steadily, and I attribute my success
largely to ili. I cannot afford to keep
bees without the "Old Reliable."

Nicholas Peterson.

Spalding, Mich., Oct. 29.

All Heavy for Winter.

My crop of honey for the season of
1894 is 1,400 pounds, from 84 colo-
nies, with an increase of 12 colonies.
All the colonies are heavy for winter.

O. H. TOWNSEND.

Alamo, Mich., Nov. 5.

A Good. Crop— Considering.

My bees have done well the past sea-
son, considering the long drouth we had
through the months of July and August.
Buckwheat was almost a total failure.
My year's crop figures up 900 pounds,
light and dark, in one-pound sections.
My number of colonies was 26, or an
average of 343^ pounds per colony.

Chas. C. Chamberlin.

Romeo, Mich., Nov. 1.

Slats in Section-Holders.

Do slats in section-holders sag in an
objectionable manner? is a question
that has been asked. As this part of
bee-keeping has come under my observa-
tion as a honey-producer, I will give my
experience, which is this:

In a locality where bees gather propo-
lis, the sections do not rest on the slats
heavy enough to sag them, and if the
bees did not glue sections and separators
together with the super, the slats would
sag, as long as the sections depended on
the slats for support, unless they are %
of an inch or thicker. But I do not
look upon the slats as support for sec-
tions, as 1 wedge the sections in the

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

633

super, and use the slats merely for a
protection from bee-glue and travel-
stain.

If anybody knows of a better way of
keeping the sections clean while in the
hive, please let us hear it through the
"American Bee Journal." The slats I
use are only 3^ inch thick. When I
bought them they v/ere % inch, but I
had them ripped on a bandsaw and now
like them. August Babtz.

Chippewa Falls, Wis.

Bees Did Fairly Well.

I have been keeping bees three years.
I found a bee-tree in March, 1891, and
got a bee-man to put them into a Lang-
stroth hive for uie in June. I have in-
creased and bought to the number of 22
colonies, which are in good condition for
winter, all packed nicely. I manufac-
ture all my own hives and frames. My
bees are all Italians except one colony,
which are Carniolans. My bees averaged
15 pounds per colony this season. The
drouth cut the honey crop short here in
Kentucky.

I couldn't keep bees without the
"American Bee Journal." I think it is
the best bee-paper printed.

S. T. Applegate.

ToUesboro, Ky., Nov. 5.

Some Apiarian Suggestions.

The weather the past three or four
days has been fine, and to-day is one of
the most beautiful ones known at this
season of the year in this vicinity in
many years. There has been but one
frost of any account yet, and that did
not reach the hills. Pastures are more
like June than the last of October. A
few flowers are left yet, and it is a rare
treat to see the bees gathering hoaey
and pollen from mallows in the yard.

Not being in the business just now, I
cannot say how bees will go into winter
quarters. Probably they are not strong
in bees. One great trouble here, the
last ten years or morp, has been too dry
nearly every fall. This stops brood-
rearing and causes weak colonies unless
they are strengthened by doubling.
Probably others will take exceptions to
late breeding, etc., but as I never lost a
colony in several years, I do not care
how I get the bees, only that the colony
is strong,

I cannot give full particulars of the
yield this year, but it is below the aver-
age.

I wish to say right here that if you

are in the business of bee-keeping, and
have any aptness or liking for it, stick to
it. Of course, there are times that are
vexatious, etc., but one will never be
satisfied without bees after getting thor-
oughly interested in them. Among some
other things I did not fancy when I kept
bees, jealous, bee-bungling neighbors
that did not get much more honey from
theirs than they would from yellow jack-
ets, laid almost everything to my bees.
If a person was stung a mile from my
apiary, it was one of my bees. Of
course ! and it is mighty lucky I did not
have any during the past two or three
years of financial and business gloom, or
they would have been "hauled over the
coals" for it! Well, I got rid of them,
at a cheap price, and got cheated out of
a part of them at that. I have never
succeeded so well since— some way or
other I could never fill in the time to get
the same profits that I reaped from the
bee-business, and I could not get my
thoughts in shape for the press as usual.

It is very strange that more women do
not study the business. They learn
more readily, as a general thing, than
men, and they stand higher in the esti-
mation of the people than they would
with most other trades.

J. H. Andke.

Lockwood, N. Y., Oct. 29.

In Good Condition for Winter.

We have not had a bit uf honey for
the last two years. Both last year and
this I have fed for winter, and both sea-
sons I lost in the summer by starvation,
and would have lost every colony if I
had not fed in the summer. Drouth and
frost have ruined everything here this
year, and it is a serious question how we
are going to get through the winter.
The bees are in very good condition now.

Adams, Nebr., Nov. 3. Geo. Gale.

Not Discouraged.

The past year was a partial failure in
this locality for good honey. My 18 col-
onies produced about 800 pounds— 200
pounds of it was good, but the balance
was too dark to soil. They will have to
consume it themselves, as I have given
each colony between 30 and 40 pounds
on which to winter, and as each is very
strong with young bees, 1 have no fears
of the results. Fortunately, the white
clover is promising for next year, and
we are not discouraged.

RoBT. B. Woodwabd, M. D.

Somerset, O., Nov. 3.

634

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU

Gathered Honey-Dew.

My report for this year is not a good
one. My bees did not swarm, and worse
than that, gathered no honey. They
gathered some honey-dew, which I fear
will kill most of the bees in this locality
next winter. I never saw such stuff in
my life. It was black, stiff and stringy,
and has a rank, strong taste. I would
much rather the bees had not gathered
it at all, so they could have stored some
sugar syrup. I shall sow Alfalfa next
spring, so the bees can gather honey in
dry seasons. I have 20 colonies at pres-
ent. Fred Biesemeier.

Sterling, Nebr , Oct 28.

Laying Workers.

The prevailing opinion seems to be
that laying workers are ordinary work-
ers that take it into their heads to per-
petuate a colony, and may appear at
any time in any queenless colony, laying
at will. I have had considerable experi-
ence with laying workers, and have
never known them to appear except
when they had larvae only far advanced
at the time they became queenless, or
had such larvae given them any time
after. So I conclude they are the result
of the bees trying to rear queens from
larvaj which are too far advanced.

Ft. Lupton, Colo. I. W. Beckwith.

Our Boctors Hists.

By F. L. PEIRO. M. D.

McVicker's Building, Chicago, III.

Coash»«— Cause and Cure.

This is the time of year coughs develop.
The reason is found in the sudden changes
of temperature, the inclemency of the
weather, and the neglect of precautions to
protect ourselves from these and other
causes that conspire to this end. There are
various degrees of coughs— some trivial,
others serious; but even the least trouble-
some may, if neglected, become serious
enough. The better way is always to care
for, and cure, a cough whenever possible,
and usually it is not difficult.

The principal factor in the cure of a
cough is quiet, in a comfortably warm
room, simple diet, and some soothing
remedy. For a usual cough not attended
with serious pain in the throat or chest, in
young or adults, a mixture of nice ex-

tracted honey and a strong tea made of
elderberries, half and half, boiled together
for an hour, makes a very pleasant and
effective syrup. A teaspoonful should be
given every hour. For more severe coughs,
those in which great scraping of the throat
exists, with soreness of the lungs, a glassful
of strong boneset tea with as much pure
honey, boiled as before mentioned, and
given as often, generally results in com-
plete cure. If a dose of No. 11 from the
Home Remedy Case (see page 610) is taken,
three or four times per day, all the better.

Then there is that harsh, croupy cough
of children, frequently e xperienced during
these latter months of the year. A little
exposure to the cold rains or sleet on their
way to or from school ushers in those
symptoms that every mother, on a farm,
has witnessed, and never without more or
less alarm. The child has had supper, com-
plains of feeling chilly and drowsy, is put
to bed — often between two cold sheets —
(the worst beginning that can be made!)
and after a fitful nap or two it wakes with
a barking cough, a tightness in the throat
and chest, a choking sensation that impels
the child to sit up for more comfortable
position. The pulse is too quick by 20 to 40
beats ; the respiration is more rapid than
usual; the speech is in gasps, and the child
looks at objects it wants, rather than ask
for them. It will, in this way, instinctively
call for water, or more clothing. Its eyes
are now wide open and staring — sleep has
completely departed.

If you have one of the Home Remedy
Cases, give the prescribed dose of No. 1,
every half hour or less, and No. 13 every
two hours. Also make a syrup of a pint of
honey to a teaspoonful of Jamaica ginger.
Shake well, and give a teaspoonful every
half hour until the child is fully relieved,
and gone to sleep. In this way a few doses
of these Remedies save to child and mother
much suffering and anxiety.

I know of nothing more dangerous than
a bad cough that is not cared tor. There is
never knowing what results may follow,
from pneumonia to consumption. A dis-
position that the less informed may have
to make light of these facts, in no wise
diminishes the force of consequences. The
vcise will act promptly, and les.sen all risks.

There are other forms of coughs— the
more seriously advanced and chronic,
which are usually symptoms of some es-
tablished disease of the throat or lungs,
which we cannot dwell upon here, much as
I would like to do, because of the great
need, but such cfses must have the utmost
consideration of your family physician or
specialist in this branch of practice.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU

685

CJouTentioii I^otices.

Wisconsin.— The next annual meeting of
the Wisconsin Bee-Keepers'Association willbe
held at Madison, on Feb. 8th and 9th. 18P5.

Madison, Wis. J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec.

Colorado.— The 15th annual meetins of
the Colorado State Bee-Keepers' Association
will be held on Monday and Tuesday. Jan. •il
and 22. 189.o, in Denver. H. Knight, Sec.

Littleton, Oolo.

California.— The ne.xt regrular meeting of
the ' eritrai Calil'oruia Bee-Keepers' Associa-
tion will be held on the first Wednesday in
December, at Hauford, Calif. You are cor-
dially invited to attend.

Lemoore, Calif. J. F. Flory, Sec.

Pennsylvania,— The Venango County Bee-
Keepers' Association of northwesiern Penn-
sylvania will holdihelrSud annunl meeting
in the City Hall at Franklin, Pa., on Jan. 28.
1895, at i o'clock p.m. All interested send
for program. C. S. Pizer, Sec.

Franklin. Pa.

Illinois.— The next annual meeting of the
Northern Illinui- Bee- Keepers' Association
will be held on Dec. 18 and 19, 1894, in the
Supei visor's roum of the Court House, in
Kockford, 111. All interested are invited to
atiend. B. Kennedy, Sec.

New Milford, 111.

Vermont.— The next annual convention of
the Vermont Bee-Keepers' Association will
be held in Middlt-bury, Vt., on Jan. 30 and 31,
1895. Programs will be prepared and mailed
later. Let every Verniout bee-keeper begin
NOW to preoare 10 a'tend, and all those who
can reach Middlebury, whether you live in
Vermont or not, we want j ou to come.

Barre, Vt. H. W. Scott, Sec.

Indiana,— The Indiana State Boe-Keeners'
Associaiion will hold its fll'teenth annual
meeting at the State House, ludlannpolls, on
Jan. 9, 1895. There will be three sessions -
morning, afternoon and evening. Several
other associations will convene here at the
same time, thus securing reduced rate of IH
fare for the round trip, but a ceriiflcate must
be asked for when purchasing your ticket.
Programme will be issued in Dec<-mber.

Walter S. Pouder. Pres.

Indianapolis, Ind.

N. E. Ohio and N. W. Pa.— The Northeast-
ern Ohio and Northwestern Pennsylvania
Bee-Keepers' Associaiion will hold its next
regular annual meeting in the parlors of Ho-
tel St. Nicholas, at Corty, Pa„ on Nov. 21 and
22. 1894. A good program has been arranged.
Bring your questions tor the question-box.
The hotel is opi osite Union depot; rates have
been reduced to $1.50 pi-r day to those attend-
ing the convention. Programs can be had by
addressing the Secretary. Everybody, espe-
cially ladies, is invited to attend.

Mosiertown, Pa. Geo. Spitlek, Sec.

North Carolina.— The Carolina Bee-Keep-
ers Association will meet at the Court House
In Charlotte, N. C, on Dec. 6, 1894, at 11
o'clock a.m. A full attendance is desired.

Steel Creek, N. C. A. L. Beach. Sec.

A Binder for holding a year's num-
bers of the Bee Journal we mail for
only 50 cents; or clubbed witb the
JouRNAj. for $1.40,

Eight r¥iiml»ers for lO Cents.—

Yes, vfe will send the last eight numbers of
the -'American Bee Journal" for 1894, to
any new name, for only 10 cents (stamps or
silver). Now, here's a good chance to get
some of your bee-keeping friends started in
taking the " Bee Journal " regularly. You
just get them to read the eight numbers
mentioned, and more than likely they will
want to keep it up after that. If you have
tJiree bee-friends that you want should have
the eight numbers, send us 25 cents with
their names and addresses, and we will
mail them to each. Remember this offer is
for the last eight numhers of 1894— dated, Nov.
8, 15, 23 and 29 ; and Dec. 6, 13, 20 and 27.

If, then, at any time between now and
Feb. 1, 1895, you can secure the subscrip-
tions of these " short termers " for the year
1895, you can count them as new subscrib-
ers and get the premiums as per our offers
on page 578 of this issue. Eight "short
term " subscribers at 10 cents each, will
count the same as one new subscriber for a
year, in earning premiums.

If you wish sample copies to use in secur-
ing the " short term " or other subscribers,
let us know, and we will be glad to mail
them to you free.

We ought to add thousands of names to
our list on this very low offer— 8 numbers
for 10 cents ! JVoiv is the time for earnest work !

List of Uoney and Beeswax Dealers,

Most of whom Quote In this Journal.

Cbicago, Ills.

J. A. Lamon, 43 South Water St.

K. A. Bdrnett & Co.. 163 South Water Street.

New York, N. Y.

F. I. Sage & Son, 183 Keade Street.
Hildreth Bros. & Segelken,

28 & 30 West Broadway.
Chas. Israel & Bros., IIO Hudson St.
I. J. Stringham, 105 Park Place.
Francis H. Leggett & Co.. 128 Franklin St.

Kaniiag City, ITIo.

Hamblin & Bearss, 514 Walnut Street.
Clemoms-Mason Com. Co.. 423 Walnut St.

Albany, N.Y.

H. R. Wright, 326 & 328 Broadway.

Buffalo, N.Y.

Batterson & Co., 167 & 169 Scott St.

Hamilton, Ills.

Chas. Dadant & Son.

Cincinnati, Oblo.

C. P, MUTH & Sotr^oor.FrMinaQ&OeotiraUTi,

636

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Honey & Beeswax Market Quotations

CHICAGO, Tli>., Sept. 17.— The honey mar-
ket Is quite active. We are gretting g-ood
prices considering the hard limes, owing to
the reported searcitv of crop. We quote:
Fancy white. 15c.; No. 1, 14c. Extracted,
6®7c. Beeswax, 25®26c. J. A. L.

CHICAGO, III.. Oct. 25.— White clover hon-
ey continues to bring 15c. The receipts are
about lieeping pace with the demand. The
quality is very satisfactory as a rule, being
heavy and of good flavor. Extracted comin
ues to sell chiefly at 6(a'c., according to color,
flavor and style of paclsage. Beeswax scarce
and in good demand at 27@28c.

R. A. B &Co.

NEW 5rORK, N. Y.,Oct. 25.-Comb honey
arrives quite freely, our receipts up to date
numbering 10,119 crates. The demand is fair.
We quote: Faacy white. 1-lbs., 14c.; fair
white, 12c.; buckwheat, 10c; 2-lbs., l@2c.
less, according to quality. The market for
extracted is dull, with plenty of stock. We
quote: Bas-^wood and white clover, 6@6Hc.;
Southern, 50@55c. a gallon. Beeswax scarce
and in good demand at 29c. ■ H. B. & S.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.. Sept. 8.-The supply
of comb and extracted is very light with only
lair demaud. We quote: Fancy white, 15@
16c.; amber. ll@12c.: dark, 10c. Extracted,
white, «'/4'®7c.; amber, 6@6^c.; dark. 4!4@
bViC. Beeswax, 22c. H. & H.

NEW YORK, N. Y., Nov. 10.— The market
for comb and extracted honey is good, aud
thesupply equals the demand. Fancy clover
and hnckwheat sells best; off grades are quite
as-alable; and 2-pound sections are very little
called for. We quote as follows: 1-pound
fancy clover. 13@14c.; 2-pound. 12 !4@i:ic.; 1-
pound white, 12@l2^c. ; 2-pound, i2c.; 1-
pound fiiir, 10® lie: 2-pound, 10@llc. ; 1-
pouud buckwheat, 10@llc. ; 2-pound, OOilOc.
Extracted, clover and basswood, 6''aQ%c.;
buckwheat, 5®5'/4c.; Southern, 50®60c. per
gallon, beeswax, scarce and in good demand
at29@30c. C. l.&B.

CINCINNATI. O.. Nov. 8,— Demand is fair
for extracted honey at 4®7c. There is a good
demand for comb honey at I4@ltjc. for choice
white. ^

Beeswax is in good demand at22®2/c. for
good to choice yellow. C. F. M. & S.

KANSAS CITY. Mo,, Oct. 4.— The receipt
of comb honey in this market so far has not
been very large, and demand is very good.
We quote: No. 1 while, l-lbs., 15c.; ^o. 2
while. i:j@14c ; No. 1 amber. 14c.; No. 2 am-
ber, I0@12c. Kxtracted, white, «i4@7c.; am-
ber, 6®6J4c. Beeswax, :i5c. C.-M. C. Co.

CHICAGO. III,., Oct. 18.— We quote: Fancy
white comb honey, l-lbs, LOc; No. 2 white,
13c.; buckwheat, lOc. With cooler weather,
demand Impioviug, and our stock on hand at
the present ilme extremely light. Extracted,
5V4®7c., dependiug upon quality and style of
package. Beeswax. 28c. S. T. F. & Co.

ALBANY. N. V..Sept. 21.— Honey In better
demaid.eop daily the high grades of v/hte
comb ho..o^. We quote: No. 1 while, 14®
15c.; No. :i white. l.i®14c.; Mixed white, li
®l;ec.; No. 1 buckwueat. 12®i2i/sc.; No. 2
buckwheat. ll®ll'/4c.; common, 10® lie.
Extracted, white (Northern), 7®8c.; amber,
&Qy»c,\ buokvrbeat, 5i/i®6c, Beeswax, si 7®

29c. Do not look for much of any change in
these prices, and advise now to have honey
on the market as early as possible for best
prices. H. R. W.

BUFFALO. N. Y., Oct. 17.— The demand is
improved, fancy movinff somewhat better at
14@l5c.; choice, 12®13c. : buckwheat and
other, 9®10c. B. & Co.

COWVEI^fTlOM DIRECTORY.

Time and place of meeting.

1894.
Nov. 21, 22— N.E. O. and N.W.Pa.,at Corry,Pa.
Geo. Spitler, Sec, Mosiertown, Pa.

Dec. 5.— Central California, at Hanford.

J. F. Fiory, Sec, Lemoore, Calif.

Dec. 6.— Carolina, at Charlotte, N. C.

A. L. Beach, Sec, Steel Creek. N. C.

Dec. 18, 19— Northern Illinois, at Rockford,lIl

B. Kennedy, Sec, New Milford, HI.
1895.

Jau. 9.— Indiana State, at Indianapolis, Ind.
Walter S. Pouder, Pres., Indianapolis, Ind.

Jan. 21, 22 — Colorada State, at Denver, Colo
H. Knight, Sec, Littleton, Colo.

Jan. 28.— Venango Co., at Franklin, Pa.

C. S. Pizer, Sec, Franklin, Pa.

Jan. 30, 31.— Vermont, at Middlebury. Vt.
H. W. Scott, Sec, Barre, Vt.

Feb. 8, 9.— Wisconsin, at Madison. Wis.

J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec, Madison, Wis.

. .—North American, at Toronto, Can.

Frank Benton, Sec, U. S. Dept. Agriculture,
Washiugton, D. C.

Jtg^ 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

OFFICERS FOR 1895.

Pres.— R. F. Holtermaon Brantford, Ont.

Vice Pres.-L D Stilson York, Nebr.

Secretaky.— W. Z. Hutchinson. ..Flint, Mich.
Treasurer.— J. T. Calvert Medina, Ohio.

zratlonal Bee-Keepers' Union.

President— Hon. R. L. Taylor. .Lapeer, Mich.
Gbn'l Manager— T. G. Newman, Chicago, 111.
147 South Western Avenue.

lllinoiM Coiivciilion Reports.—

The Illinois State Bee-Keepers' Association
still have a good many copies of their Sec-
ond Annual Report on hand, and no post-
age to send them out. Any one sending
eight cents in stamps to pay postage and
wrapping, will receive a copy of same by
mail; or seven cents in stamps will pay for
a copy of the First Annual Report, if any
one desires it. Address, Jfts, A. Stope,
Sec, Bradford too, lU,

^¥.^S^mc^3^'^'f«^

Weekly, $1 a Vea

Devoted Exclusively

to%''eV-cu;:;ure. ] '*«'°p'« <'«»*y •^••««"

VOL. XXXIV. CHICAGO, ILL, NOV. 22, 1894.

NO. 2

Tlie Convention Report.— Last
"week we explained that we had to omit the
St. Joseph convention report, for the sim-
ple reason that Secretary Benton had not
sent us any more " copy " after the part of
the report that we had published in the
"Bee Journal" for Nov. 8. We have the
same excuse to offer this week— no " copy "
was received from Secretary Benton in
time for this number. We cannot account
for the delay in forwarding the report to
us, as at this writing (Nov. 16) we have not
learned the cause.

We mention the foregoing, so that our
readers may know that it is no fault of
ours, that the report fails to appear regu-
larly in the "Bee Journal." Next week,
h owever, we will publish another install-
ment, which came to-day.

Xlie St. JoiiiepU Convention was

briefly written up for " Gleanings " by Mr.
J. T. Calvert, Mr. Root's son-in-law and
business manager. He wrote entirely from
memory, and made a very interesting con-
densed report of the meeting. As he failed
to mention it, we think he must have tem-
porarily forgotten the "variety show,"
and the seal that was accused of saying,
''Go out!"

A Year ^Vitli Bees is the title of a
Special Bulletin issued in October, 1894, by
the Apiary Department of the Michigan
State Agricultural College Experiment
Station. It is written by Hon. R. L. Tay-
lor, superintendent of the experiment api-
ary, and consists of the various monthly
reports which have been published in the
" Bee-Keepers' Review " the past year or
so. It has 28 pages about the size of this
page, and, like all that comes from the
hand and brain of Mr. Taylor, is most ex-
cellent. There is no more careful, pains-
taking and accomplished bee-keeper in
America to-day than Hon. R. L. Taylor, of
Lapeer, Mich. He's " the right man in the
right place '' — and should be kept there as
long as he will consent to stay.

Mr. J. \%\ Vonng-, of Kingman,
Kans., sends us a beautiful picture of 1)l>
very neat apiary. We have never seen a
cleaner looking bee-yard. It is indeed a
model in neatness and arrangement.

Have Yon Honey to Sell ?— If you

have more than you can dispose of in yuur
home market, why not advertise it for sale
in the " American Bee Journal," and help
out some other bee-keeper who may have
had a short crop ? Sui'ely, those bee-keep-
ers who have not enough to supply a g > ;d
local trade already worked up, would m ich
prefer to get honey from another bee-
keeper than to get it elsewhere. Then, ue-
sides, there is in it the idea of helping eajh
other.

Also, a better price would probably be
obtained in this way, for your honey now
on hand, as almost any one would prefer to
buy from some one whom they could rely

64G

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

upon, and thus be able to guarantee to their
retail customers the honey they buy from
a bee-keeper that they knew wouldn't sell
anything but the straight article.

We believe that no bee-keeper, who has a
local trade in honey, can afiford to get out
of honey at any time of the year, if he can
at all purchase it from some one and be
able to guarantee its purity. We know
many bee-keepers whose honey we would
as soon guarantee as if we had produced it
in our own apiary. And why not ?

We think that bee-keepers should help
each other, and their industry in general,
by aiding in evening up the honey crop as
much as possible, and seeing to it that all
their neighbors and friends everywhere
have all the honey they want to eat.

Xlie Illinois Convention met at

Springfield, on Nov. 13 and 14. We learned
from the daily newspapers on Nov. 15, that
the following were elected as officers for the
ensuing year:

President — J. T. Smith, of Lincoln.

Vice-Presidents— S. N. Black, of Clayton;
George W. York, of Chicago ; Mrs. L. Har-
rison, of Peoria; W. J. Finch, Jr., of
Springfield; and James Poindexter, of
Bloomington.

Secretary — James A. Stone, of Bradford-
ton.

Treasurer— Dr. C. C. Miller, of Marengo.

A code of rules or standards for judging
honey at Fairs was adopted. The points
are graded as follows on a scale of 100:

Quantity, 40; quality, 40; style of dis-
play 20, for comb honey. For extracted
honey, quantity, 40 ; quality, 45 ; display, 15.

The Executive Committee of the associa-
tion was constituted a committee on legis-
lation to secure the passage of laws to pre-
vent adulteration of honey and the sale of
bogus articles as honey.

We expect, of course, to publish a full re-
port of the proceedings shortly.

VKIi»t About I\«xt Year ?— During
the winter months is a grand time to plan
for the following honey season. Most
likely some of the old methods will be dis-
carded next year, and the more modern
and improved ones substituted. If you
have discovered or proven any good
methods that will help to make the produc-

tion of honey more profitable, why not de-
scribe them in the "American Bee Jour-
nal" during the coming reading season of
the year ? An " even exchange " of ideas
among bee-keepers would be " no robbery,"
and by so doing all would be greatly
benefited.

Bee-keeping is quite unlike many other
kinds of business. There is no necessity
for secrets in the production of honey,
while in some lines "the secret" is the
principal part of the capital invested. By
revealing what some bee-keeper may con-
sider as his " secret," he may in return get a
suggestion from another who had followed
the same line a little further and succeeded
infinitely better; thus the first beekeeper's
" secret " would be given in exchange for
something which he probably would never
have found out himself, and which may
equal the difference between failure and

The winter season is the time to "trot
out " and examine all the new "kinks " or
improved old ones, and prepare for another
year's campaign among the bees. What do
you know f Or what would you like to
know ? Either question will serve as a
good starting-point for you to write.

mrs. A. C Hill, of Moon Run, Pa.,
died on Oct. 14, leaving Bro. Hill with a
little boy 7 years old, and twin babies. He
writes with great tenderness, and a sorrow-
ing heart, that they had "spent ten very
happy years together," and that "life
seems a burden now without her." Bro.
Hill writes as one having the "blessed
assurance " that in some sunnier clime
they'll meet again, never more to be sep-
arated. What great consolation in so sad
bereavement comes from such a trust! Our
heartfelt sympathy goes out to the sorrow-
stricken father and his three dear littl©
ones.

Nil ni pi 4' 4/<»]»ie!ii of the " American
Bee Journal " will be mailed free to all who
ask for them. The next three or four
months will be just the time for getting
new subscribers, and if any of our friends
can use sample copies among their bee-
keeping neighbors, in order to get them as
new subscribers, we will be glad to mail the
samples, if the names and addresses are
sent to us. Better educated bee-keepers
will mean better things for all.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

64T

Old Ilee Journals.— We have quite
a number of old copies of the " American
Bee Journal," extending back perphaps 10
years. We will send these out at one cent a
copy, all to be different dates, and back of
Jan. 1, 1894. Remember they are odd num-
bers, and you must let us select them. We
cannot furnish them in regular order, that
is, one or two months' numbers without a
break, but will mail you as many single or
odd copies as you may wish, upon receipt
of the number of cents you want to invest
in them. They will be fine reading for the
long winter evenings, and many a single
copy is worth a whole years' subscription.
Better send for ten or more copies, as a
sample order. Only a cent a copy, back of
Jan. 1, 1894.

Paralysis Called <jasti-alg-ia.—

In a recent issue of the "Farmers' Voice,"
we find the following learned (?) diagnosis
of what bee-keepers have come to call
" bee-paralysis:"

GASTRALGIA IN BEES.

While reading the "Farmers' Voice " of
Sept. 29, I saw an article published therein
written by a correspondent to the "Ameri-
can Bee Journal," giving his ideas as a
diagnosis of bee-paralysis, which is without
foundation. So far as I can ascertain from
the symptoms he has given while explain-
ing the disease in his bees, they are sufi'er-
ing from gastralgia, caused by unhealthy
locations and unclean hives. Bee-hives, as
■well as horse-stables, need attention and
the best of care. They should be kept
clean and well odorized at all times. In
order to do this, one should have a good
supply of hives on hand ready for use at a
moment's notice, should they be needed, so
that the same hives vacated by the swarms
this year are not needed to be put into use
right away. Instead, they should be left to
stand filled with the best of unslacked lime
for several months, after which they should
be well cleansed with good strong lye, and
put into shape for habitation. Then put
them in a good dry place until needed
again the next season.

Gastralgia in bees is caused by a gas
germinated from an unclean condition of
the hives, together with allowing them to
stand on low lands where dampness is con-
fined. In the above case the hives become
filled with fermentation, although too light
to be detected by the keeper without the
proper means prepared for that purpose,
yet enough to work upon the newly made
honey creating a gas of a poisonous nature
■wbich rises among the bees while they are
at work, stupifying them and finally re-
sulting in destroying the whole apiary of
bees.

Some persons have asked if it becomes
contagious, and if the disease will convey

itself to healthy apiaries, infesting them
with the same, and whether or not the bees
will undergo the same changes accordingly
with the changes of breeding and weather.
I will answer yes. Nothing but getting rid
of all your old bees and hives and starting
anew upon a different location of ground
and adopting the rules given in this article
will ever give you success in raising bees.
W. P. Haines.

This article, taken from an agricultural
paper, will be of interest (?) to the readers
of the "American Bee Journal." While
there has been much anxiety among the bee-
papers to know what to do with bee-para-
lysis, the matter is now entirely settled!
And there was no necessity for a personal
investigation. All that was necessary was
to hear the symptoms. Bee-paralysis is
nothing more or less than gastralgia, and
that is caused by a gas that is "germi-
nated."

Unfortunately, there's no cure short of
" getting rid of all your old bees and hives,
and starting anew upon a different location
of ground." Particulars are not given as
to the method of "getting rid." But if
your bees have bee-paralysis, or rather
gastralgia, you must clean out your whole
apiary in some way, either by selling to
your neighbor or burning up the whole
business. Otherwise " the hives become
filled with fermentation," " enough to work
upon the newly made honey," " finally re-
sulting in destroying the whole apiary."
Then after you've got rid of all the old
outfit, buy new, and set on new ground.
Uncertainty prevails as to where the " new
location of ground " shall be, whether sev-
eral rods away from the old location, or on
new ground between the places where the
old hives stood.

To prevent the inroads of this scourge,
as soon as a colony swarms, the hive from
which it issued must be " odorized " by
filling it full of unslacked lime. Just what
is to be done with the bees and combs that
remained in the hive, is not stated. At any
rate, fill it with lime, and if the bees don't
like it, they can get out of the way !

Isn't here a hint for Dr. Peiro ? If a
human subject is sufi'ering with gastralgia,
fill him up with the best of unslacked lime
for several months, and then clean him out
with good strong lye !

One-Cent Postag^e Stamps we

prefer whenever it is necessary to send
stamps for fractions of a dollar. By re-
membering this, you will greatly oblige us.

648

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Xlie Five-llaiKled Bees. — Mr. G.

M. Doolittle, in "Gleanings" for Nov. 1,
answers this question :

Can a 5-banded queen be bred, or a queen
whose bees are 5-banded, from pure Italian
queens ?

In reply to this, Mr. Doolittle says :

I unhesitatingly answer no, for the simple
reason that there is no such a thing as a
jmre Italian bee or queen, when viewed in
the sense of a pure race or variety, as the
German or black bee is pure. At best, the
Italian bee is only a thoroughbred; and
that these 5-banded bees have been pro-
duced from what was originally only 3-
banded leather-colored bees is a good proof
that the above assertion is correct.

Perhaps it may be well for me to give
right here a bit of history, which I have
hesitated for a long time about giving, as I
never wish to have a seeming desire to take
away the laurels from any one. The his-
tory is this :

In the early seventies, H. A. King, then
of Nevada, Ohio, and Jos. M. Brooks, of
Columbus, Ind., were breeding for yellower
bees than the average importations of Ital-
ians showed. In 1872 I procured some of
Mr. King's stock, and continued to improve
them until near the eighties, the apicul-
tural world having lost sight of Mr. King
meanwhile. At that time, by exchange, I
procured queens of Mr. Brooks, and after-
ward, by purchase, got the last of his very
best stock, he going out of the business. In
the early eighties I sold one of the very
best queens I could rear along the yellow
line, to L. L. Hearn, of Oakvale, W. Va.,
and he and myself have been breeding and
exchanging "blood" more or less ever
since. So far as I am aware, all of the so-
called 5-banded bees, of Italian origin,
which are in the world to-day, came di-
rectly or indirectly from either Mr. Hearn
or myself.

Mr. Swinson, of North Carolina, produced
5-banded bees, but did so by a promiscuous
crossing of Cyprian, Syrian, Italian, etc. ;
but iu the King-Brooks-Hearn-Doolittle
bees the Italian side has been strictly ad-
hered to.

The old Music rublishing house of Chicago,
S. W. Straub & Co., has just issued a new
work for Singing Classes, Day Schools,
Conventions, etc. It is called " Straub's
New Model," and contains a good elemen-
tary department and a vast amoimt of
Sacred and Secular Music of fine quality
and in great variety. Mr. Straub has made
thirty popular books. This the latest, and is
contains the elements of usefulness and
popularity in a marked degree. 11)2 pages.
Price, 60 cents. One Sample Copy for ex-
amination, only 30 cents.

COWVENTIOM DIRECTORY.

Time and place of meeting.
1894.
Dec. 4, 5.— Nebraska State, at Auburn, Nebr.
L. D. Slllson, Sec , York, Nebr.

Dec. 5.— Central California, at Hanford.

J. F. Flory, Sec, Lemoore, Calif.

Dec. 6.— Carolina, at Charlotte, N. C.

A. L. Beach, Sec, Steel Creek, N, C.

Dec 18, 19— Northern Illinois, at Rockford.Ill

B, Kennedy, Sec, New Milford, 111.
1895.

Jan. '2. 3.— Michigan State, at Detroit, Mich.
W, Z. Hutchinson, Sec, Flint, Mich.

Jan. 9.— Indiana State, at Indianapolis, Ind.
Walter S. Pouder, Pi-es., Indianapolis, Ind.

Jan. 21, 22 — Colorada State, at Denver, Colo
H. Knight, Sec, Littleton, Colo.

Jan. 28.— Venango Co., at Franklin, Pa.

C. S. Pizer, Sec, Franklin, Pa.

Jan. 30, 31.— Vermont, at Middlebury, Vt.
H. W. Scott, Sec, Barre, Vt.

Feb. 8, 9.— Wisconsin, at Madison, Wis,

J. W. Vance, Cor, Sec, Madison, Wis.

. .—North American, at Toronto, Can.

Frank Benton, Sec, U. S. Dept. Agriculture,
Washington, D. C.

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 American Bee-Keepers' Association

OFFICERS FOR 1895.

Pres.— R. F. Hoi term ann Brantford, Ont.

Vice-Pres.— L. D Stilson York, Nebr.

Secretary.— W. Z. Hutchinson... Flint, Mich.
Treasurer.- J. T. Calvert Medina, Ohio.

National Bee-Keepers' Union.

President- Hon. R. L.Taylor.. Lapeer, Mich.
Gbn'l, Manager— T. G. Newman. Chicago, 111.
147 South Western Avenue.

'I'liose I\«'\v Siil»!*<*i-»l»efs, that you
have long been thinking of getting, are
very likely ready now to give you their
names. You know that besides "throw-
ing in " the numbers for the rest of this
year to new subscribers for 1805, we also
give each one of them a free copy of the
]C>0-page book. "Bees and Honey." Yes,
and we will give you a premium for get-
tmg the new subscribers, as you will see on
page (UJT. Better at once " get after " those
bee-keeping friends of yours, and secure
their sul)scriptions, so you can send it with
your own renewal before the end of Decem-
ber. To double the present list of readers
of the " American Bee Journal " will mean
more than a doul>ly better paper for all.
We can guarantee that. If eacli subscriber
sends only one new name, the thing will be
done. Will you do it ?

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

649

ANSWERED BY

DR,. C. C. I^IILiIjEIK,,

Marengo, III.

In this department will be answered those
questions needing immediate attention, and
such as are not of suflficlent special interest to
require replies from the aO 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.

Crimson Clover as a Honey-Plant.

I do not see anything in the bee-papers
about crimson clover as a honey-plant.
I shall be pleased to write you about It
if you desire. It will grow in Illinois.
We in Delaware think there is nothing
like it. J. C. S.

Willow Grove, Del.

Answer.— By all means, tell us all
about the crimson, or, as it is also called,
scarlet or Italian clover. You say it
will grow in Illinois. Yes, anything
that grows in Delaware will grow in
southern Illinois, I suppose; but I am
quite anxious to know whether it will
grow in the extreme northern part of
the State.

Removing Surplus Honey Late.

I have 5 colonies of bees that I neg-
lected taking the supers from. The cold
weather is now upon us. Would the
disturbance caused by taking them off
now, injure the bees ? In the 5 supers
there are about 30 one-pound sections
sealed over, and the balance in more or
less unfinished condition. Would it not
be best just to leave them as they are
until spring ?

In the five years that I have handled
bees, I have never lost a colony. I have
always wintered them on the summer
stands, leaving the supers on if they
contain no honey, removing the emam-
eled cloth and putting in its place a
piece of burlap.

The honey crop here is rather short.
I got 700 pounds from 21 colonies.

spring count, and increased to 28. From
what little experience I have had, the
10-frame hive suits this locality best.
Brookwood, Va., Nov. 6. F. F. B.

Answer. — So far as the bees are con-
cerned, it would probably be best to
leave them as they are. Still, if you
care much to get the honey away, it can
be done with little or no harm. There
will undoubtedly be occasional days
when bees will fly, and if a warm day
comes you can take off the sections, do-
ing it early enough in the day so the
bees can fly afterward on the same day.

Granulating of Extracted Honey.

Does honey often candy in two or
three weeks after being extracted? I
had about 100 pounds of extracted
honey this fall, which can now be cut
with a knife. It was extracted about
two weeks ago, having been gathered
from ironweed. It is a beautiful amber
color.

Brookewood, Va., Nov. 6.

Answer. — There is a great difl'erence
about honey granulating, but I think
yours is quite an unusual case.

Building Up and Uniting Colonies.

After I have hived a swarm on the old
stand I wish to put a division-board in
the hive of the old colony (that has been
removed), and have two entrances ; de-
stroy all but two queen-cells, let those
queens remain until the fall flow, then
remove one queen and let the colonies
unite. Will they be apt to do it peace-
ably ? And will not this plan give a
strong colony for the fall flow, which is
considerable here ? ,1. S.

Answer. — I think all will work
smoothly, and the uniting will be peace-
able, especially if, after killing one of
the queens, you allow a hole in the divi-
sion-board for one or two bees to pass at
a time, and then remove the division-
board two or three days later.

Whether you'll gain anything by it, is
another question. In my locality I'm
sure there would be no gain, even if
there were a heavy fall flow. You see
when the old hive is moved to a new lo-
cation all the field-bees will leave it, and

650

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

one queen can lay all the eggs the bees
can take care of. If, in your locality,
there is so long a time between swarm-
ing and the fall flow for the two colonies
to be stronger when united than one
single colony would have been, then the
plan may be profitable.

If you choose to divide, there will be
need to kill queen-cells. You put in the
division-board — the bees will do the rest.

Making a Patented Article.

Is there any article patented in the
United States that a person cannot make
for his own use? W. H. R.

Woods, Oreg.

Answer.— A patent that will not al-
low an article to be made for sale by the
thousand, equally prevents a single
article to be made for the use of the
maker.

Cow Pea Honey— Linden Honey.

I take the liberty of mailing yon a
sample of section honey-comb mashed in
a bottle ; it was gathered late in Sep-
tember and October from the stock or
cow pea of the South — a small bean of
many varieties of growth, mostly vining
like pole-beans, planted here in the corn-
fields. The beans are good fattening
food for hogs, also a good forage plant
cut for hay or ensilage. I cannot say if
it will grow as far north as your place.
I will send you seed next spring, or now,
for spring planting, if you want to test
them.

As to Mr. Muth's classing honey as
dark except clover, mangrove and sage,
my linden is as white as this 1 send you.
Please sample it, and give your opinion
on this pea-honey, as many readers of
the "American Bee Journal" in the
Southern States will be interested.

I am glad to see 13ro. Theilman defend
the pure linden honey, as it deserves,
both North and South— as there is as
good white linden comb honey produced
in my apiary (in northeast Texas) as
any of our markets demand.

The cow pea is a " Trifolium," or be-
longs to the clover families— with white,
cream and purple blooms, much like
English pea-blooms. G. W. li.

lily, Tex., Oct. ;U.

Answer.— The sample of honey sent,
while not comparing with white clover,

is beautiful in appearance and very light
in color. Coming at the time it does, it
seems to me it ought to be of great
value. The cow pea has been known
for years as a honey-plant, but not much
has been said about it, perhaps not as
much as it deserves. I've some doubt
whether it flourishes in the North, but I
would like to try it. A plant that pays
to cultivate as a forage plant, and at
the same time gives a yield of honey of
as nice quality as the sample received,
and at a time when bees have little or
nothing else to work on, is certainly
something to excite the interest of bee-
keepers.

As to the color of linden honey, it
seems to me the whitest honey I ever
saw was granulated linden.

Italians are Preferred.

Are Italian bees best for Minnesota ?

Answer. — I think the majority of bee-
keepers in Minnesota, as well as in
other States, prefer Italians.

Cellar Wintering of Bees.

Which is the best way to winter bees
in the cellar? Is it a good way to re-
move the bottom-board and pile them
on top of each other, with 8-inch space
between each hive, with sealed covers ?
or leave the bottom-board on, and give
top ventilation? My cellar is dark, and
stays at about 88^' in cold weather.

Hayward, Minn.

Answer. — Some like one way and
some the other. I suppose the main
thing is to let the bees have the right
amount of change of air, without having
too much of a current through the clus-
ter. Perhaps it will generally be safer
to use the first plan you mention, for in
that way you can't go far wrong, where-
as there is some danger, the other way,
of having too little or too much through
ventilation.

Dead Bees on the Combs.

I have 10 colonies of Italian bees, and
they are well supplied with honey, and

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

651

very strong in bees. I examined them
Nov. 1, and the bees had clustered in
the front end of the hive on the inside,
and between the combs at the rear end
there were dead bees scattered and
hanging all around on the combs. What
causes this ? There are quite a number
of drones in the hives yet. I use the 8-
frame dovetailed hive. Minnesota.

Answeb. — It is not an unusual thing
to find a few bees, sorai'Jimes quite a lit-
tle cluster, dead outside of the main
cluster. A cold spell had come on, the
main body of bees hugged closer and
closer together, and these outside bees,
being perhaps sluggish from the cold,
remained where they were and were
chilled.

A Cheap Cover for Sections.

What is used to cover the sections on
top of the supers so they will not get
covered with propolis? I use section-
holders.

Answer. — I doubt if there's anything
better than a layer of air to cover the
sections. That is, a space of a quarter
of an inch between the tops of the sec-
tions and the cover, allowing nothing to
touch the sections.

Queens aiicl 4(iieen-Rearins:.—

If you want to know how to have queens
fertilized in upper stories while the old
queen is still laying below; how you may
safely introduce any queen, at any time of
the year when bees can fly ; all about the
different races of bees ; all about shipping
queens, queen-cages, candy for queen-
cages, etc. ; all about forming nuclei, mul-
tiplying or uniting bees, or weak colonies,
etc. ; or, in fact, everything about the
queen-business which you may want to
know— send for Doolittle's "Scientific
Queen-Rearning " — a book of over 170
pages, which is as interesting as a story.
Here are some good offers of this excellent
book:

Bound in cloth, postpaid, $1.00 ; or clubbed
with the Bee Jouknal for one year — both
for only SI. 6.5 ; or given free as a premium
for sending us three new subscribers to the
Bee Journal for a year at f 1.00 each.

Bound in paper cover, postpaid, 65 cents ;
or given free as a premium for sending us
two new subscribers ; or clubbed with the
Bee Journal a year— both for only $1.40.
Send all orders to the Bee Journal office.

Read our great offer on page

conducted by
MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY,

Beeville, Texas.

That Beeville Bee-Meeting'.

Friends, I wish to make a request of
those that come to the Midwinter Bee-
Meeting on Dec. 27 and 28. I wish you
would come prepared, as nearly as you
can, to give the number of colonies kept
in your neighborhood, and the amount
of honey, if possible, or as nearly as you
can. This will be of great interest. It
has been customary to formulate a pro-
gramme of some kind, but we will leave
the custom here, and we want each bee-
keeper, during the first half day, or as
soon as we meet, to present questions or
subjects he or she wishes discussed or
talked about. This will give all a chance
to become interested, as a regular pro-
gramme might leave out the very thing
that you want to learn. This will be the
programme, and of course we will have
other interesting talks.

Those wishing to send articles of
goods, implements, etc., that cannot at-
tend, papers to be read, and such things,
will receive our best attention.

I would be glad to see everybody bring
along something to look at. If you have
a new invention, or use a different
smoker, hive, or what not, come pre-
pared to lay its merits, as well as its
demerits, before the convention. This
is the way we learn. No one person
ever does anything very great without
the help of some one else, so I just know
that each one of us can learn from the
rest. So come along, prepared to talk,
and I will insure you a nice time.

We have lots of good people here, so
don't be afraid there will be no room for
you, as we could entertain 500 or more
persons at our town and hardly know we
had anybody, as far as room is concerned.

I want every bee-keeper that comes to
feel at home, and feel that it will be
yoitr bee-meeting, as it is not sectarian
at all, and as bee-keepers are all invited,
large and small, great and tall. So

652

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi^.

come one, come all ; and if you are not a
bee-keeper, you will wish you were by
the time the meeting is over.

Jennie Atchley.

Bunch of Comments and Suggestions.

Our weather is fine at this writing
(Nov. 6). We are having one pretty,
sunshiny day after another, and just
cool enough to be pleasant — 60° at
night, and 75° in the middle of the day.

MAILING queens TO AUSTRALIA.

The last "Australian Bee-Buletin "
has reported our queens sent over as a
failure, but they reported too soon for
the main, big, 'special shipment, as we
have had no chance to hear since the 85
queens started, both by express and by
mail. I heard from Honolulu, and they
all passed there in tiptop order, and
that is about half way. I started another
large shipment on Nov. 9, and I feel
confident that they will go all right.

MIDWINTER BEE-MEETING.

Don't forget our midwinter bee-meet-
ing, at B^eville, on Dec. 27 and 28. All
are invited.

DRONE-LAYING QUEENS.

It was stated some time ago that I
would be able to give something valuable
on drone-laying queens, and the value of
drcines from such queens and from lay-
ing workers. After our hot July wind,
we lost so heavily in bees that we had to
use all tlie money we had to stock up
again, and as it would cost me $50 or
more to try the scheme, I had to post-
pone it, but have been investigating the
matter eight miles from other bees, tim-
ber, or any residence, and I have almost
made up my mind in the matter ; but as
there could not be a definite answer
given, I suppose the matter rests about
where it did. But I am never going to
trust to drones from virgin queens, or
from layhig workers, and I may give to
the public soon all my observations in
regard to the matter. I think I can
prove beyond a doubt that such drones
are not good.

CHANGING FRAMES.

Did you all read Doolittle's article on
page 566? If not, I would be glad if
you «?i would read it three times. His
words express my own sentiments to a
"t." Just think of the great cost to the
bee-keeping world— much less the labor
and time — to change frames. Doolittle

has a ripe mind, and his judgment in
such matters is a big thing for bee-keep-
ers. He is a good criterion, or guide»
for us all to go by.

QUESTION-BOX LESSON.

I thought before this that our ques-
tion-box would have been opened in our
lessons, but as the midwinter bee-meet-
ing needs my attention just now, I will
postpone the question-box for a short
time. But as soon as the questions and
answers are complete, we will publish
them, and my intention is to have the
box so complete that one can learn how
to keep bees successfully by studying
the questions, as' every important thing
that can be thought of pertaining to api-
culture will be asked and answered in a
short, plain manner, and in the most
simple style, so that all may easily un-
derstand, even if no knowledge of bees
is possessed by the reader.

ALFALFA IN TEXAS.

Some are asking if alfalfa clover will
grow in Texas and the South. Yes, I
think it will grow anywhere in the
South unless there are some places too
dry for it. But I am told v/hen it first
takes hold, that if water enough is given,
in case it does not rain, it will get so
deeply rooted that it will siand a long
drouth, and come out all right. I have
seen fine, thrifty alfalfa in north Texas,
and I believe it will grow here.

If there is any bee-keeper in the south
or southwest Texas, please let us know
how it is doing, and oblige us.

THE RIGHT KIND OF REST.

One good sister wishes to know when
I rest. If she means to sit still and re-
cline, and do nothing, and take ease, I
will say I do not rest except when I am
asleep — from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Being
idle is no rest for me. I take rest when
I get in the buggy and ride to town for
the mail two miles away, or when I feed
my chickens, pigs, etc. This is all rest
to me.

Our rule is this : After the day's work
is done, and we have done all we could
well do for that day, we kneel around
our family altar and thank God for hjs
many blessings, and then lie down and
sleep soundly. We never lie awake at
night, worrying a tired brain over some-
thing we cannot help, which is sure to
make us feel stupid the next morning.

Please excuse me for taking up your
time with these stray remarks, but while
my mind caught these things, I felt sure
that some one would read this that

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

653

would worry and fret at night about
some trifling matter they could not help
— just like I used to do — and it is wrong.
We should do all the good we can during
the day, and at night pillow our heads
upon the God that made us, and let the
cares of the world go by. This is gen-
uine rest, and the best tonic for the mind
and body ; and, I believe, would be the
means of prolonging our days to a cer-
tain extent. Jennie Atchley.

One Who Expects to "Get There."

Mrs. Atchley :— Noticing your re-
quest in the " American Bee Journal,"
that all should notify you who intend
attending your " midwinter bee-conven-
tion," I will hereby say that I anticipate
going, if nothing prevents. I have a very
nice little apiary of 105 colonies, and
am very much interested in the bee-
business. I have been very successful
so far with them. I have one colony
from which I have extracted 1 72 pounds,
and another from which I have taken 7
supers, each containing 24: pounds, this
year. I read your department in the
"American Bee Journal" with great
interest. I wish to congratulate you
upon your success in getting up the mid-
winter convention.

F. J. E,. Davenport.

Nash, Tex., Nov. 6.

Friend D., I am glad you are coming,
and we shall be pleased to have you rep-
resent good old Ellis county. We will
put your name on the roll, and if you
are not here, we will feel disappointed.
We are going to have a large attendance,
judging from present prospects. You
have done well, this year, with your
bees. Jennie Atchley.

fiirSe

By f. l. peiro, m. d.

McVicker's BulldiuR, Chicago, III.

>^A^<|^

i^Amt^mkA

liuug- Fever.

Whew ! this cold, drizzling night, as I sit
in my cozy library, reminds me of the
possibility of some poor unfortunate caught
out late on his way home. He drives his
weary team along in this cold rain, with a
wind that almost blows the icy water
through his very clothes, chilling the mar-
row of his bones! How often I have ex-
perienced this hard lot! Poor man; he

finally arriTss at his barn-door so be-
numbed he can scarcely crawl down from
the seat of his road-wagon. At the cry of
" whoa!" to his team, his good wife is ap-
prised of the husband's return, and with
shawl over her head and shoulders, runs
out to assist in bringing in the things from
town. To her surprise she learns her man
is hardly able to get off his wagon, so
shaky and stiff is he ! But a little encour-
agement finally gets him into the house,
but, though hungry, he is so dizzy and
" done out," that he goes to bed instead of
supper.

Before day he feels sore, "achy" and
feverish. His mouth is parched, throat
feels full, his temples throb, and breathing
is not only difficult, but painful. Towards
noon a high fever has set in, a troublesome
cough harrasses the patient, and the next
day, having found the usual means for his
relief unavailable, sends for the doctor.
This faithful friend comes quickly, and
soon is able to determine by the color of
brick-dust expectorations, and other symp-
toms, that lung fever has set in in earnest,
and necessary remedies are given to rid the
sufferer of the pain in his sides, reduce the
fever if happily the disease may be so
modified that a short illness only may re-
sult, and thus save him a faithful, inval-
uable member of his family — a devoted
father to his children.

It is in this unavoidable manner that the
most serious afflictions are contracted — and
it is just at such times that practical
knowledge how to overcome the disasters
that threaten us is of vast importance to
our well-being.

The first step to take under such circum-
stances, then, is to at once take a full bath
in water as warm as can be borne, that the
circulation of the general system may be
equalized; afterward, jump into a warm
bed — not one with cold sheets, to set the
patient into another chill. A heaping table-
spoonful of salts, given in hot water
(sweetened, if preferred), should be given,
and prescribed doses of No. 1 out of the
"Bee Journal" Remedy Case every ten
minutes, until the skin becomes warm and
moist, and the pulse less full. Then sub-
stitute No. 4 every half hour, while awake,
not disturbing the patient to give anything
when asleep.

His drink should be sweetened hot water
or weak tea, and the diet milk, beef broth.

654

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL-,

rice-pudding, soft yolk of eggs, and baked
apples, if desired.

Never forget the importance of keeping
the patient warm, and free from all drafts
of air. If the lungs are very painful— es-
pecially on taking a long breath — a mus-
tard poultice may be applied, or a leaf of
horse-radish kept over the pain, as sug-
gested in a previous article, until it smarts
pretty well; but under no circumstance
should either be permitted to stay on long
enough to blister. If in a few days the
cough becomes very troublesome, give
Remedy No. 13 in a teaspoonful of honey,
a dose every two hours.

Every household should possess a few re-
liable remedies and book of instructions to
use in just such emergency. It often en-
ables them to cut short diseases that, left
to develop, may prove very serious, and
the treatment expensive.

The above suggestions as to treatment,
judiciously followed, will, in the great
majority of such cases, result most happily,
and the expense be very small. Besides, it
is not always possible to obtain the services
of a physician to the family who live a dis-
tance from his office. Yet no time should
be lost in affording ease and comfort to the
suffering.

Giving Water to Bees in the
Cellar.

Query 949.— Is it desirable to give bees
water while ia the cellar ?— Idaho.

No.— B. Taylor.

No.— P. H. Elwood.

I think not.— M. Mahin.

I think not.— E. France.

No, never.— R. L. Taylor.

I think not.— J. M. Hambaugh.

Not with me.— G. M. Dooi>ittle.

I doubt if it is for my bees. I never
could get them to take it.— C. C. Miller.

No, not by any means. — Dadant &
Son.

I do not think it necessary. — Eu&ene
Secor.

I don't think it is necessary. — J. P. H.
Brown.

I do not know. I never tried it. — J.
A. Green.

No. They do not seem to need it. — C.

H. DiBBERN.

My experiments have not demonstrated
that it is. — S. I. Freeborn.

I don't know, as I never have had any
experience with cellar-wintering. — W. G.
Larrabee.

I do not think so. I tried it one year,
and it resulted disastrously — or I thought
it did. — A. J. Cook.

I have always been very successful,
and never water them while in the cel-
lar.— J AS. A. Stone.

I have never practiced cellar-winter-
ing, but I should hardly deem it neces-
sary.—W. M. Barnum.

I don't know, but I would give the
bees a little water that have to be con-
fined long.— Mrs. Jennie Atchley.

Occasionally, when they have been
noisy, water was given to them, and
they quieted down.— Mrs. L. Harrison.

I do not put them into the cellar, as a
general thing. If I did, I should not
give them any water. — Emerson T. Ab-
bott.

I have always wintered bees on the
summer stands, so I can't say, but I can
see no reason why it should be done. —
J. E. Pond.

No ; I have given them water in win-
ter, but without apparent benefit. If
they become very restless, they need a
flight.— G. L. Tinker.

Not if they are quiet, but balls of
snow at each entrance will sometimes
quiet them when they are very restless.
—Mrs. J. N. Heater.

I don't know. But from ray observa-
tion of bees wintered in the yard, I
should think that bees have but little
use for water until they begin to rear
brood. — G. W. Demaree.

As a general thing, no. I have seen
cases where they were uneasy, and I
gave a sponge saturated with water,
and they became quiet. I have had
them do the same without giving water.
— H. D. Cutting.

Have You Read, the wonderful Pre-
mium offers on page (367?

AMERICAN BEE JOURJNAI-.

655

tjL >i/. >^^ xV xt/ xV xty >i< xtx xtx >.tx xtx xtx xtx >i^ >i<^ xt/ xV xt/ »>c xtx xi^ >tx xV xtx xV \U jj
MAII^IIVG QUEEN-BEES XO AUSTRAI.IA,

BY C. MANSFIELD.

Some time ago I wrote a few lines on the subject of mailing queens long dis-
tances. Since then I have been able to gather another grain or two of information
on the subject, which may be acceptable to some.

In the great majority of cases the queens lately shipped from America to Aus-
tralia arrive dead. In fact, a safe arrival now is such a rara avis as to call forth a
lengthy report in a recent issue of "Gleanings." One Australian breeder recently
received a queen from America in the usual condition— mummified — and being of an
inquisitive turn of mind, shook out the dead bees, and put in a queen and attend-
ants of his own. The candy was not consumed. The result was that every bee in
the cage was dead in three days. How was that? Since then I have examined the
candy — almost untouched by the bees — in several cages sent here by Mrs. Jennie
Atchley, your Texan prodigy. In every case the bees were as dead as the proverbial
" door nail."

Not to be foiled, some importers here decided to get the queens out in nuclei,
and when they arrived it was the same sad story — all dead !

Now, why is this, I again ask ? Of course it is only breeders who are so anxious
about importations from foreign countries, especially from America, where by cross-
ing and selection, and probably by the infusion of new blood from abroad — India,
to-wit, or Asia Minor — a very yellow strain of bees has been evolved. And it is this
strain Australian breeders are anxious to obtain in its greatest perfection. The
leading breeders in this country are regular importers from various breeders in
Italy. They come in three-frame nuclei about six inches square, ventilated, and
each furnished with two small flat vessels of galvanized iron hanging at the sides
with covered mouths hanging downwards. We find here, as you have found in
America, that for all the best qualities of a bee these Ligurians cannot be excelled.
But Australians in this sunny land, are very aesthetic, and demand the beautiful,
even at some sacrifice of the useful. And so we must have the " five-banded beau-
ties." But bow ?

I have one or two suggestions to make. First, regarding the candy, and to
bear out what 1 say, I will here cite an experience. A friend of mine received two
queens a week ago — one from Mrs. Atchley, and one from Mr. Doolittle. Mrs.
Atchley's came direct, and Mr. Doolittle's made a call at New Zealand, to be re-
freshed, and then sent on the other four or five days' sail. Mrs. Atchley's was sent
in a cage made of pine, and from various indications, the very slight consumption
of honey, and the dry, shrivelled condition of the bees, etc., one would readily con-
clude that they were coffined and ready for interment before reaching San Fran-

656 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Cisco. Doolittle's — and here allow me to digress to say that the general " get up"
of his cage bore the stamp of the " bee-master " in every detail — were sent in a cage
made, I think, of basswood ; and his queen reached New Zealand alive only four
days from her future home, and there succumbed under manipulation.

In nearly every case the candy remaining in the cages tasted quite strongly of
the turpentine from the pine — suflBcient, when taken with every mouthful of food,
to place the poor creatures beyond the power of medical skill.

I have arranged with a friend now residing in the Sandwich Islands, to receive
for me 32 queens ordered from American breeders. On arrival there he will remove
the wood cover, place the cages wire-cloth downwards over his colonies, and place a
half super over them ; and so let them remain until the departure of the next mail.
It would be well to cage the queen in the hive during the time these cages were on
top. He will then turn the covers, and re-address to me.

Another plan I intend to try if the foregoing fails, is this : I shall arrange with
Mr. Doolittle for one of his nine-frame hives to be fitted up with half a dozen one-
pound sections in each of the two end-frames, or end but one, each section to con-
tain one queen and a few bees, covered on each side by wire-cloth. One queen to
be placed in the body of the hive, too. A flat vessel with a sponge stopper at the
bottom, and a funnel mouth protruding could be filled once a week say, and the
whole parcel could be sent by steamer from San Francisco or Vancouver. I think a
number of queens, in this way, would come all right, if simply caged among the bees
of the hive.

The chief desiderata in mailing queens successfully are good — not necessarily
"Good" — candy, made from pure powdered — not confectioners' — sugar and honey,
of the proper consistency, plenty ventilation, few bees (10 or 12, say), and above
all wax the inside of the receptacle for the candy. Under these conditions queens
should go safely a journey of 14 to 21 days. Beyond that time the proceeding is at
present problematical.

A discussion on these points would be very interesting to breeders on both sides
of the water, and would fit in well during your approaching inactive season.

Largs, N. S. W., Australia, Sept. 1.

HITHS FOR TVINXERIISG BHHS, ETC.

BY E. S. LOVE8Y.

As usual, at this time of the year, we have considerable agitation on the ques-
tion of wintering bees, and many theories are advanced. Some think that a large
hive is the best, others think that there is less space to keep warm, and thus they
will do better in a small hive. My experience is, that the size or style of hive cuts
little or no figure. Bee-keepers can, and do, cover up their bees and shut off all
ventilation, and thus smother them in all sizes and kinds of hives.

Protection is good, but the bees must be kept dry, and it is impossible to keep
them dry without ventilation. They will often stand much cold if they are not kept
in a damp condition. I heard of two hives of bees that were knocked over by stock,
and they lay on their side all winter, with the wind blowing through the hives, and
the bees came out in the spring all right, while others near by, that were covered
up closely, died through dampness.

I would recommend J. S. Scott's method as published on pages 474 of the
"American Bee Journal." He has been very successful both in wintering and in
obtaining profitable returns from his bees. He uses the 8-frame Langstroth hive.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 657

For an all-purpose hive, it has many admirers in Utah. As a non-swarming hive, I
have always been successful with the 8 and 10 frame Langstroth.

I have put up my bees for the winter on Mr. Scott's plan, using two-story hives
instead of supers. I have placed strips of wood across the frames, giving the bees
free passage over them, then laid a strip of burlap and also a sheet of screen-door
wire between the two boxes to keep the mice out. I have filled the top boxes full of
chaff, removing the covers entirely and placing a gable-shaped roof over each
row. I prepared a few colonies this way some years since, and I did not lose any of
them. The chaflf in the top, and the packing at the back, keeps them warm, and
gives free ventilation, thus keeping them dry.

Salt Lake City, Utah, Nov. 7.

SHCXIOX-HOI^DBR SI.AXS— AI^FAI^FA.

BY E. S. MILES.

On page 524, Dr. Miller asks a question himself, as to whether section-holders
sag or not. I have used these slats for three years, and while there has not been
much in them the last two seasons to make them sag, I have had a few filled, and
have never yet had one to sag. If the weight of the four sections was all on the
middle, they would undoubtedly sag, but wedging in between the ends as they do,
they cannot sag without smashing the sections together. Then the bees always
glue the sections together before they store in them, so they would scarcely sag if
there were no slats at all. •

The section-holders in Eoot's dovetailed hive are made of seasoned basswood,
and just allow a piece of wood separator stuff to wedge in at the ends. This wedg-
ing from the end and side, together with the slat bottoms, gives very little propolis
on the sections, and is, I think, a very good surplus arrangement.

About Alfalfa. — I don't live in the alfalfa country, but I'm closer to it than
is Dr. Miller, I think. I sowed a small strip along the roadside two years ago. It
has done well, and is, so far as I know, all the alfalfa clover in this (Crawford)
county. To describe it I would say it looks more like sweet clover, except the blos-
soms and seed-pods, than anything else I know of. The flowers are purple-colored,
shaped about like sweet clover blossoms, but probably twice as large. They grow
on stems similar to the sweet clover, but rather more in bunches. The seed-pods
are funny little things, looking, at a little distance, something like a bunch of little
brown worms curled up.

Alfalfa's forte is dry weather. Whether it will stand the wet seasons we fre-
quently have here, remains to be seen. Sweet clover stands the drouth well. I
sowed some last spring, and it came through the great drouth all right. It was a
little short in some places, perhaps, but " all there." Denison, Iowa.

HOPJEY-OEW^— CARNIOI.AX BEHS, ETC.

BY O. B. GRIFFIN.

I read with very much interest G. W. Demaree's article on pages 494, especially
that part in reference to honey-dew. I think his suggestion to have reports from
the different localities in which honey-dew has appeared, a good one. I have
learned a little about it, and should like to learn more. I had my first experience
with it this season, my few colonies storing about 25 pounds in the sections. The
summer had been rather dry, and about Aug. 15 the bees commenced gathering it

658 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi-.

from the leaves of the maple and beech trees, which were quite thickly spattered.
It lasted only six or eight days, then suddenly ceased. It was quite dark in color,
but after ripening, it was preferred by some to clover honey.

My bees stored a total of 300 pounds in the sections the past season— all, with
the exception of honey-dew, being No. 1 honey. This was taken from 5 colonies,
spring count, and I increased to 13 ; 65 pounds in one-pound sections was the
largest yield from one colony.

There was no fall honey here, and late swarms need to be fed, if not already
looked after. There are but few bee-keepers in this most northern county — the
"garden of Maine " — and comb honey in one-pound sections brings a fair price — 18
to 20 cents per pound.

After reading Jennie Atchley's article on page 525, I think I shall give the
Carniolans a trial. One bee-keeper here, after giving the Italians and Carniolans a
trial in the same yard, prefers the latter.

Mrs. Atchley speaks of the disposition of the blacks to run off to the woods as
soon as possible after swarming. My bees I have supposed to be nearly, if not
quite, full-blooded blacks, and they often hang for sometime in the apple-trees near
which they are placed, and in one instance a swarm remained in the tree all night ;
when shaken down the next morning, they fairly tumbled over each other in their
efforts to get inside their new home. Is it possible I may have a better strain of
blacks ■? or is it more probale that have a little Italian blood in them ? Perhaps the
apple-trees so near them have something to do with it. I have never had a swarm
go off to the woods.

The largest producer of honey in this locality is, I think, Mr. E. E. Tarr, whose
crop, the past season, was about 7,500 pounds of comb honey in one-pound sections.

What a treat it would have been for us beginners in bee-keeping to have been
at the St. Joseph convention ! Caribou, Maine, Oct. 29.

SOItlETHIXG FROM A BIG BEE-MAN.

BY C. DAVENPORT.

Bee-keeping is my only business — I have no side-lines of any kind — it is all bees
with me. I have at present 367 colonies. During the spring, summer, and early
fail they are located in three yards— one 6 and the other 13 miles from the home
yard. For about six months I employ three men — one for each yard; the rest of
the time I have one, and sometime two, and we all have all we want to do. This
will make the sixth year I have put into winter quarters about 350 colonies.

Wintering Bees. — My bees are all hauled home in the fall, and wintered in two
cellars, built for this purpose. They are made somewhat like Mr. B. Taylor's, only
larger, and not so complicated. There is a stove in each one, so they can be warmed
if necessary. The cellars were built six years ago the past summer. My winter
losses in them since has been from 4 to 18 per cent. I have bees enough so that I
do not save any colonies for winter that are not strong and in good condition.

The honey in the brood-nests of two-thirds, and sometimes all, these colonies is
extracted in the fall, and they are fed from 20 to 30 pounds (some colonies requir-
ing more than others) of granulated sugar syrup for winter stores. Now this is not
done because I think that sugar syrup is better than natural stores, because I do
not. It is done for profit. I sell extracted honey at from 8 to 15 cents per pound,
according to the kind it is. My crop of comb honey, this summer, was a little over
60 pounds per colony, spring count.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 659

Sugar Strup for Feeding. — I want to say a few words about making sugar
syrup. I know it is too late to benefit any one this year, but It may save some one
lots of fussing next year. I have seen a good deal in the bee-papers this fall about
the way to make it, but the way I have prepared it for a number of years is ahead
of anything I have seen yet, I think, at least for feeding on a large scale. I have
fed a good many barrels of sugar in the last six or seven years, and the way I have
made it into syrup is this :

I simply take clean barrels that will hold water, and put in equal parts, by
measure, of sugar and soft water. (Hard water will do— I have used it, but it is
not as good.) Stir well together. If made in the morning, stir again at noon, and
at night, and by the next morning most, if not quite, all of the sugar will be dis-
solved. If it is not, stir well occasionally until it is. I have found a difference in
the time it takes granulated sugar of the same brand to dissolve. Of course in this
way it can be made in as small a quantity as one may wish, by using a keg, can,
pail, or anything else that will hold water.

Of course syrup made in this way is equal to, if not better (I think it is better)
than that made by the percolator process, for flannel or cheese-cloth cannot do any
good except to keep the water confined with the sugar until it is dissolved, and if it
is so that it can get through at all, the first will not have much sugar with it. I
think that is why the bees take hold of it so slowly when fed by inverted crocks or
stuffed feeders. By the plan I have described, we can keep the sugar and water
together until the sugar is all dissolved, and I think it is quicker and easier to carry
the feed, already made, and pour it into a feeder, than it would be to bother with
crocks, plates, cheese-cloth, etc.

I use a feeder constructed like the Miller feeder, only a little deeper, so I can
feed all that I wish at one time. I think it was in the " Review," last fall, that I
read an article written by Mr. R. L. Taylor, in which he said that feeding was the
most trying of the apiarist's duties. I do not so regard it. I can make a lot of
syrup, and feed a large number of colonies, without very much work — at least I
have fed from 200 to 350 colonies their full rations every fall for six years. I
have had help, but I could do it alone.

Sugar syrup made by this cold-water process is much better than that made by
boiling, as that which is made by heat will crystallize, and the former will not — at
least will not during the winter, as I have often examined colonies that had some of
this syrup left in the spring, and found it in nicer condition than when fed in the
fall.

A Super Clearer. — I will now try to describe a board which I use for clearing
the supers of bees. This board I ma;de the first summer I commenced keeping bees
— IB years ago — and have used it ever since, although I have tried nearly all of the
different kinds of bee-escapes. I prefer the board to any of them. It costs about 4
cents for material, and 5 or 10 minutes' work to make one.

To make it, take a board the size of the top of the hive, and four pieces of lath,
or any thin strips about H inch thick, and nail a piece on each side and end of the
board, so that the super will set on these strips. Cut a hole through the strip ou the
front of the board, so that one bee can go through very easily. When ready to re-
move a super, lift it up and place the board on top of the hive, with the hole cut in
the strip in front, so that when the bees come out they will be on the outside of the
hive in front.

Now, lest some may not understand this description, I will say that the board,
when done, should be just like the bottom-board to the dovetailed hive, with a strip
in front the same as at the back, and a small hole cut through the center of the

660 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

front strip, and the projections on the underside at each end cut oflP level with the
board. Now there is nothing to stop bees from going back, and the bees from the
brood-nest might come out and go into the super, but they don't do it. This board
will clear a super, or supers, as quickly as any escape I ever tried. Robber bees
might go in, some of you may think; so they might, but I have never had any
trouble with them, and I have some bees that it would be very hard to excel as rob-
bers. Supers should be removed the next day after the board is put on. There will
not be any bees in the super the next morning.

Now, by the use of this board the bees are let out on the outside of the hive. I
know some object to this plan, but I cannot see what the objection is, as the bees
are all in plain sight of the entrance, and a bee just hatched would know enoughc to
go in. I think it is better to use this board, or an escape of some kind, than to re-
move supers and bees to some place or room away from the yard, as then many
young bees would be lost or killed in trying to enter other hives.

Other Subjects. — Some time I may try to tell the kind and size of hive I use,
how I control swarming, about the different kinds of bees I have, what I know
about bees improving, and bees improving themselves when left alone ; also what I
think I know about bees degenerating under some of the most popular plans that are
practiced at the present time for the suppression of swarming or increase.

Southern Minnesota, Nov. 3.
^-
REASOIVIISG AIXflMAI^S— XHE HO]^EY-BEE.

BY ALLEN PRINGLE.

The question as to whether animals reason or not is a disputed one. For myself
I am convinced that they do, and with more logic sometimes than some of the genus
homo. The notion that what we observe as mind in animals is all instinct and no
reason, ought to have taken its departure with the discovery that the animal had a
brain and nervous system quite similar to that of man, and subject to the same
mental and physiological laws. The truth is, man has both reason and instinct,
and so has the animal. Instinct acts spontaneously without thought, while reason
reflects and adapts means to ends. When we wink with lightning rapidity to pro-
tect the eye from something flying into it, or when we start back in fright from a
sudden and threatened danger, we act instinctively ; the animal does the same. On
the other hand, when we act from reflection, and adapt means to ends, we exercise
reason ; the animal does the same thing. In our daily contact with our domesti-
cated animals we find ample proof of this. I .mention the horse, the cow, the dog,
and the honey-bee, not because they are the only animals that reason, but because
most people are specially interested in these domestic animals, and are familiar
with their characters and habits. Many other animals exhibit a high degree of
intelligence.

[After giving interesting illustrations of reasoning powers being possessed by
the cow, the horse and the dog, Mr. Pringle has this to say about the honey-bee:—
Editor.]

We now come to the honey-bee — last in the list, and the smallest, but by no
means the least. Insignificant in size as she is, the honey-bee can put any or all of
these other big animals to flight in very short metre ! In her marvelous powers of
delicate mechanism she can also distance them all, and even cast us "in the shade."
Hers is one of the fine arts in animal mechanics. As diminutive as she is, she, too,
has a brain and nervous system, with ganglions similar to those of the human brain.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 661

and with nervous tissue equal to ours in proportion to weight. We need, not, there-
fore, so much wonder that this industrious little insect thinks and reasons, and lays
out her work with mathematical accuracy, exercising that exquisitely fine little
brain with such extraordinary results. After watching, admiring, handling, and
studying the honey-bee for thirty years, no one need tell me that this wonderful
little creature is void of reason and intelligence, and is guided solely by what is
called instinct. She, of course, acts much from instinct, as that word is popularly
understood, the same as the higher animal does. But new conditions and exigencies
arise in which there has been no experience, and where there is, therefore, no in-
stinct adequate to guide. It is then we see unmistakably the exercise of reason in
the bee to adapt herself to the new environment.

But the honey-bee, like human beings with reason, makes mistakes ; and, in-
deed, these very occasional mistakes furnish evidence of my contention, for, if the
bee were solely guided by an "unerring instinct," she would make no mistakes.
Allow me to note here one or two of her natural blunders. A colony of bees left to
themselves will, for instance, swarm themselves to death— that is, they will cast so
many swarms in the one season that the parent colony is left so weak that it dies in
the winter ; and the last two swarms cast (say of four altogether) are also so we^
and late as to be unable to gather enough stores for winter, and they, too, perish.
This, of course, is a great mistake ; for, did they swarm but once or twice, all would
be strong and in good condition to face the winter. This mistake they make in a
state of nature, in a hollow tree in the woods, as well as in the model hive of
modern bee-keeping.

I once had a colony which, in the latter part of winter, being dissatisfied with
its queen, began to rear young queens to supersede the old one long before there
was any prospect or possibility of having drones to mate with the young queen.
This certainly was a mistake, as it meant the depopulation and extinction of the
colony; whereas the old queen could have carried them safely through to the proper
time to supersede her. I may say here, by way of explanation, that when a colony
of bees finds its queen failing in fecundity, from age or other causes, the workers,
foreseeing a gradual depopulation of the hive, set about warding oflf the impending
ill by superseding their mother and queen — that is, by rearing a young queen to
take her place. In the case just noted the object was all right, and the means to
attain it all right, but, like ourselves sometimes, they were doing their work at the
wrong time.

A normal colony of bees consists of one queen, some drones — more or less — and
from 30,000 to 50.000 workers. The queen is the mother of the whole family —
of the workers, the drones, and even her rivals, the young queens, which are to take
her place in the hive, and they sometimes dispatch her in superseding her. The
workers, as their name implies, do all the work of gathering honey, rearing brood,
etc. The drones, like the drones in the human hive, do next to nothing, but do it
well, with this difference, that the human drone fails to do well what little he does do.

The conclusion I have reached is this : the horse, the cow, the dog, the honey-
bee, and other animals have a certain degree of reason and intelligence as well as
instinct, and also have, some of them, strong social and domestic feelings, and are
therefore entitled to greater consideration and kinder treatment at the hands of
man than they sometimes get. I have also come to the conclusion, viewing the
multitude of mistakes and follies of the higher animal, man, that his superior rea-
son and more exalted faculties are not on the whole turned to as good account as
the inferior reason and faculties of the so-called "brute beasts." — Popular Science
Monthly. Selby, Ont.

662

AiVEERlCAN 15EE JOUKiNAi..

MATRIMONY-VIIVE— A CORRECTION.

BY FRANK BENTON.

On page 522, Mr. A. J. Duncan has a note on a honey-producing plant which
is known in his locality (Hartford, Iowa,) as " Washington willow." The specimen
Mr. Duncan sent was forwarded to Prof. T. J. Burrill, of the University of Illinois,
for determination, and the latter says, on the same page of the "American Bee

Journal :" "This is matrimony-vine, Solanum jasaminoides The shrub is very

hardy, succeeds everywhere in our country, but I do not know that it has been
recommended as a honey-plant, neither do I know anything about the value of the
shrub as a honey-producer."

It seems to me that Prof. Burrill has made a mistake, either by inadvertently
giving the wrong scientific name to matrimony-vine, or else the plant Mr. Duncan
sent in is not matrimony-vine at all. Solanum jasaminoides is a tall, woody-
stemmed house-plant climbing by its petioles; stem not at all prickly, but quite
smooth thoughout ; leaves entire, oblong-ovate or somewhat heart-shaped, occa-
sionally divided into three leaflets ; flowers in clusters, white or bluish. It comes
from Brazil, and as indicated above, is not hardy with us. In contradistinction to
this matrimony-vine, bearing the scientific name Lycium vulgare, comes to us from
northern Mediterranean coasts, and is hardy wherever introduced in the United
States, having even run wild in many places north ; the stem is lithe, somewhat
thorny, long, with numerous recurved branches; leaves, oblong-spatulate; flowers,
appearing ail the season until late in the fall, in clusters of two or three in the axils
of the leaves, pale greenish-purple, the spreading corolla five-cleft ; fruit a bright
red berry.

Prof. Burrill was not aware that matrimony-vine had been recommended as a
honey-producing plant, yet for several years it has been included in the list of
honey-plants given in the "ABC of Bee-Culture " by A. I. Root. I have myself
observed that bees frequent its blossoms from spring until late fall, even during
great drouths, and they work on them as late in the day as they can possibly see,
gathering both honey and pollen. I mentioned this in ray recent essay at the North
American convention in St. Joseph, Mo., and recommended the plant highly both
for ornament and honey and pollen. Dr Peiro afterward called attention to the
fact that the plant was to be found growing wild within the city — near the Court
House, and several members went there and secured roots to take home with them.

Washington, D. C, Oct. 30.

Eig'lil ;\iiiiil»ei's lor lO C^eiifs. —

Yes, we will send the last eight numl)ers of
the " American Bee Journal" for 1804, to
any wiv name, for only 10 cents (stamps or
silver). Now, here's a good chance to get
some of your bee-keeping friends started in
taking the •' Bee Journal " regularly. You
just get ttiem to read the eight numbers
mentioned, and more than likely tliey will
want to keejj it up after that. If you liave
thrte bee-friends that you want should have
the eight numbers, send us 25 cents with
their names and addresses, and we will
mail them to each. Remember this offer is
for the last eh/Id numberK of 1H.')4 — dated, Nov.
8, 15, 22 and 29 ; and Dec. G, 1.3, 20 and 27.

If, then, at any time between now and
Feb. 1, 18y.5, you can secure the subscrip-
tions of these " short termers " for tlie year
1895, you can count them as new subscrib-
ers and get the premiums as per our offers

on page G67 of this issue. Eight "short
term " subscribers at 10 cents each, will
count the same as one new subscriber for a
year, in earning premiums.

If you wish sample copies to use in secur-
ing the " short term " or other subscribers,
let us know, and we will be glad to mail
them to you free.

We ought to add thousands of names to
our list on this very low offer— 8 numbers
for 10 cents ! iVow ix the time for earnest work !

'I'lie J\ovelly lN>cket-Kiiife is

worth having. Mr. A. G. Amos, of New
York, says this about it: " The ' Novelty'
pocket-knife which I received with the
Amekican Bee Jouunai. arrived all O. K.,
and it is a dandy." Better get one your-
self, and then yott, will know what a
" dandy " thing it is. See page 672 for ad-
vertising offer.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

663

^F~ Do not write anything for publication
on the same sheet of paper with business
matters, unless it can be torn apart withou
interfering with either part of the letter.

Managing- a Laying Worker.

First raise the brood-chamber and put
a hive with some brood and honey in it ;
put wire-cloth between the two hives.
Place a wire cone in the top story so the
bees can go out, and not get back, but
they will go into the bottom story.
When most of the bees are out of the
top, you can cover over the wire-cloth,
and place a queen in the bottom story,
in a little while there will be only a few
bees in the top story with the laying
worker, which can be destroyed.

Lucan, Ont. Hekbekt Gibson.

Very Poor Year for Bees.

This has been the poorest year we
have had— only 4UU pounds of honey
from 80 colonies, and no increase. We
had just 2 swarms to issue— one went
back, and I cut out the queen-cells ; and
the other I returned, so we stand just
where we were last spring, only the
hives are very heavy. 1 never had bees
in better condition at this time of the
year. I have not put them into the cel-
lar yet, but shall do so soon, as it is get-
ting cold. J. A. Pearce.

Grand Rapids, Mich., Nov. 12.

Hives Facing South in Winter.

In wintering bees in dovetailed hives,
on their summer stands, I find that they
winter best with the hives facing the
south. The reason is that bees in the
winter, as a rule, cluster to the sunny
side of the hive, and if there is nothing
in the way, they will leave their combs
and cluster on the wall of the hive, and
while so clustered, if a cold snap comes
they perish by freezing. Those that
thus perish will fall down and be carried
out, and others will take their place to
perish in their turn. This process goes

on all winter, or until the colony suc-
cumbs, and if the colony survives the
winter it is at the expense of being
greatly depleted in numbers. If the
hives face the south, not so much sur-
face is exposed to the sun, and the end-
bars of the frames serve, to some extent,
as barriers to prevent the bees from
clustering on the walls of the hive, and
the liability to perish by freezing is
greatly lessened.

Some years ago we were advised in
the bee-books that if we had but one
division-board to the colony, that in pre-
paring our bees for winter, we should
putiton the north side of the cluster; but
experience teaches that the board should
be put on the south side of the cluster.
This experience has been a pretty dear
one to me, but we all profit by our mis-
takes, and I may yet be the better off by
having tried wintering several colonies
of my bees with division-boards on the
south side of the cluster.

My honey yield this year was an aver-
age of 61 pounds per colony, spring
count. This is not a poor crop for an
"off year." H. F. Coleman.

Sneedville, Tenn., Nov. 1.

Honey vs. Royal Jelly.

Joseph Shatters, of this place, has
been very successful in using honey in
the place of royal jelly in queen-cups,
a la Doolittle, but made almost an entire
failure when he used jelly. He uses
quite thick honey so it will not run down
in the cups, and but little of it. I tried
this method a little late in the season,
and got only a few of the cups worked.
Probably the bees were not in condition
to do better. I. W. Beckwith.

Ft. Lupton, Colo.

Report for 1894, Etc.

In the fall of 1893 I put into winter
quarters 55 colonies of bees and 49
came through considerably reduced in
numbers, caused by late packing. I in-
creased to 54, and obtained a little over
3000 pounds of honey, mostly extracted.
I have met a good many bee-keepers
this fall, and they generally report a
small crop. We were dried up here for
two or three months.

I have sold about 2,500 pounds of my
honey, all in the home market, at 10
and 11 cents for extracted, and 10 to
15 cents for comb honey.

T took the 1 st premium for display of
comb and extracted honey at our County
Fair the last four years. I exhibited

664

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

honey at the Pennsylvania State Fair.
A Mr. Dewey, of Columbus, Pa., and
myself, were the main exhibitors. We
were overlooked by the committee on
honey (as were many other exhibitors),
and received nothing for our pains, al-
though our exhibits were fine. Mr.
Dewey exhibited honey, bees, hives and
bee-literature. He had a folding hive
(of his own invention), filled with bees,
with feeder attached, so that the bees
were storing honey and building comb
while on exhibition. They drew the
attention of hundreds of people.

I have been taking the "American Bee
Journal " and keeping bees for about
15 years, commencing when 15 years
old. It seems to me that the " Bee Jour-
nal "grows better every year. I learn
something new out of nearly every issue.
B. W. Peck.

Richmond Center, Ohio, Nov. 12.

What Are Golden Italians ?

There seems to be quite a difference
of opinion as to whether Golden Italians
are a pure race or not. This question
was asked in a certain bee-paper some
time ago : " What are Golden Italians ?"
I have not seen a satisfactory answer
yet.

Being greatly interested in the "Gold-
en beauties,"!, for one, am sorry to con-
fess to the truth, that they are not bred
from pure " Italians," but are Italian or
Cyprian, crossed with Carniolans. The
second cross will bring the "Golden
Queens," and the so-called five-banded
workers.

I here propose a more correct, or what
is an honest name for them, viz.: " The
Golden Carniolan Cross," or "The Amer-
ican Golden." R. A Marrison.

Inverary, Ont.

[Mr. Doolittle has something to say on
the five-banded bees, on page 048 of
this number of the " Bee Journal." —
Editor.]

Results of the Past Season.

I started in the spring of 1S94 with
6 colonies of black bees, and in May I
sent for Italian queens, which came all
right. I cut out all the drone-brood and
destroyed all black queens, and in Aug-
ust all my bees were yellow. I had four
big swarms and 200 pounds of comb
honey. The season was too dry. White
clover did not yield much honey, but
basswood was good while it lasted. We

had a fair fall flow from golden-rod and
smartwood.

The "American Bee Journal" visits
me every Thursday and I like it very
much. O. A. Sanderson.

Hayward, Minn.

The Crown Scrap File affords convenient means
of keeping Farmers' records and accounts. Ihe nana-
iest arrangement yet devised for the use of breeders,
farmers, housekeepers, etc., for classifying and preser-
vation of clippings, receipts, etc., where they may be

"^"it is a nea° ly bound book, 8x3>4 inches. Indexed and
made of the best grade of linen paper and bountt in
flexible cloth. Each double page represents an indexea
filing pocket, the lower end of which is provided with an
inch fold permitting two inchesof expansion when ine
pocket is open to receive and contain clippings ana
scraps of information. These pockets will hold One

thousand inchesof single column newspaper
clippings. The index letteis on the pockets serve
also to ii.^ex the ruled sides thereof adapted to receive
ten thousand written words. . ^ l«ree?°f'f^*"
att nched to one lid of the cover to receive miscellaneous
items until time permits to classify and drop them into
the proper indexed pockets. 1'he file sells separate.
Leather, 75 cents. Cloth, 50 cents.

Clubbing and Preniiom OIFers.

I^~ Mailed on receipt of price, or clubbed
with the Bee Journal tor one year, both to-
gether, as follows: Leather bound Scrap File
and the Bee Journal for $1.60; Cloth bound
File and the Bee .lourual for $1,40. Or, we
will give Leather File as a Premium for send-
ing 3 new subscribers to the Bee Journal for
a year, and the Cloth File for 2 new subscrib-
ers. All new subscribers sent on this offer
will receive a free copy of " Bees and Honey."

GEOBGE W. YORK & CO.,

CHICAGO, ILLSi

AMERICAN BKxi: JOURNAU

665

Illinois Convention Reports.—

The Illinois State Bee-Keepers' Association
still have a good many copies of their Sec-
ond Annual Report on hand, and no post-
age to send them out. Any one sending
eight cents in stamps to pay postage and
wrapping, will receive a copy of same by
mail ; or seven cents in stamps will pay for
a copy of the First Annual Report, if any
one desires it. Address, Jas. A. Stone,
Sec, Bradfordton, 111.

'I'ake a, Sleig"li-Ri«le as soon as the
snow falls in sufficient quantity. See the
buggy-sleigh offered on page 638 in connec-
tion with a year's subscription to the
" American Bee Journal." We don't know
of a cheaper sleigh, and equally good. It
is also a no-tip-over affair. The "beautiful
snow " will soon be here — better get ready
to " take a good slide !"

I*i*ofita1>le Bee-VCeeping', by Mrs

Atchley, will continue for some time in her
department of the Bee Journal, at least
each alternate week. Until further notice
we can furnish the back numbers from May
1st. beginning with her •• Lessons," to new
subscribers who pay §1.00 for a year's sub-
scription to the Bee Journal — that is, we
can commence their year with the number
having the first lesson, if they so desire.

'•FomI Brood; 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 sold at the office of the Bee Jour-
nal. Price, postpaid, 2.5 cents; or clubbed
with the Bee Journal for one year — both
together for 11.15.

RUDY'S PILE SUPPOSITORY

Is guaranteed to cure Piles and Constipation,
or money refunded. .50 cents per box. Send
two stamp.s tor lircular and free Sample to
MAKTIN RUDY. Registered Pharmacist, Lau-
casier. Pa. No Postai s Answered. For
sale by kII first-class drug-gists everywhere.
Peter Van Sohaack & Sons. Robt. Stevenson
& ' o., Morrison. Plummer & Co., and Lord.
Owen & Co.. Wholesale Agents, Chicago, Ills.
Pease mention the Bee Journal. Novl5

A Binder for holdiug a year's num-
bers of the Bee Journal we mail for
only 50 cents; or clubbed with the
JOUBNAL for $1.40.

Household Repairing Outfit.

This Outfit is a
combination of the
practical, tried and
common-sense tools
and materials that
will enable anyone
with enough ingen-
uity to drive a nail,
to do his own half-
soling, boot, shoe,
rubber and harness
repairing, right at
home. No pegs re-
quired. Simple wire
clinch nails. Saves
me, trouble, ex-
pense and vexatious
" shoe-maker's bro-
ken promises." En
-III ,.™„ ,,„„.,„,, "re Outfit, neatly
W LEiENiUEin boxed, by express.
Kj lo^CIi' only $2.00.
•^ L-ASTS Or clubbed with
the Bee Journal for 1 year— both for $2.60 ; or
given as a Premium for sending us 6 New
Subscribers to the Bee Journal at $1.00 each.

List of Honey and Beeswax Dealers,

Most of whom Quote in this Journal.

Clilcago, Ills.

J. A. Lamon, 43 South Water St.

R. A. Burnett & Co.. 163 South Water Street.

New York, N. \'.

F. I. Sage & Son, 183 Reade Street.
HiLDRETH Bros. & Segelken.

28 & 30 West Broadway.
Chas. Israel & Bros.. IIO Hudson St.
I. J. Stringham. 105 Park Place.
Francis H. Leggett & Co., 128 Franklin St,

Kansas City, JUo.

Hamblin & Beahss, 514 Walnut Street,
Clemoms-Mason Com. Co., 423 Walnut St.

Albany, N.¥.

H, R, Wright, 326 & 328 Broadwar,

Buffalo, N.Y.

Batterson & Co., 167 & 169 Scott St.

Hamilton, Illti.

Chas. Dadant & Son.

Ciuciunatl, Oblo.

C. F. MUTH & Son. cor. Freeman & Central avs.

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.

6G6

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAl-.

ConTentlon rVoticew.

Wisconsin.— The next annual meeting of
the WiscoDsin Bee-Keepers'Association willbe
held at Madison, on Feb. 8th and 9th, 1895.

Madison. Wis. J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec.

Colorado.— The 15th annual meetine: of
the Colorado State Bee-Keepera' Association
will be held on Monday and Tuesdav. Jan. 'il
and 22, 1895, in Denver. H. Knight, Sec.

Littleton, Oolo,

North Carolina.- The Carolina Bee-Keep-
ers Association will meet at the Court House
in Charlotte, N. C, on Dec. 6, 1894, at 11
o'clock a.m. A full attendance is desired.

Steel Creeli, N. C. A. L. Beach, Sec.

California.— The next regular meeting of
the < entral California Bee-Keepers' Associa-
tion will be held on the first Wednesday in
December, at Hanford, Calif. You are cor-
dially invited to attend.

Lemoore, Calif. J. F. Flory, Sec.

Pennsylvania,— The Venango County Bee-
Keepers' Association of northwestern Penn-
sylvania will hold their 2nd annual meeting
in the City Hall at Franklin, Pa., on Jan. 28,
1895, at 1 o'clock p.m. All interested send
for program. C. S. Pizer, Sec.

Franklin. Pa.

Illinois.— The next annual meeting of the
Northern Illinois Bee-i'Ceepers' Association
will be held on Dec, 18 and 19, 1894, in the
Supei visor's room of the Court House, in
Rock ford, III. All interested are invited to
attend. B. Kennedy, Sec.

NewMilford. 111.

Vermont.— The next annual convention of
the Vermont Bee-Keepers' Association will
be held in Middlebury, Vt., on Jan. 30 and ai ,
1895. Programs will he prepared and mailed
later. Let every Vermont bee-keeper begin
NOW to preoare to aitend, and all those who
can reach Middlebury, whether you live in
Vermont or not, we want you to come.

Barre, Vt. H. W. SCOtt, Sec.

Indiana,— The Indiana State Bee-Keepers'
Association will hold its fifteenth aunual
meeting at the State House, IradiauHpolls, on
Jan. 9, 1895. There will be three sessions-
morning, afternoon and eveuing. Several
other associations will convene here at the
same time, thus securing reduced rate of 1}4
fare for the round trip, but a certificate must
be asked for when purchasing your ticket.
Programme will be issued in December.

Walter S. Pouder, Pres.

Indianapolis, fnd.

Nebkaska.— The winter meeting of the
Nebraska State Bee-Keepers' Association will
be held at Auburn. Nebr.. on Tuesday and
Wednesday, Dec. 4 and 5, 189+. All persons
interested in apiculture, living between the
Alliintic and Pacific Oceans, are invited to be
present at that time and place. This has been
a close year, for the bee- keeper as well as the
banker, or merchant, hut we do not i)ropose
to "cry quits" so long as bees continue to
gather their own living and sumetliing lor us.
Then let all our bee-friends come together
and com pore methods of the past and their
results, and thus learn better how to succeed
in the future. Never look too long on the
black side of a pi(!ture. Brother bee-keepers,
come oue-come all ! L. D. Stilson, Sec.

Yurk, Nebr.

Have You Read page 668 yet ?

Honey & Beeswax Market ({uotations

CHICAGO, III., Oct. 25.-
ey continues to bring 15c.
about keeping pace with
quality is very satis factoi
heavy and of good flavor,
ues to sell chiefly at 6@7c.,
flavor and style of package
and in good demand at 27®

-White clover hon-
The receipts are
the demand. The
ry as a rule, being
Extracted com in-
according to color,
. Beeswax scarce
i28c.

R. A. B & Co.

NEW YORK, N. Y., Oct. 25.— Comb honey
arrives quite freely, our receipts up to date
numbering 10,119 crates. The demand is fair.
We quote: Fancy white, l-lbs., 14c.; fair
white, 12c.; buckwheat, 10c ; 2-lbs., l@2c.
less, according to quality. The market for
extracted is dull, with plenty of stock. We
quote: Basswood and white clover, 6@6V4c.;
Southern, 50@55c. a gallon. Beeswax scarce
and in good demand at 29c. H. B. & S,

NEW YORK, N. Y., Nov. lO.-The market
for comb and extracted honey is good, and
the supply equals the demand. Fancy clover
and buckwheat sells best; off grades are quite
asi-alable; and 2-pound sections are very little
called for. We quote as follows: 1-pound
fancy clover. 13@14c.; 2-pound, 1254@13c.; 1-
pound white, 12@l2^c. ; 2-pound, I2c.; 1-
pound fair, 10@llc.; 2-pound, 10@llc.; 1-
pound buckwheat. 10@llc.; 2-pouud, 9®10c.
Extracted, clover and basswood, 6@6^c.;
buckwheat, 5@5i4c.; Southern, 50@60c. per
gallon. Beeswax, scarce and in good demand
at29@30c. C. l.&B.

CINCINNATI, O., Nov. 8,— Demand is fair
for extracted honey at 4@7c. There is a good
demand for comb honey at 14@16c. for choice
white.

Beeswax is in good demand at 22@27c. for
good to choice yellow. C. F. M. & S.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 4.— The receipt
of comb honey in this market so far has not
been very large, and demand is very good.
We quote: No. 1 white, l-lbs., 15c.; Mo. 2
white, 13@]4c. ; No. 1 amber, 14c.; No. 2 am-
ber, 10@12c. Bixtracted, white, 0i4@7c. ; am-
ber, 5@6^c. Beeswax, 25c. C.-M. C. Co.

CHICAGO. III., Oct. 18.— We quote: Fancy
white comb honey, l-lbs,, 15c.; No. 2 white,
13c.; buckwheat, 10c. With cooler weather,
demand improving, and our stock on hand at
the present time extremely light. Extracted,
5i4@t7c,, depending upon quality and style of
package. Beeswax, 28c. S. T. F. & Co. '

ALBANF, N. V., Sept. 21. -Honey in better*
demand, especially the high grades of v/hlte
comb honey. We quote: No. 1 white, 14®
15c.; No. 2 white, 13@14c.; Mixed white. 11
@12c.; No. 1 buckwheat, 12® 1 214c.; No. 2
buckwheat. ll@ll!4c.; common, 10® lie.
Extracted, white (Northern), 7®8c.; amber,
®(5i4c.: buckwheat, 5'/2®f)C. Beeswax, 27®
29c. Do not look for much of any change in
these prices, and advise now to have honey
on the market as early as po8sil)le for best
prices. H. R. W.

BUFFALO. N. Y., Oct. 17.— The demand is
improved, fancy moving somewhat better at
14®l5c.; choice, 12@13c. : buckwheat and
other, 9®10c. B. & Co.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept, 8.-The supply
of comb and extracted is very light with only
fair demand. We quote: Fancy white, 15®
KJc; amber, ll®l2c.: dark, 10c. Extracted,
white, 0!4®7c.; amber, U®6'/ic.; dark. 4'/4@
5'/ac. Beeswax, 22c. H. & B.

AMERICAN BEE cJ>OURNAU 667

The Bee Journal to January 1, '96, for only $1.00

TO NEW SUBSCRIBERS.

PEEMIUMS

—Given to Our Present Subscribers—

For Getting New Subscribers

TO THE "AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL."

Jnst Read This Page. 'Twill Help You and Us.

We have published another New Edition of our paper-bound Premium Book —

" BEES AND HONEY "

(By Newman), containing 160 pages, and over 130 illustrations. We expect to

give away the whole edition, and want you to help us scatter them, by getting New

Subscribers to the " Bee Journal." We will give a copy of the book free to the

New Subscriber who sends us $1.00 for the "Bee Journal" from now to January

1st, 1896.

Now if you will get the one new name and his or her .$1.00, and send it to us

we will also mail you your choice of one of the following list for your Premium :

Bees and Honey (paper cover)— by Newman. Green's How to Propag-ate and Grow Fruit
Pou'try for Market— by Fannie Field. " How We Made the Old Farm Pay.

Turkeys for Market— " •' " Garden and Orchard.

Capons and Caponizing' — " " " Six books on Fruit Culture.

Foul Brood Treatment— by Cheshire, Foul Brood— by Ur. Howard.

12 copies Honey as food and Medicine. Bee-Keeping for Profit- by Tinker.

Amateur Bee-Keeper- by Rouse. Ropp's Commercial Calculator No. 1,
Convention Hand-Book.

If you will send us Two New Subscribers at the rate given above ($1.00
each), we will send you your choice of one of the following list, as your premium
and also mail to each of the two new names a copy of the 160-page bee-book :

Doolittle's "Scientific Queen-Rearing " (paper) Dzierzon's " Rational Bee-Keeping " (paper)

Dr. Miller's " Year Among the Bees." Alley's •■ 30 Years Among the Bees."

Hutchinson's " Advanced Bee-Culture." " People's Atlas of the World."

Pierce's " Wintering Problem." Ropp's "Commercial Calculator" No. 2.

Binder for " Bee .Tournal." 30 copies " Honey as Food and Medicine.'

Now start out at once and see what you can do. You should be able to get
many new subscribers on the above offer, without very much trouble.
Sample Copies of the " Bee Journal " mailed free.

G-EORQE W. YORK & CO.

56 Fiftli Avenue, GUICAOO, ILLS.

668 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAJL.

SEE HERE, FRIENDS!

WHEs mwrnm your suBSCMfTioi

To the "American Bee Journal,"

money by taking advantage of one of the Valuable Clubbing Oflfers we
give below, and thus secure a Good Book.
The "Bee Journal " one year and your choice — ^both for the price named 1

HERE IS THE L.IST FROM WHICH TO SELECT:

Name of Book. Author. Club Price.

Langstroth on the Honey-Bee— Revised by Dadant $2.20

A B C of Bee-Culture A. I. Root 2.10

■-• Bee-Keeper's Guide Prof. A. J. Cook 1.75 p^^

2>r2 Bees and Honey (Cloth bound). .Thos. G. Newman 1.65 <^

y^ Bees and Honey (Paper bound) .Thos. G. Newman 1.25 ^^

fi^ Scientific Queen-Re iring G. M. Doolittle 1.65 g^^

^ AYear Among the Bees Dr. C. C. Miller 1.35 gjl^

S^ Advanced Bee-Culture W.Z.Hutchinson 1.30 S^*

<^ Amerikanische Bienenzucht (German) .Buschbauer 1.75 ^S

Bienen-Kultur (German) Thos. G. Newman 1.30 _

Rational Bee-Keeping (Cloth) . ..Dr. John Dzierzon 2.00 JJS^

^j Rational Bee-Koeping (Paper). .Dr. John Dzierzon 1.75 ^2^

■^ Winter Problem in Bee-Keeping G.R.Pierce 1.30 ..^

5*^ Thirty Years Among the Bees Henry Alley 1.30 ^^

;^ Bee-Keeping for Profit Dr. G. L. Tinker 1.15 ^^

'^' Convention Hand-Book Thos. G. Newman 1.15 ^^

m^ Poultry for Market and Profit Fanny Field 1.10 ^

"^^^ Turkeys for Market and Profit Fanny Field 1.10 ^^

Capons and Caponiziug. .Dr. Sawyer & Fanny Field 1.15 — j*

^ Our Poultry Doctor Fanny Field 1.15 ^^

S^ World's Fair Women Souvenir Mrs. J. D. Hill 1.50 ^

;^ How We Made the Old Farm Pay. .Chas. A. Green 1.15 >— S^

KeS Green's 5 Books on Fruit-Culture. .Chas. A. Green 1.15 ^^

• Garden and Orchard Chas. A. Green 1.15 ^^

<^> How to Propagate and Grow Fruit. Chas. A. Green 1.15 q«j

^6^ Rural Life 1.10 •^^

Emerson Binder for .j2 Numbers of the " Bee Journal " 1.40

Commercial Calculator, No. 1 C. Ropp 1.25

Commercial Calculator, No. 2 C. Ropp 1.50

Descriptions of the above Books, on the page of this copy
of tiic <' Bee Journal.'

G-EORG-E W. YORK & CO.,

66 Flf»h ATcnue, - - - CHICAGO, ILLS.

^X2

Why Sot Earn a Preiiiiuiii on Page 667?

?

weekly, $1 a Year, f ^^'^^''^^l^^ro^^^is-C^UBE. \ Sample Copy Free.

VOL XXXIV. CHICAGO, ILL. NOV. 29. 1894.

NO. 22.

s GEORGE W Y0RK.%<7

~^ i^o'^o^ /^r^^

Cfive Xliaiikii* for blessings you enjoy —

For life and health, and all ;
Your gratitude express with praise—

Ye bee-folks, large and small.

Tlie Convcntioit Report is con-
tinued again in this number, and we trust
that from now on we may not be hindered
in crowding it right through.

Hon. Eugene Secor, of Forest City,
Iowa, will read an essay on "The Mission
of the Birds and Bees in the Orchard and
Garden," at the next meeting of the Iowa
State Horticultural Society. That will be
worth going a long distance hear. Bro.
■Secor, if he is anything, is a close student
of nature, and a most able and conservative
writer.

Mr. E. S. Eovesy, of Salt Lake City,
Utah, sends us a picture of a honey exhibit
made at their Fair this fall, by Messrs.
Lovesy, Terry & Co. Mr. L. and Father
Terry are shown in the picture, and the ex-
hibit is quite a large one. We understand
that they captured the first premium on
nearly everything. Which shows what good
work they must have done, and what a fine
exhibit they must have had.

manag'enient or tlie Bees? was

talked of just a little bit at the late North
American convention, "management" be-
ing considered of greater importance. Here
is what Editor Root said about it in
" Gleanings " for Nov. 15:

It was decided at the St. Joseph conven-
tion that there is more in management
than in races of bees or location. Obviously,
bee-journals cannot improve location. They
may do a little in the way of betterment
of races; but they can do very much in
suggesting new and better management;
hence, no bee-keeper who keeps even but
few colonies can afford to be without at
least one good bee-journal.

True, Bro. Root, bee-papers can do, and
are doing, much for the advancement of
practical and profitable management in the
apiary. Scarcely any bee-keeper of any
prominence or success goes without one or
more good bee-papers now-a-days. And
day by day more are coming to see that
without the help of a bee-paper they can-
not hope to keep up with those who do read
and profit thereby.

Tlie American Bee-Keeper for

November contains these sentences in its
report of the St. Joseph convention :

We note that the press was abundantly
honored. Every representative of a bee-
paper present, excepting Editor York, who
held the office of Treasurer last year, was
elected to some office.

Not so fast, our good friend. You have
forgotten Editors Leahy and Quigley, of
the "Progressive Bee-Keeper," who were
present also at the St. Joseph convention,
but were not elected to any office — probably
because there were not quite enough offices
to accommodate every press member pres-
ent. But we are rather inclined to think

678

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

that Bros. Leahy and Quigley felt much
like we did— in honor preferring one
another. Certainly this editor was pleased
to see the honors "passed around," and
glad to have the privilege of nominating as
his worthy successor, Mr. John T. Calvert,
who will be a safe holder of the North
American's " pocket-book " for 1895.

Bro. Ernest Root, in a letter we re-
ceived Nov. 21, said he was "convalescing
slowly but surely." His physician ordered
him not to do much office work, and even
wanted him to drop everything for awhile,
but "Ernest" thought it wasn't necessary,
as at the rate he was recovering, in a few
days he'd be all right. All of which will be
welcome news to his many friends.

JSitKziiig-s. — In the "National Stock-
man and Farmer " for Nov. 15, we find the
following from Dr. Miller :

Prices of honey don't seem to come up in
proportion to its scarcity.

Fifteen to 16 cents seems as high as it
reaches in the city markets.

But then everything's low.

Bee-keepers are a hopeful lot.

In spite of the failure most of them have
bad this year— some of them for three or
four years — you hear them now talking
quite cheerfully about the prospects for
next year.

At one time the prospect looked dreary
enough in my locality.

The terrible drouth had killed down the
white clover, so it looked dead, root and
branch.

I began to ask myself where there was to
be any clover for next year.

But I was mistaken about the roots being
dead.

The heavy rains that succeeded the
drouth brought up the clover all right.

So I'm going to hope with the rest.

Here's my report for this year:

20 lbs. second-class honey at IS'^c $ 2 50

1,500 lbs. first;class sugar fed 75 00

Balance $72 50

Only the balance is on the wrong side.

And I've charged up nothing for my own
time and labor, and that of my assistant.

For all that Ini hapjjy.

I've all I can eat and drink, comfortable
clothes, and a good Howe ventilator to sit
beside, and when 1 go to church 1 can hear
just as much of the sermon as those that
have made lots of money.

And died sooner.

And not had near so much fun.

Maybe next year will give a rousing crop.

I think my bees are in good condition for
winter.

Most of them were fed up early.

Hurrah for next year !

Mr. Clias. C. Miller, son of our Dr,

Miller, gave us a very pleasant call re-
cently. He is in the employ of a large
pickle company here in Chicago — a rather
sour business, but it seems to have just the
opposite to a bitter effect on " Charlie."
He's a vigorous and promising young man,
and ought to make his mark away up high
some day. We hope he will. A young
man can be such an honor to his parents
if he so chooses, and such a help in their
declining years. But some times it's pretty
hard for us young men to equal our fathers
in very many things. But we "second
editions " ought to be improvements on the
first. It's a question whether we are.

Mrs. Atcliley's little son, Ives, has
been very sick with " la grippe," finally
running into a pneumonia fever. Mrs. A.
has had to be with him constantly, so that
her correspondence and other work had to
be neglected. She writes that she is almost
worn out. This will account for her de-
partment in the "Bee Journal" being
rather short lately. We hope Ives may
soon be all right again, and his mother
rested up and ready for business once more.

Xlie A. I. Root Co. is the way it will
be after Dec. 1. That's all we know about
it now— Nov. 24. Next week we may be
able to explain the why and the wherefore.

Sticky Fly-I»aper.— While flies don't
bother very much when the temperature
hovers around zero, still it will be well to
know how to catch flies when they are a
nuisance again. Mrs. A. L. Hallenbeck
wrote the following for the "Progressive
Bee-Keeper," some time ago, telling how
she manages to ornament a sheet of paper
with a lot of "stuck-up" flies that stick
themselves to it in a promiscuous and fairly
permanent fashion:

Take one pint castor-oil : }i pint honey,
and l]4 pounds resin. Heat the oil and
honey together ; when hot, add the resin;
stir till all is dissolved and thoroughly
mixed. Spread on paper, and place where
flies congregate. It makes no mess, and all
flies stick fast. Two sheets of paper may
be placed together, and when wanted,
pulled apart by warming a little by the fire.
It will not dry up for a long time. Enough
may be prepared at a time to last all the
season. The preparation can be kept in
any covered dish, and used when wanted.

AMERICAN BEE JOQRNAL.

679

j^Ir. R. F". Holtermanii— the new

President of the North American Bee-Keep-
ers' Association — we have the pleasure of
presenting to our readers this week by way
of a recent picture. Mr. H. was born in
Hamburg, Germany, June 14, 1860. When
two years old, his parents removed with
him to Canada, where, as nearly all know,
Mr. Holtermann still resides, and now

A

?■% m>

~ .^

-'^^m'^%^

S^^^.

''^■oIk '^

.*

V"-'. *

!

President B. F. lloltcnaann.

edits the " Canadian Bee Journal." If you
wish to see Mr. Holtermann personally —
and of course you do — be sure to attend the
meeting of the North American in Toronto,
Canada, next year — probably in September.
He will then wield the gavel, and show his
"State-ly cousins" how they run bee-con-
ventions in " The Land of the Canucks."

Xliat Italian-ISec History.— We

have received a lengthy reply from Mr. C.
J. Robinson, of Richford, N. Y., to the
comparatively brief article written by Mr.
M. M. Baldridge, and published on page
311. Mr. R.'s reply covers five pages of
closely written manuscript, and would
occupy not less than three full pages of the
"American Bee Journal." In the main,
the article is simply a repetitioii of what we

have already published from the pen of Mr.
R., and nothing additional to show that the
United States has ever paid a dollar to-
wards importing Italian bees. As we un-
derstand the position of Mr. Baldridge on
that point, it is simply this:

That the United States never paid a dol-
lar to Mr. Parsons, nor to any one else, for
the purchase of Italian bees, or on what is
now known as the "Parsons' importation
of Italian bees from Italy to the United
States;" and that there is nothing on
record in Washington to show to the con-
trary. As all the records are still on file
there, or should be, in regard to the rela-
tionship of Mr. Parsons, as agent of the
United States in Europe, Mr. Robinson
should lose no time to avail himself of the
opportunity to have those records searched,
and the proof brought forward for publica-
tion, in order to sustain his position that
the United States lost more or less money
in the transaction.

Mr. Baldridge claims, if we mistake not,
that Mr. Parsons paid for his purchase of
Italian bees in Italy, the cash out of his
own private purse ; that the United States
never re-imbursed him for so doing, nor in
fact ever made a promise or any effort
after the purchase was made to do so ; that
Mr. Parsons, in fact, was the real owner of
the bees that he bought for the United
States, and that he had both the moral and
legal right to ship the importation direct
to his home at Flushing, N. Y., and to keep
the bees in his possession until he had a
proper adjustment of the matter with the
Agricultural Department in Washington ;
that no adjustment was ever effected, and
consequently the United States never got
possession of any Italian bees. Mr. Par-
son's kept the bees and pocketed his loss,
saying nothing about the matter except to
a few personal friends — Father Langstroth
being one of them.

Mr. Baldridge claims to be in possession
of the entire history ; but he has, up to this
time, made no attempt to make it public,
preferring to keep "in the dark," so as to
draw out Mr. Robinson, and thereby make
him show how much or little he knows
about the true history of the case.

Mr. Baldridge, on page 311, made no
attempt to reply in full to all of Mr. Robin-
son's allegations, but will probably do so
by and by. This was done so as to confine
Mr. Robinson's reply to his charge, that

680

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Mr. Parsons was " dishonest," as agent for
the United States. As Mr. R. gives no
documentary proof of that charge, we must
therefore decline to publish his reply on
matters foreign thereto.

Xlie I.iOS Angeles Comity conven-
tion, of California, held its regular annual
session Nov. 12, in' Los Angeles. The offi-
cers elected for the ensuing year are as
follows :

President — Geo. W. Brodbeck, of Los
Angeles.

1st Vice-Pres.— Dr. G. A. Millard; 2nd.
Vice-Pres., Elon Hart.

Secretary — Allen Barnett, of Whittier;
Assistant Secretary, Dr. McDonald.

Treasurer — C. Bergk.

Executive Committee — W. S. Squire, and
W. P. Briggs.

Six new members were added to the roll.
Considering the season, there was a good
attendance. The subject of co-operation
was the principal theme of interest, and a
committee was appointed to formulate
plans and report at the next meeting, which
will be in December.

A Banqitet to Piiblisliers of ag-
ricultural periodicals was given by The
Frank B. White Company, special agricul-
tural advertising agents, of Chicago, at the
Grand Pacific Hotel last Thursday evening.
About 50 of the representative agricultural
editors and publishers of the United States
were present, and most heartily enjoyed
the sumptuous " spread" of good things for
the inner man, and thereafter listened un-
til almost midnight to " the feast of reason
and flow of soul." The writer was one of
the fortunates, and was delighted with the
commendable good feeling and utmost
harmony existing among all present, es-
pecially appreciating the "toasts" that
ware responded to by Mr. J. W. Wilson, of
the " Farm, Field and Fireside;" Mr. T. E.
Orr, of the "National Stockman;" Mr. W.
T. F. Bushnell, of the "Dakota Farmer;"
Mr. L. B. Kuhn, of the " Western Plow-
man;" Mr. Geo. S. Beck, of the "American
Farm News;" and Mr. A. B. Colton, special
solicitor of The Frank B. White Company.

After the toasts were responded to— all of
interest to agricultural publishers— differ-
ent representatives were called on for three-
minute speeches, among those responding

being Mr. F. B. Whitman, Chicago repre-
sentative of the " American Agriculturist ;"
the Lawrence brothers, of the "Michigan
Farmer " and the " Ohio Farmer;" Mr. E.
Chubb Fuller, of the "Agricultural Epi-
tomist;" Mr. Heath, of the "Nebraska
Farmer;" Solon L. Goode, of the "Ameri-
can Nonconformist;" the editor of the
"American Bee Journal," and others.

The object of the banquet was to consider
the mutual interests of the agricultural
publications of the United States, and to
endeavor to promote their general welfare,
particularly along the advertising line.

Permit me to say for the encouragement
of temperance people everywhere, that no
stronger drink than ice- water and coffee
were served at the banquet! Hurrah for
the Frank B. White Company and the agri-
cultural publishers ! The readers of farm
papers will be pleased to know that their
friends — the agricultural publishers and
editors— are, like themselves, no friends of
the saloon — the greatest curse on earth !

Inside I^ot Owtsicle.— In the second
line of the second paragraph on page 631,
raad i7isid€ instead of " outside of the hive."
Mr. Smith had it all right in his copy. It
was our mistake.

Eiglit ]^iiiiil>ers for lO Cents.—

Yes, we will send the last eight numbers of
the " American Bee Journal " for 1894, to
any 9i.ew name, for only 10 cents (stamps or
silver). Now, here's a good chance to get
some of your bee-keeping friends started in
taking the " Bee Journal " regularly. You
just get them to read the eight numbers
mentioned, and more than likely they will
want to keep it up after that. If you have
three bee-friends that you want should have
the eight numbers, send us 25 cents with
their names and addresses, and we will
mail them to each. Remember this offer is
for the laxi eiqhtnumhn-s of 1894— dated, Nov.
8, 15, 22 and 29 ; and Dec. 6, 13, 20 and 27.

If, then, at any time between now and
Feb. 1, 1895, you can secure the subscrip-
tions of these " short termers " for the year
1895, you can count them as new subscrib-
ers and get the premiums as per our offers
on page 702 of this issue. Eight "short
term" subscribers at 10 cents each, will
count the same as one new subscriber for a
year, in earning premiums.

If you wish sample copies to use in secur-
ing the " short term " or other subscribers,
let us know, and we will be glad to mail
them to you free.

We ought to add thousands of names to
our list on this very low offer— 8 numbers
for 10 cents ! Now in the lime for earnest work I

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

681

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 ^0 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.

Bearing- Brood on Sugar Syrup.

An old bee-keeper here tells me that
bees cannot rear brood on sugar syrup,
but must have honey to feed on. Is this
true ? I have been unable to find any-
thing touching this point in the bee
books or papers. J. E. B.

Answer.— I don't know that I can
give a categorical answer, only that in
hundreds of cases bees have wintered on
sugar syrup and commenced breeding in
the spring so far as yet heard from, just
the same as if they had honey.

Foul Brood— Convention Report.

1. Has there ever been any foul brood
in North Carolina and bordering States ?

2. Was there a report published of
the Carolina Bee-Keepers' Association,
which was to meet at Charlotte, N. C
Ju'y 1^ ? J. C. M.

Globe, N. C.

Answers.— 1. I don't remember to
have seen mention of foul brood there,
but it may exist for all that. If any one
knows of any, perhaps he will report.
It's generally safer to have an open than
a secret foe.

2. I have some doubt whether such
report was published, still there might
have been a very brief report that es-
caped my attention. There can hardly
be any satisfactory reason why North
and South Carolina should not have a
good convention and a good report.

Correct Spacing of Frames.

For correct spacing of frames in 8-
frame dovetailed hives, instead of using
% division-board why not space frames
dividing the % on either side between
the first comb and the side of the hive,
thereby giving more storage room for
honey, barring the inconvenience of in-
terchanging the two outside combs if
you should so wish ? c. B. H.

Answer. — The inconvenience you
mention is sufficient objection. Aside
from that, if you use fixed distances,
you couldn't easily crowd frames enough
to one side to get out the first frame. If
you use loose hanging frames you can
make it go all right. Still there would
be left the trouble that you'd have a lot
of deep storage cells outside that the
bees would have to cut down whenever
they wanted to put brood in the outside
comb.

Finishing Incomplete Sections.

At the time of taking off surplus, find-
ing some sections not complete (espe-
cially at the bottom), in returning to
the hive for completion, why not reverse
the sections, placing the most work to
finish at the top ? Is it not correct that
they work the more readily at the top of
their work ?

Answer.- Yes, bees seal up faster at
the top than at the bottom, and revers-
ing might hasten, providing there isn't
too much slant in the cells, as there is
sometimes when deep. But I find that
a re-arrangement of sections isn't gener-
ally a very satisfactory thing.

Those I¥ew Subscribers, that you
have long been thinking of getting, are
very likely ready now to give you their
names. You know that besides " throw-
ing m" the numbers for the rest of this
year to new subscribers for 1895, we also
give each one of them a free copy of the
160-page book, "Bees and Honey " Yes
and we wiU give you a premium for get^
!>«°£ -no^^B filbscribers, as you will see on
page r02. Better at once " get after " those
bee-keeping friends of yours, and secure
their subscriptions, so you can send it with
your own renewal before the end of Decem-
t^^u To double the present list of readers
^i. ^.,^™®'■i''^^,^®® Journal " will mean
more than a doubly better paper for all
We can guarantee that. If each subscriber

^a!^^I ° w^,?°® ''^7' ?*""«' the thing will be
done. Will you do it ?

682

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Our Bocwrs Himts.

By F. L. PEIRO. M. D.

McVicker's Building, Chicago, III.

An Acre of Rugged Health.

Every family on a farm should have an
acre of rugged health. City people, as
much as they can get— which is usually
little enough ! What mysteries and revela-
tions are contained in an acre of Mother
Earth 1 They only will know who per-
sonally and familiarly shake hands with
this silent but beneficent Force ! The. plan-
ning and the digging, the planting and the
watching, the joy of blossoms and delight
of reaping added to the benisons of sun-
light and fresh air— how all Nature smiles
at the glorious result? By all means deter-
mine on it, and let no obstacle shake you
from it.

Of course there will be opposition at first
from the head of the house. There usually
is, until the good wife shows the better
way? " O I don't want to fuss with a patch
of garden truck." No; oh, no, his lordship
can condescend to no such small things !—
but you insist on having that acre, not far
from the barn, plowed deep and fenced,
and you are mistress of the situation!
Along, and all around the fence, plant
berries of all kinds — black, rasp' and goose
berries. They take up little room, and will
afford luscious eating. Then measure off a
generously large square for a fine bed of
strawberries. Ah, just think of going out
there to pick a " mess " of the rubies every
day during their season !

Then comes your "tater" patch for
earlies, and the sweet-corn that makes the
children's eyes stick out ! And in that es-
pecially rich spot, right over there, put in
plenty seeds of water and musk melons. O
just look at them grow ! What a feast till
frost comes! And the lettuce, beans, " cow-
cumbers," spinach for " greens," and rad-
dishes that bite ; peas that children delight
to shell, and onions that make you cry
whether there is anything the matter with
you or not !

Of course you won't forget to set out a
few apple and cherry trees- they always do
well. Might try a few peach and plum
trees, they rrtrt?/ fruit. But one more plant
you must remember — pie-plant — lots of it.
Whether stewed or " pied "—it's always

fine ! It can be canned for winter, and no
better, healtheir food (luxury, rather)
grows anywhere.

And don't forget the flowers— any and all
kinds, not omitting roses and hollyhocks,
pansies and forget-me-nots. In your efforts
to do all this, you have coaxed the very
sunlight into your heart. You have ex-
tracted for yourself and children that
richest of blessings— rugged health. You
have taught that " horrid man " a lesson
of woman's ingenuity, and will have the
satisfaction of seeing in that husband's
wistful gaze the unuttered eulogy, "Ah,
Jenny dear, that's a pretty big head on
those small shoulders!" And in the future
he is yours to command !

Hard Hearing.

What has been said of causes of coughs,
on page 634, applies with special force to
difficulty of hearing. It is frequently no-
ticed that from the same exposures sud-
denly one will become, in a manner, deaf.
This is particularly the case in persons who
have a catarrhal difficulty of the nose or
throat. A chilling exposure aggravates
the catarrh, closing the canals that connect
the ears with the throat, preventing the
free entrance and exit of air, thus produc-
ing dullness of hearing. Sometimes these
tubes become permanently closed, in which
case restoration of hearing is impossible.
Or inflammation of the internal ear may
occur, resulting in suppuration, which may
occasion rupture of the drum of the ear,
that the discharge of matter be accelerated.
Such results often attend acute catarrhal
conditions. This accident often impairs
hearing permanently.

Then, too, the impaction of hardened
wax in the ear is another cause of deafness ;
so are polyps or foreign substances in the
ear. These conditions frequently give rise
to disturbing noises in the ears— snapping,
cracking, hissing sounds that almost drive
one to dispair ! Very many of these wretch-
ed results can be obviated by more care of
one's self than usual, and if attacked, by
proper, though simple treatment. Warmth
is one of the first comforts necessary to re-
lief or cure— either in bed or comfortable
room. In the more acute conditions, take
No. 1 (of the new remedies out of the " Bee
Journal " Remedy Case) every hour for a
few days, until all fever and acute condi-
tions have subsided, then take No. 13 every

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

683

four hours, during the day, until quite re-
covered.

If much noise in the ear continues, take
No. 14 night and morning. An occasional
dose of No. 11 will do much to prevent the
complications above mentioned.

I am certain the use of the remedies con-
tained in the "Bee Journal " Remedy Case
may save hundreds of dollars' expense to
many a household.

CONYE]!lfTIO]V DIRECTORY.

Time and place of meeting.

1894.
Dec. 4. 5.— Nebraska State, at Auburn, Nebr.
L. D. Stilson, Sec . York, Nebr.

Dec. 5.— Central California, at Hanford.

J. F. Fiory, Sec, Lemoore, Calif.

Dec. 6.— Carolina, at Charlotte, N. C.

A. L. Beach, Sec, Steel Creek. N. C.

Dec. 10.— W. Washing-ton, at Tacoma.

G. D. Littooj', Sec, Tacoma. Wash.

Dec.18, 19— Northern Illinois. atRockford.Ill.

B. Kennedy, Sec, New Milford, 111.
1895.

Jan. 2. 3.— Michigan State, at Detroit, Mich.
W. Z. Hutchinson, Sec, Flint. Mich.

Jan. 9.— Indiana State, at Indianapolis, Ind.
Walter S. Pouder, Pres., Indianapolis, Ind.

Jan. 21, 22 — Colorada State, at Denver, Colo.
H. Knight, Sec, Littleton, Colo.

Jan. 22-24.— Ontario, at Stratford. Ont.

W. Couse. Sec, Streetville, ont.

Jan. 28.— Venango Co.. at Franklin. Pa.

C. S. Pizer, Sec, Franklin, Pa.

Jan. 30, 31.— Vermont, at Middlebury, Vt.
H. W. Scott, Sec, Barre, Vt.

Feb. 8, 9.— Wisconsin, at Madison. Wis.

J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec, Madison, Wis.

. .—North American, at Toronto, Can.

Frank Benton, Sec. U. S. Dept. Agriculture,
Washington, D. C.

J^~ 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 Bditob.

North American Bee-Keepers' Association

OFFICERS FOR 1895.

Pres.— R. F. Holtermann Brantford, Ont.

Vice-Pres.— L. D. Stilson York, Nebr.

Secretary.— W. Z. Hutchinson... Flint, Mich.
Treasurer.— J. T. Calvert Medina, Ohio.

National Bee-Keepers' Union.

President— Hon. R. L. Taylor . .Lapeer, Mich.
Gbn'l Manager— T. G. Newman, Chicago, 111.
147 South Western Avenue.

Great Premiums on page 702 l

conducted by
MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY.

Beeville, Texas.

A Bee-Meeting Explanation.

Some are asking me about the half-
fare rate, and wishing to come to the
convention and remain here, expecting
to get half-rates to the bee-meeting. I
will say that the railroads will not give
a half-rate on account of the bee-meet-
ing— it is for the regular Christmas holi-
day excursions that half-rates are usually
given, and our railroads here always
give such rates at Christmas time.

But if you wish to take advantage of
the half-rate and then remain here, your
only chance is to buy an excursion ticket
to San Antonio, and sell your ticket to
the brokers for what you can get. Other-
wise you would have to pay full fare.
San Antonio is 90 miles north of Bee-
ville. Jennie Atchley.

The South for Work and

Mrs. Atchley : — I have become very
much interested in your "Sunny South-
land" department in the "American Bee
Journal." As I am thinking of going
South in the near future, I wish to ask
your opinion of the advisability of such
as I to come to that country.

I am a single man — an engineer and
machinest by trade — and at present I am
out of employment, which is the case
with thousands of others in this country.
I also have some knowledge of the bee-
business, having kept bees for a number
of years on a small scale, and never
allow anything to go unread on the sub-
ject of bees, that comes under my notice.

What I would like to do is to go to a
country where the expense and risk in
wintering is done away with, as I find
that is the greatest drawback in keeping
bees in this part of the country. Do you
think it advisable for me to go to Texas
expecting to find work in my line of
business, with the object in view of some

684

AMERICAN BEE JOURMAj_,

day to embark in the bee-business ? Of
course I would be willing to work at
anything that I could do, if I could not
get work at my trade.

The main object in writing this is to
find out, should a man come to that
country (without capital), could he find
plenty of work to make a living? Or
has the country already more workmen
than are needed ? Subsckiber.

Northern Minnesota, Nov. 10.

Friend S., I do not think it would be
advisable to come to Beeville just now
expecting work. However, you might
find work here. There are four to six
brick houses going up in Beeville nearly
all the time, but 1 think there are plenty
of laborers here now. I am not posted
in regard to machine work, as my time
is almost wholly taken up with the bees,
and I have no time to investigate such
things ; but San Antonio, 90 miles north
of here, is a city of 60,000 inhabitants,
and has considerable public work going
on constantly, and you would be likely
to find employment there, or at some
other towns in southwest Texas.

There is no winter loss here in bees
caused from cold, as it does not get very
cold here. But bees can be neglected
here and allowed to starve to death in
winter, etc.

I think you would better come and
look at the country before you move.
Jennie Atchley.

Bee-Management in Florida.

[Owing to the severe Illness of her
son, Mrs. Atchley has been hindered in
preparing and forwarding matter for
this department, so we take the follow-
ing from "Gleanings" for Nov. 15,
being from a " Sunny Southland" bee-
keeper. Mr. Mitchell's crop this year
was 21,500 pounds from 57 colonies,
spring count. — Editor.]

I use the 8-frame dovetailed hive, 3
stories high, exclusively, in my own
apiary. For several years I used the
two-story 10-frarae hive, but greatly
prefer the 8-frame three stories high, as
it enables ino to gain all the advantages
of a large hive without having to do any
heavy lifting. 1 use seven frames in the
two upper stories for extracting from,
and practice tiering up to thoroughly
ripen my honey ; at the same time I give
the bees plenty of room to store.

I extract from the upper story, then

lift up the second one, and place the ex-
tracted one underneath. This placing"
of seven empty combs right in the mid-
dle of the hive seems to incite the bees
to do their best to fill that empty space j
for the way they will pile the honey in
there is astonishing. In the meantime
the full combs in the upper story, being
In the warmest part of the hive, are
thoroughly ripened and capped over
ready for extracting by the time the
second story is full enough to be lifted
up. I claim by this method to obtain
more well-ripened honey than would be
possible with a two-story hive.

Equally good results could be obtained
with the 10-frame hive worked in the
same manner, but it is too heavy to
handle ; but I find I can handle the 8-
frame body, with seven frames of honey,
without any great muscular effort, al- •
though I am anything but a Hercules.

Having three stories entails some ex-
tra handling to lift the second story off,
put the empty one In place, and the full
one on too again ; but to offset that, a
little smoke puffed Into a third story of
capped honey depopulates it of bees to
such an extent that the brushing off is a
small matter compared to the same op-
eration with a two-story hive. Then
there is less trouble with swarming, less
hanging out, and making increase Is as
easy as falling off a log. I merely lift
off the third story, see that it has a
frame of brood in all stages ; move the
two lower stories to a new location,
leaving the single story in the old. The
bees already on the combs, reinforced
by the field-bees, give me a strong colony
that never fails to rear a good lot of
queen-cells.

In extracting I run honey from the
extractor through cheese-cloth into a
large tank holding about 1,600 pounds,
where it stays until 1 need more room,
when I draw it off from the bottom into
barrels, for shipment.

H. W. Mitchell,.

Hawk's Park, Fla.

**I<^o«l lSi-oo<l ; 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 sold at the office of the Bee Jour-
nal. Price, postpaid, 25 cents ; or clubbed
with the i)EE JouKNAL for one year— both
together for $1.15.

Have You Bead the wonderful Pre-
mium offers on page 702 ?

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

685

Best Size of Frames and the
IVumber to the HiTe.

Query 950.— 1. Without taking into con-
sideration the desirability of conforming to a
standard size, would an eight-frame hive hav-
ing frames of the Langstroth length and 11%
inches deep, be better than an ordinary eight-
frame hive ?

2. If so, why ? and if not, why not ?

3. Would it be better than a ten-frame
Langstroth hive ?

4. If so, why ? and if not, why not?

5. If there were no standard, what would
you consider the best depth for a frame of
Langstroth length, and how many of them
should be in a hive, if the frames are all in
one story ?— Colo.

I am not prepared to answer these
questions. — M. Mahin.

I don't know. I'm open to conviction
all around. — C. C. Miller.

In my out-aplary I use a 10-frame
Langstroth hive, and consider it next
best to the Gallup frame.— G. M. Doo-

LITTLE.

I have always used the Langstroth
frame, eight to a hive, and have had no
experience with any oiher. — Mks. L.
Haerison.

2. Too deep for best results in comb
honey. 3. No. 4. Same reasons as
above. 5. Regular standard 10 frames.
— S. I. Freeborn.

1. I should not prefer it. 2. Too deep.
3. No. 4. Too deep. 5. A frame of
the Langstroth size, and 9 or 10 to the
hive.— J. P. H. Brown.

1 and 2. Better for winter, and not so
good for section honey. 8. Better for
winter, and for all purposes quite likely
as good as any.— P. H. Elwood.

1. No. 2. Because I would rather
make the Langstroth frame shallower
than deeper. 3. No. 4. Because it
would be too deep. 5. About l}i inches,
10 frames to the hive, would be the best
for honey-production, I think.— J. A.
Green.

1. No. 2. Because you could get no
better results, and it would cost more.
3. No. 4. You could get no extra re-
sults. 5. Just as now made— 8.— B.
Taylor.

1. Yes, I think so. 2. Because it
would give more comb surface. 3 and 4.
I don't know. 5. I prefer the standard

Langstroth frame with 10 in a hive.

W. G. Larrabee.

1. For your State I don't know what
would be most desirable. 5. I doubt
whether an all-around frame can be
suggested that would be better than the
Langstroth.— Eugene Secor.

I use the regular Langstroth frame, 8
in each story, and 3 stories high for ex-
tracted honey. The Langstroth frame
is good enough— why bother or putter
with odd-sized frames ?— E. France.

1. We wish to work for comb honey,
and shallow hives are best. 2. I prefer
the regular 8-frame hive. 3. I doubt if
one uses a hanging frame if there is any
better hive than Langstroth 8-frame,
regular standard size.— A. J. Cook.

1. Decidedly no. 2. For extracted
honey there would be little objection,
but for comb honey the bees have too
far to travel. 3. I think not. 4. Be-
cause Langstroth is standard. 5. I
should prefer 10 frames not over T
irfches deep.— C. H. Dibbern.

1. Yes. 2. Because I prefer a large
brood-chamber. 3. It might be just as
good if it had as much room. 4. Same
as No. 2. 5. I like the dimensions of a
10-frame Langstroth. I think if the
frames were deeper the bees would con-
sume the more time in their travels.

Jas. a. Stone.

1. I believe for a cold climate they
would be preferable. 2. It gives more
cubic inches of brood space, hence more
populous colonies. 3. Try it and report
through the " American Bee Journal "
I don't know. 5. At a guess, the dimen-
sions you give and 10 frames to a hive
— J. M. Hambaugh.

If you have in view the safe wintering
of the bees, the deeper the frame the
better. If you consider ease of hand-
ling, etc., to the exclusion of the benefits
to be derived by a deep frame for win-
tering, the Langstroth frame is the best
This answers all of the questions —
Emerson T. Abbott.

1. No, worse. 2. The frames are too
deep, and the hive holds too much comb
3. No. 4. The 10-frarae hive presents
more top surface for the sections with-
out being materially larger than the one

686

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi-,

proposed, while the latter would have
more honey at the tops of the frames,
which is a serious evil. 5. I much pre-
fer the sectional hive ; barring that I
should prefer a hive shallower than the
Langstroth hive rather than deeper. —
R. L. Tayloe.

It all depends. There are so many
things to be taken into consideration. I
have always thought the Langstroth
frame was too long for its depth. My
best success was with a frame shorter
and deeper than the Langstroth ; yet at
same time I had in use 880 Langstroth
frames.— H. D. Cutting.

1. I think not. 2. Look at a strong
colony clustered on the ordinary frame,
and you will see by the shape and size
of the cluster, that it is very well adapt-
ed to their needs. 3. Yes, I think so.

4. There is not so much empty space to
be kept warm. 5. Eight frames, 9 J^
inches deep. — Mrs. J. N. Heateb.

1. No, it would not. The reguUir size
is deep enough. 2. Experience is the
best teacher, and the great majority of
Langstroth hives over all others in use,
is the "why." 3. This is a mooted
question. I prefer the 10-frame hive.

5. The regular size that has been used
so many years, and found to be "the
thing." — J. E. Pond.

1. I think not. 2. Because time and
use has proven that the Langstroth
frame is not too shallow to hurt. Be-
sides, you are not bound to use only 8
frames ; if your bees need more comb
space, use 10 frames. 3. No. 4. Be-
cause I can't see it. 5. I would say 8
inches, and 10 frames in each depart-
ment.— G. W. Demaree.

1. No, it would not, though such a
depth would be perhaps as good for ex-
tracting. 2. A deep frame is not as
good in producing comb honey as a shal-
low one. 3. No. 4. Because bees will
store more comb honey over a shallow
frame. 5. A brood-frame 7 inches deep,
like the Nonpareil, 8 to the brood-cham-
ber, gives the best results for comb
honey.— G. L. Tinker.

1. Too much comb and weight in a
frame that size for me. I do not think
It would be as good. 2. Too deep for
easy manipulation. If I were going to
change the Langstroth frame at all in
depth, I would make it shallower rather
than deeper. 3 and 4. No; for reasons
stated above. 5. About 7 inches deep,
10 frames to a hive ; and with my ex-
perience I would have a hive only one-
story for either comb or extracted honey.
— Mrs. Jennie Atchley.

The Langstroth frame has always
been my favorite, but I have often
thought I would like to try a Langstroth
frame one inch deeper — improvement (if
there be any possible) being obviously in
that direction. I doubt the wisdom of
carrying it so far as the figures you
mention. An 8-frame hive of this en-
larged size would undoubtedly be liberal
enough in size. — W. M. Barnum.

We would use 10 frames, say 12
inches deep, and of Langstroth length-
Our reasons are that the queen always
lays eggs in a circle, and she should be
able to lay as large an amount as pos-
sible without having to hunt. For this
reason a shallower frame is objection-
able. Another point in favor of the
deeper frame is in the need of honey
over the brood-nest in extreme cold
weather, as the bees often starve when
the honey supply fails above them. A
square frame would be better than any
other, if it were not that it leaves too
little room above for surplus cases,
which compels tiering up too high. —
Dadant & Son.

Queens and. Qiieen-Rearinjs:* —

If you want to know how to have queens
fertilized in upper stories while the old
queen is still laying below ; how you may
safely introduce any queen, at any time of
the year when bees can fly ; all about the
diflPerent races of bees ; all about shipping
queens, queen-cages, candy for queen-
cages, etc. ; all about forming nuclei, mul-
tiplying or uniting bees, or weak colonies,
etc. ; or, in fact, everything about the
queen-business which you may want to
know — send for Doolittle's " Scientific
Queen-Rearning " — a book of over 170
pages, which is as interesting as a story.
Here are some good ofifers of this excelleni}
book:

Bound in cloth, postpaid, $1.00 ; or clubbed
with the Bbk Jouknal for one year — both
for only $1.6.5 ; or given free as a premium
for sending us three new subscribers to the
Bee Journal for a year at $1.00 each.

Bound in paper cover, postpaid, 6.5 cents ;
or given free as a premium for sending us
two new subscribers; or clubbed with the
Bee Journal a year — both for only $1.40.
Send all orders to the Bke Journal office.

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.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL

687

t^ >i)( >i<( >i^ >te >V. >i< >i< >i<< xtx xtx xtx >!<^ >!< >t/^ >te >^c ■xi*^ >i<c xV >.tx \U. >i/. \*k >iK yJM. -fiK ^

OBSBRVAXIOXS AP^D EXPERIMENTS.

Toronto Island— Queen-Rearing and Mating— Other Inter-
esting Apiarian Matters.

BY JOHN M'ARTHUR.

Before going into details on queen-rearing, permit me to give a description of
our lovely island.

Toronto Island is a tract of land formed of sand washed up by the rivers —
Niagara, Don and Humbee — situated in Lake Ontario directly in front of the city of
Toronto, Ont., Canada, distant from main land two or more miles. It embraces
5,000 acres; width across 1% miles. Ten years ago it was a barren desert. Since
then Toronto has doubled its population, which is now 188,000. A demand was
made for more park accommodation, 300 acres being set apart for that purpose on
the Island. Thousands of nectar-producing trees have been planted, clover grows
luxuriantly, and yields nectar until the middle of September. The "desert "now
" blossoms as the rose." Thousands of citizens, and many United States people,
visit the park during the summer months. It is one of the city's attractions. A
great many summer residences occupy the south and west shores. The light-house,
hospital for sick children, and Hanlan's hotel on the west, and Wiman's baths on
the east, are points of attraction. No liquor is allowed to be sold. The city owns
the island, and you are not allowed to put anything on the island without a permit —
not even bees. Ferry boats run every half hour from Yonge, Brock and Church
streets wharfs. Postal collections and deliveries are made twice daily ; it also
has telephone connections.

The attempt was made ten years ago to rear queens. Owing to its bareness it
had it be abandoned. Then my attention was turned to the necessity of seeding the
island, which has been going on ever since. During the last four years a small
apiary has been maintained, last summer numbering 45 colonies. The prospects
for 1894 were to make the apiary a little attractive. The islanders patronize me,
and buy considerable honey. It is a fine center for selling honey, as many as 7,000
people being found in the park during the warm days of summer. Some days a
rousing trade is done.

The flora of the island is very limited, consisting of sweet clover and scarlet
lobelia — a very handsome flower, producing an excellent honey. Asters and golden-
rod are to be seen in little patches. With the amount of sweet clover sown last
season, there should be several hundred acres next season in blossom — enough to
support quite an apiary, and will then be one of the best, if not the very best, on
the continent for queen-rearing and experimental purposes. It is somewhat ex-

688 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

posed, and liable to be laid waste by hurricanes, which will have to be guarded
against. Three of those storms visited the island in July, August and October,
1893. The first did not do much damage. On Aug. 17, it came nearly annihilat-
ing us. It left only five standing colonies. I stuck to my post and kept setting
them up as they were blown down, to save my fine queens, but it was of no use, as
it lasted so long. At last I was blown against a small tree, and there anchored.
On Oct. 15 it was just about as bad, but I was prepared. The loss was not so
serious as it was disappointing, as some 30 customers had to do without queens.
With this exception, the island is perfect for queen-rearing and other experiments
that may require isolation.

Cakniolan Bees. — I commenced with Carniolans first, because I found them a
very gentle bee and amiable in disposition. My home yard, of 250 colonies some-
times, was within 50 feet of the busiest thoroughfare of the city, and demanded
gentle bees. After breeding them some time I saw one objection — the great diffi-
culty in find the queens. They were very shy, always seeking cover. The bees
behave beautifully on the combs, and the queen hides so among them, with such a
similarity in color, that in strong colonies it was almost impossible to find her.

Another good feature of Carniolans is, they wintered well. They looked so
well that in the winter, or rather spring, of 1890 I sold right out of the cellar 165
colonies on April 1, to the Ontario Honey & Apiary Company, and 50 more to
another bee-keeper, leaving me with only 33 in the home yard ; those produced
four tons of beautiful honey, besides plenty in the brood-chambers to bring them to
a new crop. The perfect bee, I thought, if they had the yellow color.

I then selected the best queen and reared nine from her, and sent them to the
island and with hand-picked yellow drones from my best and gentlest yellow colony in
one of my out yards. I was successful in mating only one. This cross produced
workers about half Italian and half Carniolan. As soon as this queen produced
eggs they were given to a colony to rear queens from, and crossed again with the
same drones. This was repeated four times in 1890, the first cross showing the
most marked results. Any change after that was slow and gradual. Four straight
crosses were made before much change was seen in the drones. You could see the
change first'on the underside of the abdomen, becoming lighter colored. The bronze
coloring gradually rose up and closed over the first segment next to the thorax. At
the eighth cross, yellow blotches or patches could be seen making their appearance
all over the abdomen, more especially on the three upper segments. At this cross
the^workers were evenly marked three-banded. It has taken eight more crosses to
produce the fourth and fifth bands. The seventeenth cross brings 100 per cent. 5-
banded. The drones are not so bright as I would like. But many are the bee-
keepers that would be satisfied with them, and think them perfect.

In using the term "cross," or " crosses," it might be as well to make an expla-
nation, not wishing to be misunderstood. We will term it "in-and-in breeding."
The sire dies at mating, and the dam mates only once in a lifetime. If it can be
termed " in-and-in breeding," then it is not what stock-breeders would call "close
breeding." Sire and daughter cannot couple, nor dam and son. The drones used
in breeding have been the progeny of one queen for four years. The queens have
been bred in a direct line from the Carniolan, and selecting those of the most uni-
form color, there being considerable difference, and I am not able to fathom nor
give a reason why a queen producing uniform stock — say every worker three-
banded, or four— should not produce every queen evenly marked. They don't,
some being entirely golden, some with black tip, others two-bands, while some are
nearly all black. The last two queens hatched were from a pure yellow queen, and

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 689

workers evenly marked four-banded. Both queens were black. They were hatched
in a black colony. Did the nurse-bees efifect them In any way? Whatever way they
came thus colored, it was the law of atavism or ancestral influence, I suppose.
Those if mated to yellow drones produce as bright stock as the yellowest queens,
and evenly marked.

In thus breeding, I have been able to establish the gentle character of the Car-
niolan, larger workers than the original, with from three to five yellow bands, good
honey-gatherers, and good to winter. Such can be handled without smoke or vail,
at any hour of the day, whether honey is plentiful or not. The queens and drones
are completely yellow. We invite inspection, and with the greatest of pleasure
welcome all who love and follow bee-keeping. Come and see them handled. To
have such makes bee-keeping easy, and causes it to lose its terrors. One prominent
bee-keeper objected to them because they were too quiet. " Everybody would keep
bees and spoil the business," was the remark made.
(Concluded next week.)

SIIUPIvE: HIVE-COIVSXRUCTIOX, ETC.

BY EDWIN BEVINS.

On page 600, Dr. Miller indulges in some criticisms of my tailless dovetailed
hives. That is all right, Doctor. I have been expecting that some .one would
sooner or later criticise them in just that way. I wish here to proclaim that the
changes were not made with any idea that they would be improvements. The point
I wished to make was, that any man who felt disposed could make a very satisfac-
tory hive with inexpensive tools, and save some money by so doing. When it is
desirable to tier up hive-bodies, it may be better to have hives of different construc-
tion, but as long as I use them only to put section-cases on, I think I shall run up
against no very serious difficulties in their management. When my bees store sur-
plus enough to more than pay for sugar for winter feed, I may buy dovetailed hives
of the orthodox pattern. But, come to think of it again, I don't like the orthodox
style. The alighting space is too narrow, and so I make my bottom-boards two feet
long, and nail a piece of wood two inches square under each end, the front one just
even with the end of the board, and the rear one an inch or two from the end.

I fail to see what serious objection Dr. Miller can have to the cleats projecting
below the cover. With the grooved cleat, a part of it projects below and a part
above the cover. The part above the cover hinders the flow of water when it rains
and moisture gets in between the cleat and the end of the board, causing them to
swell, and then they shrink and check, and decay eventually sets in. If the cleat
does not project below the cover, the cover very easily gets out of place. I make
the cover long enough to acccommodate a cleat so heavy that the cover cannot
warp, and when placed on the hive it stays where you put it without the aid of hive-
hooks or stones. This cover has the advantage of being perfectly smooth on top
These covers and bottom-boards cost less than 5 cents each for material.

I confess that when hives are to be piled up there is some advantage in not
having any entrances cut in the hive body, but where one winters bees on the sum-,
mer stands, there is not much piling up to do. My experience is yet too limited to
enable me to understand the necessity for having hives that leave no space below
the frames when placed on a flat surface. I make them in the way outlined in a
former article, because I can make them easier with the tools I have than I can
make them with grooved cleats and % inch strips. They answer my purpose very
well, and save me some money. But I suspect that this subject has little or no in

690 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL-.

terest for most of the readers of the " American Bee Journal," and is not worth>
space in its columns. So I will say no more about it.

My allusion to the sugar-honey discussion in a former article, was not intended
or expected to revive interest in the matter. We all supposed the thing to be dead
and buried, and its little body nicely tucked around with a blanket of sweet ob-
livion. We were all rejoicing that the thing was so early done for, and wondering
what in the world it was ever begun for. Let there be for it no resurrection.

The handsomest apology a man can make for an error of opinion, honestly held,
is to abandon it as soon as its character comes to be understood. If anybody tried
to extort from Prof. Cook any other kind of apology, Dr. Miller was right in defend-
ing him against such humiliation. Leon, Iowa.

THE NORTH AMERICAI*— SOME SUGGESTIONS.

BY F. H. KICHARDSON.

The Quarter Centennial meeting of the North American Bee-Association has
been held — the St. Joseph convention is a matter of memory, and the Toronto meet-
ing is something to be talked of and discussed. The writer had the pleasure and
profit of attending the St. Joseph convention, and while on the whole the time is
considered to have been well spent, yet there were things which were to some extent
disappointing, and of these I would speak.

Prominent among the convention features which I would condemn, is the read-
ing of lengthy and unprofitable essays to the exclusion of the discussion of practical
questions. To illustrate: The writer, at the convention, placed in the question-
box two questions, viz : '' What steps can be taken to prevent the bees from sticking"
the frames, hive, sections and covers fast with propolis ?" "Would it not be better
to divide the North American Bee-Keepers' Association into four general divisions-
North, East, South and West divisions — with four divisional meetings per year at
diflferent times?" These questions I believe to be intensely practical. The nuisance
of glued-up frames, hive, sections and covers, could, I believe, be entirely done
away with, with slight cost; and the division of the North American Bee-Keepers'
Association I believe to be essential to its continued prosperity. Yet these questions
were entirely crowded out by the reading of essays, which, while valuable in them-
selves, have their proper place in our bee-papers, and not in our conventions, where,
by reason of the peculiar conditions, but few of their valuable points are brought out.

Take, for instance, the essay of Secretary Frank Benton, which was, I believe,
one of the most valuable read, and was really a very enjoyable work ; yet, in view
of the fact that it was likely to appear a little later in the " American Bee Journal,"
I claim it was a waste of time to read it in convention.

How, then, would you employ the time, did I hear some one say ? Well, first
and foremost I would transact all the necessary business of the convention, and
employ all other available time in the discussion of such practical questions as
might be brought up.

If I rightly understand the aim and object of the North American Bee-Keepers'
Association, it is principally to bring about sociability and an exchange of ideas
amongst bee-keepers, by bringing in personal contact at the annual meetings those
who otherwise would probably never meet. If the Association has any other impor-
tant object, I fail to discover it from a study of the Constitution. Such being the
case, it therefore follows that the meetings are the whole life of the Association,
and it also follows that the more meetings that are held (within reasonable limits).

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 691

the more good the Association will do, and the more prosperous it will become. One
thing is certain — an annual meeting is not sufficient. There should be a meeting in
the East, West, South and Center each year.

I notice on page 536, that Mr. Craycraft advocates two meetings a year, and
according to his plan we would have a meeting in each section once in three years.
Well, Friend C, once in three years may do for you, but I like to "shoot off my
mouth " too well to wait so long for a chance to talk, ask questions, and get sat
down upon by both the President and Dr. Miller ! No, sirree ! I want a meeting in
the East, South, Center and West (not Dr. Miller's " West," i. e., Missouri, but in
Utah or California) each year, and this is how I would do it :

I advocate dividing the Association into four general divisions, viz : Eastern,
Western, Central and Southern — each division be separate and distinct, except that
they all be under an advisory council consisting of the ex-presidents of each division
for the two preceding years. That is, supposing it to be now arranged that way,
the ex-presidents of 1893 and 1894 would be the council at this time, and next
year the ex-presidents of 1893 would vacate in favor of the ex-presidents of 1895.
This council would act as a sort of "check" on the divisions, by arbitrating any
differences which might arise, and except that the divisions all work under the same
Constitution, and be bound to send at least one delegate to the meetings of each
other division.

This would fix it so that all could attend a meeting each year, and by the dele-
gates, the whole country would be represented at each meeting. Each division
should be so strong in members that it would be no hardship to send the delegates,
and pay all his, her, or their expenses.

Now the foregoing is but a rough outline, and only intended to provoke discus-
sion. I am convinced that some such scheme of division could be successfully
worked to the great benefit of all concerned. Now all of you get up and make your
speech, and let us know what your ideas are. Laclede, Mo.

[The above is just in the line of what is needed — a discussion and suggestions
looking toward an Improvement in the work of the North American. We are glad
Bro. Richardson is doing his part in trying to keep the ball rolling, that we started
on page 423, where we suggested " semi-annual meetings." Of course he " goes us
two better," but no matter, we are sure only good can result from an examination
of all the individual theories and ideas on this subject, if we can only find out what
they really are, or what is earnestly desired by the majority of those interested.—
Editob. ]

BIORH CALIFORNIA NOTES.

[On page 628 we published some notes by Mr. W. A. Pryal, on his trip in the
northern part of California, while he was out with Mr. Martin (Rambler) and Mr.
Wilder. Below we give some more from Mr. Pryal's graphic pen, that was written
quite awhile ago, but will be just as interesting now. The letter was dated at
Brocksburg, Humboldt county. — Editor.]

The woods are said to be full of wild honey-bees here. At Lower Lake, in Lake
county, Mr. Martin called upon a gentleman who had located in that town during
the last year, having come from Washington or Oregon, I forget which. In January
and February, of this year, he cut 54 bee-trees, and captured the colonies. He has
something like 60 colonies now (Sept. 10), all obtained this year. He reports the
sale of $96 worth of honey as the result of the past season's work. He has faith in
the possibilities of Lake county as a bee-section.

At Lakeport, in the same county, I called upon Mr. M. B. Morby, to whom I
sold some Italian queens last spring. He had been a bee-keeper in his native

692

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Sweden, and since his arrival in this country, five years ago, he has given some at-
tention to bees. He keeps them according to modern methods. He has been at
Lakeport for some years, and during all that time he has found that bees do well
every year. He began operations by keeping his bees in the hive he used in his
fatherland. It is a long hive, quite deep and narrow, the frame being, I should
judge, 14 inches deep. A couple of years ago one colony, in one of these hives,
yielded 900 pounds of honey. How is that for Lake county ? What part of the
United States can do better ? That beats the report of B. P. Carroll, of Texas,
who some ten years or so ago reported 1,000 pounds from one colony and its in-
crease. The Lakeport colony, so Mr. Morby says, gave the 900 pounds itself, with-
out the aid of its increase. I did not learn whether the colony swarmed that year
or not.

This year Mr. M.'s bees have done well. During my visit at the very beginning
of September, they were bringing in much honey, and storing it in the surplus
apartments. At my home (North Temescal, Alameda county), at the same time,
my bees were bringing in only enough to barely live on. We have few flowers in
summer and fall there.

In the same county (Lake) I saw a small apiary composed of box-hives, I did
not stop to enquire if the bees did well or not. I do not suppose their owner would
be able to tell, anyway, for what box-hive bee-keeper is able to judge of such mat-
ters ? We learned that there was a man some distance back of Lakeport, who kept
bees, but we did not call on him.

At this place (Brocksburg), we called at Mr. Hope's. He is keeping 12 colonies
in old-style Langstroth hives. (By the way, Mr. Morby, referred to above, has
adopted the 8-frame dovetailed hive, as made at a factory in this State). Mr.
Hope's bees did well until he removed the hives beneath the dense shade of the trees
back of his house. His home is on an eminence immediately overlooking the little
town, and part of his land was pine and brush land, he having cleared it oflf. He
has a fine young orchard which is now yielding largely of luscious fruit. He is
showing the people of this grazing country what can be done in the fruit line. I
have seen a few other places, so far in this country, where they have thrifty fruit-
trees, heavily laden with as fine appearing fruit as I have ever seen in this State.
One thing I notice is, that the fruit crop is much later hereabouts than it is in the
counties within a radius of 50 miles of San Francisco. Of course this is well toward
the northern portion of this State ; besides, the latitude is much higher than the
famed fruit sections of California, Still, perhaps, some day, when there is a rail-
road through these counties, and the largo sheep ranges are divided up into small
holdings, there may be more fruit grown, and the country may wear a more pros-
perous appearance than it now does.

I was astonished to find so much timber land in Lake, Mendocino and Hum-
boldt counties. I knew that there were many big trees in these counties, but I did
not think that there was such an endless profusion of it. With all the big valleys,
to say nothing of the southern deserts of the State that are treeless, still there is
more than enough timber along the coast in the Sierras to more than compensate
for the want of trees in the former portions of this wonderland.

' W. A. Pryal.

Jt^" "People about here say they cannot
aflPord to take the 'Bee Journal.' They
say the bee-business does not pay enough ;
but I tell them that the ' American Bee

Journal ' is a good paper — that it tnakes the
business pay. So send it another year." —
Wm. F. Lancaster, of Indiana, Nov. 15,

181)4.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

693

PKOCEEDING-S

OF THE

Twenty-Fifth Annual JMeeting

OF THE

NORTH AIHERICAN

BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.

BY FRANK BENTON, SEC.

[Continued from page 530.]
The convention re-assembled at 2 p.m.
The Secretary's report was called for,
read and accepted.

Report of Secretary.

As Secretary, I wish to report, first,
that membership-cards like those which
have been received by nearly all present,
were mailed to the names and addresses
of all who are recorded in the published
proceedings of the Association for the
last seven years ; also to some other bee-
keepers whose addresses were available.
Eight hundred of them were printed.
Over 600 of which, with space for the
signature of Treasurer left blank were
signed by myself and sent out. All the
recipient needed to do was to forward
the card with dues to the Treasurer,
whose signature made it a receipt for
the money, and at the same time a neat
evidence of membership. About 1,200
two-page, letter-size circulars and 1,800
note-size circulars have been mailed to
the various States and Territories and
the Provinces of Canada. Notices were
sent to 107 agricultural journals dis-
tributed throughout the Union. The
object of these circulars and cards was
not only to remind those who have here-
tofore attended these conventions, of
the time and place of this meeting, and
that we would be glad to meet them
here, but an effort was made to induce
them to retain their membership con-
tinuously. There was considerable
money left over after the last meeting,
and it seemed to me that a few dollars
of it could not be better spent than in
explaining the objects of the Association
and what is needed to enable it to carry
out those objects most effectively.

I have two communications from hon-
orary members which I think should be
mentioned in this report. One is signed
by C. Mansfield, secretary of the Hunter
River Bee-Keepers' Association of New
South Wales, and refers to Mr. J. W.
Pender, who was elected in Chicago last
year. The other is from Mr. George de

Layens, of Paris, France, elected at the
Washington meeting. In each instance
cordial thanks were returned for the
honor bestowed.

Frank Benton, Sec.

Treasurer's Report.

Cash on hand from last meeting $127 33

Copies of Report sold l 25

Twentj- membership fees received up
toOct.lO 20 00

Total $148 58

DISBURSEMENTS.

Printing and mailing Report of 1893... $57 50
Printing Notices. Cards, etc., for St.

Joseph Convention 31 00

Total $88 50

Balance on hand Oct. 9, 1 894 $60 08

George W. York, Treas.

On motion this report was referred to
an auditing committee, and the latter
reported near the close of the convention.
Messrs. W. Z. Hutchinson, C. P. Dadant
and E. Whitcomb were this committee.

Pres. Abbott then introduced Major
Hartwig, ex-Mayor of St. Joseph, and
President of the Commercial Club,
through whose courtesy the elegant as-
sembly rooms had been placed at the dis-
posal of the society. In very appropriate
words Major Hartwig expressed his
great satisfaction at meeting such a rep-
resentative body of North American bee-
keepers, and also his pride and pleasure
in extending to its members the hearty
hospitality not alone of the Club rooms,
but of the commercial interests of St.
Joseph in general. His welcome was
cordial, and elicited hearty applause
from all present.

Dr. Miller replied in a very appro-
priate manner on behalf of the Associa-
tion.

Pres. Abbott — The next item on the
program is an essay on " Bee-Keeping in
Germany," by Mr. C. J. H. Gravenhorst,
of Wilsnack, Prussia, translated by Mr.
Benton.

Frank Benton — It will be remembered
that Mr. Gravenhorst is an honorary
member of this Association, having been
elected at the Washington meeting, and
is a man of long experience in bee-keep-
ing matters, one of the leaders in Ger-
many, and a very practical writer, being
the author of an excellent text-book on
this subject. He was educated for a
teacher, but his hearing having become
impaired, he was obliged to seek some
other occupation, and this he found in
the keeping of bees.

694

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

The following is Mr. Gravenhorst's
essay, which was then read by the Sec-
retary :

Apiculture in Germany.

It is with pleasure that I accede to the
request to prepare an article for the
convention in St. Joseph, Mo., and I
willingly select, of course, the subject
which has been suggested as one about
which information is desired. Although
this subject is such a prolific one that I
might write volumes on it, I will never-
theless make my article as brief as pos-
sible.

The keeping of bees in Germany is
very old. Records which show this
reach back 400 years before the Chris-
tian era. The Dold mariner Pytheas of
Massilia (Marseilles), a cotemporary of
Alexander the Great, records in history
that on the north coast of Germania on
the banks of the River Ems, he had
found honey used in the. preparation of
mead. Junius states that before the
battle of Arbalo against the Cherusker
(11 B. C), a large swarm of bees settled
on the cord and shaft of a lance in front
of the tent of the camp-perfect, Hostilius
Eutilus, in the camp of Drusus. More-
over, Peinius records the finding in north
Germany of a honey-comb eight feet long
taken from a log hive, that is, a hive
hewn out of a tree trunk. He tells how
the old Germans followed the keeping of
bees in the forests and in gardens, in
living trees in which a lodgment for the
bees was hewn out, or in hives which
they had cut from the trees and placed
near their dwellings. Especially the
Slavic laws prove that already in the
fifth century of the Christian era, cov-
ered as well as uncovered bee-houses ex-
isted.

The greatest development which api-
culture has ever had in Germany occur-
red in the so-called middle ages. This
began, however, with the introduction
of Christianity, from which time on the
consumption of wax in the shape of can-
dles and tapers constantly increased.
The information which has become
available to us through the writings left
by monasteries and churches proves
through the records of taxes for honey
and wax which had to be met annually
by the peasants, that bee-keeping yielded
enormous returns. Thus it came about
in the middle ages that the trade in
honey, wax and mead reached its highest
prosperity. Great quantities of the pro-
ducts of bee-keeping were exported by
way of Hamburg and other seaports to
Spain, Constantinople, Syria and Pales-
tine. This flourishing of apiculture was

greatly aided by the great attention paid
to it by princes and owners of large es-
tates. The so-called zeidler societies
were founded. These were composed of
those who were engaged in the care of
bees, and also such as were engaged in
collecting and straining honey and clari-
fying wax, and were called ZeMler.

These zeidler societies formed closely
allied branch associations, which were
given special rights and privileges. The
strictest laws protected them. Only skil-
ful bee-keepers were accepted as mem-
bers. They elected judges (Starosten)
and elders from their own number. The
forests were divided off into districts,
and each district was under a zeidler,
while several districts formed a society,
which in most instances managed large
numbers of colonies. The Upper Lusa-
tian Zeidler society, for example, had
7,000 colonies. The zeidler system was
especially flourishing in the Mark of
Brandenburg. It was developed on a
similarly extensive scale in the so-called
royal apiaries in the Bavarian forests in
the vicinity of Nuremberg. In the year
15B8 the value of two colonies was the
same as that of a cow.

But, unfortunately, from this time on,
apiculture in Germany went down hill
at a great rate. On account of the Ref-
ormations the price of wax decreased
greatly, for the glittering lights in most
of the churches were extinguished. But
what contributed most to the downfall
of apiculture in Germany was the fearful
thirty years' war which raged on account
of religion, after the close of which, in
1648, three-fourths of the inhabitants
of Germany and 80 per cent, of the cat-
tle had been destroyed, and one-third of
the cultivated lands laid waste. Only
gradually, very slowly, people thought
of apiculture again. During this time
conditions had also greatly changed.
People had learned to replace wax with
substitutes, and honey with cane and
beet sugar, syrup, etc.; the mead brew-
eries which had cost so much had disap-
peared, the forests had been decimated,
and, through intensive culture, many of
the honey-producing weeds extermi-
nated. The belief that bee-keeping was
no longer profitable gained ground con-
stantly. To awaken even a degree of
interest in it again required great and
persistent efforts. In this men like
Nikol Jacob in Silesia, Schirach in Sax-
ony, who first practiced the artificial in-
crease of colonies, Riem, Spitzner and
Christ were notable. Christ invented
the magazine hive which constisted of
several boxes placed one upon another.

After the thirty years' war apiculture

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

695

made exceptional progress on the north
German plains, as for example, at the
mouths of the Ems, the Weser and the
Elbe, and especially in that portion
which to-day is included in the prov-
ince of Hanover, and the adjoining
lands, where endless areas, covered with
Erica vulgaris^ and, here and there
buckwheat, offered to the bees a good
autumn harvest. Here bees were kept,
and are still kept to-day, in the round,
bell-shaped straw hives. The method
followed is a very rational one. The
colonies, through feeding, are urged to
give off numerous natural swarms, and

C. J. H. ORAVENHORST.

if, for example, 50 colonies increase to
150, of these 100 are sulphured in the
fall. In good years for honey these yield
about 3,700 pounds of honey and 50
pounds of wax. These returns are ob-
tained mainly by following the migra-
tory system. Even though in many
other localities in Germany bees were
kept in straw hives, this is of little mo-
ment. Box and log hives have nearly
disappeared. Housing bees in living
trees is no longer followed.

Apiculture in Germany did not again
receive a general impulse until Dr.
Dzierzon canpe forward in 1847 with his
invention of the movable-comb hive,
which appeared in the bee-journal
founded in Eichstaedt, Bavaria, estab-
lished not long before this by Andreas
Schmidt. At first he had powerful op-
ponents, among whom was Von Ber-
lepsch. But when the latter, with bag
and baggage, went over into Dzierzou's

camp, and other prominent bee-keepers
followed him, the new system gained
ground constantly, especially after the
invention of comb foundation and that
of the honey extractor were added, and
the itinerant convention of the German
and Austro-Hungarian bee-keepers came
into existence. The first one of these
conventions was heid in Arnstadt in
1850, and the 39th in September of this
year in Vienna. These conventions are
always accompanied by apiarian exhibi-
tions. The apiarian societies which are
scattered all over Germany have had the
greatest influence upon the spread and
elevation of apiculture. We have in the
first place the separate societies, which
are made up of members of a given
locality. These societies meet monthly,
half-yearly or yearly. A number of
these societies form, in the several lands
or provinces of a State, so-called central
associations. Nearly all of the central
associations, that of the kingdoms of
Bavaria and Wurtemberg excepted, have
banded themselves together to form a
German Central Association, which thus
numbers about 20,000 to 30,000 mem-
bers. The German Central Association,
by the side of the German-Austro-Hun-
garian Itinerant Association, but inde-
pendently, holds every two years a great
convention, with an exhibition. The
last one was held in 1893, in Heidel-
berg. All of the separate central asso-
ciations receive subventions from the
State. The Mark Association, for ex-
ample, to which I belong, and which is
composed of 83 separate individual so-
cieties, having about 1,680 members,
receives yearly about $300. Other so-
cieties receive more, and others less.

Every member of an association re-
ceives at a reduced rate, the oflScial or-
gan of the society. The Hannoverian
" Centralblatt," organ of the Hanover
Central Association, is most widely dis-
tributed among the members of societies,
the editions being 13,000 numbers. It
appears monthly, and costs to members
of the society 24 cents yearly. In addi-
tion to these olBcial organs, numerous
other bee-journals are published. Be-
sides these journals — there are about 16
of them — besides the multitude of other
apiarian publications which are poured
forth annually, and aside from the activity
of the societies, the so-called bee-keepers'
schools work for the elevation of apicul-
ture, as, for example, the bee-keepers'
school under the protectorate of the
Archduchess of Baden, which is located
at Eberbach on the Neckar, where sev-
eral courses are given every summer,
many ladies also attending ; and also the

696

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

bee-keepers' school of Pastor Weygandt.
Notwithstanding all these extraordi-
nary exertions, the elevation of apicul-
ture in Germany proceeds only slowly.
Indeed, it has even gone backwards in
the last 20 years, but is now on the in-
crease, especially the method with mov-
able combs. In the year 1883 the num-
ber of colonies of bees was 1,911,797,
so that there were 3.5 hives per square
kilometer, and for every 100 inhabi-
tants 4.2 hives. Of these 19.3 per cent,
were movable-comb hives. According
the last census, in 1892, there were
2,034,479 colonies, that is, 3.8 hives
per square kilometer, or for each 100
inhabitants 4.1 hives, 31.3 per cent, of
which were movable-comb hives. Un-
fortunately, no exact figures concerning
the honey-yield of these colonies are at
my command, but it may be fairly esti-
mated that in what are called good
honey years, the honey harvest reaches
82,000,000 pounds, and the wax har-
vest 1,000,000 pounds.

It should be noted here that in Ger-
many little comb honey is produced,
there being for the greater part no mar-
ket for it. From the hives with fixed
combs the best honey that is obtained is
what is called " run honey," and it ap-
proaches extracted honey very nearly
in quality. The crushed combs are
placed in a seive or a trough, and the
honey permitted to run off. What re-
mains is gently heated and strained.
Extracted honey and run honey are sold
on the average for 25 cents per pound,
the strained honey 12 to 13 cents per
pound. Comb honey and extracted are
the same in price. The honey is gath-
ered chiefly from fruit-bloom, rape,
esparcette, acacia or honey-locust, lin-
den, corn flower, buckwheat and heather.
So far as the hives are concerned in
which bees are kept in Germany,! the
bell-shaped straw hives are most widely
used, the few log or box hives, or other
hives with immovable combs are not
worth consideration. The confusion in
the construction of hives with movable
combs is infinitely greater in Germany
than in America. The great majority
of these hives are built cupboard-like,
with several stories one above another,
which open at the sides where the gables
are placed, or from the back end. The
frames in these hives, quite in contrast
to those in American hives, are placed
with the longer dimension perpendicu-
lar. The full-sized German standard
frame does not differ greatly as regards
its contents from the Langstroth frame.
American hives have been but little in-
troduced, or not at all here. Among the

German hives most preferred are the
Dzierzon twin hive the Berlepsch hive,
the four-story upright hives, the Dathe
hive, the Albert leaf hive, and the hive
which I use, the Bogenstueiper.

Whether, notwithstanding the great
exertions which are constantly being
made for the elevation and spread of
apiculture in Germany, it will ever be
brought up to the point it reached in the
13th, 14th and 15th centuries of our
era, is still a great question. The many
flowers growing wild in those times have
disappeared because of improved meth-
ods in the management of meadows,
forests and fields. But in return many
other honey-producing plants have be-
come naturalized with us, so that the
lack has been made good again. We
Germans entertain the hope that con-
stant progress will mark the course of
apiculture, and this so much the more
since we can profit by the valuable in-
vestigations of bee-keepers in other
lands, and not the least among these are
to be counted those of our brother bee-
keepers in America, who so nobly stand
far in the lead in progressive apiculture.
God grant it. With this sincere wish,
and with hearty greetings from Ger-
many, I present to the honorable body
of North American bee-keepers, my pro-
found respects as one of your honorary
members. C. J. H. Gravenhobst.

Pres. Abbott — Mr. Gravenhorst's essay
is now before you for discussion.

Mr. Richardson — Do I understand that
the use of the movable-comb hives in
Germany is on the decrease ?

Mr. Benton — No. On the contrary,
they are using movable-comb hives more
extensively. In 1888 the percentage
being 19 3/10, or about 1/5, and in
1892 the percentage was 31 3/10, or
almost 3^.

Mr. Benton — As a member of this
society, I wish to move that a vote of
thanks be extended to Mr. Gravenhorst
for his valuable essay. Seconded and
carried unanimously.

Dr. Miller here moved that a commit-
tee be appointed to whom should be re-
ferred all of the foreign essays, and that
the committee report to this Association
any points in them which they think
proper for discussion, without having
them read before the Association.

Pres. Abbott— I feel as if I ought to
make the first speech on that subject. I
asked for these essays myself, and I ex-
pected they — every one of them — would
be of great interest to this Association,

AMERICAN BKJi JOURNAU

69T

and the men who wrote them have evi-
dently gone to a great deal of trouble,
as the present essay would indicate.
Now, then, to place in the hands of
three people, after these gentlemen took
the pains to write them, I think it would
be a serious mistake. The assumption
is that the committee on program, being
made up of the President, Vice-Presi-
dent, Secretary and Treasurer, would
have sufficient intelligence wTiat men to
select to write essays which should be
read before this Association, and 1 hope
the Association will vote that down at
once, and not allow any such thing to
be done. This Association cannot afford
to scratch out a single line. If the essays
that follow are of the character of this
one just read, we cannot spend our time
better than to listen to the reading of
them. I do hope seriously that this
Association won't do anything of the
kind, but will take it for granted that
the people who solicited these essays
were careful not to solicit essays that
would not be proper to bring befora this
Association. I feel seriously about this
thing, and I think we are going to make
a mistake if we pass this resolution.

Mr. Richardson — I second that. I do
not think it would be right to ask these
men to write these essays and then put
a committee over them to tell me what I
want to hear and what I don't want to
hear.

Mr. Holtermann — It is quite a cus-
tomary thing to appoint a committee to
take up the essays after they have been
read, and if there is anything in them to
bring forth a discussion, to bring it out.

Dr. Miller — I want to say to you as I
said before, it is not a new thing to me.
In an agricultural society in our State it
has the same kind of a committee ap-
pointed, and I want to say this : I sec-
onded the motion and I voted to return
thanks to Mr. Gravenhorst, and I know
he deserves the hearty thanks of these
people here for his valuable essay, but I
want to say to you I do not think that it
is profitable for us to take time here to
spend on these essays that we can read
just as well at home. Here is a very
interesting essay, and I would be inter-
ested in it as much as any one in the
room, and I would like to sit down and
read it at home, but there is nothing in
it which we want to discuss here, and if
we are to measure the rest by what we
have received there would be something
like two hours taken up in listening to
essays which we could just as well read
at home. 1 think if a committee is ap-
pointed they will pick out the practical

points, and then have these essays
printed. But if you think it is profitable
for us to discuss them when we have
come here long distances, and if they
contain practical things for n^ ro discuss
here, let us have them. I am not doing
it with any thought of censuring the
program committee in making their
choice; but if it is the profitable thing
for us to have essays read, I will sit here
and listen to them, but I do think there
are things that belong to a convention
that don't belong elsewhere. We came
here to discuss points that we cannot
have the opportunity to discuss through
the bee-papers. I certainly want the
brothers to feel that it is only with the
heartiest respect, and only with the
utmost kindness, that I say these things.

Mr. Root— All I will add is to give my
opinion. As the President has requested
the people to furnish the essays, we
should read them, if only out of respect
for our President. That is my opinion
in regard to the matter.

Mr. Richardson — You don't appear to
catch my meaning. You propose to put
a committee on here to say what is in-
teresting to me and what is not. You
might put on a committee that might re-
ject a point that I had come here to
learn about. You may have learned all
about these things 50 or 30 years ago,
and it may be what I have come here to
find out about.

The motion made by Dr. Miller was
lost by a nearly unanimous vote, where-
upon the discussion of the essay was
resumed.

(To be continued.)

01<l Bee Joui-nal!«. — We have quite
a number of old copies of the " American
Bee Journal," extending back perphaps 10
years. We will send these out at one cent a
co2yy, all to be different dates, and back of
Jan. 1, 1894. Remember they are odd num-
bers, and you must let us select them. We
cannot furnish them in regular order, that
is, one or two months' numbers without a
break, but will mail you as many single or
odd copies as you may wish, upon receipt
of the number of cents you want to invest
in them. They will be fine reading for the
long winter evenings, and many a single
copy is worth a whole years' subscription.
Better send for ten or more copies, as a
sample order. Only a cent a copy, back of
Jan. 1, 1894.

Read our great offer on page 702.

698

AMERICAN BEE JOURMAL-.

^P~ Do not write anything for publication
on the same sheet of paper witn business
matters, unless it can be torn apart withou
interfering with either part of the letter.

^^^'■^^^^^'■^^^'

Bees Boiled in the Honey.

It was very dry here the past summer.
I had to feed one of my colonies in June,
but after the basswood flow began it
was a delight to see them roll in the
honey. I got 700 pounds in one-pound
sections, and 200 pounds of extracted
honey from 3 colonies, spring count, and
increased to 10 colonies

I like the " Bee Journal " very much.
Petek J. Klein.

Greenwood, Wis., Nov. 16.

Bees in Good Condition for Winter.

Bees that survived last winter gath-
ered very little honey here this year, but
what are living now are in good condi-
tion for winter, with plenty of stores.
Mine are on the summer stands, with
about 30 pounds of honey to the colony.

Give us more of the "St Jo." conven-
tion through the "Old Reliable." We
fellows that could not go, like to read
about it. R. H. Humphries.

Galatia, 111., Nov. 12.

Trade Ruined by Sugar-Honey.

I would like to caution against feed-
ing sugar syrup to produce honey. Two
years ago a bee-keeper who lives about
four miles from me tried this on quite a
large scale, and a large lot of sugar-
honey, both comb and extracted, and
sold large quantities of it to his own cus-
tomers and to a good many of mine.
The result was, that he ruined his own
trade and nearly did the same to mine
around home, and I had a very large
home trade. Most of the people seemed
to be able to tell that it was sugar-honey,
and some of his neighbors had seen him
feed sugar in large quantities during the
summer, and a very big fuss was made
over the matter. The local newspapers
took the matter up, and two or three

articles about it were copied by other
local papers.

Now, I have never sold a pound of
sugar-honey, but a good many people
knew that I fed a great deal of sugar
every fall, for winter stores for the bees,
and I was thought by most people, or at
least a good many, to be as bad as my
neighbor. I explained matters the best
I could to my customers, and I am get-
ting some of my home trade back, but it
is slow, hard work. C. Davenport.

Chatfield, Minn.

Blooming Flowers and Growing Grass.

The weather here is just delightful.
We have not had any frost yet. The
gardens are full of flowers of all kinds.
I do not remember seeing such a profu-
sion of flowers in our gardens at this
time of the year. The grass that started
about the first of October is now about
six inches high. It is not every year
that we have such tine grass as we have
at this time. W. A. Pryal.

North Temescal, Calif., Nov. 12.

Poor Year — A Late Strawberry.

I see in the "Bee Journal" the an-
nouncement of a bee-convention to be
held at Middlebury, Vt., Jan. 30 and
31. It is only about 20 miles from
here, and as I never have attended any
bee-convention I intend to go and get
acquainted with some of my brother bee-
keepers. I have about 75 colonies.
They did not do extra well this year. I
got only about 1,000 one-pound sections
uf honey this year, as it was a pretty
poor year here. But I am hoping, if we
have a good year next year, and with
the help of the "American Bee Journal,"
that I may get good returns from the
bees.

I saw In the number of the "American
Bee Journal" for Nov. 8, that dandelions
were in bloom in Chicago on Oct. 31.
Mr. D. W. L. Moore, here in Ticondero-
ga, N. Y., picked a ripe strawberry in
his garden on Nov. 13, that measured
nearly three inches. Mr. Moore sent
the berry to his mother in New York
city. G. H. Adkins.

Street Road, N. Y., Nov. 16.

Please Send Us the Names of your
neighbors who keep bees, and we will
send them sample copies of the Bee
Journal. Then please call upon them
and get them to subscribe with you, and
secure some of the premiums we offer.

AMERICAN BEE c^OURNAi^

699

t^oiiTeiitioii IWotices.

Wisconsin.— The next annual meeting of
the Wisconsin Bee-Keepers'Associationwillbe
held at Madison, on Feb. 8th and 9th. 1895.

Madison, Wis. J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec.

Colorado.— The 15th annual meeting- of
the Colorado State Bee-Keepers' Association
will be held on Monday and Tuesday, Jan. :il
and 32, 1895, In Denver. H. Knight, Sec.

Littleton. Oolo.

Washington.— The next meeting- of the
Western WashingtOQ Bee-Keepers' Associa-
tion will be held on Dec. 10. 1894, in Tacoma.

Tacoma, Wash. G. D. Littooy, Sec.

North Carolina.— The Carolina Bee-Keep-
ers Association will meet at the Court House
in Charlotte, N. C. on Dec. 6, 1894, at 11
o'clock a.m. A full attendance is desired.

Steel Creeli, N. C. A. L. Beach, Sec.

Ontario, Canada.— The annual meeting of
the Ontario Bee-Keepers' Association will be
held at Stratford, Jan. 22, 23 and 24, 1895.
All bee-keepers are cordiall.y invited to at-
tend. W. CousE, Sec.

Streetsville. Ont.

California.— The next regular meeting of
the t'entral California Bee-Keepers' Associa-
tion will be held on the first Wednesday in
December, at Hanford, Calif. You are cor-
dially invited to attend.

Lemoore. Calif. J. F. Flory, Sec.

Pennsylvania,— The Venango County Bee-
Keepers' Association of northwestern Penn-
sylvania will hold their 2nd annual meeting
in the City Hall at Franklin, Pa., on Jan. 28,
1895, at 1 o'clock p.m. All interested send
for program. C. S. Pizer, Sec.

Franklin, Pa.

Illinois.— The next annual meeting of the
Northern lUinoia Bee-Keepers' Association
will be held on Dec, 18 and 19, 1894, in the
Supervisor's room of the Court House, in
Rockford, 111. All interested are invited to
attend. B. Kennedy, Sec.

New Milford, 111.

Michigan.— The Michigan State Bee-Keep-
ers' Association will hold its annual meeting
Wednesday and Thursday. Jan. 2 and 3. 1895,
in the city of Detroit, at the Perkins Hotel,
cor. of Cass and Grand Kiver Avenues. Rates,
$1.25 and $1.50 per day. The former rate if
two occupy one room. This will be at a time
when railroad rates will probably be one-half
fare. W. Z. Hutchinson, Sec.

Flint. Mich.

Indiana,— The Indiana State Bee-Keepers'
Association will hold its fifteenth annual
meeting at the State House. Indianapolis, on
Jan, 9, 1895. There will be three sessions-
morning, afternoon and evening. Several
other associations will convene here at the
same time, thus securing reduced rate of 1^
fare for the round trip, but a certificate must
be asked for when purchasing your ticket.
Programme will be issued in December.

Walter S. Pouder, Pres.

Indianapolis, tnd.

Nebraska.— The winter meeting of the
Nebraska State Bee-Keepers' Association will
be held at Auburn. Nebr.. on Tuesday and
Wednesday, Dec. 4 and 5, 1894. All persons
Interested in apiculture, living between the
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, are invited to be
present at that time and place. This has been
a close year, for the bee-keeper as well as the
banker, or merchant, but we do not propose

to " cry quits "so long as bees continue to
gather their own living and something for us,
Then let all our bee-friends come together
and compare methods of the past and their
results, and thus learn better how to succeed
in the future. Never look too long on the
black side of a picture. Brother bee-keepers,
come one— come all! L. D. Stilson, Sec,

York, Nebr.

Vermont.— The next annual convention of
the Vermont Bee-Keepers' Association will
be held in Middlebury, Vt., on Jan. 30 and 31 ,
1895. Programs will be prepared and mailed
later. Let every Vermont bee-keeper begin
now to preoare to attend, and all those who
can reach Middlebury, whether you live in
Vermont or not, we want vou to come.

Barre, Vt. H. W. Scott, Sec.

RUDY'S PILE SUPPOSITORY

Is guaranteed to cure Piles and Constipation,
or money refunded. 50 cents per box. Send
two stamps for circular and free Sample to
MAKTIN RUDY, Registered Pharmacist, Lan-
caster, Pa. No Postals Answered. For
sale by all first-class druggists everywhere.
Peter Van Schaack & Sons. Robt. Stevenson
& Co., Morrison, Plummer & Co., and Lord,
Owen & Co., Wholesale Agents, Chicago, Ills.
Pease mention the Bee Journal. Novlo

Two ISoitn<l Volumes of the

" American Bee Journal " for 1891 we have
for sale, by express, for $2.00, or by mail
for $2.30. They are bound in good, board
covers with leather backs, gilt-lettered.
The first one who sends the price, will have
the books.

List of Honey and Beeswax Dealers,

Most of whom Quote in this Journal.

Cbicago, Ills.

J. A. LamOn, 43 South Water St.

K. A. Burnett & Co., 163 South Water Street.

New York, N. Y.

F. I. Sage & Son, 183 Reade Street.
Hildreth Bros. & Segelken.

28 & 30 West Broadway.
Chas. Israel & Bros., IIO Hudson St.
I. J. Stringham, 105 Park Place.
Francis H. Leggett & Co., 128 Franklin St.

Kansas City, mo.

Hamblin & BEAR88, 514 Walnut Street.
Clemoms-Mason Com. Co., 423 Walnut St.

Albany, N.Y.

H. R. Wright, 326 & 328 Broadway.

Buffalo, N.Y.

Batterson & Co., 167 & 169 Scott St.

Hamilton, Ills.

CHAS. DADANT & SON.

Cincinnati, Oliio.

C. F; MUTH & Son, cor. Freeman & Central avs.

Have You Read page 702 yet ?

700

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL-.

Honey & Beeswax Market Quotations

CHICAGO. III.. Oct. 25.— White clover hon-
ey continues to bring 15c. The receipts are
about keeping pace with the demand. The
quality is very satisfactory as a rule, being
heavyand of good flavor. Extracted coniin-
ues to sell chiefly at 6@7c., according to color,
flavor and style of package. Beeswax scarce
and in good demand at 37®28e.

K. A. B &Co.

NEW yORK. N. Y., Oct. 25.— Comb honey
arrives quite freely, our receipts up to date
numbering 10,119 crates. The demand is fair.
We quote: Fancy white, l-lbs., 14c.; fair
white, 12c.; buckwheat. 10c. ; 2-lbs., l@2c.
less, according to quality. The market for
extracted is dull, with plenty of stock. We
quote: Basswood and white clover, 6®6i4c.;
Southern, 50@55c. a gallon. Beeswax scarce
and in good demand at 29c. H. B. & S.

NEW YORK, N. Y., Nov. 10.— The market
for comb and extracted honey is good, and
the supply equals the demand. Fancy clover
and buckwheat sells best; off grades are not
quite as salable; and 2-pound sections are little
called for. We quote as follows: 1-pound
fancy clover. 13@14c.; 2-pound, 12V4@13c.; 1-
pound white, 12@12'/ic.; 2-pound, 12c.; 1-
pound fair, 10@llc.; 2-pound, 10@llc.; 1-
pound buckwheat. 10@llc.; 2-pound, 9@10c.
Extracted, clover and basswood, 6@6i^c.;
buckwheat, 5@5 54c.; Southern, 50@60c. per
gallon. Beeswax, scarce and in good demand
at29®30c. C. l.&B.

CINCINNATI. O., Nov. 19.— Demand is good
for choice white comb honey at 14@16c. Ex-
tracted is in fair demand at 4@7c., with a fair
supply.

Beeswax is in good demand at 22@27c. for
good to choice yellow. Supply scant.

C, F. M. &S.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 4.— The receipt
of comb honey in this market so far has not
been very large, and demand is very good.
We quote: No. 1 white, l-lbs.. 15c. ; No. 2
white, 13@]4c. ; No. 1 amber, 14c.; No. 2 am-
ber. 10@12c. Extracted, white, 6'-A(gi7c.; am-
ber, o&eVzC. Beeswax, 25c. C.-M. C. Co.

CHICAGO. III., Oct. 18.— We quote: Fancy
white comb honey, l-lbs., 15c.; No. 2 white,
13c.; buckwheat, 10c. With cooler weather,
demand improving, and our stock on hand at
the present time extremely light. Extracted,
5i4®7c,, depending upon quality and style of
package. Beeswax, 28c. S. T. F. & Co.

ALBANY, N. Y.. Sept. 21.— Honey in better
demand, especially the high grades of v/hlte
comb honey. We quote: No. 1 white, 14®
15c.; No. 2 white. 13®14c.; Mixed white. 11
@12c.; No. 1 buckwheat, 12®12/2C.; No. 3
buckwheat. ll@llVic.; common. 10@llc.
Extracted, white (Northern), 7@8c.; amber.
®6i4c,; buckwheat, 5(4@6c. Beeswax, 27®
29c. Do not look for much of any change In
these prices, and advise now to have honey
on the market as early as possible for best
prices. H. R. W.

BUFFALO. N. Y., Oct. 17.— The demand is
Improved, fancy moving somewhat better at
14® 15c.; choice. 12®13c.: buckwheat and
other, 9®10c. B. & Co.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.. Sept, 8.-Tho supply
of comb and extracted is very light with.only
fair demand. We quote: Fancy white. 15®
16c.; amber. 11® 12c.: dark, 10c. Extracted,
white, 6i/2@7c.; amber, G®B/»c.; dark. 4'/j®
6^c. Beeswax, 22c. H. & B.

NEW YORK:, N. Y., Nov. 24.— The receipts
of comb honey have been very large and ex-
ceed those of former years by far. The de-
mand has not been very active of late and
there are no signs of improvement. The sup-
ply is accumulating and the prices show a
downward tendency. We quote: Fancy white,
l-lbs., 13®14c. ; fair white, ll@12c. ; buck-
wheat, 10c. Two-pound sections are in very
light demand and sell at from l@2c. a pound
less. The mai-ket on extracted is quiet, with
plenty of supply of all kinds. We quote:
White clover and basswood, 6e.; Southern,
50®55c. per gal. • Beeswax is firm and in good
demand at 30@31c. H. B. & S.

CHICAGO. III., Nov. 27.— Up to the present
the sales on honey have met with our expec-
tations. We have received considerably more
honey than we figured on handling, owing to
the short crop report, and we think the early
shippers reaped the benefit. However, we are
now getting the average price, viz. : Fancy,
15c.; white. No. 1, 14®13c. Extracted, 6®7c.

Beeswax, 28@29c. J. A. L.

Profitable Bee-Keepings, by Mrs

Atchley, v^ill continue for some time in her
department of the Bee Journal, possibly
each alternate week. Until further notice
v^e can furnish the back numbers from May
1st, beginning with her " Lessons," to new
subscribers who pay $1.00 for a year's sub-
scription to the Bee Journal — that is, we
can commence their year with the number
having the first lesson, if they so desire.

Advertisemeiits.
HONEY FOR SALE^

We have some NICE Comb Honey, put up
in 24-Section Cases, weighing about 21 lbs.
each, sections well filled; for sale at 13c. lb.
Circular of Supplies on application.

I. J. STRIKOHAm,

105 Park Place. NEW YORK, N. Y.

M&ntion the American Bee Jrurnal.

THROW AWAY CURRY COMB AND BRUSH!

And buy a

Bttrlingtoii
^ Stay On'

STABLE "BLANKET.

1 Your Horse is always clean,
it keep.s the Hair smooth
I and glossy. No surcingle re-
quired. No tight girth. No
sore backs. No chafing of
, mane. No rubbing of tail.

' No horse can wear them

under hia feet. NO COME OF* TO THEM.

We confine our Sales to Jobbers only.

D fl IF YOUR DEALERS DO NOT KEEP THEM

DUL! We will, in order to convince YOU Of the
superiority of the Kurlington ".STAY ON"

over all imitations and old stylo blankets, send
only one blanket to any address, express paid on
receipt of price. (Write for Catalogue and Prices.)

BURLINGTON BLANKET C0..^"«^W'.i7°'*'

weekly, $1 a Vear.[ °^^°^"_?^^^%7e^\^^Ure. ] Sample Copy Free.

VOL. XXXIV. CHICAGO, ILL, DEC. 6. 1894.

NO. 23.

^ GEORGE W YORK.%p'

I*rof. Cook, writing from Claremont,
Calif., Nov. 20, says this:

We are having lovely weather. My bees
have gathered quite a little honey this fall
— mostly from the pepper-trees. This is a
lovely country. A. J. Cook.

A XreiueudoitM Honey- Yioltl.—

" Gleanings " tells us of an Australian bee-
keeper who, in the season of 1891-92,
"started in spring with 63 colonies, in-
creased to 120, and extracted a little over
48,000 pounds of honey — an average of 750
pounds, spring count." The bees were
"Italians and hybrids, in 20-frame 'long-
idea' hives." But the honey season in
Australia lasts almost a whole year. It's a
fine yield, just the same.

Xlie Amateur ISee-Keeper is the

name of a neat 64-page pamphlet, 4x7 inches
in size. It is written by that practical
Missouri bee-keeper, Mr. J. W. Rouse, and
published by the Leahy Mfg. Co. It should
be read by every bee-keeper, whether an
amateur or not. A new and second edition
has just been issued, the first 1,000 copies
being disposed of in only two years. It is
nicely and fully illustrated. Price, post-
paid, 25 cents; or clubbed with the •• Ameri-
can Bea JourBal " for a year— both, $1.15,

IVebrasIca Apiarian Exhibit, at

the State Pair in September, was as usual
a prominent feature of the annual show.
Mr. E. Whitcomb was in charge, which, of
course, from the very start, insured a suc-
cessful exhibit. A Nebraska report of the
Fair said that the apiary department was
ornamented this year by some beautiful
work in beeswax by Mrs. Whitcomb. One
of the most handsome designs consisted of
a lyre with a bunch of flowers at the base.
She exhibited a basket of wax flowers,
flowers made of birds' eggs, statuary and
other pieces nicely executed.

William James, of Pleasant Hill, showed
a miniature house made by bees on a frame-
work placed in the hive.

Ernest Bessey and Winnie Stilson ex-
hibited large collections of honey-producing
plants.

August Davidson, of Omaha, S. A. Smith,
of Gage county, Stilson & Son, of York,
and Superintendent Whitcomb, all hat
large exhibits, considering the unfavorable
season for honey-producing in that State

I^oti^ of" Honey will be consumed by
Chicago people the coming winter. There
are quite a number of bee-keeping honey-
sellers in town now, and they all know how
to dispose of honey. Mr. Byron Walker,
the " tall sycamore " bee-man of Michigan,
came last week, and he will put thousands
of pounds of nice honey in the grocery
stores.

Then we understand that Mr. F. Grabbe—
once a part owner of the "American Bee
Journal"— has opened a store on the west
side of the city, and is wholesaling honey
at a fair price.

Mr. H. F. Moore is here— a young lawyer
wbo thought he'd leave the old Ohio farm

710

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

eome six years ago, and try his hand at
city life. Well, he has practically put him-
self through a Chicago law school by sell-
ing honey. He has sold at retail as high as
$21 worth to a single wealthy family. He
finds no difficulty in getting 75 cents for a
Mason quart jar of honey.

Now, why cannot other cities and towns
be worked in the same way ? We believe
they can. They ought to be, for city peo-
ple are longing for good honey, and bee-
keepers themselves are the ones that should
supply it.

Mr. Walker's own crop this year amount-
ed to over 30,000 pounds, from 350 colonies
in seven different yards. He has not failed
to get a good crop of honey in 18 years.
And every fall we look for him in Chicago
to sell his honey himself, just as much as
we expect to see the birds on their annual
flight to the summerland of the South.

There's money in pure honey, but it
needs to be gotten out by personal hard
work. Try it and see for yourself.

Hasty iind tlic ICi^iising' IIa1>it. —

The hints on kissing, given by Dr. Peiro, on
page 364, seem to have aroused Bro. Hasty,
for in the October " Review " he comments
thus on the subject:

Mercy, doesn't Dr. Peiro, of the " Ameri-
can Bee Journal," go for the kissing habit!
Sets his face against it, as it were. Had we
only plenty of Dr. Peiros an anti-kissing re-
form would sweep over the country equal
to that which in some former age must
have swept over Japan. There it is a very
rare thing for a mother to kiss her own
babe. Who knows but what the Prohi-
kissem party is already being organized in
secret ? To arms ! to arms ! ! it's a coming.
" I know not what course others may take,
but as for me, give " no — let her come.

Xliat Yoiiii;;- H<lil or in the office of

" Gleanings " is beginning to " call names."
Yes, sir, it's a fact. "Ernest" called us
" a punster " right in print! He did, " by
George!" and we're going to tell his pa, if
he don't quit calling us names. So we will,
the big, overgrown Root-let, that he is !

Xliat Kocville Ifee-JHeolins:—

don't forget it. Dec. 27 and 28 is the time.
Mrs. Atchley's home is the place— Beeville,
Bee Co., Tex. Better go if you can. Big
preparations are being made. A good and
profitable time is sure to result.

Siiiolcer Fuel— Itol>l>er Bees.—

Mr. E. France, of Platteville, "Wis., in
" Gleanings " for Nov. 1, says this about
fuel for smokers, and how he stops robbing
among bees :

After trying about all the different kinds
recommended, we have settled down to
straw and tobacco stems — about half of
each. "We get the tobacco-stems at the
cigar-factories. They cost nothing — in
fact, we haul them on the place for ferti-
lizers. The factory men are glad to have
them taken away. Straw and tobacco-
stems make plenty of smoke, hold Are well,
and the tobabcco just takes the fight right
out of the bees.

We have never failed to stop the worst
case of robbing we ever had, providing the
colony being robbed was strong enough
to be worth saving. This fall, in taking off
the three stories one morning, I worked a
little too long ; and as I smoked the bees
down with tobacco, I got one colony pretty
drunk. Like other drunken beasts they
could not defend themselves. It happened
that I went to town after working with the
bees, and was gone two hours. When I got
home the yard was terribly excited, all
trying to find where the honey was. The
bees were swarming about one quadruple
hive, and were tearing away at three of
the colonies in the hive just as fast as they
could get in and out.

In a case of that kind, something must be
done, and done quickly, if we save the col-
onies that are being robbed. I had a large
asparagus-bed. I took my scythe and cut
a couple of armfuls and banked up the hive-
entrance with the tops, and then took a
sprinkler and wet the tops of the asparagus
with cold water, and kept it wet for an
hour. By that time the robbers had quit
trying to get in. I left them banked up for
another hour, and then took away the
asparagus-tops. Then the robbing was
done, and the robbers never offered to
trouble them again. I examined the rob-
bed colonies about sundown the next day,
and found that fully half of their honey
had been taken out of their combs, so I ex-
changed their honey-combs for full ones,
and now they are all right.

I have fought robbers in this way a good
many times, and always with success.
They cannot get in through wet stuff. The
bees belonging there think it is a wet time,
and stay at home. In the spring, before we
get the asparagus-tops, I use straw. It is
not so good, but will do.

i>ni- I'lnomy is just one too many. But
it is always preferable to stand up for the
right all alone, than to step down to the
wrong with the majority.

A IS <' oi* If ee-Ciill lire— just see the

magnificent offers on page 707. Every one
of our subscribers can now have a copy of
that splendid book.

AMERICAN BEE JOaRNAL.

?11

Two Queens in a, Hive.— We have
received from several of our good friends
and subscribers a clipping which was origi-
nally published in a London newspaper,
giving an account of two queen-bees keep-
ing house togetJier during an apiarian exhi-
bition in Vienna, Austria. It seems that
Bro. Root's attention has also been called
to the statement about the two queens, for
in " Gleanings " we find this about it:

The statement is going the rounds of the
press, as though it were something posi-
tively wonderful, and never before heard
of, to the effect that two queens were
actually living together in harmony, in an
observatory hive on exhibition at an api-
cultural show in Vienna, and that thou-
sands of visitors can attest the proof of it.
We don't doubt it at all. This same clip-
ping desires bee-journals to take particular
notice of it. Of course, our readers know
that it is not an extraordinary thing to find-
two queens in a hive, both performing
their regular duties.

But it's not surprising that the uninitiated
public should be surprised about such
things. Why, just a few weeks ago, a city
gentleman called on us, and wanted to get
some one-pound sections, saying that a bee-
keeping friend of his in the country wanted
to take off some honey and put it into the
" little boxes !" He thought that the honey
was cut out of the hive and then put into
the sections! When we explained how
things are done by the practical bee-keeper,
he said: "Well, that shows how little I
know about bees!''

The St. Joseph, Mo., "Herald" also
copied the wonderful ( !) article in ques-
tion, and it came under the notice of Em-
erson T. Abbott, the President of the North
American Bee-Keepers' Association, who,
as all know, lives in St. Joseph. He took
the trouble to reply to it in the same paper,
on Nov. 16, and here is a portion of his
remarks :

The discovery is that Prof. Gatter, of
Simmering, exhibited a •• thriving hive the
members of which are governed conjointly
by two queens," and that the "two mon-
archs get along most satisfactorilj-."

The writer further states that the " mem-
bers of the Vienna Apicultural Society are
proud to think that no such extraordinary
spectacle as this was ever witnessed ( '.) or
recorded in the history of bees." And to
ruake the matter more sensational, and to
give color to the statement, we are told
that the eminent apiarist. Dr. Dzierzon,
"sat for hours at a stretch watching the
two queens."

It is too bad to make the old man spend

so much time watching a very ordinarv
affair. » j j

As the article is credited to a London
paper, it is to be assumed that this would-
be sensational scribbler lives under a mon-
archial government, and on this ground
may be excused for dealing so lavishly in
phrases which are peculiar to such a govern-
ment.

There is no such government, however,
in a bee-hive. The queen, so-called, is not
a queen at all in the sense that she rules
the hive. She is simply the mother-bee,
and her principal duty is to lay eggs. She
does this work to perfection, as she some-
times lays 2.000 or 3.000 eggs a day during
the time honey is coming in rapidly.

Every man who has any practical knowl-
edge of the economy of the bee-hive knows
there is no such thing as government in it.
The truth of the matter is, the bees do not
need any boss, as every bee has a mind to
work, and each bee knows her business, and
does it without any whining. Men might
learn a lesson from the bees in this respect.
There is more reason for believing that the
so-called " queen " is subject to the will of
the worker-bees than there is for thinking
that she has anything to do with the gov-
ernment of the colony. A monarchist will
find no support for his theory in a bee-hive.
Neither is there anything strange about
finding two queens in a hive, as this fre-
quently occurs under certain conditions,
and the fact has been witnessed and stated
a great many times before this fruitful
writer with a very vivid imagination
spread it broadcast in the world.

I hope you will excuse me for taking so
much of your space. My only excuse for
so doing is, that I think "it better for those
who may not have the opportunity of
knowing the truth to have the facts plainly
stated by one who from actual experience
should know them.

Emerson T. Abbott.

|^= The food fed to all larvse, up to the
time they are 36 hours old, is exactly the
same, whether the larvae are designated for
drones, queens, or workers.— Z>oo?«»?e.

Reniarknhle Fall for ISees Mr.

B. Taylor, of Porestville, Minn., who con-
ducts the apiarian department in the
" Farm, Stock and Home," had the follow-
ing in the number of that paper for Nov. 15 :

In our 39 years of bee-keeping in Minne-
sota, we have never known a year in which
the bees worked so late in the fall as this.
One fall, 20 years or more ago, the bees
gathered considerable honey in the first
week of October. We had taken all the
supers for surplus off, except on a few
hives, and we were called from home a
week, and on returning was surprised to
find that there had been a nice lot of honey
stored in the few supers that remained

712

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

upon the hives. We resolved to watch for
October flows thereafter, and not lose the
honey again through neglect. But no
legitimate work has been done again until
this fall. At the Forestville apiary, our
bees have been bringing in pollen freely on
all fine days. Up to Oct. 26 dandelions
were the source from which it came, many
meadows in this vicinity being yellow with
the blossoms. The consequence has been
that brood-rearing has been kept up un-
usually late, and the hives being heavy
with honey, we regard the colonies as being
in the best condition for safe wintering
that they have been in for years.

We feared that the white clover was
mostly killed out by last summer's terrible
drouth, and that the outlook for next year
was anything but promising, but in this
again we are most pleasantly disappointed.
The high temperature and timely showers
have started the seemingly dead clover in
fine shape, and the pastures are greener
now than at any time in our recollection.
This promises well for the honey crop of
1895, and every bee-keeper should take es-
pecial care of each colony, so that we may
all rejoice together over a big honey crop
next season. The saying that all rules
have their exceptions has had a new illus-
tration with us this season— we extract un-
finished sections to get the empty combs
for next season's use. In the past we have
cured such sections the same as comb
honey before extracting, in order that the
extracted honey might have all the oily
richness of comb honey, but this tall we
found it nearly impossible to extract sec-
tions so cured.

This dry summer had made an exception
to the common rule, the honey had become
almost like wax, and we were compelled to
melt a share of our combs, as it was impos-
sible to throw the honey out without tear-
ing them to pieces. This was a great loss,
as prepared combs are the great means of
increasing the white honey crop, and we
have proved that a section filled with
empty comb, if properly prepared and used,
is worth more than half the value of finished
sections.

We also run an out-yard of 40 colonies
this year for extracting; the colonies were
tiered uj) to give plenty of storage room,
and no supers were taken off until after
Oct. ]. The yield was fair, but neither
would this honey extract, even after we
had steamed the combs until they were so
soft as to part from the top-bars. In order
to get enough honey to pay expenses and
keep things running until another year, we
had to melt the combs in a steam box, and
destroy a large quantity of our fine ex-
tracting-conibs. We have a quantity of
the filled supers that we shall put in a warm
room and keep for feeding next sjjring, but
using ir)-cent white honey for feeding,
when we could supply equally good sugar
syrup for 5 cents is very poor policy. The
lesson to be learned from all this work and
loss is to watch on dry, hot seasons and not
let the honey get so thick we cannot ex-
tract it.

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 ao or more apiarists
who help to make "Queries and Replies" 80
interesting on another page. In the main, It
win contain questions and answers upon mat-
ters that particularly interest beginners.— Ed.

Large Colony — Queen Mating.

On the 25th of March oneof my neigh-
bors found a basswood tree 4 feet in
diameter, with a swarm of bees In, about
45 feet from the ground. They cut the
tree down, and it fell upon several other
small trees, mostly maple, and lodged
about 5 feet before striking the ground ;
then the bees came out by thousands
and took possession of the forest, until
the next morning at daylight, when two
men went with a cross-cut saw and
sawed off about 4K feet. They sawed
too close to the bees on top, and cut
away about 40 pounds of very nice white
clover honey.

The cavity was 18 inches in diameter
at the base, and 14 inches in diameter
at the top. I saw the log hive, and think
there were at least 50 quarts of bees,
and 150 pounds of honey in the log
hive. They were black bees, and tinc-
tured with a little yellow. What were
they worth ? I offered the man $10 for
them. Gould I have afforded to give
more ?

How could they have been divided ?
Could a person have driven out about 8
quarts of bees with smoke on comb foun-
dation, and make 5 or (j good colonies,
by buying good, fertile queens from the
South, without destroying the original
colony ?

Why does the queen-bee come out in
the open air to meet a drone, when there
are drones in the same hive ?

Caledonia, Wis. W. K.

Answers. — A colony of 50 quarts of
bees with 150 pounds of honey, or 190
pounds before the 40 pounds were cut
away, is something rather unusual; $10

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

713

would be a low price for them. A little
figuring will help us in deciding their
value. In Root's "ABC of Bee-Cul-
ture," a quart of bees is estimated at
about 3,200, and at that rate 50 quarts
would be about 160,000. Bees are sold
by the pound rather than by the quart,
and at 5,000 to the pound, 160,000
would make 32 pounds. So early in the
season a pound of bees ought to be easily
worth a dollar, making 32 pounds worth
$82. One hundred and fifty pounds of
honey at 8 cents will bring $12. That
makes bees and honey together bring
$44.

So you see, if you paid only $10 for
the contents of the log, and sold out at
$44.00, you would have good pay for
the trouble of getting out the honey and
shipping the bees. It is quite possible,
however, that there is some mistake in
the estimate both of bees and honey.

On page 276 of the first volume of the
"American Bee Journal," you will find
that Dr. Donhoff shows that under the
most favorable circumstances, even al-
lowing a queen to lay 3,000 eggs every
day continuously, the maximum popula-
tion possible in one colony as the progeny
of one queen is 63,000. But no such
number as this could be expected to be
present in spring.

I doubt the wisdom of your trying
to divide as you propose. On the whole,
perhaps you could adopt no better man-
agement than to leave the colony in the
log till it sent out a swarm. Then if it
is so very strong it will send out a second
and perhaps a third swarm. 21 days
after the issuing of the first swarm would
be a good time to transfer the combs to
a movable-frame hive. Other plans
might be followed which will suggest
themselves, if you read up thoroughly
some standard text-book on bee-keeping.

With regard to the mating of the
queen in the open air, possibly it may be
sufiBcient to say that she is created with
an instinct that impels her to do so.
Several cases have been reported, at
least in some of the foreign journals, in

which it was asserted that mating took
place in the hive. Even if there be no
mistake in these cases, they must cer-
tainly be regarded as very exceptional.

COIKVENTION DIRECTORY.

Time and place of meeting.

1894.
Dec. 10.— AV. Washing-ton, at Tacoma.

G. D. Litiooy, Sec, Tacoma. Wash.

Dec.18, 19— Northern Illinois, at Rockford.Ul.
B. Kennedy, Sec, New Mill'ord, 111.

Dec. 26, 27.— Eastern Iowa, at Anamosa, Iowa
Frank Coverdale, Sec, Welton, Iowa.

Dec. 27, 28.— Texas State, at Bpeville, Tex.
Mrs. Jennie Atchley, Beeville, Tex.
1895.
Jan. 3. 3.— Michigan State, at Detroit, Mich.
W, Z. Hutchinson, Sec, Flint, Mich.

Jan. 9.— Indiana State, at Indianapolis, Ind.
Walter S. Ponder, Pres., Indianapolis, Ind.

Jan. 21, 22 — Colorada State, at Denver, Colo.
H. Knight, Sec, Littleton, Colo.

Jan. 22-24.— Ontario, at Stratford, Ont.

W. Couse, Sec, Streetville, ont.

Jan. 28.— Venango Co., at Franklin, Pa.

C. S. Pizer, Sec, Franklin, Pa.

Jan. 30, 31.— Vermont, at Middlebury, Vt.
H. W. Scott, Sec, Barre, Vt.

Feb. 8, 9.— Wisconsin, at Madison. Wis.

J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec, Madison, Wis.

. .—North American, at Toronto, Can.

Frank Benton, Sec, U. S. Dept. Agriculture.
Washington, D. C.

[^~ 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

OFFICERS FOR 1895.

Pres.— R. F. Holtermann Brantford, Ont.

Vice-Pres.— L. D Stilson York, Nebr.

Secretary.— W. Z. Hutchinson... Flint, Mich.
Treasurer.— J. T. Calvert Medina, Ohio.

National Bee-Keepers' XTnlon,

President— Hon. R. L. Taylor.. Lapeer, Mich.
Gen'l Manager— T. G. Newman. Chicago, 111.
147 South Western Avenue.

Xlie I>'ovelfy Pocket-Knife is

worth having. Mr. A. G. Amos, of New
York, says this about it: " The ' Novelty'
pocket-knife which I received with the
American Bee Journal arrived all O. K.,
and it is a dandy." Better get one your-
self, and then you will know what a
" dandy " thing it is. See page 730 for ad-
1 vertising offer.

714

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

CONDUCTED BY

MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY.

Beeville, Texas.

PROFITABLE BEE-KEEPING.

licsson No. 14.

(Continued from page 619.)
HOW TO GET ALL WHITE HONEY.

Now I will be glad if my Southern
readers will pay strict attention to this
lesson, especially how to get nice, clear,
white comb honey.

First, I will say that we must have
nice, clean sections, and use the best.
and thinnest foundation for starters.
But the greatest trouble lies with those
bee-keepers that do not study their
honey-plants, and let their sections re-
main in the hives when red or undesir-
able honey is coming in, and the bees
will have some dark honey along with
the white, and all is spoiled. Now. if
you have a crop of white honey during
the season, you should know exactly the
time, as near as possible, when to look
for it. Have your bees in condition to
gather it, and take all undesirable
honey off, if there should be any, and
have the supers ready to put on the mo-
ment the white honey begins to come
in ; and you can, if you like, use some
dark sections for bait in the center of
the super, then, when well started, take
it out and put in new ones. But by all
means, do not let your dark honey get
mixed with the light. If you will do as
I have directed, you will be pleased to
find you can get white honey in the
South as well as anywhere, and just as
fine flavored honey.

I have had it intimated to me that
comb honey in the South is too tender
to ship, etc. Now, friends, I would not
like to have you think this. I cannot
see any difference in Northern and
Southern honey as regards its shipping
qualities. Of course, during the very
warm weather here our honey is very
tender, but any honey would be tender

under the same conditions. But I as-
sure you that you can produce and ship
comb honey in the South as well as any-
where.

The greatest trouble we have here
with comb honey is the moth. I am
going to have made a wire-cloth honey-
house, large enough to hold 20,000
pounds. I mean by a " wire-cloth house,"
that I will make the sides nearly all
wire-cloth. Make it ant and moth proof.

And then, in this dry country, I notice
that the moth does not bother combs
that are well ventilated, like those shut
up close. The wire-cloth sides will al-
low the wind to circulate freely through
the house, and keep the dampness all
out. I have some honey in a small wire-
house now, and it is keeping all right.

I have always delighted in producing
section honey since I first tried it, and I
expect to produce and ship it in the
future. I am anxious for Southern bee-
keepers to put comb honey — fine section
honey — on the markets of the world,
and let people know we can produce
something except " Southern strained
honey." I tell you, friends, we of the
South have been too careless about get-
ting up our honey for market, and we
must not sleep over our rights any
longer, but let's go to work and produce
comb honey by the carload, as we call It.
Let's have all our white honey in the sec-
tions, and extract the darker grades,
and I believe that if we will be up and
doing, and try ourselves, we can add to
our list fine comb honey by the carload.

The reason I have gone over these
grounds so carefully, and repeated some
words about it, is because we are away
behind on section honey, and we should
not be. Now some, or all of you, try
some section honey this year, and see if
you are not pleased.

SMOKING CAGED BEES AND QUEENS.

When queens are caged, and the bees
with them show fight, and you wish to
smoke them, better let the smoke pass
over or through your fingers, especially
if you use a direct-draft smoker, as you
may burn the queen and bees to death
in a twinkling. I have done the like,
and to keep you from doing the same, I
tell you how to avoid it, for if the smoke
burns your fingers, you may know it will
injure the bees. Jennie Atchley.

Some Questions About Texas.

Mns. Atchley: — I am a bee-keeper,
and having sold my place and apiary

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

715

here, and going to leave this part of the
country, I take the liberty to ask you
some questions about Texas.

In the first place, are people troubled
with liver disease ? I am troubled with
It here, and want to get where I will
not be. Is there any business that any
one can engage in, besides bee-keeping,
to make a living for a large family ? Is
there any work that boys and girls can
get to earn anything ? When is the best
time to come there from this Northern
climate ? A. Eastman.

Union, Ills.

I will answer your questions as best I
can. I do not think there is any liver
trouble here among the natives, and, in
fact, the sickness, as a rule (what there
Is), we find is among those that come
here, as it takes a year to get acclimated.
But the little puny sick-spells while you
are becoming acclimated are a mere
trifle, and some do not have any, and
others pay no attention to it.

As to work here, I am not posted, as
my whole time is taken up with my bee-
business. I have but little time to learn
about other lines of work. I can only
say that I have not seen anybody hunt-
ing work lately, and every one seems
busy. I believe our little town now has
six new brick buildings going up. Your
boys and girls can get to pick cotton
from July to December, as farmers
usually raise three to four times as much
cotton as they can gather. I am at a
loss to tell you when is the best time to
come, but if I were coming I would start
whenever I got ready. It will not make
any difference that I know of.

Jennie Atchley.

Mr. Hasty and the Snake Story.

I see Bro. Hasty has " held me up " on
that snake story. Now, Bro. Hasty, we
have no time for foolishness, and when
I put anything in "In Sunny South-
land," I mean it for the truth, and noth-
ing but the truth. When I read your
kind criticisms in last " Review," I could
not help laughing a little. But, to be
sure I was right this time, I had the
surveyor, who was here a few days ago,
measure that bee-tree. The cavity where
the bees were is about 5x6 inches, and
not as large as a 6-inch candy jar.
Well, the boys, when interviewed about
the snake, said that it was from 7 to 9
feet long, and, worse still, was a "can-
nibal snake," for it had swallowed
another snake over two feet long, and

had evidently housed up for the winter
to live upon its brother snake. I know
this is a big looking snake-story, and it
ought to be, as it was a big snake. The
shell of the tree was thin.

Jennie Atchley.

A Large vs. a Small Apiary, and
the Kind of Hive.

Query 951.— 1. If one man does all the
work of an apiai-y, is he likely to make more
by keeping a large number of colonies and
performing only the absolutely essential
operations, or by keeping a smaller number
and D^aking sure that each is in the best con-
dition ?

2. What type of hive would you recommend
for the former work, to a man who has as yet
bought none?

3. What for the latter ?— Colo.

1. Yes. 2 and 3. Ten-frame Lang-
stroth. — S. I. Fkeebokn.

1. Perhaps a middle ground might be
best. 2 and 3. The dovetailed might
do. — C. C. Miller.

1. The small number, and do every-
thing thoroughly. 2 and 3. Plain, mov-
able frame. — B. Taylor.

1. I would adopt the latter plan. 2.
The 10-frame Langstroth Simplicity
suits me. — J. M. Hambaugh.

If you keep bees at all, keep them
right, keep no more than you can well,
and in good order. — E. France.

1. I think a large number. 2 and 3.
In either case the regular Langstroth or
the New Heddon. — A. J. Cook.

1. Keep what you can keep well. 2
and B. The kind of hive spoken of in
Query 950, last week. — P. H. Elwood.

1. By keeping a large number. 2. A
10-frame Langstroth chaff hive. 3.
Perhaps an 8-frame would suit best in
this case. — W. G. Larrabee.

1. My impression is, that a man
should only run as many colonies as he
can keep in the best condition. I don't

716

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

believe a "slipshod" apiary will pay. 2.
The regular " Langstroth hive." 3. The
same hive ; in fact, I think there is no
better hive in use, and I am backed up
in that opinion by the great majority
who use them.— J. E. Pond.

1. The smaller number will give the
best results, taking h. series of years in-
to consideration. 2 and 3. The Gallup
or 10-frarae Langstroth.— G. M. Doo-

LITTLE.

1. We prefer keeping more bees and
doing only the essential; but there is
money in it both ways. 2 and 3. Use a
large hive by all means, and in either
case. — Dadant & Son.

1. The smaller number, as he will
have less outlay. 2. The Langstroth
hive, two-story, and run for extracted
honey. 3. The Langstroth 8-frame
hive.— Mrs. L. Harrison.

1. It never pays to undertake more
than one can do well at any thing. 2
and 3. An 8-frame Langstroth hive for
any one, and in Colorado they should be
chaflf hives.— Mrs. J. N. Heater.

1. Large number, but not to overstock
his field. But to handle a large num-
ber he must be a skillful apiarist, and if
skillful he will not neglect even a large
number. 2. A standard size. —Eugene
Secor.

I have neither time nor space to write
an article or a book on the best method
of bee-keeping. So much depends upon
the man, and upon other things, that
definite answers cannot be given. — M.
Mahin.

1. It all depends upon the man and
his method. 2. The standard Lang-
stroth hive, because you will have no
difficulty in getting supplies, and less
trouble in disposing of hives in the end.
— H. D. Cutting.

1. He will realize more profit by keep-
ing no more colonies than he can prop-
erly manage, and his location will jus-
tify. 2. A hive of 9 or 10 frames—
easy to handle- well arranged for sur-
plus.—J. P. H. Brown.

1. That depends very much upon the
man and the location. 2. I believe gen-
erally the man keeping the smaller num-
ber on improved methods would be best.
2. One containing notover 1,600 inches,
inside measure.— C. H. Dibbekn.

1. That would depend upon the habits
and taste of the man. I would say, get
between your propositions, and neither
neglect nor do too much extra work. 2
and 3. Standard Langstroth, under all
conditions.— G. W. Demaree.

1. The operator alone can answer this
question. Keep only the number you
csiu ivell care for. In other words, you
must determine the matter yourself.
(Your judgment and common-sense were
given for that purpose). — W.M.Barnum.

1. That depends upon the man, the
locality, the kind of hive, and several
other considerations. 2. In either case,
the hive which can be manipulated to
perform all necessary operations with
the least amount of labor. — J. A. Green.

1. I believe it is like everything else
— have no more than you can attend
well. 2 and 3. I think the "Improved
Langstroth Simplicity " is the best hive
for any purpose. It is a good deal as
any one is accustomed to a particular
hive, I suppose. — Jas. A. Stone.

1. I would keep a smaller number, as
two cows half fed do not give as much
or as good milk as one well fed. See?
2 and 3. I would use some hive that
would take a frame the size of the Lang-
stroth, say 8 or 10 frames ; either size
is good. — Mrs. Jennie Atchley.

1. The bee-keeper should keep as
many colonies as his locality will profit-
ably support. 2. The Nonpareil hive
for comb honey is superior to all others,
whether few or many are used, as it is
suited to any kind of management or
season, whether with large or small
brood-chambers. — G. L. Tinker.

1. It always pays to do a little well,
than to half do a good deal. 2. I do not
know that it makes much difference
about the hive, if you do not intend to
get the most out of your bees. Perhaps
they would give you the least trouble if
you would put them in a 10-bushel
store-box. 3. The one I sell, of course.
— Emerson T. Abbott.

1. Making sure that each is in the
best condition ! You can't do it ! Colo-
nies will differ in condition. If you
mean the best condition reasonably pos-
sible, then that would require but little
additional work, and is as essential as
anything. Keep the number of colonies
that will produce the most surplus from
your field, and one man should easily do
the work required, and have more than
half his time to spare. 2 and 3. The
Heddon sectional hive.— R. L. Taylor.

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.

Great Premiums on page 707 !

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

717

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OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS.

Toronto Island— Queen-Rearing and Mating— Other Inter-
esting Apiarian Matters.

BY JOHN M'ARTHUR.
(Continued from page G89.)

In 1890, queen-rearing was commenced on the island, and has been carried on'
in a small way, experimenting and observing closely the eifects of in-breeding, also
the effects of drones from laying workers, which will be referred to further on.
Had I known the labor and expense, and attending to three apiaries besides, single-
handed, I would have let the business of queen-rearing drop, except what was
wanted in my own yards.

I imported some breeders, and can conscientiously say, that if such be a fair
sample of our breeders that thousands are reared from, it will be a long, long time
before much improvement takes place in our race of bees. I am afraid we are be-
ing gulled in this queen-business. No doubt they can be reared in great numbers
but this will cease, because there is a great amount of unnatural or mechanical
work about the business. We have only to look at the queens — they are shrivelled,
narrow, tapering bits of things. They don't lay worth a rap, and are short-lived.
They are not the fine, long, broad, deep-bodied and curved-back queens we find pro-
duced under natural conditions — ones that last four or five years. These are the
sort that I want to purchase and produce. Like produces like. Fine, large queens
will produce fine, large bees and drones, and beauty combined. " A thing of beauty
is a joy forever," I think I hear some one say. " Handsome is that handsome does."
You can get that, too. Never sacrifice the useful to establish the beautiful.

Enough has been said and done on this line to convince me that our isolation is
most complete, and the nearest approach to control the mating of our queens has
been reached. Queen-rearing can be conducted with pleasure and profit. There
is an assurance or confidence that what is done is right, and no mistakes. Queens
cannot be reared on the island so cheaply as on the main land. The loss 9o far in
mating has been heavy, owing, I believe, to so much water being present. Bays
cut into the island, with several large lagoons.

Mating of Drone and Queen.— A great many experts believe that queen and
drone, when coupled, fall to the ground. In fact, there are instances on record of
such being the case. In 1882 I saw one drop, but a chicken was smarter than I
I perceived the chicken, and caught both. The queen was dead. There was evi-
dence of mating.

The year following, in the month of September, I found a pair of yellow wasps

718 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi-.

coupled. They were on a window-blind. I watched their movements for some time,
and thought there might be some light obtained on this subject from them. They
took wing and flew away. The male seemed to have the worst of it. He was shriv-
elled up, and not much of him remained.

Last season I had the pleasure of seeing what I considered was the union of
three queens. It certainly was a jollification. The drones assembled, forming one
confused and separate body. They could be seen distinctly tearing and striking
at one another, often coming to close quarters, several getting hold of one another,
and could be seen coming nearly to the ground, breaking their hold and rising again
to renew the attack. We have been taught to look upon them as quiet, harmless
individuals. They have the faculty of combativeness, and use it with good effect
when occasion requires. They fight desperately for a queen. It seems to me the
queen is "rounded up " (cow-boy fashion) by the drones and brought to close quar-
ters. When coupled they can be seen bearing themselves away on the wing, the
combatants scattering. One of those seen mated dropped in a lagoon in front of
the bee-yard. It had shallow water with lots of rushes. I waded in and found her
clinging to a rush, apparently suffering pain, as she was rubbing her sides with her
two hind legs. You will often see a queen go through the same performance when
stung, and also the fourth or fifth day after mating, with this difference— you will
often find the bees nibbling at the refuse of the drone's organs, which she is seeking
to discharge. This queen was mated, for the evidence was very marked, a portion
of the male organ being visible, which she seemed to be anxious to reach with her
legs. I gave her ten minutes to straighten up, and locate her hive. She seemed
prostrate, and unable to fly. To leave her would be a risk, so I cut the rush and
took her to a hive that had lost their queen the day previous. She was accepted
without any trouble, and proved a flrst-class queen.

Whether all drop in mating is a question that needs confirming, which I hope
is not the case. Taking my last vear's loss into account, it looks as if it might be so.

It is very interesting to watch the queens in their mating excursions, and note
the difference in time of mating. Some are mated on their first trip. This class of
queens appear not to be the strongest. Some will fly every bright day and escape
the drones. When inside pressure is brought to bear upon them, they will after 21
davs if fed heavily so as to excite egg-production, become drone-layers. Others,
when long in mating, get balled, sometimes escape and are mated, and in returning
set balled again. This is a rare occurrence — very rare indeed — for a colony to re-
ject a newly-mated queen. This is like a wedding in the human family, or the
arrival of a first-born— an event of great rejoicing. Joy and gladness seems to be
infused into every worker-bee, at the safe arrival of their newly-mated queen. Con-
trast the difference of a colony whose queen is long in returning. All is tumult and
disorder. Let her put in an appearance, or present them with another queen, and
the whole colony has the tidings as if by magic. Some are very slow at leaving the
hive cold and indifferent, and remain so for more than 30 days, get mated after
, ' j^ (Jo well. This is not in harmony with the theory of some, but it is the case,

nevertheless.

Experience leads me to say that the largest queens, and to all appearances the

trongest, are as a rule the most difficult to mate. There is no doubt the strongest

d fittest drones succeed in copulating, therefore no bad results can arise from in-

d-in breeding. It is desirable that in-breeding should be resorted to in order to

ake the characteristics indelible. Had this not been done in the case of our

A pstic animals, the effects of a cross on any inferior stock would scarcely be

ocnizable. I say, then, that in-and-in breeding among our bees is necessary.

After all it is natural selection, and no injury can result from this source.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.. 71 9

Another peculiarity was observed in the flight of the drones when circling
around the bee-yard — nothing out of the ordinary was observed. On Aug. 20 the
atmosphere was a little smoky, the sun shone, and drones flew well. The wind was
west, and their movements were to the east. When on long excursions they flew
backward with a circular or wabbling motion, with their head to the wind. Being
a fine day for observing their movements, I followed their course for half a mile.
They could be seen wabbling away over the blue waters of Lake Ontario, probably
on a visit to Uncle Sam's domains. As a rule they fly with the wind. This is a fine
place to make observations, there being nothing to mar the vision.

Drones from Laying Workers. — I also made some experiments with drones
from laying workers, two yellow queens being mated, and as yet I cannot see any
difference in the stock produced so far, but we had probably better wait and see how
they come out later, as it was the last experiment tried. One was mated Oct. 12,
and laid eggs and produced stock about half and half. The drones were black.
They were hatched in drone-cells, and were fine, large drones. The other queen
laid eggs, but was put into winter quarters before the brood hatched. I put several
queens into the cellar that were not fertile, and proposed putting their drones on
the island early in spring, and have no doubt they will be able to reproduce those
yellow drones, as I found some on the bottom of the hives last winter in the cellar.

Breeding for Color.— Some prominent breeders profess to be able to make
steel-gray Carniolans yellow by in-breeding, in four generations. It is an established
fact that like produces like, or a similarity. You may as well tell me that you can
take the negro and do the same thing — I won't believe you — or the Jew. The Jews
in Poland, in Australia, in London, and in New York, are the same. How is this ?
Because there is no mingling of his organization with that of another. Permanence
of race is established, and a thoroughbred. The same I think can be said of the
Carniolan race of bees. We admit freaks in nature, of which there are many on
record, and many we have seen — such as Albinos. They are to be found in every
race ; and red has often been produced after 50 years of straight breeding from
solid blacks, and black from solid reds. I once saw a light bay colt produced with a
black back and sides, the result of the servant throwing his black overcoat over the
mother's back at conception, which somewhat frightened her ; and a neighbor of
mine has in his possession a perfectly white robin which was bred in his garden last
season.

Many more could be given which 1 have seen, but this will suffice. These are
incidentals. Climate, food, and habit are the principal causes of variation which we
have in any way under our control. We all know that changes produced under those
conditions are slow, but accurate. Any who profess to be able to produce those
sudden changes of color in any race or class of animated nature by in-breeding must
be endowed with supernatural power. We can refer to Jacob of old. Jacob was a
scientist of ancient repute, and his theory is practiced by some to-day with success.
Having already referred to impressions at the time of conception, it would be need-
less to say, although its effects are visible among some of our domestics, we have not
got it down so fine as to apply it to changing color of queens.

INTRODUCTION OF QUEENS.

BY GEO. W. BRODBECK.

In all likelihood there is nothing connected with the bee-keeping industry that
has resulted in so many disappointments to novices in particular, and even those

720 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

well versed in apiculture, as the introduction of queens. This is a subject that has
been well digested, both theoretically and practically, but, aside from the hatching-
brood method, all other methods have at times resulted in failures, and while the
one I present may prove likewise, one year's demonstrated entire success tempts me
to present it to the readers of the " American Bee Journal."

Self-introducing cages have modified some of the old-time difficulties, but unless
one is well versed in the necessary condtions, it also has its drawbacks. The one
and the chief cause of failure by the method of caging, is due to the different condi-
tion of things existing in the hive from that in the cage. Having occasion to intro-
duce a valuable queen, I gave this subject more than usual consideration, and the
thought presented was, why not produce the same condition of things in the hive
that existed in the cage? So, suiting action to thought, late in the evening I placed
the cage (a self-introducing cage) between two combs, closing the hive-entrance
with wire-cloth for two days, and by this method, up to the present, T have as yet to
score a single failure.

To the uninitiated I would advise taking the same precautions as one usually
does with bees in confinement. Los Angeles, Calif.

HONEY-RESOURCES OF EAST TENNESSEE.

BY ADRIAN GETAZ.

The first honey, and perhaps the first pollen, are from the different kinds of

maples growing along the streams, but seldom in the woods— generally in March,

but sometimes earlier. In open winters, the blossoming of the maples may begin in

January or February, a little at a time during every warm spell of weather, only to

be frozen when the next cold wave arrives. In such cases, the bees can hardly get

anything from the blossoms.

After that comes the peach trees, the latter part of March, but, like the maples,

I'able to open earlier, and only a few blossoms at a time if the weather is warm

ough. In fact, there is not more than one year out of six or seven that the peach

blossoms, or later the fruit, is not destroyed by the late frosts, at least partially. In

April come the apple-tree blossoms. Those being later, they nearly always escape

tVi frosts These two constitute the bulk of our fruit trees ; the other kinds are

Itivated only to a small extent. The yield of nectar is probably as good as could

h" desired, but rains and cold days interfere considerably with the gathering, and

•f\he hive's are not well provisioned, feeding is often necessary.

With hardly an interruption, white clover begins ; but the yield from it is

re owing partly to the poorness of the soil. However, its yield depends chiefly

™^^ the weather. After a good rain it is good for a few days, and then decreases

""^"dually to nothing until the next big shower starts it again. It goes on thus until

• ir, Tiilv or even later. But the yield diminishes as the season advances,
sometime in ouij, "

th • rains can no more keep up with the evaporation from the ground.

A ood deal has been written about the relation between the weather and the

flow but nearly all the writers have overlooked the fact that the most essen-

°"^ diti'on is the presence of a sufficient amount of moisture in the ground. As

vT rtb dries up gradually after the rain, the yield diminishes. The plants with

*v>^ ^ • ots are giving way first, and later the larger ones ; trees being the last to

^ ff"^ pgpecially if a rainy winter has accumulated enough moisture in the depths

of the ground.

, ring the latter part of May, and in June, we have honey-dew in abundance,

4. „n T'his in Kood seasons is the main source of our surplus. The honey
or not ai an. ■»-"'- -^

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 721

from it is amber, with a slight blackish shade. It has a peculiar, slightly-acid taste,
characteristic of the Southern honeys. It' is gathered, I think, chiefly from the
hickories. Occasionally we have some at other times of ihe year. Occasionally,
also, we have instead of honey-dew, some kind of dark, nauseating "bug-juice."
While there is honey-dew, all other sources of nectar are neglected by the bees, ex-
cept perhaps the sourwood ; but the honey-dew has generally disappeared when the
sourwoods disappear.

About the middle of May the tulip trees blossom. These are the heaviest
yielders of nectar we have. Unfortunately they have been nearly all cut for lum-
ber, and as they do not grow from the stumps, and do not blossom until quite large,
we get little from them. In fact, I do not know of more than half a dozen trees
within reach of my home apiary. The other apiary is better placed, being only IJ^
miles from a tract of wood belonging to the county ; the lumber of which has not
been cut for several years. There are so few linden trees here that they are en-
tirely out of consideration.

In June, we have the persimmon-trees and the wild grapes, both good yielders,
but there is not enough of them to furnish much surplus.

About June 20, the sourwoods begin to blossom, lasting until the middle of
July, and sometimes later. This is our surest yield, and also our best, or rather
next best, to honey-dew, when there is honey-dew at all. The sourwood honey is
perfectly limpid and thick, and unsurpassed in taste, having a delicious aromatic
flavor, just strong enough to be good, without any acid or after-taste at all. It is
very seldom obtained pure, nearly always mixed with honey-dew or persimmon. As
to taste, the persimmon honey is not quite as good, though similar, and is amber
instead of white. Sourwood honey never candies — at least it has that reputation.

After that, nothing in dry seasons, which is usually the case ; or if it rains
enough from minor sources to keep up brood-rearing until the fall flow. But I often
have to feed during the latter part of August and the beginning of September.

With the middle of September begins the fall flow, chiefly from golden-rods and
asters, and also to some extent from some other plants, all able to withstand consid-
erable drouth. But sometimes it is too dry even for them, or the frosts come too
early and cut off the flow. Only once in the last seven or eight years some surplus
was obtained from fall blossoms, while feeding for winter has to be done, more or
less, at least one year out of two.

The question has been often raised whether the golden-rods yield honey or not.
Well, here, bees will work on golden-rod until the asters are open. In fact, bees
will work on the blossoms that furnish the most nectar, to the exclusion of all others.

I have frequently to answer inquiries about the resources of East Tennessee in
regard to bee-keeping ; this is intended as an answer to all. It will apply to all the
East Tennessee valley, at least in the main points. I must acknowledge, though,
that the neighborhood of Knoxville, is one of the poorest in the valley. Other loca-
tions will be found that are better than this, either because the soil is better, or
because the valuable kinds of trees have not yet been cut down so close. On the
other hand, immense quantities of honey could be obtained in the mountains, where
plenty of linden, tulip trees, sourwoods and wild flowers are yet to be found. But
one who would go there, must be willing to put up with lack of good society, good
means of communication, and other refinements of civilized life.

The most interesting part of the question is. How much do your bees yield?
Well, "I don't know." I count an average yield in a good season, one super full
(28 sections), or nearly full, and something done in the second super, from the
parent colony ; and about half that amount from the swarm — second swarms not
allowed. If swarming is not restricted, no surplus need be expected. Occasionally

722

AMERICAN BEE JOURNA1-.

colonies that did not swarm, and did not take the swarming fever, have yielded 3 or
4, or even 5, supers. That is what has so strongly aroused my interest in the non-
swarming question. I have not tried producing extracted honey, but it would prob-
ably have paid better, only I am something of a hobbyist or crank, and producing
comb honey is one of my hobbies.

My next article will be on the management of bees in East Tennessee — or my
management. Knoxville, Tenn.

GUM CAMPHOR ANO ANXS-A REPORT.

BY W. G. M. SHAFFER.

In a recent number of the "American Bee Journal " the editor asked for new
kinks. I do not know whether tl^ one I am going to give is new to all its readers.
I have experienced such good results from its use in my apiary the past summer
that I feel encouraged by the kind invitation of the editor to give it to the public.

Like many others, I have had considerable trouble with ants in the "Berkeley
Queen Apiary," which is located on the south side of the North Mountain. One day,
after looking over my honey in the honey-room, and after trying every method I
could think of to keep the ants away, it occurred to me, why will not gum camphor
do it ? It will keep moths out of carpets and out of clothes. I immediately obtained
a piece the size of a hulled walnut, and placed it on the crates of honey. In an hour
I examined those crates of honey, and to use Dr. Miller's words, " It was all my
fancy had painted " — not an ant to be seen.

I hope those who have been troubled in this way will try the above method and
report through these columns. If you have an organ, place a piece of gum camphor
under it, and the moths will never trouble the felt lining.

Bees in this part of the State have done well. I have one colony of Golden
Italians, which has netted me $7.50, after using nearly half of the brood in the
spring to rear queens and build up weak colonies. I graded my honey into two
grades, and sold it here in my home market for 15 and 12)^ cents per pound. I
oroduce comb honey alone, and have an apiary of 18 colonies of bees.

I get the " American Bee Journal " regularly, and enjoy reading it. I formerly
took one of the other bee-papers, but I like the " American Bee Journal " so much
better that I have never regretted making the change.

Hedgesville, West Va., Oct. 22.

Kigflit I^iini1>er<i« for lO Cents.—

Yes, we will send the last eight numbers of
the " American Bee Journal" for 1894, to
any ?iew name, for only 10 cents (stamps or
silver). Now, here's a good chance to get
some of your bee-keeping friends started in
taking the " Bee Journal " regularly. You
just get tbem to read the eight numbers
mentioned, and more than likely they will
want to keep it up after that. If you have
thrfc bee-friends that you want should have
the eight numbers, send us 25 cents with
their names and addresses, and we will
mail them to each. Remember this offer is
for the last eir/M nMmbcrK of 1894 — dated, Nov.
8, 15, 22 and 29 ; and Dec. 6, 13, 20 and 27.

If, then, at any time between now and
Feb. 1, 180.5, you can secure the subscrip-
tions of these " short termers " for the year
189.5, you can count them as new sub.scrib-

ers and get the premiums as per our oflfers
on page 703 of this issue. Eight "short
term" subscribers at 10 cents each, will
count the same as one new subscriber for a
year, in earning premiums.

If you wish sample copies to use in secur-
ing the " short term " or other subscribers,
let us know, and we will be glad to mail
them to you free.

We ought to add thousands of names to
our list on this very low offer— 8 numbers
for 10 cents ! Noru is the tirnnfor eament work !

One-Cent Postagfe $$ta,nipi« we

prefer whenever it is necessary to send
stamps for fractions of a dollar. By re-
membering this, you will greatly oblige us.

HaTe You Read page 707 yet ?

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

723

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

Twenly-Fiftli Annual meeting

OF THE

NORTH \mum
BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.

BY FRANK BENTON, SEC.

(Continued from page 697.)

Apiculture in Germany.

Frank Benton — There is just one little
point in Mr. Gravenhorst's essay tliat I
would not like to have pass unnoticed.
It has appeared from time to time in
the German newspapers, and now and
then in those printed in English. I re-
fer to the statement that Dzierzon in-
vented the movable-comb hive. It is
nearly always put, as Mr. Gravenhorst
has it, absolutely, as though Dzierzon
were the original inventor of the first
movable-comb hive, and it has been re-
peated so many times that every German
bee-keeper seems to believe it — even
many Americans credit it. Yet any one
who takes the trouble to hunt up the
records will find out that Dzierzon did
not invent the first movable-comb hive,
if, indeed, his boxes, with bars only,
could be called movable-comb hives. The
fact is, that movable-comb hives similar
in principle were used in other parts of
Europe long before Dzierzon was born,
and we have authentic records, with il-
lustrations of these hives, which were
published in Paris more than 150 years
ago. Among others who have left rec-
ords of these hives, it is suEBcient to
mention Contardi, in 1768, and Abbe
della Rocca in 1790. The latter had
kept bees on the Greek island Syra, and
both of these authors describe the
wicker-work basket-hives " used by the
ancient Greeks," and according to della
Eocca, still in use in 1790 in Candia.
Traveling in Greece, in 1883, I saw just
such hives in use among the peasants
living away back in the mountain re-
gions— in fact, on Mt. Hymettus I pur-
chased and manipulated some of these
hives stocked with the native Greek
bees. The same system has been fol-
lowed there for many centuries. The
peasants from whom I obtained these
hives knew nothing of the bee-keeping
of other countries, nor for that matter
much of anything about the outside
world. Many of them could neither

read nor write. Their hives were sup-
plied with bars across the top. a comb
being attached to each bar. Some of
these bee-keepers knew how to make
artificial swarms by removing part of
the combs and bees to a new hive, cut-
ting the side-attachments loose just as
Dzierzon does with his hive to this day.
Huber's leaf hive— essentially a movable-
comb hive — appeared a half century be-
fore Dzierzon's hive. And in Russia,
Propokovitsch, early in this century, in-
vented and used a hive with frames in
three stories, which was described and
illustrated in Paris in 1841, thus seven
years before the year assigned by Grav-
enhorst to Dzierzon's invention. Whether
the latter knew of these inventions or
not, I cannot say, but being a priest he
knows Latin, of course, and might easily
have gotten hold of these works in the
French language, and acquainted him-
self with their contents. Dzierzon surely
would not venture to claim the invention
of frame hives, although others have
done this for him. Nor do I know that
he claims to have invented movable-
combs. But others repeat the claim,
and he says nothing regarding it, so that
at last almost every bee-keeper in Ger-
many, and even some over here, believe
that such things did not exist until he
invented them, much less that they were
known centuries before he was born.
He deserves a great deal of credit for
making movable-comb hives more popu-
lar, and introducing more rational meth-
ods of keeping bees in Germany ; and in
referring to this matter let us have the
thing correct, and give credit to whom
credit is due.

Dr. Miller — The Germans swear by
Dzierzon. They believe in that, and, as
a matter of courtesy to them, and in the
same spirit as we have acted toward
them so far, I do not think it is our part
to sit as censors on their views. They
want to believe in Dzierzon, and it does
not matter. It is none of our family
quarrel at all ; but as they want to be-
lieve in that thing, we ought to be cour-
teous to them and let them live in hap-
piness.

Mr. Benton — I do not agree with Dr.
Miller at all. History is history, and
when we quote it the truth must be told,
no matter who is cut by it. I only offer
this statement as a matter of fact. It is
a record that cannot be disputed, and I
stated it as a fact which I know, but
without asking the Association to sub-
scribe to it.

Dr. Miller — I don't see what the dis-
cussion of this essay will bring about.
I want to know how to make enough

724

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

money to subscribe to the bee-papers
published to-day.

F. H. Richardson — Mr. President, I
think this essay that Mr. Benton has
read, is a very good question for discus-
sion.

Mr. Holtermann — We are not paying
enough attention to the practical mat-
ters, I think ; and by answering the
questions, I think we will get more
benefit.

Pres. Abbott — Gentlemen and ladies,
I have here a letter from Mr. Doolittle,
in which he asks a question. What is
your pleasure regarding it?

Mr. Benton — I would suggest that Mr.
Doolittle's question should go into the
question-box.

The Kind of Bees.

John Schumacher — Mr. Doolittle asks
if a colony in good condition would not
do more work. I do not think that a
good colony of bees in a poor season, or
a poor colony of bees, one that is weak,
will store much honey in a good season.
That is a sure thing. A poor colony of
bees will not store any honey, no matter
what the season is, and no matter what
kind of bees we have.

Dr. Miller— I do not say that a 5-
banded, or a 3-banded, or a 43-banded
bee might not be a better bee. A bee
because it has more color may be better
or it may be worse. Some may be the
very best, or some may be the poorest,
but I do not think we are likely to have
better bees.

Mr. Benton — When this matter of the
yellow bees came up, there was a point
that I thought I would bring out, but a
favorable opportunity to do so did not
occur. I have seen yellow bees and yel-
low bees. I have seen some yellow bees
from Cyprus that were great honey-gath-
erers. They have given us a record that
no other bees have equalled. Of the
yellow bees in this country I have seen
some that I believed contained Cyprian
blood, but those that contained Cyprian
blood were energetic and excellent honey
gatherers. I think there ought to be a
distinction between those that are yellow
sports and those which have been pro-
duced by crossing with Cyprians. Sports
may be somewhat degenerated. I am
not sure they are. I have not tried
them sufficiently. I can state that the
Cyprians are excellent honey-gatherers,
and, properly handled, they can be ma-
nipulated as easily and rapidly as any
3-banded Italians.

Dr. Miller — I think a mistake has been
made. We have gotten from Italy a
race of bees, and we have found they

are valuable. I will illustrate that and
try to get at it in another direction.
Here is a breed of cattle, renowned for
their milk. They have certain marks,
and this marking of the breed is, well,
say it is the whole of the head white.
That is the mark of the pure breed. I
take the notion that the cattle give more
and better milk because they have the
white head. I have a cow that has a
white head and a white neck, and I
think that a cow that is white all over
would give a great deal more milk, and
of better quality because she is white all
over. I fool myself. When I vary from
that mark of the pure breed I make a
mistake, and when I vary from the 3-
banded and take a 2-banded or a 5-
banded, and I am going away from that
breed, I fool myself. This 3-band busi-
ness is simply a mark of a valuable race
of bees. There may have been 2-banded
bees, but so long as we know the 3-
banded bees are good, that is the kind of
bees we should have.

Adjourned until 7:30 p.m.

First Day — evening session.

The Association met, pursuant to ad-
journment, at 7:30 p.m.

Pres. Abbott introduced Mayor Shep-
ard, who, as chief executive of the, city,
extended in a brief and well-worded
speech a cordial welcome to the Associa-
tion, and an earnest wish that its work
might prosper. This was responded to
by Mr. George W. York in behalf of the
United States, and Mr. R. F. Holter-
mann in behalf of Canada. Miss J.
Graves and Mr. Hardman then favored
the convention with some excellent vocal
and instrumenal music, after which the
President introduced Mr. J. R. Rippey,
Secretary of the Missouri State Board
of Agriculture, whose remarks were fol-
lowed by a vote of thanks to him for the
part he has taken in securing a place for
apiculture on the programmes of the
farmers' institutes which are being held
in the State.

A violin solo, by Prof. N. Bornholdt,
followed, and was enthusiastically re-
ceived, whereupon Pres. Abbott intro-
duced Mr. T. B. Terry, of Ohio. This
gentleman, after alluding to the nature
of the institute work being done in Mis-
souri, spoke in substance as follows :

"Value of Clover-Growing.

I will give you a little bit of experience
on one line, and that is the line which I
am called on to speak about a great deal
in this State, and that is in the direction
of clover-growing, the amount of fer-

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

725

tility we can get in our land from clover
growing systematically. There is not
enough attention paid to the systematic
rotation of growing crops, and so we are
trying to urge this rotation of crop-
growing so as to bring in this clover
crop once in three or five years. We
want to bring that in, in order that we
may bring in the crop that brings in
money, so that the land will grow more
bushels to the acre, and grow it cheaper.
Now, if I was talking to an audience of

Vice-President L. D. Stilson.

farmers, I would tell that we can grow
more tons of hay where it is grown in
rotation, and it is a fact. We can grow
about }i more hay in rotation, and it is
worth more. Do you not think that any
man who is told these things, and can
see them for himself, would not go into
the systematic growing of clover ?

An important point in this connection
is, where does the clover get this excess
of fertility ? From the air and from the
subsoil. It gets the nitrogen from the
air, and the farmers by following the
systematic rotation of growing clover
can get from the air all the nitrogen
they need for practical purposes as long
as time lasts. It is only within a short
time that we have been able to prove
this. The clever gets the nitrogen from
the air, and minerals from the subsoil.
It has been proved by science that the
clover can get the minerals from the soil

below, and store it in the soil above.
That is why we call it a renovating crop.
We are trying to urge the farmers to
grow clover and not timothy. It will
yield about }^, more of a crop than
timothy, and is worth about }i more.

I want to give you a little experience
right on this line to illustrate this point
— not to brag about what I have done,
but to show you what I have been
preaching can be carried out in practice.
Eight by the side of one of our best fields
is a piece of land belonging to a neigh-
bor. Originally it belonged to our farm.
It was cleared at the same time, and all
belonged to one man. The character of
the soil is identical — the same in both
fields. My neighbor has been farming
on this land for 25 years, but somewhat
differently from what we have on ours.
The rotation practiced is the same in
both cases, with the single exception
that for the past quarter of a century
my neighbor has grown timothy in place
of clover, while we have grown clover.
Timothy feeds on the soil, and is not
what might be called a renovating crop.
Every ounce taken out makes the soil so
much poorer, while clover makes it
richer. I said that our rotations were
the same— ours, clover, potatoes and
wheat, while his was timothy, potatoes
and wheat. We have been growing this
for a good many years. This year both
of us put wheat in the fields. Last sea-
son we both had potatoes. The year be-
fore that we had clover on our field
while our neighbor had timothy. The
neighbor had timothy with a little clover
scattered through it. This was in 1892.
We cut the first crop of hay, and we
certainly had as many pounds as our
neighbor. The second crop of clover
grown that season we allowed to go back
to the land. It was broken down on the
surface to lie there and shade the ground
and furnish a honey crop. Our neigh-
bor had no second crop to amount to
anything. Timothy does not give a sec-
ond crop. We had no manure or ferti-
lizer, only the clover roots and tops, and
that cost us nothing. We had as much
hay as our neighbor. Our neighbor put
on a heavy coat of manure.

There was a little rivalry between us,
and when I got home in the spring and
saw the amount of manure he had put
on, my heart sunk away down. He never
had beaten us in 25 years, and I did not
want him to. We both put in potatoes,
beginning to plant the same day by
mutual consent, and they were both put
in by machinery. There was no differ-
ence in it at all except in the fertiliza-
tion of the land. When it came digging

T26

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

time in the fall of 1893, we had 167
bushels to the acre. You will remember
that It was a very dry year, and we did
not have a large crop at all. Our neigh-
bor had 100 bushels to the acre on the
average. We sold our crop for 75 cents
per bushel and our neighbor did the
same. There was a difference of $50.00
to the acre in favor of the clover-fed
land. We dug our potatoes at the same
time and prepared our land. We put in
our wheat, and my neighbor threshed
first and he had 42 bushels to the acre.
That was a big yield. I never had had
over 40 bushels to the acre, and I
thought that he had beat me. However,
when we came to thresh, I gave my
neighbor the job of measuring the grain
so that he might know just what I had,
and when the separator ran to 42 bushels
to the acre it did not stop, but ran right
along and kept on until it got to 50
bushels to the acre, and it was wheat
that weighed 65}4 pounds to the bushel.
I was pleased, not only because I had a
good crop, but because I had proved
that my way was right. I had worked
hard on that land, harder than I other-
wise would.

We went on a farm 25 years ago that
was so run down by poor cropping — by
careless cropping, I mean, that it would
not go in the best years perhaps over 8
bushels of wheat to the acre. It has
paid for itself, and has been brought up
from 8 to 48 bushels to the acre. We
have one field that will not produce as
much as that, but the yield there was
45 bushels to the acre, so that forms an
average of 47%. I am not the only
man that believes in this, but there are
thousands who are doing it, and there
ought to be many and many thousands
more who should do it, and that is the
reason why I am willing to leave my
home, and be uncomfortable oftentimes,
in order that I may impress this fact on
my brother farmers throughout the land.
T. B. Tekry.

A recitation and a song by Dr. Miller
closed the evening session of the first
day.

(To be continued.)

**Foitl Krood ; 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 sold at the oftice of the Bee Jour-
nal. Price, postpaid, 'i.^ cents; or clubbed
with the Bee Journal for one year — both
together for $1.15.

By F. L. PErRO. M. D.

McVicker's Buildinff, Chicago, Ili,.

Cancers— or Supposed Ones.

The very name brings terror to many
hearts ! But let your minds find relief in
the fact that not one in fifty of the so-called
cancers are anything of the kind. Ttiere is
a class of persons, abundant on earth,
whose's seeming great joy is to inspire fear
and distress in the hearts of the uninformed.
Such persons are ever ready to pronounce
a swelling or a sore, or even certain de-
bilities cancers, on their sheerest guessing.
Especially are swellings of the breasts,
whether painful or not, at once feared as
being cancers, when, in point of fact, they
are nothing of the sort ; but in the fear that
they may be, resort is had to all sorts of
treatments — liniments, plasters, poultices,
besides big doses of all the patent nostrums
that can be heard of — the very worst thing
one can possibly do — measures most likely
to develop a cancerous tendency, if pos-
sible.

" Well, then, what s7ta?? I do?" asks an
excitable little woman. Let the swelliyig
alone ! Nine chances in ten it will entirely
disappear if you simply wear your clothing
so that the swollen place will not be rubbed
and chafed by it. And don't stuflf a lot of
cotton or other material to enhance the
form ; it keeps the parts unnaturally warm,
and so irritates.

Corsets are very frequently the cause of
swellings of the breasts. The stiff upper
edge of them often accidentally punch into
the breast, and so bruise the inside flesh as
to produce painful swelling, usually in the
form of a somewhat hard knot. Well, you
just let it alone— don't rub it or squeeze it,
or poultice it. A piece of oiled-silk over
the spot is all you need, and that should not
be necessary, if your dress don't rub
against it. Keep a cool head on your
shoulders, and stop thinking and talking
about it, and the probability is that the
swelling will be all gone almost before you
know it.

Grandma Jones was so certain she
smelled smoke, that she got up, lighted a
candle, and began to investigate. She ac-
cidentally ignited some rubbish in the cel-
lar, which quickly blazed up, and — sure
enough ! the house burned down ! If you
feel you want some one to decide what the
matter really is, go see your doctor — and if
he laughs at your unnecessary fears, don't
get vexed at him, and think he's a " heart-
less thing." But instead, take courage and
dismiss the subject from your mind.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

727

^F~ Do not write anything for publication
on the same sheet of paper with business
matters, unless it can be torn apart wlthou
interfering: with either part of the letter.

Dr. Miller's Case of '• Gastralgia."

Mr. Editor : — I am a little afraid of
Dr. Miller, and so I send this to you.
After reading what W. F. Haines has to
say on page 647, I would suggest that
perhaps Dr, Miller's cistern may have a
case of "Gastralgia," and "got it bad."
Perhaps he had better quarantine it, to
be safe. He can, if he likes, follow the
treatment laid down by Mr. Haines,
which is very effective. But I believe if
he will submerge the lime in "aqua
pure " when he has it in the cistern,
that it will germinate gas enough to kill
all the 'crobes on his whole 35 acres.
But perhaps to make certain sure, he
had better give it a new location.

I hope you see the point, Mr. Editor,
and I think he will, for I see his "pic-
ter"in"Bees and Honey," and think
he knows a good thing when he sees it.

It is now 5:30 a.m., and I must hustle
and get to husking corn. Neddy.

Deer Park, 111.

Short Honey Crop.

I have 7 colonies. The honey crop in
our locality was short, owing to the con-
tinued drouth, white clover being about
the only dependence for the bees. They
have stored no surplus, but have about
20 pounds of honey per colony for win-
ter. C. H. Storm.

Reynoldsville, 111., Nov. 24.

Printer's View of the " Bee Journal."

By stepping far enough away to get
a sort of " bird's-eye yiew " of the whole
"American Bee Journal," the "Contrib-
utions " department appears as bread
and potatoes, and the other smaller de-
partments as spiced foods. Originally
these departments were comprised in
that of " Contributions," but, by going
through the editorial extractor, which

has a briskly moving reel, the depart-
ments result, enabling the reader to
more easily secure the part he desires.

Thus some read the " Editorial " first,
some "Sunny Southland," and others
the " Letter Box " — pie and cake first,
and substantials last, and vice versa — a
good deal according to their " bringing
up " — but the one as essential as the
other to complete a hearty intellectual
meal. Time was when it was relishable
all jumbled together, so to speak, be-
cause they were very glad to get it in
any shape or style, just as our oldest
relatives remember before desserts were
invented, and the food placed in a single
dish on the center of a wide board, and
tallow candles were a luxury. But in
the passing age, what the consumer
takes must contain spice and electricity
to be appreciated.

Now, if there were only "Contribu-
tions " it would be far better the old
way ; but, with the numerous accom-
panying departments, it would puzzle
the casual observer to distinguish the
principal or original; and it also re-
stores to the main department its rela-
tively prominent and broader aspect.
Thus I look upon the recent change in
the "make-up" of the " Contribution "
department as a systematic, consistent,
and demanded departure, and as an al-
together " nice " perception of the print-
er's art, and a grand improvement of
the " Old Eeliable." C. W. Dayton.
Downey, Calif.

An Experience With Bees.

On May 30, 1893, I received a colony
of Italian bees from South Carolina that
I had purchased of an Ohio dealer. They
were five days en route, and arrived
with empty combs. Poplar was just
coming in bloom. In a short time their
hive was full of brood and honey, and
17 pounds of honey was stored in the
sections. I bought a queen of a Texas
breeder, and divided the bees, and in a
couple of weeks the old colony sent out
a swarm. As the severe drouth which
now set in cut short the honey crop, I
had the three colonies to feed for win-
ter.

My neighbor had 7 colonies of black
bees, and my Italians began robbing a
very weak colony of his, which wound
up with a general pillage of nearly all
his hives. To save his bees, I moved
mine two miles into the country, where
they behaved all right until March,
1894, when they began robbing a neigh-
bor's bees, who notified me of the case.

730

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU

Very Short Honey Crop.

The honey crop has been almost an
entire failure here this season. My crop
was 100 pounds of clover honey from 3
colonies.

I can't see how I could get along with-
out the "American Bee Journal."

Geo. H. Cukl.

Jameson, Mo., Nov. 17.

Sample Copies of the- " American
Bee Journal " will be mailed free to all who
ask for them. The next three or four
months will be just the time for getting
new subscribers, and if any of our friends
can use sample copies among their bee-
keeping neighbors, in order to get them as
new subscribers, we will be glad to mail the
samples, if the names and addresses are
sent to us. Better educated bee-keepers
will mean better things for all.

Two JSoiind Voliiiiies of the

" American Bee Journal " for 1891 we have
for sale, by express, for .$2.00, or by mail
for $2.30. They are bound in good board
covers with leather backs, gilt-lettered.
The first one who sends the price, will have
the books.

Have You Bead the wonderful Pre-
mium offers on page 707 ?

List of Honey and Beeswax Dealers,

Most of whom Quote in this Journal.

Clilcago, Ills.

J. A. Lamon. 43 South Water St.

R, A. Burnett & Co.. 163 South V^ater Street.

New York, N. Y.

F. I. Sage & Son, 183 Keade Street.
HiLDRETH Bros. & Segelken,

28 & 30 West Broadway.
Chas. Israel & Bros.. 110 Hudson St.
I. J. Stringham. 10.5 Park Place.
Francis H. Leggett & Co.. 128 Franklin St.

KanMaM City, JUo.

Hamblin & Bearss, 514 Walnut Street.
Clemoms-Mason Com. Co., 423 Walnut St.

Albany, N.Y.

H. R. Wright, 326 & 328 Broadwaj.

Buffalo, N.Y.

Batterson & Co., 167 & 169 Scott St.

Hamilton, IHm.

Chab. Dadant & Son.

Cincinnati, Oblo.

C. P, MUTH & Son, cor. Freeman & Central avB.

Coufention IVotices.

Wisconsin.— The next annual meeting' of
the Wisconsin Bee-Keepers'Associationwillbe
held at Madison, on Feb. 8th and 9th. 1895.

Madison, Wis. J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec.

Colorado.— The 15th annual meeting of
the Colorado State Bee-Keepers' Association
will be held on Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 21
and 22. 1895, in Denver. H. Knight, Sec.

Littleton. Oolo.

Ontario, Canada.— The annual meeting of
the Ontario Bee-Keepers' Association will be
held at Stratford. Jan. 22. 23 and 24. 1895.
All bee-keepers are cordially invited to at-
tend. W. CousE. Sec.

Streetsville. Ont.

Pennsylvania,— The Venango County Bee-
Keepers' Association of northwestern Penn-
sylvania will hold their 2nd annual meeting
in the Cit.y Hall at Franklin, Pa., on Jan. 28,
1895, at 1 o'clock p.m. All interested send
for program. C. S. Pizer, Sec.

Franklin, Pa.

Illinois.— The next annual meeting of the
Northern Illinois Bee-Keepers' Association
will be held on Dec, 18 and 19, 1894, in the
Supervisor's room of the Court House, in
Rockford, 111. All interested are invited to
attend. B. Kennedy, Sec.

NewMilford, 111.

Vermont.— The next annual convention of
the Vermont Bee-Keepers' Association will
be held in Middlebury, Vt.. on Jan. 30 and 31 ,
1895, Programs will be prepared and mailed
later. Let every Vermont bee-keeper begin
NOW to preoare to attend, and all those who
can reach Middlebury, whether you live in
Vermont or not, we want you to come,

Barre, Vt. H, W, Scott. Sec.

Michigan,— The Michigan State Bee-Keep-
ers' Association will hold its annual meeting
Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 2 and 3. 1895,
in the city of Detroit, at the Perkins Hotel,
cor. of Cass and Grand River Avenues. Rates,
$1.25 and $1.50 per day. The former rate if
two occupy one room. This will be at a time
when railroad rates will probably be one-half
fare, W, Z. Hutchinson, Sec.

Flint. Mich.

Indiana,— The Indiana State Bee-Keepers'
Association will hold its fifteenth annual
meeting at the State House, Indianapolis, on
Jan. 9, 1895. There will be three sessions-
morning, afternoon and evening. Several
other associations will convene here at the
same time, thus securing reduced rate of lH
fare lor the round trip, but a certificate must
be asked for when purchasing your ticket.
Programme will be issued in December,

Walter S, Pouder, Pres,

Indianapolis, Ind,

Iowa, — The Eastern Iowa Bee-Keepers'
Association will hold their annual meeting at
Anamosa, in the court room, on Dec, 26 and
27, There will be reduced rates on all rail-
roads iit this time. This will give all a good
chance to attend the bee-meeting, and an op-
jjortunity to look through the State prison,
which is located at Anamosa. Let all the bee-
keepers within reach take advantage of this
grand opportunity. Come with the intention
of having a grand, good time. Let each bring
with them some fixture or fixtures that he or
she thinks of value in the apiary, and some
important question for discussion.

Welton, Iowa, Frank Coverdale, Sec

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

731

Honey & Beeswax Market Quotations

CHICAGO, III., Oct. 25.— White clover hon-
ey continues to bring 15c. The receipts are
about keeping pace with the demand. The
quality is very satisfactory as a rule, being
heavy and of good flavor. Extracted contin-
ues to sell chiefly at 6@7c., according to color,
flavor and style of package. Beeswax scarce
and in good demand at 27@28c.

R. A. B & Co.

NEW FORK, N. Y., Oct. 25.-Comb honey
arrives quite freely, our receipts up to date
numbering 10,119 crates. The demand is fair.
We quote: Fancy white. 1-lbs., 14c.; fair
white, 12c.; buckwheat, 10c. ; 2-lbs., l@2c.
less, according to quality. The market for
extracted is dull, with plenty of stock. We
quote: Basswood and white clover, 6@6!4c.;
Southern, 50@55c. a gallon. Beeswax scarce
and in good demand at 29c. H. B. & S.

NEW YORK, N. Y„ Nov. 10.— The market
for comb and extracted honey is good, and
the supply equals the demand. Fancy clover
and buckwheat sells best; off grades are not
quite as salable; and 2-pound sections are little
called for. We quote as follows: 1-pound
fancy clover. 13@14c.; 2-pound, 12i/^@13c.; 1-
pound white. 12@12i4c.; 2-pound, 12c.; l-
pound fair, 10@llc.; 2-pound, 10@llc.; 1-
pound buckwheat, 10@llc.; 2-pound, 9@10c.
Extracted, clover and basswood. 6@6i4c. ;
buckwheat, 5@5^c.; Southern, 50@60c. per
gallon. Beeswax, scarce and in good demand
at 29@30c. C. 1. & B.

CINCINNATI, O., Nov. 19.-Demand is good
for choice white comb honey at 14@16c. Ex-
tracted is in fair demand at 4@7c., with a fair
supply.

Beeswax is in good demand at 22@27c. for
good to choice yellow. Supply scant.

C. F. M. & S.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 4.— The receipt
of comb honey in this market so far has not
been very large, and demand is very good.
We quote: No. 1 white, l-lbs., 15c.; JNo. 2
white, 13@]4c. ; No. 1 amber, 14c.; No. 2 am-
ber, 10(ail2c. Extracted, white, 6iA@7c.; am-
ber, 5@6V4c. Beeswax. 25c. O.-M. C. Co.

CHICAGO. III., Oct. 18.— We quote: Fancy
white comb honey, 1-lbs., 15c. ; No. 2 white,
13c.; buckwheat, 10c. With cooler weather,
demand improving, and our stock on hand at
the present time extremely light. Extracted,
5!4®7c,, depending upon quality and style of
package. Beeswax, 28c. S. T. F. & Co.

ALBANY, N. Y.. Sept. 21.— Honey in better
demand, especially the high grades of v/hlte
comb honey. We quote: No. 1 white, 14®
15c.; No. 2 white. 13®14c.; Mixed white. 11
®12c.: No. 1 buckwheat, 12@L2'/2C.; No. 2
buckwheat. 11@11'/2C.; common, 10®llc.
Extracted, white (Northern), 7@8c.; amber,
®6(4c.: buckwheat, 5V4®6c. Beeswax, 27®
29c. Do not look for much of any change in
these prices, and advise now to have honey
on the market as early as possible for best
prices. H. R. W.

BUFFALO. N. Y., Oct. 17.— The demand is
improved, fancy moving somewhat better at
14@15c.; choice, 12®13c.: buckwheat and
other, 9®10c. B. & Co.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept, 8.-The supply
of comb and extracted is very light with only
fair demand. We quote: Fancy white, 15®
16c.; amber, ll®12c. : dark, 10c. Extracted,
white, 6!4@7c.; amber, 6®6Hc.; dark. 4'/2®
5^c. Beeswax. 22c. H.&B.

NEW YORK, N. Y., Nov. 24.— The receipts
of comb honey have been very large and ex-
ceed those of former years by far. The de-
mand has not been very active of late and
there are no signs of improvement. The sup-
ply is accumulating and the prices show a
downward tendency. We quote: Fancy white,
l-lbs., 13®14c.; fair white, ll@12c.: buck-
wheat, 10c. Two-pound sections are in very
light demand and sell at from l®2c. a pound
less. The market on extracted is quiet, with
plenty of supply of all kinds. We quote:
White clover and basswood. 6c.; Southern,
50®55c. per gal. Beeswax is firm and in good
demand at 30®31c. H. B. & S.

CHICAGO. III!, Nov. 27.— Up to the present
the sales on honey have met with our expec-
tations. We have received considerably more
honey than we figured on handling, owing to
the short crop report, and we think the early
shippers reaped the benefit. However, we are
now getting the average price, viz. : Fancy,
15c.; white. No. 1, 14®13c. Extracted, 6®7c.

Beeswax, 28@29c. J. A. L.

Profitable Bee-Keepingr* by Mrs

Atchley, will continue for some time in her
department of the Bee Journal, possibly
each alternate week. Until further notice
we can furnish the back numbers from May
1st, beginning with her " Lessons," to new
subscribers who pay $1.00 for a year's sub-
scription to the Bee Journal— that is, we
can commence their year with the number
having the first lesson, if they so desire.

RUDY'S PILE SUPPOSITORY

Is guaranteed to cure Piles and Constipation,
or money refunded. 50 cents per box. Send
two stamps for circular and free Sample to
MARTIN RUDY", Registered Pharmacist, Lan-
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sale bv all first-class druggists everywhere.
Peter Van Schaack & Sons, Robt. Stevenson
& Co., Morrison. Plummer & Co., and Lord,
Owen & Co.. Wholesale Agents, Chicago, Ills.
Pease mention the Bee Journal. Novl5

Advertisements.

We have some NICE Comb Honey, put up
in 24-Section Cases, weighing about 21 lbs.
each, sections well filled; for sale at 13c. lb.
Circular of Supplies on application.

I. J. STRINOHAin,

105 Park Place. NEW YORK, N. Y.

Mention the American Bee Journal.

If You W^ant the

World's Best Bee ■ Smoker

Constructed differently from all others— send
$L.20, and receive it by return mail. 3-inch
fire-barrel. Address at once—

W. C. R. KEMP,

6Atf ORLEANS, Orange Co., IND.

Mention the American BeeJaiimcU,

732

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

FOR NEW!

subscribers!

CROWN!

scrap!
file!

The Crown Scrap File affords convenient means
of keeping Farmers' records and accounts. T^he hand-
iest arrangement yet devised for the use of breeders,
farmers, housekeepers, etc., for classifying and preser-
vation of clippings, receipts, etc., where they may be
readily found. . , , j

It is a neatly bound book, 8x3H inches. Indexed an"!
made of the best grade of linen paper and bound in
flexible cloth. Each double page represents an indexed
filing pocket, the lower end of which is provided with an
inch fold permitting two inches of expansion when the
pocket is open to receive and contain clippings and
scraps of information. These pockets will hold One
thousand inches of single column newspaper

ten thousand written words, a large pocket is

attached to one lid of the cover to receive miscellaneous
items until time permits to classify and drop them into
the proper indexed pockets. The file sells separate.

Leather, 75 cents. Cloth, 50 cents.

Clubbing and Preraium Oilers.

|gi^ Mailed on receipt of price, or clubbed
with the Bee Journal lor one year, both to-
ffether, as follows: Leather bound Scrap File
and the Bee Journal for $1.60; Cloth bound
File and tlie Bee Journal for $1,40. Or, wo
will li'we Leather File as a Premium for send-
ing 3 new subscribers to the Bee Journal for
a year, and the Cloth Pile for 2 new subscrib-
ers. All new subscribers sent on this offer
will receive a free copy of " Bees and Honey."

GEORGE W. YORK & CO.,

CHICAGO. ILLS

TAKE NOTICE!

BEPOKG placing your orders for SUP-
PLIES, write for prices on 1-Piece Bass
wood Sections, Bee-Hives, Shipping -Crates
Frames, Foundation, Smolters, etc.

PACE & LYON MFC CO.

NSW LONDON, WlB,

e OLD RELIABLE

PEERLESS

FEED
GRINDERS

, __,_^__ - Grinds more grain to any

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THE BEST AND CHEAPEST MILL ON EARTH.
^~ Write us at once for prices and agency.
There is money In this mill. Made only by the

JOUET STROWBRIDGE CO.,JOLIET,ILL.

Jobbers and Manufacturers of Farm Machinery,
Carriages, Wagons, Windmills, Bicycles, Harness,
etc. Prices lowest. Quality best.

8 A26t Mention the American Bee J<y>'maL

SAVE MONEY!

IF YOU WANT

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OB ANY

mmm supplies,

Send for Price-List, to

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llAtf AUGUSTA, GA.

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READ

HORSt$iR£\^ltW

iBBued Deo. 18 next. Elegant illustrations of the ereat-
est harness horses. Magnificent supplement^pr f ram-
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best talent, inclosed in an elegant, unique, handsome
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Agents wanted— special terms. Regular weekly edition
including Xmas No , $2 a year. Send for free sample
copy. THE HORSE REVIEW CO., Chicago, 111.

20 A6t Mention the American Bee Journal.

SHIP

^^^^^ Drind Fruits. or

Your Butter. Eggs,
Poultry .Veal.Beans,
P o t a t o es. Hides,
Pelts, Wool, Hay,
Grain. Oreen and
Dried Fruits, or ANYTHING YOU MAY
HAVE to us. Quicli sales at the highest
market price and prompt returns made.
Write for prices or any Information you may want.

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174 SoiiMi Water St.. Chieago, III.

RifiFKUicNCK— MeU-opolitiin National liaiik, Chicago,

11 A13t Mention the American Bee Journal.

Promptness Is What Counts !

Honey -Jars, Sliippins- Cuses, and ev-
1 crvtlunR that bee-kecpors use. Koot's
OoodM at Root's I'riceM, and the

best shipijinf,-- point in the country.
Dealer in Honey and Beeswax. Uata-

',«mAv..WalterS. Ponder

INDIANAPOLIS, IND.

Mention the American Isee .journal.

weekly, $1 a ¥ear. [ DEVOTED ^XCLUSIV^E^LY^^^^^ ^ Sample Copy Free.

VOL. XXXIV. CHICAGO, ILL, DEC. 13. 1894.

NO. 24.

■•rof. A. J. Coolc, we understand,
will represent the California State Univer-
sity at Farmers' Institutes in Southern
California during the coming season. That
should mean that bee-culture will be prop-
erly presented in that region. Prof. Cook
knows how to make the subject interesting,
and no doubt the industry will be greatly
helped there.

Ifli-. «. K. Hubbard, of Indiana,
whose wife has been an invalid for several
years, writes that she is better now. We
are glad to learn this, and trust she may
fully recover. They are in Riverside, Calif.,
and Mr. H. says that he is " picking up an
apiary with more earnestness than ever,
having bought 31 colonies, with more in

Friends. — "If a man has a thousand
friends he has not one too many." — Review.

This also is true : If a publisher of a bee-
paper has 10,000 friends, or subscribers, he
has not one too many. There is no limit to
the number of friends every man or woman
would like to count as their own. The
"Good Book" says that he that would
have friends must make himself friendly.
Pretty good recipe for friend-making,

Xliomas Cir. IVe^v^man and ll'^ife

leave Chicago this week for a trip to the
East, visiting relatives and old-time friends.
They expect to return about Jan. 1. We
trust they may have a pleasant time and
safe journey. Mr. Newman certainly needs
the rest and recreation afforded by such a
trip, after having put in some months of
hard work in several of the life insurance
and fraternal orders to which he belongs.
And the change will do Mrs. Newman much
good, as her health is not the ruggedest.

I>r. C C J^Iiller expects to be at the
meeting of the Northern Illinois Bee-Keep-
ers' Association at Rockford, Dec. 18 and
19, in the court house.

Belated Convention Report. —

As we expected, some of our subscribers
are becoming justly dissatisfied with the
snail-rate at which we have been compelled
to publish the report of the proceedings of
the St. Joseph convention, held Oct. 10, 11
and 12. Here is a fair sample of what is in
the minds of some of our readers, which
we received Dec. 4:

Editor York :— What is the matter with
that report of the St. Joseph convention ?
Here it is Dec. 3, and the convention that
commenced in October hasn't got through
its first day. At that rate, when will we
get the last of it ? Those who were there
perhaps do not care, but most of us were
absent, and depend upon the reports that
have always come so promptly heretofore.
Of course we do not want to blame you if
you are not to blame, but we would like to
know, you know. If you are getting so old
that you cannot move around so lively as
you used to, just say so and we will make
allowance. If that shorthanded reporter
has been on a spree and lost his notes, say
so. But really, we cannot see why there
should be such slow work when the reporter

742

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

can get his matter to you from any part of
the States in so short a time. What is the
trouble, amjhow f Subscriber.

As we have several times stated in these
columns, we have been ready all the time to
crowd through the report of the North
American, but it seems that Secretary
Benton had taken it upon himself to hold
back the report as long as possible. We
wrote him twice, and telegraphed once,
to hurry up the report, but receiving
no reply at all from him, giving a reason
for the delay, we concluded that there was
no good reason for it.

A goodly part of the report was in Sec-
retary Benton's hands, from the stenog.
rapher, Mr. Lighton, on Oct. 25, and the
balance of it reached Mr. Benton, at Wash-
ington, Nov. 7. From this it will be seen
that there has been ample time to have had
the report nearly completed in the Bee
Journal by this time, whereas less thati half
of the proceedings are now published !

Had the convention voted to use Mr.
Hutchinson's report, instead of theLighton-
Benton report, as we hoped they would be
wise enough to do, the needless delay would
not have occurred— and yet it is not the
fault of the stenographer, Mr. Lighton.

We employed Mr. Hutchinson to take the
report of the proceedings for the American
Bee Journal, and offered to (jiw the associa-
tion the use of our report for the usual
pamphlet. Since the convention we have
paid Mr. Hutchinson for a report that we
supposed we would not need, as, according
to the vote of the convention, we were to
publish the Lighton-Benton report in the
Bee Journal.

We were quite satisfied not to use Mr.
Hutchinson's report, when it was so voted,
presuming, of cour.se, that we would have
no difficulty in getting the other report as
fast as needed. The consequence is, that
through the delay it is now quite possible
that no pamphlet report at all will be pub-
lished.

We might say that although we have a
goodly slice of the report in this issue, at
this time (Dec. f») it is every bit we have in
the office, and the trouble is, we don't
know whether we will get any more of the
report in time for next week's number. It
is this uneertalnty that is so aggravating —
especially as there is no necessity for it.

Later.— We have received some more

"copy" on the report, but we should have
had it all in our hands lo7ig ago, so we could
have published it as fast as we desired right
after the meeting.

Overeating seems to have been the
cause of Editor Ernest Root's recent illness.
So he says in last Gleanings. His " appe-
tite," whetted up to a "keen edge," and
then treated to some " big dinners, made
mischief" with his internal anatomy. He
hopes it will " be a warning to others."
But most people nowadays are not troubled
with " big dinners " — if they only succeed
in getting a fair, square meal they are
happy. This writer never overeats— not
because he never has a chance, but because
he believes in the truth of the saying that
" enough is as good as a feast." So when
he has eaten " enough "—well, he stops
right there. This plan is commended to
Editor Root.

Accident and I>eat]i. — Mrs. Atch-
ley has sent us the following sad news,
dated Dec. 4 :

Bro. York: — I am informed that Louis
V. Esneault, proprietor of the Donaldson-
ville. La., Bee-Keepers' Supply Factory,
has lost his right arm and left leg by a cir-
cular saw. This was a very sad misfortune
for our young brother.

Also, the infant son of P. P. Gassaway,
of Floyd, Tex., died a few days ago. Mr.
G. was an old neighbor of mine, a sub-
scriber of the American Bee Journal, and a
large bee-keeper. Yours truly,

Mrs. Jennie Atchlet.

IM" See ABC offer on page 739.

^^ " I would not do without the Ameri-
can Bee Journal. I can say it is the ' light
of the way ' through bee-keeping." — B. P.
Shirk, of California, Nov. 28, 1894.

Tl»e A. I. Root Company we

announced on page 678, and promised an
explanation of the change soon. In Glean-
ings for Dec. 1 we find the following by A.
I. Root himself, telling the " why " and the
" wherefore:"

THE A. I. ROOT COMPANY.

The friends will notice by our price-list
and stationery that the above title to our
business takes the place of simply " A. I.
Root." Perhaps I may say that no new
method of management will be introduced,

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

743

and no new members are to have anything
to do with the business. It will be con-
ducted as it has been heretofore, by A. I.
Root and his family, including the son-in-
law, Mr. J. T. Calvert, who has been for
many years business manager. A. I. Root,
besides being president, will, for the pres-
ent, be by far the largest stockholder;
Ernest R. Root, vice-president ; J. T. Cal-
vert, secretary and treasurer.

The principal reason for making this
change is, that the business may go right
on uninterruptedly in case of death or ac-
cident to the founder, A. I. Root. We as a

they are " we (e) " — ?i«fe — editors. Yet
there may be nothing very " small " about
them.

J. T. Calvert, Treas. N.A. B.-K. A.

family do not desire the intervention of
law or lawyers to settle up our business in
case of death to one or more of us.

We should think that the editorial repre-
sentative of such a big company, would
from now on want to return to the editorial
" we," in Gleanings, instead of using the
" perpendicular " pronoun " I."

Some people " don't know " one good rea-
son for using the editorial "we." We are
not surprised at that. There are a whole
lot of things that some very "knowing"
folks '• don't know." So there's no need of
feeling badly over not knowing just " one
good reason " for some things. Besides,
there are some matters that are 7wt worth
knowing about. May be " we " is one of
them.

Some editors tnay use "we" because

How to Make Honey-Candy.—

Mr. W. S. Pierson, of Eureka, Mich., asks
for a recipe for making honey -candy. Here
is one used by Thos. Dobson, of Nebraska:

Take one cupful of honey and the same
of best white sugar ; mix together and boil
in a new tin, which has been well greased
with fresh butter. If the candy is to be
white, pull it while warm. When cool
enough cut into small pieces and wrap in
buttered paper, as exposure to the air
makes it soft.

A Hig'li Compliment, is the follow-
ing, for which we " make our best bow:"

The American Bee Journal is excellent.
I get little time to read even bee-papers,
but I must read the American Bee Journal.
I congratulate you on getting up such a
good paper. It improves rapidly.

A. J. Cook.

Claremont, Calif., Nov. 19, 1894.

Editoi- Qiiigley, of the Progressive
Bee-Keeper, calls upon the six other editors
who were present at the St. Joseph conven-
tion, to " decide " whether or not he looks
like an excitable, drinking man. It seems
a Texas correspondent of the Progressive
intimated that Bro. Q. was about that sort
of a critter. No, if this writer may judge
from his appearance and conduct at St.
Joseph, Editor Quigley is a model young
man in every respect — one who is not easily
excited, and who would not be guilty of
indulging in intoxicants at all. We hope he
has too much horse-sense to do the latter
shameful trick.

Mr. Clias. ]>adant has a well-de-
served, enviable reputation as a bee-keeper,
on both sides of the Atlantic. In a " Chat
on European Matters " in Gleanings for
Dec. 1, Mr. Charles Norman, in speaking
of French bee papers and books, says this :

Among the books are translations of Mr.
Cowan's " Guide," and Mr, Dadant's " Re-
vised Langstroth." Mr. Charles Dadant is
a contributor to the Reuue, and his articles
are well written —indeed, the emanations
of a mind which combines fine judgment
with great experience. He is held in high
esteem by the editor of the Revue, as well as
the other contributors. When mentioning
his name they do not spare words like
"master," "celebrated," and the like, and

744

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

they are quite proud of Mr. Dadant being
their fellow-Frenchman. In fact, in bee-
matters, he is, to all appearance, the author-
ity with them. The French, like any peo-
ple, may have their faults, but they are far
from participating in that hypercritical
vein which characterizes some other na-
tions; and whenever one of them has
worked himself up to celebrity, they ac-
knowledge it without jealousy, and treat
him with that respect which is due him.

Good for the French bee-folks ! We of
America may well strive to imitate their
unselfishness in giving " honor to whom
honor is due." Down with all jealousies,
and up with " due honors!" 'Tis never too
late to learn— even good manners, and to do
right.

A B C of Bee-Ciiltiire— just see the

magnificent offers on page 739. Every one
of our subscribers can now have a copy of
that splendid book. .

Short Call at I>r.' ITIiller's.— On

our way to Rockford, 111., on Dec. 1, we
stopped ofif a few hours — from 1 to 6 p.m. —
at Marengo, to see Dr. Miller and family.
All were well, and apparently as happy as
usual. We had a most enjoyable visit—
'twas " short but sweet."

A profusion of beautiful plants and
flowers filled the large south bay window in
the sitting-room of Dr. Miller's house— we
presume to serve as a reminder of the
" flowers that bloom in the spring" — next
spring, we hope, and for the bees that then
will be ready for another year's work.

We forgot to learn whether the Doctor
had disposed of his 1894 crop of honey (20
pounds!), but presume he had, as he said he
had his winter's coal in, and we don't see
how he could buy so much coal unless he
had sold all his honey !

Both Miss Wilson and Dr. Miller agreed
that the percolator feeder, as described on
page 437, is the greatest thing in bee-
keeping for many a year. They had fed
1,500 pounds of sugar for winter stores with
such ease this fall that it was almost a
pleasure instead of a wearisome task. Mrs.
Miller thought so too, as there was so much
less "daubing around" the house than
when syrup had to be made for feeding.
Mrs. Miller is nice, sensible housekeeper,
you see, and doesn't like "stuck up things "
— whether they be kitchen things or " hu-
man things!"
In Bro. Ernest Root's account of his re- I

cent bicycle trip he gave what he consid-
ered a " good one " on Dr. Miller, in Glean-
ings for Nov. 1. Here it is:

I must not forget to give a "good one "
on Dr. Miller. When I reached Marengo I
was a little turned around, and had to in-
quire the way to the Doctor's. Approach-
ing a small boy I said, "Can you direct me
to the home of Dr. C. C. Miller ?" " Oh !
yes, sir," he replied. " You go down this
road, pass over two hills, and then you'll
come to a great big overgrown hedge-fence
and a whole lot of weeds and things. This
is the place. The house is back from the
road, and the yard is all full of stuff. You
can't miss it."

In the next number of Gleanings Dr.
Miller had this " straw " in reply to Editor
Root's " good one:"

" Weeds and things " is my " best holt,"
Ernest. I lose less money on them than on
any other crop I can put in, aside from
their use to " mark the locality."

Then Bro. Root lengthened out the
" straw " with this explanation:

Your yard was no worse in point of
weeds than the yards of most bee-keepers I
have visited. The fact is, many of them
furnish either pollen or a little honey.
Sweet clover grows rank and thick about
most bee-keepers' homes. But. say, the
way that small boy " marked your locality"
was a joke to good to keep.

Well, we didn't see any weeds at all,
but weeds or no weeds, we would like to
warn Bro. Root, and also the "small boy "
mentioned, that it wouldn't be good for
their general health to let Miss Wilson get
hold of them! The idea of slandering (?)
Dr. Miller's home in that way ! and reflect-
ing upon his way of caring for his surround-
ings! Miss Wilson intimated that she " had
a bone to pick with Ernest " over the mat-
ter, and we think she meant it, too. We
admire her pluck — and if she should
" pluck " or " pick " a few of "Ernest's"
bones— well, he'd be more of a boneless
Root than a Rootless bone, that's sure!

But we wouldn't have any one think
from the foregoing, that Miss Wilson is
anything but the pleasantest and "prop-
eresf'of young ladies— it was simply a
case of " righteous indignation " — that's all.

T'wo ICoiiikI VoliniK^.^ of the

American Bee Journal for 1891 we have
for sale, by express, for $2.00, or by mail
for$a.30. They are bound in good board
covers with leather backs, gilt-lettered.
The first one who sends the price, will have
the books.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

745

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 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.

Fixing: tlie Bees in the Cellar.

I put my bees into the cellar Nov. 9,
taking the bottom-board off and putting
a super under each hive, with a cloth
spread over the frames. Now is that
the way, or will I have hives and no bees
in the spring? B.

Hammond, Wis.

Answer. — I believe it's a good plan to
put a super under the hive. There is an
advantage in that there is no danger of
the entrance being clogged with dead
bees. If I understand you correctly,
there is no covering over the hive except
the cloth. That may or may not be
best. Something depends on the cellar.
With abundance of ventilation below,
there ought to be no need of ventilation
above. If, however, the cellar is warm
enough, there may be no harm and pos-
sibly some good in having the ventila-
tion that will take place through the
cloth.

Honey-Dew Stores — Transferring.

In July I bought one colony of bees in a
box-hive, which I brought home. They
filled the box with honey, which is about
50 pounds, and it is almost entirely
stored from honey-dew. I have also 3
other colonies in sections of trees, which
are as well supplied with honey as the
box-hive, but also stored from honey-
dew. Now the trouble is this : Since
they have begun to live on their stores
they are dying — more so in the box-hive
than in the logs.

1. Do you think it is the honey-dew
that is killing them ? If you think it is,
then I can explain why they are dying
more in the box-hive than in the tree-
sections — those in the logs were left
about two miles from here this summer,
where they had a wet meadow where
there were some fall flowers, and they
gathered about K of their stores from
boneset and mint.

2. Can I transfer them to frame hives
on empty combs, and feed sugar syrup,
doing the work in a good cellar ? or is it
too late to transfer at this time of year ?

Ridgeway, Wis., Nov. 19. H. K.

Answers. — 1. Honey-dew has the
credit of having proved fatal to bees in
repeated instances, and it is quite possi-
ble that your bees are suffering thereby.

2. It is a bad time of the year to
transfer, and if they were transferred
they might be no better off to have syrup
than the honey-dew. Not but what
syrup is better than honey-dew, but it is
not safe to feed it generally in winter.
If they could fly often enough, they
might come through all right, but it is
not likely the winter will be warm
enough for that. I'll tell you what you
can do: You can make candy in cakes
such as described by Pres. Abbott at the
St. Joseph convention, and put it over
the frames. The bees will feed at least
partly on that, and will probably come
through all right. [See page 760. — Ed.]

''Warranted Purely Mated" Queens.

I bought a 5-banded Italian queen,
warranted purely mated, and the bees
that came with her were good looking
bees. I introduced her all safe, and she
was a " dandy " for laying, for in a week
she had almost 3 frames full of eggs;
but when they came out to have their
flight, I must say that I was surprised
for they were almost all black. Now,
did the breeder mean by saying " purely
mated" that it was by a black drone?
I did not take it that way, but if that is
the game, I don't want anything to do
with bee-keepers of that style. A. E.

Answer. — An Italian queen, war-
ranted purely mated, would certainly
not be understood to be mated with. any-
thing but a full-blooded Italian drone.
But she may have mated with a black

746

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

drone, and nothing wrong on the part of
the man that sold you the queen. You
see you didn't buy a tested queen — only
" warranted." A warranted queen may
be one about whose progeny the seller
knows nothing, but as most of his
queens are purely mated he feels safe in
warranting one that he sends off, with-
out testing, which is equivalent to say-
ing, " I don't know for certain about
her, but I warrant her to be purely
mated, and if she turns out otherwise I
agree to replace her with one that is
purely mated." If there is no mistake
on your part, I think you will find the
breeder ready to replace a warranted
queen that doesn't turn out to be purely
mated.

CONDUCTED BY

MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY.

Beeville, Texas.

Caring for Bees in the South.

During winter in the South, as we are
constantly adding beginners to our
ranks, it is necessary that we should oc-
casionally go over old grounds, and as
winter la now upon us, 1 think it will be
a good idea to rehearse winter and spring
management in the South.

In warm countries it is not so essential
that we look so closely to see that each
and every colony has an abundance of
stores. As our bees fly almost daily, it
will not hurt them to open the hives and
examine them at any time during the
winter. As the bees do not often cluster
or draw up in a compact body to keep
warm, hence it does not hurt to open the
hives.

One of the main things to do is to see
that robber bees do not take the weak
ones, as we are troubled more witli rob-
bers than in the North, and as our bees
fly so much more during winter when no

honey is to be had. Contract the en-
trances against mice and robbers. See
that the bees do not run out of honey,
and they usually pull through the win-
ter all right.

But as soon as pollen begins coming in,
in the spring, the queens usually begin
laying fast, and when the weather con-
tinues good, the bees will have a hive
jam full of bees and brood, and their
stores will disappear almost like magic.
And unless you know you are likely to
have a honey-flow that will justify you
to have strong colonies at this early date
to use these bees in the fields, it is a loss
to the owner, and I would stop such in-
crease and waste of honey, even if I had
to cage the queens to 'do it, for it is ab-
solutely a total loss to rear bees out of
season, unless we can sell the bees, and
these instructions are for the honey-pro-
ducer and not the bee-merchant. I
would not allow the bees to run lower
than 5 pounds of honey, or as near as
we can guess at it, at any time, as a
rainy day or two might run then clear
out of honey, and cause the bees to pull
out their young and throw it away ; and
this is another big loss to the owner, es-
pecially if that brood would come in at a
time when they would be needed to
gather a harvest.

Now these very points that I have
given are the very essentials in success-
ful bee-keeping, and right there is where
so many fail to secure a crop of honey,
while a next door neighbor gets a fair
crop. So I will ask you to look well
that your bees do not suffer from the
the disease of negligence, and you will
likely always come out on top.

Jennie Atchley.

The Beeville Bee-Convention.

In the Beeville Bee — one of our local
newspapers — the following was published
on Nov. 23 :

BEE-KEEPEBS' CONVENTION.

Mrs. Jennie Atchley, of this city, has
called a midwinter bee-convention, which
will be in session here Dec. 27 and 28.
There will be delegates in attendance
from all over the Union, and their num-
ber will aggregate some 300 or more.
These delegates, who will be representa-
tive citizens from their respective States
and localities, will no doubt be agreeably
surprised with our sunny climate, and
those who do not decide to permanently
locate here (which doubtless many will
conclude to do), will go away singing
the praises of sunny southwest Texas.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL,

747

These conventions have been held an-
nually for the past 25 years, and it has
been the usual custom, wherever they
are called, to furnish the delegates free
accommodations, which, we believe, is
usually done by the local residents
throwing open their doors to the guests,
as is often done on the occasion of other
conventions. As the delegates to this
convention will be of the highest moral
character, we suggest that the citizens
of Beeville manifest their usual Southern
hospitality by entertaining these distin-
guished guests in the best manner pos-
sible. Old Citizen.

Delegates or representatives will be
called on to rise and represent their sev-
eral States. Now, let us have every
State in the Union well represented.
Remember, no hotel bills at bee-meetings
in Texas ! And if you don't visit Sunny
Southland, and the midwinter bee-meet-
ing, you may have cause to regret it.
There- will be free dinners on the
ground both days, so that the people
will not have to disperse ; and free sup-
per, lodgings and breakfast at our good
and generous people's homes. Come one,
come all, and see how royally we can
treat you. Jennie Atchley.

Some Notes and Comments.

A stroll among Brazoria county bee-
keepers will be written up for this de-
partment soon, and many interesting
facts given, and some surprises to peo-
ple not acquainted with that part of
south Texas. Look for it. It will bene-
fit you to read it.

We are still having beautiful spring-
like weather, and the birds and bees are
yet happy that they are permitted to en-
joy our balmy air and our almost per-
petual sunshine.

If you don't come to our midwinter
bee-meeting you will lose a treat, and
you may have cause to regret it. So get
the consent of your mind now, and come.

Mr. Stevens, of South Dakota, arrived
here with his bees and household effects
last week, and will make Bee county his
future home. He brought 50 colonies
of nice Italian bees. He also brought
with him Mr. Pennel and family, and all
are delighted with our climate.

look at the country, will do well to
make it known to me while at the meet-
ing, as special hotel rates and private
conveyances will be secured for you, that
will save you unnecessary expense.

I wish to especially call the attention
of my lady bee-friends to our midwinter
bee-meeting on Dec. 27 and 28. Every-
body come, so as to arrive here Dec. 26,
that we may have a full attendance both
days. Our arrangement committee will
meet you at either train on Dec. 26 and
27. If you arrive on the Southern
Pacific the hour is 4:45 p.m., and on the
Aransas Pass it is at 6 o'clock p.m.
Our hacks and buggies will meet both
these trains Dec. 26 and 27 only. Should
you arrive before or after these dates, it
will be necessary that you drop me a
card to that effect, otherwise you might
have to walk out.

Jennie Atchley.

Answers to Your Questions.

Those coming to the bee-meeting and
wishing to remain a few days after, to

Friends, should you not get an answer
at once to your questions pertaining to
bees, or other matters, through the
American Bee Journal or by letter, you
may Jcnow that I have not yet come to
them, as I let them come in by turn
usually. But all your questions will be
answered as intelligently as I know how,
and as soon as I can possibly reach
them. Some become impatient when
their answers do not come at once.
Please do not worry about it, but rest
assured that your answers will come.
Jennie Atchley.

Visiting Bee-Keepers.

We have lately been visiting the bee-
keepers of Brazoria county in this State.
We find lots of large apiarists through
that county that the bee-keeping public
know nothing about. This county lies
about 150 miles northeast of Beeville,
and borders on the Gulf Coast. While
bees usually do well in Brazoria county,
this year they had nearly two months of
perpetual rain in July, August, and
September, and no honey was gathered
of any consequence, and what was taken
is of a very low grade, and hardly fit for
table use. They get some white bass-
wood honey there, when the weather is
favorable.

The honey that is gathered in these
lowland counties, especially along the
river bottoms, is usually a dark amber

748

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

honey, outside of the linden ; while back
in the interior, and where it is hilly and
rolling, like Bee county, we get just as
much honey as they get in Brazoria
county, and all white honey, and of tine
flavor and quality. Bees that we ex-
amined through the eastern counties are
mostly in fine condition for winter. But
one mistake I think the people are mak-
ing, is in not Italianizing their bees, as
nearly all the bees found in Brazoria
county, except a few apiaries, are the
common black bees.

Jennie Atciiley.

Motherwort— Dry Weather.

Mks. Atchley : — I send you by this
mail some motherwort seed. It blooms
from August until frost ; the last
bloomed here Nov. 1.

My bees are in splendid condition for
winter. It is very dry here in this part
of Kentucky. We have to drive our
stock two miles to water. Our springs
are all drying up, and we just get rain
enough to keep small grain alive. I like
your lessons very much in the American
Bee Journal ; but would like them bet-
ter if they came every week. It is now
cold — away below zero.

J. W. Crutcher.

Jett, Ky., Nov. 19.

Friend C, I wish to thank you for the
motherwort seed. I shall try it here,
and if it grows and does well, I will re-
port it through the American Bee Jour-
nal.

It makes me alniost shiver to hear you
say it is below zero, while we have had
no frost yet to kill our garden stuff. We
have snap-beans right off the vines now.
It is dry here, too— no rain for two
months, but that is common here, and
nothing is thought of it. Water is plen-
tiful here everywhere.

Jennie Atchley.

Old If ce .loiirnsils.— We have quite
a number of old copies of the American
Bee Journal, extending back perphaps 10
years. We will send these out at one cod a
rjq/ii, all to be different dates, and back of
Jan. 1, 1894. Remember they are odd num-
bers, and you must let us select them. We
cannot furnish them in regular order, that
is, one or two months' numbers without a
break, but will mail you as many single or
odd copies as you may wish, upon receipt
of the number of cents you want to invest
in them. They will be fine reading for the
long winter evenings, and many a single
copy is worth a whole years' subscription.
Better send for ten or more copies, as a
sample order. Only a cent a copy, back of
Jan. 1, 1894.

Oranulated or Brown Sugar for
Spring Feeding?

Query 952.— Taking into account the dif-
ferent cost, is it better to use granulated or
brown sugar for spring feeding ?— Iowa.

Granulated. — J. A. Green.

Granulated. — J. P. H. Brown.

" I don't know." — Jas. A. Stone.

I prefer granulated. — B. Taylor.

Granulated sugar. — Dadant & S(Jn.

I use granulated. — G. M. Doolittle.

Granulated, I think.— W. G. Labra-
bee.

Whichever is the cheaper. — .T. M.
Hambaugh.

I should rather risk the granulated. —
S. I. Freeborn.

I always use granulated sugar when
obliged to feed.— H. D. Cutting.

I've always used granulated, so I never
had a chance to compare. — C. C.Miller.

I think that granulated sugar is the
cheaper and better at all times. — Emer-
son T. Abbott.

I don't know. I never used the latter
for that purpose. Suppose you try both.
— Eugene Secor.

We feed granulated, and think it
enough better to make up the difference
in price.— E. France.

I would not use granulated at all. I
would use a fair article of white sugar,
A or C coffee.— M. Mahin.

I think granulated sugar is the cheap-
est, as well as the best, for bee-feed at
any time.— C. H. Dibbern.

Neither, in this locality. I cannot
tell which is best, but I think there is
not much difference. — P. H. Elwood.

I do not know. Why not use granu-
lated sugar and cheap honey, half and
half? I have been doing this in Califor-
nia.—A. J. Cook.

T use the common brown sugar, and
like it best. It comes right from the
open pans or kettles, and is not refined

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

749

or adulterated. At least not here, where
it Is made, and we get 24 pounds for a
dollar, which makes a cheap food. —
Mrs. Jennie Atchley.

I never experimented along that line,
but I should think the brown sugar was
less adulterated than the granulated. —
Mbs. L. Harrison.

Granulated ; for while it is a trifle
higher in price, it is not so damp, and
you get more sweetness per pound. —
Mrs. J. N. Heater.

Brown, or unrefined sugar, is the best
for brood-rearing if the weather is warm
enough for the bees to fly out at their
good pleasure. — G. W. Demaree.

I always use and prefer thegranulated,
and it is about as cheap, I think, all
things considered, though I have not
tried the brown sugar. — R. L. Taylor.

Granulated sugar, by all means, at
present prices. One pound of granulated
sugar will make more syrup of a given
thickness than a pound of brown sugar
or cofifee sugar. — G. L. Tinker.

I should use granulated sugar in all
cases. Taking into consideration the
difference in quality, the granulated is
the cheaper at the higher cost, whether
used in the apiary, the kitchen, or the
dining room. — J. E. Pond.

I would prefer the best granulated.
We cannot afford to run any risk in a
matter of this importance. If it is worth
doing at all, it is worth doing well. Feed-
ing at best is an unfortunate necessity,
especially in the spring. If once com-
menced, it must be continued until well
along into the season. If abruptly dis-
continued, before honey is obtainable,
the bees are likely to tear out and de-
stroy all brood started; and this will
put them back to a worse condition than
before — a process that will naturally
affect and detract from their vigorous
and healthy condition. Be cautious. —
W. M. Barnum.

Xlie Amateiir Bee-Keepei* is the

name of a neat 64-page pamphlet, 4x7 inches
in size. It is written by that practical
Missouri bee-keeper, Mr. J. W. Rouse, and
published by the Leahy Mfg. Co. It should
be read by every bee-keeper, whether an
amateur or not. A new and second edition
has just been issued, the first 1,000 copies
being disposed of in only two years. It is
nicely and fully illustrated. Price, post-
paid, 25 cents ; or clubbed with the Ameri-
can Bee Journal for a year— both, $1.15.

COWYENTIOlUr DIRECTORY.

Time and place of meeting.

1894.
Dec. 18, 19— Northern Illinois, at Rockford.Tll.
B. Kennedy, Sec, New Milford, 111.

Dec. 26. 27.— Eastern Iowa, at Anamosa, Iowa
Frank Coverdale, Sec, Welton, Iowa.

Dee. 27, 28.— Texas State, at Beeville, Tex.
Mrs. Jennie Atchley, Beeville, Tex.
1895.
Jan. 2. 3.— Michigan State, at Detroit, Mich.
W, Z. Hutchinson, Sec. Flint. Mich.

Jan. 9.— Indiana State, at Indianapolis, Ind.
Walter S. Pouder, Pres., Indianapolis, Ind.

Jan. 21, 22 — Colorada State, at Denver, Colo.
H. Knight, Sec, Littleton, Colo.

Jan. 22-24.— Ontario, at Stratford, Ont.

W. Couse, Sec, Streetville, Ont.

Jan. 28.— Venang-o Co., at Franklin. Pa.

C. S. Pizer, Sec, Franklin, Pa.

Jan. 30, 31.— Vermont, at Middlebury, Vt.
H. W. Scott, Sec, Barre, Vt.

Feb. 8, 9.— Wisconsin, at Madison, Wis.

J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec, Madison, Wis.

. .—North American, at Toronto, Can.

Frank Benton, Sec, U. S. Dept. Agriculture.
Washington, D. C.

I^~ In order to have this table complete.
Secretaries are requested to forward full
particulars of the time and the place of
each future meetinfi;. — Thb Editor.

North American Bee-Keepers' Association

OFFICERS FOR 1895.

Pres.— R. F. Holtermann Brantford, Ont.

Vice-Pres.— L. D Stilson Vork, Nebr.

Secretary— W. Z. Hutchinson... Flint, Mich.
Treasurer.— J. T. Calvert Medina, Ohio.

National Bee-Keepers' Union.

President- Hon. R. L. Taylor.. Lapeer, Mich.
Gen'l Manager— T. G. Newman, Chicago, lU.
147 South Western Avenue.

"FohI Ifirood ; 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 sold at the office of the Bee Jour-
nal. Price, postpaid, 25 cents; or clubbed
with the Bee Journal for one year — both
together for $1.15.

Xlie r^ovelty Pocket-Iinife is

worth having. Mr. A. G. Amos, of New
York, says this about it: " The ' Novelty'
pocket-knife which I received with the
American Bee Journal arrived all O. K.,
and it is a dandy." Better get one your-
self, and then you will know what a
" dandy " thing it is. See page 736 for ad-
vertising offer.

750

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

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^WINTERING BEES IN THE CEI^I^AR.

BY C. DAVENPOKT.

I would like to say that the editor selected the title to my former article, on
page 658, and I notice he refers to me as a "big bee-man ;" now I have some pretty
big bees, but I am not very big myself — I am just middling-sized !

This time I will try to say something more about wintering bees in cellars, for
successful wintering, to most of us in the Northern and Middle States, is one of the
most difficult problems we have in our chosen, and, to me, beloved pursuit.

In the first place, in carrying the bees into the cellar, I regard it as very im-
portant that they are disturbed as little as possible in the operation. If a colony is
disturbed enough so that the bees become alarmed, they will fill themselves with
honey, or syrup, and they start Into their long confinement under very unfavorable
conditions. The hive bottom-boards should be loosened the day before, or in the
morning of the day they are to be carried in. I loosen the covers at the same
time, and do both as carefully as I can, so that the jar and snapping which is found
to take place more or less will disturb them as little as possible. If they are carried
in at the time this is done, they are much more apt to become alarmed, for in loos-
ening the bottom-boards they are sure to be disturbed some, but not enough but
what they will soon quiet down with no harm done, if that is all that happens to
them at the time.

For a long time carrying bees in and out of the cellar was about the hardest
and most unpleasant work I found about bee-keeping. But a number of years ago
I made a carrier for this purpose, which makes the work much easier, and disturbs
the bees less than any plan I ever tried, and I have tried a good many. To make
one of these carriers, take two pieces of 2x4 scantling, about 5X feet long. Lay
them on the ground edgewise, about two feet apart, and nail across them three
narrow pieces of boards, so that two hives will set on these strips lengthwise of the
2x4. The middle strip should be a little wider than those at the ends, as one end
of both hives will set on this middle board. Near each corner nail a narrow piece
of board 6 or 8 inches long for legs. The ends of the 2x4 should be shaved down
small enough so that a man can take hold of them like the handles of a wheelbar-
row— only have one man at each end.

On the strips that the hives rest on, and on the bottom of each leg, I nail some
pieces of old felt-cloth— an old felt hat is just the thing, or any pieces of thick cloth.
This is done to avoid all jars in placing the hives on the carrier, and in setting It
down on the cellar bottom.

With this carrier two men will carry two hives a great deal easier, and disturb
the bees less, than each man can carry a hive in his arms. I carry most of ray hives

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL., 751

in without the bottom-boards, and on a cloudy day, with the temperature at 45°, or
a little lower, this can be done, and the bees hardly seem to know they are being
moved. But I would say to those who carry their hives in with the bottom-boards
on, you will like one of these carriers even better than those who do not leave the
bottoms, as a hive with the bottom-board on is more awkward to carry in one's arms
than one without. One of these carriers only costs a few cents, and any one can
make it in a few minutes.

As to the time for putting the bees in, it varies with me from the first to the
last of November, though it is not usual later than the middle of the month. This
year part of my bees were carried in on Nov. 7, and the rest on the 13th.

In the cellar I place the hives on two pieces of 4x4, which are placed about 10
inches apart, and supported about a foot from the cellar bottom. The hives are set
on these pieces without the bottom-boards, and about 5 inches of space is left be-
tween each hive, and the next tier of hives is set over these 5-inch spaces, and so on
up. I have tried putting the hives on the cellar bottom, and almost always with
poor results to the colonies comprising the lower tiers. Of course it does not matter
whether the hives are placed and tiered like this or not ; if they are up from the
cellar bottom, and have plenty of bottom ventilation, they are all right as far as
that is concerned.

I always loosen the covers. I do not put anything under them to hold them up,
but if they are loosened just before they are put into the cellar, there will be a
slight top ventilation which has always given the best results with me.

If there is a warm day any time during the winter, when the bees can fly, I
always carry some of my most choice colonies out, and let them have a good flight.
I take one of the carriers into the cellar, and place a couple of bottom-boards on
it, and set a hive on each one, and they can be carried out very easily. I do not re-
gard this as necessary, but I think it is a good thing to do, as it gives the bees a
chance to relieve themselves ; and I have noticed that colonies thus treated seem to
be stronger in the spring, and less likely to spring dwindle.

If the bees are carried out for a flight, the hives should beset in the same places
from which they were removed in the fall. For marking the location of each hive,
I take a bunch of lath, and saw them up into foot lengths, sharpen one end, and
drive a piece down by the side of each hive, and on this I write the number of the
hive by which it is set. I have never had any trouble to speak of with bees mixing
up and entering the wrong hives, as described by Mr. Dadant in a late number of
the American Bee Journal.

Now there is another thing that I know is very important in cellar-wintering,
and that is plenty of fresh air, or, in other words, good ventilation. Thirteen years
ago last spring I bought 6 colonies, and started at the business in which I have been
actively engaged ever since. In the fall I had 13 colonies which I now know were
in good condition. Late in the fall they were put into the house-cellar, one end of
which had been partitioned off for their use. The preceding summer I had read an
article in which the author very positively stated that bees did not need any air
during the winter, so after they were put in I banked the outside door up with
straw and earth, and shut both windows tight. The walls of this cellar were thick,
composed of hard limestone well laid in mortar ; and the inside was also plastered
with two coats of good mortar. Now, good authorities tell us that air will get
through such a wall as this ; I am not going to dispute them, but I will say that
there cannot enough get through. In the spring 11 of those 13 colonies were dead,
and another died soon after they were put out. Those bees were killed by foul
air. They did not die because the cellar became too warm. Bees have been win-
tered very successfully in a higher temperature with pure air, than that cellar

T52 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

reached. I have wintered hundreds of colonies in the same cellar since, but I gave
them plenty of air.

I will never forget the bitter disappointment I felt over the loss of those bees that
first winter ; but I had faith in the business, and also what at that time I regarded
as much better — a young horse which my father had given to me when it was a colt ;
this I sold, and invested all the proceeds in bees, hives and bee-books, and as a rule,
since, I have had good luck.

There are other things and conditions which make our success in wintering to
vary, and unfortunately some of these are very hard, or impossible, for us to control.
But I know from a good deal of experience that it is much better for the tempera-
ture to go considerably lower than the prescribed limits of 45° and 48°, than to
keep it at that by means of foul air, or air that has been breathed and re-breathed
by the bees.

Now, I do not want any who winter their bees in house-cellars, and have to give
ventilation by means of windows, to think it is necessary to have two windows open
at once — a continuous direct draft is to be avoided, if possible ; one window partly
or wholly open will usually be sufficient. No exact rule can be given, as it will
vary with the size of cellar, number of colonies, etc.; but I will say that if the air
where your bees are confined is such that you would not like to breathe it very long
yourself, you may be very sure the bees won't like it very well either. I try to keep
the air in both of my bee-cellars so that I would not mind staying there all the time
myself, as far as the air is concerned. Southern Minnesota, Nov. 7.

SOMEXHI?«JG ABOUX FRAME XOP-BAR.S.

BY PHILO S. DILWOKTH.

When the wider and thicker top-bar craze was in full blast, I used all my in-
fluence against jumping to the saw-log top-bar at once. I urged a gradual increase
until we would find just how much increase was necessary. The old style of top-
bars were %-inch wide. The tin corner bars were about Ji thick, and the all-wood
frames were % thick. I begged that the increase the first year should be to 1 inch
wide and % thick, and spaced % exact. I had so much confidence in my idea that
I ordered some made that way on a special order. Up to this time I have no reason
to regret ray order. If you have any old-style slatted honey-boards, you will prob-
ably find the slats one inch wide, and spaced %. Probably you always supposed the
reason the bees built no burr-combs above the honey-board was, in some mysterious
way, on account of the double arrangement. Look again, and see if you don't think
the cause was the width of the top-bars, the % bee-space, the small space between
the slats and the supers, and because of no sagging. Then give my top-bars a trial
in a few hives.

To put my top-bars on the old-style all-wood frames is a small matter, even with
the old combs in them. I do not know of any better way to transfer the combs
than to simply change the top-bars. If your supply-dealer has not these bars, he
can get a sample from me to use as a pattern to make yours. This article refers to
swinging frames. I use Root's old-style wiring with tin bars in the middle. I flat-
ten the tin bars and wax them to get the bees to build worker-cells on them. I try
to get my foundation started by colonics known to be good comb-builders.

Some bees are better comb-builders than others. Some bees seem to have a
natural propensity to mutilate foundation or partly-drawn combs. Some seem to
require bait sections to get them to work in the supers. Others seem glad to go into
the supers as soon as they have anything to go with. My plan is to supersede all

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 753

queens whose bees will not go into the sections without baits. I also supersede
queens that swarm out from under empty sections, if I can find no cause except
"won't build comb."

After-swarming is another bad trait that should be bred out as rapidly as pos-
sible. The most prolific queen is not always the most profitable queen. Most of my
knowledge in the bee-business has been gained by laborious, painful and costly ex-
perience. My articles are not the rehash of other people's ideas. They are based
on my experience. Allegheny Co., Pa.

I.AROH OR SMAI.I. HIVES-OXHER ** KINKS.»»

BY O. G. KISLOW.

Say, will you who are trying to pull Dr. Miller off from the fence, leave him
alone, and let him sit there until he gets off himself, even if it will take him a long
time? Large hives, as well as small hives, will never become standard hives, viz.:
a hive that all can use to the best advantage. A small hive will be best for one
locality, and a large hive for another. One has to decide what hive is best for his
locality. What we ought to discuss, and try to agree on, is a standard frame all
over the United States ; then we could have large or small hives, as we thought best.

The Season's Reports. — Some write : " I got a fine crop of honey." Or, " We
have had a fair honey season in this locality," etc. Why not say how many pounds
per colony, spring count, and what increase ; what source they got the honey from,
etc.? That is nearly as easily done for a practical bee-keeper as merely stating as
aforesaid.

Reading Essays. — What is the use of reading essays at the North American
Bee-Keepers' Association when we can just as well sit down at home and read them,
without spending a cent for it. If it ever comes that I have a chance to be at the
convention, I would not care for such reading. Bee-talk is what we want, and then
some sort of recreation, or recess, and then bee-talk again.

Beauty vs. Quality.— Nearly everybody seems to be crazy after Italian bees,
and particularly those 5-banded bees, as they are so pretty. Well, that is as far as
they go, as they are bred more for beauty than for good qualities, at least such is
my experience. Those that I have are worse than hybrids to handle, and not better
than blacks to work. I have a daughter of an imported queen, and they are the
best in every way — better to handle and better workers.

Report for the Season. — The honey crop in this locality was poor. Spring
opened very favorably, bees bred up very fast, and the hives were crowded with
brood the middle of May, when that hard frost came and killed nearly half of the
brood, and continued cold for some time, which was a great drawback to brood-
rearing. White clover was winter-killed so badly that hardly anything was left, and
what little there was yielded no nectar. After the first week of June there was no
rain until the middle of September. Sumac yielded some, and after that basswood
yielded well for a week, and that was all the white honey I got. There was a fair
yield from fall flowers, which I got most of my honey from — mostly golden-rod
honey.

I had 16 colonies, spring count, running 14 for comb honey, and increased all
to 30 strong colonies. I got 758 pounds of comb honey, mostly dark, and the bees
have enough to winter on. Lake Mills, Iowa, Nov. 12.

754

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

Twenty-Fifth Annual Meeting

OF THE

NORTH AMERICAS

BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.

BY FRANK BENTON, SEC.

[Continued from page 726.]
Second Day — Forenoon Session.

The Association met at 9 a.m., and
President Abbott appointed the follow-
ing committees:

Committee on Revision of Constitution
—George W. York, A. I. Root, W. Z.
Hutchinson, Dr. C. C. Miller and Frank
Benton.

Committee on Resolutions — Dr. F. L.
Pelro, George W. York and L. D. Stilson.

Committee of Reception — R. F. Holter-
mann, Mrs. J. M. Null, Dr. F. L. Peiro,
E. Whitcomb and A. I. Root.

Auditing Committee — W. Z. Hutchin-
son, C. P. Dadant and E. Whitcomb.

Committee on Exhibits — H. J. New-
berry, E. C. L. Larch and E. L. Carring-
ton.

On motion of Mr. C. P. Dadant, the
time for the selection of place of meet-
ing for 1895 and the election of olBcers
was changed from Oct. 12 to the after-
noon of Oct. 11.

A place on the program had been re-
quested for a meeting of the Missouri
State Bee-Keepers' Association, but as
that society failed to fill it, the follow-
ing essay by Mr. George W. York was
listened to:

Disposing of the Honey Crop.

Page upon page has been written on
the subject of marketing honey, for all
realize that unless it is well sold, there
is no profit or just remuneration for the
labor and skill involved in its produc-
tion.

A successful marketing of honey pre-
supposes its good quality, and suitable
condition for proper and satisfactory
handling. Possessing these two very
important factors, the honey is then
ready to seek the much-desired customer.

Upon what market shall it be placed?
Aye, that's the question ! Shall it be
disposed of in the home market — prob-
ably among the producer's friends and

neighbors — or shall it be shipped to the
nearest large city to find purchasers ?
Both ways have their advantages, as
well as disadvantages. So much de-
pends upon the producer himself, that
what might be best for one bee-keeper
would be all wrong for another equally
successful in honey-production.

Each producer, of course, desires to
realize the most money possible for his
crop. Upon that point all will agree.
But how about the city market for such
an object ? The city honey commission
merchant, as a rule, if he does any busi-
ness at all, is an overworked or over-
crowded man. Imagine, if you please,
100 different lots of honey, being ship-
ped to him from various parts of the
country, in different conditions, and all
coming so as to be in stock at the same
time. Now it will be utterly impossible
for him to give to each shipment equal
attention, and some of them must of
necessity be neglected, or await their
turns. In the meantime, some of the
shippers may notify him to hold their
honey for a certain price. Then, of
course, the honey of those who do not
give any definite instructions as to price
will be sold first, and probably at a lower
figure. By that time the market is
practically supplied, and the balance of
the honey in the commission merchant's
hands must be held, or the price lowered
in order to at all effect sales. Thus it
will be readily seen that at best selling
through a city commission firm must
often be quite unsatisfactory, especially
as there is so much to risk in shipping
honey, lest the combs be broken down
and thus be ruined, or the extracted
honey packages may leak, and in that
way cause loss.

I fully believe that the best solution
of the question will be found in the home
market, where the producer can per-
sonally look after the details of the
work ; and although unable to do the
actual retailing himself, he can so super-
vise it as to realize the largest proceeds
from the sale of his crop of honey.

Of course, it requires a good talker to
sell honey, as well as anything else that
has merit which needs to be shown to
the desired purchasers. But as nearly
everybody likes to eat honey, it should
not be such a difficult task to dispose of
some in nearly every home visited.

As to the price to be asked, certainly
the city market quotations should not
govern, for, as I have shown, that mar-
ket may have become overstocked, and
for the time being the price lowered to
such an extent that there could be no
profit whatever to the producer.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

755

It has been suggested that unless a
good price be asked, it will not be
secured. And there is more truth than
poetry in that hint. Though if the price
asked be too high, there will also be less
sales, and consequently less money ob-
tained but more honey left on the pro-
ducer's hands. It seems to me that
comb honey, in most home markets,
should bring not less than 20 cents per
single section, or 6 sections for $1.00.
Extracted honey should retail, per single
pound, at 15 cents, or 8 pounds for
$1.00. These prices certainly are not
high, and yet probably large enough to
sufficiently reward any reasonable pro-
ducer in a fair honey season.

There is much in education in this
matter of the price of honey, as well as
to its constant use in the family. By
starting out rightly, a better price can
be secured and maintained, and also
more sales be made, while if there is a
wrong beginning, it will be well nigh
impossible to correct it later on. By all
means study the consumer's ability to
pay, supply a pure article of honey, put
up in an attractive form, and there will
be little trouble about future orders
after the first purchase is made and used.

I think that bee-keepers who have a
home market well worked up often
make a very great mistake when they
allow themselves to get out of honey for
sale at any time of the year; for if a
regular customer can get no more honey
from the producer who has been supply-
ing him, he will likely apply to the
grocery store, where he may be supplied
with a mixed article at a less price, and
also correspondingly inferior in quality,
though it may, after a time, give partial
satisfaction. The result will be that the
next time the honest producer wishes to
sell that customer more honey, he will be
expected to furnish it at very near " store
prices," for a superior article. To avoid
such an unfortunate condition of things,
I would always have honey on hand,
even if it be necessary to get it from a
bee-keeper at a distance, but always
being assured of his honesty and re-
liability.

I am sure that the home market for
honey has undreamed of possibilities for
successful development, and the wide-
awake, progressive twentieth century
honey-producers will find in it a verit-
able gold-mine in exchange for their
pure, golden honey — nectar fit for the
gods, and hungry humanity's best food
and medicine. George W. York.

Mr. York's essay was then discussed
as follows :

R. F. Holtermann— I should like to
haye this convention discuss one subject,
and that is, whether a producer should
ever get out of honey, or whether he
should buy from other producers to fill
the demand he may have.

F. H. Richardson — No sir-ree ! I would
not do that. I would sell only my own
honey. I would not sell any that was
not mine and say it was.

Mr. York— You would not have to do
that. All we have to do is to guarantee
the honey to be pure honey. I don't
have to produce the honey myself. We
don't have to do that.

C. P. Dadant— We have found that we
have had to handle honey that was not
our own. When the crop was short we
found that it was very easy to sell honey
that was not our own, by putting our
label on it. We tell them it is not our
own honey, but when they see our label
on it they take it as soon as they would
our own. If they would not see our
label on it, they would think we had
"manufactured" it. If we tell them
that we will guarantee it, it is all right.
It is sufficient for them if we will guar-
antee it.

Pres. Abbott— I have been compelled
to sell Dadant's honey.

Dr. Miller — I think it is a good thing
in two respects. When a bee-keeper has
more honey than he needs, and one has
less than he needs and buys it, then it is
a good thing. There is one thing that I
want to speak about right here, and that
is in regard to the price of honey. Some
sell it for 20 cents a section. The sup-
ply and demand is going to rule. In one
place the price is 15 cents, and in
another place 20 cents. We may as well
give up if we attempt to fix any price on
honey. We will do harm rather than
good.

Mr. York— My essay reads that most
home markets should not bring less than
20 cents.

Dr. F. L. Peiro— Mr. Richardson tells
me something which is entirely new to
me, and that is the fact that a man can
lie without saying anything. In Chicago
we do a good deal of lying, and I am
going to find out just how he does that
fine-haired thing !

Pres. Abbott — I have had a little ex-
perience in this honey-selling business.
I have lived in St. Joseph for ten years.
The first four or five I did a good deal
by way of selling my own honey, but I
have seldom had honey enough to supply
the demand when I have pushed the
business. For the last two or three
years I have tried not to sell rather than
sell. During that time I have been able

756

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

to build up a market that is of a charac-
ter which every man should have — a
market that simply takes my word for it
because they think I know what honey
is. They never ask me if I produce the
honey. If they would, I would tell them
no. They don't ask it, because they
have become acquainted with me, and
they know when I sell them honey that
I know what honey is, and they take it
for granted that I would give them a
good article, or I would not bring it to
them at all. I have never sold a pound
of honey in St. Joseph (except two or
three times when I made a reduction on
the ground of friendship) for less than
15 cents per pound. I know people who
have gone around these streets begging
people to buy honey at 7 or 8 cents.
The reason I got 15 cents was because
I asked 15 cents, and I do not handle
anything else than 15-cent honey. If
they want honey for less than 15 cents,
they buy it of somebody else. If they
do not pay me 15 cents for it, they do
not get it. If the dealers who are hand-
ling my honey are willing to pay me 15
cents for it, I leave it, but if they are
not, I take the honey away. I always
sell for cash, and if they do not want to
pay me cash for it, I take it away, even
if they are worth a million dollars. That
is the way I do business, and that is the
way everybody should do. I believe it
can be done, and that is my experience.
I do not say anything about this market,
because others would rush in here and
sell all the honey and get rich.

Mr. Richardson — My customers, as I
explained, don't ask about the honey.
When I take it to them that settles it,
and at wholesale I get 123^ cents per
pound. I don't always get the money
before I leave the store, because I sell
only to responsible parties — 123^ cents
for extracted to the dealers, and 15 cents
at retail. I have never sold a pound of
comb honey for less than 18 cents whole-
sale, and 20 cents retail. I think it is
right that I should give the men who
handle my honey the advantage in price
— that is, the men who handle my honey
in the stores. When a stranger comes
to my home for honey, and if I have
never sold him any honey before, he will
always ask if this honey is produced by
myself. If it is not it would not be
right for me to tell him it is. I claim if
it is labeled, or not, it would not be true.
I tell them : " Here is honey, and I
guarantee it in every respect equal to
my honey ;" so my conscience is clear,
and my customer is satisfied.

Mr. Holtermann— I think the bee-
papers should be censured for giving the

prices of honey they do. We in Canada
have wholesale 123^ cents and retail 15
cents for extracted, and these are the
prices which we get. I think there is a
good deal of truth in what has been said
here. Mr. Muth said that a man came
to him and got some honey, and then
went around and asked people if they
did not want some good country honey.
The people caught at the words " coun-
try honey," and the man got 15 cents
for his extracted honey, and by that cus-
tom got to have quite a good trade on it
simply because he supplied a good arti-
cle. The words "country honey"
pleased them, and he got a good price
for it. I think Mr. York's idea is a good
one — to get honey from elsewhere when
a man runs out, but get a good article
always, and if you cannot get a good
article always, do not handle it. If the
article used is good, we will be able to
build up a good trade. A man has an
idea if he pays a little higher price it is
more likely to be pure. I think it is
best to establish our own reputation in
that way.

Dr. Miller — There has been as much
harm done to our market by having a
poor article of honey on the market as
by anything else.

E. Whitcomb— While I regard the
home market as much the best, I don't
think it is a good idea for a man to force
his honey on the market. I have al-
lowed myself to be beaten once, but not
the second time. I have never shipped
any honey to commission men but once.
If I sell honey it is sold before it is
shipped. A few years ago I went West
and picked out a good groceryman, and
I said to him, "Mr. So-and-So, what
kind of honey are you selling?" He said
"California." I said, "Well, I have
some good honey." He replied, "We
can't sell your honey." I said that I
would like to send him some honey, and
I asked him if I could pick out a window
in his place where his customers would
see the honey. He said that I could,
and I said I would send him two or
three cases of honey, " But mind, it is
my honey, and it must be sold at my
prices. If you sell it you must pay for
it, and if it don't sell you don't have to
pay anything." In a few days he asked
for all of the honey that I had, and
asked how much honey I had. We have
no trouble in running the California
honey out of our locality. I find that an
attractive honey-package adds one-half
to the sale of the honey. The manner
in which you put it up is what sells it.
That is what catches the eye of the
buyer. Among our own buyers they

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

757

take our word for it, and they take the
honey away in their own packages.
That is the most profitable custom be-
cause you have no package to buy.

Mr. York — Before censuring Mr. Root
for publishing the quotations which he
does, I would like to hear from Mr. Cal-
vert. What are you going to do with
some bee-keepers who have honey to sell
and are willing to take almost any price
for it ? The object of the honey market
is to make for these men an outlet for
their honey.

Mr. Richardson — I can partly, I be-
lieve, answer the brother. I believe if
the honey quotation column was done
away with, and in its place was opened
a space that bee-keepers could advertise
in the journals that they have honey for
sale, it would be a good thing. There
are always some bee-keepers that would
have to buy honey to supply the home
market. I pick up the American Bee
Journal, and I see that Mr. Hutchinson,
or somebody else, has a good crop, and I
am short. I know him, and that he is
reliable. If I want honey I will write to
him and buy from him. I think that
kind of space in our bee-papers would be
good, and it would help us to a great ex-
tent.

A. I. Root — Perhaps our friend is not
aware that we have had for years, free
of charge, a space where any bee-keeper
can tell what honey he has and the price
for it. Now, in regard to sending honey
to irresponsible men. There is a class
of commission men (and if you do not
have them in Missouri you are lucky),
that will say, " I can give you 18 or 20
cents per pound for your honey ;" and
the man who gets the quotations is so
excited that he rushes off and sends his
honey to him when he don't even know
him, and maybe has never heard of him.
He says, "Oh, he is all right!" aud does
not give any other reason for it. We
are employed by both Dun and Brad-
street to help them report honey-men.
We could report every man in the
United States that has anything to do
with honey. If somebody asks you for
honey and you can't readily find them,
write us and we will be very glad to help
you. A great part of our business is
quoting and keeping track of bee-men,
and we are inquired of a great deal, and
I would be glad to have you inquire
more, and you don't have to enclose any
stamp. We try to encourage bee-men
to be prompt and square, not only tell-
ing the truth by words, but by actions
also. Honesty is the best policy. If
70U have any complaint, just give us

the names and addresses of the men,
and we will straighten them out.

Dr. Miller — About this matter of quo-
tations in the bee-papers — a few years
ago I spent some time in the city of Chi-
cago going about to the offices of the
daily papers that had certain quotations,
and I went and took them returns from
commission houses showing what I got
for my honey, and it was in every case
about 2 cents difference from what they
were reporting in the papers. It is not
an easy thing to have the correct quota-
tions, either in the daily papers or in the
bee-papers. We want information on
this subject, and a certain amount of in-
formation, however small, is better than
none at all. I would be very sorry in
deed to put any kind of censure on the
bee-papers for what they are telling
about the state of the markets. If any
one knows that the quotations are not
correct, just send word to that effect,
and in every case I have found the bee-
papers would be glad to publish it. If
you do not know that it is correct, it is
something for you to go on ; you have
that much more to go on than if you did
not have anything. They are likely to
be correct. The bee-papers are doing
the best they know how. There are
times that those reports cannot be relied
on. I have found at times that I was
getting about 2 cents per pound from
my commission men. above the market
reports. I would look at the reports
and that honey was so much, and as I
was getting 2 cents over that, I was sat-
isfied. The fact is, we were all being
lied to.

Mr. Holtermann — What I said I said
in a sort of a joking way, but there is
some truth in it. Honey is handled but
very little through commission men in
Canada. Just before I left home a man
offered to sell us 2,000 pounds of honey,
which he said was first-class, for 5 cents
a pound. Now would it be wise for us
to say in our journal that honey had
been sold on our market for 5 or 6 cents?
No. You take the daily papers, and you
will find the price which is quoted is be-
low what the price really is.

L. D. Stilson — In regard to this mat-
ter, I think it would be a good idea if
you would look at it from the other
side. A person who is producing good
honey, as he should, and then sees what
the difference in the prices is, he don't
need to sell on the market where the
price is so low. A gentleman in Indiana
sent me a letter asking if any of our
Nebraska bee-keepers had any honey to
sell, and said, " If any of you have got
any first-class honey to sell, I can get

758

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

you 6 cents per pound for it." I wrote
back that we did not have to sell Ne-
braska honey for any 6 cents per pound,
and that we did not produce that kind.
A day or two later a telegram came to
our station addressed to myself, or to
some honey-dealer, and it was given to
a merchant in town, as I live just out-
side of the town, offering him honey for
10 cents, saying that it was Nebraska
honey. The man asked me if I knew
this man In Indiana that is offering
Nebraska honey for 10 cents. I said to
him, " You take all the honey you can
get at 10 cents, but it must be home-
grown Nebraska honey, and your county
honey at that." And he did so, and in a
day or two he had a reply to that, and
the man said that he could not supply
the honey. We put our honey up in the
neatest packages we know of, and we
demand good prices, and we get them.
We have no surplus to ship to your East-
ern markets at those low prices.

H. C. Nichols — I have had some ex-
perience in shipping honey to commis-
sion men. I have shipped to Kansas
City, Chicago and New York, and it was
to men that advertised in the American
Bee Journal or Gleanings. I shipped
once to a man in Water Street, Chicago,
and did not hear anything from it for a
long time. I finally wrote to Mr. New-
man, asking about such a man. I
shipped some to Kansas City. I wrote
to him asking what honey was worth,
and he said it was worth 16 cents. I
shipped it, and did not hear from it for
a long time, and one . day I happened to
be down there and thought I would look
around. I looked around before I said
anything, and I found my honey with
honey piled all around it, and there it
had laid, and they had sold what came
first. In shipping it, it was badly broken
up and wasted. I try to create a home
market, and sell a great deal to the
home trade. I would rather take a little
less price for it, for I know I will sell a
great deal of honey in that way.

The Q,uestion-Boz.

The question-box was then taken up,
and the following questions discussed :

Extracted-Honey Packagesl

Question No. 1. — " What is the most
desirable honey-package ?"

F. H. Richarson — I haven't much to
say. I use for my extracted honey a
sloping tin pail neatly labeled, on ac-
count of its being very convenient to
handle, and by proper labeling you get a
very neat package.

L. D. Stilson — I run for extracted
honey entirely, and I put all of my
honey up in glass. When a customer
comes to get my honey lam not ashamed
to hold it up to the light for him to look
through. We use nothing but glass.

C. P. Dadant — I don't believe in that.
Pure honey will granulate, and then you
can't look through it.

Mr. Stilson — Whenever we put it up
for customers, we put it in tin or wood.
We never put it up for market until it is
ready to be used.

Dr. Miller — There is no way in which
honey looks so nice as in glass. Honey
will granulate, and you will have to
teach your customers that it is honey
that can be depended upon, and then
you will not have so much trouble with it.

J. T. Calvert — It is said that the sage
honey of California must granulate to
show that it is pure. I simply raise the
question.

Dr. T. J. Conry— Alfalfa honey will
granulate in a week.

W. L. Porter — I have used a tin pail,
and have used a great many thousands of
them in the last few years in Denver.
We find that glass packages have a
greater demand than the tin. I have a
package here that I brought out of my
stock, and that package has some ad-
vantages. We can put it in the stores
to sell to our cumstomers, and we can
oflfer 5 cents for the jar. If it is re-
turned it is worth that to us, and if it
does not come back it is worth that to
the customer who gets it. I have used
the square jars and the round jars, but
I find that the square jar is not as val-
uable as the round one when the honey
is used.

Mr. Richardson — Some of you say that
all pure honey will granulate. I say
that it won't. I have some honey that I
have set out for two years, and last win-
ter it was set out on the porch roof when
the thermometer was 15° below zero,
and I said to myself, " Now I will have
some candied honey ;" but when I came
to get it there was no more sugar in it
than when it came out of the hive. I do
not put my honey in tin pails because I
am ashamed of it, but I can't sell glass
packages under any consideration. I
bought some glass packages, and I had
to almost give them away. I said to the
people, "I thought you would like this
glass package;" and they would say to
me, "You can't sell me that honey for
5 cents a pound. We have had some of
the honey that is put up in glass, and
have found it always adulterated honey."
I can't sell honey in glass packages at
all ; they won't have it. They have

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

759

learned that the packing-houses always
put honey up in glass, and they always
put in some comb honey. It may be
glucose, and for that reason I can't sell
glass packages to my customers. They
want the honey in tin packages.

Mrs. Thos. Strawbridge— I find that
the Mason jar is the most desirable
package for my market. Tin was not a
success in marketing my honey. I use
the quart Mason jars.

E. Whitcomb — My home demand is for
the one and two pound sizes. We tell
them to bring back the jar or crock and
we will give them 5 cents for it. The
honey is 15 cents and the jar 5 cents,
bring the package back and you will get
your honey back.

Mrs. J. M. Null — I use the 60-pound
cans — from the 60-pound size to the 14
gallon size in tin, and from the y^ pound
glass self-sealer to the 14 gallon st'f-
sealer, for extracted honey.

Bee-Paralysis.

Question No. 2. — "Has any member
present had any experience with bee-
paralysis, and has he anything new to
offer in explanation of the disease, or in
the way of practical remedies ?"

A. I. Root — I made the first mention
of that disease. I did not know of any-
thing better, so I named it that. I
thought once that I had discovered a
remedy by destroying the queen and put-
ting in a different one, but I have since
learned that that does not do it. Prof.
Cook says that the disease appeared in
Michigan, and he thought it was the
queen.

Dr. Miller — I had that disease myself
— or rather my bees did — and I painted
my shop red and my bees got well. I
don't think that it was the painting of
the shop that did it. So far as I can see
I don't think you will find it in the
North here to any very great extent. I
do not know that I have seen any re-
ports of it here, but I think if you will
let it alone it will take care of itself. In
the South it becomes very bad, and the
question is whether any of these reports
of a cure have anything to do with it at
all. I don't think we know anything
more about it than we did before. Some
one's bees has the disease and he changes
the queen, and the bees get over it, and
he says changing the queen did it. My
bees had the disease, and I painted my
shop red and the bees got over it, and I
have just as good a right to say the red
paint caused the cure as you have to say
that the change of the queens did it. I
don't think we know any more about it
now than we did at first, and I don't

think we need to trouble ourselves about
it. I believe it will take care of itself.

Mr. Dadant— I would like to ask if
anybody can tell the difference between
that and bee-constipation. They come
at the same time of the year.

Mr. Holtermann — Some say it is from
starved brood. I would like to see a case
of it, and see what it is like.

Mr. Whitcomb — I have never seen but
one or two cases of this disease. In one
case I thought I would change the queen
and introduce a new one. The queen
that I took out looked so fine that I
really disliked to destroy her, and I
started a new colony, and I never had
any more trouble with her. Another
case I had was where they got at some fly-
poison that a neighbor had put out. In
nearly every case I have been able to
trace it to a neighbor who had care-
lessly left sugar or something else out
which attracted the bees, and they got
so thick that in order to get rid of them
he put out fly-poison to kill them. I
have told them to take it in or I would
prosecute them, and they did it. In one
case I got rid of it by changing the
queen, and the queen I took away from
them built up one of the finest colonies.

Mr. Richardson — I think they get it
by working on some poisonous plant. I
have seen them working on a potato
plant which I had sprinkled with a mix-
ture of Paris-green and flour. We know
that they do gather poisonous honey,
and might not bee-paralysis be on ac-
countof their gathering poisonous honey?

Mr. Root — This disease appeared in
ray apiary, and the bees were thin and
looked like walking skeletons. Now in
regard to this poisoning. I consulted a
lawyer, and he said it was a crime to
poison anything at all ; that there was a
heavy penalty for poisoning anything.

E. L. Carrington — I have had consid-
erable experience with this " nameless
disease," and I will tell you how it
works with me. The first colony that I
had that had this disease, it came on in
the spring. The bees kept getting fewer
in numbers. At last they died so rapidly
that I became alarmed and salted them
with salt brine — put it all over the comb.
That checked it for awhile. I always
hive on the same stand, and I took the
combs out and put in new frames. That
stopped it for that season, but the next
season it was worse than ever. They
had the same queen. I took out that
queen and gave them another. This I
did when the hive was in that condition,
and I have had no more of the trouble
ince her bees came out. So far as poison
is concerned, I know that could not have

760

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

been, for I did not have the trouble in
my other colonies, and I had 70. I have
used sulphur, but I believe sulphur hurts
the queen. I do not think she is good
afterwards. If I find that the bees have
this disease, I always kill the queen, or
double them up and give them a new
queen, for I am satisfied that it is the
queen that causes the trouble.

Feeding Bees in the Cellar.

Question No. 3.—" Where bees have
been neglected, is it practical to feed up
in the cellar ?"

Pres. Abbott— Yes. I want to tell
you how I fix bees so that they will win-
ter all right. I take some granulated
sugar and melt it carefully, and make a
cake about half an inch to an inch thick,
6 inches wide and 9 inches long. I then
go down into the cellar, turn the cloths
back, find out just where the cluster is,
and lay this cake right on top of the
cluster, and then let them alone, and
from the first of January they will be
all right until the following March. A
cake like that will hold about 5 pounds,
and it will keep them all right. I have
never lost a single colony that had a
cake of granulated sugar in it. They
don't need any honey. I have done this
for years, but have never seen it in the
bee-papers, and J[ have never sent it to
them.

Mrs. Strawbridge— I find that if they
have been fed in this way during the
winter, the bees will abscond when put
out in the spring. They will take the
absconding fever.

Pres. Abbott— I have been experiment-
ing with this a great deal. As soon as
the warm weather sets in I find that the
bees will chip off little flakes of it, and
will fly out with it, but they do not ab-
scond. As soon as this commences I
melt the sugar and feed it to them, and
they will take it all down. I always put
the cake in if they have from 5 to 100
pounds of honey. Five pounds of this
cake will winter a colony. Use as little
water as you can. Bees can only go one
way in winter, and that is upward in
the line of heat. They keep the heat
in the cluster, and as they move up they
come in contact with the cake of sugar,
and the heat keeps the sugar moist.
You might have 100 pounds of honey in
the hive, and if it is not above the clus-
ter the bees will die. 1 lay the cake on
sticks to give a bee-space.

Spring Dwindling of Bees.

Question No. 4.—" Spring dwindling :
its remedies and prevention."

Mr. Root — The cake of sugar is all
right.

Mr. Holtermann — Winter your bees
right. Your climate is different from
ours in Canada, but I think the general
conditions are the same. I think it is
on account of improper wintering. Poor
wintering reduces the vitality of the bees
to such a low state that before they can
rear young bees they die off. I carry
the bees into the cellar and tier the hives
up one on top of the other, with a cush-
ion over them. The last year or two I
have adopted the plan of raising the
back of the hive % of an inch, and I find
that a very satisfactory way.

Mr. Whitcomb — I think it is on ac-
count of a lack of water early in the
spring that causes the bees to fly out. I
mean the lack of water near the hives.
The bees come out on warm days and fly
about for water, and if there is none
near the hives, they will fly farther.
They drink the cold water, and it seems
to paralyze them so they cannot get back
to the hive, but die. I have adopted a
system of watering my bees, and I have
no trouble now with spring dwindling.
I take a block of wood 5 or 6 inches
square, and cut grooves from one corner
to the other almost to the edge. They
will cross in the center of the block. I
then take a common quart jar, a fruit
jar, and fill it full of water and invert it
on the block. These little grooves will
fill up, and it will be replenished as the
bees take it up. I set this right near
the hives, and the bees can then get all
the water they want without flying long
distances for it and getting chilled. I
have found this to be a sure preventive
for spring dwindling.

The Bee-Smoker.

Question No. 5. — " What is the most
practical bee-smoker ?"

Pres. Abbott— The one you like the
best, and your dealer sells the cheapest.

Foul Brood.

Question No. 6. — "What can the As-
sociation do to stop the spread or prevent
the spread of foul brood ?"

Dr. Miller — We cannot do anything.

Freight Rates on Bees, Honey and
Supplies.

Question No. 7. — "Are we as bee-
keepers receiving fair rates of freight on
bees, honey and supplies? If not, may
we not as an Association bring some in-
fluence to bear upon the Classification
Committee to secure fair rating?"

The President appointed a committee

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

761

of three— Dr. C. C. Miller, C. P. Dadant
and E. Whltcomb — to take up this mat-
ter and see what could be done towards
securing fair freight rates on the com-
modities mentioned in the question, and
to report as soon as possible.

The convention then adjourned until
1:30 p.m.

(To be continued.)

^F~ Do not write anything for publication
on the same sheet of paper wltn business
matters, unless It can be torn apart wlthou
interfering with either part of the letter.

^A^AitkJkjmu

Introducing' Queens.

When no honey is coming in, and
when robbers are likely to be around,
this is the way I introduce a queen : I
tried to change some queens from some
hives last summer by taking out the old
queen and leaving the colony queenless
for 4 or 5 days, and then introducing a
young queen, but I lost several queens
with different colonies in that way, as
there was no honey coming in ; so I fed
them a little for a few days in the even-
ing. Then I found that I could intro-
duce the queens with success.

Lucan, Ont., Nov. 30. H. Gibson.

Bee-Eeeping' 'Way Up North.

I think you may consider me the most
venturesome bee-keeper, as I am located
about half way between the 46th and
47th degrees of latitude. I have only
just begun to keep bees. I bought one
colony July 1 — a very fine colony — and
I made three more in the course of the
summer. They all did finely, but I fed
them up in October, so they are all in
good condition. They are packed in the
cellar under the kitchen. I did not put
them in till Nov. 13, and I think I can
reasonably hope they will be all right in
the spring.

We have willow blossoms just loaded
with pollen before the snow is all gone
in the spring, and have lots of cherry
and plum blossoms, and hundreds of

acres of wild raspberries, besides other
wild fruit and berries ; also lots of bass-
wood, some clover, and they raise some
buckwheat in the neighborhood. Then
for fall we have acres of fireweed and
touch-me-not, besides asters in a dozen
varieties, and as many golden-rods.
This country is very thinly settled— our
township is not organized, for want of
settlers, so there is any amount of room
for wild flowers to grow.

If there is any bee-keeper as far
north, or farther, I should like to know
who it is, and should like to correspond
with him or her, or any other practical
bee-keeper, as I am only a beginner and
have much to learn. My highest ambi-
tion is to keep 100 colonies of bees, and
make it pay. I have 4 to begin with,
and between this and spring I hope to
learn enough to care for them properly,
and in time become a successful bee-
keeper— even up here in the cold.

The American Bee Journal I receive
every week, and read with great pleasure
and profit. I shall continue to do so as
long as I keep bees.

Mrs. Mate Williams.

Nimrod, Minn., Nov. 26.

One of the Poor Years.

This has been one of the poor years
that we have once in a while. From 17
colonies last spring I took 450 pounds
of extracted honey, besides saving 16
frames of honey for spring feeding. The
increase was small — only two colonies
swarmed, and they only cast one swarm
each. I put my bees into the cellar
Nov. 9, with the ground covered with
snow. A. E. Beadford.

Hammond, Wis., Nov. 26.

Feeding Sugar for Winter Stores.

I like to read that piece of C. Daven-
port's, on page 658. It's particularly
interesting, coming from a man that is
all bees. But he's a little behind the
times in feeding. Nearly 20 years ago
A. I. Root told the same way — stirred
the sugar and water with a hoe. He
said it didn't do any good to boil the
sugar. How can it ? It's all been thor-
oughly boiled in making the sugar. And
it's possible that Mr. Davenport may
not be just right when he says syrup
made by the cold-water process will not
crystallize, while that made by boiling
will. It has all been boiled, and I reck-
on when you make a syrup of the same
strength it is pretty much the same,

762

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL-.

whether you dissolve it in cold or boiling
water.

But it saves work to dissolve it cold.
And if Mr. Davenport will try it, I am
sure he'll find he can save work over his
plan by using the percolating feeder. If
he has never tried it, he doesn't know
how much easier it is to just pour in the
dry sugar and then the water. No
daubing with syrup.

I like his way of using feeders better
than using crocks, if a body has the
feeders. My bees take the feed just as
quick with the percolating feeders as if
I fed syrup.

I wish Mr. Davenport would turn
some of his feeders into percolators, and
then tell us which he likes best. You
see he can't tell which he likes best till
he tries both. A, Beeman.

Ogrenma, Ohio.

Bees Did Very Well.

My bees have done very well this year,
as my honey will bring me $200. I
had 63 colonies. In all I had but 13
swarms, and one left for the woods, or
some other place. Thomas Ash.

East Toledo, Ohio, Dec. 4.

Kesults of the Season, Etc.

We have now 22 colonies of bees, hav-
ing taken about 300 pounds of honey
from 17 colonies, and increased to 22.
They all have stores for the winter.

We have had a disease among our
bees, which we thought was foul brood,
so ray husband killed the first colony,
thinking it was so. But after awhile we
saw they all became cured of it them-
selves. We also had seen a similar case
mentioned in the American Bee Journal,
so we knew it was all right.

Mks. J. Knuppel.

S. Brooklyn, N. Y., Nov. 20,

Early Spring Shipping: of Bees.

This has been the poorest season for
honey since bees have been brought to
this country — 16 or 18 years ago. I got
only about 6,000 pounds of comb honey
from 200 colonies, being X of an aver-
age crop, but we never have had any
total failures here, nor any bee-diseases
of any kind, no winter losses or spring
dwindling, nor do wo ever have to feed
bees at any time in the year, and no
preparation for winter is required. Our
first honey comes from friiit-bloom,
about the last week of February, and

there is always something for the bees
up to the first of November.

By the way, why would not this be a
good county for our friends up North,
that want to buy bees in the spring, to
get their bees from here as early as they
want them ? Shipments from here would
have to be made about the first of April,
and not later than the 15th, as then our
swarming season commences, and by
May 1 the hives are nearly a solid mass
of brood, and boiling over with bees.
May is generally the best honey month
in the year here. Eight-frame dovetail
hives, with a slat bottom super, are used
almost exclusively in this part of the
" Great American Desert."

J. G. Stewart.

Las Cruces, N. Mex., Nov. 20.

The Season of 1894.

May 20 found me with 25 colonies,
strong in brood and bees, being the same
number I put into winter quarters the
fall before— minus one, which, somehow,
became queenless. From May 20 to
June 10 the weather was so cold and
wet that the bees were confined to their
hives the most of the time, hence the
latter date found them reduced in brood
and honey. This made swarming late.

Our crop of white or spring-stored
honey was very light. Between bass-
wood and the fall flowers the bees, as is
usual in this location, had a vacation.
The fall flowers, especially golden-rod,
yielded fairly well. There was no great
flow, but a continuous one for weeks.
The weather was fair and dry, so that
every day counted. The honey gathered
was very thick and rich. Almost every
colony had sufficient stores for winter —
some had a surplus. J. P. Smith.

Sunapee, N. H., Nov. 30.

Past Season's Report.

I commenced last spring with 8 colo-
nies, and got 650 pounds of honey, after
I had cleaned it all up and picked out
all the partly-filled sections; and I did
not know anything about a bee two
years ago, when I subscribed for the
American Bee Journal. We have had a
very poor season here for honey, for
everything was burned up in tiie sum-
mer, and just as the fall flowers were
commencing to bloom we had the worst
hail-storm within the memory of the
oldest inhabitant. It swept everything
before it for about 4 or 5 miles wide.

I put my bees into the cellar Nov. 16.
I am afraid that I was a little too fast,

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU

763

for the temperature got up to 52° to"
day, and it was calm. I built a cellar
under the house this summer, which is
as near perfection as it can be under a
house. But I have come to the conclu-
sion that Mr. Doolittle's plan of a bee-
cellar is the right one. I read his ideas
of underground wintering of bees on
page 622 of the American Bee Journal,
which I think are about right.

Daniel, Smethukst.
Seneca, Wis., Nov. 27.

N. E. Ohio and N. "W. Pa. Convention.

The convention of the Northeastern
Ohio and Northwestern Pennsylvania
Bee-Keepers' Association held at Corry,
Pa., on Nov. 21 and 22, was poorly at-
tended, there being no one present from
Ohio. The sessions were of much inter-
est and profit from first to last. On
account of the non-attendance of the
Ohio members, the convention adjourned
sine die. The organization did not break
up — it voted to retain the old officers.

The Northwestern Pennsylvania As-
sociation was organized to meet next
year, at the same date as this. It is
officered as follows : President, D. A.
Dewey, of Columbus, Pa.; Vice Pres., C.
D. Freeman ; Secretary and Treasurer,
Geo. Spitler, of Mosiertown, Pa.

Geo. Spitler, Sec.

List of Honey and Beeswax Dealers,

Most of whom Quote In this Journal.

Chicago, Ills.

J. A. Lamon, 43 South Water St.

R. A. Burnett & Co.. 163 South Water Street.

New York, N. Y.

F. I. Sage & Son, 183 Reade Street.

HlLDRETH RBOS. & SeGELKEN.

28 & 30 West Broadway.
Chas. Israel, & Bros.. 110 Hudson St.
I. J. Stringham, 105 Park Place.
Francis H. Leggett & Co.. 128 Franklin St.

Kansas City, Mo.

Hamblin & Bearss, 514 Walnut Street.
Clkmoms-Mason Com. Co., 423 Walnut St.

Albany, N.Y.

H. R. Wright, 326 & 328 Broadwa7,

Buffalo, N.Y.

Battebson & Co., 167 & 169 Scott St.

Hamilton, Ills.

Chas. Dadant & Son.

Cincinnati, Ohio.

C. F. MUTH& Son, cor. Freeman & Central av8.

Read our great offer on page 739.

CJomrention Notices.

Wisconsin.— The next annual meeting of
the Wisconsin Bee-Keepers*Association will be
held at Madison, on Feb. 8th and 9th. 1895.

Madison, Wis. J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec.

Colorado.— The 15th annual meeting of
the Colorado State Bee-Keepers' Association
will be held on Monday and Tuesday. Jan. 21
and 22. 1895, in Denver. H. Knight, Sec.

Littleton, Oolo.

Ontario, Canada.— The annual meeting of
the Ontario Bee-Keepers' Association will be
held at Stratford, Jan. 22, 23 and 24, 1895.
All bee-keepers are cordially invited to at-
tend. W. CousE. Sec.

Streetsville. Ont.

Pennsylvania,— The Venango County Bee-
Keepers' Association of northwestern Penn-
sylvania will hold their 2nd annual meeting
in the City Hall at Franklin, Pa., on Jan. 28,
1895, at 1 o'clock p.m. All interested send
for program. C. S. Pizer, Sec.

Franklin. Pa.

Illinois.— The next annual meeting of the
Northern Illinois Bee-Keepers' Association
win be held on Dec. 18 and 19, 1894, In the
Supervisor's room of the Court House, in
Rockford, 111. All interested are invited to
attend. B. Kennedy, Sec.

New Milford, 111.

Vermont.— The next annual convention of
the Vermont Bee-Keepers' Association will
be held in Middlebury, Vt.. on Jan. 30 and 31 ,
1895. Programs will be prepared and mailed
later. Let every Vermont bee-keeper begin
now to preoare to attend, and all those who
can reach Middlebury, whether you live in
Vermont or not, we want you to come.

Barre, Vt. H. W. Scott. Sec.

Michigan.— The Michigan State Bee-Keep-
ers' Association will hold its annual meeting
Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 2 and 3, 1895,
in the city of Detroit, at the Perkins Hotel,
cor. of Cass and Grand River Avenues. Rates,
$1.25 and $1.50 per day. The former rate if
two occupy one i-oom. This will be at a time
when railroad rates will probably be one-half
fare. W. Z. Hutchinson, Sec.

Flint, Mich.

INDI.4NA,— The Indiana State Bee-Keepers'
Association will hold Its fifteenth annual
meeting at the State House, Indianapolis, on
Jan. 9, 1895. There will be three sessions-
morning, afternoon and evening. Several
other associations will convene here at the
same time, thus securing reduced rate of 1}^
fare for the round trip, but a certificate must
be asked for when purchasing your ticket.
Programme will be Issued In December.

Walter S. Pouder, Pres.

Indianapolis, Ind.

Iowa. — The Eastern Iowa Bee-Keepers'
Association will hold their annual meeting at
Anamosa, in the court room, on Dec. 26 and
27. There will be reduced rates on all rail-
roads at this time. This will give all a good
chance to attend the bee-meeting, and an op-
portunity to look through the State prison,
which Is located at Anamosa. Let all the bee-
keepers within reach take advantage of this
grand opportunity. Come with the Intention
of having a grand, good time. Let each bring
with them some fixture or fixtures that he or
she thinks of value In the apiary, and some
Important question for discussion.

Welton, Iowa. Frank Coverdale, Sec

764

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Honey & Beeswax Market Quotations.

CHICAGO, III.. Dec. 7.— The trade is tak-
ing some comb honey for holiday display.
This helps out all the choice lots, which bring
15c. per pound; other grades that are good to
choice, 1.3@14c. The dark grades as usual are
slow of sale at 9@10e. Extracted sells chiefly
at 6@6'4@7c. Very little basswood or clover
is offered in 60-lb. tins, two in a case. Such
meet with ready sale at top prices.

Beeswax scarce at 28c. R. A. B. & Co.

NEW rORK. N. Y., Oct. 25.— Comb honey
arrives quite freely, our receipts up to date
numbering 10.119 crates. The demand is fair.
We quote: Fancy white. 1-lbs., 14c.; fair
white, 12c.; buckwheat, 10c. ; 2-lbs., l@2c.
less, according to quality. The market for
extracted is dull, with plenty of stock. We
quote: Basswood and white clover, 6@6Hc.;
Southern, 50@55c. a gallon. Beeswax scarce
and in good demand at 29c. H. B. & S,

NEW YORK. N. Y., Nov. lO.-The market
for comb and extracted honey is good, and
the supply equals the demand. Fancy clover
and buckwheat sells best; off grades are not
quite as salable ; and 2-pound sections are little
called for. We quote as follows: 1-pound
fancy clover. 13@14c.; 2-pound, 12i/4@13c.; 1-
pound white, 12@12;4c. ; 2-pound, 12c.; 1-
pound fair, 10@llc.; 2-pound, 10®llc.; 1-
pound buckwheat. 10@llc. ; 2-pound. 9@10c.
Extracted, clover and basswood, 6@6J4c. ;
buckwheat. 5@5^c.; Southern, 50@60c. per
gallon. Beeswax, scarce and in good demand
at29@30c. C. l.&B.

CINCINNATI, O., Nov. 19.-Demand is good
for choice white comb honey at 14@16c. Ex-
tracted is in fair demand at 4@7c., with a fair
supply.

Beeswax is in good demand at 22@27c. for
good to choice yellow. Supply scant.

C. F. M. & S.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 4.-The receipt
of comb honey in this market so far has not
been very large, and demand is very good.
We quote: No. 1 white, 1-lbs., 15c.; No. 2
white, 1.3@14c. ; No. 1 amber, 14c.; No. 2 am-
ber, 10@12c. Extracted, white, 6H@7c.; am-
ber, 5@654c. Beeswax, 25c. C.-M. C. Co.

CHICAGO. III., Oct. 18.— We quote: Fancy
white comb honey, 1-lbs.. 15c. ; No. 2 white,
13c.; buckwheat, lOc. With cooler weather,
demand improving, and our stock on hand at
the present time extremely lig;ht. Extracted,
5i^@7c,, depending upon quality and style of
package. Beeswax, 28c. S. T. F. & Co.

ALBANV, N. Y.. Sept. 21.— Honey in better
demand, especially the high grades of v/hlte
comb honey. We quote: No. 1 white, 14®
15c.; No. 2 white, l;5®14c.; Mixed white. 11
@12c.; No. 1 buckwheat, 12®l2'/jc.; No. 2
buckwheat. Il@lli4c.; common, 10@llc.
Extracted, white (Northern), 7@8c. ; amber,
®6'/4c.: buckwheat, 5V4®6c. Beeswax, 27®
29c. Do not look for much of any change In
these prices, and advise now to have honey
on the market as early as possible for best
prices. H. R. W.

BUFFALO. N. Y., Oct. 17.-The demand is
Improved, fancy moving somewhat better at
14@15c.; choice, 12@1.3c.: buckwheat and
other. 9®10c. B. & Co.

KANSAS CITY. Mo., Sept, 8.-Tho supply
of comb and extracted is very light with only
fair demand. We quote: Fancy white, 15®
16c.; amber, ll@12c. : dark, 10c. Extracted,
white, 6yi@7c.; amber, ti^tti^c.; dark. 4'^®
6Hc. Beeswax, 880, ti. & B,

NEW YORK, N. Y., Nov. 24.-The receipts
of comb honey have been very large and ex-
ceed those of former years by far. The de-
mand has not been very active of late and
there are no signs of improvement. The sup-
ply is accumulating and the prices show a
downward tendency. We quote: Fancy white,
1-lbs., 13®14c.; fair white, ll@12c."; buck-
wheat, 10c. Two-pound sections are in very
light demand and sell at from l@2c. ^ pound
less. The market on extracted is quiet, with
plenty of supply of all kinds. We quote:
White clover and basswood. 6c.; Southern,
50@55c. per gal. Beeswax is firm and in good
demand at 30@31c. H. B. & S.

CHICAGO. III.. Nov. 27.— Up to the present
the sales on honey have met with our expec-
tations. We have received considerably more
honey than we figured on handling, owing to
the short crop report, and we think the early
shippers reaped the benefit. However, we are
now getting the average price, viz. : Fancy.
15c.; white. No. 1, 14®13c. Extracted, 6®7c.

Beeswax, 28@29c. J. A. L.

Profitable Bee-Keeping-, by Mrs

Atchley, will continue for some time in her
department of the Bee Journal, possibly
each alternate week. Until further notice
we can furnish the back numbers from May
1st, beginning with her '' Lessons," to new
subscribers who pay $1.00 for a year's sub-
scription to the Bee Journal — that is, we
can commence their year with the number
having the first lesson, if they so desire.

A Binder for holding a year's num-
bers of the Bee Jouenal we mail for
only 50 cents ; or clubbed witb the
JOUKNAL for $1.40.

RUDY'S PILE SUPPOSITORY

Is guaranteed to cure Piles and Constipation,
or money refunded. 50 cents per box. Send
two stamps for circular and free Sample to
MAKTIN RUDT, Registered Pharmacist. Lan-
caster, Pa. No Postals Answered. For
sale by all first-class druggists everywhere.
Peter Van Schaack & Sons. Roht. Stevenson
& Co., Morrison. Plummer & Co., and Lord,
Owen & Co.. Wholesale Agents, Chicago, Ills.
Pease mention the Bee Journal. Novl5

Wants or ExcjiapgES.

This department is only for your " Wants"
or bona-fldo " Exchanges," and such will be
inserted here at 10 ceiitH a line for each
time, when specially ordered into this depart-
ment. Exchanges for cash or lor price-lists,
or notices offering articles for sale, will not
be inserted here— such belong in the regular
advertising columns, at regular rates.

WANTED— Single man, with good experi-
ence, to take charge of the La. Bee-
Keepers* Supply Manufactory. Must also
understand the care of bees. Having met
with a sudden accident. I am compelled to
have an experienced man to take charge of
my business at once.

LOUIS V. ESNBAULT.
Box 64, Donaldson vlUe, La.

VOL XXXIV. CHICAGO. ILL, DEC. 20, 1894.

NO. 25.

^m^AmkA^L^j

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A Mei-i-y diriiiitiiias we would wish
Our friends both old and new.

" A Merry Christmas !"' Pass it on—
With joyful hearts and true.

** I'^ools can find fault, but it is a wise
man who finds the merit in a thing." This
quotation is commended to those of us
who always are looking for flaws, instead
of trying to find some good in our fellows.

Editor Stili^oii, of the Nebraska Bee-
Eeeper, says that Pres. Abbott, at the St.
Joseph meeting, "showed himself to be a
splendid executive officer, and set an ex-
ample worthy of every future President of
the North American to follow." Right you
are, Bro. Stilson.

A Convention Niimtoer is what
you might call this issue of the American
Bee Journal. It will pay you to read it all
carefully. The essays of Pres. Abbott, R.
McKnight, of Canada, and of Chas. Dadant
and S. E. Miller, of the United States, are
well worth your closest attention. You
can't afford to miss reading them or the
discussions.

Oni* Conti-ibutor!i$ will please be
patient, for we expect to publish their com-
munications as soon as possible. We
thought it best, however, to dispose of the
North American convention report first—
or let that have first place— and let other
matter wait. We have published the con-
vention report just as fast as we could get
the copy from Secretary Benton— in fact,
faster, as we received, direct from the
writers, the article from Pres. Abbott on
"The Wintering of Bees," and the 10th
Annual Report of the " National Bee-Keep-
ers' Union," by the General Manager,
Thomas G. Newman. Both will be found
in this number.

A Croo<1 Revie^ver is Mr. Hasty. In
his last contribution to the Review his
sharp, pointed pencil just punctures things
so that enough "wind" is allowed to es-
cape to permit a more normal condition in
a certain "quarter." " Quarterly " applica-
tions of the doses which "Dr." Hasty so
wisely administered ought to help to "im-
prove bee- literature " (so-called), in the
locality most needed. Go on, Bro. Hasty,
in your good work; and whenever "this
locality" needs special attention, "spare
not."

]Tlr. A. J^I. Preston, of Longmont,
Colo., called on us last week. He was in
Chicago with a carload of alfalfa honey
from his locality. Mr. P. is the bee-inspec-
tor for Weld county, Colorado, and is a
very pleasant gentleman. He bad about
5,000 pounds of comb honey this year. Mr.
R. C. Aikin and brother, of Loveland, had
30,000 pounds. Colorado is right up with
her honey crops — and her alfalfa honey is
most excellent.

774

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Bees and llorticiiltiire.— The an-
nual meeting of Northern Illinois Horticul-
tural Society was held at Marengo, 111.,
Dec. 5 and 6. Dr. C. C. Miller is given the
credit of being its projector, having made
the iirst plea for it, and being elected its
first Secretary, 27 years ago. He was
elected President of the society at its re-
cent meeting— a thing to which he would in
no wise have consented, but that he
thought it possible thereby to unite more
closely bee-keepers and fruit-growers. We
hope bee-keepers everywhere will take a
deeper interest in horticultural matters,
and thereby help to show horticulturists
that bees are their friends instead of sup-
posed enemies. Bee-keepers and horticul-
turists should pull together, and not be
blind to the fact that in a " union " of these
two natural forces " there is strength."'

Xlie I^ortli Aiiiei-ican. — Bro. Hutch-
inson, in the last number of the Review,
comments on the suggestions that have
been made in the American Bee Journal,
about the North American holding two or
four meetings a year. To sum up what he
says, we quote his closing sentence: "When
the North American attempts to hold more
than one meeting annually, it is doomed."
May be so. But we'd like to see two meet-
ings a year tried first. And yet we don't
want to see it "doomed." Before the next
annual meeting in Toronto there will be
ample time to look on all sides of the mat-
ter, through the bee-papers. We think the
Review and the American Bee Journal are
the only papers so far that have expressed
an opionion on the subject. We wonder
Low the other editors stand on the question.

Inseet I<liieiiiies of ISet^s. — Prof. A.
J. Cook, of Claremont, Calif., is trying to
keep track of all the insect enemies of bees,
and desires that all such, whenever found,
be sent direct to him. He will then report
on them through the American Bee Jour-
nal. Be sure to write Prof. Cook, at least
a postal card, telling him when you send
him anything, and also put your name on
the package when mailing it, to prevent
mistakes being made.

Prof. Cook, besides being a bee-keeper, is
an expert entomologist and biologist, and
will be able to help bee-keepers to distin-
guish any or all insect or other bee-ene-
mies.

A Pi-oiiipt Reiie^val of all subscrip-
tions that expire this month is earnestly
desired at this office. We wish to take this
opportunity to thank all the friends of the
old American Bee Journal for the interest
they have manifested in its welfare, by
sending in new subscriptions, and by con-
tributing whatever bee-information they
have been able to furnish. We believe in
giving everybody a chance to be heard, es-
pecially when they write something of
interest or special value, be it ever so little.
We never expect to be open to the charge
of having "pet contributors," unless all
who feel like writing for our columns are
considered " pet contributors." The Ameri-
can Bee Journal is here to help every bee-
keeper in every possible way.

I.,ai-se Haiidlei's of Honey. —Edi-
tor Holtermann, of the Canadian Bee Jour-
nal, visited the big honey-firm of Chas. F.
Muth & Son, at Cincinnati. Mr. Muth has
done business at the same place for 33 years.
They handle honey in enormous quantities
—the freight on a single shipment having
been as high as .fSOO. One shipment con-
sisted of 187 barrels of honey. Another, a
carload of comb honey, over one-half sold
in three days. They make regular ship-
ments of honey to Germany. If every city
had such pushing, energetic and honest
honey-dealers as Chas. P. Muth & Son,
there would be no trouble in finding a good
market for every pound of surplus honey
bee-keepers could produce.

Mr. Alfred illottaz, of Utica, 111.,
gave us a short call last week. He has 90
colonies of bees, and had about 2,500 pounds
of extracted honey this year — mostly from
heart's-ease and sweet clover.

*»• liii|>roTiii$>- itee - l.,iteratiire "

is a phrase that some folks are nowadays
rolling, as a sweet morsel, on their egotistic
tongues. If what we have seen so far from
their pens is a fair sample of what they
consider "improved bee-literature," the
best we can say of it is, " the cure is worse
than the disease"— yes, infinitely worse.
But, then, there are people who have to
"blow oflf " about so much or "bust."
They have our full consent to do either or
both. When they are through, probably
they will find the world still revolving upon

AMERICAN BEE JOaRNAL.

775

its axis, instead of around them, and bee-
literature still equal to all the requirements.
Bee-literature cannot improve any faster
than the people improve in all that tends to
a higher and nobler civilization. Bee-lit-
erature is a human creation— hence, of
course, imperfect — but, like everything
good, ''going on to perfection."

I»Ir. ^V. Z. lliitcliinson, of Flint,
Mich., as most of our readers know, was
elected Secretary of the North American

Secretary W. Z. Hutchinson.

Bee-Keepers' Association at the St. Joseph
meeting. We take pleasure in presenting
him by his picture to our new readers this
week — most of the older readers have long
been familiar with his face, having met him
at conventions, or have seen his picture in
these columns before now.

We heard one of the oldest members of
the North American say of him at St.
Joseph: " Mr. Hutchinson is the best Sec-
retary the North American ever had."
Next year he will have another opportu-
nity to prove the statement quoted, as he
has several times been elected Secretary of
the North American.

IVIost Talital>le for Aclvertising-.

—Unsolicited testimonials to the value of
anj' article are always the most appre-
ciated, and should carry with them a force
that is convincing. Such is the following,
which we received recently from Chas.
Dadant & Son — the world-renowned makers
of comb foundation :

Friend York:— Although the number of
answers to advertisements is more limited
than ever this year, we find that the Ameri-
can Bee Journal is right up — none ahead —
in the number of new names furnished. As
the editor of the American Bee Journal is
not interested in the sale of implements,
that fact makes the American Bee Journal,
in our eyes, the most valuable advertising
medium to-day for us Westerners, at least.
Chas. Dadant & Son.

Hamilton, Ills., Dec. 5, 1894. .

The above firm keep a standing advertise-
ment in all the leading bee-papers, and so
they are competent to speak on the subject.
As we have said before, continuoun adveriis-
ifig pays. Try it, if you wish to succeed.

I?liss Rosa, C ISoese, a beloved
daughter of Rev. Stephen Roese, of Maiden
Rock, Wis., died at her home Dec. 2, aged
27 years. Her bereaved father has written
us a touching letter, and our sincerest sym-
pathy goes out to the sorrowing family.
Rosa was for some years an efficient school-
teacher, and latterly was preparing for
medical missionary work, at the Sanitarium
in Battle Creek, Mich. In some way she
contracted that fatal disease — consumption
— of which she finally died. The Maiden
Rock Weekly Press, of Dec. 5, contains a
column obituary notice, giving in tender
detail a condensed account and faithful
tribute to the beautiful character and de-
voted Christian life of the deceased. Surely,
our bereaved brother and his saddened
family have the sympathy of the bee-keep-
ing friends everywhere, in their deep sor-

J^^"" I have taken the American Bee
Journal for a number of years, and I like
it as well as any bee-paper I have, and I
take almost all I know of." — F. A. Hough-
ton, of Massachusetts, Dec. 4, 1894.

ABC of IJee-Ciiltiii-*'— just see the

magnificent offers on page 771. Every one
of our subscribers can now have a copy of
that splendid book.

776

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 '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 beglnners.—ED.

Red Clover Honey Foaming:.

I have six gallons of second-growth
red clover honey, and every time I get
any out it all foams up like sea-foam. It
is not sour. What is the matter with
it ? J. V.

Answer. — There Is more or less pol-
len in the honey, I suppose, and that
ferments, although the honey keeps it
sweet, so you don't recognize much sour
taste in it.

Setting Out Basswood Sprouts.

Will it do to set out basswood sprouts
sprouts.

this fall ? I have 200

Lebanon, Ind., Dec. 1.

E.

Answer. — Yes, you can set out bass-
wood sprouts any time when they have
no leaves on. Perhaps spring is the best
time, but not always the most conven-
ient. If you set out now, mulch with
coarse manure or something of the kind
to prevent frequent freezing and tliaw-
Ing of the roots.

Mice Disturbing the Bees.

Mice are infesting my apiary badly.
They go Into the hives, gnaw pieces out
of the frames, and at last are beginning
to make nests in the corners of some of
the hives. What Is the surest and best
method of ridding the apiary of them,
molesting the beos as little as possible ?
I have traps on small platforms at the
entrances of some of the hives, but that

does not appear to do away with them
fast enough. Will poison work without
injury to the bees? If so, what kind,
and in what manner should It be used ?
Harrlsonville, 111., Dec. 3. W. R. T.

Answer. — You do not say so, but I
suppose your bees are out-doors. That
makes it a little harder to take out the
mice than if the bees are in the cellar.
You can put poison under the stands
where domestic animals and poultry
cannot reach it. One way is to mix ar-
senic and sugar, and put in different
places as much as will lay on a dime.
Perhaps better still, cut a thin slice of
cheese. 3€ inch thick, spread strychnine
lightly over It, and cut In half-inch
squares.

But I like still better the plan of fast-
ening them out of the hive. I use wire-
cloth with three meshes to the Inch.
That effectually prevents the passage of
mice, but allows free passage for the
bees. There is little danger of mice get-
ting into a hive while bees are flying,
but when it gets so cold that bees do not
stir from the cluster, then the mice take
possession and are not disturbed by the
bees till It becomes warm again. So I
get the wire-cloth on before it gets very
cold.

In your case I suppose the mice have
already taken possession, but in spite of
that I would close up with wire-cloth.
It will at least prevent more going in,
and when the first warm day comes the
bees will kill the enclosed mice.

Bees Leaving in Cold Weather.

My bees are on the summer stands.
Why do apparently healthy bees fly out
and sail away when the temperature is
freezing and below ? II.

McLean, Ohio, Dec. 5.

Answer. — I don't know. Bees die of
old age throughout the winter, and it
may be such fly off when they have a
chance. Possibly the bees that fly off
may be diseased in some way. Bees
about to die, instinctively leave the hive.

m^" Sec A K V offer on page 771.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

777

CONDUCTED BY

MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY.

Beeville, Texas.

PROFITABLE BEE-KEEPING.

liCilSOU No. 15.

A NJEW AND EASY WAY TO MAKE BEES-
WAX.

I have just discovered a new and easy
way 10 make beeswax, and just as fine
wax as can be made by the solar plan —
no difference how old and tough the
combs are.

Take a half-barrel and arrange a cloth
so that it will swing down about half
way of the barrel. Any strong porous
cloth will do, or wire-cloth is good. Then
boil the old combs in a copper or tin ves-
sel till all is thoroughly heated, putting
the combs right into the water, just as
if you were going to cook it. Have
some clean, boiling water in another
vessel — enough to fill the half-barrel
one-third fall. Pour the boiling water
into the half-barrel first, then pour the
melted combs, water and all, into the
strainer. Cover up the barrel with two
thicknesses of gunny-sacking, let it
alone for a day or two, then go around
when you are ready for the wax, loosen
the hoops so as to let out the water and
you will feel astonished to see how near-
ly all the wax is drained out.

The larger the amount of combs you
have, the larger barrel you will need.
The hot water in the barrel keeps the
whole contents hot for 12 hours, gives
all the dirt and dregs time to settle to
the bottom, the wax cools so slowly that
it does not crack, the staves of the bar-
rel spread out and leaves the wax. All
in all, it is the easiest way to make bees-
wax, aside from the solar plan, that I
know of, and can be done at any time of
the year, and no combs too old nor too
tough to work, as with the solar plan.
And then we have our wax thoroughly
cleansed at one operation.

If you will only give this plan a trial,
you will find that you can do away with

a whole lot of muss and bother, and the
whole operation of making 25 to 50
pounds of wax need not take more than
one hour of your time.

Jennie Atchley.

Cell-Cups Made in Winter.

Mrs. Atchley : — Will manufactured
queen-cell cups, made during the winter
for next season's use, be as good and
acceptable to the bees as those freshly
made ? It would be a gain, if they, like
many other things, could be made in the
winter time. Wm. Muth-Rasmussen.

Independence, Calif., Nov. 23.

Friend M.-R., I have given your ques-
tion some thought before replying, and
while I have not tried cell-cups kept
during the winter, I am satisfied they
will be just as good as fresh ones, if
kept clean, dry, and from being mashed.
I have kept them for two months or
more, and could see no difference. It
has been stated that bees do not like to
work foundation that has been made a
season, but I have as yet failed to see
any difference when the foundation was
properly kept — clean, dry and free from
moth. Jennie Atchley.

Good Rains — Assured Success.

They are having good rains in Hum-
boldt county, Caiif., so says F. H. Boyn-
ton. They look forward to a good honey
year the following summer, when they
get plenty of rain during winter in Cali-
fornia.

Some are asking if I think they would
be assured of success should they move
their bees here. To this I will say no.
I do not know that you would be as-
sured of snccess — I can only tell you
that it is a good bee-county, and some
will succeed while others will not. This
has always been the case and always
will be, I suppose. You know John out-
ran Peter and beat him to the tomb
where Jesus was buried, and some may
outrun you in the bee-business, and
succeed while you may fail.

Jennie Atchley.

Bees Reasoning'.

I see Mr. Allen Pringle, on page 660,
thinks that bees reason, as well as many
other insects and animals. While Mr.
Pringle's ideas may be right, I am of the

778

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

opinion that bees do not reason at all.
Why? For the fact about reason shows
that it won't always lie still. The bees
are the same to-day that they were al-
ways. A colony of bees, put into a hive
to-day, remains the same throughout
their lives. Their combs are the same,
their work through and through is iden-
ticaUy the same, and if we stop to use
our reason for a moment we can see that
reason v:ill not stay exactly in the same
chauLel always.

If the bees had reason they would, it
seems to me, change their modes of
labor, and then they would soon be like
the people of to-day — so mixed up with
their ideas and general principles, etc.,
and possibly might boycott humanity,
and we would get no honey.

Suppose Dr. Miller should say this
year that his bees boycotted him, and
would not gather any honey for him.
Well, if he should say so in earnest,
somebody would langh at him. Man is
known and recognized above other ani-
mals and insects by his reasoning
powers, and by this power has control
oyer all the beasts and insects. Other-
wise it might be the other way.

Jennie Atchiey.

Queens aiitl ^^iieen-Rearingf. —

If you want to know how to have queens
fertilized in upper stories while the old
queen is still laying below; how you may
safely introduce any queen, at any time of
the year when bees can fly; all about the
different races of bees; all about shipping
queens, queen-cages, candy for queen-
cages, etc. ; all about forming nuclei, mul-
tiplying or uniting bees, or weak colonies,
etc. ; or, in fact, everything about the
queen-business which you may want to
know— send for Doolittle's "Scientific
Queen-Reaming "—a book of over 170
pages, which is as interesting as a story.
Here are some good offers of this excellent
book:

Bound in cloth, postpaid, $1.00 ; or clubbed
with the Bee Jouknal for one year — both
for only SI. 0.5 ; or given free as a premium
for sending us three new subscribers to the
Bee Journal for a year at 11.00 each.

Bound in paper cover, postpaid, 05 cents ;
or given free as a premium for sending us
two new subscribers; or clubbed with the
Bee Journal a year— both for only $1.40.
Send all orders to the Bee Joujinal office.

Honey as Foo*l 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. Prices, postpaid: Single
copies, .5 cents; 10 copies, ;i.5 cents; or 100
for $3.00

CONVENTION DIRECTORY.

Time and place of meeting.

1894.
Dec. 26. 27.— Eastern Iowa, at Anamosa, Iowa
Frank Coverdale, Sec, Welton, Iowa.

Dec. 27, 28.— Texas State, at Beeville, Tex.
Mrs. Jennie Atchley, Beeville, Tex.
1895.
Jan. 3. 3.— Michigan State, at Detroit, Mich.
W. Z. Hutchinson, Sec, Flint. Mich.

Jan. 9.— Indiana State, at Indianapolis, Ind.
Walter S. Pouder, Pres., Indianapolis, Ind.

Jan. 21, 22 — Colorada State, at Denver. Colo.
H. Knight, Sec, Littleton, Colo.

Jan. 22-24.— Ontario, at Stratford, Ont.

W. Couse, Sec, Streetville, ont.

Jan. 25, 26.— Ontario Co., at Canandaigua.
Ruth E. Taylor, Sec, Bellona, N. Y.

Jan. 28.— Venango Co., at Franklin, Pa.

C. S. Pizer, Sec, FrankUn, Pa.

Jan. 30, 31.— Vermont, at Middlebury, Vt.
H. W. Scott, Sec, Barre, Vt.

Feb. 8, 9.— Wisconsin, at Madison. Wis.

J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec, Madison, Wis.

. .—North American, at Toronto, Can.

Frank Benton, Sec, IT. S. Dept. Agriculture,
Washington, D. C.

It^~ In order to have this table complete.
Secretaries are requested to forward full
particulars of the time and the place of
each future meetin^i:. — The Editor.

North American Bee-Keepers' Association

OFFICERS FOR 1895.

Pres.— R. F. Holtermann Brantford, Ont.

Vice-Pres.— L. D. Stilson york, Nebr.

Secretary.— W. Z. Hutchinson... Flint, Mich.
Treasurer.— J. T. Calvert Medina, Ohio.

National Bee-Keepers' Union.

President— Hon. R. L. Taylor.. Lapeer, Mich.
Gen'l Manager— T. G. Newman, Chicago, 111.
147 South Western Avenue.

'*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 sold at the office of the Bee Jour-
nal. Price, postpaid, 25 cents; or clubbed
with the Bee Journal for one year — both
together for $1.15.

'riie I^ovelty I*ocI<et-Unife is

worth having. Mr. A. G. Amos, of New
York, says this at)0ut it: " The ' Novelty'
pocket-knife which I received with the
American Bee Journal arrived all O. K.,
and it is a dandy." Better get one your-
self, and then you will know what a
" dandy " thing it is. See page 800 for ad-
vertising offer.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

779

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

Twenty-Fifth Annual meeting

NORTH AJHERICAK

BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.

BY FKANK BENTON, SEC.

(Continued from page 761.)

SECOND DAY — Afternoon Session.

Upon re-assembling the Association
proceeded to the selection of the place of
meeting and the election of oEQcers for
1895.

The Next Place of Meeting-.

For the place oi meeting, Toronto,
Can., was proposed by R. F. Holter-
mann, of Brantford, Ont., and also by
A. E. Sherrington, of Walkerton, Ont.,
in a letter read by the Secretary. Lin-
coln, Nebr., was urged by L. D. Stilson,
of York, Nebr., who supported his re-
quest by very cordial invitations from
the Governor of the State, from the
Chancellor of the State University at
Lincoln, from the Mayor of the city of
Lincoln, from the Lincoln Commercial
Club, and from the Nebraska State Bee-
Keepers' Association. Vice-President
O. L. Hershiser, of Buffalo, N. Y., in a
letter which was read and heartily sec-
onded by the Secretary, presented the
advantages of Buffalo. Mr. J. Fletcher,
of Ottawa, Can., in a letter addressed to
the convention, suggested that city.
Los Angeles, Calif., was also brought
forward in the same manner. After con-
siderable discussion, Mr. Stilson with-
drew his motion and announced the vote
of Nebraska for Toronto, after Mr. Hol-
termann had promised, in behalf of
Canada, that the influence of the Do-
minion bee-keepers would be used to
bring the meeting to Lincoln in 1896.
The vote was then taken, and Toronto
was declared the choice of the conven-
tion.

Election of Officers for 1895.

Several nominations for each of the
offices were made, and, the rules having
been suspended to permit viva voce vot-
ing, the following were declared duly
elected :

President— R. F. Holtermann, Brant-
ford, Ont.

Vice-President — L. D. Stilson, York,
Nebr.

Secretary— W. Z. Hutchinson, Flint,
Mich.

Treasurer— J. T. Calvert, Medina, 0.

Following the election of officers was
an essay by Mr. R. McKnight, of Owen
Sound, Ont., which w»s read by Mr.
Holtermann. It was entitled,

Bee-Keeping in Canada.

Nearly 40 years ago, and while this
Province (Ontario) was yet but thinly
settled, I knew an expert bee-hunter to
bring home tubfuls of honey from the
pine forest. Where the bees that col-
lected it originally came from I know not,
as none were kept within many miles of
the place.

The condition under which the bees
lived, however, were favorable. A hol-
low pine tree, with its warm padding of
dry, decayed wood, was a congenial
home for them. In no modern hive do
we find conditions so favorable to the
well-being of a colony, as these hollow
giants of the forest furnished. Sur-
rounded by a shell a hand's breadth in
thickness, lined with the best kind of
absorbent, a solid trunk above, ample
space below, with a " punk-hole " for an
entrance, they gave comfort, accommo-
dation and protection, surpassing that of
any modern contrivance of the hive-
maker.

It was to those old-time bee-trees that
our earlier bee-keepers were indebted for
their stocked " gums "—the progeny of
which, modified and improved by the
admixture of new blood, constitute the
present working-force of our bee-keepers.

The box-hive succeeded the bee-gum,
and was for years the best known
method of housing bees.
I When the movable frame first came
into use in Canada, I am unable to say ;
nor do I know who Introduced it. Both
it and the extractor were known of, and
their advantages understood, some years
before either came into general use, D.
A. Jones was among the first to exten-
sively employ them, and was unques-
tionably the first to demonstrate the
honey-producing capabilities of this
Province. In 1879 he placed on exhibi-
tion, at the Toronto Industrial Fair, 10
tons of honey — the product of his own
apiary that season.

Honey was not on the Industrial prize-
list that year, but its managers gave Mr.
Jones a massive gold medal for his ex-
hibit. Mr. Jones' exhibit attracted so
much attention that the Toronto Globe
sent a special reporter to Beeton to

780

AMERICAN BEE JOURMAj

write up his apiary, as well as his meth-
ods of managing it. The fame of Mr.
Jones' immense exhibit at the Toronto
show, and the Globe's report of his man-
agement, led up to a bee-keepers' con-
vention during Fair time the next year.

I have attended a good many bee-
keepers' meetings from then until now,
but in point of numbers and manifest
interest in all that was said and done,
that convention was the greatest of them
all. It met in the City Hall, Toronto,
and that commodious room was packed
from the dias to the door during the
three days the convention was in ses-
sion. The writer had the honor of pre-
siding at that convention, but, as might
be expected, Mr. Jones was the chief
speaker. Indeed, those present came to
sit at the feet of D. A., and drink in api-
arian knowledge from the lips of the
Gamaliel of Beeton, who knew so well
how to paint the beauties of bee-keeping
in pleasing and attractive colors. That
convention gave an Impetus to bee-keep-
ing all over the Province. At its close
the Ontario Bee-Keepers' Association
was organized.

Fourteen years have come and gone
since then, and it is not too much to say,
that in the interval Canadian bee-keep-
ers have made a place for themselves in
the apicultural world, of which they
have no reason to be ashamed.

I shall now briefly advert to the agen-
cies employed in bringing about this re-
sult, some of which are the creation of
our own people', and serves to exemplify
their character. In intelligent applica-
tion of detail, combined with a thorough
knowledge of the principles involved in
their work, they have no superior. To
these characteristics may be attributed
the high level they occupy in the api-
cultural world. Amongst them may be
found as large a proportion of men,
skilled in all that pertains to their call-
ing, as any country can produce. This
manifests itself in the output of their
apiaries. But they have enterprise as
well as intelligence. The substantial aid
they have secured for the industry
proves this. Organized effort is what
has brought them this aid. In other
words, the Ontario Bee-Keepers' Asso-
ciation is the agency through which it
has been obtained.

I know I leave myself open to the
charge of "boasting" (in some quarters)
when I say, that in my judgment our
Association is the best and solidost or-
ganization of its kind on this continent.
It has features peculiar to itself.
Through its instrumentality there has
been secured for those engaged in the

honey-industry, a greater share of pub-
lic recognition, and more substantial aid
than any other like association with
which I am acquainted has succeeded in
securing. If this be true, the charge of
boasting has no foundation.

During the first five years of the As-
sociation's existence it had no material
outside assistance, but was steadily
working with that end in view. In
1886 it became incorporated by Act of
Parliament, with an annual grant from
the Public Treasury of $500, and the
free publication and distribution of its
annual reports. Later on it secured the
appointment of a Foul Brood Inspector,
at a cost to the country of another $500
yearly. (The Inspector is a Provincial
officer under the guidance and control of
the Association.) Add to these achieve-
ments the procural of at least .$5,000 of
the public money granted and expended
in connection with the London and Chi-
cago honey shows, and it presents a
record of activity and success that will
challenge comparison with any like as-
sociation in the world.

Some features of the Association's
stability are the following :

It has a Board of 13 directors — not
accidentally chosen, but each residing
in, and representing one, of the 13 dis-
tricts into which the Province is divided
by Act of Parliament. The directors are
paid their expenses in attending meet-
ings, and they, together with the Secre-
tary and Treasurer (both of which are
paid a reasonable salary), constitute a
permanent executive body, around which
there is little difificulty in gathering the
desired number of members. The Act
of Incorporation requires 50 bona fide
members on the roll to secure the Gov-
ernment grant. Our Constitution pro-
vides for these without much effort on
the part of the Directorate. Under its
provisions Local District Associations
may affiliate with the parent society;
and severally participate in the grant of
.$200, which is annually appropriated
for distribution amongst them. One of
the conditions of affiliation is, that each
local association must have on its roll
the names of at least five bee-keepers
who are members of the Ontario Bee-
Keepers' Association. Last year we had
13 such district associations in affilia-
tion, in which there was of necessity 65
men who were members of the parent
society. Apart from other sources, wo
had in these affiliated societies more
than the required number of members to
insure the Government grant.

The Association has not contented
itself with securing incorporation and

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

781

its attendant money grants, but has
sought to attract attention to the excel-
lence of our honey by large and attrac-
tive public display of it. Its first great
effort in this direction was made in
1886, when at the Colonial and Indian
Exhibition, in London, four of the Asso-
ciation's delegates set up the largest dis-
play of honey ever yet made. It ex-
ceeded in quantity the combined displays
at the Chicago Fair, and attracted the
attention of the world to the honey-pro-
ducing capabilities of Canada. Twenty-
seven members supplied the whole dis-
play, and gave the delegates cnrtc blanc
to do with it as they deemed best.

The delegates took advantage of the
license thus accorded them, and gratui-
tously distributed four tons of honey by
way of advertisement. All kinds and
classes of people, from Queen Victoria
to the children of the charity schools of
London, participated in the gifts. Not-
withstanding this, and the expenditure
of some $2,000 for labor and material
in connection with its sale, the contribu-
tors received back 10 cents a pound for
extracted, and an average of 16>^ cents
for their comb honey, on the total
amount of their contributions, and were
also paid the cost of the glasses and tins
in which they put it up.

Advantage is also taken of the op-
portunity the Toronto Industrial Exhibi-
tion offers to keep the product of the
apiary before the people of the Province.
Though the industrial is largely a To-
ronto enterprise, it has much of a Pro-
vincial character. Its directorate em-
braces delegates from all the incorpor-
ated industries in Ontario. Our Asso-
ciation is entitled to two members on its
Board, through whose instrumentality
very liberal prizes are offered for honey
and bee-keepers' supplies. The prize-
list makes it possible for several exhibi-
tors to carry off SlOO in cash, and one
or more medals besides. The exhibitor
is also accorded the privilege of dispos-
ing of his honey at retail ; provided he
does not impair the attractiveness of his
exhibit. The show lasts 10 days, and is
largely attended by people from all parts
of the Dominion, thus offering induce-
ments to exhibitors rarely found outside
its grounds. Advantage is taken of this
annual opportunity by a number of our
best bee-keepers to make an exhibit of
honey that is alike a credit to themselves
and the industry they represent. These
exhibitions have had no little effect in
securing a home market for the honey
produced in the country at prices that
cannot be exceeded in foreign markets.

Thus far I have dealt mainly with
men and methods. The scope of my es-
say demands a word or two on the
quality of Canadian honey, and the
sources from which it is procured. In
briefly adverting to this part of my sub-
ject, I know I am treading on dangerous
ground, considering the company I am
in at present, as my previously expressed
opinion has been warmly resented by
some of you good people, but that does
not disprove the fact that Ontario honey,
in the aggregate, cannot be surpassed in
point of quality by the product of any
other State or county. If our barley
be better and brighter, if our apples pos-
sess better keeping qualities, and a finer
flavor than like products of any State or
county in America, is there anything
surprising in the superior excellence of
our honey ? The character of our soil
and climatic condition explains the de-
sirable qualities in our barley and apples,
and these have something to do in de-
terminating the quality of honey. It is
a recognized fact that the character of a
plant may be greatly modified by the
soil from which it grows, by moisture,
temperature and light. Such modifica-
tions produce a corresponding change in
the economic products of plants of like
species. But the main cause of the ex-
cellence 01" our honey is found in the fact
that all, or nearly all, surplus is secreted
by plants and trees universally recog-
nized as producers of high-grade honey.
Clover, basswood and Canada thistles
are the sources from which our surplus
honey comes. The result is that it is all
bright and good. This is true of the en-
tire product of the Province, except a
limited portion of the eastern part of it,
where buckwheat is pretty extensively
grown. At all the Fairs I have attended
in Canada, I have not seen 100 pounds
of dark honey on exhibition, and I have
seen at least 100 tons of Canadian honey
on exhibition.

I shall not even attempt to give an out-
line of the style of hives used in Canada,
or the system of manipulation prosecuted
as they are both practically identical
with your own; besides I have spun out
this essay to a length far exceeding my
original intention, and probably your
patience as well.

In closing, let me extend to the ladies
and gentlemen present at St. Joseph a
fraternal greeting, assuring you of my
earnest wish that your first national
meeting in the far West may afford
pleasant reminiscences to those present,
as I have no doubt it will be profitable to
the brotherhood of bee-keepers every-
where. R. Mcknight.

782

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi...

Mr. Charles Dadant, of Hamilton, 111.,
honorary member of the Association,
having been prevented, through illness,
from preparing the essay, " Bee-Keeping
in France," announced on the program,
the Association by a unanimous resolu-
tion requested him to present such an
essay for publication in the proceedings
of the convention. Mr. Dadant has com-
plied by sending the following interest-
ing article:

Bee-Culture in France.

The recent progress in bee-culture has
been accepted very slowly in France,
and I think that this slowness can be
attributed to the profits obtained by the
methods used in that country before the
invention of the movable-frame, and to
the relatively advanced knowledge of
bees, as well as to the poor results given
by the first experiments made with mov-
able combs and frames, which were, at
first, far from giving as good results as
the straw hives with or without surplus
caps, or made two or three stories high.

A considerable industry in honey-pro-
duction had grown, not far from Paris,
in Gatinais, where the best known
honey-producing plant, the sainfoin or
esparcette, was largely cultivated. This
sainfoin (healthy hay), which belongs to
the leguminous family, like alfalfa and
clover, and which, unfortunately, does
not succeed here, not only gives the best
food for farm animals, but it gives also
the best honey, and about as abundantly
as the sage of California. Yet, as the
flowers of Gatinais, save during the
blooming of the sainfoin, were unable to
support a number of bees adequate with
the honey which could be harvested in
this part of the country, its bee-keepers
became bee-buyers and bee-killers ; so,
two large occupations, one of rearing
bees, and the other of harvesting honey,
were created.

For several hundred miles around,
most of the bee-keepers reared bees with
the purpose of producing not honey, but
swarms, which were sold from three to
four dollars apiece in the spring, some
Oatinaisicns buying a thousand of them
or more. These swarms transported to
the fields of sainfoin, were smothered
with sulphur, as soon as they had filled
their hives, to get their honey and bees-
wax.

As this mode of bee-culture, or rather
bee-killing, was profitable to both the
bee-breeder and the bee-killer, progress
was to them undesirable ; for they an-
ticipated that a change of method would
ruin their business, by teacihing bee-
keepers at large, how to produce honey

without destroying bees ; and Mr. H.
ELamet, founder and publisher of the
joural, L'Aplculteur, of Paris, sided
with them to stop the progress.

I ought to say that bee-culture with
fixed combs had progressed as far as
possible in France, under the influence
of the writings of Reaumur, Palteau,
de Gelieu, Lombard, Huber, etc., and
that the attempts at using movable-
combs, according to the teachings of
Delia Rocca, Debeauroys and others, had
failed.

Such was the condition of bee-culture
in France when Mr. Bastian tried to in-
troduce the German movable-frame hive,
and Mr. L'ahbe Sagot a hive of his own
invention, with movable ceiling, like the
Langstroth, but smaller in size. Both
these bee-keepers had described their
hives and methods in the Apicxdteur of
Mr. Hamet, when one of my neighbors,
while in Paris, visited this editor, to
subscribe to his paper for me. Mr.
Hamet entreated him to ask me to send
him some articles on bee-culture in the
United States. Of course I complied
gladly, especially when I saw how far
behind France was in bee-culture.

It was in 1868. My first articles
were welcomed ; but as soon as I began
to praise the Langstroth and Quinby
hives, ranking them above all the fixed-
comb hives, Mr. Hamet, becoming angry,
was so impolite that, for several years,
nobody cared to write, for his paper,
anything in favor of the movable-comb.

Fortunately, some agricultural papers
were ready to accept our writings, and,
besides, one or two other bee-papers
were started, but they did not last.
Then Mr. Ed. Bertrand began, in Switz-
erland, the publication of the Revue in-
ternationale iVApicuUure,v/hich has scat-
tered the knowledge of the new hives
and methods not only in Switzerland,
but in France and Belgium, and even in
Russia, where the French language is
spoken by the high classes.

Mr. Hamet began, at last, slowly and
reluctantly, to accept the new hives, and
now his successor seems to put them on
the same level with the old ones. Yet
he considers the old straw-hive as good
as any frame hive for the greatest num-
ber of bee-keepers.

Now, in spite of all the opposition, the
movable-frame goes forward in France.
Unfortunately, although all the hives
have movable ceilings, like the Ameri-
can, there are too many different sizes
and shapes of frames in use ; and their
number has been on the increase.

About two years ago an influential
French boe-kooper, in order to get a vote

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

783

giving the preference to his frame (l2x
12 inches), induced the Central Bee-Keep-
ers' Society of France to select a frame
which would be acknowledged as official.
Yet he did not succeed in his undertak-
ing, for there were three parties in pres-
ence; one for the square frame, another
for the Quinby-American, and a third
for the King-American — that is, higher
than long. Besides, as a part of the
bee-keepers present at the convention
used fixed comb hives, and as the others
could agree only on the superiority of a
large size, the convention selected three
frames; one square, 14x14 inches;
one high, 16x12 inches ; one low, 12x16
inches; each having a surface of about
200 square inches.

Of course this selection was made to
please everybody — the amateurs of the
square frames, those of the high, and
those of the low frames; but it was not
made after comparative experiments to
choose the best, but according to the
fancies of the voters. As not one of
these three sizes had been used before,
the number of shapes and sizes, which
was already too large in France, would
have been increased without any ra-
tional motive; but such a ludicrous de-
cision, made by incompetent and stub-
born bee-keepers, had no bad results ;
for it is already about forgotten, and the
two frames, which were the most in use
— the King, under the name of " De Lay-
ens," and the Quinby known as " the
Dadant," continue to be sold by the
manufacturers at the rate of ten to one
of the official frames.

To sum up : The movable-frame hives
are not as prevalent in France as in the
United States, yet their progress is in-
creasing every year, and their adver-
saries have vanished. I may add that,
after comparative experiments, the pref-
erence of the majority of bee-keepers,
using the French language, is incontes-
tably in favor of a frame and hive far
larger than the regular Langstroth.
Chas. Dadant.

The contents of the question-box not
having been exhausted, it was voted that
their consideration be resumed.

Substituting Syrup for Fall Honey.

Question No. 8.—" Is it advisable to
take the fall honey from the brood-
frames and substitute syrup ?"

Frank Benton — No.

Question No. 9.— "What is the best
section foundation fastener?"
No answer given.

Paper for Winter Packing-.

Question No. 10.—" Is paper a good
winter packing ?"

Dr. C. C. Miller— Yes.

Mr. Benton— Very excellent, indeed.

C. P. Dadant — Yes, provided you don't
leave it on too long. They will gnaw it.

Pres. Abbott— It is the best thing that
I have found, provided you use my sugar
cake. If you let the paper extend out
where the water can get at it, it will
draw the moisture in.

Distinguishing Robber-Bees.

Question No. 11.— "In what way can
we distinguish robber-bees ?"

Pres. Abbott— Watch them and see if
they bring any honey out.

The "Adel" Queens.

Question No. 12.— "What are Adel
queens, and what is the meaning of the
term ?"

Frank Benton— I believe I first used
this term in connection with the English
language. It seems to me that Mr.
Alley has misapplied it, but I do not
know that I care, only it is best for the
fact of this misapplication to be known.
The word Adel in German means " the
nobility," and is from the old Anglo-
Saxon word, athel, meaning "noble."
The adjective forms are adeliri and edel,
which may also be translated "noble."
The pronunciation of e-d-e-l in German
is a-del (accent the first syllable, giving
a the long sound), therefore I chose the
latter in order to preserve in English the
sound of the word which is in common
use in German. It has been used by
some European bee-keepers to designate
their choicest breeding queens, and, in
itself, has no reference whatever to race.
Nothing of the kind. It can be used for
Italian, Cyprian, black or any other va-
rieties of queens, and has been applied
to them all. SeZect queens of any well-
established race or variety may properly
be called "Adel queens." But it cannot
correctly be applied to hybrids or cross-
bred bees, nor to sports which have not
been bred until they constitute a perma-
nent and distinctive type, hence it seems
to me a misapplication to use it in con-
nection with those yellow bees which are
being offered as Carniolans. When I in-
troduced it I used it to represent such
Carniolan queens as were relatively well-
developed and typical specimens of their
race. Gray being the distinctive color
of this race, such queens were bred from
mothers producing only gray workers—
the type so largely predominant in Car-
niola. When applying the term to Ital-

784

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

ians, it would of course be understood
that Adel queens produced bees having
the yellow bands and other marks dis-
tinctive of that race, the queens them-
selves being, of course, finely developed
specimens.

Brood-Rearing in the Fall.

Question No. 13. — "How late in the
fall is it desirable that brood-rearing
should continue?"

F. H. Richardson — That depends alto-
gether on the climatic conditions, and
also the condition of the colony. That
can't be answered for any two sections
alike. ■

Extracting and Feeding Back.

Question No. 14. — "Will it pay to ex-
tract, and then, when the flow has
ceased, contract the brood-chamber and
feed back, especially to fill partly-filled
sections ?"

A. I. Root — Under certain circum-
stances.

Mr. Richardson — That is a very much
disputed question. I don't think a dis-
cussion of that will be of any benefit to
us here, and the best thing for the party
who asked that question is to experi-
ment for himself. It all depends upon a
man's bees.

A. I. Root — In preparing colonies for
winter we ought to get them on a small
number of combs. By extracting and
contracting the combs this can be
brought about. In regard to these un-
filled sections, if you have some sections
that are nearly completed, it might pay
to feed enough honey to get these com-
pleted, but when it comes to filling a
great number of sections wholly, there
will be so much honey wasted in getting
them capped over that it will not pay.
If you have to melt it before you feed it
back, it will granulate in the combs.

Mr. Iloltermann — It will not pay.

Dr. Miller — When you feed back, this
granulation is likely to take place. That
is one great objection to the business. I
have practiced it quite a little, and I
have never made it pay.

C. F. Lane — I have had considerable
experience with this feeding back. I
have practiced it for four or five years.
I don't extract; I feed it back from the
natural comb, but it is tedious. If I
have in the fall some bees — perhaps a
dozen colonies which are poor, and in
which the queens may not be doing well,
I combine them so as to get them into two
hives, and these I place under a tent and
tier up the unfinished sections about ten
crates high on each. I take the combs
of honey and uncap them and tier them

up around these bees, and in that way
the bees will take it all out, and there is
no robbing or anything of that kind. As
near as I can tell, the loss is about one-
third. I have weighed many, but the
nearest I can tell is about one-third.
Another way is, I have a large tent
about 20x40 feet, and I putin about 15
colonies, and after keeping them in there
for awhile, they will become accustomed
to the looks of the place, and will work
in there. On the other side of the tent
I put the combs of honey, and the bees
take the honey out and fill the unfinished
sections.

Production of Comb Honey.

Question No. 15. — "Are there any
new suggestions in the production of
comb honey?"

Mr. Holtermann — I put that question
in the box, and it was the first one put
in. I think there is a little point which
I have not known before, and that is the
importance of a bee-space above the sec-
tions. We are all after having our sec-
tions filled as much as possible. Not
only does it add to the appearance of the
honey, but the strength of it in shipping.
I have found that by putting a quilt or
cloth over the sections, there is no space
over the sections for the bees to pass,
and therefore they are liable to put
propolis on the tops of the sections,
while if there is a J^C-inch space left over
the sections, you will get a very much
nicer-looking section.

Supply-Dealers at Conventions,

Question No. 16. — "Is it desirable to
have persons in attendance at our con-
ventions who are interested in the sale of
supplies, but are not themselves bee-
keepers?"

Mr. Benton — Yes.

J. T. Calvert— I will say this, that I
have had charge of the apiary of A. I.
Root for three successive years, and I
am still interested in bees.

Dr. Miller — This shows you what a
bad conscience will do. There has been
too much of the feeling that there is a
certain amount of antagonism between
the supply-dealers and the honey-dealers,
between commission-men and honey-
producers. Just take the supply-deal-
ers, if you please. Do we want the sup-
ply-dealers to exist? Will you and I be
better off if they are all hanged. Take
the matter of sections. I would not want
to sit down and make them myself with
a knife for $5 per thousand, and that is
what, the best will cost. And the very
fact that we can get them so cheap is on
account of these men here spending time

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

785

to find out how they can make these
things for us. They are our friends.
There has been a feeling that we don't
want anybody here but bee-keepers. I
think that we want to have our friends
with us, and sometimes they suggest
things to us that we want to know. I
think this ill-feeling should be done
away with. I don't want to feel that my
friends can't go where I am. We want
to talk together and consult together,
and I would like to see this antagonism
done away with.

Pres. Abbott — I don't know whether it
would be in order for me to make a
speech that I have been wanting to
make in regard to supply-dealers. A
supply-dealer has a right to be, and if he
has a right to be, he has a right to be at
the convention. If he has a right to ex-
ist, he has a right to be at the conven-
tion. There are a great many people
who think they have said the thing
when they say, " I want to get rid of the
middle-men." That word moves glibly
ofif of their tongue. They have the idea
that no one is a producer except the
man who takes out his big knife and
whittles a stick in some shape. The
man who takes a stick and turns out a
rolling-pin is a producer, and any man
who has anything to do with that rolling-
pin until it reaches the consumer is a
producer also. Here is a man who pro-
duces rolling-pins. He lives in Canada.
I want a rolling-pin, and I live in St.
Joseph, Mo. He might produce thous-
ands and thousands of them, but they
would do me no good. I could not afford
to pay my fare and go up there and buy
one, and the result necessarily would
be that I would never get a rolling-pin.
Do you see the point? I claim that
every one is a producer who gratifies a
desire, and every one gratifies a desire
who furnishes to the man who has the
desire the thing he wants at the time he
wants it, in the condition he wants it,
and in the quantity he wants it ; and a
man who takes rolling-pins under his
arm and carries them down to St. Joseph
and lays them down on this table, and
leaves them there until the people's
wants are all supplied, is just as much
of a producer as the man who turns
them out of the wood, and it is all bosh
about these people not being producers !
I was a drummer a good many years
ago, and one day I was walking along
the road, and a farmer came along with
a team, and 1 asked him for a ride.
After I got in the wagon we fell to talk-
ing about different things, and at last it
got to middle-men, and he said, "We
are going to get rid of those middle-

men." He did not know he had one
right in his wagon, and I did not tell
him, because I hated to walk. I do not
say this to show what I have done, or to
puff myself up in the least, but I do say
that because of my having been a sup-
ply-dealer in St. Joseph, I have done
more to educate the people in regard to
honey than any other man, and it is
true of every supply-dealer who sticks
to the business in any community. I do
wish that this cry about middle-men
would stop, as it is all foolishness.

Mr. Holtermann — Who is, after all, as
much interested in the success of the
bee-keeper as any ? Not success just for
the moment, but permanent success. It
is the man who is in the supply busi-
ness. Isn't he as much interested as
any other person in the world. If he is
level-headed he will work heart and soul
for the success of the bee-keeper and for
his interests, and in that way develop
the industry.

Mr. Root — There are some good men
among the commission-men in St. Joseph,
and I rather think there are some who
deal in honey. I think it no more than
fair that the North American Bee-Keep-
ers' Association should invite these men
up here to talk. When we get ac-
quainted with these people sometimes
we find that they are not so bad after
all. We have met a good many good
people here, and we are going home with
a great deal more faith than we had
when we left home. There are quite a
good number of good people in Missouri.

Pres. Abbott — There is not a honey-
man in the commission business in this
city. There are three or four men who
handle honey, but there is not a man en-
gaged in handling it that knows any-
thing about it. I speak advisedly. Just
to illustrate how much these men know
about honey, I will tell you something.
Three or four years ago I got a letter
from one of them, and he knows as
much about honey as any man here in
the city in the commission business. He
said in the letter : " I hear that you
have a honey-extractor, and I would like
to have you call at my place of business."
I called at his place of business, and he
asked me if I had a honey-extractor, and
I said, " Yes, I have." He said that he
had some honey in cans that he could
not get out, as it had gone to sugar. He
said that he bought it of an old farmer
and paid him $50 for the whole lot, and
he said, " I will be out just $50 unless I
can extract it. Will you do it for me,
and what will you charge ?" It was
there in the cans, comb and honey, and
it had all candied perfectly solid. I said,

786

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL-.

"We do not extract that kind of stuff,
and it is not fit to eat if it is extracted."
He said, " Well, if it cannot be extracted
I am out just that much." I said, "Well,
you are out just that much, but I hate
to see you lose all of it. I will tell you
what to do with it. Get the wax out of
it, and then what honey is left take it
down to some tobacconist and ask him
if he does not want something to spoil
dirty tobacco with, and maybe he will
give you a few cents for it !"

The regular program was then taken
up, and in the absence of the author, the
following essay, by Mr. S. E. Miller, of
Bluflton, Mo., was read by Dr. C. C.
Miller :

Honey-Resources of the Future.

As civilization advances, the forest
falls before the woodman's ax, and much
of the unused land that produces
flowers is turned under by the farmer's
plow, while barbed wire is making the
old-fashioned rail fence of our fathers a
relic of the past ; hence the fence-cor-
ners where grew white clover and other
honey-producing plants are no longer
there.

As land becomes more valuable it is
more thoroughly tilled, and less of it is
allowed to lie idle, and in a number of
other ways, land that once supported a
multitude of nectar-yielding plants and
trees, is turned to the production of
corn, wheat, and other crops that yield
little, if any, nectar. Every basswood
that is felled within a certain radius of
our apiaries, must mean that our bees
have access to a certain number of
pounds less of nectar than they had
while that tree was standing. Every
white clover field that is turned under
within the same radius means that our
bees are curtailed to a certain extent.

Considering this, what will be our re-
sources in the future ? What is to take
the place of the flora that has been so
bountifully disseminated by a loving
Creator, when that flora has fallen be-
fore the hand of civilization ? True, we
might pack up our bees and move to a
new and unoccupied field, but even this
cannot last always. The sage-bush of
the wild West is being rooted up to give
place to orchards and vineyards. Even
if it were always practical to secure
good pasturage by frequently moving,
this course is not suited to the taste of
a bee-keeper, for if I mistake not he is
one who loves to have a home, and loves
that home more than any other spot on
earth. What, then, can we grow to take
the place of these native plant«». so that

we may be reasonably sure of having
something from which our bees can
gather nectar in sufficient quantities to
give us a crop of honey that will pay for
our time, labor and money expended,
and leave us at least a small profit?

I for one believe that we cannot urge
too forcibly the prudence of taking care
of that which we have. Often land that
is too uneven to admit of cultivation
may be devoted to pastures, and here is
where we may spare such trees as bass-
wood, maple and others that produce
nectar and pollen. No doubt many bee-
keepers are owners of tracts of wood-
land, and when clearing up the land for
pasture, if all nice basswood trees are
left standing, they will be no hindrance
to the grass that grows beneath them,
but often a benefit by keeping the
ground cool and moist beneath them,
while the ground where no trees are
standing, will be hot and dry, and the
grass parched.

The maples, while they do not produce
any of the surplus honey, contribute in
an indirect way toward it, as they pro-
duce an abundance of pollen, and (ac-
cording to my observations) some nec-
tar, just at a time when most needed.
These two, then, should be spared when-
ever practical, for if we speak of the
sugar-maple alone, it is a producer of
another sweet that in the opinion, or on
the palate of many, surpasses even
honey, and in this way may be an addi-
tional source of revenue to the owner of
the land ; besides, both the maple and
basswood are elegant and noble shade
trees. What 1 have said about these
two applies to my own part of the coun-
try. To what trees the above sugges-
tions will apply in other parts of the
country, each one must know for him-
self.

Before leaving this point, I might add
that those bee-keepers living in or near
a town would do well to exert themselves
in inducing the town's-people to plant
basswood trees in preference to other
kinds, and I believe one could well af-
ford to furnish the trees at his own ex-
pense if he intends to continue in the
bee-business for a number of years. To
what extent the planting of basswood
trees is practical on the treeless wastes
of the far West, I am not prepared to
say, as I do not know whether they will
live and thrive there, but to those who
live there it may be well worth consid-
ering.

In every way possible we should use
our influence to prevent the destruction
of basswood trees. Often a neighbor
might, by a little solicitation, be pre-

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

78T

vented from destroying such trees, even
on his own land.

I cannot leave this subject without
speaking of the clovers, for upon this
class of plants a vast number — perhaps
a great majority — of the bee-keepers of
the United States must depend for their
surplus, and as time passes we must
each year become more dependent upon
these. Clover is a crop that should be
grown upon every farm in the land that
is adapted to it. I venture the asser-
tion that 90 per cent, of the farms that
are adapted to it would be highly bene-
fited by a thorough rotation of clover,
corn, wheat and the other farm crops.
What kind of clover, then, shall we
grow? Of the alfalfa it is not necessary
for one to speak, for it has already
proven itself to stand in the front rank
among the honey-producing plants of
our country. In that part of the coun-
try to which it is adapted, no doubt, it
stands at the head among cultivated
crops, and the bee-keeper can hardly
hope to find a crop that is profitable
aside from the nectar it yields, which
will furnish a greater amount of valua-
ble pasturage for his bees.

But in the majority of States to which
alfalfa seems to be well adapted, we
must look for another plant in which we
can induce the farmers to become inter-
ested. This we have in Alsike clover.
This clover seems well suited to all
lands where the common red clover
thrives, and is at present about as profit-
able a crop, and, in some cases, even
more profitable. My own experience is
that it does not make as much hay per
acre as the red does, but it is of enough
finer quality to make up for the differ-
ence in bulk. Here, it seems to stand
drouth and pasturing better than red
clover, holds its own against weeds and
will stand and produce good crops for a
year or two longer than red clover. It
produces about as much seed per acre,
and the seed is always higher per bushel
than that of red clover. In this, then,
we have a profitable farm crop that is
well suited to a large portion of the
country. As to the amount of nectar it
will yield, no one can more than conjec-
ture, but from what observations I have
taken, I would place it ahead of the
native white clover, taken acre for acre.

I have only mentioned the name of
red clover, so far, and need scarcely say
more. That it often furnishes an abun-
dance of nectar we are all aware, but
that the bees can seldom procure it we
are also aware, notwithstanding the
claims that some make that their bees
can get the nectar from red clover. Bees

do certainly work on it at times, but I
think seldom enough is gotten to amount
to a surplus.

Honey from alfalfa clover can now be
purchased by the ton. How soon the
same may be said of Alsike clover honey
no one knows. But it is quite evident
that the honey of the future will be
gathered mainly from some one of the
many species of clover — the king of
honey-producing plants.

S. E. Miller.

On motion of George W. York, Pres.
E. T. Abbott was requested to describe
in full his method of wintering bees, for
publication in the proceedings of the
convention, which he has kindly done in
the following article :

The Wintering of Bees.

The various bee-papers are filled with
articles giving instructions how to feed
bees in the winter, after reading which
I feel like saying in most cases, " Don't."
One writer prominent in apicultural cir-
cles instructed his readers who might
have bees short of winter stores, to take
them into a warm room and feed them
sugar syrup. Just think for a moment
how much trouble and "fuss" this
would involve ! Moreover, from my
stand-point, the method is not only un-
satisfactory, but utterly useless.

The instructions commonly given are
to buy a feeder and feed the colonies
that are short of stores, sugar syrup,
early in the season. In lieu of this, some
say to fill empty combs with syrup by
placing them in a large pan, and hold-
ing the vessel containing the syrup so
high that the syrup will be forced into
The cells by pouring it on the combs.
This, too, it seems to me, is another
mussy and useless process.

However, you are not interested in
negatives, and I will give what seems to
me a positive and easy solution of the
winter problem. It will be necessary
first to get a few simple facts fixed
clearly in the mind. It is important
to remember, first, that in this climate
bees do not freeze in the winter, but
starve. I am half inclined to think that
this is true in any climate where bees
are kept. If I were asked to state the
secret of successful wintering in a few
words, I would say, " Plenty of food in
the right place. The right place is above
the cluster. Let me explain why this is
true :

Every one knows that it is a natural
law that heat rises, and those who are
at all acquainted with the habits of bees
know that as soon as the cold weather

788

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

sets in they will form themselves into a
compact cluster near the center of the
hive. They do this in order to keep
themselves warm. One bee alone, es-
pecially if its honey-sac be empty, will
perish in tlm cold in a short time, while
a cluster of bees with well-filled honey-
sacs can resist the hurtful influences of
intensely cold weather. By uniting in a
cluster they build around themselves a
living wall, as it were, which is a non-
conductor of heat, and thus are enabled
to confine the combined heat of their
bodies in a small space. Should one
thrust a thermometer into the center of
a cluster of bees in the winter, he would,
no doubt, be surprised to find how warm
they can keep themselves, if he had
never before tried the experiment.

When the bees on the outside of the
cluster have endured the cold as long as
they can, they step aside and pass into
the center of the cluster, where it is
always warm, and other bees take their
places in this living wall of protection ;
and thus the cluster remains perfect as
long as the cold weather lasts.

Now, this cluster, as a whole, can
move only one way, and that is in the
direction in which heat always moves —
upwards — as stated before. It can fol-
low the line of heat, but it cannot move
sidewise from one frame to another, or
lengthwise on the frames. If one will
think for a moment how most modern
hives are constructed, and how shallow
the frames are, he will readily under-
stand why it is that so many colonies of
bees die in the winter with " plenty of
honey in the hive."

In the months of January and Feb-
ruary, even in this climate, there is gen-
erally a long spell of very cold weather.
During this time the cluster is moving
toward the tops of the frames, consum-
ing as it goes, all of the honey in the
frames immediately above it. The cold
weather continuing, it finally reaches
the top of the frames, and can go no
farther in this direction. It cannot dis-
band and move over to other frames,
neither can it move lengthwise on the
frames it now occupies. What is the re-
sult? Having consumed all of the food
in their honey-sacs, and not being able
to reach any more, nor live on wood, the
bees die of starvation. Had the weather
turned warm for a few days, so the clus-
ter could have broken up and the bees
"taken a flight," they then would have
formed in another locality on the frames,
or else would have carried sufficient food
into the combs where they had clustered
before to carry them over another cold
spell of reasonable length.

We cannot, however, depend on the
warm weather to come at the right time,
and so we must devise some method by
which we can guard against such mis-
haps as mentioned above, and thus be
able to take our busy little workers
safely through the winter, and keep
them strong and healthy, so they will be
ready for brood-rearing in the spring.

It is very important that bees be kept
as quiet as possible after they cease
work in the fall. A worker-bee has a
very delicate nervous organization, and
therefore wears herself out in a short
time when she is actually engaged in
storing honey. If she is to live during
the winter and long enough in the spring
to rear bees to take her place, she must
be excited to as little activity as possible
after her honey-gathering ceases. It is
not only necessary, then, to feed the
bees so that the food will be above the
cluster, but it is also important to feed
them so they will be disturbed as little
as possible. I will now give a method
of preparing them for winter which I
think fully meets both conditions.

A colony of bees will live through the
winter and keep healthy if they have
nothing but dry sugar to eat, provided
the sugar be so placed that they can
always reach it without breaking the
cluster. Dry sugar, however, cannot be
manipulated in a way to guarantee this
condition of things. I, therefore, secure
the best quality of granulated sugar, and
make it into solid cakes similar to those
of maple sugar which we find for sale in
the stores. To prepare these sugar
cakes, the granulated sugar should be
put into a vessel with a very small
quantity of boiling water — not more
than one pint of water to five pounds of
sugar — and the sugar thoroughly melted.
Be careful not to let it burn. After the
sugar is melted, let the syrup boil until
it will harden into a solid cake. One
can ascertain when it has boiled enough
by dropping a little of it in cold water.
After it has boiled so it will thoroughly
harden, pour it out into shallow pans,
making it into cakes six or eight inches
long, an inch and a half thick, and wide
enough to make the cake weigh eight or
ten pounds. When the cakes are thor-
oughly cold and hardened, they are
ready for use.

It is not necessary to put acid or any-
thing of that kind in the syrup to keep
it from granulating, as the bees can eat
it just as well when it Is granulated as
when it is not.

Having prepared your cakes of sugar
in this way, remove the top of the hive
and the covering to the frames, and lay

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

789

three or four sticks, y^ inch square anfl
six inches long, directfy over the cluster,
placing them about two inches apart.
Lay the cake of sugar on these sticks,
and over this place a cloth sufficiently
large to cover the entire top of the hive.
An old grain-sack makes a very good
covering for this purpose. Over the
cloth place two or three thicknesses of
old paper, and tuck all down snugly in-
side of the hive. After this is done, put
on the hive cover. It will be necessary
to not leave the edges of the cloth or
paper exposed to the rain or snow, as
this would attract moisture into the hive.
The idea is to make the covering above
the bees perfectly tight, so that there is
no upward draught.

As I said before, the cluster always
forms on the combs below the food, and
as it moves upward, it consumes the

food immediately above it until it
reaches the top of the frames, when the
bees will find themselves in contact with
the sugar candy. The warmth and mois-
ture arising from the cluster will keep
the sugar sufficiently soft so the bees
can eat it without any trouble. I have
never known a colony of bees, thus pro-
vided with sufficient sugar to take them
through the cold weather, to die or to
come out in the spring diseased.

This method of preparing winter food
for bees is so simple that it has been a
wonder to me that more people did not
practice it. As soon as the warm
weather sets in, in the spring, if the
bees have not consumed all of the sugar,
it should be removed and made into a
thin syrup, and fed to the bees to stimu-
late brood-rearing.

Emerson T. Abbott.

The flational Bee-Heepers' Union

10th flnnaal H^port,

In making this, my Tenth Annual
Report to the members of the National
Bee-Keepers' Union, I am glad to state
that the Union has everywhere exerted
such a soothing influence, that now the
enemies of the pursuit are very cautious
in commencing a suit against bee-keepers.
Lawyers have read in their Law Journals
reports of trials which have resulted
disastrously to the complainants, leaving
them to pay the costs, and they generally
discourage such litigants unless they
have well-filled pocket-books, and they
discover a chance to make libei'al fees.
Even then, many of them will not under-
take a case which gives no promise of
success. Quite often they advise their
"would-be clients to send to the Bee-

Keepers' Union for documents, and when
such are received and read, the arguments
of Judge Williams and the decision of
the Supreme Court of Arkansas are so
convincing, that they quite willingly
nurse their wrath, and permit their bee-
keeping neighbors to enjoy their rights
and- privileges.

THE W^OODBERRY CASE.

The Woodberry case in California,
mentioned in my last Report, has not
been heard from since then. It was
evidently killed by the liberal distribution
of the legal documents furnished by the
Bee-Keepers' Union. Indeed, the good
work done in that State is fully attested
by one of our members, Mr. Fred M.
Hart, of Traver, Cal., when sending his

790

AMERICAN BEE JOURJNlAi-.

dues and vote, last January. He wrote
thus :

" 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."

BEES AND FLOWERS.

Being fully cognizant of the fact that
much ignorance exists in the minds of
horticulturists and others concerning the
proper relation of bees to fruit of all
kinds, I have issued a 4-page pamphlet
on the subject, the main portion of which
is an interesting essay, prepared by one
of our members, Mr. C. P. Dadant, and
read before the Farmers' Institute, at
Hamilton, 111., last February. Copies of
this small pamphlet have already done
excellent service where trouble was
apparently brewing between apiarists
and fruit-growers. The generous dis-
tribution of these educators in such
localities, generally produces a sudden
change of opinion relative to bees and
their supposed injury to fruit. A copy
of this is sent out with this Report, and
will repay a careful examination.

ADVICE SOUGHT.

Many letters have been received asking
for assistance and advice, in cases where
trouble was threatened. These have
been carefully considered and answered,
giving advice and instructions how to
proceed, if the documents which invari-
ably accompany my replies did not allay
the trouble.

CANADIAN MEMBERS.

Inquiries from Canada have come to
hand, asking whether the Union would
defend its members in that Dominion,
the same as if they resided in the United
States. Some of these also requested
that the reply be Incorporated in my
next Annual Report. It is, therefore,
given a place here. The answer is plain
and explicit — the National Bee-Keepers'
Union knows no dividing lines of States,
Provinces or Territories —

"No pent up Utlca contracts our powers,
The whole unbounded Continent Is ours."

The Union defends its members from
the assaults of the enemies of the pursuit
—no matter where they may happen to
reside — if, upon investigation, their law-
ful rights and privileges are found to be
unjustly assailed.

QUARRELSOME NEIGHBORS.

Mr. George M. Deer, Riga, Mich., was
threatenedbya jealous old-fogy neighbor,
who insisted upon unnecessarily working
his horses at noon close to his neighbor's
bee-yard, and hitching his horses to the
fence in order to cause them to be stung,
and thus to incite the surrounding
neighbors to demand the removal of the
bees. As this involved important points,
I wrote the facts to President" R. L.
Taylor, who is a good lawyer, requesting
him to give his opinion concerning the
points involved. His reply was as
follows :

Here, as in most if not all the other
States, the law on the point is unsettled
by statute or direct decision of the Courts;
so we must fall back upon the principles of
the common law, in order to form a judg-
ment. My opinion is, that in such a case,
the bee-keeper would be required to use
such care in providing against injury to
others, as a- judicious person would use in
conducting bis affairs; that he would be
responsible for the results of his own
carelessness, but not of another person's
carelessness. I would like to see a good,
fair case of this kind tried, so that we
might have something to guide us.

I think Mr. Deer would do well to put up,
if possible, a high, tight fence or other

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

791

"break," to cause his bees to rise on leaving
his premises; also to kindly warn his
neighbors when they are incurring danger.
Any machine which jars the ground, such
as a heavy road-scraper, if used near an
apiary, is the source of extreme danger;
but ordinary operations are not very likely
to cause trouble. My neighbor plows and
runs a reaper and mower quite frequently
close to my large apiary, there being only
a picket fence between. R. L. Taylor.

A decision of the Courts on these
important points would do much to allay
the animosities of quarrelsome and
jealous enemies of the pursuit.

MISSOURIANS ON THE WAR-PATH.

The City Council of Stanberry, Mo.,
was *petitioned in a lengthy document,
numerously signed, to pass an Ordinance
excluding the bees from its corporate
limits. At the request of several apiarists
there, the Union dosed the Mayor and
Council with the decision of the Supreme
Court of Arkansas, and that cured the
difficulty. The Council dared not grant
the petition.

THE HUNT ADULTERATION CASE.

Last January it was reported that
F. H. Hunt, some time ago living in Linn
County, Iowa, but now residing in Cali-
fornia, had put a lot of adulterated honey
on the market at St. Paul, Minn. It was
analyzed and proved to be heavily
adulterated with glucose. Minnesota has
a good law against adulteration, and the
Bee-Keepers' Union acted in concert with
the Pure Food Commissioners and the
local Bee-Keepers' Society of that State,
and made such a stir about the matter,
that Mr. Hunt dared not show himself
there to sell the adulterated stuff. Many
were on the alert, watching for him, and
would have made it lively for him, if he
could have been found there. The stuff
was not offered for sale there, and what
became of it no one seems to know. Mr.
Hunt is the same person who some 10
years ago sold a lot of adulterated honey
in Omaha, Neb., and was exposed by Mr.
Von Dorn.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS FOR 1894.

There were 212 votes received up to
February 1st, 1894, (when the polls
closed,) and were as follows, re-electing
all the Officers of the previous year :

For President— Hon. R. L. Taylor, 169; Hon.
Eugene Secor, 7; Hon. James Heddon, 6; G. M.
DooUttle, 6; Dr. C. C. MUler, 5; A. I. Root, 4; Dr.
A. B. Mason, 3; Capt. J. E. Hetherlngton, 1; W. Z.
Hutchinson, 1; C. F. Muth, 1; Byron Walker, 1;
blank, 8.

For Vice-Presidents— G. M. Doollttle, 185; Dr.
C. 0. MUler, 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.JennleAtchley, 7; W.Z. Hutchinson, 5; Ernest
R. Root. 4; Mrs. L. Harrison, 4; Hon. J. M. Ham-
baugh, 4; P. H. El wood, 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. Alkin, 2; A. F.
Randall, 2; S. I. Freeborn. 1; S. E. Miller. 1; C. W,
Dayton, 1; J. W. Le Roy, 1; G. W. Brodbeck, 1;
W. B. Stephens, 1; Frank Benton, 1; C. H. Dlbbern,
1; A. N. Draper, 1; H. R. Boardman, 1; C. Thell-
mann, 1; E. Hasty, 1; F. Wilcox, 1; H. P.Langdon
1: Hon. C. Grimm, 1; B. Taylor, 1; Capt. J. B.
Hetherlngton, 1; T. G. Newman, 1; L. C. Axtell, 1;
E. J. Baxter, 1.

For General manager, Secretary and
Treasurer— Thomas G. Newman, 211; blank 1.

NOMINATIONS.

It was suggested by some members that
nominations for Officers should be made
in the bee-periodicals. I presume this
will be attended to by those who expressed
the desire — my province not being to
nominate, but to record the votes.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

The cases now in hand and unfinished,
will be pushed as fast as the Courts will
allow. It would not be wise to discuss
them here, before trial, but the results
will be made public as soon as possible
after decision.

THE UNION STILL PROSPEROUS.

While the recent poor seasons for honey
have prevented many members from
paying their dues, the National Bee-
Keepers' Union still holds its honored
place among prosperous American Insti-
tutions which have been organized for
the purpose of benefitting mankind. In
addition to this state of things in the
apicultural world, we have been passing

792

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

through a period of financial depression
almost unequaled within the memory of
this generation. Every pursuit and
industry have suffered in the general
calamity, and it is a matter of congratu-
lation that the National Bee-Keepers'
Union presents such a gratifying Report.

We may be comforted, however, at
least partially, by the thought that in
these unprofitable years for the industry,
the jealousies of envious neighbors are
also being in a measure destroyed, for
but few have the hardihood to "jump
upon a man when he is down." It is
the years of prosperity which develop
the envious combativeness of ignorant
and selfish persons, and these soon find
some excuse for persecuting theii pros-
perous neighbors.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

Balance, as per last Report $721.71

Fees from 311 members for 1894. 311.00

1,032.71
Expenses for the year 254.20

Balance, Dec. 16, 1894 $778.51

Donation, L. M. B 5.00

Total balance on hand $783.51

The Union has engaged attorneys for
the defense of several cases, the cost for
which will have to be paid later.

Donations and Legacies are always
acceptable, and the one reported above
was made to induce others to follow suit,
though the donor requested his name to
be withheld, as he did not desire notoriety.
He added : " My home market has been
flooded with syrup in honey-jars, and I
feel the necessity of just what the Union
can do to remedy acts of this kind."

DUES AND ELECTION OF OFFICEKS.

It now becomes my duty to call for $1.00
for the coming year, as dues from each
member. A Blank is enclosed to be used
for sending it, and also a Voting Blank.
Fill up all the blanks, and send to the
Manager with a bank draft or money-order
for $l,in the envelope sent with it. It must
be received by Feb. 1, 1895, or the vote
will be lost.

When voting, care should, of course, be
taken to put into office its best and most
reliable members, (a good selection can be
made from the list of names sent with
this Report, and such only are eligible.)

As long as my services are desired and I
am able to devote them, the Union will
have my best energies.

WORDS OP ENCOURAGEMENT.

The times of unprofitableness will
soon pass away. Two years of partial
failure of the honey crop are generally
succeeded by one or more of great
prosperity and plentifulness. We must
all take courage and pursue our vocation,
working arduously to accomplish success;
and with our eyes steadily fixed on
prosperity, bend every energy to_ thus
accomplish it.

With "Success" inscribed upon its
proud banner, the National Bee-Keepers'
Union invites all to continue their mem-
bership, and asks others to join this
invincible and victorious army.

" Fill up the Ranks !"
The Union is calling —

Don't question the "why" —
Watch others enrolling
To answer the "cry."
Your place is waiting, has waited long —
And waiting for you is this glorious song —
March on ! is the cry,
March on ! do or die,
Close in, men ! close in !

And ''Fill up the Ranks!"

"Fill up the Ranks!"
The Union is calling

Whoever is leal.
All around are falling
Brave men true as steel.
Answer now : Ready ! ye men young and

strong.
In music that's ever the same stirring song.
March on ! is the cry,
March on ! do or die,
Close in, men ! close in !

And "Fill up the Ranks!"

Thos. G. Newman,

General Manaycr.

At the convention, on motion, Mr.
Newman, as General Manager of the
National Bee-Keepers' Union, was re-
quested to furnish a Report of the
Union's work, so that it might be pub-
lished in connection with the convention
proceedings. He has kindly complied
with the request, by getting up the fore-
going interesting annual Report.
(To be continued.)

AMERICAN BEK JOURNAL.

793

eP~ Do not write anything for publication
on the same sheet of paper witn business
matters, unless it can be torn apart withou
interfering- with either part of the letter.

What Caused the Alfalfa Failure ?

Will some reader of the American Bee
Journal please give the probable cause
of the failure of a crop of Alfalfa here?
It was sown in the fall on a soil mixed
with sand and clay, and made a fine
growth, and was cut the next spring in
April, again in May, and again in June.
The third cutting killed it. Was it the
cutting so often, or some condition of
climate or soil ? W. Bowser.

Enterprise, Miss., Dec. 6.

Report for the Season.

I have 7 colonies, and got about 200
pounds of honey this fall — half comb
and half extracted. I like the American
Bee Journal very much.

Michael Laeinan.

Moline, 111., Dec. 6.

What I "Learned" in 1894.

That the best plan to have pure honey
in the market is to produce comb honey
only, and throw away the villainous ex-
tractor that sucks out the young bees
and grub-gravy along with the nectar,
and robs the brood-chamber, and some-
times leads the honest bee-man into the
sin of selling unripe honey, doctored
with glucose, half and half, and in this
way doubling the receipts of bee-keep-
ing.

That the man who keeps a bee-supply
shop, and the woman that rears honey
queens at $10.00 a head, are the people
that get the golden eggs, and the bee-
man who buys those traps and hot-house
queens, is the goose that lays the eggs.

That the black bee is not subject to
the new dago disease — paralysis ; which
is probably caused by in-breeding and
too much coddling and petting and fuss-
ing, causing microbes in the blood, and
Uea.rt f£i,ilure. What we povy jiee^ is a

microbe extractor. Some bee-men al-
ready have the eye-opener, and many
others have the money-purse extractor,
which works beautifully, and leaves
nothing to be desired in that direction.

That it does not hurt a queen to ride
in the mail-bag— it is the sudden stop
that shakes her up. At this station
the mail-bags are thrown from the train
when moving a mile a minute; they fly
like a cannon-shot, and roll and bound
around for rods, until they bring up
against a fence or post, making the
gravel fly as if a comet had suddenly lit
near the rail-track. Of course it can't
injure a five or six banded queen to
alight in that way— the more hoops or
bands, the less danger of bursting up.

Dearborn, Mich. C. W. Learned.

In Good Condition for Winter.

We did not average 5 pounds of honey
to the colony here this year, but the
bees are in good condition for winter.
P. B. Hill.

Mt. Vernon, Ohio, Dec. 3.

Experience with Bees.

I have at present 10 colonies of bees.
I secured about 100 pounds of comb
honey this year, but no extracted honey,
and no swarms. I keep my bees on the
summer stands the year round. I now
have them packed with cornfodder, and
have had good results in wintering that
way. I bought 3 colonies this fall, at
$2 apiece. My bees are blacks.

I sold 16 pounds of honey for 12j^
cents per pound to the neighbors, and
took 14 pounds to town and got 14
cents a pound for it. Honey does not
sell well here. My bees are in good con-
dition for winter. W. M. Daniels.

Perrysburg, Ohio, Nov. 30.

Experience with Bees in Mississippi.

I see a good many are giving their
reports of the honey crop, but none from
this State. As I am a small bee-keeper,
I will try to tell what we have done here
the last two years. The past season has
been a bad one for us — the worst for 20
years, so Dr. Blanton, of Greenville,
says.

Last February and March it was very
warm ; trees bloomed and the bees began
to gather honey, and filled the hives full
of bees and brood. About March 18 it
turned cold, and on the nights of the
gOtli and gist it froze, and killed ^)1

794

AMERICAN BEE JOURMaU

1894-

1893-

1894-

flowers, leaves and many apple, pear
and peach trees, and before there were
any more flowers many colonies per-
ished, and what pulled through were
very weak. Then the dry weather set
in, and continued nearly all summer,
and what little honey we did get was
fall honey.

I will give our crop for the past two
years :

Beulah apiary, from 120 colonies, in
1893, 9,000 ponnds of honey; 130 col-
onies in 1894 -3,500 pounds.

Gentry apiary, 115 colonies in 1893
—8.400 pounds; 133 colonies in 1894
— 4,429 pounds.

Wrights apiary, 63 colonies in 1893
— 7,200 pounds; in 1894 — 2,900
pounds.

Riverton apiary, 87 colonies in 1894
— 2,224 pounds.

Niles apiary, 109 colonies in
1,200 pounds.

Home apiary, 41 colonies in
2,224 pounds; 54 colonies in
nothing to speak of, as I keep this api-
ary mostly for queen-breeding.

I am keeping almost all kinds of bees.
I like the Golden Italian for beauty, the
3-banded for gentleness, and the blacks
for comb honey. But give me a direct
cross between the 5-banded or 3-banded,
and I will get the honey.

All of my bees have gone into winter
quarters, with plenty of honey to pull
through until next May.

I have tested the 10 and 8 frame
hives, side by side, and honestly believe
I can get 20 per cent, more from the
10-frame hives.

I shall give them another trial the
coming season, also the different kinds
of bees — blacks, 3-banded, Golden Ital-
ian, Carniolan and hybrid — and weigh
the honey each time I extract, and re-
port through the American Bee Journal.

The American Bee Journal came to
me like a lost friend, as I used to be a
subscriber for it about 10 years ago,
when I was in the bee-business in Mich-
igan. J. H. Sll'LF.S.

Wrights, Miss., Nov. 29.

Moved from Kansas to Texas.

We have changed our home from Jew-
ell City, Kansas, to Webster, Harris Co.,
Texas, and saw Mrs. Jennie Atchley and
family on Nov. 23. We had a pleasant
visit with them. It was too dry in that
part of the country ; bees did not do
as well as they could have done if they
had had more rain.

This is a beautiful county, surrounded

by good timber, and a beautiful lake
(called "Clear Lake") and Clear Creek,
and is not quite as level as some of the
coast country. It has better drainage.
It was rather wet here the past summer
— more so than it has been for 20 years,
so the old settlers say. Bees did not do
as well this year as they did last. I see
no reason why this should not make one
of the best bee-countries, as there are
blossoms all the year round. We have
had roses in bloom ever since we have
been here, and people are going to sow
alfalfa. There is no doubt but it will be
grown easily, as this is a country not
subject to drouth. Mes. L. P. Smith.
Webster, Tex., Dec. 5.

Eight IViiinbei-s for lO Cents.—

Yes, we will send the last eight numbers of
the American Bee Journal for 1894, to
any mw name, for only 10 cents (stamps or
silver). Now, here's a good chance to get
some of your bee-keeping friends started in
taking the Bee Journal regularly. You
just get them to read the eight numbers
mentioned, and more than likely they will
want to keep it up after that. If you have
three bee-friends that you want should have
the eight numbers, send us 25 cents with
their names and addresses, and we will
mail them to each. Remember this offer is
for the lad eiqJit numbers of 1894 — dated, Nov.
8, 15, 23 and 29 ; and Dec. 6, 13, 20 and 27.

If, then, at any time between now and
Feb. 1, 1895, you can secure the subscrip-
tions of these " short termers " for the year
1895, you can count them as new subscrib-
ers and get the premiums as per our offers
on page 797 of this issue. Eight "short
term " subscribers at 10 cents each, will
count the same as one new subsci'iber for a
year, in earning premiums.

If you wish sample copies to use in secur-
ing the " short term " or other subscribers,
let us know, and we will be glad to mail
them to you free.

We ought to add thousands of names to
our list on this very low offer— S numbers
for 10 cents ! A^'ow Is the time for eai-itent work !

4H«I Bee .loiinialiii. — We have quite
a number of old copies of the American
Bee Journal, extending back perphaps 10
years. We will send these out at one cent a
co])y, all to be different dates, and back of
Jan. 1, 1894. Remember they are odd num-
bers, and you must let us select them. We
cannot furnish them in regular order, that
is, one or two months' numbers without a
break, but will mail you as many single or
odd copies as you may wish, upon receipt
of the number of cents you want to invest
in them. They will be fine reading for the
long winter evenings, and many a single
copy is worth a whole years' subscription.
Better send for ten or more copies, as a
sample order. Only a cent a copy, back of
Jan. 1, 1894.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU

795

ConTentlon Notices.

Wisconsin.— The next annual meeting of
the Wisconsin Bee-Keepers'Association will be
held at Madison, on Feb. 8th and 9th. 1895.

Madison, Wis. J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec.

Colorado.— The 15th annual meeting of
the Colorado State Bee-Keepers' Association
will be held on Monday and Tuesday. Jan. -^1
and 22, 1895, in Denver. H. Knight, Sec.

Littleton. Oolo.

New York.— The annual meeting of the
Ontario Co.. N Y.. Bee-Keepers' Association
will be held in Canandalgua, N. Y., Jan. 25
and 26, 1895. Come early. Everyone come.

Bellona, N. Y. Ruth B. Taylor, Sec.

Ontario, Canada.— The annual meeting of
the Ontario Bee-Keepers' Association will be
held at Stratford. Jan. 22, 23 and 24, 1895.
All bee-keepers are cordiall.y invited to at-
tend. W. CousE. Sec.

Streetsville, Ont.

Pennsylvania,— The Venango County Bee-
Keepers' Association of northwestern Penn-
sylvania will hold their 2nd annual meeting
in the City Hall at Franklin, Pa., on Jan. 28,
1895, at 1 o'clock p.m. All Interested send
for program. C. S. Pizer, Sec.

Franklin. Pa.

Vermont.— The next annual convention of
the Vermont Bee-Keepers' Association will
be held in Middlebury, Vt., on Jan. 30 and 31 .
1895. Programs will be prepared and mailed
later. Let ever.y Vermont bee-keeper begin
NOW to preoare to attend, and all those who
can reach Middlebury. whether you live in
Vermont or not, we want you to come.

Barre, Vt. H. W. Scott, Sec.

Michigan.— The Michigan State Bee-Keep-
ers' Association will hold its annual meeting
Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 2 and 3, 1895,
in the city of Detroit, at the Perkins Hotel,
cor. of Cass and Grand Kiver Avenues. Rates,
$1.25 and $1.50 per day. The former rate if
two occupy one room. This will be at a time
when railroad rates will probably be one-half
fare. W. Z. Hutchinson, Sec.

Flint, Mich.

Indiana,— The Indiana State Bee-Keepers'
Association will hold its fifteenth annual
meeting at the State House. Indianapolis, on
Jan. 9, 1895. There will be three sessions-
morning, afternoon and evening. Several
other associations will convene here at the
same time, thus securing reduced rate of IJ^
fare for the round trip, but a certificate must
be asked for when purchasing your ticket.
Programme will be issued in December.

Walter S. Pouder, Pres.

Indianapolis, End.

Iowa. — The Eastern Iowa Bee-Keepers'
Association will hold their annual meeting at
Anamosa, in the court room, on Dec. 26 and
27, There will be reduced rates on all rail-
roads at this time. This will give all a good
chance to attend the bee-meeting, and an op-
portunity to look through the State prison,
which is located at Anamosa. Let all the bee-
keepers within reach take advantage of this
grand opportunity. Come with the intention
of having a grand, good time. Let each bring
with them some fixture or fixtures that he or
she thinks of value in the apiary, and some
important question tor discussion.

Welton, Iowa. Frank Coverdale, Sec

List of Honey and Beeswax Dealers,

Moat of whom Quote in this Journal.

Read our great offer on page 771.

Cbtcago, Ills.

J. A. Lamon, 43 South Water St.

R. A. Burnett & Co., 163 South Water Street,

New York, N. Y.

F. I. Sage & Son, 183 Reads Street.
Hildreth Bros. & Segelken,

28 & 30 West Broadway.
Chas. Israel & Bros.. 110 Hudson St.
I. J. Stringham. 105 Park Place.
Francis H. Leggett & Co.. 128 Franklin St.

Kansas City, Sflo.

Hamblin & Bearss, 514 Walnut Street.
Clemoms-Mason Com. Co., 423 Walnut St.

Albany, N.Y.

H. R. Wright, 326 & 328 Broadway.

BaflaIo,N. Y.

Batterson & Co., 167 & 169 Scott St.

Hamilton, Ills.

Chas. Dadant & Son.

Cincinnati, Obio.

C. F. MUTH & Son, cor. irreeman& Central av8.

Xlie Amateur ISee-Keeper is the

name of a neat 64-page pamphlet, 4x7 inches
in size. It is written by that practical
Missouri bee-keeper, Mr. J. W. Rouse, and
published by the Leahy Mfg. Co. It should
be read by every bee-keeper, whether an
amateur or not. A new and second edition
has just been issued, the first 1,000 copies
being disposed of in only two years. It is
nicely and fully illustrated. Price, post-
paid, 25 cents; or clubbed with the Ameri-
can Bee Journal for a year — both, $1.15.

Xake a, Sleig'li-Ride as soon as the
snow falls in sufficient quantity. See the
buggy-sleigh offered on page 765 in connec-
tion with a year's subscription to the
American Bee Journal. We don't know
of a cheaper sleigh, and equally good. It
is certainly a handy affair. The "beautiful
snow " will soon be here — better get ready
to " take a good slide!"

Two Bound Volumes of the

American Bee Journal for 1891 we have
for sale, by express, for $3.00, or by mail
for $2.30. They are bound in good board
covers with leather backs, gilt-lettered.
The first one who sends the price, will have
the books.

Have You Bead the wonderful Pre-
mium offers on page 797 ?

796

AMERICAN BEH: JOURNAL..

Honey & Beeswax Market Quotations.

CHICAGO, III., Dec. 7.— The trade is tak-
ing some comb honey for holiday display.
This helps out all the choice lots, which bring
15c. per pound; other grades that are good to
choice, 13@14c. The darli grades as usual are
slow of sale at 9@10c. Extracted sells chiefly
at 6@6«4@7c. Very little basswood or clover
is offered in 60-lb. tins, two in a case. Such
meet with ready sale at top prices.

Beeswax scarce at 28c. R. A. B. & Co.

NEW YORK, N. Y., Oct. 25.-Comb honey
arrives quite freely, our receipts up to date
numbering 10,119 crates. The demand is fair.
We quote: Fancy white. 1-lbs., 14c.; fair
white, 12c.; buckwheat, 10c. ; 2-lbs., l@2c.
less, according to quality. The market for
extracted is dull, with plenty of stock. We
quote: Basswood and white clover, 6@6 '/4c. ;
Southern, 50@55c. a gallon. Beeswax scarce
and in good demand at 29c. H. B. & S.

NEW YORK, N. Y., Nov. 10.— The market
for comb and extracted honey is good, and
the supply equals the demand. Fancy clover
and buckwheat sells best; off grades are not
quite as salable ; and 2-pound sections are little
called for. We quote as follows: 1-pound
fancy clover. 13@14c.; 2-pound, 12^@13c.; 1-
pound white, 12@12J4c.; 2-pound, 12c.; 1-
pound fair, 10@llc.; 2-pound, 10@llc.; 1-
pound buckwheat. 10@llc.; 2-pound, 9@10c.
JSxtracted, clover and basswood, 6@6i4c. ;
buckwheat, 5@5^c.; Southern, 50@60c. per
gallon. Beeswax, scarce and in good demand
at29®30c. C. l.&B.

CINCINNATI, 0., Dec 8. — There is no
change in the market. Demand is good for
all kinds in a quiet way. No change in prices.
Extracted honey brings 4®7c. Best white
comb, 14@16c.

Beeswax Is in good demand at 22@27c. for
good to choice yellow. C. F. M. & S.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 4.— The receipt
of comb honey in this market so far has not
been very large, and demand is very good.
We quote: No. 1 white, 1-lbs., 15c.; No. 2
white, 13@14c.; No. 1 amber, 14c.; No. 2 am-
ber, 10®12c. Extracted, white, 6H@7c.; am-
ber, 5@6J4c. Beeswax, 25c. C.-M. C. Co.

CHICAGO. III., Oct. 18.— We quote: Fancy
white comb honey, l-lbs., 15c.; No. 2 white,
13c.; buckwheat, 10c. With cooler weather,
demand improving, and our stock on hand at
the present time extremely light. Extracted,
5H®7c,, depending upon quality and style of
package. Beeswax, 28c. S. T. F. & Co.

ALBANY, N. v.. Sept. 21.— Honey in better
demand, especially the high grades of v/hlte
comb honey. Wc quote: No. 1 white, 14®
loc; No. 2 white. l.J@14c.; Mixed white. 11
®12c.; No. 1 buckwheat, 12@12!4c. ; No. 2
buckwheat. Il®lli4c.; common, 10@Ilc.
Extracted, white (Northern), 7®8c.; amber,
®614c.; buckwheat, 5i4@6c. Beeswax, 27®
29c. Do not look for much of any change in
these prices, and advise now to have honey
on the market as early as possible for best
prices. H. K. W.

BUFFALO. N. Y., Oct. 17.— The demand is
improved, fancy moving somewhat better at
14®15c.; choice, 12@13c. : buckwheat and
other, 9®10c. B. & Co.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept, 8.-The supply
of comb and extracted is very light with only
fair demand. We quote: Fancy white, 15®
16c.; amber, ll®12c. : dark, 10c. Extracted,
white. 6'/,®7c.; amber, t5®0!/»c.; dark. 4/2®
6V4c. Beeswax, 22c. H. & B.

NEW YORK, N. Y., Nov. 24.-The receipts
of comb honey have been very large and ex-
ceed those of former years by far. The de-
mand has not been very active of late and
there are no signs of improvement. The sup-
ply is accumulating and the prices show a
•♦downward tendency. We quote: Fancy white,
1-lbs., 13®14c. ; fair white, ll@12c. ; buck-
wheat, 10c. Two-pound sections are in very
light demand and sell at from l@2c. a pound
less. The market on extracted is quiet, with
plenty of supply of all kinds. We quote:
White clover and basswood. 6e.; Southern,
50@55c. per gal. Beeswax i.s firm and in good
demand at 30@31c. H. B. & S.

CHICAGO. III., Nov. 27.— Up to the present
the sales on honey have met with our expec-
tations. We have received considerably more
honey than we figured on handling, owing to
the short crop report, and we think the early
shippers reaped the benefit. However, we are
now getting the average price, viz. : Fancy,
15c.; white. No. 1. 14@13c. Extracted, 6®7c.

Beeswax, 28@29c. J. A. L.

Profitable Bee-Keeping-, by Mrs

Atchley, will continue for some time in her
department of the Bee Journal, possibly
each alternate v^eek. Until further notice
we can furnish the back numbers from May
1st, beginning with her " Lessons," to new
subscribers who pay $1.00 for a year's sub-
scription to the Bee Journal — that is, we
can commence their year with the number
having the first lesson, if they so desire.

A Binder for holding a year's num-
bers of the Bee Joubnal we mall for
only 50 cents ; or clubbed with th
JouBNAL for $1.40.

RUDY'S PILE SUPPOSITORY

Is guaranteed to cure Piles and Constipation,
or money refunded. 50 cents per box. Send
two stamps for circular and free Sample to
MAKTIN RUDY, Registered Pharmacist, Lan-
caster, Pa. No PosTAi.s Answered. For
sale by all first-class druggists everywhere.
Peter Van Schaack & Sons. Robt. Stevenson
& Co., Morrison. Plummer & Co., and Lord,
Owen & Co.. Wholesale Agents, Chicago, Ills.
Pease mention the Bee Journal. Novl5

Wants or Excliajiges.

This department is only for your " Wants "
or bona-flde " Exchanges," and such will be
Inserted here at lO cents a lino for each
time, when specially ordered into this depart-
ment. Exchanges lor cash or lor price-lists,
or notices offering articles for sale, will not
be inserted hero— such belong in the regular
advertising columns, at regular rates.

WANTED— Single man, with good experi-
ence, to take charge of the La. Bee-
Keepers' Supply Manufactory. Must also
understand the care ot bees. Having met
with a sudden accident. 1 am compelled to
have an experience*! man to take charge of
my business at once.

LOUIS V. ESNEAULT,
Box 54, Donaldsonville, La.

weekly, $1 a Year, f ^^^^^^-^i^^^^^^gV-'cUI^URE. J ^^^^P^^ ^^^P^ F"«-

VOL. XXXIV. CHICAGO, ILL, DEC. 27, 1894.

NO. 26.

GEORGE W YORK.%0

, EP'^O" .y<C^^

' A Happy ]\e>v Year" to you all-
With cheerfulness and health.
A Happy New Year " may it be,
Midst poverty or wealth.

]^o Convention Copy was received
in time for this number of the Bee Journal,
consequently none of the report of the
North American will be found in it this
week. We had hoped to complete the re-
port before the Toronto meeting, in 1895,
but, like some other things in Washington,
D. C, 'tis inexcusably slow-moving.

Tlie Index to Volume XXXIV

will be found in this number. It is what
might be called " a recapitulation " of the
26 issues of the American Bee Journal since
July 1, 1894. We hope the majority of our
readers have preserved the copies from
week to week, so that now, with the aid of
the index, they will be able to refer with
ease to any particular and important topic
they may desire to re-read. It may be that
some matters during the hurry of summer-
time were overlooked. The index will re-
mind you of any such. Look it over — then
bind it in with the preceding 25 numbers,
and you will have a valuable volume of the
latest bee-literature.

Anotliei* Volnnie of the American
Bee Journal is completed with this number.
Its 35th year will commence next week.
We hope that 1895 will be the best year the
old American Bee Journal ever had. We
believe that in its special bee-information
and general reading on the subject of bee-
culture, the next volume will far exceed
that of any previous volume. It shall be
our constant aim and endeavor to improve
its contents from week to week. We desire
ever and always to give more than " value
received " — to give two dollars' worth of
bee-reading for one dollar. We believe in
" scripture measure " — pressed down, heap-
ing up, and running over. Our efforts will
surely be rewarded, for bee-keepers, as a
rule, are a generous, fair, and square class
of people. And they " know a good thing
when they see it." We'll try to see that
they '• see a good thing " in the old Ameri-
can Bee Journal every week.

Expei-inient Apiary Reports. —

On page 814 of this number of the Ameri-
can Bee Journal, will be found some
"boiled down" reports of experiments
made by Hon. R. L. Taylor, of the Michi-
gan Experiment Apiary. The "boiling
down " process was done, as will be seen,
by Rev. W. F. Clarke, who, for the time
being, acted as " cook." It required a deal
of work to thus condense the several long
reports, and will no doubt be appreciated
by all.

Another ISee-I*aralysi<<$ Core. —

In the November Bee-Keepers' Review, W.
A. Webster, of BakersQeld, Calif., gives
another remedy for bee-paralysis. He says
it was given to him by one of his corres-

806

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

pondents, and that it was discovered by
scientists in Denmark. By its use Mr. W .
has never failed to cure when the work was
thoroughly done. Here is the method used :

Take as follows: One teaspoonful sali-
cylic acid and one teaspoonful powdered
borax, mix thoroughly and dissolve in a
small quantity of water ; add this to suffi-
cient sweetened water to make one quart
of liquid, and spray over the bees and
combs. Repeat once daily until the bees
quit dying, which is generally about the
third or fourth day at the outside. Occa-
sionally it may be necessary to repeat
some weeks later, but generally one series
of treatment is sufficient.

During two successive seasons I have held
things in check, while the disease has be-
come epidemic with my neighbors. I be-
lieve it contagious in a certain degree, but
if watched and taken by the forelock, none
need fear its ravages.

IWIr. Creo. W. I5ro<ll)eclc, of Los

Angeles, Calif., in a letter dated Dec. 12,
says: " We have just had the first rain of
any consequence, and every one wears a
smile." That's a good thing for California
bee-keepers, as so much there depends upon
abundant rains — especially as to getting a
honey crop the following season. We hope
they may be well supplied with rains now,
and later on have plenty of honey again.

A Ijittle Too Iligli— even for the
famous Canadian honey, it seems the re-
porter got it. Here'5 the correction from
Mr. Holtermann himself:

Friend York:— On page 756 of your ex-
cellent report of the North American Bee-
Keepers' convention, I see I am reported as
saying: " We in Canada have wholesale
12)^ cents and retail 15 cents for extracted,
and these are the prices we get." I did not
intend to say that, if I did. I may have
said 'i.s liir/li. as 12% coitx. That is certainly
much above the average price for extracted
honey. R. F. Holtermann.

Xlie Etiitorial "1" sm*! 'slVc"

seem to be giving some people lots of worry
these days. Now, here comes our friend
Emm Dee, who puts the case in this style:

BIG "I" AND LITTLE " WE."

Come to think of it, I too must take ex-
ception to the American Bee Journal edi-
tor, regarding his conclusion concerning
the editorial " we" and the individual "I"
— and the more concur with Bro. Ernest
Root's preference. Why ? Well, I'll tell
you. The "I " gives all statements a more
decided, independent and responsible force ;

it admits of no equivocation ; it courts no
excuse ; it holds itself personally amenable
for the utterance; it practically affirms
that he is the writer — " If you have any ob-
jections to urge, I am ready to afford you
satisfaction!"

Now, it is not so with the usual "we."
Not only does it fail to be commendably
modest, but it lacks individuality and
manly grit ! It nebulously suggests that
others are implicated in the assertions
made ; it is only another way of expressing
the irresponsible "they say," which phrase
may or may not include half the inhabi-
tants of a given place — a weak, cowardly
intimation, too frequently protected. Of
all things to me most admirable is the ex-
hibition of manly courage of one's convic-
tions, of placing one's self firmly, honestly
and independently before the public, ready
to maintain the principles he believes to be
right; courting criticism from soever
source, and I know of no more unflinching
vowel for the purpose than a respectful " I."
Emm Dee.

With all due respect to those who seem to
disagree with the editor of the American
Bee Journal on this subject, it is a matter
scarcely worth discussing. There are other
interests more pressing, and of more con-
sequence to bee-keepers, than whether "I "
or " we " should or should not be used by
an individual editor. While a discussion
of the subject might be entertaining, it
would hardly prove to be very profitable.

l>i-. A. «. Jtlasoii aiirt ^Vife, of

Toledo, O., have both been sick for some
time, we regret to learn. From a letter
dated Dec. 14, we clip these closing words :

Mrs. Mason has been an invalid since last
June, but is very slowly getting to be her
" old self " again. I guess we will both at-
tend the Michigan Bee-Keepers' convention
at Detroit, for a change. It was a year ago
yesterday that I had the second attack of
"grip," and I don't seem to get over its
effects; no energy, and "don't care for
nothin'." As ever, your friend,

A. B. Mason.

P. S.— Dec. iS, the thermometer showed
GO degrees, and I set some of our bees out
of the cellar to see them fly ; and a colony
I looked over had four combs with hatching
brood, eggs and larvae, and was in good
condition. Will it spring dwindle ? We'll
see. A. B. M.

The Micigan State convention referred to
by Dr. M., meets in Detroit on Jan. 2 and 3.
Everybody who can do so, should go, and
help make it the best meeting our Michigan
friends ever held. But they always have
good meetings. They are noted for that.

m^" Sec A It C offer on page :

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

807

Ci9ol(leu-Rod Honey.— Mr. W. H.
Morse, of Florence, Nebr., has kindly sent
us a bottle of golden-rod honey — the first,
we believe, we ever saw. He says this
about it :

Friend York : — I have mailed to you to-
day a small quantity of honey which I
thought would be of interest to you, as I am
sure it is exclusively golden-rod, it being
taken from a colony which had no surplus
until the above-named flower opened, and I
watched closely until I took the honey off.
I could with dilficulty extract it. In the
same room where it was kept, I have a
small bottle four years old, which never
showed signs of candying, and the sample
I send was showing signs of candying in
three days after extracting, but the weather
was so dry that the nectar had very little
water in it.

I wish you every success with the "Old
Reliable," which I regard as a pet, and
would not like to miss its weekly visits.
Yours truly, W. H. Morse.

Florence, Neb., Dec. 12.

The sample is candied solid, and is nearly
as white as candied basswood honey. The
flavor is quite mild, resembling slightly that
of heart's-ease, we think. We shall be glad
to give our bee-keeping friends a taste of it
when they call at our oflice.

Bee-Keepers' Editcatioiial So-
ciety.—In the Providence, R. I., Evening
Bulletin was printed the following para-
graph on Dec. 11 :

Last evening, in response to Invitations,
some 16 bee-keepers were at the office of
William A. Greene, 21 Custom House street,
where steps were taken to form an associa-
tion for mutual improvement in the art of
bee-culture. It was voted to give the name
of " The Bee-Keepers' Educational Society"
to the association. Thomas M. Pierce, of
Wickford, was elected President, and Wal-
ter G. Gartside, of Providence, Secretary
and Treasurer. A committee of four, W.
A. Greene, Dr. Mackey, S. Lewis and J.
Parker, was appointed to draw up a con-
stitution and by-laws. The meeting ad-
journed to Friday evening, Dec. 31, when
it is hoped that many more will be present
to listen to interesting essays on the subject
of bees.

Mr. W. G. Gartside sent the foregoing
with the following letter :

Mr. Editor:— From the attached clipping
you will perceive that interest in bee-keep-
ing is progressing even in the little State
of Rhode Island.

I once heard a story of a conversation
between a gentleman and Dr. Miller, at the
Columbian Exposition. The Doctor asked
the other, who appeared interested in the
bee-exhibit, if he kept bees. The answer
was that he kept a few colonies, and came

from a State where there were six bee-
keepers, and all the territory was taken up.
The Doctor at once said, " Rhode Island?"

I am pleased to be able to inform that
gentleman and the Doctor, that there are
now more than six — in fact, nearly fifty
who keep from one to four colonies, and,
nome territory still open for others.

Now, while some Rhode Island bee-keep-
ers did not obtain more honey than Dr.
Miller did this year, there were several that
did obtain from 300 to 800 pounds of A No.
1 honey, part comb and part extracted ;
and from the general tone of conversation
and correspondence, I think that there is
interest enough to keep this new society in
a flourishing condition, with increasing
membership at its each monthly meeting.
Yours truly,

W. G. Gartside.

We hope to hear often from the Bee-
Keepers' Educational Society, through its
Secretary, Mr. Gartside. Possibly we may
be permitted to record in these columns
some of their monthly '"sayings" and
"doings." Surely, all our readers will be
interested in anything that comes from a
society having such a happy and wise
name.

Pomona. College, at Claremont,
Calif., is where Prof. Cook is teaching. We
received a catalogue of that school a short
time ago, and in it we find this, under
" Entomology "—Prof . Cook's department:

The science and practice of bee-keeping
also receive attention, if any of the students
desire instruction in this study. The races
of bees are discussed, and the students, by
actual practice, are made familiar with the
various manipulations of the apiary.

Then on another page occur these words
under " General Regulations " of the col-
lege :

Such obvious requirements as abstinence
from intoxicating drinks and vulgar and
profane language are understood. To se-
cure the best results, it has been deeAed
wise to forbid card-playing and the use of
tobacco.

Guess Prof. Cook must be in pretty good
school — a safe place for parents to educate
their boys and girls. We are glad to speak
of it in these columns.

Reg'itlai' Advertising- is a subject
which Editor Root touches on in "Glean-
ings" for Nov. 15. Here are his truthful
words :

There has been a good deal written in re-
gard to advertising, but I thing there is one
point which has not as yet been fully em-
phasized; viz.: that the advertiser must

808

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

not be disappointed, nor blame any one, if
he gets no return from one insertion of an
advertisement, especially if he is a new
man. We will say that Mr. A, for instance,
orders one insertion of an advertisement,
offering queens. He is a new man, and is
apt to expect that, within four or five days
after the appearance of his card, he will get
a large number of responses ; but he forgets
that Mr. B, a well-known queen-breeder,
offers queens just as cheap, just as good,
and is kuoimi to be reliable. It is the most
natural thing in the world for bee-keepers
to buy of those who are well known. I do
not mean to discourage one-insertion ad-
vertisements, but usually they do not pay
unless some special inducement is offered
in the way of extra quality, extra low
price, or something novel, that everybody
wants to see and get. But even then a
plurality of insertions is far more liable to
get better returns for the money invested.

While the above is exactly right, we
want to say that cotdinuous advertising
pays best. If you cannot afford to keep an
advertisement of a one inch, or two inch,
space running constantly, then use only a
half inch space. It will pay any advertiser
to keep his name, address and business be-
fore the public all the time. If he permits
his advertisement to drop out of the bee-
papers, he will find that his name will be
dropped from the memory of those who
would be his customers if they were re-
minded of him by seeing his advertisement
in every issue of the bee-paper taken.

These are matters worth thinking about,
if the advertiser wishes to build up a good
business.

]Marketing' Honey.— Mr. L. L. Als-
paugh, at the last Nebraska State conven-
tion, read an essay on "Extracted or Comb
Honey for the Home Market." In the
November Nebraska Bee-Keeper we find it
as follows :

My plan has been like this. I made two
show-cases, taking one of them to each of
our best grocery stores, and set them on
the counter and filled them with nice honey,
taking care to have the sections nicely
cleaned and scraped, and honey well capped
over, adorning them with pretty three-
colored labels, giving kind of honey, and
my own name and address, giving the
grocer orders to sell the honey at so much
per section.

The great secret in selling honey at home
or abroad, depends largely upon the shape
and style in which it is put on the market.
People do not care to buy sections of honey
where the cappings are dark and broken ;
with combs bulged out on one side, and
thin on the other, with bee-glue all over
the sections, but will sooner take one with
nice, even combs, with the cappings all

white and even, and with the sections
scraped clean and adorned with a neat,
tasty label; then if the flavor is good, a
customer once, a customer always. He
pays for his honey, and goes on his way,
with visions of " buckheat and honey " for
family breakfast.

The business of putting up honey for
market, either comb or extracted, is as
much of a knack as it is for the farmer to
have hogs that bring the highest price in
market. The good housewife who takes
poor, soft, colorless buttter to market,
which the grocer only buys for soap-grease,
never gets the highest price for her butter,
but has to accept just what she can get;
but when she takes a good, prime article,
her butter is demanded from a class of cus-
tomers who can and will pay for a good
article.

COWVENTIO»J DIRECTORY.

Time and place of meeting.

1895.
Jan. 2. 3.— Michigan State, at Detroit, Mich.
W. Z. Hutchinson, Sec, Flint, Mich.

Jan. 9.— Indiana State, at Indianapolis, Ind.
Walter S. Pouder, Pres., IndianapoUa, Ind.

Jan. 21, 22 — Colorada State, at Denver, Colo.
H. Knight, Sec, Littleton, Colo.

Jan. 22-24.— Ontario, at Stratford, Ont.

W. Couse, Sec, Streetville, ont.

Jan. 25, 26.— Ontario Co., at Canandaigua.
Ruth E. Taylor, Sec, Bellona, N. Y.

Jan. 28.— Venango Co., at Franklin, Pa.

C. S. Pizer, Sec, Franklin, Pa.

Jan. 30, 31.— Vermont, at Middlebury. Vt.
H. W, Scott, Sec, Barre, Vt.

Feb. 8, 9.— Wisconsin, at Madison. Wis.

J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec, Madison, Wis.

Mar. 16.— S. E. Kansas, at Bronson, Kan.

J. C. Balch, Sec, Bronson, Kan.

. .—North American, at Toronto, Can.

Frank Benton, Sec, U. S. Dept. Agriculture,
Washington, D. C.

lt^~ 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

OFFICERS FOR 1895.

Pres.— R. F. Holtermann Brantford, Ont.

Vice-Pkes.— L. D Stilson York, Nebr.

Secretary.— W. Z. Hutchinson... Flint, Mich.
Treasurer.— J. T. Calvert Medina, Ohio.

National Bee-Keepers' Union.

President— Hon. R. L. Taylor.. Lapeer, Mlcb.
Gen'l Manager— T. G. Newman, Chicago, 111.
147 South Western Avenue.

Have You Read page 830 yet ?

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

809

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 '~!0 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.

Italianizing an Apiary Cheaply.

I am starting with 22 colonies of
black and mixed bees, bought from
farmers near. I wish to Italianize all of
them as soon as I can, without the ex-
pense of buying queens for all of them.
Could I practically start with one Italian
queen and rear queens myself for the
entire lot ? What troubles me is the
drones. If I shut up all but my one col-
ony of Italian drones, the chances are
small for the queen finding a drone
among 21 colonies of bees with only one
colony of drones flying. And while I am
keeping drones up in 21 colonies, there
may be some queens in the same colonies
wanting to fly out to mate. What per
cent, of drones could be trapped and
killed without damage to the apiary?
By trapping all the drones from the new
colony, the queen could be allowed to fly
and mate with Italian drones.

Russellville, Mo. L. G. C.

Answer. — Yes, get one good queen,
then rear queens for the rest. Of course
it will take a longer time than to buy
queens for each one, but it will cost less.
There is no trouble about drones enough.
One colony can rear drones enough for a
large apiary. But it will be better to
have two Italian queens, rearing young
queens from one of them, and letting
the other have plenty of drone-comb, so
as to rear a good lot of drones. Not
that such a large lot of drones is neces-
sary, but the more Italian drones you
have, the better your chance of pure
f ecundatio«, with black bees around you.

There is nothing to hinder your trap-
ping all the drones in all the hives ex-
cept the one that you want to rear
drones in. But I would take preventive
measures. Cut out all the droue-comb
in each hive except one or two inches
square. Put in patches of worker-comb
in place of the drone-comb you cut out.
Then take Dooliitle's plan, and every
two or three weeks shave the heads of
the sealed drone-brood in the drone-
comb you have left. If you are thorough
in this, there ought to be very few
drones to trap.

Changed from Blacks to Hybrids.

Will you please explain the following :
I purchased three colonies of as black
bees as one often sees, about two years
ago, and the same summer I found a
cluster of hybrids in the woods and
brought them into my yard also ; and
now my bees are all the same color as
the hybrids, and much gentler. How
this change with the advantage so much
in favor of the black bees? A. H. W.

Walnut Springs, Tex.

Answer. — Ordinarily I should have
expected the bees to have worked toward
the black blood, but should say that you
have been peculiarly fortunate in that
the queens of your black colonies, as
they were renewed, met Italian or hy-
brid drones. The fact that you found
hybrids in the woods indicates that hy-
brids or pure Italians are near you, and
your queens may have met drones from
these outsiders.

Using Q,ueen-Excluders.

Is it necessary in all cases to use a
queen-excluding honey-board between
the brood-nest and extracting case ?
And is a wood-zinc board the thing to
use ? J. C. L.

Brooklyn, Pa.

Answer.— In running for comb honey
I do not find a queen-excluder necessary,
and while it may not be absolutely nec-
essary in running for extracted, still I
should prefer to have excluders. If you
have no excluder the queen is pretty
sure to go into the surplus story, and I'cl

810

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

rather have no brood in the extracting-
combs, both for the sake of the brood
and the honey.

A Late-Reared Queen.

About a month ago I discovered one of
my colonies broodless. I found the
queen in a very shrunken condition. To
keep up its strength I gave brood from
other colonies. On Dec. 1, to my sur-
prise, I found about six queen-cells
started from eggs given to them a week
previous. I again found the queen, but
so shrivelled was her condition that she
seemed little larger than a worker. I
concluded that she had spent her
strength, so I destroyed her, and also all
the queen-cells but one. Of course there
are no drones at this season— what will
be the result of so late a queen ? J. B.

Los Angeles, Calif., Dec. 2.

Answer. — I'm not sure that I know.
In one of my hives I should consider it
all right in November to find no brood
and the queen of small size, but in that
wonderful State of yours things may be
quite different, and as other queens were
laying right along, and as queen-cells
were started you may have been right in
thinking that the queen was " played
out." I have some doubt if you did a
wise thing in meddling so much. So
late, and with no drones, it is hardly
likely they thought of swarming, and it
might have been well to let them run
their machine, for the queen-cell you
left may have had the poorest queen in
the lot. If the weather is good, it is
possible the young queen may be already
fecundated, for there may be drones
that you know nothing of, and you may
find the queen laying all right when
next season opens.

Om Dbctms Himts.

By F. L. PEIRO, M. D.

McVicker's Building, Chicago, III.

Nainple C'oi>i«r}!i of the "American
Bee Journal " will be mailed free to all who
ask for them. The next three or four
months will be just the time for getting
new subscribers, and if any of our friends
can use sample copies among their bee-
keeping neighbors, in order to get them as
new subscribers, we will be glad to mail the
samples, if the names and addresses are
sent to us. Better educated bee-keepers
will mean better things for all.

" Kidney Trouble."

Yes, this is the term applied to most ail-
ments affecting the small of the back, in-
cluding weakness and lameness. Well, in
a sense, this is reasonable enough, too, be-
cause we all know that this is the seat
where the kidneys are located. And, then,
if with this sore-aching exists trouble in
voiding urine, whether it be scantiness of
the liquid, or pain on passing it, or if it be
very red in color, or is attended with a
brick-dust deposit; or if cloudy, stringy
and offensive, why, all these facts tend
strongly to confirm our conviction that we
are, indeed, victims of " kidney trouble,"
though not knowing exactly what special
form, but always fearing the worst.

Well, now let us reason together. Serious
kidney diflSculty is comparatively rare. It
far more often is the result of catarrhal or
gastric trouble than from any other cause.
Doctors term this "functional derange-
ment," which, put in plain language, im-
plies that it is not dangerous in character,
and that treatment should be directed to
the causes producing disturbance of these
organs rather than remedies for the kidneys
direct. It is like a cinder in the eye— it is
not the eye that needs removal, but the cin-
der. And no worse practice can be fol-
lowed than the taking some, or all, of the
so-called " kidney cures " vaunted for this
specific trouble.

Most likely the stomach needs correcting,
or it may be a slight rheumatism of the
lower muscles of the spine that require a
little medical attention; or, more likely
still, it may be that some of our unreason-
able practices need attention, whether of
diet, of improper habits, or causes you can
easily ascertain by consulting your per-
sonal self. Perhaps the particular evidence
that tends most strongly to assure the
mind of the sufferer that his conclusions of
kidney trouble is correct, is the pain or
straining or other difficulty he may ex-
perience in passing water. But then, the
facts are that in far the greater number of
such conditions are due to an irritable
bladder— a. great difference from impair-

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

811

ment of the kidneys, both as to conse-
quences and proper treatment.

Troubles of the bladder are far more fre-
quent and more easily remedied. Diseases
of the kidneys are greater in number, se-
rious in form, and vastly more difficult to
cure. How are they produced, do I hear
you ask ? Well, some acute diseases to
■which we are subject are responsible for a
certain share— scarlet fever, typhoid fever,
diphtheria, measles, etc. Then, too, habits
of intemperance aee one of the greatest and
most certain causes of most serious forms
of kidney trouble. The indiscriminate use
of certain remedies— turpentine and kin-
dred drugs— are other plausible factors.
And, finally, disease of these organs may
be due to indirect causes which we cannot
here consider.

SufBcient has been hinted to show the
uselessness of worrying over imaginary ills,
and the manner in which it may be occa-
sioned and avoided. There is only one
certai7i way of determining the absolute
facts : It is to have the urine chemically
and microscopically examined. This method
places the nature of the case beyond the
peradventure of a doubt. And the satis-,
faction of this knowledge, and, inciden-
tally, the suggestion of correct procedure
to a cure, is worth all the examination

Xliose New Siil>scri1>ers, that you
have long been thinking of getting, are
very likely ready now to give you their
names. You know that we offer to
give each one of them a free copy of the
160-page book. "Bees and Honey." Yes,
and we will give you a premium for get-
ting the new subscribers, as you will see on
page 703. Better at once " get after " those
bee-keeping friends of yours, and secure
their subscriptions, so you can send it with
your own renewal before the end of Decem-
ber. To double the present list of readers
of the " American Bee Journal " will mean
more than a doubly better paper for all.
We can guarantee that. If each subscriber
sends only one new name, the thing will be
done. Will you do it ?

Honey as Food 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. Prices, postpaid: Single
copies, 5 cents ; 10 copies, 35 cents ; or 100
for $3.00.

CONDUCTED BY

MRS. JENNIE ATCHLEY.

Beeville, Texas.

Helpful Words— Cross Hybrids.

Read our great offer on page 832.

Mrs. Atchley : — I find a kind word
from you quite often in the American
Bee Journal, and your department takes
my first glance through and through;
then I look for whatever I may see.
Your part Is information to me almost
every time. I find in the Nov. 1 num-
ber that you speak of bee-keeping in
south Texas. I am like Mr. J. H. Berry,
of Gale's Creek, Oreg. I need a good
job of bee-keeping in that portion of the
country, both for my health and profit.
Can you answer for me a few questions
through the " Old Reliable ?"

1. What would be the lowest cost to
locate as one of the 20 bee-keeptrs you
spoke of being able to locate In your
county ?

2, How are the questions asked, that
are answered by so many at once, in the
American Bee Journal ? For instance,
we find the following : "What would you
do had you bees so cross as to be un-
manageble?" I thought the answers,
some of them at least to me, quite laugh-
able, though several years ago I had a
fight with some hybrids that I was at
one time decided to run. But I had
never had anything so helpful as the
American Bee Journal to read. I made
several smokes in front of hives, and
soon found that the little, bitter ene-
mies were glad to surrender all they
had. Two years afterward I learned
that these same bees had whipped out
some of the so-called bee-keepers, and
run them clear out of the yard. They
had heard of me in some way, and sent
for me to come and work them over.
Now, you would have smiled to have
seen me and ray wife drive up and face
several families waiting the arrival of
the old bee-man. "Oh," said they, "he
has brought his wife to hold the fort
while he runs ;" and the laughable part
to him was that these poor bee-folks

812

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi_.

never saw hybrid bees before. " Just let

the old bee-man have his way, and we

will have the fun to see them run." But

stop ; there was no other than by-stand-

ers that did the running, while we cut

' out 16 boxes of fine 4-year-oId honey

from several hives, and wound up in full

possession of house, yard, folks and all.

L. B. Whittle.

Cloud's Creek, S. C, Nov. 21.

Friend W., I am very glad indeed that
you find my department interesting, and
I shall use my best thoughts and words
to make it so in the future.

1. In answer to your first question, I
will say that I do not know what would
be the cost of locating an apiary in this
county, but of course it would depend
entirely upon how many bees you wished
to start with, etc. I should think that
you could start with 100 colonies with
$500, and less, in proportion to the
number of hives. I mean where you
would buy everything.

2. The questions are collected by the
editor, and about a dozen sent out to
each of the several persons answering
them, with a blank under each printed
question for the answer. Of course no
one knows anything about what the an-
swers of the others will be until read,
and that makes them interesting.

I am glad you conquered the hybrids.
Jennie Atchley.

Ei^lit I^iimbei-s for lO Cents.—

Yes, we will send the last eight numbers of
the American Bee Journal for 1894, to
any mw name, for only 10 cents (stamps or
silver). Now, here's a good chance to get
some of your bee-keeping friends started in
taking the Bee Journal regularly. You
just get them to read the eight numbers
mentioned, and more than likely they will
want to keep it up after that. If you have
three bee-friends that you want should have
the eight numbers, send us 25 cents with
their names and addresses, and we will
mail them to each. Remember this offer is
for the lant eUjht numberx of 18!)4— dated, Nov.
8, 15, 22 and 29; and Dec. 6, la, 20 and 27.

If, then, at any time between now and
Feb. 1, 1895, you can secure the subscrip-
tions of these " short termers " for the year
1895, you can count them as new subscrib-
ers and get the premiums as per our offers
on page 8:50 of this issue. Eight "short
term" subscribers at 10 cents each, will
count the same as one new subscriber for a
year, in earning premiums.

If you wish sample copies to use in secur-
ing the " short term " or other subscribers,
let us know, and we will be glad to mail
them to you free.

We ought to add thousands of names to
our list on this very low offer— 8 numbers
for 10 cents ! Now is tfie time for earnest work 1

Double or Single M^alled Hives
—Which ?

Query 953.— 1. Do you prefer single-walled
or double-walled hives ?
2. Why your preference ?— N. Y.

Double-walled hives with chaflf filling.
— E. France.

1. Single-walled, in my location. — J.
P. H. Brown.

1. I have never used double-walled
hives. — J. M. Hambaugh.

1. Single-walled. 2. Cheaper, and
more convenient. — A. J. Cook.

1. Single-walled. 2. Because cheaper
and much easier handled. — J. A. Green.

1. Single-walled. 2. Lighter, and
better for cellar wintering. — P. H. El-
wood.

1. Single-walled. 2. Easier to handle,
and costs less. I winter bees in the cel-
lar.— Eugene Secor.

1. Single-walled. 2. I consider them
better, as well as cheaper, and lighter to
handle.— R. L. Taylor.

1. I prefer single walls. 2. Because
they are just as good, cost less, and are
lighter to handle. — B. Taylor.

1. Single-walled, every time. 2. Easier
to handle in all cases, and for many
other reasons. — H. D. Cutting.

1. Single-walled hives. 2. Because
the sun will warm up the interior during
warm days. — Mrs. L. Harrison.

1. Single-walled. 2. Cost less, and I
don't know of any sufficient advantage
in the double-walled.— C. C. Miller.

1. Double-walled. 2. Because they
can be more successfully wintered, and
keep cooler in summer. — W. G. Larra-

BEE.

1. I have no use for a double-walled
hive. 2. Because they cost more, and
you cannot keep bees warm in that way.
— Emerson T. Abbott.

I prefer a single-walled hive and win-
ter cases. A double-walled hive is a
poor hive to winter bees in. I have not

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

813

made double-walled hives for years —
they are out of date. 2. The single-
walled hive is easy to manipulate, and
saves labor.— G. L. Tinker.

1 and 2. Double-vi^alled hives, or tw^o
thicknesses, are best, but not chaff hives,
which are too long to warm up in the
spring. — Dadant & Son.

1. Single-walled. 2. Easier made,
keep drier, and the sun will warm them
up quickly at a time when the bees need
the heat. — S. I. Freeborn.

1. Single walls, every time. 2. They
are cheaper and lighter to handle. If
you intend packing bees out-doors for
winter, use an outer case. — C. H. Dib-

BEBK.

1. I prefer single-walled hives. 2.
Because they are light and easy to
handle, and are better in my climate,
and a good deal cheaper. — G. W. Dem-

AREE.

1 and 2. For wintering out-doors,
double-walled, because bees winter best
in them. For cellar wintering, single-
walled, because lighter to handle. — G.

M. DOOLITTLE.

1. My preference is slightly towards
the double-walled hive. 2. It gives more
even temperature the year around. It
affords more protection in autumn and
winter. — W. M. Barnum.

1. Single-walls. 2. Because I have
found by testing in myown locality, that
bees will winter as well in them as in
double-walls, and the difference in cost
is so great that it takes off lots of profit.
—J. E. Pond.

1. I prefer single-walled. 2. They
are cheaper and lighter to handle, and
as for wintering advantages of the
double-walled — I should put them in the
cellar any way, and the single wall does
well there. — J as. A. Stone.

1. Double-walled. 2. They are warmer
in winter and cooler in summer. The
combs do not melt down even when the
hives stand in the sun, and the bees will
not cluster on the outside of the hives
so badly. — Mrs. J. N. Heater.

1. There is, I think, some difference
in winter, between single and double
walled hives, out-of-doors. I have some
of the double-walled, and, as a rule, the
bees winter a little better in them. But
the difference is not great. — M. Maiiin.

1. In this extreme Southern clime I
prefer single-walled hives, as they are
lighter. 2. Double walls are more ex-
pensive, but I have often thought of try-
ing double-walled hives with a dead air
space to see if it wouH not be a protec-

tion against heat. I have bees in brick-
walled hives that seem very comfortable
in hot weather, and a brick hive might
be good for a winter hive in cold cli-
mates.— Mrs. Jennie Atchley.

iriicliigau State Bee-Keeperi«^
Convention .

The Michigan State Bee-Keepers' Asso-
ciation will hold its 29th annual meeting
Wednesday and Thursday. Jan. 2 and 3, at
the Perkins Hotel, corner of Cass and Grand
River Avenues, Detroit, Mich. As there
will be half-fare going on the 1st, but not
on the 2nd, and half-fare returning on the
3rd, it is suggested that as many as possible
reach Detroit by the evening of the 1st, and
thus have a social time before the beginning
of the regular convention work. The pro-
gram, so far as arranged, is as follows:

FIRST DAY— Morning Session.

10:00 a.m.— Apicultural Work at Experi-
ment Stations— Hon. R. L. Taylor, Lapeer,
Mich.

FIRST DAY— Afternoon Session.

1:30 p.m.— President's Address— M. H.
Hunt, Bell Branch, Mich.

3:00 p.m.— Influence of Patents on Im-
provements—T. F. Bingham, Abronia,Mich.

FIRST DAY— Evening Session.
7:00 p.m.— Marketing of Honey— L. H.
Ayers, of the firm of Ayers & Reynolds,
commission men, Detroit, Mich.

SECOND DAY— Morning Session.

9:00 a.m.— Non-Swarming Hives— L. A.
Aspinwall, Jackson, Mich.

10:30 a.m.— Wintering of Bees— Dr. A. B.
Mason, Toledo, Ohio.

SECOND DAY— Afternoon Session.

1 :30 p.m.— Apicultural Literature— James
Heddon, Dowagiac, Mich.

Plenty of time has been given for discus-
sion and for the introduction of the ques-
tion-box. W". Z. Hutchinson, Sec.

Flint, Mich.

Xlie Novelty Pocket-Knife is

worth having. Mr. A. G. Amos, of New
.York, says this about it: " The ' Novelty'
pocket-knife which I received with the
American Bee Journal arrived all O. K.,
and it is a dandy." Better get one your-
self, and then tjou will know what a
" dandy " thing it is. See page 800 for ad-
vertising offer.

B^° " I have 60 colonies, but if I had only-
one I should want the ' Old Reliable '

' American Bee Journal ' just the same."

J. W. Stilson, of Wisconsin, Nov. 26, 1894.

814

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

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MR.. R. I^. XAYI^OR. BOII^ED DOIJVN.

BY KEV. W. F. CLARKE.

I notice that no reports from the Michigan Experimental Apiary have appeared
in the American Bee Journal since May 31, 1894. This does not greatly surprise
me, for most of what has been published since is so overloaded with figures as to
bewilder the ordinary reader. But why should not a brief statement be given of the
results arrived at ? The publication of the reports in full is rendered less necessary
by the appearance of a special bulletin issued by the Michigan State Agricultural
College, giving a detailed statement of the experiments for a year. I presume simi-
lar bulletins will appear annually. Pending their publication, why not boil down
each report as it comes out, and give the essence of it ? Suppose I constitute myself
cook, and try my hand at this boiling-down process ?

SxjGAK POK Winter Stores. — This is the first of the topics that have been re-
ported on since May 31. In the fall of 1893, Mr. Taylor selected 24 colonies for
cellar-wintering, as nearly equal in all respects as possible, one-half of which were
to be fed sugar syrup for winter stores, and the other half to be fed with honey for
the same purpose. The necessary feeding was done the last of September. The
amount of stores consumed was very small, but the important point brought out was
the economy of feeding sugar stores instead of honey. The average consumption of
sugar was but 3J< pounds from the 15th of November until the first days of April,
while that of honey was 6% pounds, or nearly twice as much.

Si'RiNG Protection and Stimulative Feeding.— This report is very difficult to
boil down, being almost all figures, and must have cost a large amount of labor and
patience. The results can be given almost in Mr. Taylor's own words. They were
a great surprise to him. While he had long been doubtful whether spring packing
and stimulative feeding repaid the work and expense, he fully believed there was
considerable advantage in them. But he found that in every way in which com-
parison can be made, the unpacked colonies had the advantage both in increase of
strength and in weight. It should be said also that out of 13 two-story hives packed
there was a loss of four colonies against none among those not packed, while of the
one-story hives the loss among the packed ones was more than twice as great as
among the unpacked ones. For stimulative feeding it is to be said that it showed a
very trifling advantage in three cases, and was at a disadvantage in a fourth case.
The history of these hives, packed and unpacked, fed and unfed, is continued
through the season in a subsequent report, which embodies a mass of figures almost
as puzzling as logarithms. The season was not favorable, and the continued experi-

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.. 815

ment gave no satisfactory results. Mr. Taylor is inclined to draw some inferences
in favor of small brood-chambers, but admits himself that the premises are slender
for so doing. But, all through the season, the unpacked colonies maintained their
superiority over the packed ones.

Foundation fok Sections.— The next report is really a continuation of an
earlier one in which the superiority of the Given style of foundation had been
shown, only the sample of Hunt foundation excelled the Given by 63^ per cent.,
while the Given excelled the best of all the others by 18 per cent.

Foul Bkood. — The last report which has come to hand contains a very impor-
tant experiment designed to ascertain whether the germs of foul brood would retain
their vitality when contained in beeswax that had been manufactured into founda-
tion. The late Mr. S. Cornell strenuously took the affirmative of this much-debated
question, and Mr. Taylor's experiment, while not positively conclusive, nor abso-
lutely final, affords strong presumptive evidence that Mr. Cornell was right, and that
unless care be taken to bring the beeswax at least to the temperature of boiling
water, it is possible to convey the germs of that dread disease in comb foundation
made from it. Guelph, Ont., Dec. 12.

SUCCESSFUL l^INTERING OF BHHS.

BY DANIEL WTSS.

I have probably been more successful in wintering my bees than in any other
point of the business, never having lost a colony in wintering them, nor from spring
dwindling. This winter I may not be as successful, having fed my bees later than
I should have done. Out-door wintering, in chaff hives, for this locality, is un-
doubtedly the safest way. I construct my own hives (and sell none) as follows:

The brood-chamber consists of a box with double walls all around, and double bot-
toms filled in with wheat chaff ; with Simplicity frames, 8 or 10 in number. The
space between the walls is about 3 inches. On this is a box, without bottom or top,
made of 8 or 10 inch boards, just large enough to slip over the outside walls of the
brood-chamber. This box — second story as it may be called— should slip down over the
brood-chamber about one inch, and there rest on uprights nailed on the corners. These
uprights should extend three or four inches below the bottom of the brood-chamber,
answering for legs or supports to the hive. The top, or roof, is made of pine
shingles to fit the second story. In this second story any kind of arrangement with
sections for surplus honey can be made.

For wintering, out of half-inch lumber I fit a board that will just cover the
frames of the brood-chamber. Strips % inch thick, and about 3^ inch wide, are nailed
to this board, as near the ends and sides as practicable, giving the bees a free pas-
sageway over all the brood-frames. Near the center of this board cut a hole two or
three inches square, cover this opening with a piece of board, and pour into this
second story enough chaff to cover the board about two inches, well packed. Cover
this with a cushion five or six inches thick, made out of burlap filled with wheat
chaff.

At any time during a warm day in winter, it will be an easy matter to examine
the bees, by taking off the cushion, and work aside the chaff over the board cover-
ing the opening in the main board. And should they need feeding, put over this
opening a feeder, with syrup or honey, and again cover with chaff and cushion.
Even in cold weather bees can be successfully fed in this way.

I have read the American Bee Journal since June, 1886. From its pages I

816 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

have learned the most of what little I know about bee-keeping. I like to read it.
It admonishes me from week to week to keep an eye on my bees, so that I am less
apt to neglect them. Although bee-keeping in this locality is not profitable — at
least it has not been with me, the last four or five years — I still want to keep bees.
The year just past has been the worst of all for me. The dry season, which com-
menced very early last summer, dried up the white clover — the only source from
which we can expect any surplus in this locality, except it be from fruit-bloom. The
drouth continued until near the last of September, thus giving the bees very little
chance for laying in their winter stores. 1 fed a barrel of sugar to 20 colonies. I
have but 6 colonies that did not need to be fed.

New Philadelphia, O., Nov. 26.

THE SEASON OF 1894, AND RESULTS.

BY S. B. SMITH.

As I am confined to the house, and some of the time to my bed, with rheuma-
tism, I think it is a good time to write of my success with bees the past season. I
also need a little honey to sweeten me while I endure the severe pain to which I am
subjected.

We have had a remarkable year. In the spring it was wet, cold and backward.
Bees were taken from their winter quarters very early on account of a warm spell,
but afterwards we had a cold spell, and a few colonies died. After the cold, wet
spell it was very warm and dry for three months, with an average of 85 per cent,
of sunshine during the time. Farmers were discouraged, and so were bee-men.
But when the season came for gathering in the crops, farmers found that they had
been blessed beyond their expectations, and all apiarists say that bees have seldom,
if ever, gathered more honey than they have this year.

The season for gathering honey is too short here for bees to gather a large sur-
plus. My old colonies stored from 50 to 60 lbs. to a colony in one-pound sections,
besides each sending ofif one prime swarm. Some of the swarms that issued did
not store any surplus honey, and others stored 25 to 30 pounds each.

I have customers that take nearly all the honey I have to sell at 18 and 20
cents per pound, and we do the same with butter. During the summer, butter sells
here in the market for 8 and 10 cents per pound, but we have customers in the city
that take all we can make at 20 cents per pound.

Our apiary and dairy is run on a small scale, but we take all the profits our-
selves. We have no use for the honey and butter middleman.

I put my bees into winter quarters the first day of December, and they had a
good flight the day before ; if they had been out, they would have had another flight
yesterday. All of my colonies' are in prime condition, with plenty of honey for a
long winter, and they may need it before another honey season, for when we have
such mild Novembers and Decembers as we have this year, we are apt to have late
springs.

My bees are Italians ; they are good honey-gatherers, and I am well satisfied
with them, but from what I read in the American Bee Journal I think I would like
a colony of Carnlolans, but it might prove a poor investment.

I was awarded the 1st and 2nd premiums on honey, and 2nd on butter at our
County Fair last fall. We always try to have the best, and always find a good mar-
Ijet. Keeville, Minn., Dec, 8.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 817

HO^W TO ^WATER THE BEES.

BY PHILLIP SMITH.

I want to tell how I water my bees, for the benefit of those who may not know
of a better plan.

I take a large cigar-box, or any other box that can be made water-tight either
with wax or paint — a tin box made purposely tor watering bees might still be better.
Make the lid to fit loosely inside of the box ; bore the lid full of gimlet holes, nail
two liitle strips on thQ underside of the lid at each end to keep it from warping,
and one on top of the lid to lift it in and out with.

While filling the box with water, if the lid gets too heavy, tack thin slices of
cork underneath it to keep it on top. The way I got my bees started to water in the
boxes, was to take sweetened water at first, very early in the spring of the year, and
I was careful to always keep water In the boxes. I generally kept one box with salt
water in it — say one tablespoonful to a quart of water. Sometimes the bees seem
to be very greedy for the salt water, and at other times they would not touch it for
three or four days.

I think I have saved thousands of bees by having this watering-place. It is
located on the south side of the house in a cool, shady place, where there is not so
much wind as in some places. During the ten hot days in July and August, when
the mercury stood at 106'2, my bees drank 33^ gallons of fresh water a day out of
these boxes. I filled them every morning and noon during those hot days, and spent
considerable time watching the bees coming and going for the water. I had 15
colonies at that time, and I have no doubt that some bee-keepers will discredit this
statement, for it seems hardly possible, but it Is nevertheless true. I measured very
particularly, and I know that the boxes did not leak.

I was bothered very much the summer before, with bees in the watering-trough
and around the well-bucket where timid folks often did without water on account
of the bees being too thick.

This was my third year with bees. I got 150 pounds of honey, and doubled my
bees from 9 to 18 colonies. I am very well satisfied with the business, and expect
to continue. I have gotten many good things out of the " Old Reliable," and give
the above on watering bees, hoping that it may do some one else good.

Williamsburgh, Kans., Dec. 1.

SEI.ECXIPJG A HIVE.

BY CHAS. DADANT.

It is during the winter that bee-keepers should prepare their hives for the com-
ing spring. Now comes the question. Which hive is the best? Of course there is
no doubt that the hive must have movable frames, since this hive is acknowledged
by everybody as the best, and, in fact, the only one with which all the indispensable
operations of the apiary may be performed. But there are several sizes and forms
of frames and hives extensively used in this country : the suspended or hanging
Langstroth frame, which is the standard frame of America, the size of which is
17% inches in length by 9^ in height; the Quinby hanging frame differs from the
Langstroth by its size only, which is 183^x113^ ; the square or American frame,
12%xl2% ; the square Gallup frame, llj^xll}^.

I have tried these four styles, not with one or two hives of each, but on quanti-
ties, and with the Quinby frames I have obtained the best results, not only in honey,
but in wintering the bees also. Before going further, I advise all bee-keepers, who

818 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL^

have any taste for or skill in handling tools, to make their hives themselves. This
work is not very difiScult. "When I began to keep bees I bought, in a second-hand
store, all the tools I needed, saws, planes, hammer, squares, etc., and I did not find
the work either hard or diflBcult, but, on the contrary, rather pleasant, although I
had no skill in carpentering.

A man who lives on a farm is often compelled to stay at home in idleness during
the bad weather of winter. Then he will find the work of building hives an agree-
able and profitable occupation. A small shop, and the necessary tools for hive-
making, will cost but little, and will be found useful in many ways outside of the
bee-hive interest.

I will now explain why the Quinby frames prove more profitable when compared
to the other sizes. For breeding purposes, the nearer square a frame is the better
it suits the queen. When she begins to lay, in the first days of February, and some-
times earlier, to replenish the hive with bees, she places the first eggs in the cells
that occupy the middle of the cluster. Then she continues her laying in a circle
around the cells containing the first laid until she reaches the edge of the frame. la
very shallow frames, after she has filled a circle of the height of the frame, she has
to hunt at each round for more cells to lay in. When we consider that a queen in
the height of the breeding-season must lay from 2,000 to 3,500 eggs per day, we
will readily understand how precious her time is. While she is hunting for more
room her eggs drop off, like fruits, and are lost. It is, therefore, evident that the
frame must be as nearly square as possible, but with a square frame there is too
little room above for the surplus honey, as the hive must of necessity be nearly
square also. It therefore becomes necessary to furnish the bees with a hive in
which the frames will be of sufficient depth to give the queen a good-sized circle on
each, and of sufficient length to allow of a plentiful space over the brood-nest for
the surplus apartment.

A very shallow frame, besides breaking the queen's breeding-circle also, has the
disadvantage of leaving too little room above the cluster during cold weather for
the supply of food. The greater part of the honey has to be put in the rear part of
the combs, and in extremely cold weather we have often noticed that colonies died
in these shallow hives, because they were unable to reach these stores that were too
far on the side, and consequently not warmed by the heat rising from the cluster.

The above reasons are sufficient to show that my preference for the Quinby
frame is based upon rational deductions, as well as upon the experience of 30 years
of practice. — Prairie Farmer. Hamilton, 111.

QUESTIONS ABOUX EAST TENNESSEE.

BY II. F. COLEMAN.

Mr. W. R. Ritchie, of North Middletown, Ky., desires me to answer the follow-
ing questions through the American Bee Journal :

1. In the mountainous parts of East Tennessee, what per cent, of the lands are
in cultivation ? 2. What are the principal crops and their average yield ? 3. What
is price of land not improved ? 4. How is the country populated ? 5. How is the
fruit business?

In answer to these questions, I would say that in the rural districts, and to
these I presume Mr. R. has reference, not more than 85 per cent, of the lands are
in cultivation. In these districts the principal crops are corn, wheat, oats and the
grasses. The best lands will yield from 30 to 50 bushels of corn per acre, and
wheat and oats in proportion. The poorer lands will not do so well. The price of

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

819

unimproved lands on the mountains, range from $2 to $4 per acre. These sections
are sparsely settled, but the people in the main are thrifty and prosperous.

The highlands here are well adapted to fruit-raising. Apples and peaches are
the principal fruits grown, and they are not excelled by fruits of the same kind
grown anywhere in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. The apple crop
has not been a failure but once in more than 20 years.

The honey crop here has never been an entire failure, in my knowledge, and in
fair seasons I am sure that with proper management the yield will be enormous.
Bee-culture, on the improved plans, is of recent date here, and no fair tests have been
made as to what can be done on this line, but this year, with all the early flowers
killed by the freeze in March, my yield was 61 pounds per colony — some colonies
giving me 140 pounds.

The fruit, locust, redbud, blackberry and poplar blooms — each exceedingly
valuable here to bee-keepers — were all killed by the March freeze.

Sneedville, Tenn., Dec. 1.

^~ Do not write anything for publication
on the same sheet of paper witn business
matters, unless it can be torn apart wlthou
interfering with either part of the letter.

Fine Weather — Going South.

We are having very fine weather.
The little snow we had in November has
all disappeared, and the frost in places
out of the ground. We are scraping and
fixing the road to-day — 55° above zero
yesterday in the shade. I put my bees
into cellars Nov. 8. They are quiet and
contented at 40^ to 42° above zero.

I intend to start next week on a trip
South — to Florida and several Southern
States, to reach Beeville, Tex., in time
to take in the convention at Mrs. Atch-
ley's place, and get acquainted with
our Southern brethren, and their way of
bee-keeping. I expect to hear some big,
big " blowing up " the country. I will
see, and report. C. Theilman.

Theilmanton, Minn., Dec. 8.

Wintering Bees in a Cave, Etc.

The past season has been unfavorable
for honey in this locality. I secured
400 pounds of comb honey in 1-pound
sections from 15 old colonies, and had

an increase of 6 swarms. My bees are
mostly hybrids — in fact, I think it would
be difficult to find any pure blaclis here.
I had some of Mr. Newman's Italians
years ago, when he was editor of the
American Bee Journal. I am like some
others — for honey I would as soon have
the despised blacks.

I have tried cellar-wintering with
rather poor results. For the last four
years I have wintered my bees in a cave,
as I call it. For the benefit of those
who might wish to try a plan not very
expensive, I will state how I build mine:

Select a rise of ground where surface
water will not trouble ; dig a trench 4
feet wide and 1}4 feet deep, 16 feet
long; take 2x6 scantling and place 3
inches from the edge on each side;
make rafters of the same material, and
place 20 inches apart. Cover tight with
boards, put in two ventilators made out
of inch boards, 3x4 inches inside, then
cover over with one foot of dirt, then
again with dimension boards to keep off
rain, poultry, etc. Let the ventilators
come one or two feet above all ; nail a
board on top, and bore sufficient holes
in below.

I take off the hive-caps and set the
hives on top of each other, and place a
tenpenny nail under each honey-board,
I use the Adam Grimm-Langstroth hive.
I then close up the end, put on the same
amount of dirt, boards, etc., and do not
go near them until the willows blossom
in spring.

This cave will hold 30 hives. It has
the advantage over cellar-wintering
under a residence, of absolute darkness,
quietness, and about the same temper-
ature at all times. I put them in Nov.
12 for this year. I took the precaution
to see that they had plenty of stores

820

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

about Oct. 1. I feed them by putting in
full combs of good sealed honey.

I enjoy reading the experience of
others, and hope what little I have writ-
ten will do no harm.

Ebastus Bowen.

Columbus, Wis., Nov. 26.

A Beginner's Report.

I am a beginner in the bee-business. I
bought 9 colonies last spring, and have
12 now, in good condition for the win-
ter. I obtained 350 pounds of comb
honey. Eight of the hives are dove-
tailed, with Hoflfman frames, and they
are good. The other four colonies are
in box-hives, which I will transfer in the
spring. M. T. Fouts.

Parksville, Tenn., Dec. 10.

Honey Yield Below an Average.

I prize the American Bee Journal very
highly. The yield of honey in this sec-
tion was below an average. I had 75 col-
onies, spring count, and got 1,000 one-
ponnd sections of honey, and 200
pounds of extracted, which is perhaps
about an average of what bees have
done here. J. C. Lee.

Brooklyn, Pa., Dec. 2.

An Experience with Bees.

About four years ago I became inter-
ested in the honey-bee. I found a colo-
ny in a stub limb of a tree. I cut the
limb off and brought them home. I
thought I would fatten them up for win-
ter, and gave them four or five pounds
of liquid sweets in a pan on the ground
right in front of the entrance. In a
short time the air was filled with thou-
sands of bees. I thought I had a mon-
ster. Well, that night all I had left of
that colony was the stub limb. I have
never tried feeding bees in the air since.

My next experience with bees was
this : I climbed a tree 45 feet from the
ground, and cut a black colony out,
after a hard struggle and many stings.
I got them into a hive and carried them
home on my back— a distance of four
miles. I gave them a set of combs full
of bee-moth, and they did not stay with
me very long.

I then borrowed " Langstroth on the
Honey-Bee," and for the first time my
eyes were opened to the mystery and
beauties of a bee-hive ; since then I have
given bees my constant attention. I
had 16 colonies the past season, but on

account of the drouth they stored but
little honey. I sold out the entire outfit,
and with one colony I am starting up
again with a different hive and system.
The hive I now use holds 10 frames
with a top-bar 19J^ inches long and 10
inches deep. Peed E. Page.

Byron, 111., Dec. 8.

A Little Fall-Bloom Honey.

Bees did not do much this season.
They got a little honey from fall bloom.
J. H. Brown.
Prescott, Ariz., Dec. 7.

No Honey and Not Discouraged.

I did not get any honey this year from
70 colonies of bees. They have enough
for winter, by feeding some of them.
But I will still keep on trying to do bet-
ter. I think in a few years we will have
plenty of alfalfa here. The farmers are
trying it some in this neighborhood.

James Jardine.

Ashland, Nebr., Dec. 13.

Planting Basswood Trees.

I was at the World's Fair last year.
Some saw one thing at the Fair and
some another. I was breaking in new
shoes when I was there, so I did not see
all I might have seen. I have noticed
in the American Bee Journal some one
asking about where to get linden trees.
I got a price-list of a nurseryman that I
think will answer. Why not all bee-
keepers send for such price-list. The
one I got lists 4 to 8 inch linden at
$1.00 a hundred. Why not each bee-
keeper start a small nursery row in his
locality, and see to it that the shade-
trees that are planted are honey-plants
instead of rubbish ? We can send for
seedlings, give them a little care, and
give them away or sell them at a reason-
able price, and thus benefit the future
bee-keepers, or we may live to get some
of it ourselves. H. E. Kloth.

Blanchester, Ohio, Dec. 11.

Our Young Friend Again.

Since my last letter I have seen only a
few letters in the American Bee Journal
from us bee boys and girls. But I will
write again, anyway, for I was glad to
hear from a few.

We have our bees all in the cellar and
think they are doing quite well. We
have not fed them yet, nor do we expect

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

821

to, unless it be In the spring. I did not
get a chance to help put them into the
cellar this fall, but father said they were
nearly all in splendid condition.

I am going to school in a neighboring
village this winter, and get home only
on Saturdays, but I keep my eye on the
American Bee Journal. I would like to
hear from some more of the young peo-
ple through the American Bee Journal
this winter. Pens and paper are cheap.
Let us see which State in the Union will
have the largest representation of young
people in the Bee Journal this winter.
Now see if Wisconsin doesn't come out
ahead. Let's make the editor make the
paper larger on our account.

Chas. W. Sanford.

Ono, Wis., Dec. 15.

[All right, let's hear from the young
bee-keepers of the different families
where the Bee Journal is read. Tell us
all something about the bees. Maybe
the young friends can give the older
ones some new and valuable ideas on
bee-keeping. We always have room for
soaething good, or new and helpful. —
Editor.]

Bees Did Well — Late Swarms.

My report for 1894 is this: 1,200
pounds of comb honey, and 400 pounds
of extracted, gathered in 25 days — 10
days in July and 15 days commencing
the 29th of August. The bees have
plenty for winter. I had 28 colonies in
the spring, and 28 in the fall. One col-
ony swarmed Aug. 29, which gathered
enough for winter, and gave me 21
pounds of comb honey. Also one
swarmed Sept. 4, and gathered 22
pounds for winter, and gave me 7
pounds of finished comb honey. If any
one has done better in this latitude
(38°) I should like to hear from him
through the American Bee Journal.

A. D. Lord.

Amiret, Minn., Dec. 13.

Bee-Keeping in Eastern Kansas.

I had intended to meet all of the bee-
keeping fraternity of the United States
and Canada at St. Jeseph in October,
but I was prevented by circumstances
that I could not control, and went about
100 miles right in the opposite direction.
I just consider I perhaps missed the one
opportunity of a lifetime, but I will go
when they have the National at Kansas

City or Independence, Mo., i/ it is not too
far in the future.

We have had poor honey crops here in
eastern Kansas for several years, but we
are a hopeful lot — we always think we
will do better next year; but we beat
Dr. Miller this year. I got an average of
a little over 13 pounds to the colony,
counting increase and all. I had only
one swarm, but made several colonies by
dividing.

Our best honey-flow this year was in
September and October, and where I live
(on Marmaton river) it was all white
honey — I think it was from asters — and
it is all candied now so hard that I can
hardly dig it out with a table-knife.

We are having nice weather yet— no
snow or cold weather, and very little
rain. The farmers are nearly all plow-
ing, and the corn is mostly all gathered,
but, like the honey crop, there was not
much of it to gather. But we are work-
ing hard to try to do better next year,
trusting in the Lord and hard labor to
get a crop. J. C. Balch,

Bronson, Kans., Dec. 14.

An Old Bee-Keeper's Report.

Next year may be my last for the
American Bee Journal. I think that I
have taken it about as long as anybody
in the country. I think that I took it
nearly all of the time it was published in
Washington, D. C, and the most, or all,
of the time it has been published in Chi-
cago— about 30 years, in all. I am get-
ting too old to take care of bees. I am
now in my 85th year, and have kept
bees about 50 years. I have put into
my cellar 98 colonies, and they seem to
be all right yet. In hiving one swarm
last summer, I fell out of an apple tree
backwards about ten feet, with a swarm
in my hands ; the bees went all over me,
and then they came at me sharp-^d
first, and they stung me a good many
times until I got out of their way.

Wm. C. Wolcott.

Eldorado, Wis., Dec. 17.

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.

Great Premiums on page 803 !

822

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Index t« Vol. XXXIV

SUBJECTS.

Absconding 376, 466

Absconding, prevention 269, 630

Accident, in case of 13

"Adel" queens "83

Adulteration of honey 143

Albino bees •/■^••- 5?I

Alfalfa 524, 6o2, 657

AlBlke , 524

American Colombo "U-^

Anointed frame edges v ;™

Ants 89. 121, 265,410,614, 722

Apiarian suggestions 633

Apicultural " don't " ■ • 538

Apiculture in Germany 694, 723

Appendicitis **

Asters 538, 584, 602

Asthma, prevention and treatment 460

Australia, ahead on honey 201

Bald proposition 299

Banquet to publishers 680

Beauty V8. quality 753

Bee and snake story 366

Bee-buzzings from Biltmore 279

Bee-cellars 523

Bee-eating birds jSe

Bee-escape honey-board and swarming.. 21 1,404, 659

Bee-fleld competition 469

Bee-grub or maggot 554

Bee-Keepers' ^Educational Society 807

Bee-Keepers' Union, 10th annual report 789

Bee-keeping as a business 565

Bee-Keeping in

Australia 146,376,429

California 500,531,627, 691

Canada 779

Cuba 488

Kngland 615

France 782

Georgia 105

Kansas 821

Kentucky 83

Louisiana 409

Maine 185

Michigan 632

Minnesota 761

Mississippi 20, 793

Sandwich Islands 626

Tennessee 153, 818

Texas 556

Utah 406

West Virginia 218

Bee-keeping pays 243

" Bee-line " 135

Bee-management in Florida 684

Bee-moth I lo, 177

Bee-paralysis, or nameless disease 26, 50 54,

84, 89. 110, 137. 173, 178, 23H, 240, 309, 337, 366,
372, 395, 495, 556, 564, 568, 570, 599, 647 759

Bees and fruit 598, 629

Bees and horticulture 774

-Bees and tobacco 297

KBees by the pound 623

'Bees didn't swarm 203

Bees in a court house 301

Bees leaving in cold weather 776

Bees moving eggs 49, 244

Bees on turpentine and sulphur 567

Bees sticking to the combs 370

Bee-sting remedies 103,249

Bee stings— a forced admission 180

Beeswax not digestible 364

Beeswax rendering 777

Bee-veils 55, 90

Beginners and questions 397

Being angry with Dr Miller 343

Best hive for wintering 467

Best honeys of the world ;• li".

Big yields of honey 20l, 281

Black or native bees 525, 625

Bleaching comb honey 79

Boncset 3|->

Borage as a honey-plant "'"

Bowlegs and difficult teething 108

Box-elder, and its honey 215, 23,5

Boys and girls as bee-keepers 154

Brace and burr combs 336, 370, 430

Brace combs and bee-hives 307

. 73, 232, 527, 657, i

Brace combs and their advantages 272, 566

Breeding for color 590, 719

Brood-rearing in the fall "784

Broom weed as a honey-plant 493

Buckwheat 313

Buffalo clover 587

Building comb 266

Building up and uniting colonies 649

Busy bees (poem) 215

Buzzings 678

California honey-plants. .

Canada thistle

Cancers ,

Carbolic acid bee-escape

Care of children

Carnlolan bees

Carniolan hybrid bees...

Catalpa

Catarrh— cause and prevention

Catching drones

Catnip

Cedar wood for feeders and supers

Cellars and cisterns

Cellar-wintering of bees 650, 745,

Cell-cups made in winter

Changing frames

Changing from blacks to hybrids

Cherries

Chills and ague

Cisterns 471, 555,

Clamp staple

Closed-end frames ■

Close-fltting frames

Clover growing

Clover (poem)

Colds

Colic

Color in beeswax

Comb between frames and super

Comb honey adulteration

Comb honey and prevention of increase

Comb honey 3 years old

Combs for extracting

Commission men

Conflicting reports

Constipation

Controlling the bees..

Convention advantages

Convention rhyme

CONVENTIONS-

i Co., Nebr 121, 251,

Cortland Union

Central California 54,

Central Iowa

East Tennessee

Illinois 247, 621,

L,08 Angeles County 344,

North American 176, 201, 359.360, 392. 423,

432. 487, 499, .521, ,529, 535, 536, 560, 583, 590,

690, 693, 723, 741, 754, 774

Northeast Ohio and Northwest Pennsylvania.

Southeast Kansas

Utah

Western Washington

Convulsions 45

Cotton waste for smoker fuel 167, 240

Coughs, cause and cure 634

Cover for sections 651

Covering for sections on the hive 48

Cow-pea honey 650

Crimson clover 649

Criticims— something about them 77

Cross people 587

Cross swarms 12, 811

Cyprian bees 527

Dadant,Chas 743

Daisies 217

Dandrolicon 240

Uandrulf— prevention and cure 172

Darwin and bees 84

Dead bees in Combs 650

"Dearth of honey " 86, 154

DEATH NOTICES—

Cheshire, Frof. FrankR 487

Edwards, Miss Mattie 493

.Tenkins. Miss 488

Kocse, Miss RosaC 775

Travis, Mrs. I. A 72

Deep frames vs. storifylng 595

Did they kill the queen ? 331

Difference in colonies 243

Diseasesof bees 14, 45

Disposing of the honey crop 302, 754

Disposition of the bee 210

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

823

Distance below frames

Dividiner colonies at swarming time

Doq't get angry, bee-lieepers

Double or single walled hives— which ?.

Drone laying queens

Droneless colony

Drones and queen episode

Drones and swarming

Drones from laying workers

Drone-traps

Drouth in Iowa

DummiBB or filled combs for most honey
Dysentery treatment

Early shipping of bees

Bast Tennessee honey-yielders

Emm Dee in clover

Empty combs

Experiment, an

Extracted honey

Extracted honey packages

Extracting

Extracting at night

Extra honey-gatherers

Facing hives south In winter

663

Facts and fancies of the bee

116

Fall extracting and uniting

426

Father and son

267

Feeders

345

, 346, 474

Feeding back honey

.562, 784

Feeding bees

266,503. 524

Feeding bees in the cellar

760

Feeding for winter

.270, 336

Feeding simplified

.437, 551

Feeding sugar to produce honey. .

147

Felons

44

Finding queens

..23, 498

Finding their own hive-entrance..

474

Finishing incomplete sections

681

Five-banded bees

nies.akindof

631

Hy-paper

679

Trame changes

566

I'rame spacers

7

Treight rates on bees, honey, etc. .

760

i'OUl brood. . . .148, 173, 206, 429, 434

615, 681

760, 815

Foundation for sections

815

Foundation moulds

.... 250

Fuel for bee-smokers

..24,153

166, 710

Fumigating with brimstone

297

.647, 727

Gastralgia

Getting the most surplus honey

Golden or flve-banded bees 526,648, 664

Golden-rod 201, 537, 538, 602

Golden-rod honey 807

Good queen characteristics 82

Granulated or brown sugar for spring feeding. . 748

Granulating of extracted honey 649

Granulation— prevention of 585

Greenish pollen 46

Gum-camphor and ants 722

Half worker and half queen ,

Handling queen-cells nearly hatching. ,

Happy disposition

Hard hearing

Harvesting and swarming

Hasty and the kissing habit

Hastv and the snake story

Hearing

Heat in Texas

High ideals

Hive construction

Hive entrance— changing size

Hives

Hives favoring moth-worms

Hives for wintering bees

Hiving natural swarms

Hiving swarms

Hiving two swarms together

Hoffman frames

Holy Land bees

Home in Sunny Southland

Honey and bees as remedies

Honey as food and medicine

Honey-bees and horticulture

Honey-boards

Honey-candy

Honey consumed by bees

Honey-dew 168,

Honey-dew and its cause

Honey-dew stores

Honey-flow for 1894

Honey for sick canaries

Honey in Chicago

Honey-laden bees

585

55. 57, 595
503

299

171, .584

527

50

76

214

308

57, 170

743

310

494, 634, 657

.. 214

.. 619
.. 720

.. 480
.. 714
.. 408

265
79
774
500
427

Honey locust

Honey outlook in the South '.'.'.'.;'.! ■.".■.■."

Honey-plants of Texas, etc

Honey-producing trees

Honey receptacles

Honey resources of East Tennessee.."!

Honey resources of the future

Honey ruined by moths

Honey-section cover

Honey statistics for 1894 .'.'.".'

Honey thieves caught

Honey vs. royal jelly '"

Horse-radish

Horses stung to death

House-apiary

How many eggs does a queen lay ?.'."."'

How the queen lays eggs

How to get all white honey '..'.'.

Husband and wife

Husking bees i .!!!.'.'.!." !

Illinois State fair

Invitation (poem )

Improving bee-literature .....'.!!."".'.'.'.""

Increase

Increasing the size of bees ......'.'. '. '.'.'."

Infuriated bees— what to do

Initializing the bee-papers

Insect enemies of bees ...".'

Introducing queens 1 17, 204, 376, "433',

Introducing virgin queens'.'.'.'. .'.'.'.'

Italian bees as comb-builders '.'.'.'."

Italian bees— historical, etc 118.311,

Italianizing bees 42, 138,

Italians are preferred

Italians stronger than blacks '.'.'."

Italian vs. black bees as robbers. . . .

Keeping bees cool 051

Keeping bees on shares ' ' ' joe

Keeping brood-combs with honey 523

Keeping comb honey ungranulated 112', 177

Keeping empty combs ie6 488

Keeping honey— how to do it 619

Keeping honey in barrels ..' " 426

Keeping pace with the world ' qrr

Keeping surplus queens . "■ les

Keeping syrup from granulating 427" 620

Kidney trouble am

Kind of bees 734

Kinlis in bep-keeping .39^; 402

Kissing— something about it 364, 432

Komposition on the bee 552

Lard for removing propolis 442

Largecolony ' 7J2

Large or small hives .'." 753

Large vs. a small apiary, and the kind of hive.!! 715

Late or early breeding 455

Late-reared queen 810

Late strawberry "698

Late swarming 523

Laying workers 43, 55, 363, 504, SOS.'esi', 663

Lemons— home made 365

Leveling section combs 003

Linden honey of the South !. 650

Linden or basswood honey defended 534

Live or dead brood 170

Lockjaw from rusty nail '. 13

Loss of queens in introducing 553

Lucerne or alfalfa 75

Lung fever !!.".' 553

Mailing queen-bees jg

Mailing queen-bees to Australia 652,' 655

Making a patented article 650

Making foundation moulds , 74

Management or the bees 677

Maples 215

Maple sugar for wintering 4'J6

Marketing honey 142. 151, 278. 302,488, 645! 808

Markinghive entrances 370

Mating and laying of queens 433

Mating queens 12, 135

Matricide— what caused it ? 363

Matrimony vine 522, 662

Melting honey 557

Mice disturbing bees 77g

Mice in a bee-house 520

Midwinter bee-meeting 550

Midwinter fair— exhibits and awards 177, 210

Migratory bee-keeping 305,405,533, 623

Miller feeder 240, 395

Minnesota honey exhibit 44]

Mistakes in bee-keeping !. i83

Mother and daughter 236

Motherwort 748

Moth-proof bees 585

Moths destroying comb honey 493

824

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Moth worms 301.369, 394

Moving bees a long distance 183

National museum— bees at 359

Nebraska apiarian exhibit 709

Nebraska Fair list 136

Nebraska storm (poem) 109

Nervous and sick headache 205

New bee-disease 344, 464, 598

Non-swarming Ill, 304,369, 429

Non -swarming bees 499, 502

Notes on bees 624

Not honey-dew 536

Nucleus plan of introducing 347

Nurse-bees eating eggs 457

Old or young bees for winter 145

Old vs. new combs 177

One pound or two pound sections 175, 46S

Out-door bee-cellar 341

Over-feeding the baby 13

Packing bees 88, 433

Paper tor winter packing 783

Paper pans for shipping-cases 145

Percolator feeders 551

Perforated zinc queen-excluders 43, 83

Perfume of flowers 581

Persimmon as a honey-yielder 106, 217

Personal experiences 471, 600

Petitioning for foreign bees 72

Pimples on the face 428

Planting basswood trees 820

Planting for honey 470

Pollen and brood in sections 74

Pollen as a ferment 457

Pomona College 807

Prefers the 10-frame hive 729

Preparing bees for winter 278

Present outlook for bee-keeping 277

Prevention of swarming.... 80, 106, 139, 234, 298,

460 495

Prevention of syrup crystallization 266

Price too low of BeeJournal 296

Printer's view of the BeeJournal 727

Production of honey 488. 784

Profits in bee-keeping 530, 590

Propolis for corns 233

Propolis— its use 169

Protection for wintering 4.58

Pulled queens 106

Pure air and pure food for winter 276

Quality of honey 83

Queen and drone mating 712, 717

Queen and drone questions 459

Queen-cell protector 74

Queen-cells 41, 490

Queen-cells and the swarming impulse 16

Queen-excluders 809

Queenless colony 43, 617

Queenlessness signs 269

Queen question 266

Queen-rearing 54, 687, 717

Queens to Australia 392

Queen stopped laying 554

Queens willing the sex of eggs 617

Queer way to get surplus 441

Races of bees 525

Railroad rates on honey 530

Rearing brood on sugar syrup 680

Reasoning animals 660, 777

Receptacles for honey 619

Red clover honey foaming 776

Red pepper 300

Regular advertising 807

Remarkable fall for bees 711

Removing brood or sections.... 138

Removing honey from cross bees 171

Removing propolis 103, 359

Removing surplus honey late 649

Rendering wax 4(K), 457

Renewing of brood-combs 113

Reporting conventions 311

Re-queening to prevent swarming 139

Rhubarb and honey 300

Rhus poisoning 77

Right kind of rest .-.•. 653

Robber bees 710, 783

Root < ;om pany , A.I 742

Round-up in the apiary 135

Royal jelly • 490, .588

Rugged health— an acre of 682

Salvation and honey 105

Sam and Mandy "keep bees" 245, .558

Sections •■ ij'

Sed itious preaching 210

Selecting a hive 817

Self-dependence

Sending queens long distances 392,

Separators— use of

Setting out basswood sprouts

Shade for hives 243, 310,

Shaking palsy

Size of frames and number to the hive

Slats in section holders 523. 553, 632,

Smokers and their use 23,

Smoking caged bees and queens

Snake bite

Softened feelings

Sound advice

Sources of surplus honey

Sourwood

Southern bee-keeping

South for work and bees

Spacing of frames

Spreading combs to promote breeding

Spreading of brood

Spring dwindling of bees

Spring protection of bees

Staples for bottom-boards

Stimulative feeding of bees 53, 591,

Stinging horses

Stingless bees of Coata Rica

Stings of the queen and the worker

Straight combs

Straw mats over frames

Straws by Dr. Miller

Substituting syrup for fall honey

Sugar for winter stores 20, 180, 761,

Sugar-honey again ...

Sugar-honey ruined the trade

Sugar syrup for feeding

Sugar syrup for winter stores 178,

Suggestion s freely offered

Sulphur for bee-paralysis 89, 186, 240, 346,

Super clearer

,234,

Superseding queens

Supers

Supers in winter

Supply dealers at conventions

Surplus bees

Surplus queens

Swarming.. .12, 16,25,26,42,54, 106, 171,211

237, 238, 242, 3(J9, 310, 367, 370, 500

Swarming-time pole

Swarming with no drones

Swarms— best management

Swarms clustering

Swarms high-fliers and low-fliers

Swarms swarming out

Sweet clover 12, 75, 153,200,341,401,

Swelling of the knees

Tansy leaves to drive away ants 121

Tare for extracted honey 345

Thompson hive 281

To beginners asking questions 298

Tomatoes 492

Tongues of the Carniolans 234

Top-bars 752

Toronto Island 687

Transferring bees 42, 138, 363, 396, 458

Tremendous honey-yield 609

Turpentine for ant-hills 265

Two colonies in a hive 585

Two queens in a hive 711, 729

Typhoid and malaria 407

Uniting bees 72, 458, 527, 585, 617, 649

Unsealed cells and swarming 310

Untested queens in the fall 426

Unwired frames 376

Utah bees and honey-plants 85

Value of bees to blossoms 495

Various notes and comments 274

Virgin queen, unsealed cells and swarming 238

Visiting bee-keepers in Texas 747

Visiting in Iowa 52

Visit to Dr. Miller's 8, 744

Visit to Mr. Lyman's 167

Wants golden-rod described 458

Wants the honey In the sections 107

Warranted purely mated queens 745

Washington apiary 370

Washington flax 347, 504

Water for bees 495, 817

Water for bees In the cellar 654

Wax secretion and sugar syrup Ill

Weak colonies 46

Weak colonies and nuclei 465

Wet bee-brush 466

What best to plant for honey 335

WhatI learned in 1894 793

Which orders the swarming? 462

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

825

Why did the queens die 7 617

Why no surplus honey stored 7 330

Why were queen-cells built 7 330

Wild carrot 139

Wild olive 215

Will extracted honey sour 7 363

Wintering bees. .. lie, 2U3, 377. 396, 530, 658, 787, 815

Wintering bees in closed apartments 496

Wintering bees underground 622, 819

Wintering bees out-doors 338

Wintering in West Virginia 524

Winter problem 276

Winter protection 553

Winter stores refused 618

Wired frames 240

Wire screened porch 240

Women riding bicycles 394

Wonderful science 489

Wonderful upholsterers 232

Yellow bees 728

Yellow jackets 301

Yellow jasmine of the South 180, 247

Young bees leaving the combs 203

Young mother 76

ILLUSTRATIONS,

Abbott, Rev. E. T 457

Apiary of G. D. Littooy 371

Calvert, J. T 743

Factory, apiary, etc., of A. I. Root 403

Golden-rod 458

Gravenhorst, C. J. H 695

Hershiser.O. L 457

Holtermann. R. F 679

Home and apiary of Mrs. 3. E. Sherman 51

Home of W. Z. Hutchinson 339

House-apiary of H. P. Langdon 114. 115

Hutchinson, W. Z 775

Liyman bee-escape honey-board 211

Peiro.Dr. F.L 11

Percolator feeders 439

Southern California scene missed by Rambler. . 245

Stilson, 1.. I> . 725

Stingless bees 582

Yellow Jasmine 181

CORRESPONDENTS.

Bell, G.W. 314
Beeman, A. 762
Bennett, Clyde, 314
" Ben There." 86. 273
Benton, ITrank, 105, 493,
529, 662, 693, 723

Berry, J. H. 556
Bevins, Edwin, 182, 471,

538. 623. 689
Biesemeier, Fred, 634
Black. John B. 556
Blair, T, B. 504
Blank, F. N. 347
Bodkin. Rev. P, H. 105
Bolton. H. L. 588
Bott, Fred. 56
Boultinghouse, B. F. 314
Bowen. Erastus, 820
Bowser, W. 793
Bradford. A, B. 761
Bright, Wm. H. 185
Brodbeck, Geo. W. 218,

719
Brooke, F. T. 504
Brown, H. W. 409
Brown, J. H. 820
Brown, Dr. J. P.H. 180,

217.400
Bryan, W. E. 537
Burnett. R. A. 169
Burrill, Prof. T, J. 139

Abbott, L. F. 27, 202
Acklin.H. G, 88, 441
Adams. T. J. 410
Adkins. G. H. 698
Aikin. R. C. 301
Allen. Chas. B. 728
Allen, G. H. 281
Alley, Henry. 25, 200
Alspaugh, L. L. 808
Amos, A. G. 88, 276
Anderson, Thos. A. 378
Andre. J. H. 633, 729
Applegate, S. T. 633
Armstrong, J. E. 498
Artman, Olive. 538
Ash, Thos. 762
Atchley, Jennie. 72, 550

Babb, A. C, 282
Bachman, D. 47
Backensto Wm. L. 313
Balch, J. C. 24, 26, 821
Baldridge, C.J. 398
Baldridge, M. M. 311, 401
Ballinger, R. H. 347. 505
Ballou, H. E. 441
Balmer. John A. 183, 377
Banker, Otto, 184
Barnum. W. M. 217, 243
Barrows, O. B. 154. 250
Bartz, August, 57. 474,

Beath. Jos. 341
Bechly, Fred, 632
Bechtle. JohnH, 56
Beck, Chas. J. 185
Beckwith, I. W. 180,634,

663
Belding, Chester, 22

Cairns, John, 302
Card. Fred. 538
Carey. J. F. 334
Carrier, F. W. 378
Case, J. B. 78
Chamberlin.Chas. C.632
Chapin. E. W. 185
Clark, O. E. 376
Clark, S. H. 377

Clarke, Rev. W. F. 264,

343, 814
Coleman. H. F. 89, 217,

280, 347, 378, 437, 568,

663, 818
Cook, Prof. A. J. 137, 233,

598, 629, 709, 743
Cooley, A. B. 184
Covell, C. 88

Cowan, Mrs, Anna L. 424
Craig, Theo. 340
Craycraft. Fred L. 488
Craycraft, John. 533.537
Grossman, David, 557
Crotzer, A. S. 315
Crutcher, J, W. 748
Curl, Geo. H. 730

Dadant. Chas. 338, 468,

496. 565. 783. 817
Dadant & Son, Chas. 173
Daniels, W. M, 793
Daniher, D. D. 141
Daugherty, W. H. 557
Davenport, C. 658, 750
Davenport, F. J.R. 653,

Dayton, C. W. 276. 346,

372, 727
Dean, W. E. 728
Demaree, G. W. 83, 494
Dennis, J. M, 153
Derham, Wm. H. 346
Dibbern, C, H. 249
Dickerson. L. 56
Dilworth, Philo. S. 7.52
Dobson. Thos. 743
Doolittle, G. M. 17, 145,

184, 208. 272, 463, 566,

622, 648
Downing, Walter B. 250
Drake, Harold W. 571
Dudley, Geo. E. 530
Dugdale, T. I. 72, 80
Duncan, A. J. 522
Dunkin, Mrs. Mary J. 153

Eastman, A. 715
Elwood, W. R. 379
Emm Dee, 180, 583, 806
Emmert, J. V. 378
Eskew, J. R. 26

Farnsworth, D. 8. 538
Faylor, W. P. 313, 368
Feakins. N. C. 121,249
Feazel, B. F. 571
Feeback, W. S. 218, 602
Finney, H. C. 308
Fisher. W. K. 489
Flory, J. F. 26, 54, 280
Forgerson, Geo. A. 602
Foster, R. S. 79, 215
Fouts, M. T. 820
Frame, Jacob, 504
France, E. 710
Free, J. K. 557

Gale. Geo. 633
Gardner, M.W. 56
Gartside, W. G. 807
Gates, John F. 112,216
Getaz, Adrian, 240, 337,

720
Gibson, Herbert, 663,761
Given8,J.D. 248,377
Golden, J. A. 282,309,568
Golden, M. B. 56
Goodrich, John K.602
" Good Templar," 116
Graden, Randolph. 149
Gravenhorst. C. J,H. 696
Green, J. A. 19, 26
Griffin, O. B. 185, 657
Gunn, Geo. T. 139

Haines, W. F. 647
Hall. David, 474, 506
Hallenbeck, Mrs. A. L.

25. 109, 678
Hanna, A. F. 25
Harford, B. F. 251
Harmer. Walter, 408
Harris. Sidney, 90
Harrison, Mrs. L. 135
Hasty, E. E. 570, 710
Hayek Bros. 378
Hegler, Lawson. 376
Hentrick, G. H. 281
Hicks. Dr. J. M. 214
Highbarger, L. 167

Hill, A. C. 571
Hill. H. E. 307
Hill. P. B. 793
Hodges, Jas.W. 441
Holden.E. L. 624
Holmberg, John A. 442
Holt.Jas. E. 313
Holtermann. R. F. 489

806
Homburg, A. H. 105
Horsfall, Rev. Wilford,

626
Howard, Dr. W. R. 169

464
Howell, R. 347
Huff, C. A. 26
Humphries, R. H. 698
Hutchinson, W. Z. 73

113,296,560

Israel, J. P. 137

Jaessing, Chas. F. 405
Jardine. James. 820
Jenkins, J. M. 489
Jones, H. L. 174

Kauffman, B. B. 90
Kauffman, J. R. 217
Keeper. A. B. 245, 558
Kelly, T.C. 152
Kelly, Wm. N. 603
Kemp, W. C. R. 185
Kersey, D. M. 379
Klstler, M.J. 441
Kleim Peter J. 698
Kloth, H. B. 820
Knoll, J. C. 121,217,251,

379,410
Knox, Wm. S. 584
Knuppel, Mrs. J. 762

LaMont, Scott, 410
Larinan, Michael, 763
Leahy, R. B. 151
Learned, C. W. 793
Lee, F. C. 557
Lee, J. C. 820
Lewis, W.T. 20, 122
Limes, Milton, 250
Lindbeck, D. 429
Littooy, G. D. 370
Livingston, Mrs. B. J.

535, 631
Logan, G. W. 250
Lord, A. D. 821
Lovesy. E. S. 85, 378,406,

502, 656
Lundquist, Leonard, 410
Lusk, T. J.409
Lyman, W.C. 211. 404

Mann, C. V. 315, 441
Mansfield, C. 430, 655
Markon, S. C. 242, 442
Marrison, R. A. 664
Mason, Dr. A. B. 806
Mason, Jos. 473
McKnight, R.781
Mead. C. E. 53
Merrill. J. F. 147
Miles, E. S. 246, 657
Millard, D. 218
Millard, Dr. G. A. 344
Miller, Dr. C. C. 147,176,

209,240, 274, 310, 336,

369,432, 437, 469, 499,

599,615, 678
Miller, J. W. 409, 505
Miller, R. 55
Miller, S. E. 488, 787
Milling. W. I. 570
Mitchell.H. W. 684
Monette. C. 442
Moore, Jacob, 729
Morgan, E. A. 25
Morse, W. H. 26, 214,

495, 807
Mottaz, Alfred, 442
Muth, Chas. F. 212
Mutb-Rasmussen, Wm.

777
Myers, John, 23

Nance, Geo. W. 503, 538
Neddy, 727
Newland, B. H. 313
Newman, Thos. G. 792
Newton, H. F. 122,218
"Novice," 178
Nutt, W. C. 52

826

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL..

Page, Fred K. 820
Pallies, H. W. 232
Payne, D. H. 536
Pearce. J. A. 663
Peck, B. W. 664
Peiro, Dr. F. L. 296
Pender, W. S. 376
Penn, Geo. W. 88
Pestell, Robt. 279, 625
Peterson, J. W. 467
Peterson, Nicholas, 632
Pfau, Richard. .'582
Piekard, Mrs. W. J. 456
Pierce, L. C. 409
Plymell. Wm. 185
Poland, F. M. 473
Pond, J. E. 10,52,116
Pratt, J. M. 121
Prichard, J. E. 200
Pringle, Allen. 233, 660
ProMse,J. D. 588, 728
Pryal, W. A. 177,210,500,
531,629,692,698

Quirin, H. G. 117

Rackleff, Geo. 25
Ragon, W. M. 154
Ratliff, John, 121
Reynolds, Austin, 537
Rhodes, R. H. 88
Rice, Mrs. C. L. 247
Richards, T. J. 55
Richardson, F. H. 139,

Riley, Jas.Wh itcomb,235
Rlslow, O. G. 753
Roberts, J. B. 367
Robinson, C.J. 118
Roese, Rev. S. 113, 232,

250
Root, Ernest, R. 440, 551
Rosebrough, D. R. 122
Rouse, J. W. 530
Rubenstuffer,Ruben,552
Rupp, John H. 314
Rye, Edward, 18, 146

Scott, Homer, 282
Scott, J. S 474
Bcotten. J. A. 376
Shaffer, W. G. M. 722
Sheppard, Mrs. W.W.26
Sherman, Mrs. 8. E. 50,

346
Shookey, Ira, 25. 218
Shultz, N. W. 186
BimmonB, Mrs. J. P. 250
Simpson, Mrs. A. A. 217
Siples, J.H. 794
Slease. Mrs. Lucy C. 218
Smethurst, Daniel, 763
Smith, J. P. 762

Smith, I.. B. 366
Smith, Lewis K. 630
Smith, L. B. 816
Smith, Mrs. h. P. 335,794
Smith, Phillip, 817
Spitler, Geo. 763
Stark, Henry, 408
Stewart, J. G. 762
Stone, Jas. A. 247, 621
Storm, C. H. 727
Stout, Geo. 728
Straw, A. S. 505
Strickland, Chas. L. 183
Subscriber, 587
Swain, Margaret, 283

Tarey, Chas. 55
Tatman, M. F. 173
Taylor, B. 243, 277, 711
Taylor, Hon, R. L. 20
Tetft, J. W. 25, 89
Terry, V. B. 726.
Teter, J. G. 25
Theilmann,.C. 50, 534,819
Thompson, Andrew M.

Thompson. F. L. 213, 402,

465, 595
Thompson, W. A. 84
Tinker, Dr. G. L. 26, 82
Tipper, E. 396
Todd, Elmer, 433
Townsend, O. H. 632
Tubbs, G. F. 25, 409

Van Deusen, J, 297

Wallace.Thos. S. 377
Wallenmeyer, J. C. 25,

144. 2K2
Ward, Hiram J. 249
Webster, G. W. 282
Weed, Susie, 249
Weiland, F. M. 408
Wheeler, H. C. 346
Whittle, L.B. 812
Wilkins, C. W. 87
Wilkins, Frank, 503
Will N. S.282.
Williams, Jeff 174
Williams, Mrs, Mate, 761
Wilson, D. C. 632
Wolcott, Wm. C. 821
Wood, Walter R. 493
Woodward, M. D., Robt.

Wo'odworth, C. E. 571
Wuthrifk, Ernst, 378
Wyss, Daniel, 815

Yahnke, F. .56
Yates, W.H. 313
York, Geo. W. 693, 755
Young, Elmer, 174
Young, N, 537
Younkin, C, S. 729

, C. C. li

CouTention IVotice!§>.

Wisconsin.— The next annual meeting of
the Wisconsin Bee-Keepers'Association wiilbe
held at Madison, on Feb. 8th and 9th. 1895.

Madison. Wis. J. W. Vance, Cor. Sec.

COLOKADO.— The 15th annual meeting of
the Colorado State Bee-Keepers' Association
will be held on Monday and Tuesda.v. Jan. .il
and 22. 1895, in Denver. H. Knight, Sec.

Littleton. Oolo.

Nkw Yokk.— The annual meeting of the
Ontario Co., N Y.. Bee-Keepers' Association
will be held in Canandalgua, N. Y., Jan. 25
and 28, 1895. Cume early. Everyone come.

Bellona, N. Y. Ruth B. Taylor, Sec.

Indiana,— The Indiana State Bee-Keepers'
Association will hold its llfteenth annual
meeting at the State House, Indianapolis, on
Jan. 9, 1895. There will be three sessions-
morning, afternoon and evening. Several

other associations will convene here at the
same time, thus securing reduced rate of 1}^
fare for the round trip, but a certificate must
be asked for when purchasing your ticket.
Programme will be issued in December.

Walter S. Pouder, Pros.
Indianapolis, Ind.

Ontario, Canada.— The annual meeting of
the Ontario Bee-Keepers' Association will be
held at Stratford, Jan. 22, 23 and 24, 1895.
All bee-keepers are cordially invited to at-
tend. W. CousE, Sec.

Streetsville, Ont.

Pennsylvania,— The Venango County Bee-
Keepers' Association of northwestern Penn-
sylvania will hold their 2nd annual meeting
in the City Hall at Franklin, Pa., on Jan. 28,
1895, at 1 o'clock p.m. All interested send
for program. C. S. Pizer, Sec.

Franklin. Pa.

Kansas.— There will be a meeting of the
Southeastern Kansas Bee-Keepers' Associa-
tion on March 16. 1895, at Goodno's Hall, in
Bronson, Bourbon Co.. Kans. It is the annual
meeting, and all members are requested to be
present, and all bee-keepers are cordially in-
vited. J. C. Balch, Sec.

Bronson, Kans.

Vermont.— The next annual convention of
the Vermont Bee-Keepers' Association will
be held in Middlebury, Vt.. on Jan. 30 and 31 ,
1895. Programs will be prepared and mailed
later. Let every "Vermont bee-keeper begin
NOW to preoare to attend, and all those who
can reach Middlebury, whether you live in
Vermont or not, we want you to come.

Barre, Vt. H. W. Scott, Sec.

Michigan.— The Michigan State Bee-Keep-
ers' Association will hold its annual meeting
Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 2 and 3, 1895,
in the city of Detroit, at the Perkins Hotel,
cor. of Cass and Grand Kiver Avenues. Rates,
$1.25 and $1.50 per day. The former rate if
two occupy one room. This will be at a time
when railroad rates will probably be one-half
fare. W. Z, Hutchinson, Sec.

Flint, Mich.

List of Honey and Beeswax Dealers,

Most of whom Quote in this Journal.

Clilcago, Ills.

J. A. LamOn, 43 South Water St.

R. A, Burnett & Co.. 163 South Water Street.

New York, N. Y.

F. I. Sage & Son, 183 Reade Street.
Hildreth Bros. & Seqelken.

28 & 30 West Broadway.
Chas. Israel & Bros.. 110 Hudson St.
I. J. Stringham, 105 Park Place.
Francis H. Leggett & Co., 128 Franklin St.

Kansas City, Mo.

Hamblin & Bearsb, 514 Walnut Street.
Clemoms-Mason Com. Co., 423 Walnut St.

Albany, N.Y.

H. R. Wright, 326 & 328 Broadwar.

Buffalo, N. Y.
Batterson & Co., 167 & 169 Scott St.

Hamilton, Ills.
Chas. Dadant & Son.

Cincinnati, Ohio.
C. F. Muth & SON.cor. Freeman & Central av8.

AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU

82T

Honey & Beeswax Market Quotations.

CHICAGO. III., Dec. 7.— The trade is tak-
ing some comb honey for holiday display.
This helps out all the choice lots, which bring-
15c. per pound; other grades that are good to
choice, 13®14c. The dark grades as usual are
slow of sale at 9@10a. Extracted sells chiefly
at 6@6i4@7c. Very little basswood or clover
is offered in 60-lb. tins, two in a case. Such
meet with ready sale at top prices.

Beeswax scarce at 28c. R. A. B. & Co.

NEW FORK. N. Y., Oct. 25.— Comb honey
arrives quite freely, our receipts up to date
numbering 10,119 crates. The demand is fair.
We quote: Fancy white. 1-lbs., 14c.; fair
white, 12c.; buckwheat, 10c. ; 2-lbs., l@2c.
less, according to quality. The market for
extracted is dull, with plenty of stock. We
quote: Basswood and white clover, 6@6'/ic.;
Southern, o0@55c. a gallon. Beeswax scarce
and in good demand at 29c. H. B. & S,

NEW YORK, N. Y., Nov. lO.-The market
for comb and extracted honey is good, and
the supply equals the demand. Fancy clover
and buckwheat sells best; off grades are not
quite as salable ; and 2-pound sections are little
called for. We quote as follows: 1-pound
fancy clover. 13@14c. I 2-pound. 12'/i@13c.; 1-
pound white, 12@12!4c. ; 2-pound. 12c.; 1-
pound fair, 10@llc.; 2-pound, 10®llc.; 1-
pound buckwheat, 10@llc.; 2-pound, 9@10c.
Extracted, clover and basswood, 6@6^c. ;
buckwheat, 5@5 Vic; Southern, 50@60c. per
gallon. Beeswax, scarce and in good demand
at 29®30c. C. 1. & B.

CINCINNATI, O., Dec 8. —There is no
change in the market. Demand Is good for
all kinds in a quiet way. No change in prices.
Extracted honey brings 4@7c. Best white
comb, 14@16c.

Beeswax is in good demand at 22®27c. for
good to choice yellow. C. F. M. & S.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 4.— The receipt
of comb honey in this market so far has not
been very large, and demand is very good.
We quote: No. 1 white, l-lbs., 15c.; No. 2
white, 13®] 4c.; No. 1 amber, 14c.; No. 2 am-
ber, 10®12c. Extracted, white, 6H®7c.; am-
ber, 5®6'/4c. Beeswax, 25c. C.-M. C. Co.

CHICAGO. III., Oct. 18.— We quote: Fancy
white comb honey, 1-lbs., 15c. ; No. 2 white,
13c.; buckwheat, 10c. With cooler weather,
demand improving, and our stock on hand at
the present time extremely lig;ht. Extracted,
5}4@7c,, depending upon quality and style of
package. Beeswax. 28e. S. T. F. & Co.

ALB ANT, N. Y.. Sept. 21.— Honey in better
demand, especially the high grades of v/hlte
comb honey. We quote: No. 1 white, 14®
15c.; No. 2 white. 13@14c.; Mixed white. 11
®12c.; No. 1 buckwheat, 12®l2i4c.; No. 2
buckwheat. ll®lli/4c.; common, 10@llc.
Extracted, white (Northern), 7@8c. ; amber,
®6'/2C. : buckwheat, 5!4®6c. Beeswax, 27®
29c. Do not look for much of any change in
these prices, and advise now to have honey
on the market as early as possible for best
prices. H. R. W.

BUFFALO. N. Y., Dec. 17.-The demand for,
honey is very quiet. We quote : Fancy, 13®
14c.; choice, ll@12c. ; others from 8®10c.
Literal amount of stock in market. The pros-
pects are that the demand will be very light
until after the holidays. Extracted is moving
very slowly at 5@7c, B. & Co.

NEW YORK, N. Y., Nov. 24.— The receipts
of comb honey have been very large and ex-
ceed those of former years by far. The de-
mand has not been very active of late and
there are no signs of improvement. The sup-
ply is accumulating and the prices show a
downward tendency. We quote: Fancy white,
1-lbs., 13@14c.; fair white, ll@12c.'; buck-
wheat, 10c. Two-pound sections are in very
light demand and sell at from l®2c. a pound
less. The market on extracted is quiet, with
plenty of supply of all kinds. We quote:
White clover and basswood, 6c.; Southern,
50@55c. per gal. Beeswax is firm and in good
demand at 30@31c. H. B. & S.

CHICAGO. III., Nov. 27.— Up to the present
the sales on honey have met with our expec-
tations. We have received considerebly more
honey than we figured on handling, owing to
the short crop report, and we think the early
shippers reaped the benefit. However, we are
now getting the average price, viz.: Fancy,
15c.; while. No. 1. 14@13c. Extracted, 6@7c.

Beeswax, 28@29c. J. A. L.

RUDY'S PILE SUPPOSITORY

Is guaranteed to cure Piles and Constipation,
or money refunded. 50 cents per box. Send
two stamps for circular and free Sample to
MAKTIN RUDY. Registered Pharmacist, Lan-
caster, Pa. No PosTA(>s Answered. For
sale by all first-class druggists everywhere.
Peter Van Schaack & Sons. Robt. Stevenson
& Co., Morrison. Plummer & Co., and Lord,
Owen & Co.. Wholesale Agents, Chicago, Ills.
Pease mention the Bee Journal. Novl5

Wants or Exctiajigcs.

This department is only for your " Wants"
or bona-flde '• Exchanges," and such will be
Inserted here at 10 cents a line for each
time, when specially ordered into this depart-
ment. Exchanges for cash or for price-lists,
or notices offering articles for sale, will not
be inserted here— such belong in the regular
advertising columns, at regular rates.

WANTED— Single man, with good experi-
ence, to take charge of the La. Bee-
Keepers' Supply Manufactory. Must also
understand the care of bees. Having met
with a sudden accident. I am compelled to
have an experienced man to take charge of
my business at once.

LOUIS V. ESNEAULT,
Box 54, Donaldsonvllle, La.

Advertlsemeiits.

Have You Heard The Latest?

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—A AVALTZ SOING-

Makes a hit wherever sung. Price 40 cents,
postpaid. Reduction to Music Teachers.
Published by

J. C. WALLEIWlflEYEIR,

26E15t EVANSVILLE, IND.

Mention the American Bee JaumaZ.

828 AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

SEE HERE, FRIENDS!
WBEI REIWMIG YOUR SUBSCRIPTION

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give below, and thus secure a Good Book.

The "•Bee Journal " one year and your choice — ^both for the price named I

HERE I§ THE L.IST FROITI WHICH TO SELECT :

Name of Book. Author. Club Price.

Langstroth on the Honey-Bee — Revised by Dadant $2.20

A B C of Bee-Culture A. I. Root 2. 10

»-• Bee-Keeper's Guide Prof. A. J. Cook 1.75 p^g^

Bees and Honey (Cloth bound). .Thos. G. Newman 1.65 ^^

Bees and Honey (Paper bound) .Thos. G. Newman 1.25 ^^

Scientific Queen-Rearing G. M. Doolittle 1.65 ^9^

A Year Among the Bees Dr. C. C. Miller 1.35 ^^

^ Advanced Bee-Culture W.Z.Hutchinson 1.30

«^ Amerikanische Bienenzucht (German). Buschbauer 1.75

^

25^

G«

Bienen-Kultur (German) Thos. G. Newman 1.30

Rational Bee-Keeping (Cloth). ..Dr. John Dzierzon 2.00 ^2"

^p Rational Bee-Keeping (Paper). .Dr. John Dzierzon 1.75 fS^

^ Winter Problem in Bee-Keeping G.R.Pierce 1.30 ,^

^^ Thirty Years Among the Bees Henry Alley 1.30 ^^

j^ Bee-Keeping for Profit Dr. G. L. Tinker 1.15 ^

"^ Convention Hand-Book Thos. G. Newman 1.15 ^^

p^ Poultry for Market and Profit Fanny Field 1.10 ^

; — [ Turkeys for Market and Profit Fanny Field 1.10

Capons and Caponizing. .Dr. Sawyer & Fanny Field 1.15

^ Our Poultry Doctor Fanny Field 1.15

S!^ World's Fair Women Souvenir Mrs. J. D. Hill 1.50 ^

7tl5 How We Made the Old Farm Pay. .Chas. A. Green 1.15 >— S

Ea3 Green's 5 Books on Fruit-Culture. .Chas. a. Green 1.15 ^^

#^ Garden and Orchard Chas. A. Green 1.15 ^^

<^> How to Propagate and Grow Fruit. Chas. A. Green 1.15 j>c

^-^ Rural Life 1.10 m^m

Emerson Binder for 52 Numbers of the "Bee Journal " 1.40

Commercial Calculator, No. 1 C. Ropp 1.25

Commercial Calculator, No. 2 C. Ropp 1.50

De§crlptlon8 of the above Books, on the pag[e of this copy

of the <' Bee Journal/'

G-EORGE W. YORK & CO.,

66 Fifth Avenue, - - - CHICAGO, ILLS.

Why Not Earn a Preraium on Page 702?

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